August 2026: Back in the Saddle

Hello everybody, and welcome back to another year of life in the Land of Eternal Spring!!

I am thrilled and overjoyed beyond belief to be back working at Christian Academy of Guatemala this year. As mentioned a few months ago, my class load is increasing considerably--even though it looks a bit different than expected. 

This year, I will be teaching 8th grade English/language arts, Middle School Novice Spanish, 10th grade World History, and 11th grade Dual Enrollment U.S. History. I am very excited about all of these classes (even if it does mean more middle-schoolers :)) and cannot wait for World History in particular. My 9th grade World History teacher, a man named Ted Russell, is one of my favorite teachers. He is as responsible as any single man can be for inspiring my love for all things international. I sincerely hope that I will be able to replicate a sliver of his expertise in showing young boys and girls how their decisions affect the world around them. 

Of course, the most important part of all that is that they do it in love. If they travel to 100 countries, learn five languages, understand what makes everybody tick but do not have love, then as Paul wrote to the Corinthians, "[they are] but a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal." 

So now, I'll bet you're all asking a question that I will be asking of all my students: how did you spend your summer vacation, Matthew?? Well, simply put, it was incredible. 

I guess it started when I was still here in Guatemala, helping my ministry, Light for the Future, with their VBS alongside a team from North Augusta, SC. Seeing so many young children invite their friends to hear the Gospel (and eat pizza, play games, etc.) was incredibly touching and gave me hope for the next generation. 

 

A high school student from the States and a local girl from Guatemala embrace on the final day of VBS. 

Then, I went home and visited my family, just in time to welcome my cousin's firstborn child to to the world. Lex (pseudonym) is such a sweet little boy, and while holding him, I figured out that the trick to calming a baby is to talk to him in Spanish! I kid, of course, but that first day of life when I held him, he did seem to react well to my encouraging him in Spanish (and French to boot!). 

And here he is!! Can you tell I've never held a newborn before??

Of course, we celebrated 250 years of freedom that weekend, and then after that, my parents gave me the greatest (belated) birthday present ever: a trip to Atlanta to take in the World Cup at the newly-opened Cosm!! We witnessed a thrilling Round of 16 matchup between Argentina and Egypt (preceded, of course, by the USMNT's defeat by Belgium), and I even ran into some Guatemalans in Argentina gear while in line for breakfast!

My father and I stand outside Atlanta Stadium ahead of the match; our venue, Cosm, is across the street.

I could go on and on about the world gathering on Atlanta while here, but my parents say the Olympics 30 years ago brought even greater crowds to the city. Regardless, the depth of international connection was impressive to witness, especially around Messi. So many people whose nations did not qualify for the tournament--Guatemalans, of course, but also Chinese, Indians, Nepalis, even the previously-eliminated Koreans--all wore that blue-and-white striped Number 10 jersey as though it were from their own country. 

And that got me thinking--when will Jesus ever be like that?? Will people who aren't yet aware of His existence or His message become as obsessed with him as a Bengali is over a "flea" from half a world away?? What is my role in making it so??

For now, it is to teach here at CAG. But back to the rest of my summer. After getting back from Atlanta, I got to visit my sister and brother-in-law one last time in St. Louis before they move to Savannah to be near the rest of our family in December! From the top of the Gateway Arch to enjoying Newsies at the Muny, our trip was filled with incredible memories--a touching farewell to a city that has taken such good care of my family these last 5 years. 

And that brings us almost to today!! I went to take in the beach at St. Simon's with my grandmother who lives there and, just like that, I find myself in Guatemala again!! 

18th-century cannons are preserved for restoration at Fort Frederica National Monument on St. Simon's Island, GA.

Now for prayers and praises:

Praises

• Thank you to all of you who answered the call and supported me, whether it's your first time or your fourteenth. I am pleased to announce that, thanks to your generosity, I am fully funded for the upcoming school year!! Of course, if you still feel led to donate, you can make your 100% tax-deductible contribution at this link. 

Prayers

• Please pray for energy and stamina as I launch myself headfirst into a new, even busier school year. In addition to the courses I mentioned, I will be restarting Debate Club and co-sponsoring Student Council at CAG this year! This might be the most amount of work I've done in a job yet, so pray for good spirits and a willingness to push myself. 

• I also have, for the first time in the history of this blog, an unspoken request concerning my family. If the situation permits, I might go into detail in future posts. For now, please pray for peace and clarity over my family in Savannah. 

And that's all!! It feels so good to be back in my home away from home for another year. Let's fight the good fight together!