Man, today seemed a little touch and go at times, but as I look back on it, it was a fantastic day full of God's love. It may have just taken me a little longer to notice.
Today was full of sweet little blessings. I got to meet with my new friend and mentor, Sue, and really just vent all my frustrations to her. She lovingly reminded me that, even though I am struggling with some of my students, I can't take it personally. And I also can't expect them to like me. And that is okay. Whew! If I go into it not expecting any kind of deep bonding between them, it makes it easier when they act terrible in class. What's great, though, is that I still have little moments that are great with them.
I've felt so blessed by being here, for instance, I have some really great friends who I get to share life here with, and I have great roommates who I get to do all the mundane stuff with. It's just nice to have people to do that with, instead of on my own. And we also go do totally random, impromptu things! Like tonight, for example, I had literally just gotten out of the shower and my roommate Caitlin and Cristian, one of the other English teachers, were like, "let's go see a movie!"...so we did just that. It's things like this that keep life here interesting and exciting.
I started running again, slowly but surely, since it's been QUITE a while since running. We literally just run around the school campus, in circles. But, it's better than all the hilly roads! Tonight I had a great run to let off some steam, from the day, SO wonderful. We also have a cook who comes to the house three nights a week to make us dinner. Now, before you go saying how spoiled we are here, cooks are SUPER cheap here, which is why we have one. It's just nice to not have to have peanut butter sandwiches or scrambled eggs from a microwave every night. (None of us in the teacher house are cooks...)
Anyway, just a quick blog to share all the crazy good blessings, and that's just from TODAY! I love life here, even the hard parts. I still miss some things from home, but every day, this life feels more normal. That's exactly how I want it to feel, because it means that, even if I'm doing everything else wrong, I know I'm doing what God wants me to do simply because I am here.
One of my 7th grade boys, who is actually one of my harder kids to discipline, gave me a belated birthday present, which included a pretty necklace that just says "love" on it. Yes, God shows His love for us in all kinds of ways, sometimes He just makes us look a little harder for them. I think He also gives us these great moments or days to give us something to strive for once we have another "harder" day, because we know another good day isn't far off, we just have to keep waiting and obeying. Oh, and my student also got me some bright, rainbow-colored hair clips. Yes, Jesus loves me for sure, because obviously that's my favorite color, anything bright!!
Thursday, October 3, 2013
Monday, September 30, 2013
Teaching and Being Taught
I've always loved this truth about teaching: you can't do it without being taught something at the same time. If you know me at all, you probably know how open and willing I am to say I rarely actually know what I'm doing. I am always wanting and thirsting for feedback from others on how I can improve, especially when it comes to my teaching career. This time I've spent in Honduras has been no different. There is always one struggle or another, and I either handle them well or I don't. Luckily, when I don't, there are people who are willing to point that out to me. Gosh, I am so thankful for that.
I have such a great group of people to work with, both of whom have taught for a few years and some who have only just a tad more experience than I do. One my coworkers on the high school side offered his help by observing one of my classes for 8th grade because I kept talking about how I just can't handle their behavior anymore. He gave me some really great tips on how to manage them better and I've been able to put them to good use, hopefully this continues!
Last Thursday was my birthday, so all my friends and I went out for a birthday eve dinner at a super yummy restaraunt I had not been to yet. The best part about this place wasn't even the food, it was the menu. They tried to translate it all into English for tourists and came up just a tad short. For example, they said a baleada was a shot. Ha! If you've read my past blogs, you know why this is funny. =) Anyway, the night of my actual birthday was the first night of a missionary conference for anyone in Honduras, so a bunch of us from school went to that. It was so good to be around other English speakers, and not only that, but we sang worship in ENGLISH!!!! I can tell you without a doubt that this is one of the HARDEST things to go without while being here. Music is a huge part of who I am, so going without it is slightly depressing, or at least going without it in a public worship setting.
Even better than singing songs in English, but the leader even did a Kari Jobe song, Healer, my favorite! Yes, she may not have done it quite the way I most enjoy, but hey, I'll take what I can get! The speaker talked a lot about how we may have to wait, a LONG time, before we ever see our work for God's kingdom come to life. It's always such a good reminder to know that we may really never see what goes on in someone else's heart this side of Heaven. That only makes me more hopeful and excited for the work we do here, though. I think I've said it before, but sometimes the work here seems very mundane. Man, it's hard to accept that simply BEING here is my missionary work. He sent me. He knows what I need. And He knows how He's going to use me. However, I don't always do such a great job of receiving that truth. So this conference came at just the right time for my heart.
I honestly feel like God's been teaching me so much lately that I don't even know how to process it all. It was a huge encouragement to see how much love I received on my birthday, though. All my kids came up and sang to me and made me cards and brought me treats and showered me with kindness. What a day!! My dear friend, Lauren, even made me some peanut butter covered brownies! Yum!! And I got to read some great cards from family and my best friend. Certainly a great birthday in my book.
Right now, in my 9th grade class, they're reading a book that is all about faith, but it is presented in a non-Biblical way. This may sound terrible, but it provides some honest to God GREAT discussion. The amount of deep conversations I get to have with them is mind blowing. Now they are writing essays about what they believe about God and that was just as fantastic to get to think through things with them and then read what they personally believe. I love it. Seriously.
Tonight, after school we had an English teacher meeting, without our English Program Director, Silvia, because she is still sick. She will hopefully be well enough to come back this week, as she is feeling much better. That would really be a great thing for you to pray about, though, because she has been super discouraged not being able to be here and lead in the capacity that she is so used to doing.
I also had my first Spanish lesson tonight!! I thought my teacher would speak a fair amount of English since the Seminary, where I am going for lessons, knew how LITERALLY beginner I am. BUT, she barely knows any English. I think it ended up being a good thing, hard for sure, but good! It forces me to really listen and try even harder. I'm feeling overwhelmed a bit with the amount of work I have to get done for classes and such, and now adding Spanish lessons, it will be an adjustment. I am learning a ton about time management, though. It's sad, really, you would think I learned this a long time ago, but now it's like I'm relearning this, along with many other things, all over again.
As hard as it is being here and doing this life at times, it is SO worth it. Why? Because I know I'm smack dab in the middle of God's will for me right now. All I know to do some days is just be. I don't have to be great, I don't have to be perfect, and I certainly don't have to have all my stuff together. Thank. God. The Lord has shown me so much about what it means to be away from my "norm" and still be intentional with those that are important to me. In addition to that, He's shown me how to be more intentional with the people He's placed in my life right NOW.
