We finished our English Practicum on December 4th! Our students worked for three weeks using a language learning technique that they will use when they are learning a tribal language. Two couples from Arizona come down: Don & Jean, and Gerry & Linda for three weeks. Thanksgiving dinner was with over 30 people and included a history of why we celebrate Thanksgiving. We even had an American church service and everything that goes with it: name tags, bulletins, hymns & praise choruses, announcements, and punctuality! The students thought that it was very interesting how “fast” the church service was (1 hour exact) because here in Mexico the church service normally lasts between 1 1/2 hours to 2 1/2 hours (not including Sunday school)!
We were very blessed to have Gerry show the boys how to repair water heaters, washing machines, stoves, and other home repairs. Linda & Jean showed the girls different crafts and how to make bread, cinnamon rolls, cakes, etc. While Don just enjoyed visiting with everyone! We miss them dearly as adopted grandparents. The students really enjoyed the the two couples and they learned a lot of English including the language learning method.
Kathleen & I were the two consultants during the practicum. She is the leader for the Spanish department here for the new missionaries that come down. Kathleen partnered with me during the practicum and made it out to the Ranch quite a few times to help me out with the encouraging, leading the students, and she was also able to sit in on the students language sessions. I was so thankful to have her help because it was my first time doing something like this. Based on her feedback I have several areas where I can improve and tweak to improve the language practicum for the students next year. She was a wonderful source of encouragement for me during the whole time.
I am not sure I have enough time or the right words to describe just how much work went into the language practicum. I was not only the consultant & leader, but also a taxi driver, tour guide, translator, hostess, teacher, counselor, business manager, and more! Philippians 4:13 that says “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me”, and I saw a tangible manifestation of how God supplied strength for me each day as I didn’t have the strength in me to handle all the interruptions, visits, as well as all the unexpected things that had to be dealt with!
This was totally not planned. The first week that Jean was here we had to take her to the emergency room at the hospital! She had previously had an infection in one of her toes that the antibiotics didn’t clear up before she came down to Mexico. But while she was here it got worse. Thankfully Hector (Amy’s husband) was able to help with translating, errands, and transportation with the unexpected medical emergency while I stayed at the Ranch to help the students in the mornings and in the afternoons I would go visit Jean in the hospital. She was in the hospital for five days and unfortunately they did have to amputate her toe but she had peace from God to have the surgery done down here!
