January 31, 2006
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I just found the spell check button for xanga. yes, I know that is pretty sad. and I also now realize how often I use the word “I” without capitalizing it.
I’ve been cussed out three times in the past three weeks. I love my job.
I am realizing that there are many things that just won’t get done in life. and that’s okay. breathe.
Proverbs 4:25 “Let your eyes look straight ahead, and your eyelids look right before you.”
“Never look for justice in this world, but never cease to give it” “Service is the overflow of super abounding devotions” “The characteristic of a man who has come to God is that you cannot get him to take anyone seriously but God.”–Oswald Chambers
From some comments I have received, I also realize that I am horrible at leaving you hanging about my stories with the kids. I get to find out the happy/sad ending, and then forget to write it. The girl did NOT give her virginity to her boyfriend for his birthday, praise God…and durn it, I cannot remember what else.
but please pray for God to raise up a girl to work at the youth center…Ms.Elizabeth is leaving in two weeks…and I in three:(. The three guys still there are great…but…you just gotta have a girl there to get everything done. that is just how life works.) Thank goodness Ms.Woods is tutoring and can be there for the girls.
Saturday we had the girls first (and perhaps only) volleyball game. very interesting. The only volleyball I know was learned in those rare times when basketball was not available. to tell the truth, I didn’t even know if there were five or six players until we showed up. grimace. The one practice i did have with the girls was spent making sure they were not afraid of the ball. But we showed up in style, wearing the jerseys that Tech High School gave us (when they finally got government money to buy new ones) and we got some pictures, so I would consider the day a success.
The first game was 4 to 29. The girls didn’t realize you could hit it up to three times before it went over or save it when their person hit it out of bounds. We won’t even talk about serving. The second game was 11 to 22. We started getting injuries as girls ran into each other or hit it off each other or the ceiling. Marshelle was smacked in the eye with the ball, Natalie was konked in the head by Erica as she missed the ball, Nyree hit herself in the nose with the ball, and Tina fell over everyone diving for the ball. by this time, the crowd is cheering if we even manage to hit the ball. The last game was 9 to 16. we really did get better each game, but by this time they are exhausted and calling out mutiny. literally. we stopped the game for a minute as four of my players sat on chairs and refused to get up until I dragged them back. The problem was they thought the score guy was cheating because he never gave us any points. Somehow they just never could understand that you had to SERVE the ball first…something we rarely could do. But…we did finish and I was proud of all my girls. and exhausted. never again.
I did a Brasil presentation at church Sunday. it went well but I knew I’d gone too long when they had to cut out the rest of the song service to have time for the message. opps. I brought coffee candy and passion fruit gum from Brasil and everyone loved it…I think they will remember the candy more than what I said. oh well.
I know some incredible people. Lillian surprised me with S’mores supplies to out the wazzoo…and so many other neat things to take back to Brasil. I have my two suitcases filled up already and I have not packed yet. that is scary.
I have my tickets and insurance…I leave at 8am on Saturday, February 18th and I’ll be back August 1st. it is really for real. whoa. I arrive the 19th and they begin the international school the 20th…that is a God thing.
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How do you teach someone to love
when love is twisted and manipulated
How do you teach someone to be kind
when it is scorned and mocked
How do you teach someone to trust
when it is broken beyond repair
And how do you teach them to care
when their world is empty
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It has to be God.
