Thanksgiving

Yesterday was Thanksgiving. This is the first year I have been away from my family for a Holiday like this. I was really sad about it, but it ended up being pretty similar to Thanksgiving at home. (minus all my beloved family members) I really have a lot to be thankful for this year. God has just really blessed me.
The day started out with class. (haha yes we still had class) But we did one on one studying with each of the kids (I had help from Ines and Cynthia helping study, and Matt watching the kids who weren't studying...thank you!!) After class they set up a huge table outside at the orphanage and we all got to sit around the same table for our Thanksgiving meal. We each went around to say what we were thankful for (some of the kids said theirs in english) and Cantal and Ines helped explain what Thanksgiving was in the U.S. The food was almost tradtional Thanksgiving food and was very delicious. I really enjoyed being able to have Thanksgiving with all the kids and hearing what they were Thankful for. The Tia's though they took their Thanksgiving food home and did not eat with us also shared what they were thankful for. After the meal we went to a parade. Starting this last wednesday, until this coming wednesday its "Shell days". They have 3 parades, they vote for a queen for Shell days, there was a talent show last night and there are other people from the other parts of the Pastaze Providence staying in Shell for the week. It's very interesting and Shell is a lot busier than normal!
Last night at about a quarter till 7 we started heading over to ANOTHER thanksgiving. (haha 2 Thanksgivings...very much like home) It was with some of the other missionaries in Shell. Anyone who doesn't have family here was invited. This was more of a traditional feeling Thanksgiving. We even had improvised sweet potatoes...which were very good. And more colorful! The potatoes are a purple color...and on top of that the marshmellows were colored marshmellows! After dinner we sat around and sang gospel and worship songs with a guitar. (The music part that always comes into play at family events at my dads) We were there until about 10:30. It was really nice to be with other people close to my age and just hang out and sing together. By the time we got home I was so tired, well I was actually ready for a nap after the first thanksgiving meal...then it was off to bed for me. (well after a little bit of reading)
Just being here longer and longer I feel so THANKFUL for the position God has put me in right now. Just the other day I was at the park with my kids and I was swinging with them, every way I turned my head there were mountains... These mountains are so huge and beautiful. Back to where I was in just being so amazed at the creativity of God. I can't get over it. The things he is doing in peoples lives, being able to see him in them, being able to see his hand in these kids lives, I have no words for it. I am just thankful to be a part of it, a part of all these amazing peoples lives. I really, really miss my family and friends...but I wouldn't have spent this Thanksgiving any other way if I could have :-)

Querido Diario

It's Tuesday! The weeks go by so fast! Yesterday was a really hard, long day. Not only did we have a hard time in class paying attention or following instructions (which we missed out on going to the park because of). We started working on some math that no one really understood, or could comprehend because of the language barrier. Then I had a horrible headache and skipped out on the military workout class to watch Oklahoma. Then it was bed time for me. Today has been 100% better! We didn't do math until the end of class which everyone seemed to grasp the concept today.Also we spent most of our time reading, memorizing and learning a couple songs about Jesus birth in english and in spanish! Which the kids really enjoyed. We also got to go to the park for a little bit today because they were not when they werent supposed to and following directions very well.(only complaining a little when it was time for math)Cynthia, Matt, Luke and I went to lunch at Alexanders today which was very good. Soon I am going to go back to the orphanage to play for a bit and talk to Patti Sue about picking up mail and also have spanish lessons. Then tonightI should probably go to the workout class since I skipped last night. Especailly if I am planning on eating all the goodie Christmas food when I get back. mmm. Speaking of good holiday food. Thursday is Thanksgiving! They celebrate Thanksgiving at the orphanage. All of the older kids get to say what they are thankful for before everyone eats. It's not as traditional, as far as foods gobut its the thought that matters. That they are giving thanks to God for the things in their lives they are thankfulfor. What else is Thanksgiving about? Thats about all that is going on right now. Also, if you haven't, check out Matt's blog. He's a good writer.www.facelessinternational.com/forumsthen scroll down until you see his name..Matt Davis


Chao!

I'll Be Home For Christmas....You Can Plan On Me

It's the weekend! I woke up at about 9am today, ate some breakfast, started reading a new book, listened to some Christmas music and got ready to go to Banos for Christmas shopping with the "family"! Got some fun stuff...ate at a really good Swiss restaurant with a waitor who spoke english, and now I am at home and we are having family fun night. Which just includes movie after movie since we have use of the upstairs tv since the Waskosky's are on their Thanksgiving trip! I am actually in the middle of movies typing this..
Today has been a really great relaxing day. I love the hour bus ride to Banos. I think I could ride it everyday and not get sick of it. I'd just be even more amazed with God's creativity. The mountains are outrageously beautiful. It amazes me how he planned out how different parts of the world would be, in every aspect. I can't think of a better word to describe it other than amazing.
Speaking of amazing...there is no copywrite law here and the next movie they just put in was one of the $1.50 movies someone bought. Ha and this time by amazing I mean that someone went into the theatre and used a small video camera to tape it. So you can see the top of peoples heads and its pretty shakey. However it is in english, but it has spanish subtitles. Very interesting..

