Home in South Africa

Wow, you blink your eyes and time just flies by.  It feels like just yesterday that I arrived in Cape Town and yet tomorrow I head back to Manila after 6 wonderful weeks of being home.  

It was very special to have Meg Cosper (fellow teacher at Faith Academy) come home with me for the first 10 days.  I loved showing her around Cape Town and it gave me an excuse to go and see all the beautiful sights as well.  

Checking out the penguins at Boulders Beach

Wine Tasting at Fairview Wine Farm

On top of Table Mountain

At Hillcrest Berry Farm

I got to go up to Johannesburg for a long weekend and go away with my Sending Cell.  I feel so blessed to have such an amazing group of people encouraging me, praying for me, looking after my finances and just being amazing friends.  It was also great to touch base with my sister and her family in Joburg as well.

Just some of my Sending Cell with their fantastic kids.

Then it was a quick one night only visit to Gonubie to see my brother and his family.  Even though the time was short, it was wonderful quality time and I got to meet for the first time my new niece, Debs.

My brother Dave with my new niece Debs.

Hanging with my niece and nephew, Rachel and Stephen.

I also got to spend a wonderful night away in Franchhoek with two of my very best friends to celebrate Kim's 40th Birthday.  It was so much fun and very special to spend such wonderful quality time together.  I feel very blessed by their friendship.

A wonderful time with Kim and Fiona.

It is amazing to see God's hand in all things.  While I have been home I have been having some stomach trouble.  The doctors first of all diagnosed me with a stomach ulcer but when the symptoms persisted I had to go for a gastroscope and was diagnosed with a hiatus hernia.  Now that I am on meds I feel so much better.  I am so glad that I was able to be in South Africa and with my family during this time and it was able to be diagnosed and sorted out before I return to Manila.

I had wanted to spend most of my time in Cape Town to be with my parents while my father is undergoing chemotherapy.  I am thrilled at how well he is doing so far and I have had some very special times with them here.  It is going to be hard to say goodbye tomorrow but I know that God is taking care of them and we are just trusting Him for one day at a time.

With Mom

With Dad

So now it is time to go back to Manila to begin another school year at Faith Academy. I'm very excited to meet my new class.

A few prayer requests
*  Please pray for safety in travel as I head back to Manila tomorrow
*  Pray for the next couple of weeks as I set up my classroom at get organised for the new school year.
*  Pray for the new teachers that will be starting at Faith and our new Elementary Principal Trevor Maxwell.
*  Pray for our 'All Staff Retreat' that will be taking place next weekend.
*  Pray for my new little bunch of 1st Graders.  The first day of school is August 1.
*  Continue to pray for my father that God would have his healing hand upon his body.

The End of Another Year

The End of Another School Year

Another school year at Faith Academy has flown by.  I have now completed my first year in first grade.  I must confess that at the beginning of the year I was thinking, "What have I done?" The kids had no stamina for anything and it was so much work.  But as I look back, it has been an amazing year.  The children have grown so much and I fell in love with each precious one.  It was actually really hard to say goodbye to them on the last day.

One of the highlights this quarter was our Literacy day where each child had to dress as a book character.  Here are some photos:

The Cat in the Hat with the Fish in the Bowl.  

All of the class dressed as their book characters

Another highlight was a weekend on the beautiful Island of Boracay.  Okay, it became a highlight after we had completed the 15 hour boat trip sharing a sleeping cabin with 400 others, but that was an adventure in itself.  In my 10 years at Faith I have never been to the Island of Boracay, and it was lovely.

Saying goodbye is one of the hardest parts about being at Faith Academy.  The Faith Community is such a transient community.   This year in Elementary alone we are loosing 10 out of 19 teachers.  Some will be back after furlough but many are going for good.  I hate saying goodbye, but my life is always so much richer for knowing and working with these amazing people and having them part of my life even if it is just for a short time.  

At the end of year staff banquet, they always try and make the theme fun, even though there are so many tough goodbyes to be said.  This year we came as movie characters.

Unfortunately in April I got the really hard news from my parents that my Dad had been diagnosed with colon cancer which has also spread to his liver.  In early May he had surgery to remove the cancer in his colon.  It was one of the hardest things for me to be so far away when my family was going through such a hard time.  But my family did an amazing job of keeping me posted every step of the way, and so many people were praying. God has been answering those prayers and my Dad has made a tremendous recovery from that surgery. Of course there is still a long road ahead.  My Dad will be beginning chemo very soon.  

