Lessons learned...

Well, it's been an interesting two weeks. I'm still trying to get into the grove of things with taking care of the kids in the evenings and interpreting a few classes a week during the day, as well as finish up and take care of some personal things. There are so many things I would like to do while I am here, but I haven't really started any of them since I have all this stuff to do. I think once I am totally on a schedule, then it will be better. But for now, I'm still getting adjusted.

So on the 16th, Francis, my dorm girl, who usually gets picked up between 5 and 5:30 on Friday's when her mom gets off of work and drives here, left around 4pm because her mom had off work. Juan, my dorm boy, goes home close to 2pm on Friday's since he lives on another island and the only way there is on the ferry. So after about 4 we were free for the weekend. This kind of made me feel lost as I am so used to coming up and being with them. I had to kind of figure out what I, myself, was going to do for the evening. Kind of felt weird. So after a while of just sitting around on our computers, Rachel and I decided to go to the beach. Then we just came home and relaxed.

Doesn't look as bad as it is,
but it was pretty steep getting down there.

Sat was super fun! We got up and did our own thing in the morning, then around 3 pm we left for Charcol Frio, which is a watering hole in the rainforest that has rocks that form a natural water slide, and others that you can jump off of. It's a bit of a hike back there (meaning some spots are very steep and scary/dangerous looking), but it is so worth it. The water slide was fun to go down too, a little bumpy, but really cool. There are rocks of all different sizes that you can jump off of too. Some are like 10-15 feet tall, and others are 30 or more feet tall. Amanda went with Nate before he left, and jumped off the rock then so she showed us how to get up there, how we should fall, etc. She went first, then it was Rachel and then me. I was last because I was SCARED. TO. DEATH. I stood up there for at least 10 minutes debating. I was so nervous. There were 3 guys who were up there and went before me, and the one went twice! I was so nervous I was shaking all over, and so much so that I was crying! Not like sad crying, just nervous-about-what-was-about-to-happen-water-coming-out-of-your-eyes crying. I don't believe I have ever felt that way before. So I coughed up enough courage and just jumped off. Apparently for the first half of it, I was falling good; nice and straight. Then between 5-10 feet from the water, my body started loosening up, and my feet went out from under me. Thus, hitting the water full force...on my back and legs. When I hit the water, I felt like I was floating in air. I didn't feel any pain for about 7 seconds. Then it all came to me. My back first, then within seconds, my legs. I hit so hard, it felt like I hit a wood board at a really fast speed. When I surfaced, I could barely move, and had to pretty much doggie paddle over to where Rachel was waiting-which, if you don't know me, I used to be on the swim team when I was in high school, so I know how to swim pretty well. She could see that I was in pain and having trouble so she reached out for me to bring me in. I am normally fine and don't need help, but I was in so much pain, that I accepted. We sat there for a good while just trying to recover, and a few times, when my shoulders and chest were out of the water, they hurt really bad too. So we stayed in longer because the cold water seemed to be helping it.  Side Note: if you ever feel this way, listen to what your gut and your body is telling you. I so wanted to jump off the cliff, but in all honesty, I probably shouldn't have since I was so afraid. Use some wisdom and just don't do it! Needless to say, I don't regret it though. I'd probably do it again, if I had the chance, maybe first working up to it from smaller rocks first. But SHHHH!! Don't tell Betsy! ;)  Now that it is a little over a week later, my bruises on the back of my legs are slowly disappearing and aren't as big and purple anymore, but some of them still hurt. And my upper back and chest muscles hurt as well. But so is life sometimes. These experiences just teach us more and more as things happen.

Then that evening, Rachel and I joined Tess for a Pincho tour. A pincho is chicken, or another kind of meat, on a stick. We  went to 3 different places and tried different sauces at some of the places and then rated them at the end of the night. The first place we went to, I had Polish sausage, which was really good. The second, I had chicken with a guava based sauce, which was also tasty. But that place served theirs with the choice of bread or tostones, which we all got the latter. It was a lot of fun. :) 

Nothing too exciting happened last week. Except Kathryn, the new girl, showed up on Monday. She is also a worker who will be here at least 6 months, but she is hoping for a year. She is in the Army so that is why she is unsure of exactly how long she will be with us. All depends when she gets orders to leave. But she fits in pretty well with our team, helping Betsy in the classroom and me with the kids during free time in the evening. She doesn't know sign language, but the kids seem to be patient with her, and are helping her to learn. She seems to be picking up pretty quickly...but then again, I guess she has to! 

