High School Devotions

Mr. Peter and Mrs. Kathy are in the United States, so they asked local pastors to be guest speakers for our high school devotions each week while they are gone.  The first week we set up the projector and speakers and sat and waited and no one came....so one of my students suggested we open the floor for kids to share about something God has done for them in their life....so she went first, and then she just preached.  She has such a passion for her classmates to know the Lord in a personal way. 

The next week I checked the day before to see who was scheduled to come and it was Joel, the pastor from my church.  So I confirmed with him that evening that he remembered us, which he had.   So happy to have him come and share with the kids.

Then last week, things got so busy and I forgot to check who was on the schedule for Thursday until the middle of the night and that was a little too late.  So Thursday morning we called the pastor on the schedule who must suffer from severe memory loss because he didn't know what Miss Cessiah was talking about.  I immediately began praying and asking God to show me what he would have me share with the kids that morning.

God brought to my mind the verse in Psalm - I am fearfully and wonderfully made. 

When the bell rang for class I told the kids it was going to be me for devotions so I was going to go outside and pray and read my Bible .  One of the students came to me and said Miss can you talk about Psalm 46.  Many of the kids want to follow God but they are afraid. 

I went outside and sat on the outdoor stage and prayed.  Thinking about the verses I was drawn to and the verses Gabriela asked me to read and looking in my Bible I came to Psalm 56:3-4 - what can men do to me....as I was walking back to the Learning Center one of my students was sitting outside.  She was upset about the relationship between herself and her parents and she said Miss there is this song we sang two years ago at convention and whenever things are bad I just want to listen to that song over and over....I Will Run to You by Hillsong.    Great, now I had a song for us to sing to get us ready to worship!

It was totally a joint effort and it was all what God put together for me to share with the kids.  I normally would have spent hours and hours of reading and writing and re-writing .....this was totally God.  I had about 20 minutes to get it together.

So in the end I shared that God knows us, knows everything about us, he knew us before we were even born.  He knows all our fears, he knows the struggles and battles we have each day.

Psalm 139:1-3

¹ You have searched me, Lord,
and you know me.
² You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar.
³ You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.

 

Psalm 139:13-14

.

¹³ For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
¹⁴ I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.

 

Can you imagine the earth giving away, and the mountains crumbling into the sea, and yet being able to say I don't have any fear, God is with me.  He is my help in any trouble.  I hope that really got into their spirits Thursday.  That is a powerful verse!

Psalm 46:1-3

¹ God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.
² Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
³ though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging.^[c]

 

 

I talked to them about being afraid of what their friends, or maybe losing friends when they follow God, but we should not fear man.  With God we have hope no matter what troubles we are facing, but what if we did not have that relationship with him?  We would have no hope, no joy, no answer to our problems.  

Psalm 56:3-4

³ When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.
⁴ In God, whose word I praise—
in God I trust and am not afraid.
What can mere mortals do to me?

And of course we worshiped with I Will Run to You.

I told the kids I was glad that God knew before me that this was going to happen, He already had a plan for us that day!

Fun Tour Day

The final day we were in Nicaragua we got to be tourists.  We went to a lake, which is the largest lake in Central America.  It was huge!  We went on a boat tour.  Saw amazing mansions  and some wild monkeys!

 

Ready to go!

Two boat loads of us ready for the tour!



 

This was my favorite house!

 

Marjorie and Joel

 

Marjorie and I

 

Some of our fun team!

 

To get out to the boats, and coming back to shore....

you had to walk on these sandbags out to the wooden pier.....

 

 

Out to the very rickety wooden pier. 

 

One of the beautiful island homes on the lake. 

 

Wild Monkey!!!

 

He loved having his picture taken!

 

This island is owned by a veterinarian and it is called Monkey Island, because all that lives on the island are the wild monkeys.

 

 

 

After our boat tour we went to Granada for a typical lunch.  And my camera battery started giving out.  :(  But we enjoyed some shopping and walking around the Central Park.  It was a beautiful colonial city that reminded us of Comayagua.  (or maybe we were just missing home)

 

After going to several areas to shop for sourveniers, we went to Apoyo Lagoon.  It was amazing!  Absolutely beautiful!

