Merep

On Friday, one of my students, Merep, had a major melt down. Not exactly sure why, I went and talked to him. After hugging him for a few minutes and letting him just cry it out, I asked him what was wrong. His response was, have you ever been so upset you just want to scream. Being confused by his comment, I asked if another student has said something mean or hurt him in any way. He response was no, I just miss my dad. Then I asked him if his dad was away on business, to my surprise, he told me that his dad had died this summer. I would have never guessed this. Merep always comes to school happy with a smile on his face. He is not a straight A student, but his grades are pretty good. I would have never know. I was so shocked by what he had said that I wasn't exactly sure what to say. But by the grace of God words just started coming out of my mouth. I have no idea where they were coming from at the time, but God had given me the words to say. After we talked for awhile I prayed with Merep and I will continue to pray for him. It is never easy to lose the ones we love. But God knows exactly what we are going through. He sent is Only Son down to this earth and He watch Him die, so that is could save the lives of all us sinners. That is amazing love right there. After words, I was thinking about my conversation with Merep, and made me think of The Little Princess, when she say the poem My daddy has to go away, but he'll be back some other day. Well I reworded the poem a little and applied to God and His second coming and it goes like this: My Daddy had to go away, but He'll be back some other day, to take me home where I belong and I will live with Him the rest of my lifelong. God is preparing a home for me right now in heaven and one day he going to come down and bring back to heaven with him. It will be a great day, we will be reunited with the loved ones we have lost, but most importantly we will get to see Jesus and what a great day that will be. "When we all get to heaven, what a day of rejoicing that will be, when we all see Jesus we'll sing and shout the victory."

When there is nothing to do...

So last night another SM, Karie and I were sitting around with really nothing to do. It was almost 10 and we were both really just to tired to get up and go to bed. I was trying to write a friend back an email not really sure what to say, so I asked Karie what she thought, and she began to talk and I began to type. However we did not come up with an email response, but rather a letter that I am going to give to my future husband one month before the wedding and here is what the letter says:

November 3, 2010 – 9:53 p.m.

My Dearest Love,

Have you bought a house yet? I was thinking we should get married next month. We really would need a place to live under short circumstances. So you really should get on with your house buying. I prefer a lime green interior. And for the exterior I am thinking hot pick on the north and west wall, and pale orange on the east and south. As much as you dislike purple, I insist that every door be painted purple that my heart will be happy and we can live together happily ever after. If you don’t mind me asking, please remove all the windows from the house. After my experience in Palau, I prefer the open air feeling a screen provides. There doesn’t need to be any closets in the house as nail will do just fine to hang our clothes on. I highly suggest tearing a hole in the roof also, as to provide a way of escape for the smoke. I suggest this whole be near the kitchen. Um let’s see, the table needs to have three legs not four, as this prevents any possibility of wobbling. You know how I don’t like my tables to wobble. To finish it off, I demand 100% see through curtains. If for any reason these specific and highly important demands are not met, I am afraid the marriage must be called off, because it is clear that you are not Mr. Right. But then again I have always gotten my right and left confused.

Sincerely, with the deepest kind of synthetic love

Meggan

Teaching Without a Voice

I discovered as a teacher you get sick a lot more often and stay sick longer. My three week cold had developed into laryngitis on week four. I woke up one Tuesday morning not being able to talk. I thought to myself. Oh, great how am I going to teach 21 4th graders in this high pitched soft squeaky voice. I managed to make it through the first day. My students just had to be super quiet, listen very carefully and there was a lot of busy work. So I woke up on Wednesday hoping and praying my voice would be back. But it was even worse than the day before. Once again the Lord had blessed. Corey, the gym coach, came and taught Bible and English. Karie, the 5B teacher came in a taught Science and Reading during her free period. The rest of the day class was taught by me with my whistle to get their attention and writing the instructions on the chalkboard. Thursday luckily was a half day. With the help of Corey and Karie I was able to make with through another day. The Lord had really blessed that week, because there is no way I would of been able to teach and make it through those days without Him. It was great, cause even my trouble makers stepped and stop listening and helped get the class quiet. The Lord shows His presence many times even when you are not looking.

Roaches

Roaches... In the bathroom

Before you go to any place they tell you about the bugs and spiders and different things like that. I even knew there would be roaches and I was told that these roaches fly. But it never crossed my mind till I experienced these massive (and yes they are massive roaches). My first encounter with the roach was in September. It was late at night and I got up to use the bathroom. I turned on the light and did and check. I found one roach on the floor. Another SM, Sarah, killed the roach. So I thought I was all good. But no the experience does not end there. So I picked up the toilet paper roll and a massive roach came flying out at me. At this point I am now screaming and it is about midnight. Sarah again comes running out of her room and I come screaming out of the bathroom. Cause of this roach that came flying at me. And my friends the first roach that crossed my path. It was quite the experience.

