We found some items around the house and decided to give then to the English teacher that I am working with at a public school. 

This school is made up of mainly Nicaraguans who have parents working as maids and coffee farmers.  Needless to say, it is a very poor school.  The children are required to purchase their own books.  The English book cost $4.00, but many of the children do not have a book because they cannot afford to buy one. 

Going back to the teacher…..I really didn’t have much to give her, just a little bit.  In fact, it was kind of embarrassing to give so little to a teacher who is so underpaid and gives so much to the children. 

Yesterday, when I handed her a bag of items, she was totally surprised.  She almost cried and said that it was a gift from God and she knew how the items could best be used. 

Remember, I said it was almost embarrassing, but here is what I brought in:

Two half used Jonas Brother spiral notebooks- those are going to a family with 4 children that just started school the day before.  Two of the children did not have an English notebook. 

A paper print out of the Periodical Chart - this teacher is a single mom and she said that her 9^th grade son was told last week to purchase the chart, but she wasn’t sure how they were going to get it.

A box of white chalk- Chalk is not supplied in the schools.  There are both chalk boards and white boards, but chalk boards are used more because white board markers are expensive.   She kept telling what great quality the chalk was and how she wanted to take good care of it.

There are also some rocket crafts.  I am not sure what she has planned, but she was ready to build.  Maybe I will find out next week how she plans on using them. 

This little bit of cleaning didn't change the appearance of our house, but it will change the lives of many.  Maybe we can all look around our house and see what extras we can give to someone in need.

You have seen ice cream trucks, but this is a waffle truck.  Yummy, but not my biggest weakness!!!

My background is working with children and helping train youth and adult leaders.  A few years ago, I stepped out of my comfort zone and agreed to be an assistant soccer coach. Thinking that I needed to learn more, I took a referee class--- thank you Jesus that I have never been called on to use that skill!

Sometime last year, The Mission Society asked me to participate in a "Coaching Training".  I thought they sent the invitation to all of their missionaries and if you needed help coaching, you should reply. 

Then I received the email that read, "You are receiving this email because we have not heard from you."

Oops, this is when I had to admit my biggest weakness... not only to The Mission Society, but also to my husband that always teases me about this being a BIG weakness... Here we go, Hello, my name is Beth and I am an email skimmer. 

Had I read the first two or three emails, I don't remember how many I deleted, I would have realized that this was a special invitation sent to a select few.  Here it was an honor to recieve this invitation and I just threw it away without reading it. 

So, after admitting my failure to read, I was able to attend the Coaching Trainingin Brussels, Belguim.  It had nothing to do with sports, but being a better listener, asking good questions and helping people listen to the Holy Spirit.  It is the Holy Spirit that guides us in our decision making and isn't making better decisions a good way to spend our life!

Skipping ahead, for those other skimmers- the training was awesome and very informative, but I wasn't sure when I would use it.  At the training, I even asked a couple of the leaders why they thought I was invited.  They didn't give me an answer, but told me that I would find out.

That chance to find out came a couple weeks ago.

We were given an opportunity at the woman's prison where we lead Celebrate Recovery to extend our class by offering a Spanish class or counseling.  The ladies that I work with decided it would be great if I would help with the counseling.  My first thougth--- YIKES!  I have absolutely NO experience in counseling, especially when it comes to women in prison and the issues they are facing.  Then, my second thought was... how cool that I was allowed to be trained in a Coaching Class.  Now, I am able to see why God placed me in that exact place at that exact time. 

I was able to try out my new coaching skills this week.  It is a great ministry because I do not counsel, I do not even have to have the answers to the problems.  It takes prayer and asking the Holy Spirit to help guide the decisions of the girls with their issues. 

Okay, I know this was long, for my other fellow skimmers.  I will try to make the next one a little shorter. 

While cleaning, I ran across some old half used notebooks.  Instead of tossing them, because that is just wasteful; I started skimming the pages and found this note I had written last year.  It is somewhat jumbled, but I hope you enjoy.

Am I a Missionary?

Well, yes, I am a missionary, who just happens to serve cross culturally.  

Yet, I believe that all Christians are missionaries.  

It all starts with at home- how we treat the ones we love and that love us.  It expands when we find ourselves praying for others, others that we may not love or that may not know or love us.  It is a true petition prayer for them to have a better world through a relationship with Jesus Christ.  This process continues when we help by teaching the gospel.  Help can come from working as a Sunday school teacher, praying for others hurts, sharing our possessions, giving financial support, dedicating time, using the spiritual gifts that God had blessed us with or by moving to a new land.  None of these methods is more important than the other; all of them are needed.  If everyone gave financially to the poor- who would work with the poor and show them how to use those resources.  If all Christians moved to a new land-- how would the people left learn to rely on God.

 It reminds me of the illustration in the Bible (Romans 12:4-8) where it talks about how we are different parts of the one body of Christ- all working together for the common good of sharing the Love of our Holy Father, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit.

So, from one missionary to another--- well done good and faithful servant.

Blessings, 

Beth