 

 

 

 

 

It was a fun trip.  I made a lot of new friends.  I feel more connected with my church here, getting to know people from the location in San Pedro Sula and Tegucigalpa, but I was also so happy to be back home!  When we got to the border and crossed back into to Honduras - it was a happy moment!

 

My favorite food in Nicaragua was candy!  Marjorie and I discovered a yummy candy there and we ate a lot of it!  It was great, along with a drink I had in the park called cacao which was made from  from cocoa beans.

 





 

While I was in Nicaragua, I had been praying and asking God to show me what my purpose was there. 

There were two times that I had a moment where I knew I had been in that moment before.  Once was the first day in the church, and the other was one day on the bus with the team.  It was instantly I knew that I had experienced that moment previously, in a dream or a vision, but I knew I had seen that moment before.  For me, that was confirmation that I was right where God planned for me to be.

I continued to pray and ask God to show me my purpose on the trip.  What he spoke to me was that I may never know the "why", it may be a small word I said to someone, or an encouragement I gave to someone there.  One day during the worship what God put into my spirit is that I don't need a big revelation about why I came to Nicaragua.  All I need to know is that I was obedient to His call.  That I stepped out in faith and as long as I am in His will then His purpose will be done.  I don't need to know what or why, only that I was walking in the obedience of the Lord.

Knowing that gave me such peace, to know that I could be a part of God's plan, by just stepping out and being obedient to what He told me to do, and He is in charge of all the details!

Mission Trip to Nicaragua

A few days after returning from convention it was time to go with my church to Nicaragua.  Marjorie, Joel, Paola and I met the bus Wednesday morning.  It was carrying several of the pastors from the San Pedro Sula church along with many of their college students.  We got on board and on to Tegucigalpa, where we would pick up the pastor and his wife of the Tegucigalpa church along with several of their members.  In total we had about 30 people on the trip, a few were following in their vehicles. 

It was a LONG trip!  I know never to believe the time people say here.  When I asked Marjorie how long of a trip it was to Nicaragua, she said she thought it was about 6 hours.  Well, 12 hours later we arrived at our destination!

Crossing the border was a little nervous for me, it seems I always have trouble with my passport or something, and was just waiting for something to go wrong...thankfully it didn't!  I had to pay 80 lempiras to leave Honduras (about $4) and I had to pay $15 to get into Nicaragua.  But I made it across the border with the right paperwork...breathe!

Like I explained in a previous post, I didn't really know what to expect on the trip, and had no idea what my purpose was on the trip, but I was ready to get out of my boat and walk in a deeper faith.

We were working with a local church in Nicaragua.

They were training the young people who came on the trip as well as the young people at the church how to share their faith with others.  I sat in with the youth the first morning.  I loved the Biblical truths they were teaching the young people.  Giving them a good foundation and teaching them how to share with others.

While I was enjoying being with the young people and meeting new friends from Nicaragua, I was feeling very sick that first day.  I had woken with a horrible headache and it would not go away.  I was feeling so sick I just wanted to lay down.  So at our first break I told Marjorie and one of the pastors I needed to lie down, so I went to our bus and slept most of the afternoon.  I think it was a combination of the busy month I had had with little rest and the stress of the day before leaving on the trip it was all just too much and I needed to rest. 

I woke up that afternoon and went with one of the groups as they were going to walk to a nearby park and right down their testimony.

I enjoyed getting some fresh air and just sitting in the park.

Later we split into groups and walked through the neighborhood to invite people to come that evening to the Jesus movie.  One of my new friends, Silvia, told me, you can invite them.  I said I cannot invite them in Spanish they won't understand me.   She told me, you invite them in English and I will translate for you.  So that was what we did!  I loved it!  So glad that I could feel a part, feel like I was being active with the team.  So we walked all through the neighborhood talking with people and inviting families to the movie that night.

