Coffee from the counter

Ok, after letting some thoughts percolate and brew, I'm finally getting around to pouring the cup to share, so I hope it still tastes fresh for you. 

Part I

Last week at this time I had just gotten back from camp with the 7th, 8th and 9th graders, exhausted after a couple of very full days having just met everyone less than two weeks prior and thinking and functioning completely in Spanish for the first time in a long, long time. 

That brought with it twinges of nostalgia for my own comfort places and people and a deep gratitude for where I have come from and for the opportunity to be a part of those sweet couple of days. (It also brought a little bought of sickness for the week so now I have a nice, husky voice--great for communicating in our echoey classrooms.)

It was beautiful to be up more in the mountains with the nieblina (fog) and cooler air. There were lots of camp activities, games, challenges, team-building, and Bible studies with our groups. I spent time back and forth with teachers and students, trying to get to know both and figure out the dance of a new place and people. No, I'm not totally at home, but at the same time I do feel at home. 

By this I mean, I don't fit exactly in any place and this is a good reminder that most of us do feel like the wandering souls that we are from time to time. Yet, we can still find connection and home in some sense wherever we may be, centered and whole and grateful. (We sang Desde Mi Interior at the end of camp which always brings comfort).

Part II

My time with Jesus has been very sweet, prayers ranging from overly-dramatic desperation to relief, mere grunts, and overflowing gratitude. I’m learning what it means to pray continually, the in and out of living in the Spirit—pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests, with this in mind, always be alert and keep on praying for all of the Lord’s people.  Eph. 6:18

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him” – Colossians 3:16-17. 

So good. So true. So necessary.

Last weekend, we really enjoyed some much-needed time at the beach. Neither Kate nor I has been feeling the best, so we maybe didn’t disfrutar to the fullest, but we were glad we went, although we found out we’re not that great a putting on sunscreen-ouch.

We saw providence in many ways, which thrills me and I think stresses Kate, some.

• Getting to the road just as the bus to San Jose was pulling away—he stopped for us! Getting the last seat on the bus out to the beach.
• Getting money from the ATM in the nick of time.
• Rain letting up while we were walking without umbrella.
• Even finding gum and a bathroom before leaving the city.
• Happening upon a really neat couple who started a Bible church there a few years ago (international and Spanish—check out Horizons), as they were about to start youth group so that we could have a little hostel all to ourselves which is part of a neat ministry tied to a little skating ramp and other work going on in the town,
• Catching the sunset that peeked out when it had been cloudy after an evening walk on the beach
• Enjoying dinner at a Japanese restaurant and reminiscing with Kate about her travels in Asia and people watching/musing
• Getting much needed long hours of sleep in the evening
• Finding a kind owner of a coffee shop who helped us get a cheap taxi out to a different beach
• Sunshine all day during rainy season—enjoying relaxing by the ocean
• Nearly getting stuck inside the gate—the lock was suddenly being difficult—but Kate finally wiggled it free—just in time
• we hustled to get Cosechas (the woman was not in a hurry, she began to read us every item on the menu!)
• Caught a taxi just as we needed it and he was great—cut off the bus for us, so we hopped out, hopped on, sat down and pulled away (reminiscent of one of my trips to Des Moines!)

Oh, goodness. There was also the sweetness of fresh mango, the friendly dog at the hostel, the surfers to watch at the beach, the strength of the waves pushing and lulling and the worn-out feeling of arriving back with sand everywhere.

Part III

This week is kind of crazy because it's been hard to get my head on straight and gear up for finishing the last week before break which will also be spiritual emphasis week. We had a speaker this week for chapel who definitely connected with a lot of the students--he has a genetic deformity so that he has hands, but no arms and very short legs upon which he was not supposed to be able to walk. He shares about God's purposes and the search for identity that a lot of high schoolers are walking through. We also got to celebrate the principal's birthday today and say goodbye to the team that was here.

Both grades took a test in my class and it was a learning experience for all of us. : } I need prayer to really connect with/meet my eighth graders where they're at and to help them grow. We have our ups and downs throughout the week and I do enjoy them. Everyone's tired as happens at the end of a term and needing not to check out! "So much time, so little to do! Strike that. Reverse it." Good thing I like crunch time. I'm looking forward to planning time, visiting people and hopefully a few excursions during break. I've been blessed by many offering support and encouragement here, and even from my pen pal from student teaching in the states a few years back! 

Enjoyable to spend the evening with friends, hosting and sharing life a bit. Looking forward to sleep, so I'll check in at the end of next week!