The New Year So Far

**Note: There seems to be some concern about anything involving the school or the kids in the school being on the internet, so I have removed a picture and the name of the school from previous posts.** Having said that, I will continue to write anything that I feel is worth mentioning, just without the name of the school or any pics of the kids.
Things worth mentioning since I last wrote: a new year, a confirmation, belated Christmas presents, and major drama with a teacher. For me, the New Year came in very sweetly and quietly. I had an invitation to go to a New Year's Eve party in Bethlehem with Rula and her family (Erin went), but I just really didn't feel like staying up until 4:00 a.m. in a room full of smoke with a bunch of people I didn't know. That might have sounded appealing to me about 10 years ago (with the exception of the smoke), but it's just not how I would choose to spend an evening anymore. Instead, I spent the Eve praying with Sarah, one of the high school teachers. It was such a nice time; God was with us and we felt strengthened and encouraged by Him when our prayer time was over. It was exactly how I wanted to bring in the New Year.
I asked God this past summer to let me know if I would be teaching here again next year before this Christmas Break was over. Last year, He let me know that I should come back 2 weeks before I went back home for the summer, and I really wanted Him to let me know much earlier this year. Why, I don't know - I just wanted to know earlier this time. During Christmas break, I kept remembering that I had asked for this, and so I waited and wondered if He would answer me by the end of the break. . . and He did. The last night of Christmas break I received a Word basically saying that it was time for me to turn and head back in the direction of my core calling. (Just in case you don't know, teaching elementary school is not my core calling.) I couldn't believe it and I was so excited because the thought of teaching for another year is just not the most thrilling for me. Now please understand that I love my kids and that I'm not unhappy teaching and I know that I"m supposed to be here presently, but I also know that this is a temporary calling. It's important, fulfilling, worthwhile, and life-changing, but temporary. As for my core calling, my heart is for ministry and my desire is to see Jesus heal, deliver, and set people free in all areas of their lives; to see Him bring wholeness physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. Ideally, I would love to do some sort of "humanitarian" work like helping build houses for poor people or something of that nature, alongside the ministry aspect of things. So now the question is what am I going to do next? This is my most pressing personal inquiry to God these days & I can't wait to see what it will be.
Wilma came back the weekend after school started again, and with her came all kinds of love and goodies from home. Sweet cards, pics, money, music & audio books (Chronicles of Narnia & L.O.T.R. - yes!), clothes & jewelry, and a new digital camera!! I have such an amazing family and group of friends - I am truly blessed. Thanks guys, I love you so much!!
The first week back at school came and went without a hitch, but a very unpleasant situation occurred the middle of the 2nd week. One of the teachers who teaches National Studies in my class each week basically roughed up a couple of my 7-year-old kids during class one day. They were okay, but there were a couple of scrapes, and of course it was completely unacceptable behavior. Other teachers have had problems with this teacher also, some very serious and personally witnessed, and of this same nature. When my kids told me what had happened that day I was furious, but I wanted to get the facts straight. I talked to the teacher's supervisor and then had my class tell my principal everything that had happened in class that day. And so, a week went by and I heard nothing else about it. When the day came for him to teach again, my kids were begging me to stay in class with them. I decided to sit outside my class while he was in there, but I didn't tell my kids or him what I was doing. At first, neither my kids nor he knew that I was sitting outside the door and the class was crazy. But then he opened the door & some of my kids saw me and told him I was there. He saw me and shut the door and then started actually teaching. After school that day, he told me it wasn't nice for me to sit outside while he was teaching. I told him that it wasn't nice for him to abuse children and that he shouldn't be teaching here. I was pretty mad & I went to ask my principal if anything was being done about him. While I was in there, he walked in and I lost it. He started saying the kids were lying and telling me not to believe them (his usual story whenever he gets into trouble) & I basically called him a liar and told him that I would sit outside my class every time he was teaching it. (There was a lot more said than this and at a very loud volume. . . .) He was sent out and I told my principal that he should not be teaching at the school and I walked out. I apologized later to my principal for losing my temper in her office because I seriously have never gone off on someone like that before and I felt bad about how upset I was, but not about what I said. I do not hate this guy, but I know that he is seriously troubled and has no business being in a position of authority over children. I truly hope that he comes to know Jesus (he doesn't believe in God) and that he receives the ministry he needs very soon. I found out the next day that he had been fired the day before our confrontation, though I was never told this when I asked about him, and his last day was this past Saturday. I am sorry for him, but I'm not sorry that he's not working at the school anymore.
On a lighter note, today has been truly wonderful. It snowed last night and so we didn't have school today. My class and I have been praying for snow for over a week now & it finally came. When I woke up this morning I was praying to see the ground covered with snow & when I saw that it was I was so happy and inspired that I wrote Erin a poem letting her know that she didn't have to get up. This day was a sweet gift from God to all of us, teachers as well as students, & it's possible that we'll be out of school again tomorrow. If so, then we will have 3 days off in a row because we're off on Fridays - how wonderful that would be! And so, here's looking forward to another lovely day off tomorrow.