FEBRUARY 12, 2009
Short news day…Everyone says Whew! School on Thursday is like Friday—because we are off on Fridays. We (yearbook staff, Mrs. Maha and I) were supposed to journey to the printer today—but no one called the printer and he wasn’t going to be there. I didn’t know I needed to call—seems like a business would be open? What do I know? So Saturday, we plan to go to the printer.
I wish you could meet the students—today in the junior class we had a wonderful discussion in a round-table format. We had read “Minister’s Black Veil” by Nathaniel Hawthorne. They are going to write a paper on a position they have taken in reference to his motivation. It was a great class…the only problem is that it is only 45 minutes long! The 9th graders took a quiz on “My Last Duchess” by Robert Browning—and did an excellent job. The 12th graders had a bummer class—we have new computers; their senior page write up is due; we went to the computer lab. PROBLEM: no printers! They are supposed to have jump-drives—USB’s. They did not have them…so by the time we walked down 3 flights of steps to the lab and discovered there was no printer… we had spent most of the class time. So mostly we walked up and down! You know how happy these knees were to do that!
I keep thinking I am getting healthy doing all this walking…and that soon the knees won’t creak and moan as I negotiate those steps—but it hasn’t happened yet.
Erin (who lives across the hall with my friend Wilma that I really really like—they are both from Dalton, GA—and Eric, Erin’s brother, is here too) has a friend visiting…she got in last night…Allie. She lives in Atlanta—and I knew she and Erin both went to Vineyard church in Atlanta. Now there are several Vineyard churches, and they are all huge. So when I met Allie, I asked her if she knows Jared Hamilton (Betty and Harold’s grandson) and SHE DOES! She knows his wife Heather better, but she does know them! Isn’t that just the neatest thing. I couldn’t wait to email Harold and Betty!
Allie is so cute—she heads up the Lazarus ministry in Atlanta that ministers to the homeless. She is so interesting. She said they have a “health fair” the third Sunday in September…and they have all these booths set up—with places to buy medicines, get haircuts and all sorts of things for the homeless.
She, like Erin, Eric, Trish, Bethany, Adam, Kristen, is just so young, intelligent, educated and so so so committed to ministry…wherever the Lord leads. Amazing and encouraging and exciting to me…I love to see all the young people leading out in such wonderful adventures.
Speaking of adventures—have you looked at Darci Simpson’s blog??? WOW! I complained because I don’t have hot water—she doesn’t even have showers some places! WOW—she is really really on a mission…she is so precious. If you don’t have her blog, email the church fbcgroves.org and they will send you her blog address.
Wilma and I made a plan to go to Mamilla Mall tomorrow morning…we’ll ride the bus in to the city—we’ve done this before…I enjoy her so much. She came over to the apartment this afternoon and visited. I got to share my good news about precious Maegan with her and Erin…Melissa emailed us last night that they learned yesterday that Maegan and 5 other students are tied for #1 in their freshman class of 391! Is that just the biggest blessing in the world! I’m so grateful for the incredible gifts God has given that precious child and the way she works and does so many wonderful things. I know ya’ll will rejoice with me and our family in that good news—blessings from the Lord!
Saturday after school is the Valentine party—from 3 to 6…so we’ll see what a party here is like. Should be interesting. These kids are not allowed to date—or to have boyfriend/girlfriends…and they don’t. You never see a boy/girl holding hands or anything that would indicate they were more than just friends. And they seem to just like each other…they laugh and cut up with everyone. Today during the last period—yearbook class—three guys came in—and the kids were so excited to see them…they were hugging and laughing. They had graduated last year and have been in college—two of them have been in Cypress in a university there…and one is in a college in Ramallah. They all act like they are just best friends…and I have yet to see a really angry confrontation between any of them.
Now I was listening to 3 of them talking and asked what they were talking about…they said they were talking about this girl that one of them likes—and I asked who…they told me they don’t tell teachers…because it might be spread and then they might be in trouble! So funny!
At the party, they are going to announce the Superlatives: the ones elected to certain positions…like BEST SMILE…etc…they voted before Christmas, but no one seems to care if they announce it or not…the one at the top was MOST PATRIOTIC…and one of the yearbook girls got that.
Well…as usual, I ramble on and on. Hope all is well with each of you…and thank you again for your interest and prayers. Please continue to pray for my family—and Jerusalem School.
Love
Beth