Heidi's Birthday

The day of Heidi came around again this year on May 21st. Not that it changes from year to year, I just thought it sounded neat to say it that way. :) I tried making this blog yesterday but it had issues with format, so I'm just going to write what went on and use a number system for the pictures.

Heidi decorated her own cake again. It was in the shape of a volleyball to represent her passion this year (1). On May 21st I stayed home from school...mostly because I was sick and needed some time off, but I also wanted to prepare a scavenger hunt for Heidi's present. So when she got home from school there were a bunch of arrows and clues all around the apartment (2). Heidi's presents included a massage at the Marriott and a flexible gorillapod tripod for her camera (3). Now she can take pictures of the whole group no matter what! That night we went out to eat at "The Little Bowl". It was amazing steak! We came back to eat Heidi's cake.

Heidi also had a celebration at our weekly Bible Study. Marcela made us a beautiful curried chicken dish (4 - taken using the gorillapod!). A flan was Heidi's centrepiece there.

At the end of the week we had a 2nd Annual Family Fun Day in honor of her as well! We ended up playing baseball, floor hockey (5), and dodgeball. Afterwards we came back to the apartment for a baleada dinner that Melodee painstakingly put together (very impressive!) (6). Clinton and Tara (7) graced us with their presence and ended up staying with us late into the night...that night Heidi received penguin cakes as her birthday focus (8) - note, that makes three 'cakes' :) (way to go Heidi!) We competed against each other in DDR (9)...Clinton came in first with myself coming in second! Finally we ended the night with a movie projected on the wall. A good day!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY HEIDI! :D

World Fair

Last week we held the annual World Fair in the gym. Every year I hold it in a different place...it was working its way into the gym and after the Time Fair there last year, it was inevitable! I think it went pretty well...I'll be sending a survey around to the elementary classes that went to get their reactions. My students seemed to have learnt a lot from it - I was very impressed with their knowledge of the countries they chose...ok, enough from me, here are a few pics of the event! (The pictures behind the students were made by them!) So...anyone care to try and guess where all the stations are from? :) (I didn't put them all up, but this gives you a good idea)

A Prayer

As I’m entering the last lap of teaching at Pinares, I’ve got to admit that it is getting difficult to keep the momentum. I find myself dividing my time between teaching (and all that entails) with looking ahead to Canada (and all THAT entails). It’s a hard process and one full of uncertainties. I’m glad that Pinares has found someone to replace me already…there’s nothing to worry about on this end, but looking ahead there isn’t much stability. However! And this is the good part…I know that my Lord is faithful. And His promises are sure. All throughout my life He has gently reminded me of Who He is right when I needed it. So now all I need to do is take His hand and allow Him to lead me step by step through the centre of His Will.

So to the gentle reminder He’s given me today I post this prayer.

“O Lord, no matter what comes in our life – whether joy or pain, light or darkness – bring us to you. Let us not value your grace and presence in our life only because it alters our mood, or because it gives us or denies us what we want. But may everything that you send us bring us to you. So that, knowing you are perfect, we can trust that in every disappointment you still love us, in every darkness you are enlightening us, and every time we feel worthless you can still use us. In every death or sacrifice in our lives you give us life.”
In Jesus precious name, Amen

Happenings

The past few weeks have been full. A couple of the highlights would have to be the school carnival and my parents visiting. So I've attached a few pictures of those events.

For a description of the carnival...It was a bit hectic...Kyle and I (the advisors of the 8th grade) met together with our students the week of the carnival...a bit late, but we did end up getting things together. The 9th grade had a few students and teachers put in a kiddie pool and have eggs/flour/water thrown at them for tickets. I don't know why I agreed to it, but they didn't make much money off of me! Below are a few pictures of the event.

A couple weeks after that my parents were scheduled to come. The Lord had something to teach me though...the week before they were to arrive it seemed like all things that could go wrong did go wrong. The weather was supposed to be the hottest it's ever been (45 degrees celsius), which meant power outages, which meant the refrigerator would be out...so we didn't buy food. Our car had to be worked on, and Midas told us it wouldn't be done by Friday (the day I had to pick up my parents). Thursday night we had a major storm that knocked out the power and the phones. Friday morning I awoke to Mr. Priest at the door explaining there was a taxi strike and all the roads would be blocked. I had no control over anything...so I did the only thing I could...I went into my room and prayed about my attitude, that He would allow me to serve Him in this situation by giving it to Him.

It so happened that 15 minutes after I went into my room Mr. Smith knocked on the door and told me if I wanted to try getting to the airport through the strike, there was a family headed down right away! So I thanked the Lord, packed a few 'survival' items and went down. We arrived safely at the airport around 7:30am (my parents weren't scheduled to arrive until 2:00pm). The Laparra's came down a bit later and took me grocery shopping (food was now bought for the apartment!), my parents arrived late (4pm) but the taxi strike was literally over by the time we went out on the roads! We got a hold of Midas using cell phones and found out that our car was ready to be picked up at 10am, Saturday (in time for the trip I had planned). And though the weather was hot, it wasn't that hot...the storm that knocked out our power for a day made sure of that :) So...the Lord took care of every detail...and gave above and beyond in a way that words can't describe...I love that He did it in a way that showed that He was the one in control - taking away any control I had only to show me that when He had it all it was in good hands.

My parents loved Honduras. I took them to Valle de Angeles, picacho and Santa Lucia. They saw Tegucigalpa, El Hatillo and the school. They met many of my co-workers, the families I've been adopted into, and friends. It was good to just be able to sit and talk about anything...then Heidi and I gave them suitcases full of things we need to return to Canada and said goodbye at the airport - that was strange! Usually Heidi and I are the ones being sent off! Here are a few pictures of my parents in Honduras!