Stressed, so I'm going to ramble. Its been a rough day. Not frustrating, more difficult.
I keep thinking of moments that I won't forget. I met my first niece last October. I missed being home when she was born. She was a month early and I got there 2 days late. I remember seeing the first time when she opened her eyes. I met my second niece in June of this year. I missed her being born and she was a month old before I could get back. I remember hearing her cry for the first time. It wasn't a scream. She was sad. It was beautiful. I remember thinking about how my brother and his wife are going to take care of her when she is sad. I won't forget these moments if I live to be a hundred.
I had another one today. I can't explain all of it. I picked up a girl who ran away. I had been looking for her for several hours. I was wet and cold because it was raining. When I found her, she was wet and cold as well. I thought she would be angry. I thought she would run. She was sad and asked me for help. It broke my heart.
I think about these girls. It makes me angry sometimes that I'm one of the best options they have. They should have parents who fight for them, but they don't. I don't know how to help them most of the time. I commit whole-heartedly to the school, because I think an education is the best way I can help them. I wish I could fight for them like a good father would. I wish I could take care of them like my brothers take care of their daughters. Some of the little ones, I'm old enough to be their dad. I clean a 2 year old's nose every day when I get to the farm, because I think that a good father wouldn't let his daughter have snot on her face.
"Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends" -John 15:13.
People keep asking me how much longer I'm going to be in Honduras, like I have other plans. I'm not going to leave my girls. Not for money or security or a profession or respect or a family of my own. If I never amount to anything, but I can make these girls feel important, thats enough for me.
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Monday, August 13, 2012
Update from the Coal Mine
Whew. Alright, I'm not really even going to apologize for only writing about the school anymore. My primary way of showing the love of Christ to these girls is through giving them an education. So, thats what I do and thats all I can generally think of when making these things.
We made IEP's. Or, the Honduran equivalent. One of the big problems that we run into down here is girls that are behind with their education. Sometimes WAY behind. Sometimes too far behind. It worries me because I want their futures to be better than their pasts. So, I sat down with teachers and girls and we made 6 month educational schedules graphing their official accredidation program. This was trickier than it sounds because each of the girls do their own work-at-your-own-pace book and are in different lessons. This way, we as the teachers will be able to hold the girl's accountable for their progress and be able to identify problems quicker before they get big. It also helps us as the school staff to keep girls on a pace to graduate highschool when they are around 18. I also included behavioral and educational notes per individual girl. I did this so all of the teachers and future teachers can be aware of the reoccuring difficulties and be united on how to approach them. This put me more at ease. It looks good, but more important than appearance, I think it is going to be effective.
I've been teaching again. For about 4 months or so I was only administrating. It turned out good, because we had alot of organizing and planning to do, but I missed teaching. I've been covering math for the 4-6 grade as well as the girls in 7th and higher. I've also been teaching a Honduran history class and a world history class. In the afternoons I teach an English class focusing on reading and writing and verb usage. They are all going great. I really enjoy teaching.
Teaching gives me a different perspective on what we can do better at the school. This is great because we are really making progress through identifying problems and making the system better. Its a little stressful though to only think about problems all day. I'm about 5 weeks in on identifying problems, and though we are making headway, it weighs on a person. I look forward to a day when I can focus on maintaining a great system instead of fixing things. I'm not sure that that day will ever actually exist, but its a Carribean island in my mind.
A few things we need. I'm focusing on math this week. I could use all kinds of math books. The way we generally do math is we use one book and put problems on the board for the girls. Sometimes, the book is in English but the class is in Spanish, so a set wouldn't help. I've been using Georgia Performance Standards the last month and a half to do great-sweeping reviews until Mr. Jeremiah returns. But I could really use a book of geometry, algebra I and II, pre-algebra, and even some lower grade level text books. I don't like alot of what I see here, so I would prefer some from the states. So if you are a teacher, know teachers, and contacts with teachers, or have ever had a teacher that you could bother, give him or her a sob story for me. This would be a huge help.
Keep praying for us down here.
We made IEP's. Or, the Honduran equivalent. One of the big problems that we run into down here is girls that are behind with their education. Sometimes WAY behind. Sometimes too far behind. It worries me because I want their futures to be better than their pasts. So, I sat down with teachers and girls and we made 6 month educational schedules graphing their official accredidation program. This was trickier than it sounds because each of the girls do their own work-at-your-own-pace book and are in different lessons. This way, we as the teachers will be able to hold the girl's accountable for their progress and be able to identify problems quicker before they get big. It also helps us as the school staff to keep girls on a pace to graduate highschool when they are around 18. I also included behavioral and educational notes per individual girl. I did this so all of the teachers and future teachers can be aware of the reoccuring difficulties and be united on how to approach them. This put me more at ease. It looks good, but more important than appearance, I think it is going to be effective.
I've been teaching again. For about 4 months or so I was only administrating. It turned out good, because we had alot of organizing and planning to do, but I missed teaching. I've been covering math for the 4-6 grade as well as the girls in 7th and higher. I've also been teaching a Honduran history class and a world history class. In the afternoons I teach an English class focusing on reading and writing and verb usage. They are all going great. I really enjoy teaching.
Teaching gives me a different perspective on what we can do better at the school. This is great because we are really making progress through identifying problems and making the system better. Its a little stressful though to only think about problems all day. I'm about 5 weeks in on identifying problems, and though we are making headway, it weighs on a person. I look forward to a day when I can focus on maintaining a great system instead of fixing things. I'm not sure that that day will ever actually exist, but its a Carribean island in my mind.
A few things we need. I'm focusing on math this week. I could use all kinds of math books. The way we generally do math is we use one book and put problems on the board for the girls. Sometimes, the book is in English but the class is in Spanish, so a set wouldn't help. I've been using Georgia Performance Standards the last month and a half to do great-sweeping reviews until Mr. Jeremiah returns. But I could really use a book of geometry, algebra I and II, pre-algebra, and even some lower grade level text books. I don't like alot of what I see here, so I would prefer some from the states. So if you are a teacher, know teachers, and contacts with teachers, or have ever had a teacher that you could bother, give him or her a sob story for me. This would be a huge help.
Keep praying for us down here.
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