Graduation

May 18th was the graduation for my sixth graders and for the eighth graders.  Time always flies, and this school year was no exception.  With only 10 days left in the school year, we are wrapping up, thinking about summer, and preparing for cleaning up and packing away.  The sixth graders wrote speeches for their graduation, and I assigned the fifth graders to write speeches as well.  It was amusing to read the best memories that the students recorded in their speeches.  All of them recalled the time when I laughed uncontrollably at something a student said, although that happened near the beginning of the year.  Isn't that how memories are?  As teachers, we present history, science, math, art, music, grammar, and other subjects, but the kids remember a moment of outrageous laughter above all.

There are many things I will miss about teaching at Puebla Christian School, since this is our last year as teachers there.  However, I will not miss having to catch the bus at 6:55 a.m. and the almost one hour ride into Puebla and then back in the late afternoon.  I will not miss being so busy that we do not even have time to shop for groceries in the market.  I will not miss being tired almost all the time.

We will be able to invest much more time in Huejotzingo once the school year ends May 31.  We plan to start classes, some teaching English and then a variety of other classes for children and adults.  We are not entirely certain what the schedule will be or how we will conduct the classes at this point.  We will also plan to start more Bible studies in homes.

Lately we have felt challenged by the work necessary in Huejotzingo.  There is one teen in particular who has been coming to Sunday afternoon Bible study for a long time.  She has professed faith in Jesus, and eagerly listens and participates in the classes.  We are saddened, however, to see that she still regularly attends mass and goes to processions honoring La Virgen de Guadalupe.  A few nights ago, Abraham saw her and a few of her siblings out walking.  He greeted them and asked where they were going, but they did not want to tell him.  They were going to either a procession or to mass.  The traditions of the Catholic church have a deep hold on the lives of the people.  Please pray for their eyes to be opened and for wisdom as we teach and live out our faith there.