I better run, as I've still got a lot to get done tonight. Not only is God cleaning out some of the junk in my life emotionally, but He's also working on me cleaning out the junk that is all over my floor. Yep, not sure how it is possible to STILL have a messy room when I literally have a tenth of the things I normally have at home, but either way, it's driving me crazy and I have to stop putting it off. Adios y buenas noches! I'm not sure if that is accurate, but I think it means goodbye and good night! =)
And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue His work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. - Philippians 1:6
Much Love and Blessings,
Brenna B.
I have such a great group of people to work with, both of whom have taught for a few years and some who have only just a tad more experience than I do. One my coworkers on the high school side offered his help by observing one of my classes for 8th grade because I kept talking about how I just can't handle their behavior anymore. He gave me some really great tips on how to manage them better and I've been able to put them to good use, hopefully this continues!
Last Thursday was my birthday, so all my friends and I went out for a birthday eve dinner at a super yummy restaraunt I had not been to yet. The best part about this place wasn't even the food, it was the menu. They tried to translate it all into English for tourists and came up just a tad short. For example, they said a baleada was a shot. Ha! If you've read my past blogs, you know why this is funny. =) Anyway, the night of my actual birthday was the first night of a missionary conference for anyone in Honduras, so a bunch of us from school went to that. It was so good to be around other English speakers, and not only that, but we sang worship in ENGLISH!!!! I can tell you without a doubt that this is one of the HARDEST things to go without while being here. Music is a huge part of who I am, so going without it is slightly depressing, or at least going without it in a public worship setting.
Even better than singing songs in English, but the leader even did a Kari Jobe song, Healer, my favorite! Yes, she may not have done it quite the way I most enjoy, but hey, I'll take what I can get! The speaker talked a lot about how we may have to wait, a LONG time, before we ever see our work for God's kingdom come to life. It's always such a good reminder to know that we may really never see what goes on in someone else's heart this side of Heaven. That only makes me more hopeful and excited for the work we do here, though. I think I've said it before, but sometimes the work here seems very mundane. Man, it's hard to accept that simply BEING here is my missionary work. He sent me. He knows what I need. And He knows how He's going to use me. However, I don't always do such a great job of receiving that truth. So this conference came at just the right time for my heart.
I honestly feel like God's been teaching me so much lately that I don't even know how to process it all. It was a huge encouragement to see how much love I received on my birthday, though. All my kids came up and sang to me and made me cards and brought me treats and showered me with kindness. What a day!! My dear friend, Lauren, even made me some peanut butter covered brownies! Yum!! And I got to read some great cards from family and my best friend. Certainly a great birthday in my book.
Right now, in my 9th grade class, they're reading a book that is all about faith, but it is presented in a non-Biblical way. This may sound terrible, but it provides some honest to God GREAT discussion. The amount of deep conversations I get to have with them is mind blowing. Now they are writing essays about what they believe about God and that was just as fantastic to get to think through things with them and then read what they personally believe. I love it. Seriously.
Tonight, after school we had an English teacher meeting, without our English Program Director, Silvia, because she is still sick. She will hopefully be well enough to come back this week, as she is feeling much better. That would really be a great thing for you to pray about, though, because she has been super discouraged not being able to be here and lead in the capacity that she is so used to doing.
I also had my first Spanish lesson tonight!! I thought my teacher would speak a fair amount of English since the Seminary, where I am going for lessons, knew how LITERALLY beginner I am. BUT, she barely knows any English. I think it ended up being a good thing, hard for sure, but good! It forces me to really listen and try even harder. I'm feeling overwhelmed a bit with the amount of work I have to get done for classes and such, and now adding Spanish lessons, it will be an adjustment. I am learning a ton about time management, though. It's sad, really, you would think I learned this a long time ago, but now it's like I'm relearning this, along with many other things, all over again.
As hard as it is being here and doing this life at times, it is SO worth it. Why? Because I know I'm smack dab in the middle of God's will for me right now. All I know to do some days is just be. I don't have to be great, I don't have to be perfect, and I certainly don't have to have all my stuff together. Thank. God. The Lord has shown me so much about what it means to be away from my "norm" and still be intentional with those that are important to me. In addition to that, He's shown me how to be more intentional with the people He's placed in my life right NOW.
I better run, as I've still got a lot to get done tonight. Not only is God cleaning out some of the junk in my life emotionally, but He's also working on me cleaning out the junk that is all over my floor. Yep, not sure how it is possible to STILL have a messy room when I literally have a tenth of the things I normally have at home, but either way, it's driving me crazy and I have to stop putting it off. Adios y buenas noches! I'm not sure if that is accurate, but I think it means goodbye and good night! =)
And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue His work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. - Philippians 1:6
Much Love and Blessings,
Brenna B.
Saturday, September 21, 2013
It's Been a While...
Hi friends! I would like to start out by apologizing. I did NOT mean to go this long without blogging. I promise I will never go this long again without updating you all! The last three weeks have been a little bit of a blur, mostly because I got a cold, that turned into an even more serious thing (I'm much better now) and then we lost power for quite a while, and then I left town for a couple of days, and then we lost internet at our house! We actually still don't have internet, but the school internet works pretty well for us most of the time. It's not the greatest, but it's something.
Since I have so much to catch you up on, yet I really don't want to bore you, I will just give you some highlights:
The three of us teachers at the Teacher House hosted a bonfire, that got rained out and we all hung out inside instead, but still tons of fun! I got to meet all kinds of other white missionaries, which did my soul a lot of good. It's crazy to me how many North Americans (and English and Canadian) missionaries are down here! AND I keep meeting more! Anyway, it was wonderful getting to know them and hear their stories of what led them here.
The next night, the English teachers were invited to another missionary family's house for dinner: homemade lasagna. YUM! It was great because Sue, who is also the mother of one of my 8th grade students, wants to make sure we all are spiritually taken care of, so she wants to meet with us one on one and provide us with whatever support we need while we're here. In other words, she's like my campus minister from back home, which is absolutely wonderful. =)
My biggest struggle lately has been with my students. It amazes me how much I can love them and yet also be so frustrated by them! I've been brought to tears many days since first arriving, and mostly because I feel like I am failing my students. That hurts my heart quite a bit. It's hard being a first year teacher. It's even harder doing it in a foreign country where their disciplinary rules are completely different from ours at home. Having said that, though, my students are all so great, and I thoroughly enjoy getting to know them better as the days go by. I love their hearts for Jesus and how eager they are to learn and talk about Him!