Oh and one other interesting things in my day was that I had to pay 10 cents to use a public restroom.

I think that about sums up today..
Tomorrow I think we are having family breakfast and then Chantals class is coming over to watch a movie.
I think that if its not raining we are going to take some of the other kids swimming..

E-mail me if you want to chat more. missie8085@hotmail.com
Or talk to me on msn messanger..

love,love,love

Esta Viernes!

It's the weekend! I actually got some pictures of my class today thanks to Chantal for letting me borrow her camera! However I can't get any to upload on here...but there are 8 on facebook. We didn't do a whole lot today since it was friday. We did our Bible verse and some sentences in english using the same 12 vocabulary words from yesterday and a little bit of math. Oh we also worked on "Go Tell it on The Mountain" which some of the kids will be singing for a community Christmas program. :-)
Again I am not sure what is in store for this weekend...
I am just so tired right now I don't even want to go to my spanish lesson.
Napping sounds great..

try this...
facebook album
ESCUELA

Esta Jueves!

It's almost the weekend! And we just got some bannana's from our bannana tree! And we ordered pizza tonight! Can life get any better? haha. Pizza here isn't the same as pizza in the US though. No sauce. Kinda salty. But still good.
Anyway. Today. It was the first day I gave the kids homework. When I went back to the orphanage after lunch they were working on it! It went much better than I thought. Santiago, who was really upset with me in class, was even doing his homework! haha. Also Rosa finished her letter and decided it should go to Leah since they are the same age.
I don't think that I mentioned in my last post that the kids are going to have pen pals. Maybe I did? Well...they are going to have pen pals in the states. I think it will be fun for them to learn to write letters in english as well as make friends and learn about a different culture. We already wrote letters but they were even more excited when I told them their new friends names and ages.
They are also suprising me at how good they are at math and how easy they catch on. We started working on adding with expressions. (eg: 5+N=7 sooo N=2) Get it?
We are also working on a list of 33 vocabulary words. We did 12 today. They had to write sentences in english with their vocab words.
Wooo, I think the kids are ready for the weekend too. They keep asking to come to my house to color and play cards.
Which I am not sure what the plans are for the weekend. I think camping on the property. (which there is some good news about that)
And going grocery shopping. Who knows what else. Playing with some kids. I know Chantals class is coming over on Sunday. Maybe I will take the kids swimming if its not raining?

Anyway..back to good news.

Patti Sue was saying the plan is to be on the property by March. Which is great news. If they get the money to finish the multi-use building they can move up there and not have to pay rent!! Which is an extra $400 a month to go towards building. Annnd that much closer to a better life for the kids....
here's the dream:
One multi-use building
A bunch of small house's to fit 5 or so kids plus one adult
Classrooms for home schooling
Patti Sue's house
A Guest house

This is all so the kids can have more one on one attention in more of a family like environment.
Plus the better education for the kids since they will learn in english and with home schooling advantage.
A guest house for groups that come to help out at the orphanage. (or teachers, nurses, ect.)

Plus they will be out of the center of shell, with more room to run around and play without worries. :-)

If you have any questions about what else is going on..or want to help out...or have questions...email me!
Or you can check out the orphanage website and sign up for Patti Sue's newsletter.

http://www.lacasadefe.org/

Anyway...pizza is almost here..
mmm



p.s. Patti Sue needs a kindergarden teacher in January and a sub for Chantals class for 2 weeks in April. Just something to pray about...
maybe you wanna come hang out.

ESTA MIERCOLES!

As you may know, I am currently in Shell Ecuador teaching english at La Casa De Fe orphanage. This week is my third full week of class. I feel really blessed that God has chosen me to be here for the kids in this season of their life. There are 54 amazing kids that live in the orphanage, 7 of them are in my class. They range from ages 7-11. They are extremely wonderful, smart kids. Things go a little slower in our class, as they are learning new things and english at the same time. I haven't set an exact cirriculum as my kids are all different levels and I am trying to find out what they know. Some of the kids have had more school than the others, but they all have great potential. Right now we are studying the Christmas story. We have been writing one verse from Matthew each day in spanish and in english and have read through it twice in both languages.We also have vocabulary words each week. Today we had our first test. The kids did pretty good. After class I ususally come home for lunch and then head back to the orphanage to play for a while before my spanish-english lessons with Ines.(I teach her english and she teaches me spanish) It can be very difficult since neither of us speaks the others language, except a few words. None-the-less it's going pretty good. We only study for an hour.... but it is everyday.
Chantal and I take a free Ecuadorian aerobics class Monday-Thursday. We have only been going 3 days a week. This week we were so excited to make it the whole 4 days that it goes on, to find out tomorrow it is cancelled! So...three days again.
Thanksgiving is soon! Then Christmas! I can't believe how fast time goes.....