I realize it's been quite some time since I've updated this blog so I don't know how many people will read this, but I just thought I'd put out there a little prayer request. I'm finding the adjustments back and forth between here and the States harder as I become more attached. I'm currently sitting in my classroom with my students. They are each working diligently on their seatwork and we are listening to music. I knew it would be hard to leave, even though I know it's only for a short time. I suppose with the short time left, it's starting to hit me how much I will miss each one of these children. They've each had a significant part in blessing me this year and I thank God for each one of them. I ask that you would pray that I will continue looking to God, no matter where He takes me in my life, that I would enjoy these last few days with the students in happiness, not in sadness, and that I would rest in our heavenly Father, trusting Him to bring me back to the place He called me. :)
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Elena Schlener
As you know, all through the summer and in my newsletters I have been asking you to pray for one of our missionaries here, Elena Schlener. Elena was diagnosed with cancer earlier this year and she, her husband Phil, and their kids moved back to the States for Elena to get treatment there. The Schleners have been a shining light during this time. As Elena's condition worsened, she grew closer and closer to her Lord. Last night, God took Elena to be with Him, and she is no longer in pain. God has accomplished His purpose in her life and we thank Him.
I would ask you all now to pray for those left behind who must wait to see her again. Phil is her husband; her children are Chris (in the military), Jessica (college student), Erik (high school senior), Austin (high school junior), Louisa (high school freshman), and Matthew (5th grade). Please pray with me that they will especially feel God's peace and comfort during this time.
I ask that you would also pray for the students at the school. We had the responsibility of breaking the news to them today. Children are so matter of fact about life and death, but I just pray that they would see God through all of this, if not now then later in their life. The high schoolers have taken it pretty hard today as Elena was one of their teachers, the Bible study leader for the girls last year, and Erik, Austin and Louisa are their friends. I pray with all my heart that these events will bring these students closer to God.
I look forward to seeing all of you this weekend. We are all in need of the upcoming break.
I would ask you all now to pray for those left behind who must wait to see her again. Phil is her husband; her children are Chris (in the military), Jessica (college student), Erik (high school senior), Austin (high school junior), Louisa (high school freshman), and Matthew (5th grade). Please pray with me that they will especially feel God's peace and comfort during this time.
I ask that you would also pray for the students at the school. We had the responsibility of breaking the news to them today. Children are so matter of fact about life and death, but I just pray that they would see God through all of this, if not now then later in their life. The high schoolers have taken it pretty hard today as Elena was one of their teachers, the Bible study leader for the girls last year, and Erik, Austin and Louisa are their friends. I pray with all my heart that these events will bring these students closer to God.
I look forward to seeing all of you this weekend. We are all in need of the upcoming break.
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Sunny
Tuesday, November 4th was a special day in my classroom. My student, Sunny, and I had been talking about Biblical things and, more specifically, about salvation since April. This was of course supplemented by Cathi Costa's "witness tutoring" over the summer while I was gone. :) When I arrived back to school in September, the prayers of so many of you for Sunny came with me, and God initiated such a clear time of teaching and learning basic Biblical doctrine in my classroom each morning. The other students were involved and Sunny just kept asking question after question, each one very well-thought-out. Whoever thinks you can't be mentally and spiritually challenged by children needs to spend some more time around them!
Along came November 4th, and during our morning devotional time, I read to the studnets about the old person passing away and that we are made into a new creation when we trust Christ. Sunny was baffled by this. She shot question after question at me, each one showing the thought process of a genuine, child-like heart (or actual child in this case!). I was still in the process of speaking to all my studnets when I brought up the phrase, "being born again." When Sunny said, "WHAT?? How can you be born AGAIN??" (probably a little less emphatically haha), then I knew it was time for her and I to talk alone. I took her to the library and we read the story of Nicodemus and Jesus in John 3. We talked about God's love, we talked about the forgiveness of sins, we talked about confessing with your mouth, we talked about believing in your heart. She appeared to be in genuine shock that it was "that easy." Only having been with us from Korea for about 7 months, she still struggles with the English language a bit and was wondering how to pray. I didn't want her to simply copy words that I said, so I told her to pray what was in her heart. She said, "Jesus thank you for dying for me and please forgive my sins."