My students really encouraged me, though, as last Tuesday was Honduras' Children's Day. The way the high school celebrates this is by going to an under privileged school and showing the kids there a really good time. I was with my 7th graders all day, and they made me so proud with the way they loved those little kids and did their best to make them happy. It was especially great when I asked one of my girls if she was having fun and she said, "no, I'm so bored." The funny thing was, she was the one who looked like she was having the most fun. It just goes to show they really know how to act mature and put on a happy face even when they don't want to. It's the same with all of us. There are plenty of things we have to do that we don't really want to do, but God calls us to glorify Him, and we can't do that with a bad attitude. Plus, it's during those harder times when we really get to see God in action and enjoy Him at an even deeper level.
As I said earlier, I started to get a cold at the beginning of last week, and by last Friday, I was barely able to make it through the school day. My friend, Doris, who is one of the librarians, took pity on me when I asked if she'd take me to the hospital after school. Of course, since she's one of the kindest people I've ever met, she didn't hesitate to say yes. Now, before you get nervous, when we say "hospital" here, it is nothing like in the States. It is more for any need, like an Urgent Care, if you will. Any health issue you have, this is where you go. The benefit of working at the school is that any and all of our medications are covered! So, I got an appointment with the doctor, a blood test, all my medications, and even a Penicillin shot (in my buttocks, no doubt) all for free! Talk about a blessing! For those wondering, my platelets are doing great still. =) And I found out I had a bacteria in my blood that was best dealt with by getting a Penicillin shot. I can't say I've ever had one of those and I really can't say I'd like to ever get another one. They are super uncomfortable. If nothing else, though, I provided a good laugh for the lady who injected it in me!
Thankfully, I started to feel well enough to join my good friends on a trip to Copan to enjoy our two days off from school after we had our annual Independence Day parade! I love being in Honduras, but being in Copan made us feel like we weren't even in Honduras anymore. I mean, sometimes you really have to get far away in order to fully relax. So that is exactly what we did! Copan is 5 hours away and all the streets are cobblestone. It is so wonderful there, and so peaceful since we went when not many people were visiting. Our hotel (which only cost $25 for 2 nights!) had this great rooftop area where we could sit and play cards, journal, lie in a hammock, drink coffee, soak our feet in a little pool, or just enjoy the view. We felt spoiled, to say the least. Like my friend, Lauren, said, it's the most relaxed any of us have felt since the school year began. It gave me some great alone time with God to just be open and honest about how I'm feeling about my new life.
The best thing about being here for this long is that it really does feel like home now. I know this is where I belong. The moment that God solidified that for me was Wednesday when we resumed classes and one of my 7th graders was out sick. The kids told me he has dengue (a really bad disease that can be life threatening, caused my certain mosquito bites) and weren't sure how bad his was. We've been practicing memorizing some verses from 1 John that talk about how if we do not love, we do not know God because God is love. We did our motions that we made up and then I asked the kids if we could pray as a class for Luis, the student who is sick. They all were so willing to do it, and one of the girls even volunteered to open us up in prayer. It was just what I needed to be reminded that I may not be doing very well in the department of teaching them academic things right now, but when it comes to God, He's leading me into such amazing opportunities for my students to have a fuller relationship with Him, it's such a beautiful thing.
Not only that, but my 9th grade class is reading a book right now all about how you have to follow all the "rules" if you really want to be saved. It's brought up some great conversation about how it's not about the rules at all, but about our hearts and that we seek Christ in everything we do. It always blows me away when the kids answer in a way that I can just tell "they get it". I can't wait to see how the rest of this year plays out. Even more so, I can't believe God chose me to come down here and live this life for a year. I certainly do not deserve it. If anything, that would be the theme of my life thus far while being here: I don't deserve to be living it. God has humbled me in so many ways. Being in a country where you can't speak the language and you can't drive a car and you can't do a lot of the things that were almost second nature to you back at home, it forces you to rely on others. Even more so, it forces you to be okay with relying on others. I have had to ask for help more times than I would like to admit, but never once has it ended badly. If anything, it strengthened my relationships with the people involved, and especially with Jesus. I can't do this life on my own, and I never want to.
We all need community. Even 2,000 plus miles away, we all still need community. Today, my momma had to put our dog, Josephine, to sleep because her health had gotten so bad. If there were ever a time a really, really wanted to go home, it would be today. I hate that I can't be there with my mom. However, I am extremely grateful for friends and family who CAN be there for her. My best friend, Kristin, knows how to love me even with all this distance. She went and spent time with my mom today and on top of that, I was able to Skype with them! My dad was there, too, so it was really great to be able to see them and talk to them. Especially today. I know what I'm doing here is not going to last forever, and in the span of my whole life, it could be very short, but I want to be able to enjoy every minute of it. That's hard to do when something like this happens, but I know that I serve a God who never leaves us or forsakes us. He doesn't leave me, He doesn't leave my mom, and He certainly doesn't leave anyone else, either. It's okay to not be in more than one place at a time, as much as I would like to, I know that God has all aspects of my life under control, even the ones I can't be a part of right now.
Having said that, it reminds me of my 9th graders. They are working on writing an essay on what they believe about God. One of the girls wrote that "I am his little girl". Yes, yes indeed! We are all His children and He longs to take care of us and show us how deep His love for us goes. Any struggle we may face, whether it is with our family, our friends, money problems, health issues, anything. All God wants to do is take us in His arms and tell us how much He loves us and that if we let Him take the lead, we will have everything we need. I'm trusting in that truth today. I'm praying you are, too. I can't imagine living this life without the hope of knowing that one day this world will pass away and we will get to spend eternity in Heaven with our Father, our Creator, the One who loves us more than we could ever possibly imagine. While I wait for that day, I'm trying to remember to live each day in obedience. I don't have to be perfect. I don't have to fix everyone around me. I don't even have to be good at what I do. I just have to obey. I'm still figuring out what that looks like, but I think I understand it a little better every day. There are so many things I can't change, even more so since living here. I really have no choice but to "let go, and let God".
God Bless!
Since I have so much to catch you up on, yet I really don't want to bore you, I will just give you some highlights:
The three of us teachers at the Teacher House hosted a bonfire, that got rained out and we all hung out inside instead, but still tons of fun! I got to meet all kinds of other white missionaries, which did my soul a lot of good. It's crazy to me how many North Americans (and English and Canadian) missionaries are down here! AND I keep meeting more! Anyway, it was wonderful getting to know them and hear their stories of what led them here.
