Today we had banana pancakes, bacon, pineapple and watermelon for breakfast. Blanca is our cook. The food is wonderful! We then went to the school on the GSCH property for the Dia del Nino (Day of the child) celebration. It is a big celebration that they hold once a year.
Each team member was assigned a teacher to work with for the morning. I worked with Miss Melissa, the third grade teacher. Her assistant that day was Daniela. Daniela is in high school and she speaks very good English. I was able to use her as my interpreter that morning. Daniela is very responsible and sweet.
Me, Daniela, and Miss Melissa
Our third grade class was paired up with the second grade class. Their teacher was Miss Karen. Esther was her teenage helper for the morning and Rich was the team member assigned to her class. We played games outside in the school yard against the second grade class. They played a relay race game, tug of war, a spelling game, bean game, ball game, and coin game. The kids had a great time!
The view from the school yard.
Alisa
Daniela
The second and third grade classes.
Then, we went back to their classroom for Name Bingo and Guess Who. After that we ate pizza and cake that was brought in from Tegucigalpa. Then, Melissa and Daniela helped the children with the pinata. They had so much fun with the pinata. Miss Melissa kept raising the pinata up and down with a rope while each child was blindfolded. It took longer to break the pinata that way and it gave all of the kids a chance to get a turn. The kids screamed and laughed alot!
Playing Bingo
Playing Guess Who
When the kids left for the day, I swept Miss Melissa and Miss Karen's classrooms. Daniela held the dust pan for me and we got the chance to talk. Daniela said that Miss Melissa drives to the school from Tegucigalpa everyday. She has been teaching for eight years. I could tell that she truly loves her students. She gave out lots of smiles and hugs.
Daniela said that her own dream is to come to the U.S.A. to study. She would like to be a dentist one day. I think that she would do great in the states. She did a wonderful job translating for me all morning. She taught me about their culture and helped me get to know the kids better. She asked me about my family.
I wrote in my journal:
This trip has been amazing so far. I have learned so much about the people here. I have gotten the opportunity to go deeper with many people. That is such a blessing. I believe that God is teaching me to be a servant and a listener. I am blessed with the opportunity to be here. I pray that I will learn all that God wants to teach me on this trip.
Please be with Joe, Abby, Ellie, Nathan, and Sarah. I love them and I miss them. I know that I am here because this is where God wants me to be. He has given me peace. I am open to be God's hands and feet. Thank you for using me God!
This afternoon, Julie, Becky, Alisson (Pastor Abner's wife), Waleska, Kate, Pastor Abner and I planned the four talks and the games for our retreat on Tuesday and Wednesday with the girls in casitas 3 and 5. It was a great planning session.
After dinner, I was able to sit and talk with Waleska and Alisson for awhile. We were able to share our life stories with one another. It was a special time for all of us.
While we were getting ready for bed, Kate blessed Blanca (our wonderful cook and friend) with and arm and hand massage. At the same time, Becky prayed over Blanca. It was such a sweet scene to watch. They were blessing and serving Blanca.
Meanwhile, I went to find Alisson. She and Abner live in another part of the casona. I found her cleaning her home before we left for the retreat in the morning. I felt God tell me to serve her by helping her. It took some convincing, but she finally allowed me to sweep her home and Waleska to mop her home. We all worked together and talked together. The time flew by and she was grateful. God has been showing me that the people that are here on the front lines of these ministies need to be served and encouraged just like the children. They work hard everday. They get tired. We are here to love, support and encourage them.
Julie and Alisson
No comments:
Post a Comment