Lucitas (Little Lights)

San Jose is surrounded by mountains. Some mornings are a little darker or foggier than others, and lights dot the sides of the mountains. I wonder if all the people in those houses are awake too when Mary and I are running. When I don't see the lights, I miss them. They're like a little gift, a bit of hope, something special. God has given me several little gifts of hope over the last week or two. I still cry multiple times a week because I miss people at home, but I have attended a Bible study in Spanish, cashed my first check from work at a Costa Rican bank, successfully finished an Open House at school with impromptu conferences with parents in Spanish, found out about a Spanish prayer group on Tuesdays that I hope to attend for the first time this week, traveled downtown by bus, traveled to another city for a picnic on Independence Day (Sept. 15).

So where do I see light? I see it in the conversation with Esther that led me to start reading the Jesus Storybook Bible to my class each day after recess, during my typical read aloud time. The kids really like it, and we get into some neat discussions.

I see it in the idea to incorporate memorizing a Bible verse together into our Calendar time each morning at school.

I see it in the opportunity to stop class and pray for a student who was quite distraught about leaving a book at home for a special class and thought he would get in trouble.

Another time a student flipped a card to yellow in my discipline system and continued to cry and cry when we talked about what bad choices he had made and what he could do better. "Do you need a hug?" I asked him... "Yes." He stood up and walked right into my arms, and I just held him while he cried and reminded him about the good I see in him, how kind he can be, etc.

I see the light when two tica teachers that I want to get to know better "happen" to sit next to me right after I decided to pursue relationship with them. I was surprised at their eagerness to know me better, but remembered that everyone likes to be invited and wanted.

REQUESTS:
-balance between time spent teaching vs. language learning
-balance between pursuing relationships and language learning vs. resting
-Hispanic friends....that God will continue to provide opportunities to get to know Naome (the Music teacher), Alejandra (a Spanish teacher at Sojourn who also used to teach at the Spanish Language Institute), and Tammi at church better
-the dad of the family I live with just found out today that his mom has cancer
-several of my friends back home are having a really hard time, have been on my heart a lot lately
-visa stuff