SURPRISE!

Last week, or maybe the week before, I informed my children that I did not think I would be coming back to Peru next year because I don´t have enough support money. I asked them to pray for me, for what God wants me to do next. The next day, half my class was not at line up after the recess bell rang. I asked the remaining half where everyone was; they replied that they were all in Ms. Miller's office. Since she is the principal, and since having half my class in with the principal is generally not a GOOD thing, I went to go see what was happening. I approached the door to her office and see about 8 little heads all studying the multicolored all-teacher class schedule that Ms. Miller is holding up in front of them. huh?  One girl sees me and they all immediately run out of the office to me and turn me around and tell me I can't be in there. I began noticing a strange phenomenon: every time I walked in the general direction of my children during a recess or after school, screams ensued and they all ran away from me, or quickly shoved things behind them, etc. So, apparently, my kids are planning something. Cool.

One girl asked me a week ago if I would be here on December 1. I replied that I would, and I hope she would be too. This morning, I made sure I was wearing something nice. I had first recess duty, on the playground where all my girls and some boys always play. None of them were there. Only the boys playing soccer down on the field. OK. Bell rings, we go upstairs, we do grammar, we get called out for our group picture, and the girls are completely worried about where the picture will be... but relax when i tell them it's on the playground.

We go back up and do math. They are working fairly well until right before the bell is supposed to ring for lunch. Then, an undercurrent of *something* runs through them all as one of them notices the time and tells everyone else... The bell rings, I say, put your books away for lunch, and the entire class erupts - and i do mean ERUPTS- into excited cheers. Wow. They are all so genuinely on the edge of their seats barely able to contain themselves that it's all I can do to say the next sentence: you owe three minutes, which I'll begin as soon as everyone has their desk cleared and heads down. But, it must be said; the little x's are on the board. Loud exclamations of unhappiness follow the announcement, but I am treated to an exhibition of the fastest 'putting away and heads down' my kids have ever done...

Now I can't help but smile as they are all vibrating with excitement, and I say "This is going to be a really LONG three minutes."

Boy, was it.

When I told them to sit up for prayer, cheers erupted again. I dismissed them by groups, firmly reminding them to wash their hands before getting their lunches and sitting down... About 6 girls attach themselves to me as I leave the room and start down the stairs, literally pulling me along, telling me to close my eyes. Ever tried closing your eyes being pulled along by six  9-yr-olds? It's interesting, to say the least. I'm pulled into the 'kid's gym' which is a medium sized room used by the little kids for gross motor skills, and used by the rest of the school for large meetings, choir rehearsal, multi class events, etc. By now I can hear my whole class telling me to close my eyes, and then to open them- and a giant "SURPRISE!" (I wish I had a video of THEM in those moments... I'd love to see that.)

There in the room are two tables with chairs, one table covered with food and a cake. They're all excitedly telling me "we did it all!" "we didn't have any help, except a little from Ms. Miller" "it's a party for you!"  And they really DID do it all: after a few minutes I realize that they're telling me "so-and-so bought this" or "paid for that" and I ask "You spent your own money?" And several of them, with big grins, nod excitedly and say the random things they'd saved the money from and decided to use it. "But," one of them was sure to tell me, "Some of our parents did have to help just a little bit."  They made sure to tell me they brought many of the things because I couldn't get them in the United States, and of course there was Inca Cola.

They pull me over to look at the cake, covered in fondant and decorated with custom messages: Miss Leinbach at the top, and 'Jesus is our Savior' and 'God loves you'. Then they show me all the decorations they've made and hung up on the walls and windows. Long garlands of paper chains, mostly made out of normal lined paper, COLORED with crayons and colored pencils, cut into strips and stapled into the familiar paper chain decoration. Purple balloons. (of course) Posters with messages of "we'll miss you" etc. One poster was especially wonderful, but I'm going to try to take some pics or video and post it rather than describe it.

