May 2026: Sea Legs

Well, here we are again!! I apologize for not posting on social media last month. April, as it turned out, was an incredibly busy month--well beyond what I had initially been planning. As a result, I'm writing this a few days earlier than usual to make up for it. 

Anyway, why was April so busy, you ask?? Well, for one thing, Prom was this month. That was actually fun and relaxing, but watching students stress out about it (no matter how often you remind them that nothing about it really matters) is definitely not fun. Mercifully, it is all behind us now, and we got plenty of good laughs (not to mention mountains of free leftovers for us teachers) out of the evening! 

Additionally, we had the team from Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) visit our school for accreditation last week. After passing through our classrooms, hosting focus groups, and individually interviewing our administration, the team (composed of visiting administrators from peer institutions) recommended us for re-accreditation! While the school did have a few action items for us, they are all administrative/financial goals--i.e., not anything I can control directly. 

I had been told about the accreditation process when I was interviewing here at CAG a year ago this month. One of the standard questions I like to ask at job interviews--especially during the first round--is, "Where do you personally see [employer] in a year's time?" When I asked this to my director, he said practically the sole focus of the school would be on accreditation. Now that it's behind me, I feel amazing!! All those meetings and nit-picking documents finally paid off!

And then, on the heels of a successful re-accreditation, came my 26th birthday on Friday the 24th!! It was the first birthday I had the joy of celebrating overseas. A day that started with me profoundly missing my family was soothed by bilingual birthday songs, a Facebook page filled with well-wishers from Texas to Virginia to Georgia to Guatemala, texts galore, and even another Choco Pie from my principal! 

My principal's birthday card that came with the Choco Pie. The verse on the card is Psalm 119:105

 

Yes, it was nothing short of being an amazing birthday--and the spa day I took on Lake Amatitlán that Saturday was the icing on the cake. Even in the midst of the accreditation hubbub, and all the tests, quizzes, and assignments that come with this time of year, it felt good to know that God is taking care of me through His "great cloud of witnesses." 

Praises: 

  • I've found an apartment!! Conveniently located on a quiet street near the middle of Guatemala City, it provides beautiful views and easy access to all the places I tend to go. I will move in on or around May 9. 
  • I also found a car!! Since the new apartment is located about 3 miles from CAG, it is essential that I have a set of wheels. At the time of writing, I am tentatively buying a black 2019 Mitsubishi Mirage G4 sedan. I test-drove it on my birthday, and it felt like a great car.  

Prayers: 

  • A little more money is never a bad thing, especially in the midst of such a transition. I am still asking for another $500/month in support to cover rent at the new apartment, as well as insurance, fuel, and maintenance costs for the new vehicle. I would like to have all this fully funded by August. Remember, donations can quickly be made here and are 100% TAX-DEDUCTIBLE. Any amount will go a long way!
  • Speaking of donations, the person who has facilitated them for me back in Savannah, Richard Jefferson, has been having many health struggles this year. Pray for prompt healing and restoration as he continues building God's kingdom in Savannah and beyond!! 
And that's it...for a while. I'll probably be back in June for a little update, but after that, I'll be on summer vacation and won't reach back out until August. Thank you all for all you've done for me, whether years ago or even still to come!! 

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