Roaches... In the classroom

One Friday in October, like all Fridays I was reading my 4th graders a story. So, I was reading the story and I looked up and saw that three or four students had their hands raised. Which was really strange for story time. Kind of confused not sure who to call on first, one of my students blurted out Ms. Meggan there is a roach next to you. I looked to my right and sure enough there was a roach sitting right next to me. Come to find out I was sitting on his antenna. Quickly I got up and asked one of my 4th graders, Edson, to remove the roach. Well, he came got the roach but did not have a good grip on the roach and the roach came flying towards me. I think that was the the girlist high pitched scream ever to come out of my mouth. Finally the roach was removed from my classroom. My 4th graders had a good laugh over my fear of the roach. I now believe that the roach just wanted to hear the story too.

I believe encounter the roaches will make me stronger some way some how. I have not been brave enough to kill a roach myself yet, but I will kill one before I leave here and yes you will hear about the first roach I kill. I might even try and get a picture of one to share. I just have to remember when it comes to roaches what my mom always taught me... what does not kill you, makes you stronger.

Saying Good-bye

For the past two years, I have been the children's chruch leader at a sunday church, called Asland Terrance Christian church. I have grown to love the church and those children in so many ways. Now don't get me wrong there were those Sundays that I did not want to get out of bed and just wanted to sleep in, but I drug myself out of bed and off to Ashland Terrance. Each day bought forth new adventures and challenges and I loved every minute of it. I loved when the children had questions, because it meant they were curious about the Bible. I loved talking to them each week and getting to know them on individual basis. These children slowly became another family to me, it was like have 6 new little brothers and sisters that I could play with and teach a watch grow. I have watched these kids grow it is amazing how much a difference if made when the 6 year olds are now turning 8 and the 9 years are turning 11. It has been amazing to watch this children grow into little adults for the past two years. However, about three weeks I ago I had to tell these children of mine that I was not coming back next year. That instead I was going to the island of Palau to teach other children about Jesus. That is a hard conversation to have with 7 - 12 year olds. Now today was my last Sunday with the church and these children whom I love so dearly. My children with the help of the adults, threw me a pizza good-bye party and the church blessed me with donations to my trip which will help in so many ways. After the party was over and it was time to leave, all the children huged me good bye and took my email adress and gave me their email address. Some told me, "we love you Miss Meggan," others asked if I would stay. After the children left the classroom, I cleaned up the room just like I normally do, I pushed in all the chairs and picked up all the chairs. Than when the room was clean. I turned off the light for the last time. As I turned off the light for the last time I looked around the room and that feeling of sadness and emptyness came over me, for I realized this is the last time I will get to teach these children. They will now have a teacher who grow to loves these children, the same way I grew to love these children. As I stood in the classroom, in a moment of silence I than step out of the classroom and close the door and steped outside to embark on the new journey that is ahead of me. Because as when ever God closes one door another door is waiting to be entered. I do miss my children at Ashland Terrance, but I am ready to go on my next journey to Palau to teach more children about God and His amazing love. I know God will bless in so many ways this next year, just like He has blessed me these past year. I will continue to pray for my children and hope that they all grow up loving Lord. These children will forever and always be part of my life that I will never forget.

Too blessed to be stressed!!

I refuse to be discouraged

to be sad, or to cry

I refuse to be downhearted

and here's the reason why:

I have a God who is almighty;

who sovereign is supreme;

I have a God who loves me,

and I am on His team.

He is all wise and powerful;

Jesus is His name;

though everything else is changeable

my God remains the same

I refuse to be defeated!

My eyes are on my GOD!

He has promised to be with me,

as through this life I trod.

I am looking past my circumstances,

to Heaven's throne above.

My prayer's have reached the heart of God.

I am resting in His love.

I give thanks to Him in everything.

My eyes are on His face.

The battle is His; the victory is mine;

He will help me win the race!

I'm too blessed to be stressed!

Too Anointed to be disappointed!

The farthest distance from a problem to a solution,

is your knees to the floor!!

Canoe Trip

Well, it was Saturday afternoon here at Camp Cherokee and the big question was; what am I going to do on this beautiful Sabbath afternoon? I could go hiking, on a boat ride, take a nap, or go on a canoe trip. I decided it might be fun to go on a canoe trip since that is something I don't do often. How nice it would be to enjoy the afternoon on the lake for about an hour or two, but I was wrong... the canoe trip turned out to be four and half hours long. After about two hours of the canoe trip we arrive to a area just for canoes and kayaks and we looked around at different plants and fish and enjoyed God's nature. After we canoed around there for about thirty minutes we turned around to start heading back to camp however, at this point I was done, I hurt all over and I know I started complaining more than I should of been and was trying so hard not to. At about hour three, I did not think I could make it back to camp. I stopped paddling for a little and I looked up to the sky and just prayed to God, "Dear Lord, I am tired and hurting and I don't think I can make it, please give me the strength I need to get back to camp. I am weak dear Lord, but Thou art Strong. Amen. After I finished my prayer I began paddling again and I started singing songs from "I Like Bananas" to "I come to the Garden Alone." I just sang for the next hour and a half until I made it back to Camp Cherokee. By the grace of God I made it back to camp. Yes, I was sore for the next couple of days, but the canoe trip was something I will never forget. God's strength is great and He is always there for us when we need Him most.