We ate, we drank, we were merry (towards the end just a little TOO merry... boys....) and had a blast watching all the other classes watching us have our party. OH, I forgot the paper and cotton ball crown that was plunked down on my head upon being told to open my eyes! (The cotton was the fur lining around the bottom...)

Then, right at the end of lunch recess time, as I'm gathering them all back in to clean up the absolutely DESTROYED room, one of the girls picks up a rather large bag of confetti, and asks if she can throw it... I'm thinking of all those little round pieces and the cleaning guys... and two of my boys are thinking they'd each like to have the bag, and before I can say anything, the bag's been torn and a giant cloud of confetti is showering down over half the room in shades of pink, purple, and white. And the screaming commences. I realize it will never get cleaned up until it's been enjoyed, so, we threw confetti at each other for awhile, and at me especially, hunkered down on all fours to avoid getting any in my eyes... Pink rain...

They cleaned about half of it up... the areas that were the most densely covered got swept (they argued over who would use the broom) and a good quantity put into a bag for a girl to take home for her upcoming birthday party. Best wishes to that mother. ;)

It took us all of the class period after lunch to clean up (they DID successfully throw away all their trash, and clean off the tables) and I handed them over to Mr. Miguel for computer class with a grateful heart: they were flying high, and Miguel is just the person to rein them back in, quickly and effectively.

There were a few actual "gifts" (including chocolate and some yummy smelling soaps) but really the best gifts were all the cards and letters and pictures they wrote and drew. And, of course, the event itself.

Kids are awesome. My kids are awesome. I will definitely never forget this day.

~Miss Leinbach, a blessed by God third grade teacher for two more weeks.

SCIENCE FAIR IS OVER

And there was much rejoicing!

 

I think that it went ok. We'll see what kind of feedback we get from people next week. I still have to finish grading the project display boards (all of which were left after the Fair Friday night so that we as teachers CAN grade them at a more leisurely (read: not frantic) pace), but otherwise, no more Science Fair. Except to put all the wisdom and experience of three years of this thing into a binder for future generations. (read: whatever poor schmuck gets stuck doing it next year.)

 

No school today. Using a friend's computer to send this brief update out to the world. Still not able to connect to the internet on my computer. Wireless or wired. doesn't matter. really need to factory reset it, i guess (AGAIN) but it's SUCH a pain and process, and what if this time it DOESN'T work? (all five - or 4?- previous times it's worked like a charm.) If it doesn't work, then i'm stuck with a computer lacking years and years of Windows updates and many of hte applications that i've downloaded and won't be able to download again.

 

Scouring the internet for possible help and solutions simply gives me a headache. I'm NOT a computer guru. Sigh.

 

Next decision: do we have a spelling bee this year or skip this year? I'm in charge, and it was originally scheduled for three weeks into the Science Fair process, which just wasn't a sound decision, but especially if the coordinator is also on the Science Fair Committee. So, I was given the option of canceling or postponing. I elected postponement, becuase I really do see a great deal of benefit from doing a spelling bee. HOWEVER, postponing means doing it in November (now) and I failed to realize that this is also the time for Family Day, the gigantic school-wide event that is mostly planned by parents. shouldn't interfere, except that parents are going to want to be focusing on Family Day, and not spelling bee, and with the end of the year, TEACHERS are going to be wanting to focus on TEACHING curriculum, and not losing time to spelling bee. and then there's the Christmas program... Anyway. Despite all the truly wonderful things that spelling bee teaches, i'm beginning to think that because of when it was programmed into the school year, this year we might not have it. Program it into the year early on next year. But, don't know if that is still a decision that I can make, after being offered the decision earlier...

 

I'm excited because it appears that Cindy is coming to Peru for a visit!!! and I am rather despondent to start thinking seriously of packing and going home to nothing. Well, ok, not NOTHING. Going to home to family and friends. But nothing else. No job, no money, no place to live other than my parents' basement, no transportation... I keep reading those promises of God's got a plan for His children and I keep fighting back the bile. God got me this far, through equally "hopeless futures"... I guess I just feel like, how many times do I expect Him to pull a rabbit out of the hat for me?

