classes.

So I’m not sure how many people are aware that we have classes on the property three days a week.

There’s a rotation of many different classes like computer, English, music, P.E., reading/literature class, and Bible, with three different levels for each.

Before we started this program I was helping with the English class at the school, but since we moved it to the property, I’m still helping with it.

We recently got two new students in one of the levels. The following day the other teacher couldn’t be there so I was in charge of the class, which happens every once in a while. It’s fun to do but also interesting cause of my Spanish. Well, the next day at the end of class the new girl was talking to me, cause she’s super friendly and cute, and she asked me if I spoke English. Ummm… WHAT?! Like have you heard my Spanish? So that was pretty cool that my Spanish sounded pretty legit to her. But I’m also kind of confused cause I’m white. Not really sure. But there is also some white Hondurans in her village, so that might be it. So, that’s a pretty big highlight.

After classes I walk the girls home with one of the other volunteers, because some of the parents are concerned about the boys bothering them. Which is super fun for me cause I get to hang out with the girls for a good like 15 or 20 minutes more! The fifth grade girls are so fun, with their cute outfits and hair done, neat notebooks, dancing and singing, and fun games.

Maholi says I’m her best friend. She brought me a super cute bracelet on Monday that matches the one that she has, and she always walks with me. It’s fun to get to walk with her and hear about her life.

Since actually the classes ended a week ago, this is a super late post. We are now having “vacation” classes, which are not at long and more fun, because the school year has ended. A couple days ago we were able to take the “star students” on a trip to town for a reward. Which was a HUGE thing because these are mountain kids that have probably only been off the mountain once or twice in their lives, if that. The kids that went either had the highest grade average of the class, best attendance or got the reading award. We took 14 kids and had at least one kid from each of the four villages that our students come from.

The day comprised of eating at KFC and playing in the play-place. Later we were able to take them to the mall, and getting to do the trampoline where you have a harness and get to jump super high, and the day ended with icecream before heading back up.

There were many first’s that day. Using of a soda fountain, trash-cans that have the flap you push to put the trash in, escalator riding and mastering the part where you get on and off, as well as jumping on a trampoline and walking through shoes stores and the home section of Carrion (the most glorious store ever) and seeing all the Christmas decorations.

grasshoppers

“He sits enthroned above the circle of  the earth, and it’s people are like grasshoppers.” Isaiah 40:22

Sometimes I’m in awe.

God isn’t just in heaven.

He’s outside of time and space, looking down on us like grasshoppers.

He is so much bigger and greater than us and I often forget that.

That He is in control and sovereign over everything.

And how can I not believe that when I realize how big he is. Cause if I believe he is that big and great, he must be sovereign.

So then I started contemplating things.

In that verse, it says we are like grasshoppers to Him. We are so insignificant.

So why does He care for us, why does He take care and provide for us.

Looking at the past year of my life, there have been many big things that happened.

Some great while some sucked and were the worse months of my life (ACL surgery and not being able to play soccer).

Yet in the midst of all of that, He was faithful, and continued to seek after me when I was unfaithful to him, and he provided for me.

WHY?

Why would the creator of the universe, the God so big that time cannot hold him, why would he want to have a relationship with us, to talk to us, and want us to know him?

Because He loves us.

Realizing the greatness of God, I am now able to put His love in perspective.

raw.

I just got back from a 5+ hour hike through the jungle and mountain tops.

When we started out, we just wanted to go some of the way and have a pic-nic, plus we also thought that the village that we wanted to go to was closer than it was.

PSYCHE!

It was a ton father than we thought.

So, we live in la quanca. Which is the valley between all these mountains, but we live close to the top of the road. The road use to continue up and over the mountain range and down the other side to the rest of the country (when you get off the mountain on my side it’s like 20 minutes to the coast). Well a new road was built around the mountians, so the only people that use the road in the valley, are the people that live here.

Our goal today was to go up the overgrown road to the mountain peak where you can see the other side of the country.

Let’s just say we didn’t think it would take that long, and we didn’t bring enough water.

We did finally make it.

But instead of going down the way we came, which was a pretty smooth, even path, we took the path that leads to another village, which eventually leads to the road and my village.

Lets just say that after walking that path, well, hiking for so long, I have a new appreciation for Jesus and how he walked in sandals all the time, and how he washed the disciples feet.  I'm pretty sure I stepped in everything today that they did when traveling.

All that to say, why do people like to be so clean?

For example the first thing we did was stop at a friends house on the way home to swim and cool off at his swimming hole, but also as soon as I got home I jumped in the freezing shower and scrubbed for a long time.

But what’s the point of getting “clean” or bathing, if there is nothing to clean. Like the American lifestyle is so clean, that other than a little sweat from sports, there is really no need to get clean. (Ok, I know other things happen that are dirty, but overall Americans are clean and live in a clean environment.)

God created us for the garden. And if you know anything about gardens, you know they aren’t clean.

He created us to be among the animals (and all that goes with them), walking on the soft dirt, swimming in the cool stream, basking in the warm sun, sitting on rocks, climbing trees, and dancing with Him through the meadows. That’s where I wanna be. That’s where I wanna live.

He is screaming out His name through all of that, but we are too concerned with other things to go outside and enjoy the world beyond hot water, concrete and carpet, and Wi-Fi and cell phone signal.

He created humans naked in the garden for a reason. Not clothed in high fashion in a comfy house made of concrete. He put us in a simple lifestyle, not one where technology is bettering our lives.

And that makes me wonder, is it really making out lives better?

Cause just maybe it’s taking us farther from Him.

Life here is raw.

People from the outside think it’s not a good way to live cause “they’re poor” or even 5“uncivilized”, and it’s not comfortable.

But it’s life and life with the basics.

But maybe that’s what we need.

The basics.

And maybe, just maybe, we could dwell with God again. Because we could focus on Him and what matters, and we could actually hear Him.

Living in the simple, how He made us to live, makes me feel more alive.

beach day

Last weekend we were able to take everyone on the property to the beach!

It was a super exciting outing and a day full of so much fun and lots of sunburn.

Sand castles were built, I was picked up and thrown into a whole to get buried, crabs were found, lobster heads were gotten from fishermen passing by (which was made into a lovely soup the next day), and Chinese rice was eaten on the beach for lunch with Pepsi of course.

trust

Why is it that we are constantly thinking ahead.

Not content here, enjoying the life we have been given.

Living fully focused in the present is a hard thing for most people.

But the hardest part of that for me is not knowing the future.

I have so many things I want to do with my life, that I am unable to focus on the now.

So many thoughts running through my head about my future.

What do I do?

Do I go to college, or do a discipleship program.

Or do I go for my dream and start backpacking the world, loving on kids, and then maybe I’ll find a place to start a children’s home.

Why is it so hard to just give over those thoughts and trust him with the outcome.

Maybe cause I'm human and its natural to push God away by not trusting him and not letting him be in control of my life.

I think I put limitations on God, because of my dreams, and cause I can’t always see the steps falling into place.

Even though that’s stupid.

Cause so many people told me that moving to another country after high school, by my self wasn’t going to happen. But I trusted, and he provided and overcame so many obstacles that I thought I was going to have to conquer myself. Which is weird and awesome.

But sometimes I feel that what I want to do will never happen. Cause I'm currently 18, single and a female. And in my mind, that screams, KIDNAP ME. Especially if I'm traveling by myself.

I don’t know.
GOD IS SO MUCH BIGGER THAN ME!

But it’s still tough to not be concerned.

For now I'm learning to trust him and focus on the moments.