What a good lookin' group of ladies, huh! This is most of the staff at New Generation. I could not have been blessed with a more gifted and fun group of people to work with in Honduras. Alas, my time there is finished...at least for now. I am back in the States, living in Indiana for the time being. I returned on Monday, June 25th, and then I was quickly wisked away to New York with my mom and step-dad, Gene. We stayed in a cabin on Oneida lake and it was beautiful but slightly chilly for a girl recently returned from Honduras. I met most of Gene's family for the first time. What a fun group of folks!! Gene's brother, Rich, drove me around on his Harley and showed me some of the sites. I have to admit I did spend a lot of time praying for my safety on those trips but hey, if it's not a little bit scary and exhilerating then it's probably not worth doing right?! Anyway, I had a great time and I felt super cool! SHHH...don't tell anyone I was a little scared. It might ruin my reputation as a super, cool chic! Anyway, now I'm back in Indiana researching how I might be able to get all of the proper certifications and licensures for teaching and/or counseling. I'm also trying to research all of my options for getting my student loans paid off in a timely manner so that I am more free to serve God in a larger capacity, meaning without financial debt limiting my options. I'm eager to talk to anyone who might have suggestions for me regarding any of the above. Please check out the Partnership Opportunities Post for current contact information if you think you might be able to give me some helpful guidance. Most of all I just need lots of prayer in this area. My student loans are the biggest mountain that needs to be moved in my life (at least in my opinion) and I could use all of the prayer support I can get. I want to be debt free because, honestly, the kind of work that God has laid on my heart is the direct, relational kind of work with children and families in impoverished and underserved areas. Probably not the best way to get those loans paid off. So please keep this in your prayers.
Time for funny stories!!! These are a couple of oldies but goodies that slipped through the cracks...
#1 The day evil Ms. Kelly made her whole class sick...
It was a day like any other at New Generation School and all of the children had just returned from recess and were preparing for an exciting Health lesson. Today's lesson was about dental hygiene. Ms. Kelly had prepared a little demonstration for the kids. The purpose of the demonstration was to teach the children about the importance of flouride to teeth enamel. Ms. Kelly took two eggs and put them in two separate plastic cups. One was filled with water and flouride toothpaste and the other was filled with a most vile, liquid substance...vinegar! She soaked the eggs overnight the night before so they would be ready to show the kids for Health class. After a whole evening of sniffing the nasty vinegar Ms. Kelly had developed an immunity to the horrible stench but the children didn't stand a chance. As soon as they entered the classroom the effects of the vinegar had already started to take place. First, their faces changed. Their bright eyes and beautiful smiles quickly contorted to watery eyes and ugly grimaces. Then that horrible Ms. Kelly subjected them to more torture by making them line up one by one to feel the difference in the egg shells. As the students drew closer to the dreaded cups their little tummies began to twist and turn. Then when they set their eyes on the cup with the vinegar, the sight was horrifying. They looked upon an egg floating in a brownish liquid with a creamy-white, pussy looking substance resting on top. The children started to gag a little as their recently ingested lunches began to rise up. Then...oh, the horror of it all...Ms. Kelly made them stick their little hands in the cups to feel the difference in the eggs. As their tiny, little fingers stroked the squishy, slimey egg there little tummies could take no more. Some of the children survived the torture but most had to quickly run to the nearest bathroom to upchuck their baleadas and tajadas. Needless to say that was the first and last time Ms. Kelly will be doing that little demonstration.
#2 The day evil Ms. Kelly taught all the students how to curse...
Being a Christian school all of the students at New Generation gather together in the church on Friday mornings for Chapel. The teachers take turns every week leading the children in prayer, worship, and a Bible lesson. One particular Friday, I wrote a little drama about Matthew 18:23-35 - the parable about the unforgiving servant. Students volunteered to play the parts and were given lines to read on index cards. As you may or may not know the servant's debt was canceled because he begged the king for mercy and the king took pity on him. After his release he went to collect from his own debtors and was not so merciful; so, the king demanded that he be put in jail and tortured until all his debts were paid. Hence some of the lines spoken by a couple of the students included the words "go to jail," If you think carefully about how the letter "j" is pronounced in Spanish then you can probably figure out where I am going with this. Needless to say, once again, this was the first and last time that Ms. Kelly used this particular drama to teach this particular lesson.
So, yes, I have ended one season and am beginning a new one. Honduras was challenging but hugely rewarding. I put all of my love and strength into those children and it was incredible to see them grow so much in Christ and me right along with them. We all lived, loved, laughed, cried, and learned together. None of us held anything back and we are all better people for it. I can honestly say that I received as much as I gave if not more. There were times when I didn't feel that way. There were many moments when I could not see the fruit of my labor. However, there were also many moments when I felt I wasn't giving all that I could. When I look back over the last two years and see how much change has taken place in such a short amount of time, I can see it all balanced out nicely. It is undeniable that God was there with us every single moment, working in all of our lives until we all came out just a little bit shinier. It was so hard to leave but I know what God has in store for me...harder challenges and greater blessings. We'll see what happens as the adventures continue!!
posted by Erin B. Kelly @ 7:49 AM
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