jibber j.a.b

3...2...1...

2011-05-21T19:00:00.000-07:00

BUNGEE!!

So I did something a little out of the ordinary... I went bungee jumping! Bungee jumping was never on my list of things to do in my lifetime. The thought of it completely terrified me, which is odd because I have always wanted to go skydiving. I think the difference is that with skydiving I would be strapped to a professional and not on my own. Well, when the opportunity arose last week, I knew that I had to step up, face my fear and go for it. And let me tell you, it was well worth it!

Getting strapped in... I hope those ankle harnesses hold! :) You know that nervous pit that settles in the stomach? Yep, I was feeling that!

Eeeekk! This is where the man shouts, "3...2...1... BUNGEE (insert jumping off here)!"

I'm flying! What an incredible feeling!

Coming back up! Phew! I made it... but my hair tie wasn't so lucky! :)

And three minutes later, it is all over. That was incredible! You can't tell in this picture, but I was still shaking! Fear conquered! Woo hoo!

Group shot:

Well, that was honestly something I never thought I would do. It just goes to show that you never know what a day might bring. We drove up the mountain to see a water fall and I ended up jumping off a cliff. What a day!

Busy, Busy, Busy

2011-05-20T17:11:00.001-07:00

I'm sorry that I have not posted anything in a long time. I can't seem to get a moment to rest lately, let alone take time to string together coherent and meaningful thoughts for a blog post. I only have 12 days left in Mexico, and I am trying to make the most of each moment. I'm exhausted, but in a good and satisfying way.

Right now we are in the middle of a staff retreat and I am loving it. I am processing through everything that I am learning and I hope to put together a little reflection post within the next couple of days. Reflecting on the retreat, the past two years in Mexico, and this whole season that is coming to a close.

P.S. I may have done something a little crazy the other week... pictures to come! (Sorry to leave you hanging is suspense! Hint, hint!)

Colors of Mexico: Real de Monte

2011-05-10T08:05:00.000-07:00

This might just be my favorite town in all of Mexico! Real de Monte is a small mining town nestled in the mountains. The brightly colored buildings, music flowing through the streets, and warm, sunny weather made me feel like I was transported to another world. I loved spending the afternoon here, and I think I would have been content to stay forever and spend the rest of my days skipping through the streets, reading books by the fountain, and eating juicy blackberries from the street vendor! Mmm hmm, doesn't that sound delightful? :)

The town from a distance...

Lots of delicious treats to buy on the streets! I bought 2 pounds of blackberries for less than a dollar and they were wonderful!

Pretty little town square...

Flashback to mining times... here is what our B2B staff would look like! :)

How could I not love a town that had bubbles in the streets?! Like I said, this is my kind of town! :)

Yummy tacos!

Live bands lined the streets and played all afternoon!

Town square again... so cute!

This street was the icing on the cake (and I am a girl who loves icing)! I might have let out a little squeal of joy when I saw it! I find it to be perfectly delightful.

This whole town made me feel like I was living in a musical!

So, what did Real de Monte teach me? That life is better with background music, bubbles and vibrant colors! But to be honest, I've known that for a long time! :)

Saved Ice: Mexico Style

2011-05-07T09:09:00.001-07:00

This one is for Mom, Dad, Ben and Kara... and our love of Hawaiian Shaved Ice! At the wedding there was a table with shaved ice, and I immediately thought of you all! :) This shaved ice was a bit different than Hawaiian style, but I might argue that it is even more delicious due to the chunks of fresh fruit!

The ice is shaved by hand...

There were all sorts of different flavors to choose from, including pistachio and arroz con leche.

I chose a strawberry and mango combo and it was sublime!

PS- Even here in Mexico they know about the "secret sauce"! I opted out this time, but I was laughing to myself and wishing my family was there with me!

Colors of Mexico: La Boda de Tere & Jorge

2011-05-07T08:44:00.000-07:00

After our morning in Pachuca, we were finally ready for the wedding! It was such a beautiful night! Tere was stunning, the food was incredible, the dancing was phenomenal! All in all, I just can't get over how fun Mexican weddings are!

Smooch!

Tere (the bride) and her family. They are all B2B staff (or were at one point), and I love all these people so much! Such a wonderful family!

A quick snap with the bride and groom!

All the B2B girls that came out for the celebration! I'm so thankful that I could be there!

Jorge surprised Tere with a Mariachi band! It was so sweet!

Tere's cousin is a sala dancing teacher, and I had a blast salsa dancing the night away! I know that I have done years of ballet and tap... but I think I am really a salsa dancer at heart! :)

Here's to a fantastic evening!

Before I go, I just have to share this sweet story: After the Mariachi came out, Antonio (the father of the bride) sang a mariachi song to Maru (mother of the bride). This was the same song that he sang to her on her 15th birthday when he won her heart. She had been dating someone else, but Antonio knew that he had to try to win her over, so he surprised her with a mariachi group on her 15th birthday and sang this love song to her. Right then and there the boyfriend said, "I can't compete with that, you need to be with him." So the boyfriend left, and Antonio and Maru have been together ever since! Now, all these years later, he still gets tears in his eyes when he sings to his bride. I just think that is so sweet!

Colors of Mexico: Pachuca

2011-05-04T19:39:00.000-07:00

On Saturday we spent the morning eating breakfast in the centro of Pachuca. This town is famous for its big clock and its pastes (pas-tay). Who knew that pastes were famous in Michigan's UP and a small city in central Mexico? For some reason I find this to be rather comical. And now I have these lyrics drifting through my mind: "It's a small world after all... there is only one moon and one golden sun and a PASTE brings friendship to everyone... there's so much that we share that it's time we're aware... it's a small world after all."

Cute little town square...

Ymmmm, fresh out of the oven!

I ordered an arroz con leche and a pina! Delicious!

Sorry that this is a short one today, but my time in Pachuca was very short. We only spent about two hours there before heading back to the hotel to get ready for the wedding. Tomorrow... wedding photos! :)

Colors of Mexico: The DF

2011-05-03T17:15:00.000-07:00

My little excursion last weekend might just be one of my favorite memories I have of living in Mexico! In three days we explored three towns and celebrated the marriage of a dear friend! Since I took so many picture, I am going to split the trip into four different posts over the course of the week. This is my Colors of Mexico series! Today we are starting with The DF (Districto Federal- aka, Mexico City)!

My first year here I spent a week in Mexico City with the SMCA kids, but it was so much fun to be able to go back and explore without a schedule or an agenda. The streets were filled with artisans and vendors and there was so much to take in! It was a blast!

This building below is like the Mexican version of the White House.

Look at all the fun things to buy! I made it out with only purchasing a scarf and a glass a freshly squeezed orange juice.

El Templo Meyor... this is the excavation site in the heart of downtown. Archeologists have discovered the tips of the massive pyramids of the Tenochititlan, the ancient city that modern day Mexico City was built on.

This church is located next to the site of El Templo Meyor. If you look closely at this picture you might notice that it looks crooked. Well, interesting enough, the picture is straight, but the church is sinking. Mexico City was built on top of Tenochitilan, which was build on a lake, and slowly over time, parts of the city have begun to sink!

Here I am in front of a little Diego Rivera painting... he covered the walls of the Federal Palace with murals that depict the history of Mexico.

We were only in the city for about 5 hours, before we had to catch our bus to Pachuca. Check back tomorrow for a tour of Pachuca!

Weekend Excursion

2011-04-28T21:02:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow I am headed off on a little adventure! Six of us will be flying into Mexico City and then hopping on a bus to the city of Pechuca. We are going there for the wedding of our dear friend and fellow B2B staffer, Tere. I am so excited to celebrate this joyous event with her and to be able to explore a new city! Some of my favorite memories of living in Mexico have been the times where I have explored new places and seen new parts of this beautiful country and culture. I can't wait to see what the weekend has in store!

For the next three days I will be off the map, but early next week I plan to write a nice long post, complete with pictures of the town and the wedding! So stay tuned... and please pray for safety in our travels.

Over and out! :)

Bright Clothes, Sad Eyes

2011-04-27T07:00:00.000-07:00

This year my roommate Courtney spent some time serving in India with Back2Back. She took many incredible and heartbreaking pictures while she was there, but this one stood out to me the most. This is a picture of the street kids who came to get a meal that was being handed out.

Something about this picture pulls at my heart. There are no smiles and so many of the kids have a glazed, distant look in their eyes. Courtney shared with me that this is how they looked all afternoon. They come in, get the food and sit huddled together in their family/alliance groups, always alert and on the lookout for danger. There was no laughter. Amidst the sea of brightly colored clothes, there were no bright eyes and joyful faces.

My eyes are drawn to the little girl in the front row in the navy blue dress. She cannot be older that 4 years old and she has already seen more than I can even imagine. She has to fend for herself and live on her own... as a four-year-old! I pray that her heart has not been hardened at such a young age. I pray that she is protected from the evil things in the world. I pray that tonight as she falls asleep she will feel safe and loved by her Heavenly Father. I pray that she experiences hope and joy in her life.

Gosh, I wish I could fly over there right now and take her home with me!

If you would like to see more pictures and hear more stories from India, check out Courtney's Blog!

Freedom

2011-04-24T20:09:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter! Today the precious words from the old hymn have been continually drifting through my mind… “Christ the Lord is risen today-ay…” This song holds special meaning for me because as a young girl my Grandma T. would always sing me this song. I would have sleepovers at her house and I would ask her to sing me the words as I fell asleep. Those are some very precious memories that I cherish to this day. The thing that I love most about this memory is that we did not reserve this song for Easter. We were not just celebrating the resurrection of our Savior one day a year. The Risen Lord is something to celebrate every moment of everyday for as long as I have breath in my lungs! So today, like every other day, I want to shout out (or in this case, type out!) that CHRIST IS RISEN and because he conquered death we have REDEMPTION and HEALING and HOPE and FREEDOM!

For a while now my mind and heart have been captivated by the concept of freedom. Freedom from darkness, freedom from death, freedom from evil and hopelessness. Freedom for the millions of people who are living in bondage and slavey. You could choose to read this figuratively, and yes, there is definite spiritual bondage, but right now I am talking about literal slavery and human trafficking. This may seem like an odd post for Easter, but the more I think about it, the more relevant it is in my mind. Christ died and rose from the grave to conquer death and bring light to the darkness. Yet the battle still rages on, there is still so much evil in the world, and it is believers who are called to shine the Light and Hope of the Lord Jesus Christ into those dark places. We are to be Lightbringers. If we don't fight for the lost, broken, hurting, enslaved, persecuted, and abandoned, then who will?!

The more I learn about the atrocities that take place to children around the world, the more pain and anger and horror I feel. I don't know what to do to stop it, but I feel the urgency to do something. For so long I was blind to the reality of what is happening to millions of children who have no one to fight for them. Now that my eyes have been opened, I can't sit in silence. It is easy for me to be apathetic when I am ignorant. So I am done being ignorant, and apathy is no longer an option.

Here are some shocking and horrifying facts about human trafficking. As you read them, don't let your mind brush them off as statistics. Instead, picture your daughter or son, or niece or nephew, or any of the precious children that I have posted about on this blog. These are not just statistics, they are about real people who once had family and who are broken, abused, and living in hell on earth. These are people who need freedom! They need our help!

Sex Trafficking Facts

-1.2 million children are trafficked every year; this is in addition to the millions already held captive by trafficking ⁽¹⁾
-Every 2 minutes a child is being prepared for sexual exploitation ⁽¹⁾
-The average victim is forced to have sex up to 40 times a day ⁽⁵⁾
-The average age of a trafficked victim is 14 years old ⁽⁵⁾
-Approximately 30 million children have lost their childhood through sexual exploitation over the past 30 years ⁽¹⁾
-Sex trafficking is an engine of the global AIDS epidemic ⁽⁴⁾
-People are trafficked from 127 countries to be exploited in 137 countries ⁽³⁾
-Between 14,500 and 17,500 victims are trafficked into the USA each year ⁽⁴⁾
-The total market value of illicit Sex Trafficking is estimated to be in excess of $32 billion ⁽²⁾
-By 2010 Sex Trafficking will be the number one crime worldwide ⁽⁵⁾
-Trafficking in women is the second largest global organized crime today
-Over 25% of victims are trafficked from Southern and Eastern Europe.
-Tragically, only 1-2 percent of victims are rescued, and only 1 in 100,000 Europeans involved in trafficking are convicted.

(1-UNICEF, 2-UN, 3-UNODC, 4-US Department of State, 5-The A21 Campaign)

**Facts from SheIsPriceless.com

Reading this makes me so angry! This is not the way the world is supposed to be! The devastating thing is that most of the kids who are trafficked are orphans. They are easy targets. No one is there to fight for them and no one would miss them if they didn't arrive back in their hometown when they are aged out of the orphan care system. WE NEED TO FIGHT FOR THEM!

Jesus Christ fought for us and died for us so that we could be free from the power of death. We must shine His light into the dark places and fight for those who have no voice.

"The only thing necessary for evil to triumph over good is for good men to do nothing."

-Edmund Burke

So let's do something! If you would like more information, check out these websites:

- love146.org

- www.iempathize.org

- www.hopechest.org

- www.notforsalecampaign.org

- www.globalcenturion.org

Also, here are some things that you could begin to PRAY for on a daily basis:

-Pray that the Lord will close the eyes of those seeking vulnerable girls to traffic.

-Pray that the girls’ eyes would be opened to truth and they would flee.

-Pray that the Lord will comfort the girls in their affliction.

-Pray that they will feel His arms wrapped around them.

-Pray for their protection, in body, soul and spirit.

-Pray that the girls will not lose hope.

-Pray that the girls will band together to encourage one another.

