Schools Out for the Summer!!!

8th Graders at Colegio Bilingue San Ramon

I know most of you reading this post are thinking SUMMER??? (It is currently 38 degrees in Des Moines, Iowa as I type this).

Yep, school is officially out for the summer here in Costa Rica!!! Though the public schools will continue for a few more weeks, I'm done.

Thursday, November 26 is our last day of class and appropriately it is titled "Fiesta de la Alegria" (translated: Party of Happiness).

No, it definitely isn't coincidence that our last day of school falls on the North American holiday of Thanksgiving. I'm so thankful for the Lord's provision of this job... and its conclusion.

I've learned so much during the last nine months of school, but one of the most important ones is that I know I'm not supposed to be a teacher. (At least in the traditional sense of the word).

Let me explain:

While Marillyn and I served in Mexico at Rancho Sordo Mudo as missionaries/teachers, I fell in love with the classroom. Sometimes athletes use the phrase "in the zone" when they are performing at their highest level - this is how I felt about teaching in the classroom. God has blessed me with a special gift to direct a group of young people and teach them. (Not many of you out there can honestly say you love to hang out with junior high kids, right!?!?)

Teaching has been a strong part of my background and family. My parents were both educators and while growing up when we sat down at the dinner - we all talked about school. (In fact, it wasn't until late elementary school that I understood that ONLY MY parents had the summer off! Kinda' like the white edge around all stop signs.)

A few years after graduating the university with a degree in English, I pursued a teaching certification. However, I stopped this process and entered into ministry as a youth pastor, then husband, then missionary in Mexico. After returning to the US for the birth of Naomi, I entered the classroom again as a substitute teacher, but had to move on because of the inconsistent hours.

When I was informed about the opportunity to have my own classroom here in Costa Rica, I jumped on it because I felt that the Lord brought it to my lap, it would help make ends meet, and provide an important tent-making opportunity before starting Rancho Oasis for Youth.

However, I was not prepared for the overwhelming amount of work and preparation that is involved with teaching. In the beginning, every hour in the classroom, was an hour of preparation at home. I trimmed my schedule from 8 to 5 classes after mid-terms, but it was just manageable.

The job was fun, but English isn't the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Yes, of course, I had opportunities to share my faith and even use verses in the classroom, but it just isn't the same.

I'm grateful for the last nine months because it has shown me that teaching youth the Word of God and engaging in their lives (not correcting their punctuation and spelling mistakes) is where I will truly be in the zone!!!

You know, Rancho Oasis for Youth is like an experimental classroom. We won't have textbooks, pencils and papers, but the Bible, horses and the day-to-day life experience.

Now that school has come to a conclusion, I'm excited to give my energy (mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually) towards our goal to complete God's vision of RO4Y.

Thank you for your prayers and encouragement over the last nine months and beyond.

Please continue to pray for my former students at Colegio Bilingue San Ramon. Most are groomed for the university with parents as professionals, much like myself growing up in suburban Chicago. These rich kids need Jesus just as much as the down 'n out ones.

Quitting this job is also a big step of faith financially because it has covered roughly a third of our living expenses. Pray that God moves on the hearts of our supporters to become monthly givers and that we wouldn't doubt His provision.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving and stay tuned for some exciting new developments with Rancho Oasis for Youth!!!

6th Graders reading to Naomi on the last day of classes




Parting Shots: "Fiesta de Alegria"

7th Graders: Left to Right, Top Row Tryve, Andrea, Paula, Susi, Sophia, Johan, Fio, Marisol, Pamela, Raquel, Nazaret, Elizabeth Left to Right, Bottom Row Joseph, Jonathan, Me, Andres


8th Graders: August, Alexis, Me and Samantha / 6th Graders watching their homemade in-class movie

10th Graders: Left to Right Cristian, Diego, Zenen, Zou, Me, Edgar (kneeling), Glori, Karina, Marcos, Paulina, Fermin, Natalia (Spanish-native Science teacher)

Schools Out for the “Little” Summer!

www.RO4Y.blogspot.com

Our Spring Break has started! Aptly named “Veranito” – Little Summer.

Thanks for your prayers over the last several weeks:

• Residency: Done.
• Permiso de salida de menores de Costa Rica: Done (Minors have to be authorized to leave CR because of child trafficking).
• Driver’s License: Done.
• 89 Exams Graded: Done.
• R & R and packing: Begun

For those of you interested in seeing us during our July tour of the Midwest, here’s our itinerary:

We WILL have a cell phone during our travels; if you are interested please write back and ask for the number.

Wednesday, July 8th
Depart Costa Rica; arrive in Chicago.

Thursday, July 9th – Tuesday, July 14th
Fellowship with friends and church family in Des Moines, Iowa.
Jon will be sharing during the Sunday morning service, July 12th at Heartland Christian Fellowship.
www.heartlandcf.org

Wednesday, July 15th
Visit Calvary Chapel Cherokee, Iowa; sharing at their Mid-week Service.
www.calvarychapel.com/cherokee/

Friday, July 17th – Sunday, July 19th
Visit friends in Appleton, Wisconsin; Jon sharing at Freedom Fellowship’s Sunday morning service.
www.freedombarn.com

Monday, July 20th
Open House at Jon’s parents in Bloomingdale, IL. Begins at 5 PM, RO4Y presentation at 7 PM.
Street Address: 124 South Circle Ave. Home Phone: 630-894-2997

Tuesday, July 21st – Thursday, July 23th
Log-in grandparent time with Naomi and Tabitha in Chicago!

Friday, July 24th
Depart Chicago; arrive in Costa Rica.

