Getter Better! (plus Sunday School!)

I'm finally starting to see a light at the end of this "sickness tunnel." Thank you Lord! I'm keepin' it low though -- staying in bed and all. Today I had to go get some food and print copies for our Sunday school class tomorrow. So, I was able to get out a little bit...but it was cold, windy, and rainy. That probably wasn't such a good idea (lol). Fail.

The trip to the orphanage got canceled today because the house moms had plans to take the kids out for the day because of the holiday -- Bajram (apparently there's two of them). It's too bad; I was really looking forward to it. We have plans to visit them next month though. 

One area of our work that is growing each week is our Sunday school class. We are still only permitted to teach OT materials, but we try our best to apply good life applications and principles. We always have a story time, craft time, song time, and memory verse time. Last week 23 kids attended! Awesome! Our memory verse for this week is:

Dhe ja, unë jam me ty dhe do të të mbroj kudo që të vesh.

(I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go.)

Genesis 28:15

 

 

We decided that our memory verse for this next week will be a little more lengthy. Tomorrow we are going to learn about Jacob and how he had to work 14 years before we was able to marry Rachel. We'll touch on areas such as deceit and working hard for the things we love. Pray for Rachel and I as we lead the kids into this story. Pray that it won't just be a "story." 

Sunday school last week

 



Rachel telling the story of Jacob having a dream of

 angels moving up and down on a stairway to heaven

 

 

 

 

 

 



Still sick.

Well.....I'm still sick. I had to cancel my ballet classes and my English class this morning. I hate being sick! I had a fever most of yesterday and some today (among other things). I am doing a little better than yesterday, so that's good. Hopefully I'll feel even better tomorrow!

Today.

Sorry for not writing on my blog the past few days. I thought I was recovering from my little cold yesterday but then it hit me again last night and got worse. I forgot how hard it is to do daily things when you're not feeling well. I tried to teach the kid songs and activities to the Leadership Class tonight with a sore throat and cough. But I got through it! Thank you, Lord! I hope I get feeling better for ballet tomorrow. Lots of fluids and rest!

Head cold.

Laying in bed today with a minor head cold. Lots of rest and fluids. I had to cancel my English class with the Roma. Sad day. No worries though. Hopefully I'll be back to normal for Sunday school tomorrow. We'll be talking about Jacob's ladder.

I was able to visit the orphanage I will be volunteering at next Saturday. I thought the surrounding neighborhood and the park would make a good picture.





English Class.

I realize more and more how much I love teaching. I love everything about it: making lesson plans, creating worksheets, grading papers, thinking of new and creative ways to teach information, seeing students learn. My favorite class to teach, by far, is my Thursday morning beginner's English. I have twenty-four students, ages 6-12. They are some of the most smart, precious, hard-working kids! Even on my worst days, my life lights up when I am in that classroom. I can most be myself with children and use my gifts in this culture. I wish I could teach that class everyday. It is my goal to make every child feel accepted and special. Even something as simple as calling a student by name or affirming their hard work can help them feel more cared for or encouraged. Every student of mine I believe God put in my path. And so in that small, small window I have every week, I cherish them. I will be an emotional basket case when I have to say good bye to them. But I can't think about that just yet....

 



 

 

 

My beginner's English class this morning

 

Learning the short sounds of the five vowels

 

Taking "Mr. G" up and around the "Vowel Ferris Wheel"

 

Our Thursday's Women's Group

(played Bingo today)

 

 

 

 

 

Just some updates.

 

Somehow, the days are going by really slow but also really fast. I'm not sure how that happens. The past seven days have been so busy that I feel like things will never end but then I realized how fast they've gone by. I can't believe that my PRIME supervisor has already come and gone and that there are only two more weeks in October!

 

Today I had my two ballet classes, followed by coffee house. Tomorrow I have my beginners English class, "Women's Group" at Oaza, and our women's Book study in the evening. It's getting colder here and Rachel and I are going to invest in a space heater soon. Our landlord doesn't turn on the heat until middle or late November. We both get cold easily. I visited the family with thirteen children on Monday, specifically to deliver some medicine (and also to have my PRIME supervisor meet them). The baby, Denisi, is pretty ill. You can be praying for him. I was asked to help run a special day event at a local orphanage with some students from a Leadership class here in the city. The teacher knew that I loved to work with kids and thought that I would be interested in helping run the activities and songs. I'm super excited!!! We will visit the orphanage on the 27th of this month.

 

 

 

 

Second care package!

(Some things are missing because I already ate/used/opened them. Lol)

Thank you Mom, Jarred, Joanna, Grandma, and Rebekah!

 

 

Rush hour in Prishtina

 

 

Some of my little dancers in class tonight! (Group I)

(Several were absent due to illnesses)

 

More of my "little" dancers! (Group II)

 

 

 

 



Good Weekend.

It was such a blessing to have my PRIME supervisor here to visit me! She was able to watch me teach English to the Roma, teach Sunday school, and visit the family with thirteen children. She also brought a care package from my mom (which included gifts from my grandma, sister, and boyfriend)! Loved that!

I think everything went well. I appreciated her input and "outside" viewpoint. That was much needed. What was even more needed was her encouragement. My spirit felt uplifted once more. I am so blessed to have such a professor that invests in my life and cares for the growth of my work here. Thank you, Lord. Pray that she has a safe trip home. She has a couple of long layovers and will go to a three day conference to speak the day after she gets back! So also pray for strength, rest, and encouragement.