8/21/14
We have almost made it through our first full week of
school!
Thank you for all your many prayers: for new teachers, for
students and all the transitions and changes that a new year brings!
Story #1
Today a funny thing happened. During first period, I had my
laptop connected to the ceiling projector, like normal, and I was instructing
the World History students about Hammurabi’s Code. In the middle of the lesson, the projector
started emitting a high pitch vibrating sound. At first, I thought it was the
construction going on outside and told my students to ignore it and focus on
the textbook. But a few paragraphs later, I realized that the sound was
persisting and seemed to be coming from the projector.
I had the students read silently while I climbed onto a
chair to investigate. I turned off the projector, thinking maybe it had
overheated and told the student underneath the projector that they could move
to another less precarious spot in the room. But the sound persisted, even after
turning the projector off! My high school study hall students in the back of
the room advised that I completely unplug and disconnect the projector. And, finally, the noise
stopped.
Meanwhile, I'm racking my brain for how to adapt the lesson
from my well-planned Powerpoint, complete with video and application questions;
would we end up silent reading the rest of the period? Fortunately, I share a
classroom with fellow veteran teacher, Jim Almack, who, overhearing the struggle with the projector,
graciously went and found another projector to use for the day. Phew! I am
grateful for amazing colleagues that help another teacher out!
Story #2
Today was also a day of changes. Because of the growing
amount of 6th graders and fire safety codes, I switched two of my
smaller classes into the mobiles. But, after today I have a new empathy for the
teachers who teach out there all the time and dream about the day CCA
constructs a permanent building just for Middle School.
Realizations about teaching in the mobiles:
1st: Every word that you say echoes.
(We had to be really intentional about raising hands, even
in the smaller classes.)
2nd: The bathroom and locker are suddenly far
away.
(These privileges become increasingly precious, and I’m less
likely to let them leave class, which I guess is an advantage for the teacher.)
3rd: Storms. It’s Panama’s rainy season, and boy
did a storm unleash itself this afternoon during 6th period. The
rain drummed on the roof, and the thunder shook the floor. The wind blew all
sorts of debris across the gymnasium floor outside my window, and the entire
sky looked scarred and angry. I was happy to be inside, but it made it super hard to hear
anything going on in class. So my smaller class (that just so happens to be all
girls), huddled together around my laptop to watch the video clip I had about
Hammurabi.
Let’s just say this whole “class in the mobiles” plan is
going to bring us closer together! (haha)
My next class was almost wading through the puddles outside,
so I thanked them for “swimming to class” on time. Only in Panama!
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We’d love your prayer this school year!
1) Praise for successful Open House Night this week and
first full week of school!
Pray for continued encouragement, strength and wellness for
new teachers especially. We have a joyful and resilient teaching staff this
year, and I’m grateful to be surrounded by uplifting friends and adventurous
souls that desperately love the Lord and love these students.
2) Pray for 6th graders as they continue to
adjust well to Middle School life and patience for their teachers as we guide
and coach them toward being successful.
3) Pray for Crossfire and the new youth pastor (and good
friend of mine), Jorge. Wisdom as we begin the year and invest in these
students’ spiritual life and discipling them. We meet Saturday night to pray
and plan for the year.
4) Pray for the CCA students and families to come to know
Christ for the first time or learn this year what God’s love for them means and
what difference this makes in their life.
This past Wednesday, a bunch of the seniors shared their
testimonies and laid out the Gospel in a really powerful way. I just remember
sitting there and thinking, “Wow! Those are our students!” Pray that the Lord
continues to lay these words heavy on the CCA students’ hearts, either for them
to have that same boldness to share the Gospel or for them, in their hearts, realize
the gravity of what Jesus did for them.
As we remember our brothers and sisters in Christ around the
world, we are grateful for the privilege of worshipping the Lord freely, yet
also hold them dearly in our own prayers.
This verse was shared in devotions the other day and I’ve
seen it apply over and over to the situations at hand. May it encourage you as
well:
Judges 6:12
12 The angel of
the Lord appeared to Gideon and said, “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior!”
The LORD goes on to reassure a
desperate and fearful Gideon that He is sending him and is indeed with him. And
when the LORD is on your side, you know the battle is already won. We can look
to Him as our champion and redeemer of even the bleakest situations.
Later, King Jehosophat and the
people of Judah gather together to seek counsel from the Lord. This year, I am
holding onto Jehosophat’s honest prayer:
2 Chronicles 20: 12b
“We do not know what to do, but
our eyes are on You.”
Blessings and may you always seek
Him first,
Laura
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