Wow! Sorry it's been so long since I've updated.... I am happy to report that life in ministry is in full swing here in Bogota! Let me give you a little glimpse into what my day to day life looks like as a teacher here.
5:15am: The alarm goes off and I'm up and preparing for the day.
6:20am: Leave the house in a rush to run down the block to catch the van that picks up all the teachers everyday.
6:50am: Arrive at El Camino Academy. Depending on the morning, I'm usually running around getting last minute things prepared for the day or at staff devotions, worship, prayer, or a department meeting.
7:35am: Show time! In stream my 22 wonderful 4th graders. And actually, I'm excited to report that I will have 23 starting on Monday!
7:35am-3:00pm: I am Miss Almer, teaching all about insects, the difference between parallel and perpendicular lines, how to "read with your mind on fire," Henry Horton's failed attempts to find the Northwest passage, and our command from the Ruler of the Universe to go and spread the gospel and much, much more.
3:10pm-4:10pm (Monday and Wednesday): Practice mi espanol in Spanish class!
5:20pm: Head home on the teacher van. I usually get home around 5:45 and then relax, maybe make dinner until...
7:00pm: Grade, plan, prepare for the next day!
10:00pm (if I'm lucky): Hit the hay thanking the Lord for giving me yet another day doing exactly what I LOVE!
So there ya have it... a snapshot of what my average day looks like here in Colombia. God has been SO GOOD this past month! He has blessed me with 22 (soon to be 23) hilarious, adorable, bright, energetic, fun-loving, students who make my job AMAZING each and everyday. He has given me energy... what a blessing that has been this month! Obviously, my schedule is a bit overwhelming and as I'm sure you can guess, tiring, but He has sustained me and kept me alive... and well (for the most part) this past month of school. Woohoo! He really has been teaching me lately that even with all the chaos, struggle, exhaustion, and change going on around me, He is CONSTANT. I've gone through some pretty big adjustments, and I'm still going through them and will continue to go through them, but how comforting to know that my life-giving Redeemer is forever, immutable, unwavering, steady, and my rock.
Romi- The little grocery store my roommates and I shop at.... a lot! Also, the spot where all the teachers gather in the morning to catch the teacher van.
Colombian Fruits!
<-- Uchuvas: a personal favorite!
Tomate de Arboles
Don't remember the names of these...
Some of you know Pravaas from GEBC, he was down in Colombia for a week helping out at ECA :)
A couple pictures of my FABULOUS class!
4th grade is "Turtley awesome"
My church! El Centro de Desarrollo de Christiano
Church friend/ECA student, Alejo
Casual sighting of a military man around Bogs...
BEAUTIFUL sights from our drive to and from the teacher retreat in Villavicencio last weekend. They're not the best, but it was hard on a little ipod camera...
The cabana I stayed in while on the retreat!
More cabanas
Where we had sessions (upstairs)/meals (downstairs)
Meal area
The pool!
Cookin up dinner...
And cutting it...
Eating an hormiga... a giant ant. Never again.
ECA construction! 3rd floor almost done.
Out to dinner with my mission's agency: Resourcing Christian Education (RCE)!
All the RCE/ECA missionaries with the head of RCE, Brett Howard!
And finally, a roomie pic! (Carrie, me, Annie)
Thanks for all your thoughts and prayers and thanks for reading!
