Testify

I thought I would take a minute and update you all on my learning centers that I keep talking about:) Today was the first day that students actually went to the centers and did the activities on their own. We've been talking about some of the center procedures and expectations, but we didn't turn 'em loose until today. It went GREAT! The kids responded really well to the centers! I couldn't believe how well it went, especially for their first day! It was such a good feeling to see them be so on-task and engaged in the activities. They did just what they were supposed to do - partners really teamed up and helped each other out. My principal/co-teacher (Joshua) was really impressed with everything too. We prayed before class started this morning that God would help us and show us how to best run everything. I found out afterschool that he'd been really uptight about the whole concept - learning centers are unheard of here! I had no idea how uncommon they were here! Joshua's wife (Esther - she's actually from Canada, so she knows about centers as well) - who has helped me tremendously with the organization side of things - was really excited too! She was really impressed with how well things went on the first day - I don't think any of us had expected the kids to respond so well the first day! Since it went so well, we're really thinking this could set a pattern for how other Immersion classes are run, and possibly give some of the Korean teachers some ideas for another approach to teaching. I believe these learning centers are really an answer to prayer. I'd wanted to do them from the beginning, but had been discouraged from doing so by another teacher who told me that that's really not how "they" do things around here. But then Esther came to me a few weeks later with the idea again, and once I felt that approval, things have really taken off! She really helped Joshua get on board with the idea, and now that he's seen them in action, he is really excited for the potential they hold for our classroom and the school. I am totally stoked by it all, and really feel that God's favor is being abundantly poured out on all of our endeavors. I feel as though my hope as been renewed for this school year - I had been feeling really overwhelmed by feelings of helplessness; I saw all these students who were all at such different levels, and I had no idea how to effectively reach them all. But now, that is all changing. My students really are learning, and these centers are going to help even more than we'd first imagined. God is so faithful in the way He gives us ideas, and then helps all of those ideas fall into place and just, well...work. I am so excited that I have a feeling I'm just starting to ramble...so I will stop writing for now:) Thank you all for your continued comments and prayers - we really feel your prayers and gain so much encouragement from each comment. There have been so many times, especially the last couple of weeks, that we've been feeling particulary low - but then suddenly we feel God's presence, and we just know that people must be praying for us. We've shed many tears lately; we really miss home, and Micah's grandmother passed away this last week. We were both a little under the weather this past weekend, but have pulled through just fine. We've had some really awesome prayer time in the midst of it all; we feel as though we're under a faucet of God's favor, and we have no idea why! It reminds us, though, of Ephesians 2:8-9 (NLT), "God saved you by His special favor when you believed. And you can't take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it." Love, Sarah