-Pray for Satan’s voice to be quieted as he tells them there is no hope.

-Pray for the eyes of the rescue organizations to be opened to see girls who need rescuing.

-Pray that the rescuers who are strategizing how to rescue will have discernment.

-Pray for safety during rescue efforts.

-Pray for the newly rescued girls, that they will know they are safe.

-Pray that they will be comforted by the Holy Spirit as they begin to grieve.

-Pray for healing for their deepest wounds that can only come from Him.

(Prayer requests from sheispriceless.com)

I know this is not the typical Eater message, but I couldn't hold it in any longer. If you have made it to the end of this post, please join me in praying for people who are trafficked, and in educating ourselves about what is really happening.

Egg Hunt

2011-04-22T19:15:00.000-07:00

Yesterday with SMCA we did a little egg hunt with the kiddos! They were moving so fast that I wasn't able to get many good pictures. Sorry about that. It was a lot of fun though!

Since today is Good Friday, I want to take a minute to share a passage from a study that I did recently.

"Faith is opening our eyes to what God has done, is doing, and will do. It is seeing what God is like... The cross points to God renewing the whole work, making everything right. It tells us that through Jesus' death on the cross, we are now holy and blameless. Because this is true of us at this very moment, we can look honestly at our lives without fear of punishment, rejection, failure, or despair. Furthermore, the more we learn about the Gospel the more we will learn about ourselves. But to whatever extent we are walking in pride, unbelief, and self-reliance, we will suffer tunnel vision, and the benefits of the Gospel will grow dim and distant to us. conversely, as we grow in knowledge of the Gospel and of Jesus, we grow in a true knowledge or ourselves.

We must look at our lives through the cross, never the other way around. The cross always covers our sins and gives us the foundation for honestly looking at ourselves. Again, humility and repentant faith, or pride and unbelief, affect our ability to see both the cross and our hearts. In addition, we are to view the good things we do through the lens of the cross. The cross undermines any boasting on our part, for through it we recognize that everything we have has been given to us."

(Gospel Transformation, Dr. Neil H. Williams)

LTP Service Project

2011-04-21T08:32:00.000-07:00

This week Ruby and I took the kiddos out to La Tierra Prometad (LTP, aka- The Promised Land) to help the staff get the building ready for the Mantial de Amor (MDA) children's home to move in! There is still a lot of work to be done, and our students were more than excited to help out! I am choosing to believe that it is because they have servant's hearts... and not because they got to skip an afternoon of math and science! :)

Working hard!

What was painted more- the kids or the walls? :)

Caught red handed! ... or should I say tan handed...?

Such a tough looking work crew! Great job SMCA!

I was so proud of how hard they worked! I didn't hear one complaint all afternoon! Way to go kids! :)

Apart from the service project, I was especially excited to be able to spend some time at LTP because this place holds some special memories for me. My first time in Monterrey was with my family, back in 2007. On this trip my dad took us out to this property to show us the land that the James Fund wanted to purchase for B2B. It was a beautiful piece of land, with a house, green grass, and orange trees. At the time is was going to be the new home for a children's home called Rayitos de Luz. Now almost four years later, B2B owns the land and it has been a blessing to many children! Our staff is currently working on a new building to make the home big enough for MDA to move into it this summer. MDA is currently spread out into 3 different locations across the city, and it is hard for the directors to be able to spend significant time building relationships in each location. When they move into LTP, all the homes will be able to live together out of the city, in a safe neighborhood, with room to run and play! I am so excited for the kids to see their new home!!

Please pray for the MDA kids and their directors are they prepare to make the move to LTP!

Danzare, Cantare...

2011-04-18T13:06:00.001-07:00

I'm sorry for the inconsistency in my blogging lately. Life has been busy, busy, busy and blogging tends to be the first thing to go. Sorry about that. But that's enough apologizing, because I am excited to post some pictures that I took of the CHD girlies last week!

Every Thursday night CHD has a little worship service for all of the kids at the home, and each week a different dorm is in charge of leading it. Last week it was the little girls' turn, and there was no way that I was going to miss their performance! They are so precious! Seeing their beaming faces as they enthusiastically sang and danced along with the songs made my heart swell with pride and love! A joyful smile was plastered on my face, but all the while I was trying to hold back the tears that were welling up in my eyes at the thought of leaving these dear, sweet girls.

Marta and I getting ready for the show...

Dancing and singing for Jesus!

These pictures don't do justice to the joy and excitement that was in each of their faces!

After the show...

A beautiful sunset was the perfect ending to the night!

(Title Translation: "I will dance, I will sing...")

Heart to Heart

2011-04-13T11:32:00.000-07:00

In science we attempted to make a simplified model of the heart with graham crackers, marshmallows and frosting. The whole thing ended up being rather messy and un-heart-like, but I think (I hope!) it helped my kiddos to see the 4 chambers of the heart, the path that the blood takes through them, and if the chambers contain oxygenated or deoxygenated blood. The heart is such a complicated and intricate organ. As I study anatomy with my kiddos, I an continually amazed at the way that God designed our bodies to work the way that they do. It blows my mind and makes me so thankful that I am not a heart surgeon!! I am much better suited for making models out of frosting than operating on an actual heart! :)

Our Heart Model:

Red= Oxygenated Blood in the left side of the heart (Left Atrium on top and Left Ventricle on bottom)

Blue= Deoxygenated Blood in the right side of the heart (Right Atrium on top and Right Ventricle on bottom)

So let's see if I can remember... the blood comes into the Left Atrium through the small red marshmallows (Pulmonary Veins), then it travels down to the Left Ventricle and then out of the big red marshmallow (Ascending Aorta) and flows through the rest of the body. The deoxygenated blood then returns to the heart and enters the Right Artium through the 2 big blue marshmallows (Superior Vena Cava). It travels down into the Right Ventricle and out of the big blue marshmallow on the bottom (Pulmonary Artery) and into the lungs where the blood gets more oxygen. Then the blood heads back to the small red marshmallows and the process starts all over again! Phew!! Got it? :)

Look at these pros!

All right, that's enough of a science lesson for you today!

Hope you're having a great day! Praise the Lord for our beating hearts and that they can work even though we often have no idea what they are actually doing!

Ode to JessiCake

2011-04-12T20:42:00.000-07:00

I would like to ask for a moment of silence to mourn the loss of JessiCake.

(Insert Silence Here...)

(Insert More Silence Here...)

This fabulous cake shop with an even more fabulous name has closed its doors. Although I never technically had the opportunity to frequent this establishment, I would drive by it at least once a week and it would bring a smile to my face and joy to my heart. I mean seriously, its name is my name combined brilliantly with my favorite thing to eat! It delighted me! I may have to change my blog title to JessiCake. Ok, so I am not going to take it quite that far, but I am sad that JessiCake closed. It was on my list of places to visit before I leave Monterrey. I am beginning to think that the closing of JessiCake is a sign that my time in Monterrey has come to an end. All right, all right, I am taking this a bit too far. But seriously, the moral of the story is: If there is a cake shop that speaks to your heart, do not wait another moment! Get in your car (or borrow a staff vehicle) and get yourself a cake!

"Let them eat cake!"

Oh, Marie, how I wish I could... how I wish I could...

Disclaimer: Please do not judge me for my love of cake.

PS: I just discovered that JessiCake is online! All hope is not lost!

PPS: Mom, my delight in JessiCake does not diminish my love for Arnie's Bakery. :)

Pool Party!

2011-04-09T14:21:00.000-07:00

You know that summer has arrived when the pool parties start! Yesterday we had the youngest girls from CHD over for their first pool party of the season! It was a blast! No one wanted to get out of the pool, even after all lips were blue and every little girl was shivering. Luckily we were able to tempt them with cookies and they were happy to get out! :)

The highlight of my day was when Lydia fell asleep in my arms on the way home. I didn't want to have to drop her back off at the children's home. I wanted to take her home and let her continue to sleep in my arms, feeling safe, secure and loved. I adore her. (She is in the first picture shown below...)

Fun in the Pool!

Snack Time!

It was another great day! :)

Maria Luisa's 1st Birthday Party!

2011-04-07T19:42:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned yesterday, I was blessed to be able to join Maria Luisa in the celebration of her 8th birthday! However, this was not just any birthday party... it was the first one that she had ever had. Maria Luisa and her brother came to Casa Hogar El Retiro Juvenile (ERJ) from the DIF, which is the government run children's home. At the DIF they do not celebrate any birthdays because there are so many kids who live there. I find this fact to be so utterly sad. I think that every child should know what it feels like to have their birthday celebrated- their life celebrated! So last night I had the opportunity to celebrate the life of little Maria Luisa! The best part of it all was that it was a surprise party, and her face when she realized what was going on was absolutely precious and priceless!

I love ERJ because it is like a family. There are about 30 kids from ages 4(ish)-17 that live there and they all take care of each other. It was these kids that decorated the Palapa, organized games, made banners, and poured their love out on the birthday girl.

Here is the Palapa all decked out for the party...

Maria Luisa waiting to see what is in store for her...

Look at that face!! Does she not just melt your heart?! She was so shocked and excited that she didn't know what to do!

Some of the kids gathering around her to wish her a happy birthday...

The Birthday Girl!

A Mexican birthday tradition: the birthday girl takes a bite of the cake and someone else pushes her face in! Look at the joy in her eyes as she finally gets to partake in the tradition!

Since it was such a special occasion, everyone got to eat meat. Oh, how much I take things for granted- things like meat!

Enjoying the birthday feast...

Everyone loved the cake!

What a great night! I hope to get out to ERJ as many times as possibly before I move. It will be hard to leave these sweet, precious children.

Happy Birthday Maria Luisa!! Please take a moment to pray for her tonight- that she grows up knowing the love of her Heavenly Father and that she experiences His peace, joy, love and healing in her life.

Sneak Peak...

2011-04-06T18:58:00.000-07:00

Today I spent the most wonderful late afternoon/evening at Casa Hogar ERJ. We celebrated the 8th birthday of Maria Luisa, and it was so special because it was the first birthday in her entire life that anyone had ever celebrated. It breaks my heart to think that this sweet 8-year-old had never had a birthday party. That is not the way children are supposed to grow up. Tonight it was such a gift for me to see the biggest, brightest smile plastered on Maria Luisa's face. She felt loved, celebrated and special. That is how children are supposed to feel everyday- especially on their birthdays!

I can't wait to tell you all about ERJ and the celebration! However, it will have to wait until tomorrow, because the internet keeps going out and my pictures will not upload, and there is no way that I can tell anymore of this story without letting you see our precious Maria Luisa for yourself!

For now I'll leave you with a little sneak peak of my new friend Jose and I at the party...

Hasta Manana (until tomorrow)...

Power Outage

2011-04-05T15:37:00.000-07:00

(Insert sigh of contentment) Oh how I do enjoy power outages and Farmer's Market scented Yankee candles!

Today was a hectic day of running around my classroom, teaching puddle-jumping choreography (complete with umbrellas) to "Singing in the Rain" at musical practice, followed by a round of parent-teacher conferences. When I finally got home I discovered there was a power outage (yessss!). Do you know what that means? Guilt-free nap time! Woo hoo! Since there was nothing else that I can do, I headed to my room, lit some candles, did a bit of reading and then took a nap. It was delightful. I know power outages can be inconvenient, but since we have them often, I have learned to make the most of them. :)

I hope that you are having a delightful day, and making the most of any powerless situation situation that you may find yourself in!

PS- Clearly the has power returned... and just in time for me to wake up and blog about it!

Cathedrals & Chipinque

2011-04-02T19:01:00.000-07:00

It has been a fun weekend! Last night we decided to beat the heat (it has been pushing 100 degrees everyday) and grab some ice cream! We usually hit up "The Garage" which is the man near the running park who sells delicious sorbet ice cream from his garage... I'll have to get some picture of that soon because it is a unique treat! But instead of that, we opted for a more a more traditional route and went with good 'ole Helados Sultana.

Today Caroline and I decided that we wanted to do something new in Monterrey! So we pulled out the random Northern Mexico Guidebook (circa 1994) that we found in the apartment and decided to go on a tour of the cathedrals throughout downtown Monterrey. We felt like we were tourists in Europe and it was delightful!

After the cathedrals we headed up the mountain to hike Chipinque, one of the mountain peaks surrounding the city. The day was a bit hazy, but still got some great views of the city and the mountains!

This is The M, one of the 3 mountain peaks that Monterrey is famous for...

Hiking buddies...

Like I said, it has been a highly enjoyable weekend so far. I am trying to make the most of every moment of the time that I have left here... which is only 2 months! I have lived here for almost 2 years and yet I feel like there are still so many things that I have not seen in the city! I plan on having many more posts in the next 2 months to chronicle my final adventures in Monterrey! :)

Buenas Noches!

Rats in the Cellar

2011-03-30T16:55:00.000-07:00

Before my title today freaks you out, I just want to say that I don't have a cellar and I have never seen a rat in Mexico. That being said, I will probably see one today!

Today I don't have many of my own words for you, but I wanted to share something from C.S. Lewis in Mere Christianity. This passage really hit home for me because I have seen it happen time and time again in my own life. This quote addresses what can often happen when we begin to grow in the Christian life... we begin to see the rats in the cellar...