School went on as usual and everything was good last week, for the most part. It rained during the week, so we were unable to take the kids to the beach like we had hoped but we we able to yesterday, so that was good! Thursday was a bit rough for me...actually, it was really rough. Everything just seemed to surface all at once, on the same day. I believe some good things came out of it though. Well, it seems as though some of my prayers were answered, and I am hoping and praying the others will be too!

On Friday night, Rachel, Amanda and I joined Betsy for a Symphony. They were having their last dress rehearsal before the start of their actual tour so tickets were really cheap! I had a wonderful time sitting there listening to the music. It made me think about how Awesome God is. I mean, think about it: one of the instruments that were played that night makes pretty music, but if you just listen to that one instrument play their part in the whole song, it wouldn't make too much sense, nor would it sound too good. But when you add it to ALL the other instruments playing at the same time, it makes beautiful music. It was just lovely. There was a violinist and a cellist that were featured soloist for 2 of the movements and they were just amazing. The cellist had so much expression and really felt the music, which made it that much more attention grabbing for me. I really enjoyed myself. 

On Saturday, we had a staff breakfast/tour of the school and were told some of the history of the school and the buildings, which was interesting. Then later in the afternoon, we went to the beach with Kathryn since she hadn't been yet. It was such a gorgeous day to go!

Then Sunday, we all went to church then came back and tried to get a few things done. I made hamburgers so I was able to have something to eat at least 2 nights this week, and then after Francis arrived, the 2 of us went shopping for a little since I had to get a few things.

My dorm kidos! :)

Playing the bells

Ice cream from McDonald's for their reward
for knowing the Bible verses during VBS

MIZAEL CAN FIT INTO A FAN BOX!

And Monday started a new week, and only the Lord knows what's in store for the rest of it. One thing I do know is that on Friday, we are supposed to go to a horse farm and ride horses. That is the ONE thing that Rachel REALLY wanted to do before she left, and Betsy is hoping and praying that we are able to. Pray that we can go, as the man at the place was pretty wishy-washy about us coming and being able to go. Not sure what that was about but, we are all hoping we can go. Also pray that I don't have any more pain from my fall last week so that I am able to go. Since I am still bruised and my chest and shoulder muscles are still hurting, riding a horse for an hour may not be the best thing for me to do. :-/ I am praying that I am able to go, though, because I am unsure if I will be able to go again while I am here as everyone will be going Friday and I'd really like to go too! :(

But I pray that this week is great and full of blessings...for all of us! I just want to take a moment and thank every one of you who are reading this. Thank you for your support, whether it be giving money, praying, encouraging words through text or Facebook, or just by reading my blog. You all are great!! "I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy" Phil. 1:3-4

Father, thank You for the last 2 weeks. For both the up and the down times. You had/have a purpose and plan for each and every thing that has happened, and although I may not know what that reason is, I still worship You, because You are good. Thank you for protecting me and keeping from not getting any more hurt from jumping off that rock at Charcol Frio. You are just so good...all the time! Let this week be a good week for all of us, Father. Lord, I thank You and praise You for all the people who are supporting me, in any way that they can. They are a blessing to me, so I pray that You bless them. Especially those who have given/are giving monetarily towards my stay while I am here. I am grateful that You have placed them in my life and I ask that You pour out a special blessing in their lives as they bless me in that way. I thank You and Praise You for all that You do. Lord, sometimes I STILL can't believe that this is my life. But I ask that I always give You the praise and glory and honor that You so deserve for allowing me to serve You in this way. You are so Amazing! <3 In Jesus' Name I pray, Amen.

Some pictures from the last month while here:

Got this the 2nd day I was here

Saw this fella one morning before school!! 

Learning about one part of a computer screen.

Betsy 'showering' in the rain

 Just clowning around

Look at that root system!! 

My battle wounds from my fall

"God, You are so good. I am so loving this."

Church service last week

The theme was 'Beach Party!' so we
decorated the chapel to be under the sea 

                                                     

        We made a beach in a box! 

Everyday, we had Discovery time, and Brendan made a contraption that started with torching a rope that then created a domino effect ending in the big blue tarp falling down. The kids LOVED it! 

         

Each day, I had an activity for the kids to do to learn their Bible verses. Here they are working on a puzzle I made. I makes a star fish.
            

Worship!! :)

 

Wed was also rocket day!    

The theme for Thurs was 'Bold,' so the staff decided to do a "Fear Factor" type game with them

Snack time! 

