I have started this newsletter four times.
The first was at Thanksgiving. For the first time in our school history, we held a school-wide Thanksgiving meal. German, Swiss, Latin American and American families squeezed into our dining hall and shared a meal together celebrating all the many, many ways God has been so very good to us. Between explaining what stuffing is and listening to our Elementary girls giggle through the cutest Thanksgiving performance, I found myself just watching all these beautiful families interact with each other. I sat at the computer that night trying to put my feelings into words, but my bed won out instead.
I made it a goal to finish the newsletter before the end of November. I even started a draft cleverly titled, “By the skin of my teeth,” thinking I would squeak it out on the 31st. I don’t know why we have a phrase about skin on teeth, but I do know I didn’t make it and my computer was instead put to work finding party games and cute Christmas songs as we prepared for our Christmas Outreach.
When I think of the joy of Christmas, I think of this event. This year we paired each of our students with an “Abuelito” or “grandparent” from a local church who they hung out with during a Christmas carnival of sorts. All the Abuelitos arrived by bus and were greeted by our students holding signs with their names on them; it reminded me of fans outside a rock concert! (“We love you, Taylor!”) Between helping Mike with the photo booth and herding my girls on stage for their Christmas number, I found myself watching as my daughter’s “Abuela” leaned over and kissed her several times during the morning. Standing in the back later, I found myself overwhelmed as one of the other ladies caught my eye across the room as she opened her gift from one of the highschoolers and joyously held up her new shoes to show me.
I opened the newsletter several times after that. It even made it onto my December to-do list, right after…
-Decorating classroom door (We won!)
-Trim the mango tree that hits everyone with its big mangoes
-Decorate church (Didn’t it turn out gorgeous?)
-Fight off mosquitoes (Ok, that one never leaves the list in rainy season)
-And…Clear snake out of Liam’s bookbag (Hope that one never goes back on the list!)
These things got crossed off the list, but obviously the newsletter did not.
And then December really got going…
Our family (without me, thanks to the flu) and many high-school students from SAM Academy participated in our church’s first English Worship Service. The hope is that we can continue these special services to draw in college students interested in learning and speaking in English.
The Pucallpa SAM community celebrated the season with a special Christmas Dinner with all of our Peruvian staff. This included not just our SAM Academy teachers, but our SAM Air staff and other SAM missionaries. It was a sweet time together!
And of course all the school December craziness where teachers are surviving on cough drops and coffee…
So suddenly, as you can see, here we are: My November Newsletter delayed until January. Looking back though, I’m ok with the things that distracted me. Well, except for the critters…I’d be ok without those distractions!
Since we have arrived here together to the New Year, may I finally finish this up by wishing you and your loved ones an absolutely beautiful year ahead. We never know what bumps or bruises (or critters!) are in the future, but one thing I have very much learned is God will take all of it–the good, the bad, and the ugly–and turn it into something amazing. May the days ahead bring you closer to Him and may you know just how truly loved you are!
Family of 4 Serving 1 