Friday October 30
I will try to catch you up on the 29th but am going on to the 30th. Was up early this morning and had a good chat with Ann. The day started with the usual kids for individual help. I actually started employing some of them to help start dismantling the room. My room which doubled as the Art room is not a permanent FES room it is only borrowed so all FES stuff had to be moved out. As Soon as the kids arrived I took over the opening exercises because Linda had to go up to Oaxaca for some urgent visa business. I spoke about Jesus being the chief corner stone and urged everyone to be sure their faith was planted on Him so that He would not be a rock of offense. We then all walked to auditorium where the instruments were set up for the closing program. Melinda led the music rehearsal and then I did a couple of walkthroughs of the play because that was the first time the microphones were there. I also gave them a pep talk about the need to imagine themselves as the characters they were playing or they would never get the audience to imagine it either.
Back at the school a bit later than planned we took time for the Bible lesson. I was filling in for Linda who was still in Oaxaca. The theme of the FES was prayer so I used Hebrews 5:8ff and tied it in with Jesus prayer in Gethsemane. After recess we started serious work to tear apart the room. We had wanted to use the diet soda mentos explosion for a volcano eruption and Linda had located some so we watched her class set that off. I was invited out to lunch but declined because I still had work to do in the apartment and get ready for a devotional talk at the program.
I was hardly ready when it was time to head for the auditorium but head there I did. My first part was to give a devotional thought from Psalm 18 which the older kids had been memorizing. I focused on the verse that indicated that God stoops to make us great. My voice broke a few times but I was able to get through it. Each teacher had a chance to have their kids perform. The students sang the songs they had practiced and the Stone Soup play was far beyond any of the practices and a big hit with the parents. Our teen age aide Rusty did a fantastic job on the slide show and Linda closed with a time for recognizing those who helped make the three weeks a success. Gifts were given to the teacher and aides and then it was time to enjoy some stone soup and ground cake with gummy worms for desert.
Without rushing my goodbyes too much I soon headed for the apartment for the final packing and getting it all cleaned out. All but the medicine chest that is. I discovered the next morning that my toothbrush, razor and shaving cream were all left behind. I had extra of everything but shaving cream and in all the shopping today forgot to get some. Joel helped with the last few things and Beth stopped by and finished taking all of the stuff out of the fridge and freezer. By that time Abby and Nate and Heidi were all in Joel’s pickup waiting to head for Oaxaca.
When I was on the way to the truck I realized I had not left a shirt out and was wearing a white tee. I unzipped the suitcase in the back of the truck and managed to get a shirt out. The ride to Oaxaca was one of animated conversation about Ann, the clousura and many other topics. Fortin hill overlooks the city of Oaxaca and there is a terraced, open aired restaurant there with spectacular views of the city lights. We ate there and continued our conversation long passed my estimated time of arrival at the bed and breakfast where I was to meet my new team from the Covenant Church. I decided not to even look at my watch and surmise that their plane was late and they had not arrived. They had of course arrived on time and were all asleep when I got there around 10:30