El Viejito

Hello All,
Well, I had quite an interesting day today. We missed teaching our first class (the third grade) because we couldn´t find a ride up there in time. La Esperanza is a sleepy town, and there seems to be no set routine of people always coming and going to Chiligatoro. Thus, we waited for quite a while until we found a truck to take us. Today, we had fifth, one section of fourth, and sixth grade. It went very well.

For all classes, we reviewed the alphabet, the sounds, and taught them the concept of long and short vowels. For this reason of the vowels, I did most of the teaching before we broke off into groups. I loved it. The students very quickly got the concept of long and short vowels through examples and my explanations in Spanish. I was quite proud of my students. After I felt confident that they got the concept, we broke into groups. The three of us--Lindsay, Marie Claire, and I--all have very different teaching styles although we build off of each other´s ideas. Because of a lack of a lot of visuals, I tend to utilize a kinesthetic teaching style. Recalling tactics from my Spanish teacher, I use a lot of games and repetition. I tend to shy away from vocabulary at this point, and I won´t move on to another concept until I feel confident that the vast majority of the group understands. At times, this means that I don´t seem to make a lot of progress, but I would rather that the students very solidly understand one concept rather than only have a superficial understanding of many.

The fourth grade teacher was watching me teach and also watching me work with my group. She pulled me aside after class and told me that I was doing an excellent job. She said that she really appreciated my use of repetition so that each child learns individually and doesn´t get lost. I was very humbled by her kind words. Fifth grade was a little more difficult to keep at attention, but I did have a few very enthusiastic students which is always a blessing. Sixth grade, I won´t lie, has stolen my heart. I love that I can teach them using the basis of their own language and that I can make jokes with them as the maturing young adults that they are. They have now started calling me ´´Sarita´´ as well. I love them. I love watching their faces light up when they know that they understand and proudly tell me the right answer.

After class, we got a ride from a very nice man who didn´t charge us. I am always so blessed by the Hondurans who are strangers that choose to help us. There are many, but like in any place, there are also those who are not so kind.

I had a very strange and infuriating thing happen today:
I was walking on the street where we live, a mere three houses or so down the road. I had just called Roy and was talking to him (in Spanish, naturally). Walking toward me was an older man, perhaps in his sixties although I didn´t really get a good look at him. I was trying to stay out of his way, so I walked a little closer to a truck parked on the side of the road to give him more room. But, instead of going his own way, he walked right up to me and had me trapped between him and the truck. I didn´t know what was going on and thought that perhaps he was drunk. As I was still talking to Roy, this man got right in my face and said something in Spanish to the effect of, ´´You should not be here in this country. You don´t belong here. If you stay here, I will kill you.´´ I was very startled, but I kept walking past him as soon as a little bit of space opened up. As I walked past, he smacked me on the butt. I was livid. Poor Roy got his first taste of the Sarah Crickenberger angry earful--quite a quick change from our previous happy conversation. I am so very glad that I was on the phone with him though because he provided enough of a confidence and distraction from the situation at hand that I believe I was better able to get away. Although he was very concerned and was asking me about all the details, he was also quite calming for me. While I was angrily running my mouth and trying not to cry, he listened patiently and comforted me. After our conversation, while I was still angry, I also more readily recognized that it was something spiritual. I have been reading in 1 Peter, and I found myself reviewing it after this incident:

What a God we have! And how fortunate we are to have him, this Father of our Master Jesus! Because Jesus was raised from the dead, we´ve been given a brand-new life and have everything to live for, including a future in heaven--and the future starts now! God is keeping careful watch over us and the future. The Day is coming when you´ll have it al--life healed and whole. I know how great this makes you feel, even though you have to put up with every kind of aggravation in the meantime. Pure gold put in the fire comes out of it proved pure; genuine faith put through this suffering comes out proved genuine. When Jesus wraps this all up, it´s your faith, not your gold, that God will have on display as evidence of his victory. . . . So roll up your sleeves, put your mind in gear, be totally ready to receive the gift that´s coming when Jesus arrives. . . . You call out to God for help and he helps--he´s a good Father that way. . . . Your life is a journey that you must travel with a deep consciousness of God. . . . It´s because of this sacrificed Messiah, whom God then raised from the dead and glorified, that you trust God, that you know you have a future in God.
1 Peter 1

What counts is that you put up with it for God´s sake when you´re treated badly no good reason. . . . if you´re treated badly for good behavior and continue in spite of it to be a good servant, that is what counts with God. This is the kind of life you´ve been invited into, the kind of life Christ lived. He suffered everything that came his way so that you would know that it could be done, and also know how to do it, step-by-step. He never did one thing wrong. Never once said anything amiss. They called him every name in the book and he said nothing back. He suffered in silence, content to let God set things right.
1 Peter 2

If with heart and soul you´re doing good, do you think you can be stopped? Even if you suffer for it, you´re still better off. Don´t give the opposition a second thought. Through thick and thin, keep your hearts at attention, in adoration before Christ, your Master. . . . It´s better to suffer for doing good, if that´s what God wants, than to be punished for doing bad. That´s what Christ did definitively: suffered because of others´sins, the Righteous One for the unrighteous ones. He went through it all--was put to death and then made alive--to bring us to God.
1 Peter 3

Friends, when life gets really difficult, don´t jump to the conclusion that God isn´t on the job. Instead, be glad that you are in the very thick of what Christ experienced. This is a spiritual refinining process, with glory just around the corner. If you´re abused because of Christ, count yourself fortunate. It´s the Spirit of God and his glory in you that brought you to the notice of others. . . . So if you find life difficult because you´re doing what God said, take it in stride. Trust him. He knows what he´s doing, and he´ll keep on doing it.
1 Peter 4

Keep a cool head. Stay alert. The Devil is poised to pounce, and would like nothing better than to catch you napping. Keep your guard up. . . . keep a firm grip on the faith. The suffering won´t last forever. It won´t be long before this generous God who has great plans for us in Christ--eternal and glorious plans they are!--will have you put together and on your feet for good.
1 Peter 5

I don´t find it to be any accident that this was the book that has been on my heart this week. I don´t find it to be any accident that this incident happened to me and none of the other girls. I don´t even find it to be any accident that I was on the phone with Roy when this happened. It´s all spiritual. Although I was initially angry, I now take this incident as a great blessing--a sign of my obedience in being here now and a further confirmation that I am called to this country. Why else would a complete stranger threaten to kill me in broad daylight in the presence of numerous people for being in this country? I have never had anything like this happen in Honduras before. Thus, I rest in the security of His protection. I take joy in the knowledge that the fruition of His promises is imminent, and I am grateful for this tiny, minute measure of suffering.

Anyway, there is some sort of a seminar tomorrow at the school, and classes are cancelled. Thus, I plan to take a very early bus to reach Tegus as soon as possible. I miss it so much! Off to see Papi Alvin!

With love,
Sarah