First Days

The first two weeks of school (one just for teachers and one with kids) are unbelievable OVER already and classes and activities are full swing. These first days were highlighted by:

• meetings, meeting, meetings

• a fun-fill teacher field trip to the import grocery store where we were able to find Bigelow tea and Jell-O!

• a special anniversary (which meant carrot cake for all!!!)
  

• technology, technology, technology

• a giant caterpillar attack!
  

• praise, worship, prayer

• blessed times of work and fun, but a lack of time for it all!!

Enjoy the video!!

T-Minus Two Days and Counting!

After a busy, sometimes stressful, but definitely exciting and blessed week, I am nearly prepared to greet students on Monday morning! My schedule, like that of all other CAG teachers, is jam-packed with classes and activities. This year I will continue to coordinate the elementary Reading Program, which includes supervising two staff members; teach the Middle School-level English as a Foreign Language, and co-sponsor the Junior Class. A new undertaking that I am so, so, so excited about is starting a Middle School-level Destination ImagiNation class/team! If you don't know this fabulous program, check this out to learn more:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4yTFBozqpQM

My two big personal goals center around content reading and technology this year. I've made commitments to address these areas both in my classes and by helping others. The realm of technology is way outside of my comfort zone, but is something I am feeling called to address. I've committed my EFL class to spend one class period each week learning online and have started my very own website (allalvarez.webnode.com) which I will need to keep updated daily for the benefit of students, parents, and other teachers. These areas are a prayer focus for me, as I delve into new territory. The verse we've been praying with this week is from John 11:3 - "Lord, the one you love is..."... and in my case: nervous, worried, excited, and overwhelmed. I hope you will pray with me that my endeavors will be of benefit to others in the pursuit of educating God's children.

More to come once classes get underway...

PRAYER REQUEST...

A very dear friend has been working to help a family complete an adoption that they have been working on since the child was born..FOUR YEARS ago! The biggest obstacle that needs to be overcome is finding the child's birth mother so that she can verify that she has abandoned little Shyanne. We have been successful in finding a birth mother in the past, for this friend's own adoption, by working through the missionary community. In this case, however, the pieces don't seem to be coming together quite as easily. We have been working at helping from every angle we can think of...sending people all around the country, arranging for radio announcements, running information through government databases, hanging posters, sending emails, offering a reward...the list goes on. What I would really like to ask is for prayer support for the adoptive family. While obviously we need help in locating this mother, the family who has been worrying and trying to provide for this child for the past four years is in great need of the strength to continue right now. Their hope is fading and their perseverance waning. So, I am asking for prayer support for them now. And I thank you for it on their behalf.

This is the woman we are seeking. I'm posting the information here because you never know....

Her name is Ana Maribel Cruz Giron, born August 21, 1978 in Masagua, Escuintla, Guatemala.

Any information or additional suggestions that you can offer will be mostly gratefully accepted. Blessings...