"We begin to notice, besides our particular sinful acts, our sinfulness; begin to be alarmed not only about what we do, but about what we are. This may sound rather difficult, so I will try to make it clear from my own case. When I come to my evening prayers and try to reckon up the sins of the day, nine times out of ten the most obvious one is some sin against charity; I have sulked or snapped or sneered or snubbed or stormed. And the excuse that immediately springs to my mind is that the provocation was so sudden and unexpected: I was caught off my guard, I had not time to collect myself. Now that may be an extenuating circumstance as regards those particular acts: they would obviously be worse if they had been deliberate or premeditated. On the other hand, surely what a man does when he is taken off guard is the best evidence for what sort of man he is? Surely what pops out before the man has time to put on a disguise is the truth? If there are rats in the cellar you are most likely to see them if you go in very suddenly. But the suddenness does not create the rats: it only prevents them from hiding. In the same way the suddenness of the provocation does not make me an ill-tempered man: it only shows me what an ill-tempered man I am. The rats are always there in the cellar, but if you go in shouting and noisily they will have taken cover before you switch on the light. Apparently the rats of resentment and vindictiveness are always there in the cellar of my soul.

Now that cellar is out of reach of my conscious will. I can to some extent control my acts. I have no direct control over my temperament. And if (as I said before) what we are matters even more than what we do-- if, indeed, what we do matters chiefly as evidence of what we are-- then it follows that the change which I most need to undergo is a change that my own direct, involuntary efforts cannot bring about. And this applies to my good actions too. how many of them were done for the right motives? How many for fear of public opinion, or a desire to show off? How many from a sort of obstinacy or sense of superiority which, in different circumstances, might equally had led to some very bad act? but I cannot, by direct moral effort, give myself new motives. After the first few steps in the Christian life we realize that everything which really needs to be done in our souls can be done ONLY by God."

I have many rats in my cellar. The more I grow, the more I recognize them. They are ugly and I have allowed them to feed and grow for years. I cannot kill them on my own.

Something that someone said to me once that really stuck with me was this, "In this life we will never be without sin, but the goal is to recognize your sin faster and turn from it faster." It is by the help of the Holy Spirit that we can do this.

So those are some thoughts (Clive's thoughts) for the day.

Hope you're having a super-duper Wednesday!

Life in the Blood

2011-03-28T19:53:00.001-07:00

In science we are learning about the Circulatory System...

"There's a great new craze that sweepin' the nation! Come on, do the Circulation!
It starts with the heart what a great sensation! Come on, do the Circulation!
Out through your arteries, in through your veins, the heart pumps the blood, then it does it again..."

WOA! School House Rock Live flashbacks!

Bring it back in...

Anyway, the Circulatory System. It's what we are studying. We made a model of blood in class last week. It was complete with plasma, red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets. Check it out and see if you can identify the parts of the blood.

DIY:

Plasma = Corn Syrup

Red Blood Cells = Red Hots

White Blood Cell = White Jelly Bean (there is only one to show that the ratio of white blood cells to red blood cells)

Platelets = Sprinkles or Bone Candies

Happy Learning!

So, while I am on the topic of blood, I want to take a moment to share how this theme seems to be popping up all over the place, not just anatomy class.

In our blood there is life. "For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood by reason of the life that makes atonement." (Leviticus 17:11)

In the blood of Jesus there is eternal life. "God was also pleased to bring everything on earth and in heaven back to himself through Christ. He did this by making peace through Christ's blood sacrificed on the cross." (Colossians 1:20)

In my Bible study we were recently studying the blessings that are found in the blood of Christ...

Redemption (Romans 3:24)

New Life (Romans 6:11)

Eternal Life (Romans 6:23)

No Condemnation (Romans 8:1)

FREEDOM (Galatians 2:4)

Love of God (Romans 8:39)

New Creation (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Sanctified (1 Corinthians 1:2)

Abrahamic Promise (Galatians 3:14)

Every Spiritual Blessing (Ephesians 1:3)

Glorious Riches (Philippians 4:19)

Righteousness (1 Corinthians 1:30)

Heavenly Reward (Philippians 3:14)

Eternal Glory (2 Timothy 2:10)

Riches of His Grace (Ephesians 2:7)

Reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:19)

Justification (Galatians 2:17)

Holiness (1 Corinthians 1:30)

Resurrection (Ephesians 2:6)

One Body (Romans 12:5)

Forgiveness (Ephesians 4:32)

Salvation (2 Timothy 2:10)

Grace (1 Corinthians 1:4)

Sonship (Galatians 3:28)

Submission

Calling

Regeneration

Adoption

Perseverance

Glorification

These are the blessings and promises that you have if you are in Christ!

Often I have such a narrow view of what Jesus did for me when he died on the cross. Its easy to think that he died just so that my sins could be forgiven. This is true, but it is so much bigger than this. What Jesus did on the cross is big enough to cover all of my sins, failures, and accomplishments (so that I do not take the credit for them). His death says:

I am making the world right, I will defend you, I will help you, I am the LORD, I am faithful, I love you, your sins are forgiven, I died for you, you are my delight and joy, you are righteous, you are mine, everything I have is yours, I will never leave you.

In his blood is LIFE, LIGHT and POWER.

Amen and Adios!

La Bandera

2011-03-25T21:06:00.000-07:00

March field trip today. We took the kiddos to Obispado, which has the massive Mexico flag and a Bishop's house, turned fort, turned hospital, turned fort again, turned museum (we toured it). I like this spot. I hadn't been there in years, but it gives some great views of the city.

The flag is gigantic. It is a pretty amazing site to see.

I'm sleepy and there is not much else that I can think to say about it at the moment. I'll give you some pictures to enjoy...

Below you can see how little the people are and how big the flag is! It is enormous! It towers over the city...

It was nice that it was so windy today because the flag opened up nicely quite a few times.

Some of the kids sitting on a cannon, enjoying a snack before our tour of the fort.

Group shot on the steps of the fort.

Perfect day for a field trip! Too bad is was so foggy, so I didn't get any great photos of the mountains or the city. Oh well, perhaps tomorrow since I am going hiking!

Adios!

Pine Lake

2011-03-24T17:13:00.000-07:00

I have said for days now that I would be posting about my time in Charlotte. Well, it is now time for that post. I have been waiting because I wanted to be able to write that...

I GOT THE JOB!!

Wahoo! It was actually offered to me last Thursday, but today I officially accepted! Next year I will be teaching 6th Grade Social Studies at Pine Lake Preparatory! I am so excited!! I feel so overwhelming blessed by the way that all of the details have fallen into place. This job is a true blessing from the Lord!

Here are a few drive-by snaps that I took of the school, MY school! :) Sorry that they are not the best quality. While I was actually spending time in the school I didn't have my camera on me, so I literally took these from my car one day as I was passing through.

Welcome to PLP! The front entrance...

The Middle School is shown on the left and the Upper School (High School) is on the right...

The Middle School...

It still feels so unreal to me that I will be teaching here next year!

I am so excited!! I know that I have probably said that many times already, but it is so true. The way that God opened each door makes me so confident that this is where I am supposed to be next year. I am thrilled to see all that is in store! Also, a huge thanks to everyone who has been praying for me throughout this whole process. Your prayers are a blessing and a gift in my life.

My heart is so full of joy!

PS- HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM! You bring such joy, encouragement and blessing to all who know you. I admire your servant's heart, selfless love and contagious joy. I pray that you felt immensely loved today! I wish I was there to celebrate with you! I love you!

Poetry Slam

2011-03-23T19:46:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we wrapped up our poetry unit by having a poetry slam with the parents! Yep, Miss Jezyka made her debut (her first and possibly final performance)! :)

We kicked off the event with a little poetry battle. My students shared the poems that they had written throughout the unit. I was so proud of them!

After they shared their poems, we had some audience participation with a poetry slam! I had everyone write three random words on slips of paper and put them into a basket. I then drew out 5 words that they had 2 minutes to use those words in a poem.

Everyone had a blast, parents and students alike! It was hilarious to hear what everyone came up with! I loved seeing Ruby's kiddos get excited to share as well!

Yesterday was fun! Things like this get me excited about planning more events and engaging my students in learning in new ways. I feel like my time in Charlotte also gave me the burst of energy and excitement that I needed to finish the year strong. While I was there I spent a lot of time in the school that I was interviewing in, and it sort of acted as some informal professional development. It was so much fun to be back in a community of educators and hearing all of the innovative things that they are doing in their classrooms. This whole week I have felt inspired to try some new things and it has made each day different and exciting!

That's it for now!

Adios!

Thankful

2011-03-22T07:31:00.000-07:00

I love these women! I has been such a blessing to live, grow and share with them over the past 2 years. From Sunday to Monday we snuck off campus to a hotel on the other side of town for a much needed retreat. To be honest, I was exhausted from my trip to Charlotte (more on that to come later this week), and I was wishing that I could sleep the day away on Sunday. However, God had other plans, and as always, his plan was far better than mine and things are never what I expect. For instance, when we pulled up to the hotel, it seemed to be in the middle of nowhere, and the property was hidden my a large gate. It looked relatively like a scene from "Hollywood Tower of Terror". Once we pulled inside the gate I realized that I could not have been more wrong. The hotel was beautiful, with serene gardens, bubbling fountains, and spacious, luxurious rooms. Take a look...

Such beauty! Once we got settled in, we meet in the garden for a time of sharing what God has been doing in our lives. We did this by tossing a ball of yarn to each person as they shared. At the end we had a web of yarn in the center of the circle. Beth shared that if one person was to let go of their yarn, then all of the other strands will still hold up their string. This is the beautiful thing about community and the body of Christ. When one person is struggling, the rest of the body is there to support them and lift them up. All day Sunday I felt the strength of these women encouraging me, challenging me, and lifting me up.

Here are a few pictures of this activity. (Thanks to Rosa for grabbing my camera, I always forget to take pictures!)

After the string thing we had a time of encouragement where each person was put in the "hot seat" and the rest of us shouted out the things that we admire about them and the things that we see God developing their life. As we were doing this, I couldn't help but love that I am a woman, because let's be honest, I can't picture men sitting around a living room pouring verbal affirmation into one another.

The rest of the afternoon was filled with small groups, worship, prayer, breakout sessions and journaling. The day flew by!

What a great way to start the week! My heart feels so full of joy and encouragement! I am so incredibly thankful for this group of women! Praise the Lord!

Roller Coaster Rides

2011-03-19T14:16:00.000-07:00

I love roller coasters. I love the thrill of the speed and the twists and the turns. I love being surprised by a loop and not knowing what is going to come next. Yet being on a roller coaster is still a controlled environment. I know when and where the ride will end up. I know where I am headed, even if there are some surprises along the way.

Life feels a bit like a roller coaster right now. There are surprises, twists and turns, and I have no idea what is coming around the next corner. There are many directions that the ride could take right now. I find comfort in the knowledge that the ride has already begun, the tracks are set, and the Lord is going ahead of me, preparing a place for me.

The analogy might need a bit of work, but you get the idea. I'm sure that you have felt the same why at one point or another. Right now I can easily feel overwhelmed by the big decisions that lie ahead of me. I was just flipping through the pages of my prayer journal, and I ran across a verse that spoke right to my heart and calmed my spirit.

"Do not be afraid, I've redeemed you. I've called you by name. You're Mine. When you're in over your head, I'll be there with you. When you're in rough waters, you will not go down. When you're between a rock and a hard place, it won't be a dead end-- because I am God, your personal God, the Holy of Israel, your Savior. I paid a huge price for you...! That's how much you mean to Me! That's how much I love you!" ~Isaiah 43:1-4 (The Message)

I don't read The Message version of the Bible very often, but I liked this passage. In my journal it was followed by Romans 8:31- "If God is for us, who can be against us?" AMEN!

Within the next couple of days I will be sharing about my time in Charlotte. It was wonderful! I love the city, the school, and the people. I am not in rough waters, and I know that this path I have taken is not a dead end (referencing the verse above), but it feels sort of like a roller coaster right now. Picking up and moving to Charlotte still seems like a big step for me. I am excited about all that is in store, but so many details up in the air makes my planner personality a bit anxious (thus the roller coaster analogy and the constant need to turn to the Lord and find peace in his Word).

Well, I hope this made sense. It seems a tad rambley, but I blame that on the 5 hours that I have spent so far in the Atlanta airport! I am now off to catch my flight back to Monterrey.

Tomorrow we have a staff women's retreat, so I will not be back until Monday evening, but then I will have lots of great news about Charlotte, as well as the retreat! Yippee!

Adios Amigos!

I'm Goin' to Carolina In My Mind

2011-03-11T16:34:00.000-08:00

It is officially Spring Break, and unlike James Taylor, I'm not just going to Carolina in mind... I'm actually going there! I cashed in my frequent flyer miles, and tomorrow I am headed out to Charlotte, North Carolina!

I announced earlier this year that I will not be returning to SMCA in the Fall. For a while now, I have been praying about what God has for me next. I still do not know what the future holds, but doors continue to open in Charlotte, so I am moving forward in that direction. I am excited to see what will come of this week! I am praying for confirmation and clarity about whether or not this is the location that God has in store for me next.

I have a full week ahead of me- job interview, apartment hunting, exploring the city, and eating as much Panera as possible! Yay! I'm excited (and now hungry because I am thinking of Panera)! :)

Please pray for safe travels and my time in Los Estados Unidos!

Making Masks

2011-03-10T18:47:00.000-08:00

Can I just say how creative my students are? They amaze me! I love giving them open ended assignments and seeing where they go with it. They always seem to come up with things that I never would have thought of! An example of this would be the art integration project that we did last week in Social Studies. We were studying the African kingdoms of Ghana, Mali and Songhay in the medieval world and I told my kiddos to make African masks. I pulled out the art bin of random supplies and they set work. I was so impressed with the work they did, and they had so much fun doing it!

(The masks may be more "Where the Wild Things Are" than African, but they are still great!)

Conviction & Cockroaches

2011-03-09T18:30:00.000-08:00

Two things. One thoughtful, the other typical (but never ceases to take me by surprise).

