The First Day of School!

Today we stepped foot into the classrooms for the first time, meeting the students that we will be working with for the next two weeks.  I don't think any of us can fully put into words the incredible blessing today has been, but here are the insights from a few students.

Experiences from day one:

McKenzie:

Amazing. That is the only word that comes to mind when I think about my first day. 

As I walked into the school for the first day, my heart was beating this crazy nervous pattern, but I could not wipe the smile from my face. I looked at Jenny next to me and we both had the same thought: "Is this really happening? Are we seriously doing this?!" 

Being introduced to our class for the first time meant 31 beautiful faces shamelessly staring with open curiosity and shy smiles...my heart could not have been happier. I have a classroom of Standard 5 students...which is a bunch of students ranging from 10-14...being an Early Childhood major means I am a little out of my element.

My cooperating teacher greeted me with a hug when I extended my hand...and that's when I realized that this was not an American classroom. It was small and an assortment of vintage wooden desks were crammed in there. I introduced myself, where I was from, etc. then the students went around and shared their names. Mezekiel. Sendy. Brian. Carlos. Arlett. Even a Jennifer Lopez. I don't know how I'm going to remember them all...and when they switched classrooms, there were even more. 59 total in Standard 5.

My favorite part had to be lunch. We had no idea how it worked, what we were getting (Belize food has been kind of hit or miss). Thank goodness for a couple little boys who helped us order and explain what a shilling was. They, and their little sisters became our buds. One of them, was a native Spanish speaker and the other was Creol. The things we learned from them! 

I asked them if the way we spoke sounded funny to them. I'll never forget how he responded: "No...because that is just how you speak...it's who you are." I think that is kind of the point of all of this. I literally reared up. And for the rest of the day he asked me if I was going to cry again.  

He also told me that my lips moved faster than my words, whatever that means...

I'm totally blown away by today. God is so good.

Love, McKenzie

 

Julia:

Today was absolutely amazing! I went into the school, Faith Nazarene, full of emotion. I was anxious mostly, but after 20 minutes in the classroom, all of my anxiety melted away. I was greeted with so much love and acceptance. As I walked around the room asking students what their name was and if they would teach me how to say it, I was humbled. I am in a completely new  environment, but yet I still am confident once put in front of a class. I surprised myself even!

Although I pride myself because I learned almost all 26 names in the first day, there were a few students who have already captured my heart. The first is Karen. Karen is a soon-to-be 12 year old (she won't let me forget that it is January 16th haha). She is spunky and so full of love. She shared with me that her dad had passed away, and that she only lived with her mom and her brother, Elvis (how cute is that name??!). But the highlight of our relationship is that before lunch we made a deal, a deal that I will always remember. "If you teach me math, I will teach you Spanish." It is like a dream come true, a student to ask me to teach them math....so nerdy, and I don't even care :) 

I feel blessed and so humbled for this experience, and how awesome is it that we have 10 more days in the classroom!! Our God is great...all the time!

Love, Julia. 

P.S. I love you, Mom! Shout out to Elmwood 216 baby :)

Devotions for today by Andrew:

Devtional time began with the reading of Psalm 19. Personally, Psalms as the worship/songbook for the Jewish people means so much to me; the writings within are so rich in what an alive realtionship with God will experience. After reading Psalm 19, we read verses 7-11 again to focus on a  word that will follow us throughout not only this trip but forever. The topic forr the night was obeidence in God is success itself. 

Psalm 19:7-11 explains seven aspects to the obiedence of God:

1. It is powerfull.

2. It is plain.

3. It is pleasing.

4. It is pure.

5. It is permanent.

6. It is precious.

7. It is preventive.

Once these were listed the beautiful writing by Cindy Lu was read and lead into a great group discussion about how it feels to have goals and expectations for something we have been called to, but then not reaching those goals and expectations. During this trip we are called and commanded to love everybody as well as give it our best. The poem explains how giving it your best will not only result in pleasing God but also benefit in ways we may never know.

I hope you will enjoy this peice as much as the group did.

Poem used in devotion:

By Cindy Lu
A man was sleeping at night in his cabin when suddenly his room filled with light and the Savior appeared. The Lord told the man he had work for him to do, and showed him a large rock in front of his cabin. The Lord explained that the man was to push against the rock with all his might.

This the man did, day after day. For many years he toiled from sun up to sun down, his shoulders set squarely against the cold, massive surface of the unmoving rock, pushing with all his might. Each night the man returned to his cabin sore and worn out, feeling that his whole day had been spent in vain.

Seeing that the man was showing signs of discouragement, Satan decided to enter the picture by placing thoughts into the man’s mind such as: “You have been pushing against that rock for a long time, and it hasn’t budged. Why kill yourself over this? You are never going to move it.” Thus giving the man the impression that the task was impossible and that he was a failure, these thoughts discouraged and disheartened the man even more.

“Why kill myself over this?” he thought. “I’ll just put in my time, giving just the minimum effort and that will be good enough.” And that he planned to do until one day he decided to make it a matter of prayer and take his troubled thoughts to the Lord. “Lord,” he said, “I have labored long and hard in your service, putting all my strength to do that which you have asked. Yet, after all this time, I have not even budged that rock by half a millimeter. What is wrong? Why am I failing?”

To this the Lord responded compassionately, “My friend, when I asked you to serve me and you accepted, I told you that your task was to push against the rock with all your strength, which you have done. Never once did I mention to you that I expected you to move it. Your task was to push. And now you come to me, with your strength spent, thinking that you have failed. But, is that really so? Look at yourself. Your arms are strong and muscled, your back sinewed and brown, your hands are callused from constant pressure, and your legs have become massive and hard. Through opposition you have grown much and your abilities now surpass that which you used to have. Yet you haven’t moved the rock. But your calling was to be obedient and to push and to exercise your faith and trust in My wisdom. This you have done.

“I, my friend, will now move the rock.”

At times when we hear a word from God, we tend to use our own intellect to decipher what he wants, when actually what God wants is just simple obedience and faith in him…

“By all means, exercise the faith that moves mountains; but it is still God who moves the mountains.”

Prayer: God, You call us to obedience every day. Sometimes, I want to see beyond obedience. I want to know why, how and when. Yet, it is usually long after the obedience that I begin to realize what Your plan was back then. So help me just be obedient for today. I am learning, Lord, that by being obedient today, I am stronger for tomorrow. In Jesus’ Name, AMEN!

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The night ended in group prayer that resulted in great community.

We are all thankful for your support, prayers and dedication to follow our trip (and witness our growth).

Shalom,

Andrew  Richardson

I'm sure you can hear the passion and excitement in this post.  It has been such a blessing to not only begin these incredible relationships inside the classroom, but it has also been a blessing to share it with each other.  You've heard it said here already, but I'll say it again; God is SO good!