Tuesday, April 29, 2008

ice skating

Yes there is an ice skating rink at the mall here!...Saturday we took the girls from Monantiel de Amor for a picnic in the parking lot, skating, and then ice cream!! It was fun to introduce some of them to something new and build our friendships!


Sunday, April 27, 2008

My Students learn about pesos

Every Friday the fruit/vegetable guy comes and so this week my students had 10 pesos to spend. We practiced how to ask in Spanish how much an item costs and then ask for what they wanted. They all had fun and then we ate the food!!



Let it Rain!

We haven't had rain for a long time and everything is super dry and one of the Childrens' Homes doesn't have water in their well - So we were rejoicing that it rained yesterday! Because of the mountains on both sides of us, the ground being hard, and so much cement in the city, there was flooding all over the place.



Tuesday, April 22, 2008

It's time to share the news!

Well I wish I could talk to you all in person but I have made the decision to stay another year here at Back2Back! I am once again amazed at how God is working in my life and how what had been so difficult has now become a passion. God started changing my heart a few months ago and lots of things were falling into place for me to stay and I wrestled with God to figure out what to do. I now have good relationships with everyone and the language is getting better! I feel like I spent a lot of my first year working on myself and God changing me, and now I want to give more to others. This next year I have the opportunity to work part time as teacher and part time with the orphanages and groups that come. I am excited for this new adventure! Please pray for me as I come home in July and August to be with friends and family and once again raise support!

Saturday, April 19, 2008

My Favorite Group!

I spent this past week with 19 friends who I feel are like family. The Master's Commission group from Atlanta were such a blessing to me and an encouragement this week. I spent all my extra time with them, debriefed with them, played games with them, laughed with them (a lot), and even cried with them. It was fun to watch them grow and I hope to see them again!

Thursday, April 17, 2008

More visitors

My friend, Judy Gregory, and a group of her students from Master's Commission in Atlanta, Georgia are here this week! It is so great to hang out with them! We had a cookout at Casa Hogar Douglas on Sunday and then I meet up with them in the evenings for dinner and debriefing, since I'm in school during the day. Tomorrow I have off and plan to go with them to the Casa Hogar Del Norte.

Matt Cooper and Judy

Sunday, April 13, 2008

I had a great visit with my parents last week. I enjoyed showing them my life. We went to the city riverwalk, some fun restaurants, the market, several childrens' homes, and more.

Here is my dad at the Rio 3

My mom is making sandwiches with the group at Rio 3

They both enjoyed sitting in the palapa and relaxing
Well I saw my first scorpion today! It was about 3 inches long and it was in the school!!!! Of course I screamed and jumped on a chair...

Wednesday, April 2, 2008

spring break

Well I had a quick trip home last week with appointments and catching up with people! I had no luggage for the first 3 days and it was cold and snowy. I had to get used to it again! I am so thankful for all my friends and family that I got to see. I spent Easter with my sister, brother-in-law, and niece.
That's my girl!!!

Love you Mia!!!

I got to spend an evening with my good friends, the Merrills, who used to live here at Back2Back