So much to say

I have so much that I want to update. I have pictures from trips and visits and things that I want to say and show and tell about, but all that will have to wait for the moment.

The past two weeks have been extremely busy. Right now I am teaching 7 classes, and at the moment in 4 of them I am teaching areas of history that I do not have extensive knowledge in which makes preparation more tedious and time consuming. Tutoring, entertaining and household responsibilities have filled up the remainder of my schedule. Additionally, I am very excitedly anticipating the arrive of my friend, Holly, from the states. I am so excited about the encouragement and solace I expect to find in her time here with us. Both she and I have spoken of how excited we are to spend time in the Word and in prayer for each other during her time here. I look forward to what God is planning on teaching us through our fellowship.

School politics combined with the 'letters of intent' that are due next week have most of the American teaching staff on edge. We were told in this morning's meeting that there is a MANDITORY meeting of all JCS employees (really, they mean all American teaching staff) tomorrow night. Rachel and I have had plans for tomorrow night for over two weeks now and are really struggling with the question of whether to cancel them and go to the meeting or stand our ground and insist that the Board give to the American teachers the same respect they would expect from us. I have mentioned before that teachers here are little more than children's servants, expected that for a few measley dollars a month we should subject ourselves to all forms of inconsideration and humiliation. The bottom line to the whole issue is that although we all signed on to teach at a 'Christian school' what we are really teaching at is a school with Christian teachers, but a secular board. I have really struggled with not wanting to label the Dominican board members as 'non-believers' as only God knows their hearts and the relationship which they have with Him. The problem is that people will know we are Christians by our fruit and by the love we have for each other. With few notable exceptions what I have seen from the board are a lot of nice people who are pleasant to speak with, but who have no real substance or genuine desire to seek God's will for our lives. That being stated, is it even necessary to indulge in conjecture about their spiritual inheritance? Is it not enough to recognize that they are not pursuing a program of facilitating their teachers to more effectively spread the gospel and Word of God?

In summary, please please please pray for the staff and teachers at JCS. Please pray for the Board members and the students. Please pray that God will provide wisdom and will redeem what has been the greatest struggle since we arrived in the fall - disunity and miscommunication. Students watch our example without the discernment to understand who is speaking from right motives and who is self-seeking and they don't see the reasons behind the discord, just the noise from the discord itself. Please pray for us all!

in peace,