Let's begin with the thoughtful-

Last night I was doing a bit of devotions when I stumbled upon a verse that leapt off the page. It was 1 Corinthians 4:7-

"For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?"

BAM! I read that and it was instant conviction. What do I have that I did not receive? Literally and spiritually. Literally, all that I have right now is because of the faith and generosity of my supporters and the provision of the Lord. Spiritually, I am nothing without the grace of God and the blood of Christ. Anything that I have in life is a direct gift from God. All of the things that I have been blessed with are an outpouring of the abundant love of the Father. Who do I think I am when I think that I deserve them or that I can earn them? Everything that I have is something that I have received from God. Life is a beautiful, wonderful gift. Oh how easily I forget that. How often I feel entitled to things. But all I have is from faith- not of works- so that I cannot boast in anything expect for the overwhelming grace and love of Christ!

So last night I was reading that verse and being reminded once again of the truth and beauty of the Gospel. My mind was being blown by the amazing grace of God. And then it happened...

Transition to thing #2- the typical....

Cockroaches.

Gross.

They are all over the place. I am pretty used to them, but usually when we have them in our apartment they are babies and they are already dead (phew!). So you can imagine my surprise when I was sitting on my bed last night, totally wrapped up in my reading and journaling, when all of a sudden a gigantic cockroach strutted across my page!! WOA! Not expecting that! It scared the heebie jeebies right out of me (In retrospect, that's probably a good thing, because what are heebie jeebies anyway and do I really want them in me?)! Anyway, I screamed, flung the cockroach (complete with devotional book) across the room and promptly squished him with a shoe. It is springtime in Mexico and the creepy crawlies are out in full force. I just wish that they would stay out of my room!

So those were my two things.

That's life for you... sometimes thought-provoking, sometimes awe-inspiring, but always taking you by surprise!

Introducing: Courtney

2011-03-08T10:01:00.001-08:00

Courtney is my new roomie! I am so excited to get to live with her, she is a such wonderful friend! I am blessed to have her in my life! :)

Mr. & Mrs. Arguello

2011-03-07T07:12:00.001-08:00

What a wonderful weekend! The rain held off, all the details came together and Becca and Rodolfo are officially and happily married! Yippee!

I snapped a quick photo with the beautiful bride right before the ceremony... our final picture as official roomies!

She is stunning! The bridesmaids prayed over her before she walked down the aisle to meet her groom.

This is the lasso, which is the traditional Mexican symbol of unity and being bound together in Christ. I loved how Becca and Rodo incorporated both of their cultures into the wedding. It was a beautiful picture of how their different lives and cultures have meshed together to become one.

"I now pronounce you husband and wife!" I love Rodo's fist pump here! He is so excited!

"You may kiss the bride..." Now that is what I call a kiss!

Mr. & Mrs. Arguello!! They're married!!

The reception- everything came together to perfectly! I have never seen the campus look so beautiful!

Their first dance as husband and wife. It was so picturesque with the palm trees in the background.

These girls have become some of my dearest friends over the past 2 years. I love them so much and cherish our last few months together. Here's to you, single ladies (and our newly married Becca)!

All of the B2B staff women! My, there are a lot of us! What an amazing group of women!

And let the fun begin! The reception was a blast! The band was amazing and we salsa danced the night away! At one point the band started throwing out balloons, noise makers, necklaces, glasses, hats, costumes... it was hilarious!

What a grand, joyous celebration! I was so thankful to be a part of it all. It truly filled my heart with joy to see Becca absolutely glowing all day. At the reception she said to me, "I have never seen such a beautiful reception, I can't believe that it is mine! I am so blessed!" Well Becca, we are so blessed to have you in our lives! :)

And they lived happily ever after...

Prayer Request

2011-03-04T21:32:00.000-08:00

Hello friends and family!

Becca and Rodo's big day tomorrow!

Today was a great day, and I am wiped out. I am off to bed, but I just wanted to send out a quick prayer request. The weather report shows that tomorrow there is a 50% chance of rain, and the wedding is outdoors. Please pray for sunshine and blue skies! :)

Thanks!

ps- I probably won't post tomorrow, but I'll be back on Sunday with pictures from the wedding! Stay tuned! :)

The Girls are Back!

2011-03-03T20:26:00.000-08:00

The week of Becca and Rodo's wedding has arrived! Woo hoo! This means that the week has been filled with the arrivals of many wonderful people who are coming to celebrate this joyous occasion. My dear friends Kenzi and Abby have arrived, which means that for the first time in 2 years, all of the nannies are reunited!

A bit of background info: Before I joined the B2B staff as a SMCA teacher, I served John and Corrie Guckenberger as their nanny for the summer of 2008. This summer was fantastic! Full of growth, learning, serving and solid friendships. What more could I ask for?! :)

Back to the present: I absolutely love these girls and we had a blast tonight catching up on each others lives. It has been a while since I have laughed so hard. Laughter is just good for the soul. Tonight my heart just feels full of joy from the friends that God has blessed me with here in Mexico. I didn't snap any photos tonight, but I thought it would be fun to pull out some oldies but goodies and give you a glimpse into my nanny days!

=The Nannies of Summer 2008=

(below... Corrie, this one's for you!)

Becca, sweet friend, you are getting married in two days!!! WAHOO!

So that is where my adventure in Mexico began (well, actually a bit before that... but that's a story for another day).

What a great summer and what a fabulous weekend ahead of us!

Abba, Father

2011-03-02T20:30:00.000-08:00

It amazes me how the Lord ordains specific moments.

On campus right now we have a group of 70 7th and 8th graders. It is loud and crazy most of the time, but tonight I shared the sweetest moment with one girl during worship time.

I had left worship a bit early tonight because it was getting late and I have to teach tomorrow. As I was walking back to my apartment I noticed one girl sitting alone, far from the rest of the group with her head in her hands. I silently walked past, not wanting to disturb her. However, once I passed her I felt the strong sense that I was supposed to pray for her. In the same moment my mind jumped to fears- What if she thinks that is weird? What if it is awkward? But I have been praying that God will make me more aware of the prompting of the Holy Spirit in my life, so I thought I had better not let my fears get in the way of something God is doing in my life or in the life of this young girl. So I turned around.

I asked her if I could pray for her and she looked at me with tears in her eyes and said, "Yes please."

So I prayed.

It wasn't hard, it wasn't awkward. And as I prayed I felt a small touch of the abounding love that God has for this precious daughter of his. Oh, how he loves her! How he loves us all!

When I finished she shared with me, through her tears, that her dad had passed away when she was a baby and tonight she realized for the first time that God was her Father and that he loves her. Praise the Lord!!! With tears in my own eyes, and my heart bubbling up with love, I then had the honor of sharing with her the things that it has taken my lifetime to learn...

You are God's holy, beloved daughter.

He chose you.

He will protect you.

He will provide for you.

He will NEVER hold out on you.

Even when things don't make sense he is making a way for you.

He cares about every fear and every pain and he longs to heal the broken places of your heart.

He loves you with an unending love and has more in store for your life than you could ever imagine.

Those things are true for that sweet girl sitting on the ledge, they are true for me and they are true for you. What a mighty, loving Heavenly Father we have!

I am honored that God chose to use me tonight to speak with this girl. But even more than that, I am humbled because even while I was speaking those words to this young girl, I felt the Lord saying, "You speak these words with confidence and yet you are worried and anxious about your future. You speak of my love, faithfulness and provision and yet you are not fully trusting me to provide for you and guide your way. Beloved, trust in me and lean not on your own understanding, I am making a way for you."

Wow!

It amazes me how the Lord ordains specific moments.

I'm glad that I turned around.

YOUsical Update

2011-03-01T17:19:00.001-08:00

I have completed the YOUsical! Well, writing it anyway. Now comes the fun part of singing and dancing away our afternoons!

Today we had our first read through of the script, and it was SO much fun! I personally think the script is fantastic (I suppose I am a bit biased)! However, I was a bit nervous about whether my kiddos would be as enthusiastic. But ladies and gents, the poles are in and the script was a success. I could hardly get the kids to sit still during the read through because they kept jumping up and trying out dance moves and shouting out ideas for the different songs.

I don't want to give away all of the surprises in the show (just in case any B2B staff members are reading this), but I will give you the general plot overview, since I am so excited!

Plot: Two new stinters are moving to the B2B campus for a year. The current staff is welcoming them and sharing with them what they can expect throughout the year.

Song Selection: Some of the songs include-

“One Short Day”, Wicked

“Tomorrow”, Annie

“Happy Working Song”, Enchanted

“Be Our Guest”, Beauty and the Beast

“Singing In the Rain”, Singing in the Rain

“Thriller” by Michael Jackson

“Climb Every Mountain”, The Sound of Music

“Circle of Life”, The Lion King

“For Good”, Wicked

Each song ties into something about B2B, and I changed some lyrics so they are also more about B2B. Yep, that's basically it.

By the way, I think I had a prophetic dream on Saturday night, because I pretty much dreamed the plot of the musical. Strange, I know! I woke up in the morning thinking, "Yes! That's perfect! Where's a pencil?" Once the plot was laid out (as previously seen in the dream), I was able to easily fill in the songs. The whole thing came together in an afternoon! What a blessing! And here I was, worried that it would all be a bust! Praise the Lord for dreams and karaoke songs on iTunes...

I wish all of my wonderful readers in Blog Land could come to the show in May. I'll have to see about getting a video of it posted for you!

100

2011-02-28T16:54:00.000-08:00

Today I am writing my 100th post! (Applause, applause) I'd like to thank The Academy... ha ha :)

I could have arrived here a lot faster if I had gotten on this everyday-blogging-kick a bit sooner! Also, too bad it wasn't last Monday, since that was our 100th day of school. Oh, well, better late than never!

On the theme of 100, my students have created the "Guinness Book of SMCA Records"... 100's style! One day last week we finished up our Anatomy lesson early, and since I had not really done anything to commemorate the 100th day of school, I decide to let my kiddos join Miss Ruby's class in the record setting. It was also fun to get outside and give my students some semblance of a PE class. Here is what they came up with:

Alonna jumped rope 100 times in a row...

Luke dribbled the basketball through his legs 100 times in a row...

Josh circled the pole 100 times on his Rip Stick...

Mark kicked the football 100 feet (literally 100 of his feet counted out)...

Way to go SMCA kids!

And me? What did I do 100 times? Well, I am glad you asked!

I POSTED 100 BLOGS!! :) Not nearly as athletic, but still an accomplishment I would like to think!

Hasta Luego~

Wondrous Deeds

2011-02-27T17:34:00.001-08:00

"You have multiplied , O Lord my God, your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us; none can compare with you! I will proclaim and tell of them, yet they are more than can be told."

- Psalm 40:5

Amen! The wondrous deeds of the Lord are more than can be told, but there is one that I want to tell of tonight.

Last month the kids from Casa Hogar Douglas (CHD) took a trip to a small village about an hour outside of Monterrey. This village is much like the squatter villages that we work in, with people living in complete poverty.

Quick interjection/foreshadow: How amazing is it that the Heavenly Father can bring beauty out of pain and poverty?

Back to the story: So the children from CHD- the children who have been abandoned by their parents and have nothing by the standards of the world- each took one of their Christmas presents to give to the children in the village. Can we just take a moment and let that sink in? The kids from the children's home- who have nothing- gave of the little that they do have to kids who have even less than they do.

That has to be one of the most beautiful examples of generosity that I have even heard.

I cannot stop thinking about the lyrics to "Our God" by Chris Tomlin-

Into the darkness you shine,

Out of the ashes you rise.

Where there is darkness, ashes, poverty, pain, neglect, and abandonment, the Lord can bring healing and make something beautiful. Praise his holy name!

Spirit Week

2011-02-26T18:16:00.000-08:00

In SMCA last week we celebrated the 100th day of school! In honor of this milestone, we had a Spirit Week! Woo Hoo!

Monday: Hat Day

Tuesday: Jeans Day

Wednesday: Crazy Hair Day

Thursday: Backwards Day

Friday: Pajama Day

We've got spirit, yes we do! We've got spirit, how 'bout you? Gooooooo SMCA!

Hasta Luego~

Miss Jessica (Yep, that's what the kids call me)

Out and About

2011-02-25T17:12:00.001-08:00

After school today, Ruby, Caroline, Becca and I went downtown to run some errands. Can I just say that I thoroughly enjoy being downtown in Monterrey? It is true. There are so many moments when I stop and say to myself, "Wow, this is Mexico, and I live here. This is home. Crazy!"

Today was a very smooth trip because all the roads were opened. This was indeed a pleasant surprise! Pretty much whenever Ruby and I are going downtown you can guarantee that there is going to be a parade in honor of a saint and all of the main roads will be blocked. Therefore, Ruby and I drive around for an extra 45 minutes while we wind through back roads in an attempt to get to our desired destination. Running errands in Mexico is always an adventure!

While we were out I snapped some pictures to show you what a typical trip to the Centro (downtown) is like here in Monterrey.

The main shopping street in the Centro...

Palm trees everywhere, beautiful!

This next photo absolutely screams authentic Mexico!

I love the vibrant colors all around!

After the Centro we stopped by the glass shop to pick up an extra centerpiece vase for Becca's wedding reception. While we were there, in walked a man selling donuts! Fabulous! It doesn't get any better than this. I am clearly very excited about the donut man... in the glass shop no less! It was delightfully random...

"Yes please, that one.. the one loaded with chocolate and sprinkles..." Mmmm deee-lish! And only 6 pesos. You can't beat that!

After the donuts in the glass shop we headed home, worn out from shopping and sun. I sure do like it here.

