Retreat

Yesterday I had the best day ever since being here. It was one of those days where you go: Woah.....I'm in Honduras right now and this is why.

Sor Maglys planned a retreat for the first grade class this past Friday. So Friday morning, my kids came to school with lunchboxes, dressed in casual clothes and super pumped about the day ahead. We boarded a school bus and headed to the place where we had día del maestro. don't worry we didn't forget the water, toilet paper, or microwave :-)

Our bus ride there was quite an adventure. I sat next to a girl named Lizzy. She's one of the sweetest and most caring kids. I made a decision right then and there that today I wasn't going to worry about what language I spoke. Nobody asked me to help plan this retreat and I knew that there would be no English portion of it, so I said forget it, I'm speaking Spanish if I want to. It was such a relief from the normal struggle of fighting the English battle. I made sure to say everything in both languages but other than that I wasn't going to force English or hold back from getting to know my kids today because of a silly language difference. I knew that today was going to be a good day when I asked Lizzy what she was looking forward to today and her response was: "Que puedemos hablar con Dios hoy. (That we get to talk with God today)."

Our bus driver got a little lost on the bus route and we were on this very, very muddy, swampy country road which had no opportunities for us to turn around to find the correct road. So after driving on it for 15 minutes, we had to reverse our way out. But to help pass the time with the kids Rosita and Fanny entertained us with songs and stories. I'm going to post links to the videos I took of this because it was soooo fun. I love the Honduran Jesus songs, they are so incredibly full of energy and spirit that I can just feel God's presence so loud and clear. I love singing with my kids, I wish I knew more English songs and that my kids enjoyed the English songs as much so that we could have sung them too. But maybe in time, I'll learn some to teach my kiddos with as much gusto as they have for Spanish.

After we got bored with the songs, Fanny and Rosita stood up and starting making up stories on the bus. I also recorded these they were hilarious. I love the way they poke fun at each other and just have such zeal and enthusiasm to share with the kids. The energy and spirit was alive and well on that bus!

The retreat site was so beautiful. We had a beautiful field with trees, a small stage, futbol fields, mountains, and sky, sky, sky. My kids kept walking around saying, "que linda, que linda" How pretty How pretty! I think they were awed by the beauty of their country just as I was :-) When we first got their it was time for breakfast. And when my kids have breakfast, boy do they have breakfast...chicken legs, tortillas, beef, "steak", pancakes, cereal and milk, pizza, sandwiches, chips, cookies. it was ridiculous the amount of food they ate. My kids kept running over to share apples, cookies, candies, rice, etc. with me. Everybody just shares here so my kids kept asking, do you want a bite? hahah.

Retreat site for the day.

After breakfast we had some free time so I rotated between playing soccer and showing off, climbing trees, and playing hand games with my girls. I decided that if the Hondurans weren't freaking out about the behavior and activities my kids chose to do, I shouldn't either. So if my kids were allowed to climb trees, I was gonna climb as well. No reservations, no caution, today is about enjoying time with God and my students. We had so much fun. I was so happy because all of my kids remembered the word for monkey, so we started jumping and screeching around like monkeys in the trees.

Dance party

Climbing trees is one of my fave things to do.

Afterwards we had an opening prayer with sor Maglys. We gathered in a large circle and began by singing songs while Sor played her guitar. Sor has such an incredible, energetic spirit. She runs around our school with such enthusiasm, such a voice, presence, and the kids love her. I love her too! Man I wish I could have such an optimistic and endless supply of joy and love the way she does. She then informed us that we were going to make smaller circles of 5 students. So I went around and grouped kids. They were told they needed to pray in their groups. One of the groups of boys that i put together put their arms around their backs, their heads together, and started swaying as they prayed. It was the most adorable thing I ever saw and I was immediately moved to tears (shocker). So then all of my kids started doing it. We made our own teacher circle in the middle. I was literally surrounded by my kids circled up and praying their own organic prayers. I was so moved and could just feel God's presence all around me. After, one kid from each group shared what their group prayed about. They are such prayers and their only 5,6,7 years old. I was so amazed by their thoughts and joy and love of God. We ended our prayer time by singing and dancing some more songs.

Then we went back to the small stage area and Rosa and Sor put on a play with puppets for the kids I was following it along pretty well until apparently the doctor (Rosita's puppet) fell in love with the most beautiful one in the room and I knew she was talking about me. haahaha. The kids got a good laugh on that one and I burst out in my first real good Shard-laugh for my kiddos which I think they highly enjoyed. After the play Sor solo acted out the story of the Israelites in Jericho for the kids and we talked about victory and fighting for your beliefs. Afterwards we broke into 2 drama and 2 drawing groups to act it out. I worked with a group of artists and I had to draw the city of Jericho, hahaahahah. Funny stuff right there. But my kids thought I was a good artist.

Then we had another chunk of time to play together. I spent a large portion of my time climbing trees again and chatting with some of my girls. I love climbing trees. Then I went over and started a dance party with the other teachers and some other students. I just love to dance and everybody here does too. I wish I could keep up with them though. Felix came over and held my hands and we danced like 4 songs together. I don't think Felix left my side all day. Then I went out to the big field to climb some more trees, take some pictures, and play tag with some other kids. It was so much fun to just see them so free and happy and to be able to relate to them.

Even Rostia joined in the tree climbing festivities.

The following photos are the results of 1st graders with my camera.

Felix and I

Not sure why the angry face but Alejandro is suchhhh a cutie

Amazing tree.

Alejandro and Andres attached themselves to my legs and made me walk the whole length of the field like this, but it was so fun. Afterwards, I fell over and pretended that they "killed" me and then woke up and scared them. hah.

This was followed by lunch time and some more praying. It was just the best day ever with my kiddos. I wish we could have more retreats. It was so much fun to just completely be myself with them, enjoy God's presence, laugh, run, play, chat. ahhhhhh. It was the best. I couldn't believe when it was time to go home. i could've stayed forever. The bus ride home was similar to the first. Some worn out kids fell asleep and other sang their way back to school with as much energy as before.

Primer Grado :-)

I feel so lucky to have had such a special day with my kiddos. They touch my heart in so many ways and really helped me remember why I am here. I am so grateful to work with such an awesome team of first grade teachers and to have Sor Maglys lead us in a day that celebrate's life, love, and God. Not to mention, I am so grateful for the 5,6, and 7 year olds that brought me such joy and happiness and reminded me of God's innocent and pure love today.

"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow" - Melody Beattie