These last few days have graciously gone by really quickly, and I’m so grateful to know that God is carrying me through my last bit of time here. My time in Spain since break has been notably different from the time before, and I am so thankful for the changes that have made my life here a lot more enjoyable. The biggest change has been in how I spend my time…before break, pretty much all of my activities revolved around school, but since starting to volunteer with Mision Nervana, I’ve been blessed to be involved in another community and to get to spend time investing in something besides schoolwork. My involvement at Mision Nervana has also helped me connect more with my church community, which is very much connected with the ministry, and both of those things have helped keep me more centered and focused on what really matters.
I’ve still been spending plenty of time on schoolwork (pretty much my whole weekend), as this week holds before me two tests and a presentation, but because I have another outlet, it doesn’t seem as daunting as it did before break. In addition to doing loads of homework this weekend, I was able to take a couple of relaxing walks by myself to spend time with God and remember that He is in control here and that He’s guiding me through. I also got to spend some quality time with Corinne, which was great…we enjoyed watching a movie together and talking more about what we’ve been learning about recently, which I always enjoy.
Some other odds and ends that filled up this weekend included finalizing plans for next semester (I got my room assignment figured out and reviewed my class schedule), writing postcards, group meetings, and doing research for my trip to Paris for a long weekend in December. We went to church on Sunday, and I enjoyed the messages in both Sunday school and regular service very much. Our pastor talked vehemently about the importance and power of prayer, and his message was very encouraging to me. Inviting God into our lives, trusting Him, and living in response to His commands is what life is all about, and it was good to be reminded of that at church.
Monday started out on a pleasant note this week as well, with everything going just about as well as it possibly could have today. I had enough time to get all of my homework done, study a bit for my upcoming tests, and spend the afternoon at Mision Nervana. The kids were exceptionally rowdy today, which was a challenge, especially with my limited disciplinary skills in Spanish, but I still really enjoyed it. I’m amazed by how quickly the kids pay attention when they get someone one-on-one, and I learn more about how to work effectively there every time I go.
One of the leaders at Mision Nervana is studying English, and she asked me to be her intercambio, so I’m looking forward to starting that on Thursday as well. The amount of ESL tutoring I’m getting to do is incredible, and I’m so grateful to have these opportunities to practice Spanish and ESL in such a unique way.
I’m amazed to see God working in me and in the world around me each day, and I’m so humbled by His great movement. It’s amazing to see Him fit pieces of my jumbled life together and to receive His blessings all the way through the whole process.
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