With a Thankful Heart

With a Thankful Heart

The  2013 NCA Matagalpa student and staff pic!

This year has been a year full of firsts in so many ways.  As I have been learning how to do many things for the first time it has humbled me and allowed (not always so willingly) to look to God for provision, wisdom, strength, and creativity when I normally would not have.

Being a school director is hard work! Being a school directer is an incredibly rewarding job! It is hard not just because of the endless to-do lists and "problems" that you are greeted with on a daily basis but because a director works with real parents, students and teachers.    Because a director works with real people when someone shares a hurt with you a little bit of the burden becomes your burden.   When a student has a hard time learning and you can't figure out why you lie awake at night trying to think of different ways to help them.  You want to see students change their behavior and yet they sometimes disappoint you.   Parents come to you when they are angry, bothered or concerned looking solutions.

Being a school director is the most rewarding job because everyone shares their birthday cake with you. :-)  You get lots of sweet notes from students and parents.  You get to count little behavior changes for students as success. Because you work with real people you get paid in hugs, cards, smiles and cheerful "Good morning Profe!".   The opportunity to walk alongside students, faculty and staff and help them set goals and rejoice with them when they reach them abound.

So now with a Thankful Heart I praise God for the countless ways he has been with me each step of the way during this year of firsts. 

Let me count the ways...

• 8 God-serving teachers who have have served on an incredible TEAM
• desks and chairs for all of our students
• friendly smiles and hugs from students big and small
• kind words from dear friends
• tears of surrender when i can't go another step on my own
• grace 
• wisdom under fire 
• morning runs with Sara
• a humble servant who was willing to wear many hats with me this year, Dave
• internet that works just when we need it to
• a reputation in the community that speaks for itself
• unconditional love from our Father
• a special community who loves to eat breakfast for dinner on Sunday's 
• kids loving to read new books
• many, many family  and friends back home giving to support God's work through me here in Matagalpa
• a shipping container with books, furniture and blessings that has finally been released after 1 year of customs struggles.
• a reliable car and breakdowns close to help and not in the middle of nowhere
• miracles of funding just in time to keep construction going 
• visits from good friends and weddings too
• and so much more

Here are just a few pics of the first and last days of school.

Our open house Feb. 2013

Enjoying the Library for the first time

Faculty and Staff Feb. 2013

First Grade praying to start the day off right

Riding the bus is so much fun!

And now for the last day of school

Shooting the breeze with their homeroom teacher

Go Allan!   Get that Beauty

Students helping us paint the new classrooms for next year

The  2013 NCA Matagalpa student and staff pic!

Amigos en 2nd Grade

Making School Count as an Opportunity

Wow!   It is hard to believe that September has come and is almost gone.  Fall is here.    While Fall for many of us means new school clothes, notebooks, backpacks, pumpkin bread and cinnamon candles Fall in Nicaragua is time to hunker down for the rainiest part of the rainy season and  finish the school year strong.     Our students have successfully finished 3/4 of the school year and are eager to add one more school year to their resumé.   Sixth graders are planning for their graduation, first graders are eagerly reading any book they can get their hands on and the rhythm of the school year continues to march on.

The 2013 school year will soon be over and my desk is filled with textbooks, scholarship applications, budgets, calendars and uniform orders for next year.   One year ago I could not even imagine what it would be like to be here now planning for year two of NCA Matagalpa.   As we started this journey of faith last year we awarded scholarships and gave discounts in faith that we would have friends and neighbors who would partner with us to "sponsor" Christian Education for students and families that needed some extra help.   God has been faithful and has provided a few faithful sponsors for this year.   32% of our students received discounts and scholarships based on financial need.

Looking ahead we know that there will be many more families who will need a little help making this dream a reality in the coming school year.   The reality is that there are already 11 applicants waiting for an answer.   We need your help.  Can you make the commitment to partner with NCA and families needing a little extra help to make Christian education a possibility for their child?   We want to say yes to more families but it is hard without knowing there are more people partnering with us on this journey of faith.   Visit our web page to find out more.

