has another week gone by already?

Can you believe it's already the second week in January 2005?!? Where did last year go?




Well, here it is 6AM on my day off and I've been up already for an hour. That's always how it goes. Our girls are up and sturring getting ready for their first day back at school. We only had one girl not to pass to the next grade. She will start this year in a special class because she is believed to have some sort of mental problems keeping her from learning as fast as the others. This girl is 14 years old, and she is the same size as our 9 years olds, maybe smaller even. But if her physical immaturity has any relation to her mental maturity then it's better for her to be with a special teacher. I love her laugh!



Yesterday, we gave the girls all of their uniforms, new shoes, and socks for the school year. Even Caty, the 13 year old girl who has shut down her mind because of horrible physical abuse, recieved a uniform. She attends school only in the afternoon with a special education teacher and has been doing so well since I've been here. She has really improved so much. Carroll believes that she will be healed this year. She was so excited about her uniform. Last year she didn't have one and to be like the other girls is so big for her. But she was a little too excited because last night when she got her uniform ready for today, just like the other girls do, she had all five pairs of socks and all three blouses ready on the hanger along with her skirt and sweater... isn't that sweet? We will have to watch her though, because she likes to change clothes and I'm sure she would love to have a ball putting that uniform on just to play.



A new missionary intern, Sara, came last Monday, but will leave on Thursday. She's young and it is her first time away from home and five months is a long time. I will miss the help, but I know that God is in control.


I have about one month here before I take a week or so off here after my family arrives. Did I mention that they were coming? They are driving down a truck for the home here and should be leaving near the end of this month. Please be in prayer for them. For their safety and favor at the borders. Also, when we came last year, I was with them to translate through Mexico. I'm not worried about that because Jami is pretty good and if nothing else can pretty much understand what someone is trying to say to her. But just be in prayer for them please.



I know this last month or so is going to fly by. I'm excited to see my family, but I'm so sad to be away from here for two months. Just the country in general. I can't explain why I love it here so much. But God knows why He puts certain burdens on certain people's hearts and Guatemala is mine. Plus, I will miss the girls terribly. But I am just going to try and enjoy the rest that I can get at home. Also, I am hoping that I will be able to share a little about this testimony and this home.



My return flight is for May 14th, and that ticket was really just bought out of faith... (and hope) that I would be returning to something. I'm not sure yet whether it will be here at the Shadow of His Wings or somewhere else. I do have a specific desire on my heart, but God is teaching me to just pray to Him about it and let Him do the work. I think it's going to be so cool when He shows me His plan for me in May. These girls really want me to come back here. They want me to be here forever. But I assure them that even if I'm not living here, that it doesn't mean that I won't come see them every chance I get. I really have grown a special love for these girls. I was actually just thinking about that this morning, lying in bed at 5AM. The new girl was making breakfast and it is her first time to make the cream of wheat period, let alone by herself (which is my specialty :) And I wanted so bad to get up three hours earlier than I had planned, so I could help her. Not so much to help her, but I was worried about what the girls were going to have to eat. Cream of wheat is hard, especially on that big of a scale (25 people). I don't say that to sound mean, like I didn't want to help her, but my main concern was the girls. I just happened to notice my thoughts and the reasons for them and I thought it was neat. Is that how a mother would think? Or an aunt? I can answer that second one.... YES! I imagine if it were my nephews, I would want the best for them as well. Neat, huh?