Here is Silvia with twin girls from the one the houses we stopped at.

After all the walking I was wiped out.  After not being able to eat dinner and taking some Alka Seltzer that didnt' stay down either, I was back on the bus to sleep during the movie. 

Everyone on the team was so kind and kept checking on me.  I was praying and asking God why he had sent me on this trip to be sick and feel so horrible.  Well thankfully I woke the next morning feeling happy and well and refreshed and ready for a Coca Light!  So thankful I was feeling better!

 

Here are my roommates for the week!  Love these girls!

This was taken at our hotel.



This day was full of more trainings for the youth.  This time I stayed with Marjorie and we received training from Pastora Xenia and Pastor Arnulfo.  It was a great day with a lot of good teaching.  That afternoon we walked back to the park for a little fun.  We swung on swings and talked, I practiced speaking Spanish.  Everyone was very patient with me! 

This is Pastora Xenia, she is the wife of Pastor Jose from the church in San Pedro Sula.  She was the sweetest most precious lady!  She is having fun on the teeter totter with some of the young girls from her church.

 

 

 

That evening we had a service outside in front of the church.  A lot of LOUD worship music - I LOVE it!  So much fun!  And Pastor Jose shared a message with many who came from the neighborhood.  It was a fun night.

 

 

Getting set up for the evening service.  We took over the street in front of the church.

 



 

The church we worked with in Nicaragua

 

 

The funny thing that night was saying goodbye to the folks in Nicaragua.  I have been on the receiving end of missionary teams for so many years, it was weird to be the visiting missionary. 

 

 

Young people from Honduras and Nicaragua.

 

The young man in the middle is Graybim.   I was sitting beside him the first day, and he was thrilled to speak English with me!  He is a precious young man and I enjoyed meeting him.

 



 



FIRST PLACE MEDALS

 

Chess - Gordon Leland Baker

Science Exhibit - Research  - Krissia Paz and  Gordon Leland Baker

They made a hydraulic arm - great project!

 

 

Social Studies - Research - Olga Patricia Urquia Benitez and Fernando Velasquez Garci

PACE Bowl   -  Ana Raquel Mejia. Blanca Emelina Santos Bonilla, Nohelia Euceda and Kemel Alexis Sanchez

Poetry Writing  -  Selina Roberts

B&W Photo. - Char. Trait -  Cristy Alejandr Santos Moreno

Color Photo. - Still Life -  Fernando Velasquez Garci

Color Photo. - Special Effects -  Esmeralda Karin Mendoza Navarro

Color Photo. - Plants -   Fernando Velasquez Garci

Color Photo. - Computer Enhancement -- Daniel Armando Varela

Boys 1600 Meter Run --   Andres Ricardo Lagos Martinez

Girls 1600 Meter Run -   Katherine Paola Flores Salgado

Girls Tennis -   Esmeralda Karin Mendoza Navarro

Female Trio-   Ana Raquel Mejia, Andrea Maria Castillo, and Maria Celeste Castillo

Large Ensemble - Daniela Sarahi Caballero, Susana Elizabeth Ramos, Dassia Marbely Gonzales Escobar, Sandy Elizabeth Martinez Lopez, Nicol Alejandra Rios Bonilla, Alejandra Cervantes Martinez, Olga Patricia Urquia Benitez, Katherine Paola Flores Salgado, MaireMaegan Kathleen Loughnane, Ana Raquel Mejia, Andrea Maria Castillo, Maria Celeste Castillo, Blanca Emelina Santos Bonilla. Gabriela Dean Mejia, Nohelia Euceda, Krissia Paz, Esmeralda Karin Mendoza Navarro, Salvador Rene Sabillon Campos, Andres Ricardo Lagos Martinez, Oscar Pineda

Dramatic Dialogue -  Ana Raquel Mejia and Nohelia Euceda

These girls did a great job!  They were portraying Ruth and Naomi.  Their dialogue had such feeling in it I cried watching their performance.  They did a great job!!

