Dia del Nino

Yesterday was an eventful day here at the Finca. We celebrated "el dia del nino", or children's day. I took charge of the entertainment end of things, and we (Concho, me, and some teachers) threw together an improvised, and rather humorous program. Then we went outside and the kids played various games and broke pinatas. It was alot of fun, but very tiring for me. But, I have a week to "rest". Next week the kids off school for independence week. I anticipate doing something special with some of the kids....not sure what yet though.

Last night night we were also able to celebrated Lorena's birthday with cake and pizza.

Puppets with a song "Para los Ninos"

"Sopa de Frijoles"- Beans soup skit (I'm the one on the floor)
(Its like another version of the abuela skit, which is the video clip I posted awhile ago)

Concho and me "rapping" to a popular Christian Spanish song

The doctor's office skit (I was "pregnant")

Some girls and me (I acted as a clown/ballerina? for the day)

Breaking pinatas

Celebrating another birthday

Peace!

"Tu Bandera, tu bandera...."

During the month of September you will find schools across the nation of Honduras singing their national anthem in the mornings, as September 15th is independence day. Unlike in the States, the students will be having the week off next week to celebrate Honduras's independence. Here are two pics of the students singing in the morning.

Perseverance

It was a tough week in the classroom for me. It always has it's triumphs and challenges, but this week seemed to especially tough. It was hard for me to know how to deal with the kids' behavior in a positive encouraging way. Not all the classes were difficult. Sixth grade seems to be embracing the sudden overload of grammar rather well. With one marking period left we are going to dive full force into conjugating verbs in the present and past tense, hopefully I can find ways to keep it interesting.

As I was reading Bible verses this morning during recess, I found a few that were especially encouraging:

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper
time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Galatians 6:9

Do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. you
need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will
receive what he has promised. Hebrews 10:35-36

Sometimes for us as teachers here at the Finca being in the classroom may be difficult, but I need to trust that in God's timing, he will show the fruits of our labor in these children's lives. They are precious, and I love them so much!

peace!
Andrea

God is faithful

God is faithful, and He kept me safe, and tranquilo while I went to Belize for my visa run. Even though it's mandatory that I leave the country every 3 months, its a great opportunity to get away and relax and refocus on God. Working with these kids can be challenging and tiring sometimes, and going to Belize was a needed break for me to spend time alone with God, and be refreshed.

Next week we start the last marking period for the 2009 school year. We have about 8 more weeks of school. In a way that seems like a long time, but then I remember how fast the last marking period went.

Some of the girls with me. (and a few silly faces)

Amy and me playing Twister the other Friday night. We had a few crazy rounds of this game that night, while the other half of the group were busy playing....Uno.

The Friday night before I left for Belize we celebrated a birthday! It was Jorge's 18th birthday, so he is now able to come to Friday nights! It was a fun evening, and a full house, almost everyone was there plus a few visitors, so we had around 13 people.

Here's a picture of Amy and me. She was alot of fun to have around.

Here's a glimpse of the Caribbean in Belize.

I got to climb one of the Mayan temples at Lamanai.

Please remember to pray for the kids here. God is working in their lives.
Peace.

Tests, Belize and company

It's about that time again. That time when according to Honduran laws, the foreigners have leave for a few days, because they've already spent 3 months in this beautiful country.
So, I'm heading off to Belize on my own little adventure. I anticipate visiting some people I stayed with when I lived there for a month...a few years ago.

As for school, I was slightly shocked the other day to find out that in just over a week we are having testing for the third marking period. Where did the time go? I look over my lesson plans and wonder what we even learned over the past six weeks, what am I going to put on the tests?

The past week and a half I've had a young lady my age- but from the other side of the States- hanging out with me and helping out where she can. She is visiting relatives who are missionaries serving here in Valle. So she comes during the day and she's been in some of my classes (and helping me keep the kids in line,which is great!), and we've been doing some special things with the kids like painting nails, playing sharks and minnows, and coloring the Disney princesses in the coloring book.

I'd show some pictures that Amy took (since she remembers to take pictures, and we know that I'm notorious for forgetting to take pictures), but I have to get some from her yet. I hope to do that soon, and then I'll post them.
Peace!

A Pet???

I have unpurposefully, gained an unwanted pet. I didn't ask for it, and I've tried to get rid of it twice, but it just won't leave. I guess I should start thinking of a name for it. What is it, might you ask? A lizard. I've found it in my room twice now in the last week, and I figured that its the same one b/c it's missing part of it's tail. I'm reminded almost every day that it is in my house, as I hear it chirping (okay, maybe only birds chirp, but something like that). One day I hear it in the living room, another day in the hallway, and de repente, one day I walk into my bedroom and there it is, sitting on the floor. I did get a picture of it though, to add to my weird collection of lizards on my blog.

Here's a pic with my second and third grade class.

So, here's some of my random ramblings. Hopefully next time I write it will be more like deep thoughts...Peace.

Visiting Ceder

August has arrived already.

Today 3 of the older girls and I went in to Teguz to visit the elderly at Ceder, one of the ministries I had worked with last year. We had gone once before and they wanted to go back. After the whole deal with Zelaya and the political unrest I was a little hesitant to take kids into centro, so today we finally went back to visit. There are some others who are also interested in going, so hopefully we go again soon, and with more people.

Mirna and me hanging out with the elderly (the elderly aren't on the pic though)

Mirna with one of the ladies we talked to

Sidey painting Isolina's nails

Thanks for reading my blog! Peace.