Samuel's Adventures: In the swing of things

Remember when I said I would try to write twice a month? Yeah, well that's not going as planned, so... my apologies. Y'all deserve better! I will try to do better, but you might need to practice forgiving me like Jesus said "seventy times seven", because I might slip again. :)

We've already had our first spelling competition here at CICS (which Joel won from my group), and that means a third of the year has already passed. Add to that the month I was in Guatemala, and it's been a while since I've been home! However, my siblings coming to visit a couple weeks ago, the prospect of future visitors (shout out to Jason, Randall, Andrea, Duane, Mary, James, and Alverda!), combined with a busy schedule doesn't allow me to sit around and moan a lot.

School is going well, albeit more stressful than last year. Seems after the newness wears off, you start to see more things below the surface. Which is better than never seeing those problems at all because then you can work on them, but it makes for more restless nights thinking about what can be done.

I'll just tell you about one of the deaf children who has been on my mind a lot lately--Carlos. At sixteen years old, some of his ways are already pretty engrained in him, but there is still so much to be done. He has various behavior problems, but probably his biggest issue is lack of respect for others and this is shown through various ways, but usually through doing things his way or not at all. On the outside he is all that he should be. He knows all the right words to say, but most of that is just a facade to get what he wants.

I've been trying to show him love in any way I can, regardless of how he treats me. Things like making sure I shake his hand every morning and give him a hug with a smile. Or helping him with some small chores in the afternoon. I want to show him and point him to God's love who loves everyone with a love that we can't comprehend.

I realize though, that most of the work will need to be done by God. All I can do is sow the seed and God will make it grow, if Carlos allows it. Please pray for wisdom for me and also for his teacher, Matthias, and for the rest of the staff. Pray especially for Carlos that he would be able to give up whatever is holding him back and surrender everything to Christ.

Carlos loves challenges, and this puzzle ball sure is one!

As far as regular school goes, it's been moving right along. Sometimes not very straight or fast, but "moving along" just the same. :) A lot of the direction and speed depends on my students which can vary day by day, but keeps life interesting. Miguel, one of my precious little chaps is the one who most often gets into trouble, but I can't help but love him in spite of his best efforts at being bad.

Joel is constantly surprising me with his intelligence. He loves pleasing people and that includes getting good grades. He gets very depressed when he gets a lot wrong on a lesson, and I have to constantly remind him that mistakes are fine as long as you learn from them. If he keeps learning with this attitude and desire, he will go far.

Jairo is also learning and quite intelligent as well--if he wants to. He tends to view school as a game and a good time. Although those things are included, I have to constantly remind him to focus and do his best like I know he can. He has come far, but still has much to learn.

Miguel, like I said before, is a special little chap. I love him to bits, in spite of his constant infractions of pretty much every rule in the book. Patience is the key with him, but there are many days when I seem to be running on fumes. However, I have been surprised by him as well. Like the one day when he wrote the numbers 1 to 15 perfectly with no help! Or the day he got a better score in his math lesson than Jairo (and it was the exact same math lesson)! When that happens I love seeing his reaction to my mouth hanging wide open and exclaiming wildly about the earth-shattering event that just happened. His delighted giggle is just the best sound ever!

Sometimes I call my class of Joel, Jairo, and Miguel the "class of the locos", because that's honestly how it seems sometimes. But it's very entertaining sometimes as well. As clearly shown by the video below. I told them to act crazy for a bit. And they sure did their best impression! :)

I do my best with the children that have been entrusted to me, but many times I have to wonder if I'm doing it right. They need to learn academics, sure, but the main thing is not about academics at all. The main goal is for all of them to have a personal relationship with Jesus. And I want to be used in whatever way God needs me to accomplish that end. I know I can't do it on my own... So pray for me that I could have wisdom. I was reading in Proverbs the other day. In Proverbs 4:7, it says "Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding." My prayer is just that. That I could have wisdom. So pray for me when you think about it that God could give me wisdom, and maybe even some patience and humbleness to go along with it.

Joel grins at the camera instead of working, but what a lovely smile!

I will write perfectly on the lines, or else...

We had an "American" breakfast one morning. My siblings brought bacon
for me, so we made pancakes, bacon, sausages, and omelets. Elmer liked
it but he still had to have tortillas with it, so he heated some up! :)