Weekend of Bliss!

It is hard to believe that it is already the beginning of September.  I am in my third week of teaching now, and things are starting to become more routine!  My students still LOVE to talk, but we are learning to work together.   I have been explaining to the students that we are a 3B family.    As a family, we need to encourage each other, work together, accept each others ideas and pray for each other.  My favorite part of the day is praying for each other.  The students love sharing their requests and praying!  They are also growing to LOVE the Bible.  There is nothing better than hearing students cheer when it is time for Bible class.   Please pray with me that the students will grow in their love and knowledge of Christ.  Teaching is getting better each day, as I learn how to reach these students!

 After teaching let out for the day, a group of teachers played a pick up game of soccer on Friday night.  Yes, I am becoming somewhat of an athlete.  Saturday began at 6am, as we boarded the school bus for Stadium Market.  Stadium Market is a big farmers market outside the Soccer Stadium in Teguc.  We bought a watermelon, 15 limes, cilantro, 6 bell peppers, fresh popcorn, 20 tomatoes, 3 pineapples, 3 avocados, 2 onions and fresh tortillas all for only $15!  It is fun going, as it reminds me of Africa a bit, and it just feels like we actually live in Honduras when we go!  From there, the bus always takes us to a regular grocery store, La Colonia, to buy any meats, milk, juices, yogurts etc.  

Stadium Market!  It is in the foothills of the mountains:)

Gabrielle and I decided to stay downtown for the day, so after our grocery trip, we got in our first Honduran taxi and headed to El Centro where our church is located.  The previous Sunday, we read on the screens at church, there would be Praise and Worship from 9-11am on Saturday.  We got to church and walked in to a room with only 7 people sitting at a table singing and reading their Bibles.  They ALL stopped and stared at us as we walked in.  They tried speaking to us in Spanish and we just smiled!  They went into a Bible study on Spiritual Gifts, which we couldn't really understand because it was all in Spanish.  Finally, at the end, a bilingual girl came over and asked what we were interested in doing.  We looked at her funny, "What do you mean what are we interested in?"  She replied, "You are at the Worship Leaders Meeting!"  Instead of Praise and Worship, it was a Praise and Worship Meeting!  We died laughing!  But, guess who is now on the Santidad worship team? :)  I think God had it ordained all along!  If nothing more, we got to know more young people at the church and make some new friends!  What a blessing that church is!  


After church, we grabbed a bite of lunch and hung out at Espresso Americano (coffee shop better than Starbucks, if you can believe it!) for a couple of hours reading our Bibles.  It was so refreshing to be in the city and spend time with Gabrielle!

Aside from working at school, God has been opening more doors for ministry!  After spending time at the coffee shop, we got in the back of a pick up truck and headed to a poor village outside of Teguicigalpa.  God opened a door to go with a couple of other teachers to help minister at a feeding center for children.  The children only speak Spanish (obviously) so it was hard to communicate.  However, just loving on children helps one see the very heart of God.  We sang a few songs with the kids, taught a Bible story on creation, made a cute paper plate craft, and they helped hand out meals to the children.  It is such an incredible place, I wish you all could meet these little ones.  Here are a few pictures from our time there!

A group of the boys working on their creation art project!

Some of my little friends!  It is always amazing to me how far a game of "Como si dice?" can go! :)

Waiting in line for their meals!  A delicious dinner of noodles, vegetables and chicken was on the menu!

Can you say "adorable"!?!  They were quite the smooth little guys!

Saturday concluded with a great dinner in the city with my fellow 3rd grade teacher and her husband.  It was great getting to know them more and see such a Godly example of marriage.

The fun didn't stop on Saturday.  Although Gabrielle and I spent 13 hours in the city, we headed back into El Centro for church.  Our new friends welcomed us with open arms and for the first time, it felt like "home".   God has really been using this amazing little church to encourage me in more ways than one.  This Sunday, we started the service as usual; however, when the worship songs appeared on the screen, the words were in BOTH English and Spanish.  I nearly cried at the sight of have both sets of words on the screen.  It was nice to see the translation of songs, but it was also a reminder to me of the family of Christ.  We can worship in our native tongue and God is exalted!  I went up to the worship paster following the service and said, "Muchos gracias por las palabras en Ingles!" (Thank you for the English words!)  He simply replied, "We wanted to have a unified church, and we knew that might help you out!  They translated the songs for 4 Americans in a church of 150 people!  Now, that is a family!  

What a wonderful way to end the week!  Now, here we are about halfway into the next week!  God is good!  I hope you are doing well! 

Love from Honduras!:)