Getting Away

My housemates, two other teachers, and I plan to head up to La Tigra National Park this weekend.
We'll be staying in a cabin in the middle of this gorgeous cloud forest.

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What a fantastic time away from the city!
Here are some pictures from our hike and the breathtaking view from our cabin.

A few highlights:
-Hiking to a waterfall and not getting lost.
-Reading in the patio hammock.
-Sharing a fantastic meal and homemade wine with the German couple who own the cabins.
-Getting to know the other teachers more and not having to do ANY schoolwork!

Update

Thank you to the many people who have sent me notes of encouragement and have been praying for the situation in Honduras!
Fortunately, what happened in our neighborhood has not reoccurred, and through everything, we can trust that God is ultimately in control and has a plan in mind.
Recently, public school teachers (as well as anyone else who wants in on the persuasion) have been protesting in other parts of the city for higher pay. At the same time, people are demanding M.Z's return. Learn more here.

The school has discussed safety measures with us of how to avoid the trouble areas, but you can continue to keep us in prayer. Pray for Honduras' gov't that they would reach a peaceful solution for all cases. Pray for the people to lean on Jesus Christ as their true hope and solid rock to stand upon.

My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly trust in Jesus’ Name.
......

Esperamos

I have been praying a lot for the people of our neighborhood: for safety, for comfort, for peace, for Christ to be present in their lives. As I was praying this week, God reminded me of this truth:

But we are not a people without hope...There is hope in the Resurrection. We have a living hope because Christ conquered sin and Death and evil by rising from the Dead!! We look forward to the day that Christ will come again, the world will be redeemed and there will be no more pain or grieving or suffering.

1 Thessalonians 4:13
¹³ And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died^f]">[f] so you will not grieve like people who have no hope.

Ephesians 2:12-13
¹² In those days you were living apart from Christ. You were excluded from citizenship among the people of Israel, and you did not know the covenant promises God had made to them. You lived in this world without God and without hope. ¹³ But now you have been united with Christ Jesus. Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought near to him through the blood of Christ.

For now, we wait. Para ahora, esperamos.

Prayer Request

Please pray for the safety of the teachers and that fear wouldn't keep us from serving the Lord.
Pray for wisdom and justice and peace and ultimately trust the the Lord is sovereign.

Romans 8
³⁷ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. ³⁸ For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,^k]">[k] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, ³⁹ neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Spelling B-E-E

Saturday, March 5th

"The last word is 'challenge.'"
The 7th grade speller stood erect and didn't flinch.
"Challenge? C-H-A-L-L-E-N-G-E. Challenge."
"Correct. We have a champion." The room burst out into applause.


Last Saturday, fellow teachers Diana, Aaron, Kristi, and I volunteered to help with the Bilingual Schools Annual Spelling Bee Competition. Kristi and Aaron were the only ones to have judged a Bee before, but we newbies weren't alone, as almost the entire room of judges (mostly teachers from other bilingual schools in the city) were new to the event. After finally clarifying the Bee rules and running through a few examples, we donned our official judge shirts and split up into our respective rooms.

The competition was split by grade level, with each school sending a representative speller for each grade. I was "the pronouncer" for 7th grade, alongside a 4th grade teacher from Del Campo ("the judge"), and a Honduran engineer recruited by his friend to help out ("the scribe"). Everything went smoothly, with the minor exception of the time I accidentally started spelling the word instead of giving an example sentence. "Oops, and your new word is ____."
And ironically, the winning word was "challenge," which, compared to the other words we gave (like "psychologist"), was piece of cake.

Afterwards, there was a large award ceremony in the school's auditorium where the 3rd, 2nd, and 1st place winners walked onto the stage to receive their medal, pose for pictures, and take their prize. Third place winners got a rubber ball. 2nd place winners received a teddy bear, and 1st place got a mystery bag. (I never found out what was inside.)

It was a great experience, especially meeting the other judges, and I'll definitely volunteer again next Y-E-A-R! Stay tuned to hear how the IST teacher spelling bee goes!

La Flauta Dulce

The taxi pulled up next to a large building with the letters "GENESIS" on the front. It appeared I was in the right place-but where was everybody? Men loitered in the street and school buses passed each other with only inches in between. I stayed put in the taxi until I knew for sure that this was El Verbo school. I dialed my liaison friend, and she told me she was still on her way but that I was to look for the brown gate. I got out with my driver to try the gate. Locked.

Just then, a ten-year old boy sprints down the street towards me, waving his arms and yelling "Hola! Bienvenidos!" I smiled, relieved to see he was wearing the El Verbo P.E. uniform. (I was in the right place!)
He led me to the other brown gate around the corner, and opened wide the enormous doors to the school. It was cheery inside with walls painted different colors and stained glass windows in the classrooms. Two students sitting on a bench outside a classroom, jumped from their seats, as soon as they saw my recorder in hand. I was their recorder teacher.
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Today was my first day teaching recorder (flauta dulce) lessons up at El Verbo school. El Verbo is a private Christian school located in a neighborhood called Nueva Suyapa. Learn more here! or here

In the words of some missionaries working there:
"Nueva Suyapa is one of the poorest communities in Honduras (and the worse slum in Honduras). A maze of steep rutted dirt roads and small tin roofed shacks, the community is one in which more than 70 percent of the children live in poverty. What we used to take for granted - bathrooms, running water, and safe streets - have become issues we work on for a community of over 35,000 people." (http://www.bigbrightidea.com/4436.html)

One volunteer with Stewardship of Christian Ministries (SCM) came to our school and talked about opportunities to get involved. "Or," she said, "you can create your own ministry."
Now that got me thinking and praying. After much deliberation, an idea was born: why not teach recorder (flauta dulce) lessons?

Might I say it has only been 1 day and already it has been a blessing. The students are so excited to learn, and you should see their faces light up when they're able to play a note.

Please pray for this music ministry I'm starting, for the kids who come and their families, that they may know and experience the love of Christ and the joy of praising Him through music!