This semester has been full of first for me in so many ways. First year teaching, first Thanksgiving away from family, and my first time creating finals (although oddly satisfying!). For me this has been a year of firsts but for our Director and his wife, Joe and Sharon Rosa, this is a year of good-byes. Joe and Sharon have been here at CAG for 15 years and on the mission field for 27 years. Personally, I have known them for three years this March and they are a big reason I am here serving in Guatemala. This past Saturday was our faculty Christmas party/lunch and Joe and Sharon made it an absolutely delight. Joe dressing up like "Joe the Elf" and delivering Christmas gifts to all the faculty is just a perfect representation of his care and devotion not only to CAG but to all us teachers as well. I am so grateful for everything they have meant to me over the time that I have been here and I hope you will join me in praying for them as they search God's calling for this next stage in their ministry.
Missing a major holiday (especially one so "American") is hard to make up for, no matter how exciting the trip. I would have to say that by the end of the trip, I had forgotten what Thanksgiving even was! This was SUCH an amazing trip. El Salvador is gorgeous but that is not the coolest thing. Although there was surfing, reading, kayaking, swimming, laying by the pool, and all those other wonderful things about a getaway that we love, the awesome thing was the impact on the community. I went with the Osborn family from school. Dave and Many are teachers and their kids attend CAG (Spencer (18) and Nicolas (14) are in the photo). They have chosen to vacation with a purpose. El Zonte, our destination, is just a spot on the map. It has a few hostels (very basic!) but has amazing waves for surfing so this family has chosen to combine their love of the water with their desire to serve God by serving this community.
Watching them interact with the people they now call family was so encouraging to me and shed a whole new light on their idea of ministry. So please remember the town of El Zonte in your prayers because they are really a great community and have so little.
