God is Good All the Time

Hello all,

I guess it's been a while since I sent an update.  Things are going well with the grade ones.  There were two short termers who were helping with reading groups.  There are three groups and the other two are covered by other staff.  The two short termers are leaving on Friday (so tomorrow!) so I will be sharing the job with another staff member.  Two more girls are coming at the beginning of July and they can take over then.  In between, I will also be taking a reading group for the grade 2/3 class.  New adventures are in the horizon. :)  The rest of the grade one classes are going well.  I have to remember to keep up with the marking.  Midterm marks are due tomorrow!  I just got a word processor (called LibreOffice) on my computer.  It was wiped a couple weeks before I came out here and I forgot to install a new one.  I now have the ability to input marks with my own computer (They use an Excel document for report cards

Yesterday was supposed to be my convocation if I were at home.  I felt a little like I was missing out.  The feeling rather took me by surprise.  I didn't think I would miss it that much.  However, I got to watch part of it through a live feed.  It was so cool to watch my friends walk across the stage from half way across the world.  Through that and though encouraging messages from friends, I was able to go to bed satisfied.  I know God is all I need and He will keep me satisfied.  "The best place to be is right in the middle of God's will."  I had that reminder from a movie we are watching with the seniors (Last Flight Out).  

It is getting colder so the swimming lessons have stopped and the preparations for Sports Day have started.  Yesterday I was leading the juniors through their skipping race and helping the seniors get ready for their 100 meter race.  Some gave it their all and others...not so much.  Hopefully, they will perk up come race day.  

Last weekend was my weekend off and I planned to walk around with my camera and get a few scenery shots. Instead, I had a nap.  Maybe I will get to it today since it is my afternoon off. Maybe. Miss Y and I will head to the orphanage to sing songs with them, but there is usually about an hour in between when we get back and supper.  

Oh yes.  When the Rs left last week Miss W moved into their house which is attached to the infirmary.  I was living in Miss Y's loft, but then I moved back into Rosebank (I was staying there last time I was here).  The two short termers, S and P also were staying there.  I will be by myself for a couple weeks and then I think the two girls from Scotland will stay there.  

Well that's it for now.  Please pray for 

-S and P as they travel to Livingstone for a few days and them back home.   

-myself and the other teachers as we get all the midterm marks in

-general health and wellness.  There are a lot of coughs and colds going around.

God is good all the time.

Yolanda

A Baptism and Half Term

Hello All,

 This week has been quite busy. I meant to email on Thursday on my afternoon off but I ended up being busy all day. Last weekend Miss W and her girls, the Rs, and I went to see Joel and Kaleigh Griffin at Kalene where they were taking vacation time from Angola. It was so nice to see them and to see the Rs in a more relaxed situation. Mr. R is the headmaster and also the grade one teacher for this year.

 The Rs are actually leaving next week to settle their oldest into university in Saskatchewan. I have been observing Mr. R with the grade ones and slowly taking over classes. On Monday, I will completely take over the classes. I will have circle time, centers, Math, Spelling, Language, Phonics. Mrs. R was doing the handcrafts for the grade 3/4 boys on Saturday mornings. I will take it starting this week.

 This weekend was half term. The kids and teachers get a couple days off school and spend all day down by the pool and river. We had school Thursday but then they started the swimming Thursday afternoon. They have a half term movie the kids all watch together. This time it was Monsters Inc. It is so fun to watch a movie with the kids and see and hear their reactions. One girl in particular has a very infectious laughter. I was on pool supervision Saturday afternoon and Friday morning. I was able to even out my burn over the weekend. I was on one side of the pool all morning so was only really red on my left side. I was on the other side on Saturday. I have a particularly bad spot on my neck. My clothes keep rubbing against it.

 Last Sunday I had the privilege of witnessing four of the senior girls obey the Lord in baptism. I have known them since grade 2 and 3. They are in grade 8 and 9 now. I am so happy to see them going on for God.

