Update from the South

Things have been going very well in Nicaragua, I've felt really great about being in here, knowing that I'm doing the right thing! Last week, I was very sick and missed a few days of school. Last week was really tough because being sick made me feel very homesick, and it was a difficult week. However, I'm so happy to report that I am feeling totally better and adjusting has been a challenging and fun experience. I do ask for prayers in continued positive adjustments :-) I do miss my family and friends VERY much, but SKYPE is a wonderful thing and we use it alot.

Things at school are going well, and I just want to update everyone on my roles there. My mornings are spent with the 1st grade classroom of 20 kids. The maximum per class at NCA is 14, so by the numbers you can see that we're over. We have 11 children who speak English as a second language, so my role in the classroom is a very obvious need! It's been an interesting experience, but the adjustment has gone well.

Another one of my roles at NCA will be to work with the counselor. My first 2 students are both 5th graders just needing some help with emotional maturity and social skills. So, I start meeting with them next week. Pray that the tools that I use will be effective in shaping these young people.

And my last SUPRISE role is teaching an ESL class to 2 boys (brothers) who are in 3rd and 4th grade. THis is brand new, something that is causing me some stress but I know that God will use me in the best ways that he can. I will be having an intensive hour with these guys at the end of the school day EVERY DAY!! Yes, that's 5 hours of me being a teacher a week. Ain't God funny?? Please pray that this goes well, I'm apprehensive about this opportunity as I'm feeling equipped in NO WAY to take on this task. But, I have great support from the principal on this...and hey, my roomie is an ESL teacher so I can't get a better resource. This class starts Monday. Lessons plan, grading homework, creating assignments...all this teacher lingo will be added to my vocabulary soon.

So, as you can see I'll be very busy, and still excited to be able to do it :-)

A few other personal things:

I have a co-worker who is very involved in an orphanage in Managua. She has told me that when I'm ready she would love to have me along. I know this will be an emotional experience for me, but one that I finally feel I'm ready for. So, I'm excited to get invovled in that...

OK, now any one who is a MAMA (especially my mama) stop reading!

There has been some violence in the streets. A few teachers have experienced it first hand, I have not. People are getting robbed in their cars. They (robbers) will attack the car, start shaking the car and demanding money. They have even started tires on fire and it has been very violent the past few days. So, please pray that this violence will stop and for safety for me and all the other teachers. This is scary, but we know that God is always with us, protecting us.

Thanks for checking in on me, ya'll are the best (can you tell I live with 2 southern Belles)?!?!?

Made it!

I made it to Nicaragua! After a very long and TOUGH day on Thursday, I got to my new home around 9:30 pm. They were not kidding when they said my room was small...but it's ok for me because I didn't bring a whole lot of stuff along. I went to school yesterday (Friday) and found out that I will be in the 1st grade classroom 100% of the time for the beginning for the school year. I'll be working with Ms. Carey Franklin in her classroom of 20 kiddos...11 of whom speak English as a second language!! With me speaking very little Spanish, this will get interesting! After the first month of school of so, we are going to try to start getting me in working with Marysol, the school psychologist. This excites me because she has an air conditioned office :-) Last night we had open house at NCA so it was great to meet the kids and some of their parents. I think it's going to be a great semester!

Well, it's hot and rainy here, but I knew what I was getting in to. I have 2 roommates and they are both teachers at NCA as well. We were up late chatting last night, so I can only imagine how many more nights that will happen :-)

Thanks for checking in on me, I appreciate your support and encouragement. A few prayers requests:

~Monday is the first day of school, pray that all goes well!!
~Adjusting has come pretty easy so far, but I know there will be days when it's tough to be so far from home. Pray that I will adjust well in learning my new culture.
~Pray for the 20 kids coming in to the classroom on Monday, SO much diversity and different home backgrounds...

I will post some pictures as soon as I take any!!

48 hours and counting...

Well, it's almost here, I fly out at 6:45 am on Thursday morning, August 5. People keep asking me how I'm feeling about it, and the only word that comes to mind is content. I am feeling great about my decison (most of the time) and know that God has called me to a special place. I am truly blessed to get this opportunity.

As I spend my last few days on family vacation, I'm picking up on the little things that I will miss about each one of them (and the things I won't miss :-) I have conisdered myself very fortunate to be able to watch each of my 4 nieces and nephews grow up in to the little people they are becoming and it's been great, I do think that will be the hardest part of my time in Nicaragua. BUT I know that God has called me to do His work in Nicaragua, I just look at it as gaining 100+ more nieces and nephews to love on!

So, as I prepare to head out of the US for a while, I ask for prayers for safe travel and getting thorough customs with ease, physical strength for me as we begin school on August 9, and emotional strength as I take this huge leap of faith and begin a new chapter in my life. I am very excited to see how God is going to grow me in to the person He wants me to be, and I hope to develop a lot of new relationships and have lots of fun along the way...