Chiloé Island: Boats, Boats and More Boats

Chiloé is a beautiful island in southern Chile. I was blessed with the opportunity to go visit some friends, Bekii and Travis in Chiloé at the close of Christmas vacation, just before jumping back into the swing of school again. The six days I spent with Bekii and Travis were some of the most relaxing days I have had in a while, I think it has something to do with the ocean. The view out their front window overlooks the water and on a clear day, one can see the Andes on the mainland in the distance.

It wasn't very clear most of the time I was there. I got to experience more authentic Chilote weather with rain and overcast skies, but it was still very enjoyable. One day Bekii and I took a stroll down the beach as far as we could go and stopped to chat on some rocks jutting into the water. We were there for quite some time and noticed the sky starting to turn from blue to gray. Just as Bekii turned to suggest returning home we felt the raindrops. We tried running at one point back to the beach entrance, but it was difficult, so we stopped under some trees. Just then Travis called and informed us he was laughing, then he offered to pick us up in the truck at the beach entrance. We didn't get too wet and dried off pretty quickly, thankfully and thanks to the ride from Travis. =) Even if we had gotten drenched, the time we got to spend together by the water talking about life would have been worth it!

I enjoyed meeting their friends and neighbors, taking a boat ride to see penguins, playing Ticket to Ride over and over again,  and going to a chochoca festival (potato and flour roasted on a big spit then served with pulled pork inside...delish!)

One of the best experiences was seeing how God is moving in the lives of the kids in the community. Travis and Bekii and another lady in the community run a kids club on Saturday mornings. They used to have just a handful of kids, now there are almost 20! They are coming each week and hearing that no matter what anyone tells them, God loves them. I almost got emotional in the little community center listening to the kids recite their memory verse about obeying their parents complete with motions.

I loved seeing how God is working in Chile, just as he is working all over the world. Thanks Bekii and Travis for opening your home to me and giving me a glimpse into your lives. I hope to come back again some day soon!

-Kait

Bragging Rights

Why do I love my job?
Because my students are fantastic.

I enjoy going to school each day and we laugh (a lot) and learn together. They have really blessed me. Some of you may remember how last year I was struggling with the first year teacher syndrome of not feeling good enough and comparing myself to other teachers and falling short in my own eyes. My students this year have told me numerous times how much they love learning with me and that they love that they can laugh with me. They even had a surprise birthday party for me and then washed dishes to pay for the cake that the cook at school made for it!

So what does a typical day look like?
Morning work on the board, kids coming in and taking care of their bags. Starting (at their own pace) their morning work. I take attendance and they order lunch. The personal assistant for the week waters our pet plants, Bob and Tom (tomato plants). Morning devotions. As soon as my pink and green Bible comes out the hands shoot up to read the verse of the day. Occasionally further discussion arises after we read the devotion book and then someone prays. (Always for the sick people all over the world, that they wouldn't die. I love kids' prayers!)

Language Arts and read aloud.
Break
Math Class
Lunch and Recess
Spanish(sometimes 2 periods of Spanish and with a different teacher)
Science or Social Studies

I love Social Studies and trying to find more hands on ways to dive into history like when we made our classroom a map and the desks formed the Appalachian and Rocky Mountains and the big open space in the middle was the Great Plains then we re-enacted Louis and Clark. So fun! Or when we created the Sistine Chapel in our classroom and the kids drew Bible scenes under their desks and then we put them on the ceiling. Always a favorite. (They can sympathize with Michelangelo now!)

Bible
We get into all kinds of discussions in Bible like what is the difference in a sacrifice in the Old Testament and the sacrifice that Jesus made for us. (Thanks BK for teaching us the 2 cliffs diagram in the Student Leadership Team back in high school...definitely was used in this explanation!)

Or, how do we respond when people treat us unfairly...Joseph, well timed to go with our Thanksgiving story and the Legend of Squanto (one of my personal heroes). Revenge is never the answer and somehow God works things together for good and his glory.

In the middle of these conversations as years of Sunday School lessons come flooding to my mind I am asking God, why me? Why did you send me here to show the truth to these precious kids, eager to learn? I am so blessed. I would not trade this for anything in the world. They are 75% of the reason why I am staying in Argentina longer.

