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| HIS 5th Grade |
Shortly after our conferences, Highlands hosted the annual NICS South American Director's Conference. We shared the week with 10 administrators and directors (including our organization's founder) from the US and South America. Fun, but busy! My kids really enjoyed the visitors and it was exciting to share about different things happening in our NICS family around the World. It's encouraging to know there are thousands of other teachers around the World, doing the same thing I do every day.
Next, I packed up my backpack and prepared for a 2 night, 3 day trek through the Bolivian wilderness with 36 highschool students and 5 other teachers. What an incredible and beautiful journey. Our trek started at 13,000 feet and within 3.5 miles we had climbed to 15,000 feet! I have never experienced such shortness of breath, but the exertion was well worth it. The trail slowly descended to about 7,000 feet over the next 15 miles and we ended in the jungles of the Amazon basin. What a fantastic time to enjoy God's creation and connect deeper with some of the students and staff.
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| Takesi Trail Head |
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| In the Yungas (Amazon Basin) |
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| Teachers enjoying an early morning cup of coffee |
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| Hiking with 2 great teachers and friends |
After a couple weekend days of recovery, the week started again in full force with our "Spiritual Emphasis Week". We had 3 pastors from Mississippi visit and spend the week sharing with our students about what it means/looks like to be a disciple of Christ and how to make disciples. This week was so rich! We saw 11 middle school and high school students make decisions to give their lives to Christ. One of these students was a young girl who has been part of a discipleship group with me for the past year and a half. I know many of you have been praying for her. Thank you! I also got to pray with 5 of my 5th graders to make a first time decision for the Lord. Wow! The fields are ripe for harvest indeed! Please pray for these new believers as they begin to grow in their relationship with Jesus.
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| With my discipleship girls on the trail. Monica gave her heart to the Lord last week! |
As our visitors said goodbye and life seemed to be getting back to "normal" we prepared ourselves for a calm week. We were wrong. Sadly, this past Monday our curriculum director Scott and his wife Sarah announced they will not be returning to Bolivia next year but will be pursuing new things God has for them in the States. They have been a part of our community for 10 years and it was shocking to hear of this new development. The very next day, during our weekly staff meeting, our beloved director announced that he and his family will also not be returning to Bolivia next year. This also came as a shock. Scott and Tammie have 3 children (one who is in my class) and are very invested in Bolivia. They are incredibly wise and humble leaders who have been like family to all of us. It was a very difficult and emotional meeting for everyone.
Please pray for our community as we are losing 2 of our core leaders. We trust God has a plan and will bring in the right leaders for next year. We know Highlands doesn't belong to any one single man or woman, but to God. However, our hearts hurt and the future is uncertain. Part of the reality of life here is people constantly coming and going, yet it is very difficult to find "family" and then know you have to say goodbye. We walk by faith not by sight. I myself would particularly appreciate prayers concerning guidance about my decision of whether or not to continue at Highlands next year. My decision must be made my November 25th.
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| The Frost family |
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| The Cunninghams |
Please pray for these 2 incredible families as they begin to make this difficult transition.
From the bottom of heart thank you, friends and family for reading and for investing in my life and in the lives of children in Bolivia. May you have a blessed and rich Autumn season.
"Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary but what is unseen is eternal." 2 Corinthians 4:16-18
