Kickoff Retreat...

Thursday morning began the Jr/Sr High retreat. The kids arrived here at the school at the usual time, but instead of going to the usual classes... they attended a retreat. This retreat differed a little from the last, simply in that it was held here on the school grounds. All of the guys stayed across the soccer field in the facultad for the ABWE Bible Instute, and the girls split up between my apartment and the one next door.

The theme for the 2 days was "Friendship". So many of the games and activities centered around working together as a group and building up each others strengths and weeknesses. Each of us teachers were asked to give a testimony regarding how the Lord used friendships in our lives while we were growing up. It was neat to hear how the Lord works.

I'm very grateful for the time to be able to work with and get to know these teens better. We have 4 new faces in the highschool this semester... actually, they're are new to me. All 4 of them have attended here before, but were either on furlough with their families or just weren't able to be here last semester.

Over all we have a pretty good group of kids here at SCA and I am excited to see how he will work this semester. I have already been encouraged by the attitude change of some from last semester.

First Day Back...

What fun to see everyone again! The school grounds were a buz long before classes started this morning... students claiming lockers, greeting each other in the traditional manner, testing out their soccer skills on the cancha, and other general mayhem abounded.

Normally on Monday morning (as well as Tuesday-Thursday) I will be teaching Bible first hour for the Junior High girls. However, this morning began with a miniature highschool instead. Immediately following the assembly I was responsible for teaching 2 hours of Consumer Math, 2 hours of Algebra 1/2 (long story behind that one), and proctoring 2 hours of Algebra 2. This will continue to be my normal Monday and Wednesday schedule for some time. Overall the classes went well and students participated equally well.


Thank you so much for your prayers! Please continue to pray for the upcoming classes and getting settled back into a routine of planning and teaching. My heart's desire is to be an example and minister to the kids here that God has put in my life. I don't know what the semester holds, nor even for sure about tomorrow... but I know the One who does!






2 Corinthians 3:5 "Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;"

Back in Chile...

I have arrived! Praise the Lord for the safety He gave! All of the flights went smoothly and there were no difficulties whatsoever. The Lord even provided a little Chilean company for part of the way. Just as the flight from Denver was getting ready to land in Dallas, I discovered that the lady seated next to me was also heading to Chile and we would be on the same flight. So we chatted for a while and waited together during the layover in Dallas.

The airport here in Santiago was pretty busy this morning, but the workers were very efficient. I had my luggage and was through customs in no time at all.

Immediately upon arriving here at the school (a little before 11) I tossed my bags in my room, put on a clean shirt, and ran to catch the end of the teachers meeting. It turns out that they really hadn't gotten very far and I hadn't missed much. The meetings ended up lasting until almost 4. It really wasn't until about 3:30 that I started to feel pretty tired from the long trip and lack of sleep.

After the meetings ended Kelly and I spent a good amount of time catching up from the break. She also went with me to the grocery store to stock up on some items that I needed.

So now, here I sit... on my bed in my apartment... with my windows open and the fan blowing. Such a contrast from when I left my house yesterday morning and it was snowing! It is nice to be able to wear flip flops again!

On my way back...

I am so thankful for a wonderful break at home with family and friends. Now I sit in the Denver airport awaiting my next flight to Dallas and on to Santiago. I am scheduled to land in Santiago at 9:40 tomorrow morning Santiago time (5:40 MST).

Teacher's meetings are scheduled for Thursday and Friday... I may have to miss out on most of Thursdays... but I'm sure I will be filled in when I arrive. The weekend will probably be busy preparing for classes and school starts bright and early Monday morning.

I will update again within the next day or two... thank you for your prayers!

Short update...

Thanksgiving past a couple weeks ago now, but nevertheless I enjoyed it immensely. I was able to take a trip down to southern Chile and join the Chamberlands/Thompson crew for the Holiday. It was nice to have a little change of pace, and the fellowship was very encouraging! We were able to get quite a bit of work done at the camp, but had great fun at the same time! Monica Chamberland and I shared a cabin for the week which made it all the more enjoyable.

Ever since returning to Santiago from the holiday, time has flown! There is so much I could tell! Over the last week there have been a couple of Christmas get togethers, a garage sale, sopaipilla making lessons, regular classes... the list goes on.

With only two half days of school left, my mind is swirling with everything that I should or want to do before I fly out on Sunday. The last moments with my students will be the most precious... two of my girls will not be returning, but I'm excited to hear that there will be a new one joining us. Also, I will no longer be teaching the Pre-K next semester. I've learned so much from the little boys and will definitely miss them.

Thank you so much to each of you for your faithful prayers!

Quickly passing...

Alas! The business of life has come to an end! Yeah Right! The spiral of events over the last couple of weeks is only gaining speed and will continue on it's course until the end of the semester. Which, by the way, is only a mere 3&1/2 weeks away!

Because Louis, our Spanish tutor, was unable to make it to the Kunnari's house tonight Diana gave me a mini tutoring session herself. Grasping the concepts of how things are said in Spanish continues to boggle my mind. Currently the hurdle is attempting to learn when to use the subjunctive tense of verbs. Ugh!

I have been given the opportunity to go down to southern Chile to spend Thanksgiving break with some friends from the States. They have been in Chile for over a month now with the purpose of building a house for the director of the GMSA camp down there. I very much look forward to spending time with old friends as well as helping them with the work project. Lord willing, my bus leaves tomorrow evening and arrives in Villarica (near Lican Ray) Saturday morning.

Please pray for the focus of the students (as well as the teachers :) as this school year draws to an end. I can feel myself looking forward to the break of Christmas with family, but my desire is to remain faithful to the task at hand. Also, please continue to pray for the provision of teachers for the coming semester. Thanks so much for all your prayers! You are a blessing to me!

Rambling thoughts from a weeks worth of info...

It's been over a week now since my last post and I figured it was about time for an update... sorry about that :p

As things up north begin to turn cold, Chile is about to turn full blast into summer. I love the warmth! It's very different to walk into the stores and see Christmas decor for sale after just coming in from 80 degree or higher temperatures. Such is life though...

Just this last Monday, the direct of SCA flew back to the States. He is planning on holding some meetings in different supporting churches in order to help raise support for a project at his church down here. However, he will also be presenting the need for teachers in the coming semester and school year. Praise the Lord that there is one new teacher planning on coming down for next semester. Recently I have been approached by the High School director about the possibility of teaching more classes in the High School next semester. They have asked me if I'd be willing to take on Math as well as Bible for the Junior High girls. I'm not exactly sure if the Bible would include the rest of the High School girls or not. Anyway, if this happens I would no longer be teaching the Pre-K. I would miss teaching the little guys, but the opportunity to be able to be involved with the girls more and to teach Bible absolutely thrills me! I would appreciate your prayers for me about this.

Another new change has come in the last week as well. One of the High School girls needed to drop a class and I was asked if she could come help me with the Pre-K during that 2 period block of time. She has joined us for the last two classes and I've appreciated her help. You could pray for me in this situation. She isn't one of the girls that I teach because she isn't in the Junior High... therefore I haven't really had the opportunity to "connect" with her. Please pray that I could have the opportunity to talk with her more and develop a more personal relationship than we have now. I'm excited to see what the Lord is doing here right now!

One more side note... I know many of you are disappointed, depressed... about how the elections have turned out. I was pondering this as I read my Bible this morning. While doing so, I read through the crucifixion. I was struck by the thought that the disciples were in agony over the death of Christ because they couldn't see the bigger picture of what God had planned. I look at Obama being elected into office and it doesn't make me happy at all, but I still know the One who sits on the throne is in control... and he still sees the big picture!