Tuesday, September 5, 2017

September 2017 Newsletter

Dear Friends and Family,

It seems like just yesterday that I was getting my students packed up, several bins of old papers were taken to the incinerator, and I was having interviews with parents! Since the students went home at the end of July, I have been enjoying my break from teaching, but I have been keeping busy with a variety of projects. Ruthie and I went on a trip to Kitwe that involved traveling some dreadful roads, some illness, a visit to RTSA (Road Traffic and Safety Administration) to renew my Zambian drivers license and get the vehicle fitness (inspection), tracking down a term’s worth of cheese and margarine with mixed success, personal shopping, and a windshield replacement among other things. Since getting back, I have been taking care of the food for the school watchmen and working on getting the senior and intermediate fiction and biography sections of the school library organized and catalogued. A short-termer had started the work last year using an app, but since then there have been books returned and added to the library, and we have quite a few in our collection that are pre ISBNs. So, I have spent the several hours in the last two weeks tracking down ISBNs and manually entering books. Now that I’m finished with my library goal, I still have some time to work through some bigger projects in preparation for my upcoming term including creating and revising some resources and sorting out some Christmas music. So, while I’m not in my classroom all day, I am far from bored!

This week the preparations for our final term which begins September 9th will really get going. Staff members are returning from holiday, the kitchen is being unpacked and cleaned, and school buildings will be given a clean and sprucing up before the students arrive. I will only have 19 students this term as my identical twins have moved on to another school; I’m going to miss their smiles! Third term is always busy for me for many reason,s including the national grade 7 exams my students will be writing, the Christmas program, and the usual pressure of getting everything done for the school year. I have a student who I’m going to be giving some extra support to try and get her caught up, and I would also like to do some more activities with the 3-6th grade girls on the half-terms. So, prayers for stamina, wisdom, and patience are always appreciated. We have a new short-term teacher joining us this term; it’s encouraging and very helpful to have another certified teacher around!

Another particular item for prayer for me over the next few months is that due to various circumstances I strongly feel I need to be home for the December holiday. Of course, I always love spending Christmas with my family, but some other things have come up that can really only be dealt with on that side of the ocean. So, I am praying that the Lord will both make His will clear as to my holiday plans, and that He will provide the funds for this trip if it be in His will.

Thanks again as always for the support you give me in so many ways—prayer, e-mails, letters, and practical details. I am so blessed to know so many wonderful people, and I could not do this work without your hands helping mine. Have a wonderful fall, and may we all be found faithful wherever we are called to be.

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