Tuesday was an exciting day at the school for David and myself. Two of the teachers at the San Marcos school were attending a workshop in Choluteca, so David and I taught the Kindergarten class by ourselves. It wasn´t too far from the normal routine; we just had to manage the 2-hour morning class period without the usual Honduran profesora in the classroom. Although fun, this proved to be a little more challenging than expected: apparently kids don´t listen to substitute teachers as well they listen to the real thing. Who knew? :)
Shelly prepared some arts-and-crafts for us to do, and David and I planned out an English lesson - teaching the children colors by giving them coloring pages with the English words printed on it, similar to a color-by-number. Many of the Kindergarteners were excited to learn and listened well. But a few (aka 4 out of 5 boys present) had a little too much energy and didn´t seem to want to pay attention. That made it a little difficult to keep them quiet so that we could explain directions and help the others. When we finished the English coloring lesson, we let them have some play time. This became a little chaotic as a few of the boys decided to have a screaming contest (indoors), but apparently we didn´t bother the other classes too much.
After lunch we had an extended recess. This was GREAT! The kids taught me some new games, and by the time we went inside, the Kindergarteners were well worn out. Señora Sandra brought her Preparatory class (the grade between Kindergarten and First) into our classroom, where she and I took turns reading to the two classes until the parents came to retrieve their kids.
Overall, it really was a fun day. It was an accomplishment, for sure. And I think my Spanish is getting better. My sentences are coming together more quickly, and I´m beginning to understand better what others are saying. I´m looking forward to going to the school again tomorrow.
Haley
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Week 4
1. Copan was absolutely awesome and beautiful and completely worth ten hours one way.
2.It's either a win or lose situation with the movies they pick on buses. Maybe it would have been better if we hadn't of lost the spirit stick.
3.David should have been hospitalized for eating those chips.
4. Playing be my mochila (aka climb on Jaclyn and hang like a backpack) made my day at the school on Monday.
5. Haley took me to an awesome tree whose branches could be trees themselves.
6. God is always good, always loving.
7. Kyle has a new nickname: Domino.
8. And David can dance around on stage like a caged whale.
9. The clinic is spic and span as it has ever been. The walls, windows, attic, floor, chairs, tables, cracks, molecules and every single object has been cloroxed, dusted, swept, mopped, wiped, re-wiped, rinsed, and organized. I think even my kidneys were cleaned there was so much of it going on. The clinic looks awesome now!!!! and it was fun bc Loren played us music the whole time. Nothing like "Paradise City" with a broom as your mic.
10. Clase de espanol is going much better since we have separated the goods vs. the what did she say's. And Loren broke his chair.
11. Clinic today was very good. I cleaned an ulcer on a woman's leg and then put silver nitrate on it. I know that it hurt her really bad, but she was strong. Javi says that you have to be hard then you can cry with the patient afterwards bc it is best for them. He teaches us well.
12. I'm flying to the Estados Unidos tomorrow for one of my best's wedding. I'll be back Sunday. I have a list of things that everyone wants...do you need anything?
13. I am so blessed to be here this summer with these people, with these daily activities. I'm glad that I know God's direction for me was to be here this summer.
Jaclyn
2.It's either a win or lose situation with the movies they pick on buses. Maybe it would have been better if we hadn't of lost the spirit stick.
3.David should have been hospitalized for eating those chips.
4. Playing be my mochila (aka climb on Jaclyn and hang like a backpack) made my day at the school on Monday.
5. Haley took me to an awesome tree whose branches could be trees themselves.
6. God is always good, always loving.
7. Kyle has a new nickname: Domino.
8. And David can dance around on stage like a caged whale.
9. The clinic is spic and span as it has ever been. The walls, windows, attic, floor, chairs, tables, cracks, molecules and every single object has been cloroxed, dusted, swept, mopped, wiped, re-wiped, rinsed, and organized. I think even my kidneys were cleaned there was so much of it going on. The clinic looks awesome now!!!! and it was fun bc Loren played us music the whole time. Nothing like "Paradise City" with a broom as your mic.
10. Clase de espanol is going much better since we have separated the goods vs. the what did she say's. And Loren broke his chair.