The next night, the English teachers were invited to another missionary family's house for dinner: homemade lasagna. YUM! It was great because Sue, who is also the mother of one of my 8th grade students, wants to make sure we all are spiritually taken care of, so she wants to meet with us one on one and provide us with whatever support we need while we're here. In other words, she's like my campus minister from back home, which is absolutely wonderful. =)
My biggest struggle lately has been with my students. It amazes me how much I can love them and yet also be so frustrated by them! I've been brought to tears many days since first arriving, and mostly because I feel like I am failing my students. That hurts my heart quite a bit. It's hard being a first year teacher. It's even harder doing it in a foreign country where their disciplinary rules are completely different from ours at home. Having said that, though, my students are all so great, and I thoroughly enjoy getting to know them better as the days go by. I love their hearts for Jesus and how eager they are to learn and talk about Him!
My students really encouraged me, though, as last Tuesday was Honduras' Children's Day. The way the high school celebrates this is by going to an under privileged school and showing the kids there a really good time. I was with my 7th graders all day, and they made me so proud with the way they loved those little kids and did their best to make them happy. It was especially great when I asked one of my girls if she was having fun and she said, "no, I'm so bored." The funny thing was, she was the one who looked like she was having the most fun. It just goes to show they really know how to act mature and put on a happy face even when they don't want to. It's the same with all of us. There are plenty of things we have to do that we don't really want to do, but God calls us to glorify Him, and we can't do that with a bad attitude. Plus, it's during those harder times when we really get to see God in action and enjoy Him at an even deeper level.
As I said earlier, I started to get a cold at the beginning of last week, and by last Friday, I was barely able to make it through the school day. My friend, Doris, who is one of the librarians, took pity on me when I asked if she'd take me to the hospital after school. Of course, since she's one of the kindest people I've ever met, she didn't hesitate to say yes. Now, before you get nervous, when we say "hospital" here, it is nothing like in the States. It is more for any need, like an Urgent Care, if you will. Any health issue you have, this is where you go. The benefit of working at the school is that any and all of our medications are covered! So, I got an appointment with the doctor, a blood test, all my medications, and even a Penicillin shot (in my buttocks, no doubt) all for free! Talk about a blessing! For those wondering, my platelets are doing great still. =) And I found out I had a bacteria in my blood that was best dealt with by getting a Penicillin shot. I can't say I've ever had one of those and I really can't say I'd like to ever get another one. They are super uncomfortable. If nothing else, though, I provided a good laugh for the lady who injected it in me!
Thankfully, I started to feel well enough to join my good friends on a trip to Copan to enjoy our two days off from school after we had our annual Independence Day parade! I love being in Honduras, but being in Copan made us feel like we weren't even in Honduras anymore. I mean, sometimes you really have to get far away in order to fully relax. So that is exactly what we did! Copan is 5 hours away and all the streets are cobblestone. It is so wonderful there, and so peaceful since we went when not many people were visiting. Our hotel (which only cost $25 for 2 nights!) had this great rooftop area where we could sit and play cards, journal, lie in a hammock, drink coffee, soak our feet in a little pool, or just enjoy the view. We felt spoiled, to say the least. Like my friend, Lauren, said, it's the most relaxed any of us have felt since the school year began. It gave me some great alone time with God to just be open and honest about how I'm feeling about my new life.
The best thing about being here for this long is that it really does feel like home now. I know this is where I belong. The moment that God solidified that for me was Wednesday when we resumed classes and one of my 7th graders was out sick. The kids told me he has dengue (a really bad disease that can be life threatening, caused my certain mosquito bites) and weren't sure how bad his was. We've been practicing memorizing some verses from 1 John that talk about how if we do not love, we do not know God because God is love. We did our motions that we made up and then I asked the kids if we could pray as a class for Luis, the student who is sick. They all were so willing to do it, and one of the girls even volunteered to open us up in prayer. It was just what I needed to be reminded that I may not be doing very well in the department of teaching them academic things right now, but when it comes to God, He's leading me into such amazing opportunities for my students to have a fuller relationship with Him, it's such a beautiful thing.
Not only that, but my 9th grade class is reading a book right now all about how you have to follow all the "rules" if you really want to be saved. It's brought up some great conversation about how it's not about the rules at all, but about our hearts and that we seek Christ in everything we do. It always blows me away when the kids answer in a way that I can just tell "they get it". I can't wait to see how the rest of this year plays out. Even more so, I can't believe God chose me to come down here and live this life for a year. I certainly do not deserve it. If anything, that would be the theme of my life thus far while being here: I don't deserve to be living it. God has humbled me in so many ways. Being in a country where you can't speak the language and you can't drive a car and you can't do a lot of the things that were almost second nature to you back at home, it forces you to rely on others. Even more so, it forces you to be okay with relying on others. I have had to ask for help more times than I would like to admit, but never once has it ended badly. If anything, it strengthened my relationships with the people involved, and especially with Jesus. I can't do this life on my own, and I never want to.
We all need community. Even 2,000 plus miles away, we all still need community. Today, my momma had to put our dog, Josephine, to sleep because her health had gotten so bad. If there were ever a time a really, really wanted to go home, it would be today. I hate that I can't be there with my mom. However, I am extremely grateful for friends and family who CAN be there for her. My best friend, Kristin, knows how to love me even with all this distance. She went and spent time with my mom today and on top of that, I was able to Skype with them! My dad was there, too, so it was really great to be able to see them and talk to them. Especially today. I know what I'm doing here is not going to last forever, and in the span of my whole life, it could be very short, but I want to be able to enjoy every minute of it. That's hard to do when something like this happens, but I know that I serve a God who never leaves us or forsakes us. He doesn't leave me, He doesn't leave my mom, and He certainly doesn't leave anyone else, either. It's okay to not be in more than one place at a time, as much as I would like to, I know that God has all aspects of my life under control, even the ones I can't be a part of right now.