 

 

One-Act Play/Skit  -   Andrea Maria Castillo, Maria Celeste Castillo, Krissia Paz, Esmeralda Karin Mendoza Navarro, Salvador Rene Sabillon Campos (in the one act play, Andrea played the part of Doubt - she scared the crud out of me - she did such a great job!  )

Pennant Design -   Maria Celeste Castillo

SECOND PLACE MEDALS

Watercolor -  Natalia Cubas

Clay Sculpture  -  Andrea Maria Castillo

 

 

B&W Photo. - Plants & Animals 2 Esmeralda Karin Mendoza Navarro

B&W Photo. - Char. Trait -   Krissia Paz

Color Photo. - Still Life -   Olga Patricia Urquia Benitez

Color Photo. - Char. Trait --   Nohelia Euceda

Color Photo. - Plants --  Nohelia Euceda

Girls 100 Meter Dash -- Selina Roberts

Girls 200 Meter Dash -- Nury Crissell Flores

Girls 400 Meter Relay -   Daniela Sarahi Caballero, Susana Elizabeth Ramos, Maria Fernanda Lavaire Maldona, and Selina Roberts

Girls 1600 Meter Relay -   Maria Fernanda Lavaire Maldona, Tiffani Yulisa Arias Valle, Nury Crissell Flores, and Gabriela Dean Mejia

Soccer Kick -   Oscar Pineda

Basketball -  Carlos Roberto Mejia Cantarero, Andres Ricardo Lagos Martinez, Ricardo David Velasquez, David Arturo Garcia Melgar, Ricardo Sadith Galeano Mejia, Oscar Pineda, Daniel Armando Varela, Fernando Velasquez Garcia, Gordon Leland Baker, Noah Cubas

Girls Table Tennis -   Nohelia Euceda

Female Solo -   Ana Raquel Mejia

Scripture Video-   Selina Roberts, Gabriela Dean Mejia, Nohelia Euceda, Daniel Armando Varela, and Gordon Leland Baker

Pennant Design -  Andrea Maria Castillo

Chess  -  Kemel Alexis Sanchez

Social Studies - Research -   Blanca Emelina Santos Bonilla

Essay Writing -   Andrea Maria Castillo

Andrea did a fantastic job on her Essay. She wrote about abortion.  I love this sentence from her essay:  " Abortion is not just killing an embryo alive it is also killing the purpose for what we were made and the will of God."  I told her when I read it for the first time that I really found that sentence to say it all!  It is a very powerful statement! 

Boys 1600 Meter Relay -  Salvador Rene Sabillon Campos, Andres Ricardo Lagos Martinez,

Ricardo David Velasquez, and Ricardo Sadith Galeano Mejia

THIRD PLACE MEDALS

Girls 200 Meter Dash -   Selina Roberts

Girls 400 Meter Dash - Alejandra Cervantes Marti

Girls 1600 Meter Run - Dassia Marbely Gonzales Escoba

Boys Table Tennis - Fernando Velasquez Garci

Female Solo - Nohelia Euceda

Dramatic Monologue - Dassia Marbely Gonzales Escoba

In Dassia's monoluge she was Mary, the mother of Jesus.  When I first read the script she had written I had chills as I read it and felt the emotion she put into it.  When I saw her perform it, Oh my gosh!  Very powerful!  She made me cry!  She made herself cry too, but it was because she used Cofal (a muscle ointment) near her eyes at the right moment to make herself tear...only then she could not shut it off until she could get away and wash it off her face!  Oh Dassia :)

 

Group Bible Speaking  -  Olga Patricia Urquia Benitez, Ana Raquel Mejia, Andrea Maria Castillo, Maria Celeste Castillo, Blanca Emelina Santos Bonilla, Gabriela Dean Mejia, Nohelia Euceda, Krissia Paz, Kemel Alexis Sanchez, Carlos Roberto Mejia Cantarero, Salvador Rene Sabillon Campos, Andres Ricardo Lagos Martinez,  Oscar Pineda, Daniel Armando Varela, Fernando Velasquez Garcia, and Angie Mungura