If there was only a way to explain to you the change that I sensed in her during this time, I would. Her questions were not cyncial but curious. She was seeking, and that's the change I saw. She took her first steps of belief. Her heart was different. Since then I have listened to her in her first faltering class prayers which, if they have been such a delight for me to hear I can't even imagine how they must delight our Father.
To witness the work of God in someone is truly amazing, but to witness God in a child's heart is a gift inexpressible.
I praise God for all of you and your prayers for Sunny. Please pray for her and myself as I still have a little over half a school year to disciple her. Woo hoo!! God is truly capable of more than we can even imagine, and I can't wait to see what the future holds!
Along came November 4th, and during our morning devotional time, I read to the studnets about the old person passing away and that we are made into a new creation when we trust Christ. Sunny was baffled by this. She shot question after question at me, each one showing the thought process of a genuine, child-like heart (or actual child in this case!). I was still in the process of speaking to all my studnets when I brought up the phrase, "being born again." When Sunny said, "WHAT?? How can you be born AGAIN??" (probably a little less emphatically haha), then I knew it was time for her and I to talk alone. I took her to the library and we read the story of Nicodemus and Jesus in John 3. We talked about God's love, we talked about the forgiveness of sins, we talked about confessing with your mouth, we talked about believing in your heart. She appeared to be in genuine shock that it was "that easy." Only having been with us from Korea for about 7 months, she still struggles with the English language a bit and was wondering how to pray. I didn't want her to simply copy words that I said, so I told her to pray what was in her heart. She said, "Jesus thank you for dying for me and please forgive my sins."
If there was only a way to explain to you the change that I sensed in her during this time, I would. Her questions were not cyncial but curious. She was seeking, and that's the change I saw. She took her first steps of belief. Her heart was different. Since then I have listened to her in her first faltering class prayers which, if they have been such a delight for me to hear I can't even imagine how they must delight our Father.
To witness the work of God in someone is truly amazing, but to witness God in a child's heart is a gift inexpressible.
I praise God for all of you and your prayers for Sunny. Please pray for her and myself as I still have a little over half a school year to disciple her. Woo hoo!! God is truly capable of more than we can even imagine, and I can't wait to see what the future holds!
Thursday, October 30, 2008
PHILLIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
THE PHILLIES WON THE WORLD SERIES!!!!!!!!!!!!! THE PHILLIES WON THE WORLD SERIES!!!!!!!!!!!!! I CAN'T BELIEVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!! IT HAS BEEN SO WORTH ENDURING THE SICKNESS AND FATIGUE TO STAY UP UNTIL 2 AND 3 A.M. TO WATCH!!!!!!!!! IT'S ALL BEEN WORTH IT!!!! I WATCHED IT ON THE INTERNET AND THERE'S NO ONE HERE IN MY ROOM TO CELEBRATE WITH BUT I THANK GOD FOR THE INTERNET BROADCAST AND SKYPE BY WHICH I CAN CALL MY FAMILY AND SCREAM AND PROBABLY WAKE UP THE REST OF MY LITTLE TOWN IN PORTUGAL WHO DOESN'T EVEN KNOW WHAT BASEBALL IS!!!!!!!!!
GO PHILLIES!!!!!! YOU DID IT!!!!!!!! YOU DID IT!!!!!!!!!
I AM SO TIRED!
I HAVE TO WAKE UP IN 3.5 HRS TO GO TEACH AT SCHOOL!!
MY STUDENTS ARE LEARNING A VERY IMPORTANT LESSON:
BASEBALL MATTERS ENOUGH TO LOSE SLEEP AND BE SICK!!!!!!!!!!!! AND THE PHILLIES ARE THE BEST!!!!
THE BEST!!!!
I can't sleep now!
Thank the Lord we have off school on Friday!!!!
Phillies!!!!
GO PHILLIES!!!!!! YOU DID IT!!!!!!!! YOU DID IT!!!!!!!!!
I AM SO TIRED!
I HAVE TO WAKE UP IN 3.5 HRS TO GO TEACH AT SCHOOL!!