Having said that, it reminds me of my 9th graders. They are working on writing an essay on what they believe about God. One of the girls wrote that "I am his little girl". Yes, yes indeed! We are all His children and He longs to take care of us and show us how deep His love for us goes. Any struggle we may face, whether it is with our family, our friends, money problems, health issues, anything. All God wants to do is take us in His arms and tell us how much He loves us and that if we let Him take the lead, we will have everything we need. I'm trusting in that truth today. I'm praying you are, too. I can't imagine living this life without the hope of knowing that one day this world will pass away and we will get to spend eternity in Heaven with our Father, our Creator, the One who loves us more than we could ever possibly imagine. While I wait for that day, I'm trying to remember to live each day in obedience. I don't have to be perfect. I don't have to fix everyone around me. I don't even have to be good at what I do. I just have to obey. I'm still figuring out what that looks like, but I think I understand it a little better every day. There are so many things I can't change, even more so since living here. I really have no choice but to "let go, and let God".
God Bless!
Monday, September 2, 2013
Don't Sweat The Small Stuff
Did you know I've already been in Honduras now for more than three weeks? Yeah, I didn't either until I looked at the calendar. Boy, time has been flying by! It's to the point where my days start looking more routine, so I don't really know what to share with you because it doesn't seem like anything new to me now. However, I'll try my best anyway. =)
Anyone back home who even knows a little about me knows that I have a lot of technology issues, mainly because I decided a long time ago that technology hates me. Well, sadly enough, my problem followed me to Honduras. My screen on my laptop went dead on me the other day. Talk about a freak out session. Me being the uneducated computer person that I am sat in my room and cried because I didn't think I'd be able to do my job OR talk to anyone from home. My world felt like it was caving in a little.
Then, my wonderful roommate, Sarah, told me this same thing has happened to her multiple times while she's lived here and also told me how to hook up my laptop to the t.v. screen. What? I seriously had never heard of this. Anyway, as I write, picture me hooked up to a t.v. screen that my new friend, Cristian, let me borrow. In other words: crisis averted. I also have another new friend, Doris (one of the librarians) who knows a guy who can fix my problem! Talk about God having my back. It's the little things like this that make me feel so blessed.
On to a different topic, one of my favorite things to do here is to go to church. We go to one called Celebracion, and there are a few reasons why I love it so much. First of all, it's not just a church, but during the rest of the week, it operates as a coffee shop! We went there a couple nights ago and I swear they have better tasting frappucinos than Starbucks. Yum! We got them at the perfect time, too, because I was just wishing I could have a Starbucks drink.
It must be the country, and the fact that I really appreciate everything a lot more being here, that makes me really enjoy my quiet time with God in the mornings. It's so nice to go to bed so early that waking up at 5:30 isn't even a struggle. It gives me plenty of time to block out the rest of my worries and focus on the one who created me. I've been reading in Romans and just finished up and was searching for a new book to read when I saw my campus ministry back home, Christian Student Fellowship, is reading through the book of Proverbs this month. I decided it'd be pretty nice to join them in that, plus it's been a while since I read through all of them.
I finally got a new camera, and funny enough, it's even better than my lost one! And it's my favorite color. =) I also enjoyed a great smoothie date with my new friend, Lauren. It's been so wonderful to make new friends so far away who share the same passion for Jesus as me. I'm continually thankful for the example I was given during my years at college and showing me what living in community with others actually looks like. It's a lot harder to be intentional when you're always busy with work here, but it's certainly not impossible, and most definitely required in order for me to continue to thrive here.
I think my biggest adjustment currently is to stop sweating the small stuff. The Bible verse from Matthew (I think?) comes to mind when Jesus talks about how He feeds the birds, so why are we worried that He won't take care of us even more abundantly? I need that reminder, because in the midst of one of many small trials throughout my day, it's easy to think "Really, God? Why are you making me go through this?" Sometimes I selfishly think that because I came here at ALL is enough of a challenge, so why does He have to throw more obstacles in my way? I quickly remember how silly that way of thinking is. I'm so grateful to be here and doing what I love, no matter how tough the kids are to manage at times. I try to imagine living at home right now instead, and it doesn't even make sense in my mind. This is where I HAVE to be right now.
Thanks for listening to me ramble on about my life and minor daily problems. Sorry this was a longer post than normal, turns out I did have a lot to say after all! Praying this can be some encouragement to you with whatever it is you may be going through right now. Just remember, God's got your back, even when you may not believe that. He hasn't gone anywhere just because we can't "feel" Him. It just means we have to dig a little deeper to find Him.
Anyone back home who even knows a little about me knows that I have a lot of technology issues, mainly because I decided a long time ago that technology hates me. Well, sadly enough, my problem followed me to Honduras. My screen on my laptop went dead on me the other day. Talk about a freak out session. Me being the uneducated computer person that I am sat in my room and cried because I didn't think I'd be able to do my job OR talk to anyone from home. My world felt like it was caving in a little.
Then, my wonderful roommate, Sarah, told me this same thing has happened to her multiple times while she's lived here and also told me how to hook up my laptop to the t.v. screen. What? I seriously had never heard of this. Anyway, as I write, picture me hooked up to a t.v. screen that my new friend, Cristian, let me borrow. In other words: crisis averted. I also have another new friend, Doris (one of the librarians) who knows a guy who can fix my problem! Talk about God having my back. It's the little things like this that make me feel so blessed.
On to a different topic, one of my favorite things to do here is to go to church. We go to one called Celebracion, and there are a few reasons why I love it so much. First of all, it's not just a church, but during the rest of the week, it operates as a coffee shop! We went there a couple nights ago and I swear they have better tasting frappucinos than Starbucks. Yum! We got them at the perfect time, too, because I was just wishing I could have a Starbucks drink.
It must be the country, and the fact that I really appreciate everything a lot more being here, that makes me really enjoy my quiet time with God in the mornings. It's so nice to go to bed so early that waking up at 5:30 isn't even a struggle. It gives me plenty of time to block out the rest of my worries and focus on the one who created me. I've been reading in Romans and just finished up and was searching for a new book to read when I saw my campus ministry back home, Christian Student Fellowship, is reading through the book of Proverbs this month. I decided it'd be pretty nice to join them in that, plus it's been a while since I read through all of them.
I finally got a new camera, and funny enough, it's even better than my lost one! And it's my favorite color. =) I also enjoyed a great smoothie date with my new friend, Lauren. It's been so wonderful to make new friends so far away who share the same passion for Jesus as me. I'm continually thankful for the example I was given during my years at college and showing me what living in community with others actually looks like. It's a lot harder to be intentional when you're always busy with work here, but it's certainly not impossible, and most definitely required in order for me to continue to thrive here.
