First of all, we are thankful that Miguel's temporary visa arrived in Nogales last Thursday and he was able to pick it up yesterday. This visa will allow him to cross into the US and the permanent residency card will then be mailed to us. I've learned that it could take 1-4 months for the card to arrive.
Miguel and Denver unloading hay
Lord willing, we plan to visit Miguel's dad in California next week! Our trip is planned for September 8th-17th and at this point, we are planning to drive. We are very excited about all the adventures we hope to have. Miguel will be reunited with his dad after 9 years apart and we will meet our niece, Delilah, who was just born last week.
Monday morning my heart burst with joy to see the playground full of students in uniforms. It feels like new life! It's also been a joy to see the teachers again.
Last Wednesday and Friday, Kendra, Maestra Ivette, and I presented the after-school program "Hilos" to the teachers and then the parents. Over the weekend the school schedule was changed (by higher authority than our local school from approximately 9 am -2 pm to 7:30 am-12:30 pm) and so we've been making adjustments to the Hilos Schedule. Inspite of this hiccup, we are excited for several interested families and look forward to welcoming more into the program.
The name "Hilos," means "Threads" in English and comes from the idea of weaving threads together to create a stronger cord. Some of these "threads" would be Christ, the community, and family. The program is currently for 4th through 9th grade on two afternoons a week for two hours and will include lunch, a social-emotional class, and three courses over the semester - horses, art, and cooking.
I am also learning to navigate my new role as supervisor in the kitchen. One relatively small challenge recently has been an invasion of beetles! It's been especially bad the last couple weeks of this rainy season. As you can see above, yesterday we decided to curb their enthusiasm by covering the cracks under some of the doors.
Some more difficult challenges have been letting go of responsibilities and taking on others, giving direction and a listening ear, and in general, challenging myself to be a better leader. I'm learning that I can't fix everything. I don't need to micromanage tasks or relationships, but I do need to listen, receive push-back, encourage communication, seek solutions, stand my ground, apologize, set boundaries, and grow.
I would really appreciate all of your prayers for our trip, the supervisor role, and the after-school program. There are a lot of details in play: relationships, schedules, time-frames, objectives, disagreements, disappointments, and adjustments to be made. I've felt empowered, excited, overwhelmed, afraid, and hopeful. Please pray that I can turn each of these emotions, each responsibility, and each plan over to Jesus. I can't do it on my own!
Thank you for your continued support!
