Hello everyone! Good news, I am finally ready to do a blog about all the things that we are doing in Colombia! I am going to add a few pictures for your enjoyment and also give more details on what exactly we are up to here in Filandia. You do not want to miss this one!
On Tuesdays and Fridays, we all load up the back of a jeep to head down some dirt roads toward the farm schools that we are helping with. We split up into groups of two and go to three different nearby schools. I think the farthest one is about fifteen minutes away. I thoroughly enjoy these rides because there is some beautiful scenery, which I have not captured on camera because I prefer to hold on tightly as we go along in the jeep. We all usually stand up in the back and there are no seatbelts, anyway. However, my teammate David Golub took a sweet video of the ride with his GoPro and posted it in his blog ¨First Few Days in Colombia,¨ if you would like to see it. I would check it out if I were you. You can click on his blog on the left side of this page.
My school is the closest one and my teaching partner is Zachery Calderon. We have eleven students in our class, ages ranging from 5 to 14. This is difficult since during most of the week they all share one teacher, bless her heart. Anyway, we teach three things each day: English, Religion (Bible stories), and Physical Education; which is really just playing games with the kids, which is really fun. We recently taught the kids how to play kickball! At first they were clueless, but they soon started catching on. When we came back and played again the next week, they almost knew what was actually going on. No matter how well they played or understood the game, it was so much fun to teach them something new! They also love to shoot basketball, and they especially love el fútbol (soccer).
We are really excited because two of our girls are going to a regional spelling bee next week to compete in the first round. Their names are Karen and Daniela. We have been working so hard on their spelling and pronunciation the past three weeks. Literally, almost two hours a day. I just know they are going to do so well. They are so smart! Of course, the other kids are really smart too, but not all of them have been studying as long as the others because many of these kids work on their farms. Some of their brothers, sisters and friends do not even go to school. It is sort of sad to me. However, I am really thankful and glad that these kids have the opportunity to go to school and even learn English (the best English that their teacher can provide for them). It will really help them to succeed later on, I believe. I am also really grateful for people like our hosts, Eyson and Karson Meneses (you will meet them in a later post, do not worry). They have such a passion for all of the kids and youth here in Filandia, and they visit these schools twice a week to help the kids learn English and, above all else, help them to better understand Jesus and His amazing Gospel! They are really inspiring to me. I so love encouraging all of these kids. If you have never had to learn another language, you cannot imagine the difficulty; and English is often recognized as the hardest. I realize this is true every time I try to explain to my kids why this word sounds like this, but is spelled like this. Almost no words in English look like they sound. With that in mind, please pray for these kids, that God would help them learn English because I know it will be a great advantage for them. Without further adieu, here they are!
From right to left, we have: Johan, me and Zachery in the back. In front, Gracie, Lizeth, Juan-David, Daniela, Juan-Carlos, Karen, Jo Favre, Camila, Heidy, and their teacher, Adriana.
Here is a close up of Jo Favre, swagging out in my WR hat and the sunglasses that I am currently borrowing from Zac.
To give an idea what Religion class looks like, today we watched a Veggie Tales video about forgiveness. It was interesting to watch Veggie Tales dubbed over in Spanish. This is a quote I shared with the class about unforgiveness.
Eyson decided to attribute the quote to me, which I did not accept but also did not erase my name before I took the picture. I am not sure where I first heard it, but the saying is true. This translates to: ¨To not forgive is like drinking poison and hoping that it hurts the other person.¨ So true. I hope that sticks with these kids when life gets real for them. I believe it will. Unforgiveness and bitterness are awfully harmful things. Not to the unforgiven, but to the one who refuses to forgive. I also encouraged the kids about our verse of the day, Colossians 3:13b, which says, ¨Just as God has forgiven us, you yourselves forgive others.¨ I told them that we not only forgive to because we are forgiven, but also, and most importantly, to reflect that love that God showed us by forgiving us to others by forgiving them, and loving them without conditions. We also talked about Matthew 18:22, ¨I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven.¨ Jesus said that in response to Peter asking Him how many times one should forgive a brother who sins against Him. Of course, Jesus did not mean 490 times. He meant every time, no matter what. I told the kids that and they seemed to understand that it was a sober concept. I think it was sinking in. Praise the Lord for that!
Here is a picture and short video of us playing kickball. The girl kicking is Gracie, one of the sweetest little girls I have ever met. The big kid is Johan, one of my favorite people ever. He is fourteen and hilarious. Every time we play sports, especially soccer, he commentates the game while playing. He told me he never has time to study, but his teacher says he has time because he is at the school almost every afternoon playing soccer for hours. How funny, typical fourteen-year-old guy.
That is all I have for now on the farm schools, but I promise to update you all again soon on the after school ministry, youth group, children’s church and everything else that J-Crew is up to here in Filandia. Peace and grace to all of you saints in Christ!
From Colombia with love.
Reece
