¿Hablas Inglés?

Last week, I was working at ATRIO (a school) and I was talking with a little boy. Our conversation wasn't very complicated, but apparently I was speaking Spanish alright because about half way through our conversation he looks at me and goes, "are you our new Miss?" (well, in Spanish of course, with Miss meaning Teacher), and I responded "well yes, I am here to teach English." And the little boy got this excited look on his face and goes, "oh, do you speak ENGLISH??!" 

I started teaching at two different schools last week. The first is called ATRIO, and it is a school for 3-17 year olds, and I teach in every class from 3-17 year olds. I teach there on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Fridays from 8-2. Instead of leading conversation groups, I have been teaching their English classes. So the teacher will give me the book about five minutes before class and say "you need to teach this today", and then I teach whatever it is for the next 45 minutes. I've taught everything from grammar, food, transportation, culture, vocabulary, to helping students write papers about their summer vacations and famous people that they've heard of. I absolutely love the kids, they have so much energy, and they are so patient with me and my Spanish. Yesterday, I had three people tell me I'm adorable when I speak Spanish? Not sure if I want to be adorable, but I guess that's better than not being able to speak it :) I've gotten many questions about the color of my eyes and my hair, as well as how old I am and if I'm married, and if I'm going to marry Justin Bieber. These kids are pretty curious, and love to ask question after question after question, though I think some of their questions are definitely stalling tactics. While at first I had a hard time teaching and controlling some kids, I am learning a lot about what it means to teach a classroom and how to think on the fly. My lessons rarely go as I planned on them going, and I have to invent things on the spot quite often, which has just made me a bit nervous. I'm a twenty year old theology/music student, yet I'm being placed in front of a classroom where everyone thinks I'm a teacher and told to teach English, which happened to be my least favorite class in school. God has a funny sense of humor! However, I know that it is through my weaknesses, His strength and glory are displayed, that He is glorified and I can name numerous times where I have seen Him provide strength, peace, creativity, and the ability to teach. Yesterday, one of the teachers was sick and so I stepped in and taught all of her classes by myself. I really have enjoyed this experience and I am so thankful for it!

ATRIO School

Fourth Grade, Primary

Nicole and I

My lunch crew

The second school that I teach at is called Jean Piaget. I only teach there on Wednesday afternoons to their High School-ers, and this is more of a conversation group. I help them talk and practice English, as well as proof read papers and such. They surprised me last week with how good their English was, and they definitely have a passion to learn. I have one kid who wants to be an engineer, and another who wants to be an astrophysicist. They are brilliant kids, and I love working with them.

In addition to teaching at the schools, I'm also teaching SEEDS which began last week. We went from 12 kids the first meeting to 19 by the third, so it's growing. I've loved teaching here as well. The program is 3 hours long, and so I've had a bit of a problem keeping the kids involved but we are learning, as well as the Peruvian teachers are starting to take over the teaching which is encouraging to see since they will be continuing this program when I leave. The kids are learning, they just need lots of repetition and such.

Needless to say, I've been quite busy, teaching lots about English. I've had a couple different opportunities to hang out with people down here, which has been fun as well. I have enjoyed getting to know the youth, and working on their English as well.

God has been teaching me a lot, and convicting me in many areas during my time here in Perú. But the most challenging one has been this week and with the concept of Joy. We are saved in Christ Jesus, bought and paid for by His blood, therefore we have every reason to live in His love and Joy. However, often we do not. I know that I am so guilty of this, but we focus on the bad things in our lives rather than the good things, when in reality we have no reason to be sad. I know that life can be difficult, and that there are things that it is nearly impossible to rejoice in. However, we are commanded to "rejoice in the Lord always" (Phil. 4:13). Joy and happiness are not the same thing. Happiness is a feeling, where joy is a choice. Joy is choosing to rejoice in God and trust Him no matter what is going on, where as happiness is an emotion. Many times I think that I need happiness to be joyful, but if I were to choose to rejoice in the Lord and let His joy shine through me, then I would be joyful in Him, whether I was happy or not. Because in reality, I have been saved by His grace, by His sacrifice. He has given me a second chance at life, and chooses to work in my heart every day. He loves me, and has blessed me beyond measure. Where is my reason for sadness?  Why am I not rejoicing every day in His mercies?

As far as food goes, I definitely have stretched my taste buds. I have eaten everything I have been given, and have enjoyed almost all of it. I definitely ate a tomato during this trip and enjoyed it for the first time, as well as I ate guinea pig the first day (called Cuy, pronounced cooie), and I had cow stomach today at school (called Mondongito a Italiano). Also, one of the most popular foods is called Ceviche. It's essentially raw fish with onions and whatever other vegetables you want, mine also had corn, and then it's coated with lemon flavoring. It's super good, and definitely a favored food in Peru. As far as desserts go, my favorite has been Mazamorra. It's a warm, thick, syrupy desert that tastes a bit like cherry cough syrup. It's super sweet. I wasn't so sure about it the first time I ate it, but it definitely has grown on me and I enjoy it now. 