 

And, as I wrote that, I realized: it's not Him pulling a rabbit out of a hat... it's ME giving up on trying to create a rabbit on my own to put in the hat. How many times will I go through this silly song and dance of thinking I'm supposed to create the rabbit and pull it out??? HELLO, McFLY? God tells us not to rely on our own understanding, our own powers of provision, our own anything. Everything we have is a gift from Him, and (as JEsus says) what kind of Father doesn't give good gifts to his children when they need them? That's the thing- WHEN they need them. And there I am am, back at the same place i've been so many times before: wait patiently for the Lord, instead of TELL ME NOW GOD.

 

So, I'll keep doign what I can to prepare for what comes next (updating my resume, for example) and I'll just keep praying for help in trusting Him to give me the next gifts when I need them. (Ever read The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom? If you haven't, DO SO. Read it yesterday. this idea was illustrated many times in that book.)

 

okay, i need to go to school and prep for the week. Thanks for being there, wherever "there" is for you!

with love-

emily

--
Emily Leinbach
emily@leinbacker.com
www.leinbacker.com

The ULTIMATE love/hate relationship:

TECHNOLOGY

The ultimate in "I love it!" and "I hate it!"

Recently, the former was expressed when I was able to copy, collate, and staple a front/back 8 page fractions booklet for my kids in about 5 minutes. Thank you GOD for a copier in working condition!

The latter ("I hate this!") has been expressed frequently in reference to my laptop and its apparent recurring inability to actually communicate with the internet. And the fact that NO ONE can figure out why.

I vote for demon possession, but I've been told by people who really ought to know such things that demons probably don't possess inanimate objects.

I'm NOT convinced. Seeing as how this computer goes through the same series of symptoms and then complete and utter dysfunction once every six months or so... and no one who really should know such things in the world of computers can come up with any reason. *sigh*

So, I'm back to (again) factory reset or buying a USB wireless adapter, and hoping the non-wireless symptoms that have appeared all the other times don't appear this time...

But, I wanted to let the world at large know that I'm not dead, I'm simply behind the ultimate firewall.

Oh, and not laptop but technology related: My internet VOIP phone- a wireless model from Vonage- still WILL NOT connect to the router inside our apartment, but WILL connect to any of the 6 unsecured wireless networks that I walk through on my way to and from school and the grocery store.  So, when I want to talk to my sister, or parents, or friends in Chicago or Denver... I choose the least noisy street corner for the time of day, and camp out in front of some random house or apartment building or pharmacy... and i talk on someone else's internet. Because the router ten feet from my bedroom won't connect to my phone.

I'm trying to laugh about it, really. Sometimes, I succeed.

On a more serious note- prayers would be appreciated for me as I am right now going through a pretty serious "holy crap HOW am i going to live when I leave Peru???" phase... When I think about how much it's going to cost me to live in the States... even living on beans and rice, and scrimping on everything, the difference in cost of living is appalling, and the outlook for gainful employment makes me want to vomit.

So, my stomach would appreciate your prayers, becuase it doesn't want ulcers, and right now, that's what's in ITS future!  (laugh)

I'm also beginning for go through the first stages of "I won't be here for that next year" or "I won't be here when that happens in the life of so-and-so"... and it's getting tougher and tougher. Especially since I haven't got a "happy" thing to look forward to that I WILL be doing...

But, that is the topic for another blog, and the owner of this borrowed laptop (which DOES talk to the internet) would like her computer back, so I'll be writing that one later.

I love you all and appreciate the fact that you care enough about me that you're reading this! Thank you!
~mle

Already? Third quarter's ending????

It's nearing the end of September, and that means that it's almost the end of third quarter. I am at school late to start organizing papers for grades... report cards.... I *love* them so much. Sigh. This too shall pass.