So even though I wish I can see everyone, I've decided to spend most of my six weeks home in Cape Town with Mom and Dad helping out where I can.

Mom and Dad

Thank you again for your amazing support and for your continued partnership in Missionary Kid education.  

With much love,
Wendy

Looking Back on the 3rd Quarter of School

Quarter 3
This past quarter has been a really good one for me.  The transition to teaching First Grade was challenging at the beginning of the year.  But I have really enjoyed the past quarter with my precious little kiddos.  The content I have been teaching has been so much more exciting and I'm absolutely amazed at the growth that I have seen in every one of them.

Welcome Eva
The first significant thing that happened this quarter was that Eva came and joined our class.  Eva is from the Netherlands.  Her family have been through so many transitions over the past couple of years.  Eva did some schooling in the Netherlands, then her parents had to go to do training in England and so she spent the next 6 months there and then went back to the Netherlands for some more schooling.  Not all of her schooling experience had been positive.  Needless to say, Eva was really anxious about yet another transition.  BUT she just settled into our class like a duck to water.  After the first couple of days it was like she had been with us the entire year.  I love that Faith Academy is a place where missionary kids can feel safe, loved and right at home.  

Meet Eva

100th Day of School
In first Grade we have been counting the days of school.  We have been adding  a carriage to our train every day and at the end of January we made it to 100. So together with the kindergarteners we spent the day celebrating.

Nicole (the kindergarten teacher) and myself all ready for the day!

Each child made something with 100 of something to share with the class.
Check out Ava's Autumn tree with 100 fingerprints.

Children got to eat 100 snacks.  (10X10 snacks)

Throughout the day the children did all different activities involving 100.
 They stuck 100 stickers on these crowns.  :)

International Week
I love this special week in our Elementary Calendar.  This year's theme was 'Celebrate the World, Celebrate Forever'.  Our focus was on the many celebrations that take place around the world, but we also wanted to look at the great 'celebration' that will take place one day in Heaven.  Unfortunately there are still many people in the world who have not received the invitation to that great celebration.  So throughout the week the children gave a 'Thumbs up' to praying for the many people who need to receive the invitation.  The Thumbs stood for.
T - Tribal
H - Hindu
U - Unreligious
M - Muslim
B - Buddhist
S - Searchers

Parading around the circle

My class in their International Costumes

Praying for those who need to hear the invitation to the 'Great Celebration'.

Because I am teaching 1st Grade, I had a new continent to teach.  I had to say goodbye to Africa and hello to North America.  It was a steep learning curve but I learned so many cool things about North America along with my class.  (I now can count to 10 in spanish and I know why Canadian Geese fly in a 'V' formation just to name a few.)  We focussed on the 3 biggest countries in North America:  Mexico, USA and Canada.  I think my children would all have to agree that their highlight was making s'mores (a delicious USA camping snack) down by the dorm.  The snack involves roasting marshmallows on a fire and placing the marshmallow between 2 graham crackers along with a piece of chocolate.  Does it get better than that???  They also loved dressing 'Mexican' for our special chapel that week.

The girls dressed for Mexico.
They all made tissue flowers to wear in their hair.

Boys dressed for Mexico.
We made 'sombreros'!

Making s'mores at the dorm fire pit.  

Saying Goodbye
Although Faith Academy is primarily a school for Missionary Kids, we welcome a small percentage of non missionary children to be part of our school.  I had one such girl in my class named Angel.  Angel had been living with her father for the past 3 years in the Philippines.  Her parents had been going through rather a messy divorce and a huge custody battle.   Mom finally won custody and after 3 years of not seeing her Mother, Angel had to leave and go and live with her in Korea.  I am getting a lump in my throat just writing this down and remembering how scared and anxious Angel was about leaving everything she new and loved and going to live with her Mom that she hardly new.  My class was so precious as they said goodbye.  I have a peace that Angel is doing okay.  The reason is that every day you should hear my class pray for her.  I know with all my heart that God is answering those prayers.  I would love for you also to pray for sweet Angel, that God will hold her close in the palm of his hand.

Angel is 2nd from the left

   
Track and Field Day!
On the last day of the quarter we had 'Track and Field' Day.  Philippine Summer came in full force that day, but it did not stop the kids running, throwing and jumping their hearts out.  It was a great way to end the quarter.

1st Graders rearing to go!!!!

