I was reading over the past couple of posts and saw where I was talking about praying for my 11th student. Well I got him! I had 11 office in my room so I was praying for that 11th student to come.

If you have ready many of my posts from previous years I am sure you will recognize the name...Mauro! I first met Mauro when he was in the 4th grade. He was usually in trouble for something...talking or not working in the Learning Center or not doing his homework...and he became my Mauro pretty quickly! He has been mine ever since! All the teachers know he is special to me and they come to me when there is a problem with him.

Last year he was in 6th grade but he didnt' pass his year. Of all the kids he was the hardest for me to not be able to pass, but he just didnt' do his work. It broke my heart! He was enrolled in another school that was not bilingual and had started his classes. His little nephew, Erik was still attending Ruach, so dad was still coming to the school and some days Mauro was with him to pick up Erik.

Dad and Mauro really wanted to come back, and dad set up a meeting with Miss Dinora.

The problem was that if he came back he would have to be in 6th grade again. Many times culture here says "just pass the kid"...we see it in public school all the time.....but we want them to get the education they deserve!

I begged Annette please try to make his dad see the importance of him getting an education, and why he needs to be in 6th grade to learn all the Paces he didn't complete last year. It didn't seem possible, but I prayed and it was so much my heart for his dad to do the right thing for his son.

And then I got the news! And I did the happy dance!!!! I spent that day singing at school "Mauro is back! Mauro is back!" I was so happy!!! And he is doing great! Completing his homework each day, completing many of his goals during the day. And he has not had even a demerit! I know it has only been 2 weeks, but this is still a big accomplishment!

I am so happy that I had that office waiting, God knew I was getting an 11th student, and I am so happy for the one I got!!!

I am still singing and dancing... MAURO IS BACK! MAURO IS BACK!

Today I went to church with my sweet friend Marjorie. Marjorie graduated from Ruach 2 years ago. She is a precious young lady. God has put our hearts together and she is like a daughter for me. Her precious boyfriend is the pastor of their church and she has invited me several times to attend their service. Last week I traveled with her, friends, and family to a park further than San Pedro Sula, (SPS is about 3 hours drive from here - we were close to Peurto Cortez) where they had a special service and baptized 7 young people. It was a special day, and Marjorie was one of the people who were baptized.


I was very moved last week after talking with the Pastor from the church located in San Pedro Sula. He is teaching his members to serve their community. His church is actually on the University in San Pedro Sula, and he is reaching the young people at the university.


Currently the church here meets in Marjorie's grandmother's garage, but there is a building that is being built on the property of the University in Comayagua which will be the future location of their services.


I love the vision of this church and they are reaching many young people and then teaching them to serve their neighborhoods and communities and share the love of Jesus.


So....this morning as I was getting ready I was talking with God. I have always wanted to have a church here in Comayagua, a place that I can say this is where I go to church, but at the same time I don't want to give up going to the AirForce Base, because I get so much from being with other North Americans and having the worship and message in English. The service at the Base is on Sunday mornings at 11:00; the service at Ministerio Renuevo is at 10:00ish to noonish. I asked God to make it to clear to me if this is where He wants me to be. It would be easy for me to say I want to go there because of Marjorie. But I wanted to know that it was where God would want me to be.


So I arrived and was happy to see the people who had traveled together last week for the baptisms, so I was already with friends. The worship time was awesome! Joel has a beautiful voice and is very gifted in leading the worship! I loved the songs he chose to sing and they were some that I know in Spanish.


Then the church service, there were many things that Joel said that really spoke to me. Some things that I needed to hear, and some just a new and fresh way of looking at the gift God has given to us. I really received a word to my heart this morning from Joel!


At the end of the service they were discussing a change in their service time and that beginning in March they would be meeting in the evening! Later I was sitting and sharing with Marjorie and Joel about my prayer that morning that God would make it clear to me if He wanted me to be a part of this church. I shared how Joel's message had really spoken to me, it was a word I needed to receive today. He shared that he was very surprised, because he had not known what he was going to preach today. And that last night he was reading his Bible and God took him to 2 Corinthians 6; and then again this morning he was reading his Bible and again he was reading here and God gave him what he was to share.


It's one of those times where you know God does this, but when you see it happen and you are a part of it you just go WOW GOD! How awesome you are!!!