11. Clinic today was very good. I cleaned an ulcer on a woman's leg and then put silver nitrate on it. I know that it hurt her really bad, but she was strong. Javi says that you have to be hard then you can cry with the patient afterwards bc it is best for them. He teaches us well.
12. I'm flying to the Estados Unidos tomorrow for one of my best's wedding. I'll be back Sunday. I have a list of things that everyone wants...do you need anything?
13. I am so blessed to be here this summer with these people, with these daily activities. I'm glad that I know God's direction for me was to be here this summer.
Jaclyn
Monday, June 9, 2008
Duck, Duck, Goose and other School Stories
Today was Day 3 of being at ¨la escuela¨ in San Marcos. I feel more comfortable there now, because I´m learning the routine...and I´m able to understand more of what is said now. Also, today Jaclyn came to the school with me, which helped. I felt more confident because I was able to show her the ropes, introduce her, and translate a little for her. I think she had a good day too, even though it was her first day and she is still learning what to do.
I think that we interns are most helpful at recess, because we are able to play with the kids. Today Jaclyn and I pushed kids on the swings, and played fútbol, and tossed a basketball around, and played ¨Pato, Pato, Ganzo,¨or ¨Duck, Duck, Goose.¨ This week in Honduras is a week of ¨vacation¨ from school. Thus, the Mission Lazarus schools only have half-days this week. Today most of the kids left around 12:30 or 1:00. But a handful of kids stayed until 3pm - their parents are working.
Oh, I almost forgot! This morning I led the devotional for the school staff. I was a little nervous when Hermana Roxana asked me last week if I would do it. I spent a lot of time over the weekend praying, studying my Bible in Spanish, practicing what I was supposed to say, and asking the Lord to give me the words. Praise God! I think it went really well! I read from Romans 4:16-22, which talks about the faith that Abraham had. Even though he was 100 years old and he and Sarah didn´t have any kids, Abraham believed what God told him: that he would be ¨father of many nations.¨ And after that happened, Sarah gave birth to a son. The word that God speaks changes things. The word that God spoke created the world. Brought light into the universe. Healed the sick. Raised the dead. Cast out demons. Made the blind to see and the deaf to hear. Turned the sinner into a righteous man. This is the same word that God speaks into our lives through the Holy Spirit. And this word has the power to change our lives. To change our minds and hearts. To change our health. To change our success. To change our circumstances. To change our families. To change our world.
Que Dios le bendiga.
Haley
Oh, I almost forgot! This morning I led the devotional for the school staff. I was a little nervous when Hermana Roxana asked me last week if I would do it. I spent a lot of time over the weekend praying, studying my Bible in Spanish, practicing what I was supposed to say, and asking the Lord to give me the words. Praise God! I think it went really well! I read from Romans 4:16-22, which talks about the faith that Abraham had. Even though he was 100 years old and he and Sarah didn´t have any kids, Abraham believed what God told him: that he would be ¨father of many nations.¨ And after that happened, Sarah gave birth to a son. The word that God speaks changes things. The word that God spoke created the world. Brought light into the universe. Healed the sick. Raised the dead. Cast out demons. Made the blind to see and the deaf to hear. Turned the sinner into a righteous man. This is the same word that God speaks into our lives through the Holy Spirit. And this word has the power to change our lives. To change our minds and hearts. To change our health. To change our success. To change our circumstances. To change our families. To change our world.
Que Dios le bendiga.
Haley
Monday, June 2, 2008
First Day of School
Today was my first day of ¨work¨ here at Mission Lazarus. I spent the day at the school in San Marcos, helping with a Kindergarten class. Even though I can´t understand much of what the kids say to me, I know the words for the things they are learning - letters, numbers, colors....As long as we keep the conversation to foods, animals, numbers, and colors, I can follow. :) I did learn the words to a couple of songs in Spanish. The rest of my Spanish-song repetoire will take a while to catch up to theirs, I think.
