A Wonderful Summer
Our summer began with a reminiscent visit to Colorado to visit friends and provide an update on our mission in Nicaragua at Surface Creek Church. We were showered with blessings of airline travel, a car to get around, food, lodging (including an amazing stay in a mountain cabin on Grand Mesa), entertainment, and even train tickets to get from Grand Junction to Denver to fly back to Managua. I was also blessed to be able to complete a very large portion of my master's program at Liberty University this summer. I am well on my way to completion by May 2017.
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| Liberty University School of Education |
Back to School
This year Spencer is a senior and Hannah is in 8th grade. On the first day of school each year, we have shortened classes followed by an assembly, pizza, and games for the second half of the day. The last game of every year is the infamous "tape game." Envision an episode of "Wild Kingdom" paired with "Survivor." Packs of hungry lions (each grade level) prey upon lonely unsuspecting wildebeests that have strayed from their herd. Once surrounded, the poor wildebeest is tackled to the ground, its limbs held down by at least four or five lions while the tape is ripped off its abdomen.At one point I heard a senior yell, "Spencer's down!" Suddenly, an entire pack of angry seniors came running toward Spencer who was being attached by two of the teachers. Within seconds, they had freed their companion and taken out the coveted teacher tape. It is brutal, but they LOVE this game. The goal: get as much tape as you can--especially teacher tape.
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| "We Are International" is this year's chapel theme. |
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| Spencer missing his buddy Joel who graduated last year. |
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| Spencer taking down two teachers in the tape game. |
New Endeavors
Jeremy was asked to take on a new role of "Special Projects" this year. He is charged with improving the efficiency of many areas of the campus. For example, he is currently working on a plan to remodel our school cafetin (cafeteria) to improve efficiency in service, preparation, and clean-up. Other projects on the horizon is the development of office space for existing employees and remodeling the elementary teacher workroom. He gets to use is profound sense of logic and reasoning to make the best use of NCAI's current resources, and he loves it! He works as the special projects coordinator in the morning and teaches his elective classes in the afternoon.
I am still teaching middle school English and social studies, but I have passed the baton of public speaking on to someone else. This year, I requested to teach a class on student leadership. This class works closely with student council developing biblically based leadership skills. Students learn team-building, conflict resolution, time management, organization, and how to lead like Jesus did during His time on earth. My prayer is that these students will emerge with a heart for servant leadership, ready to change the world. I have also taken a lead role in HACIA Democracy this year. Our director, who typically leads, has been charged with creating a school-wide accounting system which takes him away from many extra-curricular activities. I am excited to lead students in this way, too!
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| Students using technology to learn about history. |
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| Using critical thinking skills to solve a mystery in history |
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| Team-building in student leadership |
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| Team-building in student leadership |
Zika
Our family has been sacked by the Zika virus. As I write today, I am in sitting in bed with an itchy, speckled body, achy wrists, elbows, knees, and ankles, typing with fingers swollen like vienna sausages. Jeremy was the first to be attacked a few weeks ago. Spencer and I began showing symptoms late Wednesday night. Hannah is the only one in our household who has not seen the wrath of Zika. It is sweeping through all of Central America and taking no prisoners.
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| "Oh no, now three of them have Zika!" |
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| Speckled and itchy |
You Are Appreciated
Thank you to all of our faithful supporters for your prayer and monetary gifts. God is doing great things in Nicaragua, despite the political upheaval surrounding Mr. Ortega and his wife. As Jesus told Pilate, "My kingdom is not of this world...But my kingdom is from another place," (John 18:36, NIV) we must remember that there will be no perfect kingdom on earth. Our goal is to tell as many people as we can about the kingdom that will triumph over all others, the Kingdom of God. "From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron...And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, "KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS" (Revelation 19:15-16). Won't that be a glorious day?