 (I started this Friday, so if I say "today, I'm talking about Friday. If I say "yesterday," I mean Thursday. But now my work has started for this week, as my dorm girl has just arrived! ;)

Well, my dorm girl just left and I finally have some time to sit and relax without worrying about whether or not she has eaten, or if my dorm boy is occupied or is getting into things. This week has been fun, but it was definitely tiring! I'm so exhausted!!  Monday starts real school and my schedule will be different so we will see how that goes. Hopefully I can get on a schedule and adjust quickly to that. I am so grateful that I have other people to help me, and that I don't have to care for both kids all by myself. Amanda and Nate have been a great help, and so has Rachel. :)

This week was full of fun and games, but also learning more about the Bible. I was in charge of teaching the memory verses for each day for VBS, and with the help of Betsy giving me ideas of how to make if fun,  I think they were a success! I asked the kids each day if they knew the verse from the day before and sometimes from earlier in the week and some of them did! It also helped me remember 5 verses, because the 'teacher' has to know them also! ;)

                               

Today, I sat down with two of the students and asked them what the verses were, and they both remembered 4. I worked with my dorm girl on Wed night until she had them down packed! It is hard for her, because she doesn't know English, her grasp of Spanish linguistics isn't the best, the Spanish Bible verses weren't much of a help because she doesn't know and recognize them, and the concepts of some of the verses were hard for her to understand. So I sat and worked hard with her explaining and sharing different examples until she understood. It was great to witness those moments that she understood what the verse(s) meant and when she memorized what they were. I sat there while she was signing them for me and just thought, "God, You are so good. I am so loving this."

Me swinging off the rope!

Actually, I thought that quite a few times this week. On Tuesday, we went to the rainforest with the students and hiked down a small trail to a watering hole where there was a rope swing. Just standing there watching the kids jump off this swing, with the beauty around me, and then after I jumped off and didn't kill myself, I thought that. On Wed. when we went to an old air strip to shoot off rockets and we are standing there waiting to see if we had permission to do it (as Betsy so confidently walked into the place like she owned it and as though there was no problem with being there) looking around at the blue sky, the mountains, the clouds, the hotels on Luquillo beach, and all the other things, I thought that. And especially yesterday when we took the kids snorkeling and not even 30 feet away from the shore line did we see fish and coral. I thought that. Last night at our staff Bible study, thinking about what was being said and how it related to my life and the fact that I am here experiencing this all with these lovely people, I thought that. All week when I sat back and watched the kids communicate with one another at lunch time, I thought that. And when I just sat and thought about my life and how He's brought me to this very place at this very time, I thought that.

On Wed, the kids made fish out of coconuts! 

       God just never ceases to amaze me! I am loving working with the kids and seeing their progress of learning. It is just wonderful to see them actually understand and comprehend things! It's also amazing to me just how beautiful this earth is, and even more so, the fact that God lets me see and experience its awesomeness! We get so caught up in our own little world that we forget that there is so much more going on out there. But sometimes, He lets us in on some of that. Like yesterday, it was a small part of the world under water. We walked out just a little and  saw many different types of fish, with all different colors. Some blue, some yellow, some white with yellow strips, some white with black strips,  some gray, some white/almost translucent with yellowish orange strips across the top, and some with blue and yellow across the top. They were just beautiful. God's creation is just stunning, and to think, He gave man the intelligence to know how to be able to see some of His beauty. To see some of the beautiful fish in the ocean gave me a whole new insight into who God is.

Snorkeling on Thurs! 

           As I sit here, thinking about the week, reflecting on it and on God, I feel as though the Lord has something big for me. I felt that at home before I left, too, but again it has crept up. Whether it is just being here and watching the kids grow and learn and mature, as well as my relationship getting deeper in Him and being more aware of God in different places like I have this week, or whether it is something even bigger, I don't know. Only God does. But I do know that I am excited for it! And I believe I am ready for it!!

Father, You are so Merciful and Gracious to me. You have provided for me to be here and I know You are going to continue to provide. You have blessed me so much just over this last week, I can't even imagine what You have in store for me over the next few months. Be with me over this next week as I have to get used to my normal schedule. Lord, give me wisdom and guidance as I serve You. Let my relationship with You just be strengthened. Thank You, for new friends. Bless and protect them as they are serving You as well, from wherever it is You have them. Thank You for Your creation and for allowing us to live in it. And for giving man the intelligence and the knowledge so that we are able to enjoy it even more. Father, I can't praise You enough for letting this all happen. I love You, Lord. Thank You.