So what did I actually DO today? I helped to mop the floors this morning before school started. I met some of the kids as they arrived. I watched and listened while they prayed and sang their morning songs. I helped to lead a line of kids to the bathroom to wash hands. I helped to serve breakfast to the kids - coffee and breakfast cookies. I helped to pass out paper, crayons, scissors, playdough, etc. during class. I participated in a few games and tried to lead a few. I don´t know many Spanish games yet, but they have a few I recognized: ¨Pato, Pato, Ganzo¨(Duck, Duck, Goose), and ¨Simón Dice¨ (Simon Says). They also have a game similar to London Bridge, but I don´t know the words yet. I helped to serve (and eat) lunch - rice and onion and potato and plantain soup. I played with them at recess - everyone´s favorite part (including mine), but the sweatiest and most tiring. Especially since I spent 15 minutes spinning kids in a circle and giving horsey rides! I also pushed some kids on the swings. Then for the last half hour, there was an old swingset with no swings on it, and I lifted the kids up one at a time so that they could use it as monkeybars. It was hard work keeping the kids in a line with everyone pushing forward (I don´t know how to say ¨back up¨ yet), but I was able to teach the kids how to say ¨1, 2, 3¨ in English and French. (They already knew it in Spanish!) After recess, we went back inside and sang some more songs, and then played with playdough again until dismissal. I made a cat and a dog out of playdough, and after that every kid in the class wanted one! So I obliged.
Oh, by the way, yesterday I went with David and Jarrod to Managua, Nicaragua to pick up Dr. Rick Lytle and his daughter Hannah at the airport. Dr. Lytle is the dean of the College of Business Administration (COBA, my department) at ACU. I´m excited that he and Hannah are here - and I very much enjoyed the trip across the border. San Marcos is only 11k (7 minute drive) from the border, which consists of a rope stretched across the road, then a customs building, then another rope across the road. Crossing the border is pretty easy - one just has to stop at the building, present a passport and exit-entry taxes (about $7 total each way), and then continue on. The drive to Managua was about 3 hours total one way. Good time to relax, chat, and enjoy the scenery. On the way we saw people selling parrots, iguanas, and a monkey along the side of the road!
That´s all for now, folks. ¡Que Dios le bendiga!
Haley
So what did I actually DO today? I helped to mop the floors this morning before school started. I met some of the kids as they arrived. I watched and listened while they prayed and sang their morning songs. I helped to lead a line of kids to the bathroom to wash hands. I helped to serve breakfast to the kids - coffee and breakfast cookies. I helped to pass out paper, crayons, scissors, playdough, etc. during class. I participated in a few games and tried to lead a few. I don´t know many Spanish games yet, but they have a few I recognized: ¨Pato, Pato, Ganzo¨(Duck, Duck, Goose), and ¨Simón Dice¨ (Simon Says). They also have a game similar to London Bridge, but I don´t know the words yet. I helped to serve (and eat) lunch - rice and onion and potato and plantain soup. I played with them at recess - everyone´s favorite part (including mine), but the sweatiest and most tiring. Especially since I spent 15 minutes spinning kids in a circle and giving horsey rides! I also pushed some kids on the swings. Then for the last half hour, there was an old swingset with no swings on it, and I lifted the kids up one at a time so that they could use it as monkeybars. It was hard work keeping the kids in a line with everyone pushing forward (I don´t know how to say ¨back up¨ yet), but I was able to teach the kids how to say ¨1, 2, 3¨ in English and French. (They already knew it in Spanish!) After recess, we went back inside and sang some more songs, and then played with playdough again until dismissal. I made a cat and a dog out of playdough, and after that every kid in the class wanted one! So I obliged.
Oh, by the way, yesterday I went with David and Jarrod to Managua, Nicaragua to pick up Dr. Rick Lytle and his daughter Hannah at the airport. Dr. Lytle is the dean of the College of Business Administration (COBA, my department) at ACU. I´m excited that he and Hannah are here - and I very much enjoyed the trip across the border. San Marcos is only 11k (7 minute drive) from the border, which consists of a rope stretched across the road, then a customs building, then another rope across the road. Crossing the border is pretty easy - one just has to stop at the building, present a passport and exit-entry taxes (about $7 total each way), and then continue on. The drive to Managua was about 3 hours total one way. Good time to relax, chat, and enjoy the scenery. On the way we saw people selling parrots, iguanas, and a monkey along the side of the road!
That´s all for now, folks. ¡Que Dios le bendiga!
Haley
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