***

The last picture (posted below) is one that I took last night when I was out on a date with my roomies. Since Becca is getting married next weekend we wanted to spend some quality time together. We went to Parque Fundidora, had a picnic and walked through the park. It is safe to say that this park is my favorite spot in Monterrey. It has old buildings, museums, fountains, art work, free bike rentals, an ice skating rink, miles of trails, a river boat, restaurants... you can see why I enjoy it so much. Even though it has so much to offer, my favorite part about it is that it used to be an old steel mill and all throughout the park are the original things from the factory- the ovens, the railroad tracks... and these gigantic smoke stacks. They tower above everything else, massive and majestic. I'm not sure why, but I am fascinated by them. They stand in stark contrast with the things around them and I find that to be beautiful.

Well, there you have it- a typical day of shopping in Mexico. I hope you have enjoyed the brief tour of the Centro and my other random ramblings.

Hasta Luego!

Rhyme Time!

2011-02-24T18:25:00.000-08:00

Poetry.

I love teaching poetry.

There are so many fun,

engaging,

creative

things that I can do with my students

that increases their appreciation,

understanding,

love

of poetry.

We do Poetry Slams,

Outdoor Explorations,

Living Anthology Creations,

Poetry Book Compilations.

We Recite,

Create,

Discuss,

Share,

Act Out

Poetry.

Oh! The opportunities are endless!

The latest addition to my classroom:

More to come

on all the fun

of poetry in my classroom!

YOUsical

2011-02-23T19:45:00.000-08:00

Today I had a meeting with the whole school (all 13 students!) for the Spring Musical! Last year we did "School House Rock Live, Jr." and it was a blast, exhausting, but a blast! This year I had a bit of trouble getting my hands on any of the scripts that I wanted, so I am trying something new... instead of a musical, we are doing a YOUsical! Ok, cheesy, I know, but I am loving it! I explained to the kids, "Kids, it is a YOUsical because YOU are going to choose the songs and YOU are going to write the script!" Wahoo! Let the fun begin!

Needless to say they are very excited, and so am I! I already have a general outline for the show and over the weekend I will go through their song suggestions and narrow it down to 7-10 songs that we will learn and choreograph for the show. I am really looking forward to beginning rehearsals and seeing all of the details come together. Since I already have one directing experience under my belt I feel much more confident about the whole thing then I did at this time last year.

I have a lot of work ahead of me, but it is a work that I truly love! It is such a blessing for me to be able to share with my students something that was such a big part of my life growing up. My memories of musicals and plays throughout school are so dear to me and I am honored to be able to give my students some memories that they will hopefully treasure for years to come. :)

On a different note, I am feeling 100 times better today! I praise the Lord for antibiotics and your prayers!!

NASCAR News

2011-02-22T18:34:00.000-08:00

This is going to be a quick post tonight because once again I am under the weather- although still thoroughly enjoying the gorgeous weather we have been having outside! I am starting an antibiotic tonight, so please pray that I can kick this thing and be ready to go for all of the wedding festivities next week!

Anyway, the title of my post tonight is referring to some exciting news that happened in the NASCAR community over the weekend and how it pertains to B2B! This story has been all the buzz on our campus lately! Check out this article for the story! I'm sorry that I am being lazy and not telling you about it myself, but the article does such a great job!

Love from across the miles,

Jes

Plans

2011-02-21T17:30:00.000-08:00

My name is Jessica and I am a planner.

There.

I admit it.

I like to have a plan for the future... or at least a plan about when I can start planning! But learning to nest in the Lord means to stop focusing on my planning and start focusing on what is directly in front of me today. Today that meant downing cough syrup, filling my pockets with cough drops and Kleenex, choosing excitement, and celebrating the 100th day of school. I also wore a hat because Ruby and I decided that this week is going to be Spirit Week in SMCA and we started off today with Hat Day. Tomorrow is Jean Day- Wahoo!

So there you have it, I have planned a Spirit Week, I have planned what I am teaching through Friday, and I have planned to start the Spring Musical on Wednesday. That is all the planning that needs to be done in this moment. I am prepared for tomorrow... next year will work itself out in time. :)

So there are my rambling thoughts. Today I mainly wanted to share a passage from Sarah Young's book, Jesus Calling. In this book she is writing from the perspective of Jesus to us, his children. So as you read these words, imagine the Lord of heaven and earth speaking them directly to you heart...

"Let me prepare you for the day that stretches out before you. I know exactly what this day will contain, whereas you have only vague ideas about it. You would like to see a map, showing all the twists and turns of your journey. You'd feel more prepared if you could somehow visualize what is on the road ahead. However, there is a better way to be prepared for whatever you will encounter today: spend quality time with Me.

I will not show you what is on the road ahead, but I will thoroughly equip you for the journey. My living Presence is your Companion each step of the way. Stay in continual communication with Me, whispering My Name whenever you need to redirect your thoughts. Thus you can walk through this day with your focus on Me. My abiding Presence is the best road map available." (Exodus 33:14; John 15:4-7)

I love that. I wrote it out in my journal and it is something that I often go back and read. What a great reminder to let go of my own plans and expectations and seek to Lord in everything!

~ "The Lord will work out His plans for my life- for Your faithful love, O Lord, endures forever." Psalm 138:8

Secret Spot

2011-02-20T17:57:00.000-08:00

As I mentioned yesterday, there are many perks to living in community. One of them is that there is always someone around to talk to. However, this can make things tricky when I want to sit outside in the glorious sunshine (it was 90 today!) and have some uninterrupted quite time. Well, on Friday I wandered behind the building to do laundry, and low and behold... there was a new bench placed serenely under the tree, far from the beaten trail. The moment I saw the bench I had visions of myself curled up in the quite of the afternoon with a good book. That didn't quite happen on Friday due to the Valentine and Cookie party with the CHD girls, but I tucked my vision of the bench away in my memory to be retrieved at the earliest convenience... which was today!

Ok, so that was a very long introduction, just to say that I found my new favorite spot on campus. Welcome to my bench...

And the simple pleasures in life,

like doing devotions in the sunshine...

A tasty snack of Humus and Pomegranate Crystal Light...

And some great music...
I'm currently enjoying the new Jesus Culture CD- thanks Becca! :)

So that was the highlight of my afternoon. This MI girl sure enjoys 90 degree weather in February! :)

This evening we had a whole campus cookout, so the ladies and I spent a chunk of the day prepping the pica de gallo, tortillas and guacamole. It reminded me of my summers on staff at UPBC- spending the days working and laughing in the kitchen with dear friends.

These are the days that I will miss when I am gone.

Many Hands

2011-02-19T19:08:00.000-08:00

Today I helped Becca and Rodo paint their new house. It was fun to see that with many hands the task seemed so light. Everyone tackled their own area and worked hard at their task and before we knew it the rooms were transformed from a chipped, scratched, dingy white to a soft buttercream and a vibrant red. Beautiful!

...You know that the nester in me wants to get back over there and decorate! :)

Anyway, the concept of 'many hands' has been on my mind a lot lately. It is one thing that I will really miss about living in this community- that there are always many people around to lend a helping hand. Also, we all have our specific roles, but are working toward the same greater purpose. Unity in the body of believers is truly a beautiful thing.

I know many more things could be shared about this, but I am wiped out. My head is stuffy and my body aches. I think I am fighting a nasty cold (insert sneezes and sniffles). I have been sitting in my bed attempting to put together coherent thoughts for the past 30 minutes. It is terrible that this is all that I could come up with this evening.

It's 9:34 on a Saturday... oops, now it is 9:40, I guess I spaced out for a bit there. I'd better post this, take some Nyquil and go to sleep!

Hasta Manana!

Cards and Cookies

2011-02-18T18:20:00.000-08:00

Today Kathy, Ruby and I had the youngest girls from CHD over for card making and cookie eating!

Fun day!

And the Winner is...

2011-02-18T06:28:00.000-08:00

According to the True Random Number Generator...

I'm excited to announce that the winner of the cross giveaway is:

Missy Weaver!!

Missy-

I had to laugh when I saw that it was you who won, because when I bought the cross I really did think of you! :) The cross should arrive sometime next week! Enjoy!

Nesting

2011-02-17T15:40:00.000-08:00

Today I bought this tray for a steal at Pottery Barn. Oh, online shopping! I have big plans for this tray... I can picture it on my TV console, holding candles and old antique books... or out on my porch with a bundle of gorgeous wildflowers laying inside of it... or using it to bring a dish to pass at a potluck... really the opportunities are endless!

Can you tell that I am excited to "nest"? I love decorating and turning my home into an inviting, cozy space. This is a desire that I have not been able to fill these past two years because I live in a dorm that feels very temporary. Please, don't get me wrong, I have been so to blessed to have my own room and to live with the fabulous roommates that I mentioned yesterday! However my heart longs for a place to call my own. It is my desire to nest.

This leads me to the things that God has been teaching me about nesting. I am always amazed at how God can take my hopes, dreams and desires and turn them into something that teaches me about his glory and goodness. I have felt like my themes for this school year have been nest and remain.

"Remain in me and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. " - John 15:4

This verse has been on my heart all school year, and one night I decided to look up the word remain. What I found was very interesting:

remain [verb]-

(1) to stay or wait;

(2) to continue in the same state;

(3) to be left after removal, loss;

(4) when all else fades, or in the face of loss or devastation, the Lord still remains (ok, I added that one);

synonyms:

abide

cling

pause

NEST

rest

dwell

make camp

There is was, in the middle of the list- nest. It spoke to my heart and brought tears to my eyes. I felt the Lord reaching though the pages of my tattered thesaurus to give me a word that was meant specifically for me- to comfort me and challenge me. The Lord was gently, but sternly saying, "Beloved, nest in me. I am your true home."

For so long I have been desiring and trying to plan a worldly home for myself, when all along God has been trying to show me that IN HIM I AM HOME. I need to nest in him, remain in him- no matter where in the world I find myself. My location or role does not define me because it is just another passing season of dwelling in the presence of the Lord.

Once I began to reflect on this, I realized that my whole concept of waiting was also changing. I have no more need to wait on someone or for something because all I have and need is already found in the Lord, in the one with whom I will always remain. I am no longer waiting. Like the Lord told Moses in Exodus 33:14, "My presence will go with you and I will give you rest." God has already given me all that I need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3), so in him I will remain.

Amen!

Roommates

2011-02-16T15:26:00.001-08:00

These are my roommates, Becca (middle) and Hope (left). They are wonderful- absolutely, positively, wonderful! This picture was taken at Becca's bridal shower in the beginning of the month. I felt the sudden urge to post this picture because very soon the three of us will begin three separate journeys and I will miss living with them so much.

In 2 weeks Becca is getting married, thus moving out to live with her husband- I suppose that makes sense. :) However, I will miss peeking out of my bedroom door to see what she is up to and being able to talk to her at random times throughout the day. Then, in a few months I will be moving out and leaving Hope. I will dearly miss all of our kitchen chats that we have had recently. :)

That's all for today. I am just feeling a bit nostalgic...

Thanks for stopping in! Remember to sign up for my GIVEAWAY that ends tomorrow night!

Adios!

Teacher Talk

2011-02-15T17:43:00.000-08:00

Hello! This is my first blog post in a new series that I am entitling "Teacher Talk Tuesdays". Now these might not occur every Tuesday, but from time to time they may appear. Consider yourself warned. :)

The Inspiration: While living in Mexico I have been missing traditional professional development, so here is my effort to share some thoughts, struggles, triumphs (etc.) and seek advice and ideas.

Today's topic is: Intrinsic Motivation.

Tonight over dinner Ruby, Hope and I struck up a conversation about this topic. Wouldn't it be a dream if every student was intrinsically motivated? That is just not the case, but as a teacher, what do I do about it? I want to intrinsically motivate my students to work hard, value their work and be excited about learning. So I do things like this...

Making Chinese Scroll Tapestries to accompany our study of Chinese art in the Medieval World.

(They insisted on a picture with their scrolls on their heads. They crack me up!)

The kids loved this entire project. They were excited, enthusiastic and had pride in their work. And they also learned something along they way. :)

But what happens when I sense a slip into the land of bad attitudes and half-hearted effort? There are some days when I work so hard to plan an interactive lesson that is relevant and incorporates multiple learning styles. Sounds like it should be a winner! I am excited to teach the lesson and have fun with my students... but they are uninterested and apathetic. As a teacher, this can be very frustrating. I know that there is only so much that I can do and ultimately the student has to make the choice on their own (thus the "intrinsic" part of the motivation), and if they choose to slack off and complain then there will have to be consequences (and then we are entering into external motivation). But I would love to hear any suggestions that you may have for helping to intrinsically motivate your students.

As I am typing this I realize how much of a hypocrite I am. I talk about bad attitudes and half-hearted efforts, when in reality, how often am I that same way towards God? In my Bible study this week I put the lesson off to the last minute and had to rush through it to get it finished on time. My effort was lacking. I do not have pride in my work because I know God desires more from me. God has given me everything I need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3), and yet so often I choose the path of laziness. The consequence is missing out on a great time of intimacy with my Creator because I chose to watch a movie instead. Praise the Lord he is quick to forgive and he never stops loving me, even when I fall short. I love him!

So teacher talk led to God. Isn't that how it goes? If we pay attention we can see all things lead back to God, all things point to their Creator.

Leave some thoughts about intrinsic motivation and remember to sign up for my giveaway!

Hasta Manana!

Jess

Thoughts on Love

2011-02-14T07:53:00.000-08:00

"To love at all is to be vulnerable.

Love anything and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken.

If you want to make sure of keeping it intact you must give it to no one, not even an animal.

Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements.

Lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness.

But in that casket, safe, dark, motionless, airless, it will change.

It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. To love is to be vulnerable."

