Exhausted - that is the best word to describe how I've felt for the past three weeks. The end of the school year is like a never-ending marathon. I've been busy with grades, saying goodbye to students and staff, random projects that I needed to finish, moving my classroom, and trying to do some fun things. I'm sorry for not having written on my blog since March. I've started several things but was too busy to finish them. Now, the school year is over, and I am back at my Chicago home for a few weeks. I'll slowly catch up on my blog and fill in a few of the unfinished things.
So, how have things been going in the country? The protests, crime, and shortages continue. The surprise of it has worn off, and it seems normal, until I go to another country. I always keep my eyes open for flour, milk, sugar, toilet paper, rice, and vegetable oil. Now even dish soap and waterbottles at restaurants are hard to come by. When I find it, I buy as much as I can. The Lord has blessed me immensely, and I have become known in my house to be the person to find these specialties. I often have plenty and can bless others when they run low. Crime continues to increase. One of my roommates was robbed twice in one week in our neighborhood. Several times in May, police were at the roundabout on my way to school, stopping cars to search them. I've heard from students as they come in with prayer requests for their building that was having bombs thrown at it the night before or the people that they've known who have had something happen to them. I found that asking for prayer requests is a wonderful time that they can use to express a little of their worry and the things that happen to them. Often, they response sounding like I would have if I was telling a story about why I tripped and had a band-aid on when I was little. It's incredible how normal this is to them. The protests and political unrest continue. The grates are still off some of the run-off drains and manholes to block cars from traveling normally. Thankfully, the blockades made with garbage has lessened.
Pray for these things is always needed, especially as it begins to seem normal. Please pray that we would continue to things in short supply, that God would keep us (teachers, students, families, staff) safe, and for the protests.
How has school been going? School has been great. The end of the year was super busy as usual, and my students and I were all ready for summer vacation. During the last two months, we had projects and units to finish, but we also had a lot of special days like Science Fair, Fun Day (Field Day), Spirit Week, Spring Concert/Musical, and the last day of school with a party and awards ceremony. I'll post pictures of what we have been doing in another blog post. In addition to all of this, my students continue to learn about godly characteristics, respect, and friendship. This continued to increase as a parent brought to the school's attention that her son was being bullied (I saw nothing in class, and he didn't say anything to me). On the second to last day of school, we had a bullying seminar with both the principal and director of our school as co-teachers.
This is a very big issue that my class and I really need prayer for, especially since I will have both children again next year.
Transition and change is a huge part of an international life, especially at an international school during the end of the year. Several students in my class knew that they were leaving the country and had to say good-bye to everyone. Others are leaving our school. Still, others aren't sure if they will be at our school or not next year. Finally the last group of kids know they will be at our school next year, but this is still a huge transition as they lose friends and change classes. In addition to just students, there are teachers leaving too. People that I have grown to love that I am not sure I'll see again on this side of heaven. For Bible at the end of the year, I covered some issues about these transitions with students such as how to grieve, how to be a faithful friend, and how to say good-bye well using RAFT (reconciliation, affirmation, farewell, and think destination). At the same time, my students, co-workers, and I are beginning the transition to next year without some people. We are welcoming new teachers and planning for the next school year.
Pray for these good-byes and the transition to welcome new people into our lives.
During the last week of school, I shared with my students how people I knew were praying for them. They couldn't believe it and were overjoyed to hear that there were people they didn't even know that had been praying for them all year.
The Lord has blessed me this year. He has blessed me through the people I've met, the people who have prayed for me, and the children I have had the privileged of teaching. He has provided rest and breaks for me at perfect timing. He has provided plane tickets so that I can see family and friends in the states and take a break from the busy city of Caracas. Even in the hard times, he has humbled me by sending people to remind me that I am still so blessed such as when a visitor who spent time in Indonesia came to visit our school and was baffled at how big our supermarkets were, despite us talking about basic food shortages. He has helped me survive and, at times, thrive during my first year teaching.
At the current moment, I am blessed to be in the states, where I am eagerly welcomed by family and friends. I'm also blessed to be able to use this time to finish some projects, relax, and get ready for another year. I'll be around for a few weeks and would love to see you. Here are some dates when I will be certain places:
-June 21 - Fort Wayne, IN
-June 22 - Visiting Upland Community Church in Upland, IN
-June 29 - Open House in Mokena, IL (I'll be sending out details to my email list.)
Thank you for your prayers, partnership, and support. I'm looking forward to returning to Venezuela in July for my second year. I will be teaching fourth and fifth grade again with about 15 students. I'll try to keep updating this blog every month, but I'm not promising anything.