MY STUDENTS ARE LEARNING A VERY IMPORTANT LESSON:
BASEBALL MATTERS ENOUGH TO LOSE SLEEP AND BE SICK!!!!!!!!!!!! AND THE PHILLIES ARE THE BEST!!!!
THE BEST!!!!
I can't sleep now!
Thank the Lord we have off school on Friday!!!!
Phillies!!!!
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Just a Quick Update
I thought I'd take this momentary opportunity I have to send you an update. This last week was rough in that it was busy busy busy. Ah, the life of a teacher, eh?
1.) My 5th grade student, Larissa, had to suddenly leave Portugal with her mother this week. On Monday I found out that they were to be leaving on Friday. This meant getting a lot of work together for her to do while she's gone! Larissa's mother, Marcia, is pregnant and things are not going so well. She has very high blood pressure and very swollen feet and the doctors here aren't doing anything for her, so they have decided to fly her to their doctor in Brazil. (They are Brazilian.) Marcia took Larissa with her and they hope to return in mid-January. Please pray for Marcia's husband, Larissa's father, Marco. They could not afford for him to go with them, so they will be separated for the birth and for Christmas.
Of course, this means I will be teaching only 2 grades for the next 3 months and that will be less workload for me, but I am sad that it happened this way. Please keep them in your prayers!
2.) Secondly, I had news of Elena Schlener this week and she needs our prayers more than ever. She is really losing weight and struggling with the cancer. Please keep her and Phil and the kids in your prayers. They have moved to Idaho in order to keep Elena from too much excitement, etc.
3.) I got sick and it won't go away. Mainly the cough. I've also somewhat lost my voice now for the past two days.
4.) Last, I had quite a discouraging day today, language-wise. I spent most of today with the band at a parade and concert. I was so discouraged to find that even when I try to muddle through in Portuguese, it is still just muddling and those that I'm speaking with tend to get a little frustrated. Of course they are nice and laugh it off, but then they kind of avoid me and this led to some lonesomeness for me today. I think it is truly the first time when I was upset over the language. Until now it has only been mild irritation. I find that people speak so fast and even when I ask them to slow down, they don't. Or when they do slow down I don't know some of the words they are using. This is all totally normal, it's just that it's never gotten to me before. That I was tired and sick didn't help. :)
Please pray that I will have the guts to speak Portuguese with the people I know can help me the most- that is the people who also speak English well. These are also the most intimidating people with whom to speak Portuguese because they already have a command of their language AND yours... and often times one or two more. Yeah basically I need guts.
So, that is all for now. It is 9:30 and I'm going directly to bed... yes, I'm that tired. :) I will try to make my next update more encouraging. :)
1.) My 5th grade student, Larissa, had to suddenly leave Portugal with her mother this week. On Monday I found out that they were to be leaving on Friday. This meant getting a lot of work together for her to do while she's gone! Larissa's mother, Marcia, is pregnant and things are not going so well. She has very high blood pressure and very swollen feet and the doctors here aren't doing anything for her, so they have decided to fly her to their doctor in Brazil. (They are Brazilian.) Marcia took Larissa with her and they hope to return in mid-January. Please pray for Marcia's husband, Larissa's father, Marco. They could not afford for him to go with them, so they will be separated for the birth and for Christmas.
Of course, this means I will be teaching only 2 grades for the next 3 months and that will be less workload for me, but I am sad that it happened this way. Please keep them in your prayers!
2.) Secondly, I had news of Elena Schlener this week and she needs our prayers more than ever. She is really losing weight and struggling with the cancer. Please keep her and Phil and the kids in your prayers. They have moved to Idaho in order to keep Elena from too much excitement, etc.
3.) I got sick and it won't go away. Mainly the cough. I've also somewhat lost my voice now for the past two days.