I am sad that time is passing so swiftly. It is sad for me to think that I won't be doing this next year, watching a new classroom full of children master long division. It is extra sad to think about because I don't have anything to replace it with (yet). I have no idea what I'll be doing next year, and I can't see how it could possibly be as enjoyable as teaching third grade. Prayer, as always, is appreciated. Job leads are also appreciated. I've gotta get back to school to get my education classes so I can be certified to teach in the States!  (not that it would matter much; from what i've heard from friends, teaching jobs are scarce.)

I am starting something new with my class tomorrow. I am going to start the day with praise and worship songs. I realized Friday night (at a praise and worship session led by some high school students from another school) that our kids don't ever praise God in a time for just praising and worshiping. we sing songs at chapel, but they are not really songs sung TO God for His glory. Not songs that lead our hearts into attitudes of reverence, obedience, service, thankfulness, etc etc. SO, I've got some songs off Youtube that have the words so that my kids can sing them, and we're going to start our days with some praise and worship. hopefully they'll learn a core group of 6-8 songs by heart, inside and out, that will pop into their heads for the rest of their lives. Like so many songs I learned when I was young. I've also found some Spanish ones, and I'm going to work on getting the third grade Spanish teacher to come in also (just not sure what her schedule is at the start of the day). On Tuesdays, I'm thinking about going up to the music room and using the piano to sing/teach since Miss Skillo of fifth grade is free on Tuesdays and is a great piano player. (If only Miss Shirk could come play guitar....)

Anyway, please pray for this, because it might really feel strange to some of the kids, especially at first. But I want them to learn how to praise and pray and thank God together, in a group of their peers and with adults. And I hope it will help the rest of the day go smoothly, too. God-centered.

Will let you know what happens. (This is supposed to update to Facebook, but no matter how many times i've set it up, it doesn't, so i'll keep posting links... or you can become a "follower" and i think it will email you when I post a new blog... i think????  Love you all, and thanks for your support.   ~emily

Mission Month at MCS

So, here in Lima, Peru at Monterrico Christian School, September is Missions Month. My class is going on our missions trip on Monday. I am doing my Bible curriculum missions unit. We are reading a novel about a boy and his missionary family escaping from rebels in Ethiopia. Special guest speakers for chapel include (what else?) missionaries!

And Miss Leinbach is wondering what her future as a missionary may, or may not, be.  Come January, I find myself without direction. I am not opposed to doing some sort of mission work somewhere. Anywhere (almost). But I certainly can't do it on "my own". (I put that in quotes since I'm never really doing anything alone, since really it's God that's doing it all and I'm along for the rather interesting ride.) If missions is in my future, then I strongly feel that I must be a part of an established missions organization.

I'm not completely sure if missions is in my future. I've always seen myself (from little up) doing missions work. Granted, most of my childhood I wanted to me a missionary brain surgeon in Cambodia... don't ask. I honestly don't know.

But I do know that I've never had a problem seeing myself "out there", far away somewhere. Then again, I've also never had a problem seeing myself as a martyr, and I'm not necessarily looking for a way to make that vision come to pass.

So, what of my childhood envisionings should I bank on? I dunno. I figured out pretty quick in college that being a doctor was NOT what God made me to be. So much for the missionary brain surgeon to Cambodia. (Not to mention that I'm not gifted in Asian tonal languages... wowsers...)

I sent an email this evening to the Latin American coordinator of a missions org with the word Mennonite in their name. It would be nice to "go home" to Mennonite service ideals. Then again, it would be nice to go home to my Mennonite grandmother, too. (and mother, father, sister, aunts, uncles, cousins, etc.)

It would be nice to get an education degree so that I could tell people that I'm a credentialed teacher. But that would take a lot more money per year than it has cost me to live in Peru for a year. And let's face it: with the US economy the way it is right now, I'm just thinking, "It would be nice to go home and have a job."

I really do love teaching my third graders. They're such an interesting age. They are happy to be at school most of the time. They are happy to try to please their teachers (most of the time). They are curious and come up with amazing things out of the blue. (They are also rather frustrating at times, but what children aren't?)