I think my biggest adjustment currently is to stop sweating the small stuff. The Bible verse from Matthew (I think?) comes to mind when Jesus talks about how He feeds the birds, so why are we worried that He won't take care of us even more abundantly? I need that reminder, because in the midst of one of many small trials throughout my day, it's easy to think "Really, God? Why are you making me go through this?" Sometimes I selfishly think that because I came here at ALL is enough of a challenge, so why does He have to throw more obstacles in my way? I quickly remember how silly that way of thinking is. I'm so grateful to be here and doing what I love, no matter how tough the kids are to manage at times. I try to imagine living at home right now instead, and it doesn't even make sense in my mind. This is where I HAVE to be right now.
Thanks for listening to me ramble on about my life and minor daily problems. Sorry this was a longer post than normal, turns out I did have a lot to say after all! Praying this can be some encouragement to you with whatever it is you may be going through right now. Just remember, God's got your back, even when you may not believe that. He hasn't gone anywhere just because we can't "feel" Him. It just means we have to dig a little deeper to find Him.
Friday, August 23, 2013
Nothing Is Wasted
Hi again!
We started school on Wednesday!
However, when I say “started”, I mean we had a welcome ceremony
and the kids played games and did different activities all day, which
was real only a half day. I wasn't sure how I felt about this setup
at first, but looking back, I'm glad we did it that way. It gave me a
chance to meet my kids outside of the classroom and see what they are
like around each other. I also got to see who my “troublemakers”
would be. I'm not too worried about them causing any real trouble,
though. The worst thing any kid does is talk too much and goof off.
I'll take that any day over being rude to other classmates and
picking fights with them.
I'm
really excited to finally have my own class, mainly because during
student teaching, you don't usually get to start the year with the
kids. When they're yours, you
get to have them from beginning to end. =)
I've
always been hard on myself about classroom discipline, mostly because
I've never felt like I am very good at it. Yesterday was the first
day of classes, and it was a lot of ups and downs. I felt good about
my 9th
grade class in the morning, and also with my spunky little 7th
graders, but as the day went on, I started feeling like I should just
pack up and go home. In order to understand what my day looks like,
you should know how the high school classes work. Instead of the
teachers each having their own room and the kids going from class to
class, the students
each have their own classroom in which the teachers travel
to to teach. You see, our school isn't very big, I believe around 80
kids total in the high school side. My 7th
grade class is 25 and my 8th
and 9th
graders are around 15 each, give or take a couple (we don't have
finalized class lists yet).
The
thing I really like about this, however, is that I can have each
grade two and sometimes three times a day, just not all together. I
thought this was terrible at first, but now I see its' benefits. My
7th
graders are really great...in the morning. After lunch all you can do is pray they take a little away
from the lesson. So, I now know that when planning, I want to do the
more important teaching in the morning, so they have a better chance
of soaking in the material. The bad thing, though, is that I may
never actually get used to this schedule since it changes every
parcial (their term for quarter).
All
in all, I know my biggest struggle will be dealing with behavior
issues, but I also have learned from the past to give myself some
grace, especially since I am known to take it personally when I mess
up once and think it's the end of the world. That's what I love about
teaching, it, like many other jobs, allows you to start fresh the
next day and improve from the day before. I just need to stay
positive, no matter how bad the situation is. For example, yesterday
I was supposed to be teaching an 8th
grade class at 12:30 because of a new schedule change they made. The
only problem was they didn't tell ME about the change. I went in
unprepared because I forgot my materials at the teacher house in a
rush to get to class. The class could tell I wasn't ready, and while
they helped come up with a good game for us to play, I feel like it
took away some of my authority figure. Today more than made up for
it, though, because we played a great game of getting to know each
other. In short, there was a lot of running to each others' desks so
we didn't have to be stuck in the middle telling all about ourselves.
I think the kids got a lot out of it with seeing how I am, and that's
what was most important.
I
am really looking forward to getting to share Jesus with them in
class. Not only that, but I hope to share my story with them, too.
God has never let me forget how beautiful of a story He is writing in
my life. I mean, this time a couple years ago I was suffering from a
life-threatening blood disorder. And now I'm in Honduras for a whole
year!!?? The ONLY way that could ever happen is by God Himself. I've
been really encouraged this past week with the words from the book of
James. My best friend Debra shared these words with me during my
student teaching and I am so thankful to still have them to look back
on now. In the Message version, the beginning of James 1 goes like
this: “Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges
come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith
life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So
don't try to get out of anything prematurely.
Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not
deficient in any way.” Pretty great, right? Before school started,
I just felt very lost and like I had no business being here. I didn't
see my purpose yet because I wasn't teaching yet. I really wanted to
go home. That, my friends, would have been a shame. If I had, I never
would have gotten to see why God placed me here. Actually, I still
don't fully know why, but it's becoming a little clearer each day.
I
am beyond grateful for my past, because it has led me to my future,
to my “right now”. I would never have wanted to miss this! All
the bumps and bruises along the way (literally) were worth it for me
to be here now. It's going to be a hard year. But it's also going to
be full of
God. I'm so glad I get to share it with you, too! Maybe you needed to
hear those words from James today, too. If there's something really
difficult you're dealing with, keep
pushing through it.
From plenty of past experience, I know God will not let it go to
waste.
Thursday, August 15, 2013
Getting Settled In
I've now been here for five full days and still loving it! I don't really know where to begin, so I'll start with my favorite thing: food. Honduras is known for these little gems called baleadas (ba-lee-a-da). They're basically a tortilla with mushed red beans, eggs, mantequila (sorry Spanish speakers, I have no clue how to spell that, but it's their version of sour cream), and cheese. First off, Honduran cheese is NOT like the cheese we're used to in the States. It's *super* salty. I've learned to get my baleadas withOUT cheese, and man is it heavenly! Seriously, I know I won't be leaving here for a while, but I'm already sad thinking about not being able to have these whenever I want! That's one great thing about the food here, it's so cheap!!
I went with a couple of my roommates and the other teachers to get dinner and then see a movie, and it only cost $4.50 all together! The average size of a baleada here is, well, rather large, so it's plenty to fill you up. We went to see Monsters University afterwards. Granted, it was in Spanish so I couldn't understand 99% of it, but it was still really cute!
