“Be strong and of good courage, and do it; do not fear or be dismayed,
for the LORD God—my God—will be with you. He
will not leave you nor forsake you, until you have finished all the work for
the service of the house of the Lord.” ~1 Chronicles 28:20
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| First night here! :) |
Just as the Lord called the Israelites to
serve at the House of the Lord, so I am also understanding the call to just do
it and not grow weary or dismayed as I finish out my first year at Quisqueya
Christian School. J
Tomorrow we will begin the second week of the 4th quarter! It’s
truly hard to comprehend that more than ¾ of the school year has passed.
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| The Barbancourt Rhum Room |
Exciting news from March includes the wonderful
visit from my mom and Matt! I still cannot believe that they were actually here—walking
the streets I walk, sitting in the classroom I teach in, hanging out in the
room I live out of, and meeting friends I’ve made here. It was a blast! We got
to travel to the beach and the countryside, so they got to experience some of
the diversity of Haiti. We had a relaxing, sweet time together. It’s the first
time my mom had been out of the country since she was 17! She said she’s
already thinking about coming back next year. J
School-side: We’ve begun reading the memoir
Night by Elie Wiesel in my 10th
grade class. Like never before have I been struck by the appalling horror of
the Holocaust. As I research, a sickness grows in my stomach. This intense
dehumanization of millions of people is unfathomable. To see these documented
in pictures, videos, words, interviews, is a harsh experience. My hope is that
my 10th graders feel and understand the reality of what humans are
capable of and the choices that we are constantly making that determine
outcomes of many motives.
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| Kenscoff |
In 9th grade we are working
through a short unit on poetry. They’re expressing themselves through creative
and written outlets. It’s fun! Next, we’re headed into the dystopian world of Fahrenheit 451. I’m looking forward to
that!
My English Enrichment class continues to do
a lot of independent reading which is interspersed with reading to 2nd
graders, reading outside, and trips to the library.
The middle school classes I help out in are
working through speeches and profile pieces. They’re vivacious and
unpredictable. J
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| Can you see the crab? |
Life remains fresh and interesting as I continue
to press on in my Kreyol learning. I just joined a Bible study group that a few
of the cafeteria ladies do each week. I went for the first time 2 weeks ago—we prayed,
read the Word, discussed the passages, and prayed some more in a mixture of
Kreyol and English. I am looking forward to these meetings!
My moto adventures (riding on the back of
public motorcycle transportation) are getting richer every day. I went out to
eat with my high school discipleship group on Friday and tried to communicate
with Monsieur Mark (my newly regular driver), how to get to Pizza Garden…I’d
never been there before. After a bit of miscommunication because of my lack of
Kreyol vocab, we figured it out! The time with my discipleship group was filled
with laughs, sharing, food, and fun. J
I’m honored to share life with these girls.
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| Night at the beach with Mom & Matt |
God is good all the time and all the time
God is good. Adversities come and go, but He is never changing. He is salvation
bringer, peace wielder, and love bearer. All praise be to Jesus Christ for He
is holy and is making me ever more into His likeness (little by little).
Hi Dear Ashley, Your March breezes from your heart have been abundantly refreshing. As I read through each of the picture pasges you have lived life with, I could not help but think of the fresh winds of a spring day that warms our hearts with such an invigorating joy.
ReplyDeleteEach step of your March "Love Letter" brought the refreshing sounds of new life and the fragrance of new blooms of opportunities all around you as you share in the hearts and lives of priceless young people.
Thank you so much for making the time each month to open the windows of your heart with all those who are not able to be with you in person.
Abundant Blessings & Love,
dad