I want to thank you for all of your prayers and support. I have talked with many of you, and am always blessed and humbled by the fact that you are praying for me. I know that God is using your prayers, and I can feel them often. Thank you so much! I pray for you at home often, and hope that everything is going well. However, I would like to ask for continued prayers for:

-- the Serranos and their ministry with YMI Perú down here. God has opened up two opportunities to do Spanish sports camp with local churches in January and February, and is possibly opening more. YMI Perú is also opening up SEEDS in another church, with the possibility of opening more. So God is using them, but they cannot do anything without His will and His power, so just continued prayer of blessings on YMI Perú would be lovely. 

-- the English ministry down here, and that God would equip me to minister to these schools and be His light and His love and His joy

-- that my heart would be open to His will and His plan for ministry, not stuck to my own expectations. 

Thank you so very much! I have included more pictures below, and I hope that you all have a blessed week :) 

First day of work

Jean Piaget

ATRIO

Yes, this is a hot dog...with crunchy french fries

Dancing!

Combi ride

¡¡Dios se bendiga!!
Taylor

[abide]

"Oh praise Him, hallelujah, my delight and my reward! Everlasting, never-failing, my redeemer my God"

I think that the biggest lesson that God has been teaching me during this trip is to abide in Him, constantly, fully, completely. To always chose, every moment, to rest in Him and His timing, and trust that He will open up opportunities for me to serve. After all, there is not a single thing I can do alone down here that will bring Him glory, but rather it is Him who is working through me to bring the glory to Himself.

Training went absolutely wonderful! We had training last Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. I trained the teachers on the SEEDS curriculum, and then we spent a lot of time practicing songs, puppets, pantomimes, skits, and going through the English lessons. One thing that constantly amazed me during these trainings was the faith of my teachers. Every day of training, we began with prayer. But it wasn't just a quick prayer of blessing over the training, but rather a time of prayer for the program, for the kids, for the teachers, that God's name would be glorified. I was so blessed to see the humble hearts of the teachers come out in this time. Even though I could only understand about half of what they were saying, they were always first to say "God, we cannot do this without you" and to come before Him completely, humbly, and to ask for His help with the end goal of glorifying Him. I am SO excited to work alongside all of these wonderful people, and was so encouraged to see that spirit of submissiveness and humility in them. I know that these are people who are willing to be used by God, and so I am very excited to see how He will use them. We begin teaching this Saturday. However, we advertised to the church on Sunday and only had five kids sign up, which was a bit disappointing. However, I know that God is bigger than numbers and that even if we only get the opportunity to minister to five kids, that will still bless Him. We have also had another church ask to start a SEEDS program at their church as well, so I think we will be doing a training for them at the end of the month.

Training!

Pantomimes

I also, in the near future, will be leading English conversation groups at two different schools, almost every day to help them learn to speak English better. I have been doing a lot of translating, and ministry preparation, and I'm in the process of setting up a sports camp curriculum for YMI Peru to use during their summer. It's been so amazing to be on the side of just preparing for ministry and seeing what goes on in the every day life of missionaries. I love it :)

I have been able to spend a lot of time with the Serranos, watching the Olympics and playing Phase 10, as well as with some people from the church. I made No-Bake cookies on Saturday, and by Sunday night they were all gone! I was rather proud of my baking skills. My Spanish is slowly but surely improving, and I'm understanding things a lot better which is such an answer to prayer!

I have been so blessed by how I have seen the Lord show up in the last two weeks. While there have been times where I have not had enough patience with something, or didn't trust Him with something like I should have, He still continues to amaze me. His grace and mercy are so abundant, and such an unwarranted and undeserved blessing in my life. I am so thankful for the opportunity to be here in Peru, serving His people and His church, and that I have the honor of seeing Him work down here as well!

If I would ask for anything, it would just be for continued prayer support. Prayer for the ministry of YMI Peru, and all the different branches of ministry they have (English teaching, missionary training, Jungle ministry, possible sports camp ministry). Also, please just pray for the Serranos as well and their continued desire to serve the Lord down here...they are such wonderful people, and I am so blessed to be living with them for two months. As far as me, I would just like prayer for patience and a selfless desire to serve, that I would be open to Him and His plans for this time, and not just insert my own expectations. My stomach also has not been feeling the best over the last couple days, so prayer that that does not turn into something serious would be great.

Thank you so much for all of your thoughts and prayers! Each of you are so important to me, and I hope that you are doing well. I have included some more pictures from my trip below, for those of you who want to see them :)

Rosario and I

Independence Day Soccer

Briana :)

Phase 10?

Traditional Peruvian Dancers

More cookies...these were gone in an evening

Let the training begin!

Dios se bendigan!!
Taylor