Well, it's been about a month since I've updated, so I thought that it was time! :)
I can hardly believe that I have less than a month here! I'm not counting down the time until I leave, but instead, the time until my parents arrive!! They'll be here on December 14, and I can hardly wait! I can honestly say that the past month has gone really fast. I've been staying pretty busy, especially the past few weekends, which really helps the time to go by fast.
My time at the school has also been going well. I am constantly frustrated with the language barrier, and try really hard to learn more, but it's so challenging. I'm basically learning by ear, which I don't do too well with. I understand quite a bit of what's being said, but talking to people is incredibly hard for me. I think that, if I was staying here longer, I would want to be in consistent Spanish classes so that I could continue to learn how to put sentences together better. I'm getting by just fine with what I know, but it's frustrating all the same.
The kids are so precious. Their smiles are contagious. I only have 2 full school weeks with them before their Christmas parties, and then I go home. I can honestly say that I have learned a lot, because special education is so much different here than it is in the States. Special Education, the way that it is in the States, is a blessing for sure! It's easy to complain about problems in a system that you're used to, but I don't feel like I have a right to complain about it anymore. It's a blessing to these kids that they get any kind of education at all. There are so many 'regular education' kids that don't get the opportunity to go to school, or want to go to school, so the fact that these kids have a place where their disabilities are addressed is amazing. So, in the spirit of the season, be thankful for school--even though it's hard sometimes! :)
Speaking of being thankful, this was my first Thanksgiving away from home, and I thought it would be a lot harder than it was. It was weird talking to my family about their plans, knowing that I wasn't included in them. But, I am so blessed that I have so many Americans around me that I could celebrate Thanksgiving with, not only once, but three times! The church that I go to, ICF (International Christian fellowship), had a big Thanksgiving dinner this past Sunday, which was delicious! We also had a time of giving thanks to God, and of course good fellowship. Then, on Wednesday, I had dinner with a friend and her family who is here visiting for Thanksgiving. Last night was also great...I had another traditional Thanksgiving meal with a few other missionary families. It was such a nice time of fellowship and playing games!
I feel so blessed that I had the opportunity, as a missionary, to celebrate this season of thanks with so many other Americans. I know that there are plenty of missionaries around the world that are in remote places and don't have the kind of options that I did for celebration.
For the sake of tradition, I'm going to share one thing that I am thankful for.
This Thanksgiving, I am especially thankful for God's promises that we, as His children, don't have to worry. I tend to worry constantly, and am incredibly anxious about a lot of decisions, and just my life in general. I am learning more and more that life is so much more enjoyable when I just give it all up to Him! I know, it sounds like something I should have known, right? Well, I did know it, but it takes an incredible amount of faith to actually do it! It's so scary, but at the same time very exciting!
I'm looking forward to seeing what the Lord has planned for me once I get back to the States-how my time here will shape my thinking and what my future holds.
I once again THANK YOU for all your prayers, love, and support! I would have never made it this far without them!
Love,
Rachel