God is good and I love my students.
-Miss (pronounced meess)

New Year Anticipation

Back in July I posted about the song "Beautiful Things" by Gungor, claiming it as the theme song of my school. Six months later I can say that it was an accurate description. God really is bringing beauty out of chaos. But not only is it a song for BAICA, it was a song for me too.

2011 was a year of springtime, the moving from winter to summer. God has been softening my heart and asking me to let go of somethings I was clinging to quite desperately. Only recently have I been sincerely willing to begin letting go and allowing God to have those things. And as he was gently taking them from me, he whispered to my heart that everything is going to be okay and that he has something great and wonderful in store for me. The peace that comes with that is indescribable, and the anticipation is immense!
2012, I have great expectations for you! Is it almost summer?

In news about the children's home, many of you have been asking me how things are going there. Because of my photography class this past semester we've not been able to have our visits as frequently as before, but we still try to go at least once a month. The kids are as lively as ever and still continue to greet us with shouts and hugs. There are more little ones there now than when we started going, many under the age of 6. They are so precious and just want to be held or sit on your lap...which is easy, it doesn't require language!

Now for the news of 2012, many of you know this already, but it is time to make it public. I've decided to stay for another school year in Argentina. I will continue at BAICA through the 2012-2013 school year and my family is coming to visit me in June 2012. I'm very excited about the upcoming visit.

Thank you for your prayers, please be praying for students to come to BAICA, we really need to grow. (I'd like to have a class larger than 4 next year!) Blessings to you in your new year.

Anticipating summertime
-kait

A Joyful Heart is Good Medicine

Where does one begin? This year is Thanksgiving number 3 spent away from family. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday so this should give me reason to complain about the separation, but I will not complain. Two years ago I celebrated Thanksgiving in China, the first time away from my family for a major holiday and it was one of the loneliest days of my life. I wanted to badly to be with them and I cried a lot that day. God showed me a lot about his love during that time - that He never leaves me. Psalm 138-139. I needed to experience that extreme loneliness to prepare me for my adventure to Argentina. 

God is leading me on the most amazing adventure - sure its a lot of day in and day out going to work and living a normal life - but in that routine, I have much to say thank you for. 

1. A fantastic class. I love them, they make my job fun and I love being their teacher. They have restored my heart from extreme self criticism and doubt. Thank you God for my students. 

2. BAICA. Thank you God for breathing new life into our school and giving us another chance. I love this place. 

3. My photography class. Thank you for an opportunity to learn techniques to improve my photography. Also it is helping me move closer to my goal of higher Spanish fluency. 

4. My spanish teacher. She is great and really knows how to challenge me according to my level. Gah! Subjuntivo is SOOOO hard to master! Thanks Mariela.

5. Opportunities to travel. In January I went south to see spectacular parts of Argentina and remember it fondly - I want to go back. Later today I go to Iguazu Falls - I can't believe I am actually going! (If it joins the 7 wonders of the world, I will have seen 2!) Who would have known?!

6. My Argentina friends/family. I couldn't survive down here without the support of my Argentine family the España girls: Anna, Becky, Lauren, Brittny and Donna. And my friends Kris and Candy are essential to my life here as well. So many memories have been made with them. When I told God I didn't want to go overseas alone, I needed someone to make memories with - He gave me 7+ someones. =) God is good. 

7. Julie, Danielle and my family in the States. Your love and support of my life here is invaluable. Thank you for the emails, skype dates, phone calls, letters and packages. They make home not seem so far away (even when I have to wait 3 hours at the post office to pick up my birthday box!). I love you. 

8. Finally, I am so thankful for all of you, my supporters and prayer warriors. I could not be on this adventure without you and I know I say that all the time, but it really is true. Because of your support, I've been able to freely get involved with my community here and go on photography trips and begin relationships with my classmates. I've been able to take spanish classes and get to know my teacher better. Thank you for your prayers as well, they are greatly coveted and appreciated. I am here because of you. 

So as I wrap this up to eat a delicious breakfast prepared by Becky, I am reflecting on how blessed I am. Thank you Jesus for life, love, friends, family and Argentina adventures.

-kait

Morning Conversations

I'm letting you in on an ongoing conversation I've been having with Jesus lately. It is something I've been struggling through recently and I'm opening it up to your input because God also speaks through those around us.

This is from my journal entry this morning.

"Yesterday we (You and me) were talking about generosity and taking care of the poor and the widow.
     Micah 6:8 'He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly, and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.'

