The Trade

Life here is simpler in a lot of ways than in the States.  Or perhaps a better way to put it is that life here is less exciting :-)  You know its true when the highlight of your week is going to a soccer game on the weekend just to get out of the house and be able to talk to some different people.  I won't go so far as to say that life is boring, because there's always work to do and I do enjoy it.  But... in the way of recreation Comayagua falta (is lacking).  All that to say, I hope we get to go hiking soon because I need to do something different and outside before I go crazy.

This past Friday we had our first round of parent/teacher conferences.  It was crazy.  The parents basically came into the classrooms seeking out the teachers they wished to talked to and we would meet with them as they came.  Meaning that I was trying to talk to parents from 8th then 5th then 7th then another from 8th then two from 5th and one from 6th and.... you get the idea.  Next time I'll know what to expect and be prepared to whip out any grade for any student at a second's notice.  I kept teasing Emily about being nervous about the meetings... turns out she knew better than me.  Thankfully, none of the parents were rude or obnoxious, but you definitely felt like your work as a teacher was being scrutinized.  Which isn't normally a big deal to me because I do pretty good work... but normally I know what I'm doing.  It's been a major stretch for me to not know what I'm doing and be under scrutiny at the same time.  God gives me the strength for everyday and that's the only reason I've made it this far (and I'll probably keep saying that even at the risk of sounding like a broken record :-)

This morning at church we talked about many things: God's grace and mercy, our need of forgiveness, light vs darkness... but one of the verses we read reminded me of something I need to remember in my work here.  The verse was John 10:10 "the thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."  Sometimes during the weeks here it is difficult to see where the "full life" is supposed to be.  Between the lack of recreational activities and the uphill battles at school, life seems difficult and dry on occasion.  Even in my life in the States I struggled with this: seeing the full life God has for me amidst the everyday things.  But here is what the Christian walk is about: trading what is good for what is better.  The treasure in the field.  The pearl of great price.  The kingdom of God is about trading what is good for what is best.  And that's what my weeks should be about here.

I have traded this year with my family and friends and starting medical school for this year in Honduras teaching science to students in hopes of sharing the gospel with them in the process.  Because of the call I felt to come, I have no doubt that the trade was for the better.  But I have to remember to keep making that trade every day that I'm here.  To remember that I did not give up this year to struggle through a difficult task by my own strength, weary myself, and come out the other side empty-handed.  I gave it up to pursue a new adventure through the strength of my Father that his will might be done and his name given more fame.  My prayer today is that I remember the trade.  That I remember every morning to lay down what is good for what is better.  Beauty for ashes.

God is so good at making all things new :-)