We started orientation on Monday and have enjoyed getting to know each other on the staff this year and doing a lot of group bonding activities. It has been much appreciated and definitely helping me feel more at ease with this huge life transition. As I type this, it is raining, once again. I usually do not enjoy the rain in the States, but I love it here. It just reminds me of how God cleanses us and renews our spirits. Another thing that happens here a lot is barking dogs. All. The. Time. Especially right when I am trying to go to sleep at night. I like it, though, because it reminds me of my dog, Bella. But, seriously, it's sad that most dogs here just live off the streets, so they don't have an owner telling them to be quiet or to come inside. They do, however, make a really great alarm clock in the morning!
I've been more amazed than ever with the way technology works these days. I've been able to talk to all of my friends and family back home almost as if we were still in the same country. It's the little things that make my days here easier. It also helps that all the girls I live with have been through the exact same thing as me before and know how to encourage me. They also don't mind if I just burst into tears on the spot. It's going to be a really, really good year, of that much I am sure. I love the staff here and how Christ-focused we all are. It makes this transition SO much better.
School starts next Wednesday, and if you are praying for me, that is what you could pray for, and not just me, but all of us teachers here. It is going to be stressful, and difficult to let go of our own expectations and respect the Honduran culture, but, it'll be great! Other than that, there isn't much new happening here. In fact, in many ways, it's like I'm still at home! I still eat peanut butter sandwiches, watch North American cable from time to time (we're not sure how we got that, but alas, we have it. What are ya gonna do?) , and I'm still on the internet a LOT in my downtime. We have extremely reliable internet here at the house, and for that I am thankful.
Oh, and for those wondering about my backpack? My boss's parents went looking for it and nothing had turned up. There was a chance it could still be there, but they wouldn't say over the phone. The only way I could find out was if I went to the airport (two hours away) myself and then there was still the chance that it wasn't even there. My only chance to go was during the first day of orientation, so I decided to let it go. It got me thinking why I came here. It wasn't so I could have all my stuff here with me. It was to serve Jesus by serving these kids and this school as a whole. I couldn't really do that if I missed orientation. God is good, though, as I still ended up with all the necessities in all of my other bags. Yes, I;m sad about losing it, but life goes on and I forgave myself for losing sight of it. I'm looking forward to starting this school year and really diving in to the Honduran lifestyle!!
Thank you for your prayers and all of your support. It is so comforting to know I have so many people back home who love and care about me so much. Ready for the Lord to stretch my faith in unthinkable ways this year!!!
I went with a couple of my roommates and the other teachers to get dinner and then see a movie, and it only cost $4.50 all together! The average size of a baleada here is, well, rather large, so it's plenty to fill you up. We went to see Monsters University afterwards. Granted, it was in Spanish so I couldn't understand 99% of it, but it was still really cute!
We started orientation on Monday and have enjoyed getting to know each other on the staff this year and doing a lot of group bonding activities. It has been much appreciated and definitely helping me feel more at ease with this huge life transition. As I type this, it is raining, once again. I usually do not enjoy the rain in the States, but I love it here. It just reminds me of how God cleanses us and renews our spirits. Another thing that happens here a lot is barking dogs. All. The. Time. Especially right when I am trying to go to sleep at night. I like it, though, because it reminds me of my dog, Bella. But, seriously, it's sad that most dogs here just live off the streets, so they don't have an owner telling them to be quiet or to come inside. They do, however, make a really great alarm clock in the morning!
I've been more amazed than ever with the way technology works these days. I've been able to talk to all of my friends and family back home almost as if we were still in the same country. It's the little things that make my days here easier. It also helps that all the girls I live with have been through the exact same thing as me before and know how to encourage me. They also don't mind if I just burst into tears on the spot. It's going to be a really, really good year, of that much I am sure. I love the staff here and how Christ-focused we all are. It makes this transition SO much better.
School starts next Wednesday, and if you are praying for me, that is what you could pray for, and not just me, but all of us teachers here. It is going to be stressful, and difficult to let go of our own expectations and respect the Honduran culture, but, it'll be great! Other than that, there isn't much new happening here. In fact, in many ways, it's like I'm still at home! I still eat peanut butter sandwiches, watch North American cable from time to time (we're not sure how we got that, but alas, we have it. What are ya gonna do?) , and I'm still on the internet a LOT in my downtime. We have extremely reliable internet here at the house, and for that I am thankful.
Oh, and for those wondering about my backpack? My boss's parents went looking for it and nothing had turned up. There was a chance it could still be there, but they wouldn't say over the phone. The only way I could find out was if I went to the airport (two hours away) myself and then there was still the chance that it wasn't even there. My only chance to go was during the first day of orientation, so I decided to let it go. It got me thinking why I came here. It wasn't so I could have all my stuff here with me. It was to serve Jesus by serving these kids and this school as a whole. I couldn't really do that if I missed orientation. God is good, though, as I still ended up with all the necessities in all of my other bags. Yes, I;m sad about losing it, but life goes on and I forgave myself for losing sight of it. I'm looking forward to starting this school year and really diving in to the Honduran lifestyle!!
Thank you for your prayers and all of your support. It is so comforting to know I have so many people back home who love and care about me so much. Ready for the Lord to stretch my faith in unthinkable ways this year!!!
Sunday, August 11, 2013
Hello From Honduras!!
Hello From Honduras!!
Well, I made it finally! I had a lot of issues as soon as we were ready to board to Dallas from Springfield, they said there were maintenance issues and we had a 2 hour wait. I literally just started bawling right there on the spot. But the lucky thing was I got to go back out and sit with my sweet friends who came and my mom and dad.
It ended up taking off only an hour late, so as soon as we landed in Dallas, I booked it for my terminal and as I was checking to make sure it was the right flight, I hear "final boarding call for flight 640!" Talk about a close call! I had a little more time when we touched down in Miami, but not much after walking all over the place. The list of flights said my flight was at terminal J2, funny thing was, the map DIDN'T HAVE A J2!
But I finally found signs pointing me toward it so I kept following them until they pointed to a check in, except that was obviously NOT where I was supposed to be! Let me preface that I was/ have been an emotional wreck all week leading up to this. So it should not surprise you that I again broke down in the middle of this airport, which isn't signed very well at all, and all I wanted to do was scream for someone who could understand English!! It was rough.
However, then some guys did help me and I made it through security check and found my flight. I also had a hard day because all I'd had to eat was half of a cheese stick at like, 5:30 in the morning! I didn't eat again until 3! Thankfully I had a little time before leaving for the Honduras flight. I grabbed a granola bar and got on the plane. All the plane rides themselves were fine, but getting to them is possibly one of the worst things ever. But, when you're alone, it forces you to just deal with it. So, I did!
