March 2026: The Slingshot

Hi there, everyone!! 

It's so good to be back--your prayers are felt now more than ever!! For instance, right after publishing last week's blog post, I went on that retreat with the high schoolers that I asked you to pray about. But here's the thing--it almost didn't happen. 

Yes, the devil does have a tendency to get pretty crafty, doesn't he? In my case, it was an attempted blackmail from a parent based on nothing but bad vibes. Suffice to say, my bosses had none of it, and I decided to go anyway. And it was a hit!! While my sophomores only finished third in our many competitions, I still got to witness great worship, facilitate refreshing spiritual chats, and laugh at teenage antics. A little slice of heaven opened up to me that day, and I am forever thankful for it. 

But the blessings just kept coming. Even after moving down here by myself, I've apparently already made enough of an impact on my students that I got several Valentine's gifts! I included a picture of one of them below--a Korean student of mine gifted me her country's version of Moon Pies. They were delicious and a wonderful reminder that, even when grown-ups question me, the kids think I'm alright. 

 

 

An incredible gift from an incredible student! 

And to end the month, I led the school to its first ever Model United Nations conference (or at least the first in a VERY long time) in the historic city of Antigua Guatemala on Thursday and Friday. It was my first time leading a MUN team (though I've participated as a delegate in the past), not to mention that almost all of my student delegates were rookies as well. And yet, we still pulled off a great coup: out of the six students who attended, two of them (both first-timers) won an award. Guillermo Méndez won Best Diplomat for his representation of the UK, and Ilim (eye-LEEM) Song Zhu won Best Research for her preparations to represent Kazakhstan. (Yes, I did sarcastically say that she should do a Borat voice to please the chairs. No, she did not know what I was talking about--which, considering her age, was something of a relief). 

Both served in the UN High Commision for Refugees, where they pushed for solutions to accommodate Afghans fleeing the Taliban. Seeing Guillermo--whom I tutor in English, and whose family took me to that beautiful disability show in December--expertly push for the use of Royal Air Force planes to airlift refugees for free made me prouder than anything else has since I've been here. Until, of course, he was recognized for it with an award. I guess that's pretty cool, too. 

 Actually, proud doesn't begin to cover it--I love my job so much!!

Anyway, that does it for February--the month where God revealed himself most clearly yet! Even so, I still need to ask for some prayers.  

Prayer Requests:

• Quarter 3 ends at CAG this month on Friday the 13th. Pray that students give one last push and that the other teachers and I can continue to stay on top of things. 
• I'm doing a lot of thinking about my future here in Guatemala. I've decided to come back next year--I don't see myself doing anything else at this stage of my life--but however long I stay here after that is still unknown. Please ask God to give me peace and focus to worry about today alone and trust Him with whatever I will be doing next. 
• Even though I'm staying here next year, it will not be in the exact same place. Mike, my director, just told me more than a week ago that I will no longer be able to live in the  school's on-campus apartment next year. It would appear either that someone else is moving in or that further renovations are coming. Either way, I will need to find a home by the time I leave over the summer. Please pray that God will come and provide a place for me to live at a fair price. 
• Speaking of prices, I need your help with that transition. It is likely that I will end up purchasing a car, too. To be able to afford the probable increase in housing cost and the fuel/maintenance/insurance for the vehicle, I will need to raise another $300-500/month before school begins again in August. Otherwise, my financial situation becomes more precarious than ever in my life. 
• If you feel led to start me on that journey today, you are encouraged to click on this link to send your treasures--no matter how small--my way. Remember, all donations made through that link are tax-deductible, and every penny goes to empowering the work you read about above to continue, hopefully for years to come.
• Finally, I'll be traveling at the end of the month for Holy Week! I'll be going back to Savannah and St. Louis for some much-needed quality time with my family. Please pray for safe travels and good spiritual growth. 

And that's all for this month--a busy one but a satisfying one. I cannot wait to share all the ways God moves this next month--whether in Guatemala or stateside. If you want to visit me while I'm in the states, please reach out to me. Otherwise, have a blessed Lenten season as we prepare to celebrate His rising from the dead!