PRAISE:

• We were able to obtain all of the necessary paperwork concerning residency, driving and leaving the country.
• Jon has completed half the year teaching English at Colegio Bilingue San Ramon.
• Jasmin came to visit us for a week and we had a wonderful time with her. She was finally able to meet Tabitha and had a blast with Naomi.

PRAYER:

• Peace over the next few days of preparation; Satan would love to cause division right before we leave!
• That we would be a blessing to the churches we share at! That God would give Jon wisdom in preparing messages and worship.
• That God would increase our support team (prayer, short-term teams and financial support).
• For God’s provision and blessing of our time as a family and missionaries!

Here is our inspiration and Biblical example for returning to the States:

“Finally, [Paul and Barnabas] returned by ship to Antioch of Syria, where their journey had begun. The believers there had entrusted them to the grace of God to do the work they had now completed. Upon arriving in Antioch, they called the church together and reported everything God had done through them and how he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles, too. And they stayed there with the believers for a long time. Acts 14:26-28 (New Living Translation)

See you all soon!

FYI: we altered our blog name to more easily fit on a business card: http://www.RO4Y.blogspot.com/

Radio Free Costa Rica

Last week I asked for some assistance with my "Labor Day" Reflection at school.  I got numerous ideas and verses for inspiration! Muchisimas Gracias!

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Here was the finished product:

Hello and good afternoon: This is Jonny English and you’ve tuned into Radio Free Costa Rica.

Tomorrow is the “Day of the Worker” (a.k.a Labor Day). Since many of you are still trying to understand what “work” really is, I thought I would share a reflection on the definition of work from a Biblical perspective:

“What is work?” Present that question to a cross-section of the population and you’ll probably receive a wide variety of answers. Unfortunately, within the context of contemporary culture it’s increasingly likely that many of these responses will be negative in tone. Many people use phrases such as “a bummer,” “what I have to do for money,” or “the only way to get to Friday” to describe their feelings about work. Even Christians sometimes reference the fall in the book of Genesis as support of their view that labor is nothing but a curse.

Far from being a curse, creative labor is a glorious privilege. It flows out of the heart of God Himself, who labored six days to bring the world into existence, stamped His inventive and energetic image upon mankind, and placed Adam in the garden to tend it, beautify it, and increase its productivity. The creativity of man, then, while subject to the effects of the fall, is nevertheless a mirror-image of the creativity of God. It is designed to be a source of joy so fulfilling and wonderful that the Lord deemed it necessary to give us the fourth commandment in order to insure that we would set our work aside and rest at least one day a week!

God has granted the stewardship of His material goods to owners; and these owners are in turn accountable to Him for the use of His “stuff” and responsible for the welfare and productivity of the workers who operate under their direction and authority. Within this sphere…wealth is generated that has the potential to meet the physical needs of mankind; and the responsibility for the compassionate use of this wealth, falls primarily upon the shoulders of those who are engaged in the field of Labor.

King Solomon writes:

Do you see any truly knowledgeable workers? They will serve kings rather than working for ordinary people.  Prov 22:29 (NLT)

Wise words bring many benefits, and hard work brings rewards.  Prov 12:14 (NLT)

Work hard and become a leader; be lazy and become a slave.  Prov 12:24 (NLT)

Lazy people want much but get little, but those who work hard will prosper.  Prov 13:4 (NLT)

Work brings profit, but mere talk leads to poverty!  Prov 14:23 (NLT)

Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity, but quick shortcuts lead to poverty.  Prov 21:5 (NLT)

Despite their desires, the lazy will come to ruin, for their hands refuse to work.  Prov 21:25 (NLT)

The apostle Paul writes:

17 Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment.18 Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and generous to those in need, always being ready to share with others.19 By doing this they will be storing up their treasure as a good foundation for the future so that they may experience true life.
1 Tim 6:17-19 (NLT)


The Lord Jesus himself said:

19 “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal.20 Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal.
Matt 6:19-20 (NLT)


And finally:

28 Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.29 Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.30 For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”
Matt 11:28-30 (NLT)

Once again this is Jonny English reflecting on the meaning of “work” and I wish you a safe and thoughtful holiday!

Tune in next time as we discuss the controversial rise of corporal punishment at private institutes of learning.

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NOTE:  All Bible quotes taken from the New Living Translation. "What is Work" section taken from Focus on the Family's Truth Project.

Check out our prayer needs update!!!

8th Graders

What does it mean to be thirteen years old:

body changing, hormones racing and one’s identity creating!

Some people say that working and ministering to junior high students is a calling. I agree. (See Galatians 2:20)

The eighth grade students at school drive me nuts! However, it is the kind of insanity that makes you want to come back for more.

Praise be to God that my most difficult students at Colegio Bilingue San Ramon are slowly becoming my best class. After some encouragement from my supervisor and the school psychologist – I firmed up my class discipline strategies and the students are responding well! Tough love, baby!

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Seven weeks into the school year, I was feeling a lot of pressure to prepare eight different classes throughout the week. Spread too thin, I began to fall behind in class work. All the signs pointed to a need for a change in my schedule. I was sacrificing precious time with my family and relationship with God to pour myself into books and papers. (Not exactly the Great Commission).
I knew that God had provided this job for me, but I also knew that investing in people had a greater eternal impact. I spoke to my supervisor and made some changes with my preparation, but my workload was simply too much! (My dad, a retired elementary principal of thirty years, commented that the average teacher has five classes to prepare: 8 – 5 = 3; I had 3 additional classes).

God again opened the door for me and I was able to drop two of my classes. My supervisor was completely understanding and totally willing to work out a new schedule. God is so good; He was preparing one of these classes for a Christian co-worker who was actually looking for more work!

As a result of the changes, I move from a 40 lesson week to a 30 lesson week. We are trusting the Lord to make up the difference with the decrease in salary of about $180 a month.

“So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. 

Matt 6:31-33 (NLT)