Well, as usual time tends to fly on by and we're already into the second week of February! I really only have a couple of little things to report, I guess you could say that last week was rather uneventful!
First of all, I may have mentioned before that I serve on the board for CIET (the Bible Institute that SAM supports). This is a new role for me and basically temporary until others who typically serve on the board return from furlough later this year. There is one other SAM missionary who serves on the board of 6 people with me. Anyway, this is a difficult role for me for several reasons. The Spanish vocabulary used during these meetings is more advanced than I am accustomed to in my interactions with people at church and in the community. This in and of itself, is a challenge because I need to work much harder to understand what's going on and still there are many things I apparently miss. Also, my fellow SAM missionary and I both have similar personalities...neither of us are confrontational...and there are a couple of men on the board who have started making suggestions for things that SAM does not think would be wise for CIET. Therefore, as the SAM representatives, we're basically expected to watch out for those things and voice SAM's concerns. Again...when you're struggling to understand what's going on in a meeting it's difficult to add more things to be watching for. The other SAM missionary's Spanish is very good and she's served on the board for quite some time so she understands what's going on. However, she's also the secretary so it's hard for her to be typing in Spanish, taking notes, thinking about what others are saying, having her own thoughts, and then trying to voice any of those concerns. So, if you would just pray for wisdom to do what's best for CIET as well as strength to voice our concerns when necessary!
The second thing I wanted to tell you about this week concerns the Jr High Camp and Sr High Camp that the kids at school take each year. Last week, Wednesday through Friday, the Jr High students were gone to camp. Based on all that I have heard things went very well, no one got hurt, and it was a very fruitful time, so please join us in praising the Lord for that! This week, starting today and going through Friday, is Sr. High Camp. There is a speaker and others who have come down from the states to lead the services. The chaplain for the jr. high and sr. high groups organizes these camps and some teachers go as chaperones. I am not going as a chaperone this year, however, Bill and Bev Smith (fellow SAM missionaries and good friends of mine) are going as cooks for the week. Their oldest son will be with them at camp, but they have two younger children who will be staying behind, Benji (3rd grade) and Jessica (8th grade). I will be staying with them at their house this week to look after them...it's a chance for me to fulfill the role of Aunt Laura! Anyway, please join us in praying for camp this week...that God will bless that time, that students will come to a greater understanding of who He is and that He will draw them unto Himself in a closer way, that the teachers/speaker/others will have the strength they need to get through the week...also for those of us not going to camp, that we'll be able to fill in the holes left by the missing teachers for the week, that the kids in the Smith home and I will be kept safe this week and enjoy each others company, etc. Thank you for praying for these things this week!
Well, I have lots to do, so I guess I better get my day started! Blessings to each of you!
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