Oh, God and His sense of Humor

Ok, here´s part 2 in the epic that has been my last week:

School picked up again this week, and I am planning on taking my test to see whether or not I can move up to the next level this coming Monday! Please be in prayer for me as I study hard this weekend! The test has approximately 6-7 components (fill-in-the-blank, multiple choice, reading, lecture, conversation, writing a story, answering questions about an essay that´s read to me, etc.) Pray that God will give me a clear mind, energy, and lots of endurance!

Last week, I received wonderful news! Kimberly, my co-worker\ roommate at the Oasis has finally arrived in Guatemala!! Praise the Lord! God was so wonderful in providing her with her financial support, and she will be coming into Antigua after next week. Upon coming here, I had been assuming that Kimberly would be here with me. When I learned that she was unable to come at the beginning, I was very worried, wondering who I´d be with in the city. He provided though, as He always has, the most wonderful roommate for me at my host home. Mackenzie and I hit it off right away and spend most of every day together. Now, Kimberly will be coming to stay in Antigua on Monday--the day after Mackenzie leaves to continue her trip throughout Central America. God is so wonderful in His perfect timing! He likes to make me sweat a little, but I am learning that He always comes through.

Speaking of our amazing God, I was able to encounter another one of His workers on Thursday night. None other than Melanie, the intern director at the Oasis! She and I met for dinner and were able to talk all about The Oasis, the girls, and what my responsibilities there will be. I am SOO excited! She said, as I already knew, that when I arrive the girl´s will just be beginning their summer break. Because the schedule will be relaxed with the absence of classes during the summer, I am free to start up any activities, projects, games, classes, etc. that I am interested in! So, if any of you creative people out there have any ideas, I´d love to hear from you! She also told me that there will be a lot of preparation work for Christmas (several hundred gifts to wrap, and Christmas letters from their sponsors to translate). Once the school year starts I will be filling in any gaps in the teaching staff, or if there are none, helping the youngest girls to prepare for school (some have yet to learn their alphabet or numbers). Then, the afternoons are a time when the older girls can get tutoring help. I LOVE TO TUTOR!!! She said that they have 12 yr olds in first grade, and that every single one of the girls are behind (many came to the home without having ever gone to school). So, I´m sure I´ll have lots of wonderful girls to keep me busy over the next several months.

Melanie also invited me up to visit the Oasis today! It is visitation day, a day when the families who have court permission can come and visit their children. Many of the girls, however, do not have families to come and visit them. So, I´m going up to meet and hang out with them and look around the place where I´ll be living in just a few weeks!

In the last 2 weeks I have had a total of zero chips. happy?