Falling Down and Popping Up

It rained today. It never rains in January. Such a simple thing gave so many pause. Everyone stopped or ran (depending on where they were when the deluge started) and laughed and smiled and yelled: "It's RAINING!" We don't know why and it didn't last long. The ground, so dry from months of sunshine and wind, soaked it all up before you could even notice that it had been wet. It came just as my kids were about to start a presentation at our weekly staff meeting. Rain on a metal roof would not have been conducive to their nervous voices trying to speak in front of 50 adults. So, we offered prayer and just as we were about to begin, the rain stopped. If I haven't mentioned before, my middle schoolers have produced the most amazing piece of cartoon art which is now featured on a website, also being viewed as an online ebook, and is about to be the focus of an article in English Teaching Professional...an internationally-read teaching journal. We thought we ought to share that PRAISE with our school community which has been so harshly targeted with crisis and tragedy lately. You can view their work at either of these sites:

http://grammarmancomic.com (look for the comic titled "Grammarman Travels to Guatemala")
http://www.myebook.com/index.php?option=ebook&id=3623

We will also be PRAISING tomorrow night as the high schoolers open their production of Beauty and the Beast for its three-night run.

So what was popping up? About 200 bags of popcorn on top of my stove! ...to sell as snacks at intermission tomorrow night. Only 400 more to go!!!

Some Photos from the Season

Elementary students wish you Feliz Navidad at their Christmas concert!!

Performing the Christmas cantata Let Heaven and Nature Sing Gloria at Union Church

A few of my favorite elves!!

Preparing for a performance of Handel's Messiah at the National Theater

CAG staff get into the Christmas spirit at the annual luncheon

A Few Updates...

• Javier got permission to take time off!!!!!!...only half the time we were hoping for, but we'll take it!! We'll be heading to Chicago on Monday, Dec. 22 to spend the night. We're excited to see our dear Annette (Little Wit) and check out Chad Perry's Wii!! Then on Tuesday we'll catch the bus up to Madison to spend Christmas with my family. Javier will have to return on the 28th to be back at work for the 29th, but I'll stay on, taking a short detour to the Great White Nort' of Toronto to visit my Jo-anne and her new little Mary!!

• The next-door neighbors have just had their vanload (literally!) of holiday fireworks delivered (I am sssooooo not going to miss that this year!!!).

• School ended on a yucky note...me missing it...home in bed sick with fever...and missing sharing Merry Christmases with all my kids!! :(

• Challenges have been bountiful this week with numerous financial difficulties due to fraud with my bank account and visa issues. We are choosing to believe that these are all strikes by the enemy because something big and wonderful is trying to come our way. We are casting aside discouragement and remembering that God is greater than any of the troubles we find ourselves having getting this trip underway. We ask you to join us in prayer that we will see the fruits of our faith!
  

So COOL!!!

First of all...TWO posts in ONE day!?!? What's wrong???? Nothing!! I just had to take a moment to share the coolest thing!! We just got home from another two-hour choir rehearsal in the city and decided to take Rupert for a walk since he's been cooped up all day. As we rounded the corner at the top of the hill just outside of our house, we were greeted by a huge orange glow. It wasn't the city lights below, Christmas lights, or warning lights on a cell tower...it was the lava from Volcan Fuego glowing bright as it flowed down from the crater on this crystal clear night! Now THAT is something to shout out about!!!! (Sorry I didn't have my camera!!!)

Is It Christmas Yet!?!??!

Life sure has been crazy these last few weeks! I feel all turned around and upside down with Messiah rehearsals and performances, projects at school, Christmas choir rehearsals, kid concerts, Christmas parties, accreditation work, and trying to keep up with teaching squeezed in there somewhere!!!! I am so looking forward to a time to relax and take a break to spend time reflecting on what Christmas SHOULD be about!! Please keep Javier in your prayers as he has still not been granted permission to have time off to spend Christmas in the States with me. We so want to spend this special time of year together, but do not know yet if it will be possible. We have made all of our travel arrangements on faith, believing that our Savior CAN move the mountain...which, in this case, (as is often with us) the red tape ("fijase...") of Guatemalan government! Blessings!!

Retreating and Reaffirming

The past two weeks have been as busy as any, but I wanted to send along two highlights. First...High School Retreat. This is an annual even when all students, grades 9-12, and their sponsors, set off at the end of Spiritual Emphasis week to further connect with God and each other. This year we headed to Chimaltenango. The speakers were the DeVries family, who offered great lessons, support, and ideas to help the kids start finding ways to make God more a part of their everyday lives. The picture above is from the second night, banquet night, where the theme was "Medieval Times," (hence the crazy attire!).

And Second...the Annual Parent Meeting at CAG...which teachers are required to attend. While it is generally not the most exciting event of the year, it did serve this year to reaffirm for me why I choose to serve here. Here a few little-known
facts I walked away with from the meeting:

CAG is completely independently supported through tuition fees ($200 per month per student) and private contributions, and operates in the black.

Students at CAG receive an accredited English education, and are offered such things as AP courses, individualized math classes, National Institute of Learning Disabilities support, specialized reading, an extra curricular competitive sports program, drama programs, music (including Praise Team, choir, and orchestra), art courses, intramural sports, and community service opportunities...all of which are run by teacher and parent VOLUNTEERS.

All teachers are self supporting, receiving a stipend of $150 per month from the school for 10 months per year.

Teachers and families work together for the betterment of the entire school community. They pray together, worship together, work side-by-side, support one another (btw...substitute teachers = parent volunteers), and really love one another despite their differences.

When we were leaving the meeting, I was trying to figure out what makes such a difference here at CAG, and I decided this...

Contrary to popular belief (which has been a belief I have held, having been a public school teacher for a number of years) more money does NOT equal a higher quality of education. I have seen through my experience here in the mission field that what really brings out the best in people is daily affirmation and sincere gratitude from others around them combined with the knowledge that what we do is in service to an amazing God.

CAG is made up of a very wide variety of people from even wider religious backgrounds, social/economic levels, and political affiliations. Above and beyond all of that other stuff, however, the community here shares one bottom line...GOD and His love; and THAT is what makes things work here!

It is my prayer that other schools and communities will find this "solution" as well.

With blessings for a wonderful Thanksgiving!!! Sherry

Harvest Fair!

This past Saturday we celebrated our annual Harvest Fair at school! It's a time when middle and high school students plan, set up, and run a fall festival with games and goodies for younger kids and their families. It's a great service project that helps to bring a little piece of "home" to those (of us) who miss such celebrations this time of year. Our eleventh grade class ran a face painting booth, ladder climb, bounce house, and Cafe Le Cirque...since this year's theme was The Circus! I hope you'll enjoy the video!! With blessings for a Happy "Fall"!!!