4.) Last, I had quite a discouraging day today, language-wise. I spent most of today with the band at a parade and concert. I was so discouraged to find that even when I try to muddle through in Portuguese, it is still just muddling and those that I'm speaking with tend to get a little frustrated. Of course they are nice and laugh it off, but then they kind of avoid me and this led to some lonesomeness for me today. I think it is truly the first time when I was upset over the language. Until now it has only been mild irritation. I find that people speak so fast and even when I ask them to slow down, they don't. Or when they do slow down I don't know some of the words they are using. This is all totally normal, it's just that it's never gotten to me before. That I was tired and sick didn't help. :)
Please pray that I will have the guts to speak Portuguese with the people I know can help me the most- that is the people who also speak English well. These are also the most intimidating people with whom to speak Portuguese because they already have a command of their language AND yours... and often times one or two more. Yeah basically I need guts.
So, that is all for now. It is 9:30 and I'm going directly to bed... yes, I'm that tired. :) I will try to make my next update more encouraging. :)
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Praises to God
I would like to take this opportunity to praise God for a few things!
Thing #1:
I bought gas today at 1.33€ per liter. That translates into about $6.82 per gallon and I am pretty sure that is the LOWEST price gas has been since I came here last year!
Thing #2:
One of the reasons that the above is possible is because the Dollar is doing better against the Euro. As of right now it is 1.35 dollars to 1 euro and that is the best the exchange rate has been since I came here last year!
Thing #3:
As most of you know, I was in a car accident here in June. God spared me in a big way. He also allowed me to continue to drive the next day (in a different car!) and go on with my life with almost no emotional effects. Well (delayed reaction) a couple of weeks ago I had a rough week where I had my first dreams about the accident and then continually dreamed (nightmares) for about a week. I asked a couple people to pray for me and praise God those went away. Thank the Lord that He answers prayer and that He is in control, even of our dreams.
Thing #4:
You have been praying for my classes, I can tell! Even though I have had to add an extra session with one of my students during the day, I have switched some things around and things are going a little more smoothly. Praise God for His wisdom daily in the classroom. Please please continue to pray for me there. I am realizing more and more that there are all sorts of pitfalls to teaching multiple grades that I don't even know about and that I need to avoid. Only God's guidance can help me there. With that being said, I am so happy to teach these 4 children and we are having a blast! I couldn't have asked for something better. :)
That's all for now. I hope this messages finds all of you happy in your lovely autumn weather, with your hayrides, pumpkin picking, apple cider and that great smell when you walk outside of leaves and fireplaces being used for the first time of the season. Oh, how I miss autumn! :)
Thing #1:
I bought gas today at 1.33€ per liter. That translates into about $6.82 per gallon and I am pretty sure that is the LOWEST price gas has been since I came here last year!
Thing #2:
One of the reasons that the above is possible is because the Dollar is doing better against the Euro. As of right now it is 1.35 dollars to 1 euro and that is the best the exchange rate has been since I came here last year!
Thing #3:
As most of you know, I was in a car accident here in June. God spared me in a big way. He also allowed me to continue to drive the next day (in a different car!) and go on with my life with almost no emotional effects. Well (delayed reaction) a couple of weeks ago I had a rough week where I had my first dreams about the accident and then continually dreamed (nightmares) for about a week. I asked a couple people to pray for me and praise God those went away. Thank the Lord that He answers prayer and that He is in control, even of our dreams.
Thing #4:
You have been praying for my classes, I can tell! Even though I have had to add an extra session with one of my students during the day, I have switched some things around and things are going a little more smoothly. Praise God for His wisdom daily in the classroom. Please please continue to pray for me there. I am realizing more and more that there are all sorts of pitfalls to teaching multiple grades that I don't even know about and that I need to avoid. Only God's guidance can help me there. With that being said, I am so happy to teach these 4 children and we are having a blast! I couldn't have asked for something better. :)
That's all for now. I hope this messages finds all of you happy in your lovely autumn weather, with your hayrides, pumpkin picking, apple cider and that great smell when you walk outside of leaves and fireplaces being used for the first time of the season. Oh, how I miss autumn! :)
Sunday, October 5, 2008
I Need God's Smarts
So, teaching all those lessons is getting harder and I could use some of God's smarts. Please pray that I will somehow be able to teach these kids what they need to know without them hating school at the end, and without unnecessarily burdening their parents. Most of all, please pray that the Holy Spirit would be more prevelant in my life and attitude than ever.
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