Check us out on Facebook at NCA Matagalpa and you can see some of the great things God has done through our students this year.  

Right Where He Wants Us To Be

Life is full these days as we get things up and running at NCA Matagalpa.   As I sit here and reflect on all that God has done to bring each team member to the school I stand in awe of God's creativity and perfect plan.   Each member of the team is just right for their position.  We are all in a place where we are being stretched but are excited about the opportunity to share/use our gifts to teach, learn, lead and mentor students.

Cultural differences come to light in a variety of different ways.   Some differences are light hearted and fun while others are harder to swallow because they are just that.....so different.
There are some things that are always hard to take for me.  The idea of relationships just seem to come at a different angle most of the time.  

One of our teachers has been faced with a difficult situation within her family.  This is the first time that she has had full time work.   This is  great news for her family financially.  The whole family is making adjustment to having mom at work all day.  Her husband is having to make some adjustments at meal times and his wife's availability during school hours.   However these adjustments have been difficult and now he has left our teacher with a decision to make.   Keep the job or keep me!  Tough, heartbreaking decision my dear friend faces.  My heart breaks for her as she gives up a dream for now in hopes that there will be more opportunities in the future.   Family first is a good choice and the right one, yet a hard one sometimes.  

Thankfully, this teacher still wants to be involved in the school and will continue to attend training sessions and will help substitute when we need her.    Praise God for the ways that he has opened up a connection for a new teacher to take her place.  Cinthya our new teacher was already on campus as a volunteer before we even knew of our need.    She has jumped right in and has been a blessing to both the students and the staff.

God's grace and provision seem overwhelming at times as I reflect on all that He has given us.  We don't deserve to have a beautiful facility and an amazing team of willing and hard-working teachers yet, God lavishes these things on us.    Lord help me to always remember these things when the toilets are clogged, mis-behaving students are in my office and there is no water on campus.   Remind me of your great provision and the opportunities to grow and depend on you more and more when challenges come.  You have not left us rather you have placed us here with purpose and are equipping us through the challenges, encouraging through the victories and constantly bringing us to our knees seeking wisdom and strength to carry on.

It is a humbling and exciting place to be in the center of God's will.   Facing cultural differences, priorities, languages and a right attitude is a daily opportunity to take our eyes off of ourself and put our focus on Christ and all that He has done and continues to do.

Poco a Poco (Little by Little)

I just got back from two days in Matagalpa.  It was a very productive trip.

Here's a quick update!  Construction continues in Matagalpa.  We finally received all of our permits for construction and approval to build on the land.  Now we  can officially submit our school plan to the Ministry of Education.   We have have had the first of several meetings with a potential director for the school.   I will be moving North to Matagalpa in August.

The Front Entrance

Here are a few pictures of the construction progress.   They hope to put the roof on this week and next.  Please continue to pray for the future director of the school. 

The Future Soccer/Sports field

The provisional office  for phase 1

Materials ready to go

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Books, Books, Books!

The Policemen Read

Books are an essential part of learning.   In Nicaragua there are very few books children are allowed to hold, look at and most importantly read.    Part of my job in preparation for opening the new school in Matagalpa is to help the model school Nejapa start a lending library at the school.   Nejapa has been blessed with donations of books over the past few years.   Sadly, the books are not being used because they are not allowed to leave the room they are currently stored in.

Three people from a small barrio learning about libraries too and Jane and Kenya

Jane is the director of the first lending library in San Juan Del Sur.   She has helped many people around the country open libraries for children and families.    Kenya, the administrative assistant and "librarian" for Nejapa and I had the opportunity to visit Jane and learn from her experience with Nicaraguan Libraries. 

Choosing our 100 books

Kenya and I spent two full days at the library learning and taking copious notes.   It was so fun to see Kenya coming up with all kinds of ideas for the library at Nejapa.   The opportunity to see a real lending library in action was a first for her.   We were able to purchase the start up kit to get things started.   As a part of the kit we got to pick out 100 books.    It was like letting kids loose in the candy store.

Carey, Kenya and Jane