I love seeing them develop relationships with God, too. A few of them in particular are SO delightful to watch as they listen to stories, respond to chapel speakers, or make applications to their own lives and spirits. Out of the mouths of babes, you know.

Well, before I sign out, a funny:

I am taking Spanish lessons, trying to actually start speaking without doing my best William Shatner impression. You see, I have a hard time remembering what verb endings go on what and with what tense, etc etc. and so I'll be speaking and it will SOUND like I'm done with a word, but then a heartbeat later I'll suddenly add on the one or two syllable ending. Now, if you're not a Shatner connoisseur, then you won't understand that at all; but if you are a fan of the Shat, then you'll be able to accurately imagine what my Spanish sentences tend to sound like. But that's not the funny. (although it really is very entertaining...)

The funny is this: I am telling the story of David and Goliath to my spanish tutor, Cherish. I have explained that David wasn't afraid, that he tried on the armor of the king, and that it didn't fit, so he ditched it. And then, David goes to the river and picks up five smooth rocks for his slingshot.

Well, it's almost the end of the lesson, at the end of a very tiring day at school, and my brain is a little fried. But I'm doing pretty good. Not too many Shatner pauses, I'm doing alright. Until I tell Cherish that "David fue al rio y recogio cinco piernas lisas por su honda."

I wanted to say that "David went to the river and picked up five smooth stones." Unfortunately, "piedras" is "stones". You'll notice that I said "piernas". Piernas means "legs".

Apparently, this river was frequented by a mass murderer- one who preferred clean-shaven legs. Cherish and I cracked up. I realized immediately what I had said, and corrected it, but still, the images are there: imagine your kindergarten Sunday School teacher with her little felt/flannel people and her big story board with the felt background image of a river... here comes little felt David and his sling, and here's the five legs he picked up out of the river...

I know, I know- there's something seriously wrong with me. (I just made myself laugh and aspirated a single grain of rice from the lomo saltado I am eating for dinner. It's amazing the sudden and violent effects one single grain of rice can have on a person!)

Well, I'll finish my random ramblings for this week. (I'm trying to write more regularly, even if I don't feel like I've got anything to say.) (My apologies in advance.)  (I can't quite believe that it's almost the middle of SEPTEMBER already! ACH! Where does the time go?)

Blessings to you all, and thank you for your prayers and support. ~emily

I forget about my blog, and it's all Facebook's fault!

Yes, I am guilty! I forget to write real content sometimes, because I am caught up writing bit by bit content and interacting (albeit long distance) in the daily lives of my friends via facebook. But I really do feel that Blogs DO still have a place in this world. (Cue really old Michael W. Smith music...)

I think that the art of composing thoughts and writing them coherently is being lost in the world of "soundbytes" and texting shorthand. (LOL) And I am guilty of using those things, too. I enjoy using them. But again, they help me forget that true communication, true 'communion' with friends and family, even students, can rarely be accomplished in an abbreviated fashion. And so, I have finally come up with a good idea to help myself actually blog: I have remembered that I can send a blog entry as an email and it will post on my blog. This is good, because I am logged onto my email everyday. I frequently can write a quick paragraph to the world while I'm checking other things. And while that won't exactly be high quality, thoughtful, in-depth ponderings, it will at least be something more than the status update on my Facebook account. So, I am writing this email now to both blogs that I'm a part of: mine (Life of Leinbacker) and the one Cindy and I created 2.5 years ago when we both came to Lima, Peru (Leinbach Sisters In Peru -- right now called Peru, Year Three). I will post for now simultaneously. I have been thinking that Cindy and I should consider the future of that combined blog... since it was created mostly as a way to help people connect with us as we raised support together to be missionaries here in Peru. Now, Cindy is back home in Indiana, and I am here in Peru sans soeur. (without sister)

What do you think? Should we can the combined one? Put it on hiatus for awhile? Cindy has her own blog, too. And really, hardly anyone reads these anyway, right?  ;)

Is there a way that I can notify my facebook account when my blog posts? So that my fb folks can also partake in my more lengthy ponderings, should they so desire?

