March & April Madness

Whoever came up with the term March Madness hit the nail on the head! That's truly what it has been here...madness!! I just never thought that I could be so busy in such a small country...and school. March started off with a great relaxing break. We had a long weekend and I took that time to visit my friend Jenna, from the dig in 07, who lives in Tel Aviv. She is student and also a live-in nanny. It's great to spend some time on the other side as well and see Israeli culture at its best. I enjoyed my days with Jenna, Ifat (the mom) and the twins...Yonatan and Ya'el. The last time i visited was when I landed and Ya'el didn't take well to strangers...so I felt so much better this time when she didn't cry everytime I looked at her. Jenna was off for break so we took those few days to enjoy each other's company. We went to Tel Aviv to the sook (market) and explored the art vendors on the cobble stone streets also talking in an acrobatic show. Then we enjoyed a day in Asdod, a port city, where Ifat's mother Lilly lives. It was almost Purim (where they dress up, it's a celebration of Ester) and Lilly wanted to see the kids in their outfits, a little dog and cat! We also relaxed at the park and spent another day in Tel Aviv running errands, going by Jenna's university looking in the archaeology lab, and window shopping at the high-end corner of the city. It was a great 5 days. It was a time to put school behind and focus on the time at hand. I also was able to take the train which is a beautiful ride from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv! Nice and relaxing.

The next week of school hit me like a ton of bricks! :( I had enjoyed my time off so much that I guess I wasn't instore for what was to come. First...I had one student get the dum dum dum....CHICKEN POX!!! Well..i was frightened b/c my mom never remembers me getting them. Since then I've had 5 kids getting it so far...and I don't believe that we're done. So each week one or two kids have been out b/c of the chicken pox. It's better now then later, I tell them! But as always God is good and is healing them quickly and they aren't too far behind in their work.

Johnny: Well...a couple of weeks I came to the breaking point with this kid. I had had a stressful week with him back-talking, hitting, kicking and just bullying the other kids. He had once again been suspened for his behavior until that Saturday. I took both the 5th and 6th graders outside for PE but b/c they couldn't get their acts together they were told to run. Johnny didn't like that...so he wouldn't run, he wouldn't do anything but speak at me in Arabic. So...then...it happened....the breaking point...we were walking back to class and he slung is belt. It was meant to hit me...i was just a foot behind him. He knew exactly what he was doing...then after he was once again sent to Ms. Grace's office...he refused to obey my or Ms. Grace's rules. So...I had a break down...b/c really I'd done all I could do for this kid. Not only me...but I'd given it all up to God. The week had already been more stressful than normal and that was about all I could take. I really had been lifting him up and my classes up to God and felt down b/c I seemed to not see any results...I went to church normally on Sunday and the associate pastor, Ron, was preaching...and...it hit me hard. Suffering. When he started speaking...I knew that God was telling me to listen...sometimes I get in this mindset that things have to be easy. That because I follow God that things are always going to go my way. THATS A BIG NEGATIVE!! God never tells us that but the opposite, b/c You follow me there will be trials and there will be tribulations...but...as Paul says..."Count it all as joy." For the past two/three weeks the sermons have been directed toward growing in faith and how we do suffer in this life. I relearned all the things Paul went through to share Jesus Christ with others....beathings, death, stonings, jail...and the list continues...my struggles are nothing like his...yet I still complain and still freak out. I've learned that God hasn't given me something that i'm not equipped for and He is also preparing me for things to come. He's molding me to be like Paul...taking the suffering as joy and strengthening my faith through the process. Refining hurts...but in the end the soul is like gold. So...I prayed and finally was given the answer of what to do in this situation...since it didn't seem that explusion was an opition then he would be expelled from my classes. So...unless he can show me a BIG change in his attitude he is not allowed in my classroom. He has to get his own tutor if he wants to know the material b/c I've done all I can do for him. He will not be at our school next year b/c of these behavioral issues along with Ahmed. The parents are also at a loss of what to do with him as well. Please really lift up this child, Johnny, to the Lord. God's got a lot of refining to do in his heart. The hate he has in there needs to be burned away and filled with love.

March also brought a lot of us together....there were birthday parties for the kids. My Dutch student, Liselot, celebrated her brithday on Sunday and I got to be a part of that. It was fun being the only person there whos first language is English. She's my heart. I love this girl to death. Seniors Joey, Sarah, and AJ had a big Bday Blast. It was fab! I love hanging out with these kids. Also...we had a big celebration for St. Patrick's Day at Terry and Melissa's house. We had to wear green and bring a green dish. It was delish. They also have a ping-pong table so I had to bust out my mad skills on some of the younger kids. lol Jen and I were visited by some friends in Jerusalem which totally was a surprise and we enjoyed a great evening with them. The kids were also visited by other missionaires from Holland and were treated to two days of rec. activities...oh how they enjoyed getting out fo the classroom. Finally...we had a major bball tournament in Jersualem on Wednesday. It was the final games of the Junior Peace Leagues (15 and younger). OUR GUYS KILLED IT!!!. They were great! They fought hard and kept their heads up...We actually walked away with 3 trophies....1st place...Best Coach-Ra'ed, and Best Team Player-Ibrihim...they really deserved it. They worked so hard. We would even see these guys running around Beit Jala training for the game. These kids wow me so many times. I'm so grateful to be in this place with these people for such a time as this. It amazing...you think that you're going somewhere to be a blessing and teacher to others when you are so deeply blessed and taught through the kids. God is good. I'm so honored to see what God is doing in the lives of each person that is in or a part of this school. I feel as if He has taught me so much not only about myself but about His person. I'm honored that He has let me be a part of this. Deeply honored.