As of last week, we have officially started our full time ministry of working as teachers at the orphanage. I have ironically followed my mom’s footsteps by working with special needs students part time and spending the rest of the day teaching English. When we first got here, the missionary family that lives in our village asked me what age range we felt called to, and I, without missing a beat, said teenage girls. Anyone who knows me knows about my (slightly irrational) fear of middle school to high school aged teens. Yes, I know I am only 19, and qualify to be in that age range, but still I find this age range to be the most terrifying group of people. That being said, isn’t it funny how God has drawn me so close to all these middle and high school aged girls? Despite my preconceived negative connotations, I have managed to become friends with teens, both in the village where I live and the orphanage. God never ceases to amaze me by knocking down my walls and showing me that I really don’t need to fear what he sets before me.
Teaching is such an amazing experience, but when I tell you that teachers should be paid liked pro-athletes, I am not exaggerating even in the slightest. Working with my special needs kids is probably my favorite. With only 3 students, you’d think it would be a breeze, but everyday proves to be a different challenge. Since all three of them are so different, I have to make up almost everything as I go. The eldest student is learning to read easy, 2 syllable words and do math on a calculator. Another student is learning to write the alphabet because she has essentially no motor skills. The youngest child is just learning to grasp things with his hands. Although they are a challenge to work with, they are always a light to my day. My afternoon class is a bit more difficult. I have 7 girls ranging from the age of 12 to 17. Each of them has a basic understanding of how to read and write, but none of them know any English. Now, with a couple classes under my belt, I can see which girls really want to learn and which girls are hardly comprehending anything that comes out of my mouth. One of my biggest struggles is the fact that I’m not completely fluent in spanish, so sometimes I misinterpret something or completely butcher the spelling of a spanish word (or to be honest the worst is when I know they’re talking about me, but they speak too quickly for me to understand, so I just roll my eyes). One of the other girls that lives in the orphanage helps translate the class which is a great help. Without her, I’m not sure if I could keep the class in order. Other then that, I think I have been doing really well for a first time teacher.
We still help at the feeding center twice a week, but I have a hard time feeling the motivation to go there because of their lack of trust in us doing anything outside of passing out plates. Before i left for Honduras, my go coach told us a story about her Global Year trip and how she learned that you have to remember that cultures are different, so although someone maybe be doing something different, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s wrong. When she told us this, I thought “yeah okay”, but I didn’t think it would be relevant to us, but now working at the feeding center, I completely understand the need for the phrase. Sometimes I have to repeat it to myself under my breath so I don’t lose my patience, but it works for sure.
With Thanksgiving just around the corner, I feel like each day passes by faster and faster. I’m incredibly grateful that we attend an English speaking church. Thanks to the abundance of American missionaries, the church is hosting a Thanksgiving dinner. I will be cooking a sweet potato pie, sweet potato casserole, and green bean casserole. (Sidenote this is assuming I am not sick. I have been sick the last week, and it’s been awfully annoying. I haven’t been able to sing at church the last 2 weeks, and I have really missed it. I’m hoping this will be the last week of me being sick, so please keep me and my team’s health in your prayers.) Sweet potatoes are hard to find here, so I’m hoping I’ll find some at Pricesmart, which is basically a knockoff Costco. Although I’m excited, I’m also missing my family a lot. It’s really hard going through holidays without my family and close friends. (Update: since writing this we have had thanksgiving I finally have wifi of course a week later. Thankfully I am no longer sick and was able to cook all my thanksgiving goodies(God is good!). I ended up making scalloped potatoes,sweet potato casserole, and green bean casserole. All three came out really good there were no leftovers! It was a lot of fun laughing in the kitchen while making the dishes with the other girls. It gave me that taste of friendsgiving that I felt I was missing by not being home. It's funny though because the other girls didn't grow up cooking like I did, which is fine, but weird to me who knew how to dice an onion by the time I was 10(shoutout to my master chef dad).
The last 2 months have consisted of eating a ton of Honduran fast food, lots of sweaty kid hugs, and countless cold showers. I think I expected to be somewhere different at my 2 month marker. Actually, scratch that, I know for a fact that I’m not where I thought I would be but, it’s okay. I like where I am. I never would have pictured myself as a special needs teacher, but it’s right for me. I can feel it. I don’t really know what my next seven months will look like, but I know whatever it is, it's going to be great.
*the picture is from Thanksgiving with my Hondurian friend Angel and teamate Michelle.