I don't have any deep ponderings tonight. Except that I haven't been focused very well recently. Not on what truly counts. And that's God. I've been focused on a lot of things, but shying away from digging deep with God in recent months. Why? not sure. but most likely for the same reasons that I also do when I find myself doing this: it's easier to drift away than to dig deeper; it's easier to stay at status quo than to continue to seek without knowing what one will find; it's safer to float merrily along than to catch a wave of faith, and so if i'm not talking to God about my life, then I' won't ever notice the wave of faith passing by, and won't have to make the decision to jump on.

So, instead, the waves crash over me, and I will one day come to my spiritual senses and realize that I am now under fathoms of water and am mostly drowned. And I will yank on that life vest's cord that is supposed to release an inflatable buoy and start the strobe emergency light flashing, and it won't do much good so far underwater... I'll be slowly pulled upwards through the churning current, trying NOT to take gulps of water, and all the while wondering to myself: HOW did I sink this deep without noticing?

close your eyes, count to ten, click your heels, start again... doesn't really work outside of Oz.

There are new people living with me now. One new roommate came to teach fifth grade about 6 weeks ago. The other new teacher/roommate moved in this week. They are both filled with that "new arrival" spirit of energy and strength... unpolluted by the quagmires of daily logistics that have pulled on the spirits of the "veteran" teachers. I am hopeful that having "new blood" around me will be a challenge in a GOOD and POSITIVE way- to lift me back up to where I need to be, and want to be with my Savior every day. I know that as always Satan will be waiting to use the "new" interactions for negative purposes.

So, I guess my current prayer requests would be: for unity and community to be knit around the five women living in this apartment, ranging in ages from newly graduated from college to me (now the ripe age of 36! *gasp*). That we may be blessings to each other, even when it is hard to be that. (I have forgotten, I think, what it means to be a blessing to the people I live with...) I spent a lot of time in this apartment alone for the first three months of this school year, and so having a "full house" feels a little stiffling sometimes...

And pray for a renewed sense of desire to draw near to the almighty God who has given me SO much. I read my Bible, I go to church, but I'm not putting that extra effort into inviting the Spirit to do His work in me and through me, and although I'm thanking Him daily and publicly for every way He provides for me, I'm finding myself becoming very fearful of the "Next Step" - that next thing that I will be doing in January. That thing which is as yet unknown to me. But, (and here's the kicker) I haven't spent much time asking God to show me His plan! Why not? Anxiety. Fear. What if I don't like what He shows me? Or, worse yet, and my biggest fear: what if I don't hear/see/sense/receive His plan for me at all, and end up clueless?

You'd think I'd be calmer than this, after the rest of my life. Guess this is part of the whole picking up my cross daily and following Him, eh? Faithful following of Jesus never gets easier, you just get better at choosing to trust and trusting in the "daily" part of "daily bread".  *grin*  Yeah, God is good, all the time. It's just all HIS time, and not ours.

Gee, so much for no big ponderings, eh?  Can I just say that I LOVE youtube! (That seems very random, I know, but really it's not.) I spent an hour before starting this message going through videos of music from my past: songs I've not heard for years because they are on cassette tape (*gasp!) and they are all sitting in a shed in my parent's backyard, being alternately superheated and supercooled in the northern Indiana weather and (I'm certain) completely losing any audio integrity they had left three years ago. And it was so wonderful to here some of those songs from my middle school and high school and college spiritual life: Amy Grant's Age to Age Album, old Smitty... Rich Mullins... some early third day, jars of clay, etc etc.  Since I can't bring those cassettes with me, I am thanking God for the inventions of digital media. And for people who make really awesome videos to accompany those 'old' songs!

I have a YouTube channel, btw (oops, look at that, I just did it! the shorthand!!!) BY THE WAY... I didn't actually save any of those songs to a playlist on that channel though. Oh well. I will probably go back and do that over the next couple of hours. If you so desire, you can see other blurbs of my life by visiting http://www.youtube.com/user/leinbacker and also http://www.youtube.com/user/MissLeinbach (which I use for my third graders).