I got off and met Lauren, another English teacher, and Doris, one of the librarians, as well as James, another new English teacher. We got to the school around 7:15 (which feels like midnight here because it gets pitch dark at 6:30 every night!) and had pizza from the local grocery store. It seriously tasted just like American, only the Hondurans use better sauce, I think! =) I got to meet all the other English teachers and some of the Hondurans as well. It feels so good to really be here and meet everyone, even though it's still scary when I think about how far away I really am! But, that is to be expected, and luckily, I have three girls I live with who all have their homesick moments, so it's really okay.
So, a terrible thing I discovered AFTER we were in Siguatepeque (the town I now live in, eek!) was that I somehow FORGOT my backpack at the airport. The airport is two hours away from Sigua (what everyone calls this town, you know, because it has such a long name), so we tried calling and didn't get any answer, but will try again today and see what happens. I have all my really important things, but it stinks, my camera, my ipod, my favorite Bible, letters from friends, and just daily essentials were all in there.) If you could be praying about that, it would be great. =)
I would attach pictures with this, buuuut, like I said, my camera is gone, at least for the moment. What I really wanted to end on today, though, is this: I've always thought when I get into sticky situations that I was so lucky to have someone there to help me. Much like today, with not knowing where to go in the airports and not knowing what to do when my very first flight was delayed. I always tend to think how incapable I am, but that's because I AM. I 'm not supposed to be able to do everything without needing help, none of us are. It wasn't luck that found me when I needed guidance getting to my next destination, it was God. I love how He shows up in so many random people just for me, even if they may never know it! God places each person in our path for a reason, so I really want to remember that, especially with my time In Honduras. It like the English Program Director, Siliva, says "It's not a coincidence we are here." I'm so glad she thinks that, because it's been a motto of mine ever since I first found out about this school.
Today, we're getting a tour of Sigua and going to the market, and also hopefully getting cell phones we can use in Honduras. Oh yeah, speaking of phones, that was also in my backpack. Even if I do get it back, which I really hope I do, I won't be using it to call anyone on, and I will only be texting very minimally. So if you want/need to reach me, use Facebook or twitter or my email (brennab2989@yahoo.com). For those of you wanting to know how to send packages/letters to me, I will post that in my next blog. It's only 6:10 here and I didn't get much sleep to begin with, so I'm going to try to rest some more before my first full day here!
Love you all and thank you so much for the prayers and support you're given me. It makes it harder to be so far away because of how wonderful my community of friends and family are, but it's still wonderful.
Until next time,
-Brenna B.
Well, I made it finally! I had a lot of issues as soon as we were ready to board to Dallas from Springfield, they said there were maintenance issues and we had a 2 hour wait. I literally just started bawling right there on the spot. But the lucky thing was I got to go back out and sit with my sweet friends who came and my mom and dad.
It ended up taking off only an hour late, so as soon as we landed in Dallas, I booked it for my terminal and as I was checking to make sure it was the right flight, I hear "final boarding call for flight 640!" Talk about a close call! I had a little more time when we touched down in Miami, but not much after walking all over the place. The list of flights said my flight was at terminal J2, funny thing was, the map DIDN'T HAVE A J2!
But I finally found signs pointing me toward it so I kept following them until they pointed to a check in, except that was obviously NOT where I was supposed to be! Let me preface that I was/ have been an emotional wreck all week leading up to this. So it should not surprise you that I again broke down in the middle of this airport, which isn't signed very well at all, and all I wanted to do was scream for someone who could understand English!! It was rough.
However, then some guys did help me and I made it through security check and found my flight. I also had a hard day because all I'd had to eat was half of a cheese stick at like, 5:30 in the morning! I didn't eat again until 3! Thankfully I had a little time before leaving for the Honduras flight. I grabbed a granola bar and got on the plane. All the plane rides themselves were fine, but getting to them is possibly one of the worst things ever. But, when you're alone, it forces you to just deal with it. So, I did!
I got off and met Lauren, another English teacher, and Doris, one of the librarians, as well as James, another new English teacher. We got to the school around 7:15 (which feels like midnight here because it gets pitch dark at 6:30 every night!) and had pizza from the local grocery store. It seriously tasted just like American, only the Hondurans use better sauce, I think! =) I got to meet all the other English teachers and some of the Hondurans as well. It feels so good to really be here and meet everyone, even though it's still scary when I think about how far away I really am! But, that is to be expected, and luckily, I have three girls I live with who all have their homesick moments, so it's really okay.
So, a terrible thing I discovered AFTER we were in Siguatepeque (the town I now live in, eek!) was that I somehow FORGOT my backpack at the airport. The airport is two hours away from Sigua (what everyone calls this town, you know, because it has such a long name), so we tried calling and didn't get any answer, but will try again today and see what happens. I have all my really important things, but it stinks, my camera, my ipod, my favorite Bible, letters from friends, and just daily essentials were all in there.) If you could be praying about that, it would be great. =)
I would attach pictures with this, buuuut, like I said, my camera is gone, at least for the moment. What I really wanted to end on today, though, is this: I've always thought when I get into sticky situations that I was so lucky to have someone there to help me. Much like today, with not knowing where to go in the airports and not knowing what to do when my very first flight was delayed. I always tend to think how incapable I am, but that's because I AM. I 'm not supposed to be able to do everything without needing help, none of us are. It wasn't luck that found me when I needed guidance getting to my next destination, it was God. I love how He shows up in so many random people just for me, even if they may never know it! God places each person in our path for a reason, so I really want to remember that, especially with my time In Honduras. It like the English Program Director, Siliva, says "It's not a coincidence we are here." I'm so glad she thinks that, because it's been a motto of mine ever since I first found out about this school.
Today, we're getting a tour of Sigua and going to the market, and also hopefully getting cell phones we can use in Honduras. Oh yeah, speaking of phones, that was also in my backpack. Even if I do get it back, which I really hope I do, I won't be using it to call anyone on, and I will only be texting very minimally. So if you want/need to reach me, use Facebook or twitter or my email (brennab2989@yahoo.com). For those of you wanting to know how to send packages/letters to me, I will post that in my next blog. It's only 6:10 here and I didn't get much sleep to begin with, so I'm going to try to rest some more before my first full day here!
Love you all and thank you so much for the prayers and support you're given me. It makes it harder to be so far away because of how wonderful my community of friends and family are, but it's still wonderful.
Until next time,
-Brenna B.
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