Then I asked Marjorie....had I understood that they were all discussing about changes the time of the service. She said yes beginning in March they will meet on Sunday evenings from 6:00 - 8:00.


I was so excited! I already felt like God would have me to be a part of their church, but then this was like the gift for me, that I could still attend the service at the Base on Sunday mornings! Not often that you get to have your cake and eat it too! ha ha!

Thank you God for your blessings today!

Well first let me update you on the money that was received to help get kids to convention. A total of $650 was given which is helping a total of SEVEN students with their registration fees...and I still have $50 left. I am just waiting for one of the students to say my final payment is going to be late or I can't make my final payment on convention and we will have the money for them.

It really is amazing how the money we needed was provided! There were several students who said I cannot go, my parents just don't have the money to pay for me to go. And it was so exciting to be able to say if your parents give permission, then the money has already been provided. And many were so excited to be blessed in this way!

Thank you so much for giving! The fun has already begun....three students who were entered in creative writing events wrote their awesome papers this week and we will be submitting them on Monday to be judged.

Convention is from March 23 to March 26. I will be posting many stories and pictures from that week!

If you have been following my blog for long, you will remember the pictures and stories last year when we took a group of highschool students to Regional Convention.

The kids love it! They get to compete with other Christian schools in Central America in academics, Bible, sports, photography, art, and music. The kids love the experience, love the friends they meet from other cities, and love the competitions.

It costs $100 to register for the week long event. I am asking if anyone would like to sponsor a student for the convention, let me know and I will let you know who you will be sending to convention. For many of our families, the only way the student will be able to attend is by scholarship.

The dates of the convention are March 22 to March 26. Registration has already begun, and we must pay a deposit of one-half the registration fee by this Friday (February 19).

If you can sponsor a student, or make a donation for a part of their registration fee, please let me know as soon as possible.

This is an awesome opportunity for the kids. Thank you so much for helping and for praying for our kids!

Okay...my room now has its walls up and I have decorated and am ready for the first day of school tomorrow!

I am very excited! Excited about some of the students who were not going to be able to return, but go to other schools based on price....but God is making a way for some of those to return this year! One of my students from last year even had a party this morning - the Daniela gets to return to Ruach Party! Now that says something about our school!


I am very excited to get the year started, and see all the kids! I am going to miss "my kids" because they will be on the other side of the wall in high school...but hopefully I will still be their Stepha, Confeti, Doodle, and Tepha!


I am excited to continue building relationship with those kids and start to build relationship with my new class.


Thanks to Annette and Mary Cruz for putting tape on the back of all my decorations, and Suleda and Candy for drawing and coloring my dragonflies, ....all my decorations are up and my room is ready to receive my students!


I couldn't fit the entire wall in one picture...so here are two pictures showing the whole wall decoration.





Here are some of my offices. I currently have ten students...I have 11 offices in my room, so I am believing God for that 11th student!






Please remember Ruach International Christian School in your prayers. Pray for the school, for our students, for the teachers. We are each here with a purpose, effecting the lives of the students, and their families...I pray that we will make a difference in these kids' lives!

You know me...I will be posting a lot of pictures and stories in the coming weeks!

Decorating my classroom. I am totally NOT creative! Was a little nervous about coming up with an idea...then yesterday after school Annette said you know you can put up a verse or.....a Verse - Oh now I have an idea!

I am still not sure that what is floating in my head will come out on my wall... but I am trying!

I love Isaiah Chapter 35. I spent months reading that chapter, over and over, and thinking this chapter is beautiful, but what does it mean. Then last year at the beginning of the school year as I was once again reading this chapter, God showed me things .....vision of colors and beauty and life...life springing up everywhere. A promise for Ruach. Prayers for my students and the school.

So my room will be decorated based on Isaiah 35: 1-2

"The desert and the parched land will be glad, the wilderness will rejoice and blossom. Like the crocus, it will burst into bloom; it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy. "

I am putting this verse on my wall...and have spent much of the evening drawing and cutting out flowers. I have also cut out butterflies, one to represent each of my new girl students....trying to decide on an animal to create for each of the boys in my class. I have it pictured in my head....I hope it comes out looking close to what I have envisioned.

Hopefully it will be close and it will be a happy place full of joy! I'll post pictures - currently waiting for the walls to my room to be put up so I can begin building my scene.