Well, if you've made it through this entire blog entry, congratulations! Please feel free to comment so I know you visited. Otherwise, I will probably just envision me writing to myself... which isn't all bad, either. Since I've also slacked off in journalling, too.

Share a comment of what you thank God for when you realize you're sinking. God bless you all and thank you for your support.
Emily

Mid-June already.

Well, it's June. Which means it's winter. sigh. gray skies, hazy mountainsides, almost-drizzling precipitation that they call "rain" which serves to make everything wet and slippery, but has none of the pleasant side effects of the lovely smells and sounds I have always associated with rain. And colds and flu. Bronchitis and asthma. Thankfully, this year, no swine flu. My job has been much harder the last week with an average of three children absent every day. I'm drinking lots of OJ. And I think surviving on the prayers of the people 'out there'. So far have managed not to get anything 'full out'. Just sorta halfway... oh well.

I would appreciate prayers for my intestinal health. Thanks. And mental health.

If you're my friend on Facebook, I've got new pictures up. If you're not my friend, click this link anyway and ask to be my friend! IF you're not on facebook, GOOD FOR YOU!  sigh. not really, but sometimes. 
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=52692&id=1616110756&l=86b93d15fe

But seriously, I'll try to get them up on Picasa, too. Thanks everyone out there for your support!

More pictures!

Pictures from trip with Dana

Last week my wonderful friend Dana came from Chicago and we were able to take a little trip south to Arequipa, Puno (Lake Titkaka), and Colca Canyon (to see condors). Here are some pics of that. (only about 20 out of the 599 that we took... not to mention the video....) Click to go to the web album and see the pics large as life!

Monday, Monday...

Would you please say an extra prayer for me and my class tomorrow? Not liking some of the patterns I'm seeing, and realized tonight that i'm contributing to some of them. Also realized that we need to (as a class) go to the One who can change our hearts. So, we'll be starting our days a little bit differently from now on, and tomorrow will be a lot of Scripture, singing, prayer activities, games, cleaning and organizing, etc.

 Also, I need to be at school early. Ya'll know how hard THAT is for me! 

Thank you all for your support.

Week 8: First Quarter almost over!

I didn't realize I'd been so delinquent in writing. With Facebook, I tend to forget to actually WRITE. And I need to, more than little blurbs in my status. I need to continue to WRITE. I enjoy it. I have gotten away from doing it, and I need to get back in the habit.

Having said that, this post won't be very long, as it's 9 p.m. and I have not been feeling well the last 24 hours and very much want to go to bed. But I felt I should post an official "Praise Jesus" for the provision God has given me in the last week.

1. A sister who works hard to put together a 'little' video presentation for a fundraiser for her sister
2. A church that is willing to work hard to put together a 'little' fundraiser dinner for me, an erstwhile attendee who hasn't even lived in the same state as the church in 6 years.
3. Pastors of two congregations of said church who care about me and my family, and all the people in the congregations who care about me and Cindy and have been praying for us.
4. Parents who work hard in support of their congregation and in support of me and Cindy. Talk about a thankless job. (supporting me and cindy, not the congregation.)
5. Friends who send support of the financial and spiritual kind, both vital to my survival...
6. $1,985.54 being sent from the fundraiser dinners. Three months of support. Unbelievable. 
7. Students who smile when they see me and tell me they missed me, even though I was only "absent" an hour. (I came in late this morning.)
8. People in Peru who have given gifts; sacrificial monthly amounts, and one-time anonymous gifts that have come exactly when I needed them. I've been here for 2 months, and three days ago went to the ATM for the first time. Before that, God provided through people here!
9. The blessing of Skype, Vonage, and the internet. Even when I hate it, I love it. 
10. The joy I have in being able to talk to 20 third graders about Jesus and God and loving each other in a righteous manner. 
11. My wonderful friend Dana (met her the first day I moved into the dorm at college) who is coming to visit on May 8!!!