March Break
After the 11 week quarter, March break was surely needed.  It was great to slow down for a week and to remember God's incredible gift of new life, as we celebrated Easter.  A trip to the Pennisula Hotel for 'Fancy Tea' twas one of the highlights of my break!

Fancy Tea

Looking Ahead
So now its the final stretch of the year.  It is HOT HOT SEASON as well as the time when so many kids, teachers and families are transitioning.  So this time of year can be hard.
Please pray for:

• Lucie, a new girl who has joined our class from Scotland.  It is not easy to join a new school just for the last term.  Pray that she will settle in quickly.  Please also pray for healing.  She only has 40% hearing in her one ear and has an ear infection in the other ear which is affecting her hearing in that ear as well.  
• We are still in need of teachers for the next school year.  Pray God will provide.  Pray also for the new teachers that they will be able to raise enough support to be here by the beginning of the next school year.
• Pray for energy and good rest at night, in the midst of this hot season.
• Pray that my final quarter with the 1st Graders will be a very special one and that we will finish well.  

I am looking forward to being home in South Africa this coming June and July.  I hope I will be able to see many of you personally to thank you for your incredible prayers and support.

Every blessing,

Wendy

Back to Reality!

I thought it was going to be really hard to come back to the Philippines and to school after such an amazing trip.  But then when you receive letters like this from one of your 1st Graders, it touches your heart and makes the reality of being back so much easier.  

  

We had a good 1st week back at school. We have a new little girl in our class. Her name is Eva and she is from the Netherlands.  She was a little tearful and scared at the beginning of the day, holding her teddy as close to her as she possibly could.  But we had won her over by snack time and are delighted to have her in our class.  

Our theme in reading over the the next few weeks is change.  Everything Changes!!!  I am a little blown away by how much my 1st Graders have changed.  Not only has their reading and writing grown and changed so much, but they are growing taller, loosing teeth and just getting bigger in every way!!! 

Below is a picture of the class eating the candy canes that I brought back for them from the U.S.  I really love these guys!!!

So even though it is back to reality after such a dream holiday.  I am excited to be back with these guys and where I know God wants me to be!

One Amazing Trip

The Lord sure does take care of me.  After 18 months of  not leaving the Philippines, I couldn't ask for a better overseas trip.

One week of crazy fun and go, go, go with my sister and her wonderful family in Orlando Florida.  Epcot, Sea World, Hollywood Studios, Universal Studios, Magic Kingdom, Bush Gardens all in just 7 days.  I feel totally filled up with entertainment.  My favorite places were Sea World and the Magic Kingdom.  I just am totally in love with dolphins and killer whales.  What beautiful animals.  The Magic Kingdom is just what it says, magical.  Every place was filled with Christmas lights, fireworks, incredible rides and entertainment.  Sharing it with the Copeland family was extra special.  Keeping up with their pace, a little harder, but I think I did pretty well.  I just love my niece and nephews and to make new special memories with them was so lovely.  Thank you Pips, Andrew and clan for blessing me more than I could imagine with such a special time.  I love you guys.

Mikes, Sarah, Dan & Me with Mickey

Fireworks over the beautiful castle in the Magic Kingdom

Gotta wear those mouse ears

Splash Mountain Baby!!!!

The beautiful dolphins in Sea World

The beautiful Christmas lights in Hollywood Studios

Then it was off to Greeley Colorado to spend time with my very special friends, the Reinhards.  I just love this family.  They just made me feel so much part of their family this Christmas.  I couldn't believe that it started snowing on Christmas Eve just as we were leaving church and we woke up to the most glorious Winter Wonderland on Christmas morning.  What an incredible treat.  Christmas morning with little children, stockings, log fire, delicious coffee and blender pancakes was such a delight.  Going for a walk in the snow in the afternoon in below freezing temperatures so much fun.  Unfortunately we all managed to catch the stomach flu which set us back a couple of days.  But then on Sunday we spent the most glorious day in the mountains sledding, drinking hot chocolate, walking on a frozen lake, wearing so many layers of clothing I could hardly move and having snowball fights.  What an amazing day. There is just a few days left here, but I know that I am going to enjoy every moment.  

With Katie at church on Christmas Eve

Snow on Christmas Eve

The exciting tree on Christmas morning

3 excited children on Christmas morning

Going for a walk on Christmas day.  With Katie's Mom.

Sledding in the Rockies

The Reinhard train!

Look, I'm walking on a frozen lake.

Beautiful friend, beautiful mountains!

Bringing in the New Year!