And I'm so ready to go home and share with my family and frirends what I have experienced!
A lot has happened in the last few months I have been here and sometimes it's hard for me to express in writing. So please forgive me once again for failing to update as often as I (and you too hopefully!) would like.
Spiritual Emphasis Week is basically a mini-revival involving special speakers who come and have a sort of chapel time every day for grades PreK-6 (in 3 different sections). Our speakers this year were excellent! They came prepared with materials and relevant messages and most importantly they developed relationships with the students. It was a wonderful time of worship and comittment and the kids still remind me about what was taught and sung! Below is PJ (our main speaker) painting faces at the Alliance Harvest Festival that was put on the Saturday after SEW.
For our four-day weekend which was a result of Ecuadorian holidays, I and a group of friends travelled north to Same and stayed at a beautiful resort called Casablanca. It was a refreshing, relaxing, and wonderful time getting to know people and enjoying the sand and sun.
The view from our balcony (ocean to the right).
Spirit Week was an interesting animal...I was asked to be involved in the planning which was primarily done by the secondary chaplain's office (which was a good bonding/growing time for us) and which amazingly turned out pretty well in the end! The high school teamed up with the elementary (12/1, 11/2, 10/3, etc.) and every day at 3 we would gather in the gym for a competition and on Thurday (Thanksgiving Day) we had an Amazing Race all around the school grounds! It was a lot of fun and the highschoolers really proved that they could take care of their little buddies (we used the buddy system which was the best idea of the whole week).
Thanksgiving was a great experience. I wasn't sure at first how it was going to be being away from family for the first time but basically I was adopted into another family and it was wonderful! I made corn pudding/casserole which went over really well and let me just say that that turkey was the best I have every eaten (it soaked in brine for a few hours). I was glad I chose to be a part of the Saavedra family & Co.!
The one thing I am truly thankful for here is the gift of friends. God has gifted me with very special people that I feel comfortable sharing my heart with. I am held accountable and encouraged by their love and support and I am so thankful He has shown me what true friendship looks like in a place so far from home.
He has also shown me what it means to my church community with my gifts and I am also thankful for that.
Some prayer requests: that I would persevere and not grow tired in these last couple weeks before break. As the AWANA director I definitely need prayers for peace and wisdom. As dorm assistant I am in a position of leadership and responsibility and therefore need grace, love, patience, and wisdom to extend to the girls and guys I live with.
Thank you for reading and sharing life together and thank you most of all for your prayers.
