Between being a full-time teacher, tutoring 3 days a week (soon to be
4 probably), Spanish lessons, volleyball, yoga, running, Tuesday
gatherings, Wednesday women's Bible Study, worship nights at Kairos,
band practice (yes I'm a vocalist in a band that's going to soon be
famous all over La Paz and the world), church, planning, grading, going
out with friends, and trying to make some time to just be still every
once in awhile, I haven't had too much time to blog... :)
I'm
enjoying life and actually enjoying being busy, but I cherish Saturdays
like these where my only plans are having a sushi date with my friend
Ali at 6 and then going ice skating at the new rink in the MegaCenter.
I'm pretty excited.
I don't feel like typing a novel for
this post, because I'm kind of craving donuts or saltenas, and I think I
might walk or run over and get some soon...and some bananas and other
fruit from my favorite friendly fruit vendor (ooh nice alliteration) 2
blocks from me.
But I wanted to give you some quick updates:
I
am picking up more and more Spanish. Me gusta mi nuevo profesora de
espanol. And I have started going to a Spanish-speaking church. I just
love worshipping in Spanish, and I can pick up on the main ideas of the
message while I follow along with my English Bible, so it's working out
and I just love feeling more a part of Bolivian culture.
Teaching,
in all honesty, has been a real challenge for me, but God has been
sustaining me and equipping me to do this job the best I can. I have
seen the fruits of my efforts, but I still need to pray for miracles.
This is a tough class at really varying levels and I have many students
who need special ed/ESL help, and right now I am looking at probably
having to hold FOUR of my students back. There are 16 kindergartners
currently, so that would bring me to a class of 20 or more next year,
which is definitely not ideal, especially in the small classroom that I
have. We'll see what happens in the next 3 months, but please pray,
pray, pray. And pray for grace and understanding as I'm going to have to
have some tough conversations with students and parents soon.
God
has been working on my attitude and on my patience lately, and this
past week I think has been better than any other. I've been praying a
lot for more patience and a better attitude. It's so easy to let the
little things get me so frustrated, that I miss the fact that my
ultimate task is to love these kids and show them Christ's example of
love and patience and forgiveness and grace. This year has been a year
of realizing my totally desperate need for God every hour, every minute,
every second of every day. There is no way I could do this job out of
my own strength and abilities. I would fall apart.
I just
booked my flights from La Paz to Miami to Detroit and back again for my
best friend Lorah's wedding in September! I'm so blessed I am able to do
this and that that Friday is a holiday in Bolivia, and my director is
also letting me have 2 days off! I'm thankful my parents are supportive
of me doing this, when I'm basically making as much as I'm spending
here...or spending a little more...I'm grateful for my savings! :) I am
so excited I get to be a part of her special day and get to stand at the
alter with her while she commits to a wonderful man! I love weddings
and this is my first friend wedding, and I'm in it! :)
I am looking forward to Spring Break too...some other teachers
and I are going to Arunabaca (sp?) which is the jungle in Bolivia! We
also have our school talent show and staff retreat next weekend, and I'm
sure lots of other exciting things to come in the next few months.
Then, I will be back home June 6, and traveling back to Indiana for a
visit, as well as visiting Lorah in Colorado and helping her wedding
plan. Then probably coming back to Bolivia a little early to do some
traveling!
God is sure blessing me and loving me. Before Christmas, I could
say "I really like it here," but now I think I can say "I love it
here...and it feels like home." And I keep thinking how much fun it will
be when I have family and friends come to visit and I can take them
around and teach them little cultural nuances and just have them see
where I live and work and what it's like here!
This was longer than I wanted it to be. I'm going to go get some food now and enjoy this nice sunny day here in La Paz!
Thanks for reading,
Jules