 Would you please pray for a decision I have to make in the next two days: I have long felt that I need to be paying my student loan payment rather than using forbearance... I have been in forbearance for the last three years, and as a result my balance isn't any lower now than when I started making payments ten years ago... My decision is: do I act in faith and start paying the $120/month, or ask for more forbearance? Other than the student loan, my only monthly obligation is $38/month for my Compassion International child in Haiti. God has always given me the money to make that payment.

Thank you all for your prayers. Thank you all for your support. Thank you all for the work you are each doing in your own lives, your own homes, your own 'mission fields'.

God bless,
Emily

Back to Peru this Tuesday!

My return ticket to Peru is this Tuesday, and school starts the first week of March. Pledges and donations are beginning to come in, and I am once again humbled by the generosity of God's people. I am also anxious since I still have a LONG way to go before meeting my $600-$700 per month goal. To those of you have committed for the next year, THANK you and please feel free to send donations immediately.

Quite a bit of my current financial "AAAAHHHHHH!!!!" factor is simply a result of not having the "nest egg" funds we thought we'd have at the end of last year. God has taken care of us and provided miraculously for Cindy's medical care, but we're still waiting on a (large) insurance check and came back with less than we hoped.  There are a lot of needs that I was planning on purchasing while home in the States (shoes, some clothing, special supplies, etc) that I'm not able to afford right now. I'm having to pick and choose what is TRULY needed right now and what can be put off and sent later somehow. 

I know God will take care of me, and I'm hoping that part of that care will include being able to get things in Lima for less than I'm budgeting so that I may not need as much as is my goal. We'll see. I am fighting the feeling of panic, though. Why is it so hard to KEEP trusting God?

PRAISE: I was able to go to the dentist and was told that what I was sure was a rotting root was NOT! No decay at all!!! WHO HOO!

Ways to pray:  Obviously, continued financial commitments through January 2011. And,

• Before returning to Peru: provision for: new computer cord, one pair new shoes, some specific toiletries and underwear (very hard to find in Peru the way many U.S. women like to have them), new drivers license, and a small pocket chart that I wanted to buy for my classroom. 
• On Tuesday: safe travel from South Bend to Atlanta and then Lima, no problems getting a full 180 day tourist visa, and no problems in customs.
• Peace of mind and energy to get everything done!

I love you and will try to post MUCH more often this year!

Where do we go from here?

Well, Year Two in Peru is officially over. We have returned safely to Elkhart. Cindy will not be returning to Peru due to her need for stronger medication for her Rheumatoid Arthritis. Emily will be returning to Lima on February 16 (we bought round-trip tickets to come back to the U.S. because it was cheaper than one way).

We hope that Emily will be able to stay in Lima to teach for one more year, for several reasons. The previous third grade teacher thought she'd be in the States for two years, but now will not return to Lima for one more year. After two years of teaching the third grade curriculum, Emily is just finally starting to feel like she's got the hang of it, and could really do a great job. And with one more year of exposure and one year of tutoring, Emily could really get the hang of Spanish, too!

We hope to send a summary letter with pictures out to everyone soon. We thank EVERYONE for their prayers and financial support over the last year. God used you greatly.

Here are our prayer requests now:

• Cindy: provision of work, medical care, and medicines. She will be pursuing the possibility of getting Disability status in order to help with the medical issues of RA. She is also desiring to begin work on Early Childhood Education classes as she feels she has finally found her vocation in teaching pre-k. (YEAH!) Also, the miraculous provision of a vehicle for her use (since we both sold our cars before leaving for Peru).
• Emily: provision of financial support of $600 per month in order to return to MCS for one last year of teaching in Lima (and to be able to make student loan payments). Also, prayer for provision of the next step after this year: Emily is open to Mennonite Missions opportunities (especially in Peru), or in various programs in the States of teaching while getting her education degree.

We cannot thank you all enough for your support through our trials. Living and teaching in a foreign country has made a big impact on both of us, and we hope to be able to share more about our experiences with all of you!