Journal #10

Wednesday, August 23, 2006

For the next 2 months I cannot imagine how much rain is going to drop out of the sky here in Antigua. Monday, August 21, 2006 began the rainy season that lasts until the end of October. I have been told there is more rain during these next 2 months than there is all year. Isn’t that amazing! Have you ever thought about what you think about when it rains? Chad and I were out purchasing my celebration cake today when the rain began. We hurried home and as I sat at the table in our room watching the rain fall harder and harder, I got to thinking. The lightning and thunder were very strong and there was a thick cloud of rain as far as I could see. I got to thinking that only the one and only Almighty God could do something like that. I got to thinking that maybe storms are a way that God uses to show us some of His characteristics; powerful like the rain that hits the ground harder and harder, mighty like the wind that blows the storm in, awesome like the lightning that streaks across the sky, and nourishing like the rain that fills our earth with the water it needs. It is just such a blessing to get to see God in the many ways that we do each and every day. Isn’t it amazing how truly wonderful our God is? I know there are many times that I overlook that it is He that created everything. I am so glad that He opened my eyes to a better understanding of His power.

I took my first test yesterday. I got to class, my teacher and I had our normal 30 minute conversation to practice what I have learned, and then we began reviewing. At about 9:15 we walked upstairs together, got the test from Homberto, the teacher coordinator at CSA, and returned to our table. It was now 9:30 a.m. We usually have break at 10:00, so I thought she would wait to start the test after the break. Nope! She handed it to me and said just do what you can until the break, take your break and then you can finish when we come back. I could not believe how quickly I was going through it. I thought either I have no clue what I am doing or she has really pounded this stuff in my head that I was just writing without thinking about it. Anyway, the hard part was yet to come. I had to wait until I was completely finished with the written part before I could do the listening and comprehension section. I was dreading that part because I did not know which story I was going to get. There must have been many people praying for me because when the prompter read the title, it was the one I had done the best on during review. She read one sentence at a time, VERY SLOWLY, and after each sentence she asked, comprende?, which means “do you understand?” I just nodded my head hoping she would just continue so I would not forget parts of the story. Anyway, I got all 5 questions correct. Little did I know but the worst was yet to come. I had to sit at the table with my teacher while she graded my test in front of me. I have never had a teacher do that in my life. It was like waiting for that trip to the beach in the summer and it is only January. It took FOREVER!! She went through the test and reviewed the 2 ½ points that I had missed and said, “Very good, Shelly! You are a very good student.” I then got to go upstairs to Chad’s table and show him my grade. He was so excited fro me. Then, we went to Homberto again to get my new books. Lucy showed him my test and he gave me a stamp that had Fred Flintstone in the middle and it says in Spanish, “Congratulations, you are a very good student.” I felt like I was one of the students in my Kindergarten class. I was so proud of how well I did and I was so excited that I got a stamp.

We were at lunch and I was telling the family about my test. Chad announced that we would have cake for everyone at dinner to celebrate my test score. We went to a bakery, bought a chocolate cake with chocolate frosting and sprinkles, and served it at dinner. It was so fresh and chocolaty! Even the maid girls got to enjoy it. The greatest thing about it was we only paid 45 Quetzales ($6) for this cake that would easily feed 15-20. It was so amazing that it was so cheap.

Dios le bendiga! God bless you!
Shelly