— C.S. Lewis

* * * * * * * * * * * *

I am a fan of Clive (I like to think that we would be on a first name basis)! The above quote is one that I have repeatedly stumbled upon, and each time I read it I am struck by the truth in these words. Loving means taking a risk, being vulnerable and making a choice.

When I moved to Mexico I had a choice to make. I could choose to fully invest my heart in my students, in the orphan children, and in the work that I am doing; or I could choose to go about life with a guarded heart, getting the work done while distancing myself from the pain and brokenness that I see all around me. To be honest, some days it feels so much easier to let myself become numb to the poverty and pain so that I can get through the day without becoming a blubbering mess. But at the end of the day, I must allow myself to feel, so that my heart can be changed, softened, and open to loving people the way that God loves them. I have not even begun to grasp the depth of love that God has for us, but it is my prayer that I will allow God to open my heart to seeing glimpses of it as I begin to have a greater love for those around me.

"For this reason, I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge-- that you may be filled to the measure of the fullness of God.

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to HIM BE GLORY in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever. Amen."

~Ephesians 3:14-21~

The second paragraph of that passage is one of my favorite passages in the Bible! I love the promise that God has more in store for us than we could ever ask or imagine! That just blows my mind! I can't tell you how many times I have read that second paragraph, but today, seeing it with the words that come before it, I realize that it is through experiencing the width, height and depth of the love of God that we begin to more fully understand his love. We need to love like he loves, as painful and heartbreaking as it may be at times, in order to "be filled to the measure of the fullness of God". And once we are living lives of fullness in God, then we will begin to experience an abundant life of experiencing the power and glory of God in ways that we could have never imagined! Wow! So where does an abundant life begin? With love! And this love is not guaranteed to be easy or pain-free, because the purpose of loving others with a radical love is not to make us feel good, but to bring glory and honor to God! How's that for a Valentine's Day message? :)

Love from across the miles,

Jes

Lovely

2011-02-14T07:25:00.000-08:00

Last night I had fun preparing for our SMCA Valentine's Day party!

I made valentines...

Oh Cricut, how I love thee!

I baked cookies...

Decorated cookies...

Sampled cookies... :)

Today in SMCA we will have a little party and then tonight I am going to dinner with the single ladies!

~Happy Valentine's Day!~

Sweet 15

2011-02-13T09:21:00.000-08:00

Last night we had a Quinceanera for Yaressi, one of the girls who lives at the Manitial de Amor Girl's Home.

A Quinceanera marks the transition from childhood to young womanhood for a girl who is turning 15. There is a ceremony, symbolic gifts, dinner, cake, special dances, and a beautiful girl dressed up like a princess who gets to experience an outpouring of love and support from friends and family.

That's a Quinceanera.

Now imagine that you are a young girl, who was dropped off at a children's home. You grow up dreaming of your Quinceanera, but you also know that there is no one to throw you one. No one to buy you gifts, no money for a beautiful dress, no family to sit with you at the head table.

The thought of this is enough to bring tears to my eyes. I know that if I had grown up here, I would have spent years dreaming about my Quinceanera. My mom and I would have planned for months and found the perfect dress and invited all of our friends and family. It would have been the most special night of my life thus far... Unless I was orphaned. Then it would have been a night that passed without a celebration, a night that added further pain to a fragile and broken heart...

But it doesn't have to be that way, and it no longer is! Our staff puts on a Quinceanera for every girl at every children's home that we serve! At some point during the fiesta last night, I was struck with the thought of, "This is why we are here." To care for these girls. To make them feel like princesses as we celebrate their entrance into womanhood. To help them feel loved and cherished. To help them have the Quinceaneras of their dreams. To gather around them and be the family that they may not have. To show them that God has not forgotten about them and he cares about their dreams.

Our staff women did such an excellent job putting together (Great work Cathy, Rosa and Pris!). Cathy sent out a thank you email to everyone who helped bring all the details together. At one point she wrote:

"You really made a special night for Yaressi. She was beaming. Don't you love when you see someone feel special, the way God wants us to feel all the time."

Last night Yaressi felt like a princess, but this is how God sees her everyday! I praise the Lord for the way that he is using this ministry to help these girls realize how loved they truly are... by us, and more importantly, by God!

Joyfully,

Jessica

ps- Remember to check out my giveaway!! :)

Painted Cross Giveaway! (CLOSED)

2011-02-12T07:54:00.000-08:00

Since I love all of you faithful readers so much, I wanted to do a little something to show my appreciation! So, I have decided to do a giveaway to send a little piece of my home to yours. Here it is... an authentic Mexican hand painted cross!

It is 7 1/2 inches tall and would be a lovely addition to any home! Super cute, right? :)

How can you win this cross? Well, I am glad you asked! All you have to do is leave is a comment on this post! Could that be any easier? The giveaway will close on Thursday night at 11:59 pm (EST). I will draw and announce a winner on Friday, February 18th. So leave a comment and stay tuned!

Joyfully,

Jessica

Hoopla

2011-02-09T17:31:00.000-08:00

Over Christmas Break I had the opportunity to hear a great sermon at Kauai Christian Fellowship. The pastor was talking about the "hoopla" of Christmas and how the majesty of what happened by the birth of Christ should leave us forever changed. Once the gifts are open, the decorations are put away, and the hoopla has ended, there is still the remaining truth of the Gospel and the way that it should change our hearts and lives.

You may be thinking that it is a bit late for a Christmas post, but please bear with me because I have some big news that I am sharing and I promise that you will see the connection. :)

Back to the sermon...

The pastor shared a delightful analogy about musicals, and for those of you who know my love for all things theater, you can imagine how this one hit home for me. It goes like this: If you have been to a musical, you know that one minute the stage is filled with characters who may not know each other and are going about their normal lives, absentmindedly shopping in the streets of Iowa (I'm going with The Music Man here...) and then the next minute they are all singing and dancing together. A guy tosses the girl next to him in the air as they sing about the "Iowa Way to Treat You..." Then, once the song is over the guy and the girl go there separate ways and it is as if the song and dance never happened at all.

That's the way musicals work, but if you think about it, it is crazy right?! I mean really, if I was browsing the shops at Valle Oriente (the local mall) and suddenly a handsome Mexican flung me in the air as everyone sang about the spectacular sales in Zara this week, then you can be sure that once the song was finished I would not be able to calmly go about my business again! Especially since I would have suddenly known all the words to the song and sung them in perfect Spanish as I Jazz Squared around the food court! haha need I go on? You get the picture. My day would have been drastically altered and I would be crazy if I didn't acknowledge the incredible event that had just occurred. I would run up to fellow shoppers, exclaiming, "Did you see that?! I was phenomenal!"

The hoolpa would have ended, but I would never be the same again.

That's the way our lives should be after an encounter with the One True God. We should never be the same, we should want to share about it with everyone we meet and not go back to absentmindedly floating through life.

So that is the sermon (with a touch of my own local flavor!).

This sermon has been on my mind constantly as I reflect on the time that I have had here in Mexico. Last month I officially told Beth that I would not be returning to SMCA next year. It was a difficult decision to make, but I feel confident that the Lord has something new in store for me next year. It will be hard to leave this place, the people that I have grown to love so much, and the precious children that we serve. However, I am so excited for what the future holds.

Living and serving here has changed me. I have struggled through loneliness. My heart has been broken time and time again by the poverty, abandonment, and abuse that I see around me. I have be stretched and pruned in more ways than even I realize. I have seen the faithfulness and provision of God in powerful ways, at every turn. The Lord has grown in me a passion to serve and fight for the orphan children in the world.

My time here is not yet finished, and I desire to take advantage of every moment while I still have the privilege of living and serving here. I don't know exactly what is next for me, but I pray that wherever I find myself I will be able to be a voice and advocate for the orphan child.

So, in 4 months the "hoopla" will be over.

I will return to the United States.