FOURTH PLACE AWARD

Checkers -  Oscar Pineda

Spelling -  Blanca Emelina Santos Bonilla

Sketching -  Nury Crissell Flores

Pen and Ink -  Andrea Maria Castillo

B&W Photo. - Still Life -  Alejandra Cervantes Marti

Color Photo. - Char. Trait-  Natalia Cubas

Boys 100 Meter Dash - Ricardo Sadith Galeano Mejia

Boys 200 Meter Dash - Gordon Leland Baker

Boys 1600 Meter Run - Kemel Alexis Sanchez

Girls 400 Meter Dash - Nicol Alejandra Rios Bonilla

Physical Fitness -  Andres Ricardo Lagos Martinez

Girls Tennis -  Krissia Paz

FIFTH PLACE AWARD

B&W Photo. - Char. Trait -   Selina Roberts

Color Photo. - Char. Trait -  MaireMaegan Kat Loughnane

Girls 400 Meter Dash -  Sandy Elizabeth Martinez Lopez

Girls 400 Meter Relay -  Cristy Alejandr Santos Moreno, Angie Mundai, Nury Crissell Flores, and

Gabriela Dean Mejia

FIFTH PLACE AWARD

Soccer Kick -   Carlos Roberto Mejia Cantarero

Boys Table Tennis -   Oscar Pineda

Boys Tennis -   David Arturo Garcia Melgar

Female Solo -  Esmeralda Karin Mendoza Navarro

SIXTH PLACE AWARD

Poetry Writing -   Natalia Cubas

Pen and Ink -   Maria Celeste Castillo

B&W Photo. - Scenic -  Gordon Leland Baker

B&W Photo. - Char. Trait - David Arturo Garcia Melgar

Boys 100 Meter Dash -  Salvador Rene Sabillon Campos

Girls 100 Meter Dash -  Gabriela Dean Mejia

Physical Fitness -  Kemel Alexis Sanchez

Boys Table Tennis -  Carlos Roberto Mejia Cantarero

Boys Tennis -  Daniel Armando Varela

TEAM SPORTS

Girls Futbol (soccer) - FIRST PLACE~!!
Girls Volleyball - FIRST PLACE!!

Boys Futbol (soccer) - SECOND PLACE
Boys Volleyball - THIRD PLACE

In addition to all these awards, we had three students receive a C.A.P. award, which is an award based on the number of entries you win in all the areas.  Communication and Potential Leadership Award.  I had girls who won 1st, 2nd and 3rd place in this event.  This is a big accomplishment!

Congratulations to 1st Place -   Andrea

Congratulations to 2nd Place -  Krissia

 

 

Congratulations to 3rd Place -   Esmeralda

 



 

I am thankful for a new month!  March was busy, overwhelming, exciting, and stressful. 

During March we were busy preparing for the Central America Student Convention where our students spend the week with other students from A.C.E. schools in Central America.  We have many competitions and games and the kids always make new friends and get to reunite with friends they have not seen since last year's convention.  The kids love it and I love it too!

My students all did great in their competitions.  Many coming home with medals, or were part of a team that won a trophy, and they have great memories from the week.

 

I would like to share some of their entries with you.

Testimony

Everything started since I was a baby,

Problems between my parents got crazy.

I lived with my grandma,

I was happy then.

A few years later her life came to end.

I felt lonely I cried every night.

I wondered if GOD was by my side.

I heard about Emos,

It sounded very cool,

But all that stuff made me look like a fool.

I cut myself to make the pain leave,

I was harming myself and my family.

My mother always prayed for GOD’s help,

Because of her prayers I realized a thing.

GOD never left, He was always with me

I was so blinded I couldn’t feel His love,

Now I know He is the only one I can trust.

I might fall sometimes since I’m not perfect,

Now I have God that makes my change worth it.

 

Selina Saray Roberts Rivera

1^st Place Poetry Writing

 

These girls sang The More I Seek You by Kari Jobe and received first place!  I cried while they sang this song.   They were beautiful!  That is one of my favorite songs and I was so moved by them singing this song.