Vanna White to Superman

Painting walls, making tables, moving chairs, decorating classrooms, tearing down walls, lacquering wood.  Oh, don't forget avoiding those poisonous caterpillars.  Put it all together and what do you get? Snazzy school ready for the new school year in the jungle.  

This past week we (all the teachers that is) have been getting ready for the new year that starts next week.  I will have to say I am pretty excited.  I mean this year our school actually looks like a school.  Last year, not so much.  Giggles.  The transformation is pretty crazy. 

We had parents' night last night and I was a bit nervous.  I will be the English Coordinator for the school this year, teaching primero, segundo, y tercer grado and planning each curriculum.  In this lovely position, I had to tell the parents about our new curriculum and all the magnificent plans for English next year.  In each class, I felt a bit like Vanna White showing off the new books and and activities we will be doing.  However, I changed character when I got to segundo grado. 


I taught English to primer grado last year, so I am fairly close to the parents of these kids who will now be in segundo. Before stepping into the classroom, a teacher accidentally misinformed the parents that I would not be teaching their children this year.  There were sighs.  I come rushing in the door.  No happy faces. "First of all, I want to tell you that I WILL BE teaching your lovely children."  Complete change in those sad facial expressions.  There was even applause.  So much hand clapping, that I thought bowing was the only appropriate response.  I felt like I was superman and I just saved Lois Lane from some fire.  No, not just a fire, an earthquake.  No, not just an earthquake, an earthquake in the middle of erupting volcanoes and fire explosions.  So long Miss Vanna.  

That Superman moment made me realize something.  There is such sweetness to encouragement.  My Superman moment made my heart leap.  And not a kind of immature heart hop because of a need for attention or validation, because I know Who gives me validation.  It was a mature and giant heart LEAP powered by the encouragement from others.  A LEAP that gets me excited for this year, my students, their parents, and this little town.

Compassion.  It seems so simple a word, but I think it is more often so simply forgotten.  It challenges me.  A me that can be so unkind, busy, impatient, and just plain selfish with people (and objects for that matter).  How often do we forget to encourage?  I hope my superman moment will remind me of the greatness of a little consideration and love. 

Loads of encouragement, jungle joy, and 2 Corinthians 4:16-18,
Keri

July endings

Well, I cannot believe it is August.  The beginning of this month signifies quite a few things.  First of all,  August commencing means July terminating.   El fin de school, various short-term missions teams, VBS groups, and other July activities.  We were very blessed this summer to have teams from various parts of the states come to serve with construction, VBS, community outreach, school projects, and just loving like Jesus.  There was so much beauty in all that July love.  Here are a few pictures.

Look at all that hard work and those lovely faces.  Buckets and buckets of thankfulness going to Tennessee, California, Atlanta, and oh so many other places.  

Second of all, the beginning of awesome August means rest time.  While the lovely Coyle family is in the states I am watching over their house in Quito for the week.  Mountain breezes, beautiful sunshine, diving into the Word, catching up on random work, exploring forests, and wearing shorts and not worrying about the attack of mosquito armies. 

Life is good :)  

Thirdly, I have failed to put this on my blog, but as of recently I started working as a missionary under the Orphanos Foundation.  They have provided me amazing support and resources as a new chica on the field.  I am still located in Misahualli and working alongside Jungle Kids, I just now have much needed support especially in times when I have felt absolutely overwhelmed.  Please go here to learn more http://www.orphanos.sitewrench.com/products/kericarpenter

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Oh.  And best thing about Quito?  Look above.  CHUNKY PB PARTAYYY.

Love and beauty and Mark 6:31,

Keri