To act justly: to act in accordance with moral or social standards.

moral: concerned with the principles of right and wrong.

to love mercy: the feeling that motivates compassion

compassion: a deep feeling of kindness that results in an act to help.

to walk humbly: meekness or modesty in behavior, attitude or spirit; not arrogant or prideful; unpretentious

God, I want to be generous and compassionate to people less fortunate than me. I want to share my blessings. I have a hard time with the begging though - it doesn't help them  with their problem, it only fixes the current symptom: I'm hungry. There are times when I feel you prompting me to give coins to the beggars and other times I just feel frustrated and uneasy. I don't want to give because I see them week after week on the same train, doing the same thing. There are organizations in place to help people get out of poverty (like kiva.org, or mediapilapais.com.ar) - I'd like to invest in something like this - but then where does that leave me with the day to day? Do I set aside money specifically to give in those instances? Do I just listen for your promptings and struggle through the internal feelings?

You had compassion on the beggars and gave them what they needed to improve their life situation in order to give you glory. Do I carry around granola bars or the like in my bag and give those to the hungry beggars and children? (It makes it easier to decide when they are sitting outside the grocery store with specific needs and requests).

I just don't know.

-kait

Clay, a Pawn, a Heart - All in the Master's Hands

I've been itching to really blog for the last few posts more than just updates on what I'm doing but that seems to be what ends up coming out. Maybe because I'm not sure how honest I want to be on the internet. I'm so glad that God uses us despite our weaknesses and that in fact he desires to use our weaknesses. So often I find myself in front of my class reading a passage, a Bible lesson or a devotional and I can sense the Holy Spirit convicting me..."Kaitlin, do you hear that? Its not just for them, its for you too."

For instance, this week we were talking about sacrifices and what it looks like today. "You know, like giving your time to God, taking time for him and not giving him the leftovers, or falling asleep at the end of the day and you suddenly realize you haven't taken time with Jesus yet." Yeah, that's me. I'm too tired that I don't want to sacrifice my morning and then by the time I crawl into bed, I fall asleep before I've gotten to spend quality time with God. Ok God, let's re-arrange my heart.

He's been working in my heart in other areas too and I don't understand it. God, I barely give you the time of day, yet you are spring cleaning my soul. Oh right, Christianity isn't a formula, I do x so that you do y...no, I gave you my life and you are making me more like you because you love me and want to use me where I am. Because I am weak and can't do it on my own.

I've become part of an English speaking "life group". We've been working through Tim Keller's "The Reason for God". This small group of people, most of whom I didn't even know 6 weeks ago, have become very close to my heart. We all have different backgrounds and life experiences, yet we love the same Jesus and want to impact the world around us. I'm so thankful for these friends.

My parents might not enjoy reading this part, but I am feeling more and more like this place is home. I have my job, my house, my friends, the grocery stores I like to shop at, a hair dresser, my favorite restaurants, my church, my small group, and I'm even taking a class. No, I don't see it as home forever, in fact I'm not sure how long it will be home, but for now I feel settled, and the people who said it would take awhile were right. It's been almost 2 years.

Jesus, re-arrange my heart. Make me a pawn in your hand.

kait

Spring is on the Way

The back door is open and it smells like spring! It feels like springtime in my life too. Things at school are encouraging and that definitely adds a positive outlook to life in general. I am feeling content.

LOVING my photography class. I don't seem to mind waking up early on a Saturday morning to get to class and I've learned so much. We went on a field trip last weekend to Tigre and I got to practice a lot. Here are two of my pictures from the outing.



Went to the ballet last night at Teatro Colon, an elegant old theater in the center of the city. The dancers were very talented and the story line was very interesting. I couldn't believe that I was sitting in such beautiful theater for the performance. I felt very sophisticated. (These photos aren't the best because I was trying to take them in a hurry a dim theater without the flash).

There is not much to update right now because life here is just life for me, so I don't want to bore you with the little details of "I went here yesterday for coffee" etc etc. I have started attending an English Bible Study which has been good for me, to discuss biblical topics with fellow believers in English.

Now is the time I need to begin thinking about my decision for the future...do I stay another school year at BAICA or move somewhere else (mainly the States). Your prayers for wisdom in my discerning God's direction is much appreciated.

Life is good, Glory to God.
-kait