Profesora Sara

Yes, that´s right. I now answer to the name "Profesora." Things are going very well at the school in Buena Vista. I am teaching English Monday through Friday to 7th and 8th graders. I think it´s a huge advantage being a foreigner...the students pay such close attention to me! It turns out that I came at a much needed time. There is currently no English teacher for 7th and 8th grade, so the students have basically been running around free during that class for the last two weeks (before I came). Unfortunately, I will be leaving next week, and the students will be without a teacher once again. That being said, if you know of anyone who doesn´t have plans for a couple of months and would like to make their way down to Nicaragua to teach English, please let me know! Seriously. It is a great need.

Oh how I love these students! If only I could get to know them better. Most of them come from poor, broken families and don´t seem to have a lot of hope for higher education. It´s a huge accomplishment just to graduate from Secundaria (high school); and even so, education in the rural schools isn´t that great. There are so many generational problems that plague these communities: alcoholism...single moms (either never married or their husbands left them)...children who don´t know their fathers...teenage pregnancy (like 14 years old)...dropping out of school. Yes there are people in these communities who have embraced the love of Christ, but there are so many more who are oh so empty...you can just see it in their faces. But of course there are just as many empty people in EVERY community all around the world. I pray that as followers of Christ, we don´t look the other way. Just as Christ embraces us in our "messyness", may we also embrace people in their "messyness." Well, because the truth is that in the flesh we are all "messy." Suspend judgement. Let the love of Christ rule. Pray that eyes are opened to His brightly shining light that brings freedom.

I am blown away by the hospitality of the people in this community! They treat me like a princess, lavishing me with all sorts of kind words and gifts. Let´s just say that I am never lonely and never hungry. I think their favorite love language is food:) I´m excited to try cooking some of this food back home, but of course it won´t be quite the same because I don´t have access to a wood stove and iron pans.

Well, I think this is my last update until I get back home at the end of next week. Thank you again for all of your loving encouragement and prayers. I look forward to visiting with you soon!

Blessings,
Sara

Prayer Requests
-the provision of a much needed English teacher at the school in Buena Vista
-that the Lord would open my eyes to how I can best serve these people (for His glory) during my last 10 days here
-In continual prayer, make an effort to enter into the "messyness" of other peoples´ lives.