Buenos Dias

Jose's bus arrives first, I always seem to be walking out to go to the workroom right when he gets there. He always skips into a little jog when he sees me, he gets so excited and runs to give me a hug. God squeezed an absolutely huge heart into that little stick of a body. 3rd grade has been perfect for me...their arms wrap perfectly around my waist without them having to strain to reach up and their heads nestle in the nook of my stomach right below my chest and above my belly button. I feel like I have a little head here most of the day. Because I have mostly boys normally its a sweaty head/cheek face, but I wouldn't have it any other way. William tries to come sit outside and I remind him that he is not allowed in until he has eaten breakfast. Joel shows up after breakfast and always cracks the door open to make sure I am there and there isn't a sub, smiles and then sits and waits outside til it is time for them to come in. Fran is always sleepy on Mondays...normally cause he has stayed up to some crazy hour watching a soccer game with his Dad and Uncles. I love how he loves his family. Brenda F shows up soon thereafter...normally with gum (not allowed at school) and I always am interested to hear what excuse she has dreamed up as to why she doesn't have her homework or anything else she was supposed to have, the girl is creative. Brenda M. comes and brings me either something she has made or one of her little sisters has made me. Carlos shows up with his same cute brown puma zip up, hair gelled perfectly, and enough cologne for a few grown men. These are the regulars that are there long before the bell rings at 7:15 to come in...I like letting them in a little early. I always have my music on my computer playing, especially in the morning. Sometimes I accidently sing and they get so quiet trying to listen. Some of them subconciously sing along from time to time cause they have heard the Worship songs enough to know the words. They sit and do their warm up activity while I am waking up at my desk...asking Him for the strength, wisdom, and patience to serve them as He would. Sergio comes up to my desk and grabs my Bible and has me quiz him on whatever Bible verse he learned at Church the morning before. He is the only one in his family that goes to Church, Sergio LOVES the Word of God. He just can't get enough. Edgardo, who is not technically in my class, but is mine, comes in to hang with me when he gets there until the tardy bell rings. If there was ever a day my flesh didn't want to be there, he was my encouragement. Little one has been waking up and facing each day since September 30th without his Mom or Dad.
Uriel comes running in RIGHT when the bell is ringing. Throwing back his crazy, wet hair, with some dramatic story about how his Kindergarten brother Roel that is his clone made them late. Tony always comes in a little late, his Mom's boyfriend of the week always brings them. He is always so polite...Buenos Dias Miss Holzman. Idaly is always last. She walks from her house around the corner from the school with her sweet Mom Sarah who works in the cafeteria. She always finds me to hug me before she gets her chair and gets setttled into her desk. Big smile, little giggle...the girl is all belly...I always pat it a lot.

This has been my morning every morning for about 10 months...They have made every morning such a good morning. I have 3 more of these left and I want to savor every second.

Hello, Goodbye

Only a few days til' I say goodbye to these guys...



Which means its almost time for me to get to hug this piece of work...

Scattered Thoughts on Myanmar

Today at about 7:15, the same time that my students wander in my room each day, one of my students arrived with a particular issue on his mind. One that I was more than happy to discuss and dedicate our morning to, because I too, can't seem to push it out of my head. After the morning announcments Joel pipes up with, "Maestra, which is worse, a cyclone or an earthquake?" It is amazing to me how broad his worldview is, concerning he has never left the Houston city limits, and getting on the highway is a rare and exciting occasion. He spends more time thinking about poverty, hunger, and injustice throughout the world more than many of the adults I know that call themselves Christians and claim to live their life by the Bible....the book which leaves no mystery as to our Christian duty to love, serve, pray for, and bear the burdens of people in situations such as these.

Pride is such a disgusting thing. It has been horrible to watch how the pride of the junta's leaders has manifested itself in absolutely ignorant decisions. Decisions resulting in thousands upon thousands of innocent people dying, people that could have possibly survived. The hope rests in the truth that the God that we serve is bigger than all of the red tape, and the restrictions, and shut doors. There are Christian workers that have been in Myanmar working long before the cyclone hit. There are also Christian workers in the surrounding countries that are being allowed in, such as India, Indonesia, Thailand etc. Please pray for them. Pray for God's favor to surround them, for supernatural strength as they work in what I can only imagine would be a very, very, overwhelming environment. Pray for the people of Myanmar...for the children that are now orphans, for the mothers and fathers mourning the loss of their children, and for the people that have been waiting over 2 weeks now for anything that they can put in their mouths, be it food or a glass of water that would provide nutrition to their feeble bodies.

A couple of weeks ago in church we talked about a holy impatience. How normally, humans are impatient in the wrong areas of life, things coming or going that we demand right now. Things that we just HAVE to have. The pastor proposed that we pray that God would give us a holy impatience for things like justice, an intolerance for sin, for the millions upon millions of people that have not heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I pray that He would instill in us a holy impatience concerning the crisis in Myanmar. God has not forgotten them....neither should we.

"I know that the Lord maintains the cause of the afflicted, and executes justice for the needy..." Psalm 140:12