But, by the grace and glory of God, I pray that I am forever changed.

~~~~~~~~~

"I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the HOPE to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints."

Ephesians 1:16-18

And when the eyes of your heart are opened to the goodness and faithfulness of our God, I pray that you are forever changed.

Joyful Blessings,

Jes

Marco Mania

2011-02-07T09:05:00.000-08:00

Last week Ruby and I took the SMCA kids to The Marco, the contemporary art museum in downtown Monterrey!

We love art!

There was one exhibit that featured photographs of horizons from all around the world. All of the photos were displayed so that the horizons in each of them joined together to form one continuous horizon- symbolizing that we are all connected. The artist had hundreds of photographs and it was so fun to try and guess where various ones were taken! Overall an excellent exhibit, and fun to show my kiddos some different parts of the world!

After touring the exhibit, we had the opportunity to make some art ourselves! We made our own depictions of horizons...

... and then joined them together to make a (somewhat) continuous horizon line. The kids loved it- although it appears from the picture that they are going crazy from all of the culture that I am trying to open up to them! :)

Can you believe that it is already February? I meant to blog more in January, but the month was gone before I had time to blink! Ruby and I are trying to decide what the February field trip will be, but I promise to not wait for another field trip to blog!

Any great field trip suggestions? Monterrey has so much to offer and we love giving our students the opportunity to see the city and explore the vibrant culture that we live in. I always look forward to our field trips too. I am trying to enjoy every moment of my time here in Mexico and field trips are a great excuse to get off campus and explore somewhere new!

On a different note, I am thinking of doing a giveaway on my blog... stay tuned for future posts and a potential giveaway! :)

Happy Monday!

Snow on the Mountain

2011-02-03T15:35:00.000-08:00

I never thought I would see the day when it snowed in Mexico, but this morning I woke up to a chill in the air and a surprising sight.

There was snow in the mountains! It was truly stunning!

Later that day we saw real snow flakes falling lightly from the sky. My students were thrilled and begged for a snow day! I said it would take a lot more than 10 flakes for this Michigan girl to cancel school. :)

On a more serious note, this weather here means that many people are left without a place to escape the cold. Please be praying for the people in the Rio communities and the children in the Casa Hogars that we serve.

Hear Ye, Hear Ye!

2011-01-24T13:24:00.000-08:00

( Insert trumpet blasts)

"Come one, come all to the castle of Lady Jessica and Lady Ruby as they honor their hard working serfs who are being promoted to knighthood! There will be feasting, dancing and a grand knighting ceremony!"

All school year we have been studying the Medieval World, and last week all of our hard work paid off in a fun afternoon of living history! The students invited the Lords and Ladies of Back2Back (a.k.a., their parents) to a feast, complete with Medieval delicacies, a jester, minstrels, a troubadour, and servers!

The servers taking out the first course of fresh fruit...

We also had scones, Wassil, Welsh Rabbit, and Yorkshire Pudding. A huge thanks to the parents for helping create these Medieval dishes!

After the feast we had a quick costume change for the knighting ceremony...

"I dub you Sir Mark..."

After the ceremony we all headed outside to learn some Medieval dances!

That was such a fun day! This week in Anatomy we are studying Health and Nutrition, so I have been doing a Fruit and Veggie Challenge with my students. If they can get the recommended serving of fruits and veggies everyday then we will have a "Nuts for Nutrition" Party, complete with healthy snacks and outdoor activities! January is shaping up to be quite a fun month in SMCA!

Vamos a Hacer Pizza!

2011-01-23T18:52:00.000-08:00

Let's make pizza!

Last Friday Ruby, Kathy and I had some of the kiddos from Casa Hogar Douglas over to make pizzas and watch a movie. The kids loved it! (And so did I!) :) This was an easy lunch to put together and yet so much fun!

Rolling out the dough...

You're never too young to learn the art of pizza making!

Adding sauce and toppings...

Watching a movie while the pizzas bake...

Lunch time!

What a fun afternoon! A couple days later I saw the kids at church and they couldn't stop talking about their little pizzas and asking when they could come over and make them again. This is something we might have to do more often! :)

Around the World and Back Again

2011-01-21T09:28:00.000-08:00

I by no means have traveled around the world in the last month, but Christmas break had its fair share of plane rides, so I still thought the title could work! It was so wonderful to be home and spend time with family and friends, then we jetted off to Kauai for a family vacation! What a blessing that time with my family was! Family, if you are reading this... I MISS YOU!!

Before I dive back into what's been happening in Mexico the past two weeks, I want to post a few pictures from Christmas because they are too beautiful to ignore.

This was certainly a Christmas unlike any other!

Waves on the beach...

A glorious sunset...

This has to be one of the most beautiful places in the whole world. The road to get there is treacherous, but the reward is well worth the car sickness... I feel like there has to be a spiritual analogy in there somewhere! :)

A double rainbow! Can you find the faint second arch to the right of the first one? Stunning!

I hope that 2011 is off to a great start for you! I am now back in Mexico... missing the beach but thrilled to be back with my kiddos serving in the place that God has me right now! This weekend I'm planning to do a few posts on what we have been up to in SMCA, but I wanted to begin the year by showing off God's glorious creation! He is mighty, powerful, creative and sovereign. This message is proclaimed in every wave that crashes, every rainbow that streaks across the sky, every sun that dips below the horizon... even in every snow flake that floats to the ground (friends north of the boarder, that one is for you!). I praise the Lord for his creation!

Tis the Season!

2010-12-17T09:07:00.000-08:00

Have I mentioned how much I love Christmas time? Especially here in Mexico! The past two weeks have been packed with parties, events, outings, and cheer. Let's recap...

Thursday: Staff Women Ornament Exchange

Friday: Staff Kid Christmas Party

& Single Ladies Christmas Party

Saturday: Rio Christmas Party

Sunday: The Nutcracker with SMCA kids

Monday: Spa Night for the Teens

Tuesday: Ice Skating & Dinner with MDA Girls

Wednesday: What? No party? That's odd!

Thursday: SMCA Christmas Program

Friday: SMCA Christmas Party

Goodness gracious, I think I need a nap! But instead I am off to catch a flight home to Michigan for round 2 of Christmas Cheer!

Adios Amigos!

Christmas in the Rio

2010-12-16T10:54:00.000-08:00

Last weekend we celebrated Christmas in the Rio! About 200 people came out for a meal, worship, gifts, crafts, and of course... a pinata!

Everyone packed out in the Soup Kitchen for worship!

Muncie and Valeria enjoying the party!

The kids watching the skit...

Mary and Joseph...

I played "Evil"... I tried to take Jesus' crown and he killed me!

Pinata time!

Working on some crafts!

Thank you to everyone who helped to make this such a special day for the families in the Rio!!

A Stroll Through the Neighborhood

2010-12-15T20:06:00.001-08:00

On Monday we took the SMCA kids on an outreach though our neighborhood. Last year our candy canes were such a hit that we decided to hand them out again this year. It was such a beautiful sunny day... 70 degrees in December! This Michigan girl could get used to this kind of winter! :) While we were out strolling (haha right... as if it was that peaceful) through the neighborhood I was once again amazed that this is indeed my neighborhood and this is my home. The sights and sounds have become so natural to me. I took a few snaps while we were out to show you where I live... in this neighborhood that is vibrant, colorful and full of life!

Quick group shot before we head out!

When we left our property we ran into Oben, a precious boy who lives next door.

This is the street that I live off of...

Here is the little tienda... Coka Lite anyone? :)

This woman saw us coming with our Candy Canes and got so excited. She said she remembered when we came last year and that she had saved her Candy Cane and story! I was so encouraged by this sweet woman.

When you walk down the streets where I live you will see a heartbreaking mix of extravagance and poverty.

Bougainvilleas are everywhere! I love the splashes of color!

Anybody home...?

A woman up the road recently lost her husband, so we brought her family some extra special Christmas gifts. They loved them!

They are so beautiful!

One of the most common things around the neighborhood are the wide assortment of roaming animals.

Dogs...

Roosters...

Goats... ya know, the usual!

This goat seemed to be all tangeled up, poor thing! Or so I thought... I was soon told that he was in Time Out because he had been naughty! This struck me as very funny, so I had to take a quick picture!

One neighbor wanted to give us something in return for the Candy Canes, so he plucked a few lemons from his tree... did I say lemons? I meant to say GIANT lemons!! This one was as big as Sofia's head! When life (or a generous neighbor) gives you 10 giant lemons... make lots and lots of lemonade!

So those are a few of the sights around my street. I hope you enjoyed them! I know it sure doesn't look like Christmas time, due to all the sunshine and summer heat, so I thought I had better leave you with just a dab of Christmas cheer...

Lawn ornaments anyone? :)

Feliz Navidad!

Adoption

2010-12-08T20:28:00.000-08:00

I just wanted to take a moment to share some exciting news!! I just read my dear friend Corrie's blog and found out that Little Mary has been adopted!! Little Mary was one of the children that I was blessed to meet when I was in Nigeria over the summer. She lived at OLA and absolutely captured my heart. I am bursting with joy at the thought of this sweet baby girl being loved and cared for by a family of her very own. Praise the Lord!!

The thought of adoption has been on my heart more than usual lately. It is the desire of my heart to adopt one day, and every time I hear an adoption story my eyes can quickly well up with tears of joy. I know it is not easy and I have the utmost respect for those of you who have adopted, are in the process of adopting, or have helped others to adopt. My prayers are with you and I pray that God showers you with his blessings. Adoption is the heart of God. I truly believe that, and I see it in my own life. I have been adopted into God's family and that means that I have gone from the "orphanage" of fear, slavery to sin, uncertainty, and death- to the "mansion" of freedom, joy, security and life. Life is not perfect, it is not easy, but I am never without the love of my Heavenly Father. Adoption is at the heart of the Gospel message.

Romans 8:15

"For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received a Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, 'Abba, Father'."

Because I am adopted as a child of God...

I am forgiven, redeemed and beautiful.

I can call on God at any time.

I am his heir and co-heirs with Christ.

I have the Holy Spirit and His power is at work in my life.

I am never alone.

I do not have to fear being alone.

I can trust the Lord with my future.

I don't have to try and prove myself or gain approval from others.

I am freed from fear of death.

=Romans 8:14-17=Galatians 3:22-23=Galatians 4:1-7=Hebrews 2:10-15=

Right now Little Mary is getting a taste of this freedom and love through her earthly adoption, but I pray that one day she will also experience the ultimate adoption into the family of God!

We're Thankful For...

2010-12-07T06:26:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving break flew by and I just realized that I have yet to post about the fun SMCA Thanksgiving traditions that we have! Every year we have a Thanksgiving Luncheon with all the students and parents. A huge thanks to Beth and my mom for putting together such a delicious lunch!

I'm thankful for all of my wonderful students!

Luke is thankful for the food!

Sofia is thankful for and excited about the avocados!

Another fun SMCA tradition is making Thankful Trees! These trees are the centerpiece decorations at the big Back2Back Thanksgiving dinner. This year the SMCA kids also put on a skit at the dinner to share the story of the first Thanksgiving. They did such a great job, I was so proud!

Here is our Thankful Tree...

One thing that I love about living on the B2B campus is that American holidays and Mexican holidays are celebrated by all. Our staff is a mix of Mexicans and Americans and it is so fun to share our cultures and holidays with one another!

Library Update

2010-11-30T10:59:00.000-08:00

Last year I shared about the library that was being built at Del Norte. Well this year I am excited to be able to show you pictures of the finished product!

Del Norte has a library!! And it sure looks great...

To read my first post introducing the library, click here (and scroll down).

Adios Amigos!

Jess

Fun at Del Norte

2010-11-30T09:36:00.000-08:00

Such precious kiddos!

Hope Program

2010-11-09T10:56:00.001-08:00

"As you may know, the mission of Back2Back is to provide "Care for Today and Hope for Tomorrow" to the abandoned and neglected children of Monterrey, Mexico. As I write this blog, I hope to give you tastes of what that looks like in our day-to-day activities. Everyday is different depending on the needs of the various homes that we work with. However, one thing that remains constant is that we have about 40 teens that live on our campus.

These teens grew up in the homes that we work with, but at age 15 they can no longer live in the homes. Due to this, many of the teens are back out on the streets and end up in the black market or prostitution because they believe that they have no other options. In order to put a stop to this cycle and provide hope for these young students, B2B started the Hope Program. When the students turn 15 they are invited to come and live on our campus in one of the teen homes with house parents.

While they are here, B2B pays for them to complete high school and go to college to prusue the degree of their choice. They are given hope through education and opportunities for success, but more importantly, our constant prayer is that we are able to show them a greater hope. A hope that does not depend on circumstance, education or opportunity. A hope that is only found in Christ. It breaks my heart to think of the lives that many of these students have lived. They have suffered through constant abandonment, abuse, neglect, lonliness... and many more things that I cannot even imagine. Yet we know that we serve a God who can bring healing, redemption, identity and hope."

Except from Blog Post on Feb. 1, 2010.

Here is a photo of all the teens who are currently living on campus. What a great looking group! As my Spanish improves I am getting to know them more and it is so much fun to see each of their unique personalities. They are all so talented and have so much potential. I pray that God will use this time in their lives to prepare them for the amazing things that he has in store for each of their futures. Please pray that they will continue to grow and mature into the young men and women that God desires for them to be.

With Joy,

Jessica

Cookie Time!

2010-11-05T17:07:00.000-07:00

Today was just a half day of school, so in the afternoon we had the youngest dorm of girls from Casa Hogar Douglas (CHD) over for a cookie making extravaganza!

Rolling pin... check! Cookie cutters... check!

Sprinkles... check! Decorations... check!

Sweet girls to make cookies... check!

Let the fun begin!

Here I am (below) helping sisters Wendy and Lydia cut out some cookie shapes. I have a special spot in my heart for Lydia (on the right) and I have been really trying to pour into her whenever I can.

Doing some painting while we wait for the cookies to bake...

Time to decorate!!

And finally... Enjoy!

Lydia is licking her fingers clean from all the frosting! I'd say that the cookie making was a success!

What a delicious and fun afternoon! I hope the girls had a fun time and felt extremely loved. Pray for these girls, that as they lay in their beds tonight they will feel joy and fall asleep with smiles on their beautiful little faces.

Joyfully,

Jessica

A Weekend Away

2010-11-04T08:36:00.000-07:00

For Fall Break, Ruby and I had the opportunity to visit the newest site of Back2Back... Cancun! The Cooper family moved there earlier this year to establish relationships with the numerous children's homes in that area. There is a huge need in Cancun and it is our prayer that B2B will be able to partner with the homes and help provide care, education and hope for so many precious kids.

Speaking of precious kiddos, one of the highlights of my trip was getting to spend time with the Copper kids! They are greatly missed at SMCA and I loved being able to spend time with them again!

Ruby and I picking the kids up from School.

While we were there we spent time in 3 different children's homes. The B2B staff here is just beginning to develop relationships with the caregivers and the children. It was such a blessing to get to be a part of it and see the ways that God is opening doors for B2B to love on these kids.

Here are some pictures of the three different homes. Our role at each home was different depending on the various needs of the home. For instance, at the DIF home we were invited to organize games for the kids! When we first arrived, the kids seemed a bit timid and shy, but before long they were all laughing and engrossed in the games. Most of these kids have very tough backgrounds and heartbreaking stories of how they ended up in the home, so it was so wonderful to see them forget their troubles for an afternoon and just be able to play games and be kids!

The next home that we went to was a smaller home and we spent the morning working on homework with the younger kids and then coloring. It was such a relaxing time and so great to be able to give the kids 1-on-1 attention.

The third home that we went to is the smallest one that B2B is currently working with. When we arrived most of the kids were at school, but the living room was piled high with clean laundry that needed to be folded, so we set to work. An hour later we had neatly folded laundry and a caregiver who got a small break from all that folding.

A few of our piles... I do love clean laundry!

Look at those sweet eyes! So beautiful!

I sure loved seeing the ministry of the Cancun staff! While we spent we also left some time for a bit of exploring! One evening after we picked the kids up from school we all piled into the car and drove out into the jungle to a Cenote, which is a sink hole that opens up into underground caves to go swimming in!

Here are the stairs that we took down into the cave.

At different points the caves would open up to another cenote and yo

u could climb out and cliff jump back into the water. Very cool!

The whole group after a fun evening of swimming around in caves!

On the last day we all piled in the car once again and drove down to the Mayan Rivera! While I loved seeing the ministry in Cancun, I thought it would be a shame to miss out on a beach while I was there! :) So after living in Mexico for 1 1/2 years, I finally made it to a beach, and let me tell you, it was well worth the wait!

Look at how clear the water is!

Some snaps of the Cooper kids! I know I've already said this once, but I do miss them terribly!

What a view!

So there is our trip to Cancun... believe it or not we were only there for 3 days! I loved seeing the ministry, reconnecting with the Coopers, and of course relaxing at the beach! It sure is a good thing that there is no beach in Monterrey, because I would never get any work done! :)

Happy Thursday!

Jessica

ps- if you would like to read more about the ministry that Matt and Julie are doing in Cancun, check out their blog!

Praying for Mexico

2010-11-03T08:29:00.000-07:00

