two point five weeks

I've been here for two and a half weeks now. It is definately starting to feel comfortable. I'm enjoying myself more and I'm loving the people here. I met the teachers at NCA (the original school for missionary kids) first. I found them an enjoyable group to be around from the very beginning. Because I live with many of them in the same apartment complex, I have had a chance to get to know some of them a bit. The teachers at NCA Nejapa are great as well. Right now I'm spending the school day at Nejapa with the other teachers in some pre-season seminars (inservice days). That has been quite good for my Spanish because I've been listening all day and trying to speak a little. The lessons I am taking two days a week are also very helpful. The teachers are very patient with me in trying to explain themselves in a way that I understand. A couple of them know about as much English as I know Spanish, so it's easier to communicate with them. They're also helping me learn Spanish. I foresee a great year with these people. I love my coworkers already.

I'm also growing to love even more the idea behind NCA Nejapa. From what I can tell, it is entirely unique in that it is intentionally aimed at serving a middle income population. NCA's orininal school offers a high class education to missionaries and others who can afford it. There are other schools like NCA (I'm not sure if there are many schools with a Christian foundation) but I haven't heard of a school that is interested in serving a group that can't afford to spend a lot on education. I have recently begun to feel stronger the sense that we're different--that we care about all people, not just those who can pay, and also that we are sincerely interested in the growth of individual students. I've heard of another school in the area that provides a quality American education. This school has become more interested in catering to the wealthy and influential to such a degree that the students are not pushed to grow and learn as they should be. In this case, the student is always right so that the school will be sure to maintain the support of those powerful families. It seems that the school has come to idolize its prestige and money to the extent that it is sacrificing students. For this reason, I am excited to be a part of a school (and larger community) that values that actual growth and maturity of students over power and prestige. Perhaps one day we will be involved in making a similar education available to the poor. One step at a time as the Lord provides.

I think I will leave it there for now. A few prayer requests would include the following:

*That my preparations for week one will come together, and that I will feel confidence as I go about them.
*That my vision for what I am doing here grows and develops according to the Lord's direction.
*Prayers of thanks that I have the chance to work with wonderful people.

arrival

About four days ago I arrived to Managua's International airport. Thankfully I arrived with no real problems. The airport in Managua is surprisingly very nice--far nicer than Miami (which is not hard to believe if you have been there!), and I've heard it's the best in Latin America. It is very nice.

I still haven't started teaching, and I won't until February 6. That's great because it gives me some time to relax and prepare before things really get going. On my first day here, the director of the school took me to the Nejapa Campus (where I will teach, as opposed to the main campus of NCA). It was good to see it. The classrooms are enormous. Glen Carlson helped built them. At some point I will have to post some pictures. Right now there are two completed classroom buildings. Construction is almost complete for a building which will conain a library, computer lab, and main offices for NCA Nejapa. There is also a small building out of which they will serve food for lunches and snacks. All of the construction is supposed to be done before the beginning of the year, but I heard something about a delay due to funding. There are also plans build two more classroom buildings which will house the high schoolers as the school grows. Each year they will add an additional grade though high school. Last year they had grades 1-8, and this year they will have 1-9.

Next week Monday the teachers at Nejapa will meet together for the first time this year. I guess we'll start planning and going through some things together. It will be interesting to see how able I will be to participate. I'm the only one on staff that doesn't speak Spanish, and few of them speak much English.

If you would like to pray for me, here are a few things you can pray about:
* Not having taught before, I anticipate that designing lesson plans will be difficult for me. Pray that I will have the determination and creativity to come up with some good ideas before school starts. The next two weeks will include (or should include) a fair amount of planning. Hopefully it will be productive and eventually effective. Also pray that I stay positive in the face of feeling inadequate and incapable! :)
* I have heard that enrolment is down from what was expected and planned for. As the school is very new (one year behind them), they are still trying to figure out patterns and the best way to operate. They had a lot of interest initially, but are finding that rate of enrolment has dropped. Pray that we get enough new enrolments to be able to offer the students the best service possible.
* In general, you can pray that the Lord will prepare me to be in relationship with the students and other staff. Pray that he will fill me with a spirit of love and patience, as well as a desire to serve.

More later.