Today my kids wore white face paint and walked across a stage, acting out different qualities of a student who BUILDs others up. The looked like mimes, they sounded (or didn’t sound at all) like mimes, and they did wonderfully.
That was it. My last act as a teacher. Twenty little people who I have said goodbye to and leave in God’s hands.
It felt surreal today. Did I really decide to stay and do this in August? Has it really been nine and a half months since I first stood in front of these kids and listened to them say, “Mees, you’re young!”? What has changed except that I have a mind full of memories and a pocketful of teaching tricks?
God called me here this year. There is no doubt about that. And He has been faithful this year. After all, He can’t deny Himself. And I can’t speak for my students, but I know that He has worked in my heart. One of my student’s moms came up to me today and said, “You were like a butterfly this year. You came in as a baby and are leaving as an adult. You blossomed.” I don’t agree 100%, but I am different. I did grow up this year. Honestly, I don’t know if I like it all.
God has told us that in this world we will have trouble, and the New Testament is full of the church facing hard times. This year I got a taste of what it feels like to find joy in difficulty, and I know that there is only more ahead. That scares me. “He cannot deny Himself.” Trust.
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Hey,
ReplyDeleteSo right now I'm in Perth, Western Australia. There are these people from my church here who were/are doing missionary work in Sucre, Bolivia. They're back in Australia for a little while, and today at church they came to talk to us about the work they're doing in Bolivia. They're doing physical therapy and teaching others how to teach kids about God. And I dunno, it just reminded me of you. I know you're done teaching and everything, but you are in my prayers. :)
Thank you for your prayers! I'm always happy to hear about others doing God's work!
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