The other weekend, 8 teens from our campus, and 4 staff (including Ruby and myself) went downtown for a prayer rally in the heart of the city. The purpose of the night was to lift up the city of Monterrey, the state of Nuevo Leon and the entire country of Mexico in prayer. It was such a powerful time of prayer and a huge encouragement to see believers from all over the city coming together without fear. When we arrived downtown I did know what to expect, but I was amazed to see over 25,000 people come out to pray! The governor was on stage, along with many other important political officials, and all of them received prayer. It was incredible to see the leaders of the city up on stage with their faces on the ground praising and crying out to God.

Please continue to pray for Mexico. Pray that Mexico's leaders will have wisdom and that God will protect the people from any violence that may try to rise up. I praise God for the unity that comes through prayer and that for one night in the city, 25,000 believers where united as their prayers echoed throughout the city and rose to the Heavens.

Fall Fun!

2010-10-28T16:42:00.000-07:00

I have lived in community for so long now, that I think at times I take it for granted. I went straight from the Cornerstone community to the B2B community, so this type of living has always felt so normal to me. At any time in the day I can walk outside my door and there is someone to talk to. At times throughout the week we gather for worship, small groups, community dinners, exercising or games. Sometimes it is easy for me to feel overwhelmed by all the events on the calendar, but at the end of the day I truly love community living. One of my favorite B2B community traditions is the annual SMCA Fall Festival that we had last night!

The evening always consists of Fall treats, cider, hay rides, games and bonfire, the kids trick-or-treating around the campus, and of course, costumes! Since the Fall Festival is really for the kids, the other single ladies and I tried to think of a costume that all the kids would appreciate, and one idea rose about all the others... High School Musical!

Yes, we say it is for the kids, but we love dressing up just as much as they do! Here are all the single ladies in our HMS costumes... can you guess who is who?

Sweet girls! Claudia is a fairy, Sofia L. is a ballerina and Sofia P. is an Indian.

And Here is Mark, Luke and Josh... boys will be boys!

Part of the staff dressed up and ready for fun!

One last shot of the High School Musical crew!

It was a great night! And I am happy to report that today at school my students were relatively calm considering all of the sugar that we filled them up with!

I hope that you are enjoying Fall as much as we are! I do miss the beautiful colors of Michigan and my family's annual Fall Color Tour up the coast, but I am thankful to be where God has me right now.

Thanks again for your prayers and support!

Joyfully,

Jessica

A Trip Down the Lazy River

2010-10-27T08:37:00.000-07:00

When I came back to Mexico to begin my second year of teaching, I soon realized that something had changed....

Monterrey feels like home.

When I drive through the city I know where I am going, I know what I am going to see and what to expect. I have grown more comfortable with the language. I have developed deeper relationship with the other women on staff. There have been a few moments when I see the mountains in the morning or walk behind my apartment to do my laundry and I am struck with the thought of, "Wow, this is really where I live." I praise God for this because it is a wonderful feeling, I feel so blessed to be living here in this season of my life.

Also, the more I explore this city and learn about the vibrant Mexican culture, the more I love it! One great excuse for exploring new parts of the city is by sneaking it into a field trip... oh, how I do love my job! For our October field trip we went downtown to the river walk and took a boat tour through the city. We then had lunch in the park and ended the day with a visit to the Steel Museum.

On the riverboat we had a gorgeous view of Saddleback Mountain!

The River Walk is one of my favorite parts of the city. These quaint little buildings are all restaurants and in the evenings you can sit outside and have dinner.

Here are some shots of the kids on the boat. Sorry I didn't take too many, I was too busy enjoying the sunshine! :)

Now that we are done soaking up the sun, we are going to soak up some history! Yippee, off to the Steel Museum!

Riding up the shaft that used to carry the steel to pour into the giant oven.

SMCA kids at the lookout... what a great view of the park!

Ruby and I at the top of the museum.

SMCA in front Horno 3, the Steel Museum

There is a little glimpse into the first field trip of the year. What could be more fun than getting to have school outside while learning about the fascinating city that we live in? Ok, I'm sure my students could think of plenty of things that are more fun! :) But overall it was a great day and I'm excited to see what we can come up with for a November excursion.

Thanks for checking in! Until next time, I pray that you are resting in the peace and provision of the Lord this week!

Blessings,

Jess

Catching Up...

2010-10-25T07:52:00.000-07:00

I find that with blogging, the more time that passes between entries, the harder it is to begin again. Life is flying by here in Mexico and I know there must be many things to share. For weeks I have been trying to motivate myself to post something, anything, but I was at a loss of words for where to begin. So, since it has been ridiculously long since I have written anything, I am going to let some pictures walk you through the school year in SMCA so far.

When I arrived back to Mexico in August, I was surprised to find a huge hole in one wall of my classroom! I soon learned that a double wide doorway was being added to connect my room with the middle room so that I could have a clear view of the middle school students that I would be facilitating through an online learning program. SMCA sure is growing and it was becoming a bit too much for two teachers to handle, so we have 5 students (in grades 7,8, and 11) that take online classes, with me as their online teacher. This is a huge load off of me

because I don't have to do any lesson planning or direct instruction, I am just available to

answer questions, grade and make sure that they are staying on top of their work.

Here are some pictures of my classroom that I took in the beginning of the year:

If you remember my classroom from last year, then you may notice some big changes! For instance, the white boards used to be on the opposite wall.

The hole and the back of my classroom! You can see my perfect view into the library.

Part of the library.

My latest Cricut creations- literary genre posters!

My desk... looking pretty neat, considering what it looks like on some days!

Writer's Workshop station

And here are a few quick highlights of the year so far:

My kiddos (minus Colton) all dressed up in red, white and green for Mexican Independence Day!

We have been having fun in Social Studies! This year we are studying medieval times. Here are my students with the class signon that they made to represent our class.

In Science we are doing anatomy. Our first unit was on the cell, so to review the parts of a cell, we created our own edible cell out of a jello mold! It was a ton of fun, and my students loved it- especially since they got to eat the left over nuclei, ribosomes, and lysosomes (aka jaw breakers, Nerds, and M&Ms)!

All of the parts of the cell are in place, now it is time to flip it over and see how it turned out!

Whoops! It seems as though our jello started to melt! I guess this is what happens to cells when there isn't a cell membrane! Well, the kids still had fun and I am happy to report that they all did excellent on their cell test later that week!

Thanks for checking in and I promise to try and be more diligent in my blog updates. Many exciting things are happening in the school, the ministry and the city, and I look forward to sharing all of those things with you as I renew my commitment to being a more consistent blogger! :)

Rich blessings my dear friends!

Jessica

Multiplying Meat

2010-09-21T19:48:00.001-07:00

Hello! I have a lot to tell you about the beginning of the new school year. I can't believe that we are already in our 3rd week of school and I still have not posted pictures of my new classroom and my wonderful students (I now have 8! SMCA is growing!). But all of that will have to wait because I have a story for you today that blows my mind!

Yesterday seemed like a typical Monday, with the except of a heavier-than-usual rainfall. After school the girls and I headed over to Casa Hogar Douglas (CHD) because Caroline wanted to cook a feast of steak tacos for the sweet kids at CHD in honor of her birthday. She had bought all the meat and supplies, but before we could cook it all at the children's home, the rain started pouring down. We decided to have some of the guys cook the meat at the covered grill on the property and then bring it over to the home once it was all cooked. It all sounded like a great plan, so we left for CHD to prepare the rest of the meal.

On the way over to CHD I remember crossing the bridge in our neighborhood and being shocked at how high the river was. It already covered the bridge, but we were in the big staff van, so we had no problem crossing. Once we arrived we made two huge buckets of guacamole, grilled 220 tortillas, cut up 4 watermelons and proceeded to wait for our meat to arrive.

Now dinner is normally at 6:00, so by the time that 7:00 rolled round we had a room full of hungry, hyper kids and still no meat. Around this time the call came in that there were literally 4 foot waves rushing over the bridge and there was no way to cross. Our meat was stuck at the B2B property. We had no meat. I remember looking out over the dining hall at the 65 kids waiting for dinner and thinking, "Well Lord, our plan has failed... what do you have in store for us now?"

The girls and I got together and decided there was nothing that we could do but pray. We had tortillas and guacamole, but we didn't want these kids to have another night of beans and rice. So we prayed. We prayed that God would bring a miracle. That he would provide meat for his precious children.

As soon as we finished praying, one of the workers walked into the dining hall with two small trays of chicken kabobs that had been donated earlier that had been randomly dropped off earlier that day! We had meat! Now would it be enough? We began to pray that this seemingly small amount would feed every child so that each one would go to bed that night with a full belly.

The meat had already been cooked, so all we had to do was reheat it in the over and serve it out. As we began to serve, something truly miraculous happened. The meat was not running out! The pans just kept coming and coming and each time I saw someone go to the over there were more trays of meat warming there!! I cannot explain it! There is no logical reason for how every single person in the room was able to have seconds and thirds and there were still two trays left over! But wait... didn't we start with two trays?!

So maybe there were a lot more trays and we just didn't see them carried in, but there is no denying that this is the faithful and provision of the Lord! It is not a random coincidence that someone dropped off meat earlier that day. God knew what our needs would be and he provided for them beyond our expectations! He multiplied our meat! Praise the Lord!!! I can't get over how miraculous He is!

Wow! This was a night that I will remember for as long as I live! I have once again learned that even when my plans fail, God has something better in mind. And last night God's plan left me awed and amazed and strengthened my faith. I pray that hearing this story brings you encouragement. God cares about the details of your life and longs to blow you away with his faithfulness.

The next morning we were able to get back to the property because the water level had gone down again during the night. We are a bit worried that if it continues to rain at the rate that is has been then the bridge will not hold and that would mean we would be stuck on the property for a while. Please pray that the bridge will hold and that Hurricane Carl will end (that is what is causing our floods). And while you are praying, please praise the Lord for his mighty power and provision! :)

Some Final Thoughts

2010-09-05T14:48:00.000-07:00

Where oh where did August go? I'm sorry that I have not written in so long. When I arrived home from Nigeria I was surprised to find how hard it was for me to process through my experience. So much happened over the course of the month and it left my heart forever changed, but when asked about my trip it was difficult to put the expereince into words. After I had been home for about a week, I was asked to write a short article about my trip for the Back2Back magazine. I was honored to be asked, but for days I could do nothing more than stare at a blank page on my computer. What could I say that would do justice to the beautiful people that I met and the hardships that they endure? What could I say to show the terror and pain caused by the conflict between the Christians and the Muslims, yet still protray the hope and joy and that is seen in the faces of the children? Do I share about the sweet orphans girls that I met who live in a village that was attacked in the crisis; who had to fall asleep each night to the screams of their neighbors being burned to death? Even as I type that now a new wave of sorrow hits me for the suffering that such young children all around the world must endure. I do not know suffering. I do not know real pain. The thought of sharing my experience with others makes me feel so unworthy because it is not really my story to tell. I don't really know what it is like to live through what they have lived through. I feel humbled and honored to have met the people that I met and be able to hear parts of their stories. Humbled, honored and completely unworthy.

So without knowing what to write and where to start I did the only logical thing that I could think of. I prayed. As I prayed and scrolled through past entries in my blog, a constant theme presented itself. Over and over again in Nigeria I saw the Lord's faithfulness and provision amdist the pain and cruelty of the world. With that I began to write. A couple of hours later I had 300-500 words that represented the beginning of my journey in processing through my trip to Africa. I'm not sure what is next, but I don't want to ever forget what I have seen.

Thank you for joining me on this journey. Thank you for your prayers and words of encouragement throughout the summer. I pray that the things I have shared in my feeble attempts at blogging have blessed you, encouraged you and challenged you. As my final Nigeria blog, I want to leave you with a sneak peak at my article for the magazine and a few pictures of the sweet children that I miss so much!

Enjoy!

Try to image this scene with me. You are standing in a small, humble building. There are rocks piled on the tin roof so that it won't blow off in the wind and the rain. The door stands open to let in the sunlight and the warm breeze. The entire room is bursting with the vibrant colors of patterned dresses and head wraps. Songs of jubilee and praise can be heard for miles around! The singing is joined with the beats of drums and everyone begins to clap their own rhythms, which blend together in perfect harmony. With sheer delight people begin dancing to the front of the room. Everyone is out of their seats, dancing, laughing, singing, worshiping God with all they have in them.

It is a church offering and it was unlike anything that I had ever seen before. It is a time of joy, singing, celebration and dancing. It is truly a sight to behold.

As I took in the scene around me, I looked to my right and saw John and Corrie Guckenberger and their kids singing in the native language of Hausa, worshipping the Lord with the people who have become their neighbors and friends. That moment was a very clear picture of what it means to present your life as an offering before the Lord. Just as my Nigerian brothers and sisters joyfully sacrificed the first fruits of their tomato crop on that Sunday, I saw John and Corrie, along with Jason and Emily, daily give their lives as an offering to the Lord to bring His love and hope to the neglected and abandoned children of Jos, Nigeria.

As I reflect back on my time in Nigeria, I am reminded of my first glimpse of the country as the plane descended below the line of gray clouds. I was struck by the beauty that lay before me in the splashes of green vegetation amidst the sea of red dirt and rock. This first glimpse of the country stuck with me and came to represent a constant theme that was evident everywhere I looked.

It is a theme of beauty in the midst of hardship, joy in the midst of poverty, blessing in the midst of pain. It is the goodness and provision of the Lord shining through to bring hope to our broken world. It is this hope that I had the privilege of witnessing at the village church each Sunday. It is this hope that is evident in the lives of the people who offer their lives to fight for the cause of the orphan child. And it is this hope that will ultimately bring healing and restoration the children in Jos, Nigeria.

Leavin' On A Jet Plane

2010-07-28T16:22:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow I begin the long trek back to Michigan! Please pray for safe and uneventful travels over the next 48 hours. :) I have so much to blog about, but it will have to wait until I am safely back in the US!

To hold you over until I am able to write a nice long post, check out Corrie's blog! She recently shared about Esther's graduation that we went to last weekend! CLICK HERE to read!

Adios Amigos!

Cheerful Giving

2010-07-25T13:11:00.000-07:00

Each time that I have attended the village church, the time of offering has truly been the highlight of my day. Today was no different. It is a time of joy, singing, celebration and dancing and so different than anything that I have seen in the US! Today the people brought the first fruits of their tomato crops of offer before the Lord to thank Him for all that He has blessed them with. I wish that I had some video to share with you! But, since I don't, try to image it with me... it is a small, humble building. There are rocks piled on the tin roof so that it won't blow off in the wind and the rain. The door stands open to let in the light and the breeze. The entire room is bursting with the vibrant colors of patterned dresses and head wraps. Songs of jubilee and praise can be heard for miles around! The singing is joined with the beats of drums and everyone begins to clap their own rhythms, which blend together in perfect harmony. With sheer delight people begin dancing to the front of the church to present their offerings before the Lord. Everyone is out of their seats, dancing, laughing, singing, worshiping God with all they have in them. This is a picture of true beauty and generosity and it goes on for 20-30 minutes as people repeatedly dance to the front of the church to give their gifts.

Wow! Needless to say, I quickly felt convicted about the way that I give and the way that I view the things that I have been given in life. I have been so blessed, and I find that it is easy for me to get possessive of what I have. Today was a vivid and clear reminder that nothing I have is my own. Everything that I have is a gift from God and ultimately belongs to Him alone. The people that I met today have so little and yet they pour it out with such joy! I pray that I will have this same spirit of joy in generosity and laying all that I have at the feet of Jesus. I want to go dancing before the throne to pour out all that I have and all that I am. Because is it really even mine to begin with?

The Church is on the right and the pastor lives on the left...

Inside the church before the service started...

Beauty in the Simple Things

2010-07-24T00:00:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Jos, the Plateau State Capital! Please enjoy some of the sights and colors that have brought me great joy this July! Overall this time of year in Jos is quite overcast and a bit dreary, but I have found that if you look closely there are beautiful splashes of color all around!

Take some time today to enjoy the beauty of the simple things in life! :)

Joyful Blessings,

Jessica