Fall Fun!

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

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...

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

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

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

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

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...