And so it starts again

Hello all, I am happy to say I have arrived safe and sound at Sakeji school in Zambia. I had a good trip. From Dubai to Lusaka there was a bit of a delay because of an issue with one of the passengers, but once resolved, the flight went smoothly. The first night in Zambia I stayed at the flight house which is a private guest house for missionaries. I was so tired from my trip I easily slept straight for nine hours. I flew to Sakeji on a private flight Since the plane was smaller, the ride was more bumpy. I almost needed an air sick bag, but I was able to make it through. I was greeted by many of the teachers and many greetings that were long over due. I have missed being here immensely! I had a few surprise greeters as well. Joel (my cousin), his wife Kaleigh, and their three little girls are here in Zambia for a little visit. They are currently missionaries in Angola. It was so nice to see them on this side of the world. I didn't think I was going to be able to. They have gone to a little getaway at Kalene, but I will see them again on the weekend before they head back to Angola.. Since I have been here before I know most of the students in grades 5-9. I don't necessarily recognize all of them because it has been nearly four years since the last time I was here. They have done a lot of growing up! I am slowly learning the younger students' names. I believe their are 83 students in total so it is nice to know half of the names already. Please pray that I will be able to adjust back into the routine of things soon. I woke up at 2am this morning and could not get back to sleep until 5:30. Then my alarm went off at 6:30 to get ready for breakfast. Hopefully, I will be tired enough to sleep through the night and get over my jet leg. I will be taking of the grade one classes the headmaster, Mr. R, has been taking. Please pray the adjustment between teachers go well. Also pray that I will be a good teacher and that the students will be attentive and ready to learn. They are a very energetic bunch, and I am excited to be their teacher this term. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers, Yolanda

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Oral Exam Today!!

This is my two minute speech for my oral exam today. Estoy nerviosa!

Hola! Mi nombre es Yolanda. Ahora mismo vivo en Windsor. Yo soy de Hamilton. Mi gustan los ninos. Ensene en una escuela en Zambia el ano pasado. Ensene tercer grado. Tambien trabaje con todos los grados. Durante las vacaciones los ninos nadaron en la piscina y jugaron al lado del rio. Ellos comieron fuera. La escuela tiene tres semestres. Los ninos van a casa por un mes entre los semestres. Nosotros desayunamos a las siete de la manana.  Nosotros comemos bizcochos de arroz y panes tostados para desayuno todos los dias. Todos los domingos nosotros comemos los cereales tambien.  Los ninos tienen que esperar hasta las siete y veinte antes de ellos se levantan de la mesa.  Nosotros comemos pan de maiz y frijoles marrones todos los sabados. Mi comida favorita alla son las bananas pequenas. Yo fui alla por siete meses. No fue tiempo suficiente. Yo deseo volver a Zambia despues de terminar la universidad.

Hello my name is Yolanda. Right now I live in Windsor. I am from Hamilton. I like kids. I taught in a school in Zambia last year. I taught third grade. I also worked with all of the grades. During half term the kids swam in the pool and played beside the river. The ate outside.  The school has three semesters. The kids go home for a month in between semesters.  We eat breakfast at 7 in the morning. We eat rice cakes and toast for breakfast every day. Every Sunday we eat cereal also.  The kids have to wait until 7:20 before they get up from the table. We eat cornbread and brown beans every Saturday. My favorite food there are the small bananas. I was there for 7 months. The time was not sufficient. I wish to return to Zambia after I finish university.

Lo que un salvador!

Hola!

Yo voy a utilizar el blog para practicar mi español. Yo aprendo español a la universidad.  Yo creo deber practicar mas.

Hace frío afuera.  Octubre está muy nublado.  Está lloviendo ligeramente.

Yo voy al centro para la iglesia. Nosotros recordamos Cristo en la mañana.  Gracias Dios. Tú muestras tu amor.  Yo empiezo a entender por qué me quieres. Haces me tuyo por tu sacrificio. Aleluya, lo que un salvador!

Hola mis amigos!

Hola mis amigos!!

Yes it's been awhile! Since my time in Zambia I have well adjusted back to Canadian life.  It was awesome to see my family again! I spent some time in New York before heading home for Christmas...but that's all old news! 

I am now I proud university student working on my general Bach. of Arts.  I have started my first year with an undeclared major, so I am taking a random courses to figure out what I want to do.  I know WHAT I want to do, become a school teacher, but I have to figure out HOW I'm going to get there! So, this semester I am taking the all important, Foundations of Academic Writing (FAW), Understanding the Contemporary World (so far, basically art history), and Intensive Spanish (hence the introduction /\).  Being a student again is kind of like learning how to ride a bike again, you never really forget. I'm just a little rusty. :p My study habits need to be tuned and writing skills need practice. 

I'm really enjoying Spanish. I can't say I'm getting the marks I wanted, but I've only had one test. Hopefully, I can learn from my mistakes!

With all the words and grammar we have learned this is the introduction I put together yesterday for class:

Me llamo Yolanda. Soy rubia, alta, y joven. Estudio en a la Universidad. Soy canadiense. Me gusta dibujar y pintar.  Yo vivo en Windsor con mis abuelos, mis primos, y mi Hermana.  Fui Chicago en el fin de semana.  Deseo ser profesora de colegio.

I apologize if there are any grammatical errors, and please correct me if I do!

I may not me at Sakeji any more, but it's still "A Wonderful Life"! God is good! I have been enjoying this verse lately, "Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God." Psalm 42:11

I went to highlight the good parts and realized I didn't know which parts to pick! It's all so relevant to me right now! I thank God for His constant presence and love!