Keeping busy

This morning I spent the morning distributing school supplies. Well, I really separated everything out. Only a few actually got distributed. Surprisingly, that task took me all morning. After lunch, my roommate and I met to plan next week's teacher training. We are incorporating a curriculum called Celebrate Calm into our school. It gives suggestions on how to help students with sensory issues. After that, I called the mechanic to get my car in for maintenance and then delivered some uniform shirts. When I finally made it back to the school, I worked on a new handbook for our teachers. I want something more in-depth than we have had until now. I am hoping I will have time to finish before Monday.

After work, I actually exercised! I decided it is time for me to start taking better care of myself. After going through some rough times and letting myself go completely (and not caring), I decided to do it. I lifted weights (upper body), did some core muscle exercises, and walked for about 45 minutes. I am hoping I will keep it up. I have a lot of weight to lose and I need to learn new, healthier habits.

Tonight we had family night. I always enjoy our time together. Tonight we had a new missionary couple join our group. They are actually my new next door neighbors. I really like them a lot. We have three new missionaries coming on Thursday. By August, we will have about 15 people at our family nights! It is going to be large but fun!

Just Another Day

Well, the days are passing quickly as we approach the first day of school. I intended to go into school early today, but I ended up talking with my roommate for an hour and a half instead. It was actually really great and much needed. We hadn't seen each other more than a few minutes since I returned from furlough. On my way to school, I ran into another coworker and discussed locations for our sewing team. Each year, we have a sewing team that comes and teaches our kids how to sew different projects. So far I have seen them working on hoodies and pillow cases. Next week they will be offering free sewing classes to our Honduran assistants and some other women from the community. Once I actually arrived to my office, I spent the majority of my day working on schedules. There always seem to be several complications, and once I think I am finished, I find something else that doesn't work. I think I finally have a schedule that will work. Tomorrow I will finish printing them off, and then ask my returning teachers to look them over for errors.

After lunch, I watched a friendly Bible competition between the younger sewing students and the sewing team. It was a close game, but the students won. Although they did well holding their own, the team was generous in allowing them to answer a missed question in case the kids misunderstood. :) The kids each won an individual packet of M&Ms. Some members of the team also hung a whiteboard in a classroom that needed a larger one for a new teacher. Until now, the classroom was used as the music room and only had a very small whiteboard.

As part of my desire to get healthier, I went walking this afternoon. Even though I could have worked for several hours longer, I decided my health is just as important as work. So, I walked for about 45 minutes. I hope to do that several times a week.

The rest of the day has been quiet.

Getting Back into Routine

Well, it's my first full day back in Honduras, and I started the day off right - I slept in! It felt good. I went into work and started on some things, before my roommate called and told me that IHNFA had arrived. IHNFA is the government agency over us, which meant they were here to do inspections. I then changed my immediate plans and started doing a walk-through of the school, to see if there was anything that needed immediate attention. It was mostly ok, although the resource room is currently a disaster. I need to go through all the curriculum things and get it all straightened out for each class.

After lunch, my roommate came down to see me at the school. We hadn't actually seen each other yet since my return. We missed each other yesterday before she left for the Bridge House. She is staying there for the summer. Anyways, she came to tell me that the IHNFA people were not actually doing inspection, as we first thought. They were just doing a census. Once they left, I went to the city to get some money and groceries, since I had none. Shortly after 5 PM, I met up with some coworkers at Chili's for dinner. I then went and met with one of my girls for our weekly Bible Study. We finished the book of Romans, and decided we are going to do the book of Daniel next. She has never read it, and there is some GREAT stuff in there. She is going to ask another one of the girls if she wants to join us. I am hoping she will, since she used to come to the Bible Study when it was here at the ranch.

I got home a little after nine, so I am pretty tired. All the groceries are now put away, and I am going to head to bed.

Starting Yet Again

It's been almost a year since my last entry. I've decided that I am going to try and write again as a way of letting people know what is going on with my ministry here in Honduras more often than once every couple of months.

What better way to start than to let you know that I arrived safely back to Honduras today after a month-long furlough in the U.S. I had a great time visiting family and friends, but am glad to be back here in Tegucigalpa.

Caring for One Another

"Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Give no offense, either to the Jews or to the Greeks or to the church of God, just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved." - 1 Corinthians 10:31-33

It's been a good but busy weekend. Yesterday we went to the Bridge House for a BBQ. It was a lot of fun. It was a good time to catch up with our Bridge residents, and other friends in the city. Today was a regular day in the city, that included church and shopping.

The message in church today was great. It was a reminder that the church is about people, not a building, events, or programs. We are the body of Christ, and as such, we must care for one another. That is something that the Lord has been putting on my heart a lot lately. As Christians, we are responsible for caring for one another and meeting one another's needs. I am trying to be more intentional about checking on people and seeing how they are REALLY doing. Then I can pray for them more specifically.

If you have a prayer request, please send me an e-mail and I will commit to praying for your needs.

Busy Week and RBC visit

"For what have I to do with judging those also who are outside? Do you not judge those who are inside? But those who are outside God judges. Therefore 'put away from yourselves the evil person.'" - 1 Corinthians 5:12-13

This past week has been extremely busy. Besides being the first week of classes, I also had a group here visiting from my home church in VA. I was able to spend last weekend with them, and then they came to the ranch from Wednesday through Saturday. They worked at the ranch all day Thursday, and then we went to a community church service in the evening. On Friday, I took them to visit another project in the city. I wanted them to have an opportunity to see the "real" Honduras while they were here. We walked through downtown, met the street kids in the market, and then watched "street kid soccer." It was a good experience for them. I think it helped to put into perspective why my ministry does what we do.

The team left Saturday morning. I spent the rest of the afternoon with a friend. Today was a regular day in the city - church, lunch, and shopping. Tomorrow it's back to work and the normal weekly routines.

First Day of School

"Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; try my mind and my heart. For your lovingkindness is before my eyes, and I have walked in Your truth." - Psalm 26:2-3

Today was the first day back to school. We started with a chapel to begin the year with praise, prayer, and a time of sharing important information. After that, I taught for three class periods in a row. I am teaching 7th and 8th grade math, Algebra I and II. By the time I was ready to go home for lunch, it was almost time for the kids to come back, so I just stayed. I had a meeting at 1pm, another immediately following, and a third soon after that. I worked until a little after 5pm before heading home. Not long after arriving home, one of the housemoms stopped by to drop something off, but we ended up talking until after 6pm. We got interrupted when my cell phone rang. It was a teacher that had gone to the city, so I had to make sure she was alright. She was, she just needed a phone number. I made some toast for dinner because it had gotten too late to cook a full meal. After dinner I went to the teacher housing to spend time with a couple of the teachers and see how their first day went. It sounds like except for a few minor things, everyone had a generally good day.