Whatsoever you do to the least of My people, that you do unto Me.

Saturday, April 30, 2011

Happy Easter!!!

Dear Friends and Family,

I hope you had a blessed and joyful Easter. Life here in the past two weeks has been crazy and wonderful. We have had vacation from school and it has been a huge blessing. While we had vacation from school we had some of the orphanage boys over at our house. Well, we actually had all of the primary boys over. It was good for them to do something different and keep them busy during their time off. I got sick during the week and ended up spending some time in bed but I am healthy now!

I figured I would put up some pictures from the boys rather than trying to describe everything for a change in pace.

The boys from the orphanage always remind me to be grateful for what we have. They are really need so much attention but its just not possible to give everyone all the attention that they need. Everyone does a really great job to do the best they can, but nothing beats being in a family. I will always be indebted to the love they show me. The boys are very affectionate and that makes time with them so rewarding.

Easter here was a really good experience. On Easter Monday everyone goes out to the sea wall and fly kites. We also went out with the boys to fly kites which was also really great. I really enjoyed spending Easter here. It was really laid back but at the same time good. There was no Easter Bunny - but there were plenty of kites.


Life other than that has been good. I've been enjoying time off and relaxing. It is always so important to take time for yourself. I sometimes forget that I need to just relax and not stress. This is what the last two weeks have really been.

Other than that I've also been reading "The girl with the dragon tattoo" and its sequel. The book starts out slow but is REALLY amazing. I would very much recommend reading them both. While I was sick I ended up reading 581 pages in ONE DAY! It obviously shows how good the book was!

I am sorry this is short, but hopefully you enjoy the pictures. Know that I have been thinking of everyone back home often during the Easter period. I got a card from my Aunt the other day that wished me the best as I entered the season of hope. It was a really good reminder for me. This is the season of hope -

Be confident in hope!

Love,

Ashley Ann


Henrietta With Ramario

Getting the Boys to Help Clean up!

Ramario in the Hammock

Sleeping Boys
Family Photo After Easter Vigil
Kites on the Sea Wall
The Sea Wall/Ocean
Hanging out by the Ocean on Easter Monday





Coloring on the Veranda

Saturday, April 16, 2011

No Snow Here!!!

Ola Pedro,

I watched my all time favorite movie last night 27 dresses... hence the greeting! I hear some of you got snow recently... Don't worry - I'm in the 90 degree heat and LOVING it!

I feel like just yesterday I was blogging for last week. I sometimes feel like everything goes by so quickly I can't even keep track of things. It is now halfway through April which means in just a little more than a month my family is coming. I like having things to look forward to but it also makes time go by so fast! I can't believe they will be here so quickly!

Work this week was stressful as next week is the end of the term. At school I spent most of my time assessing the students on their progress throughout the year. Assessing them on this was one of the most rewarding things I have done so far. I could actually see progress on their computer skills. Its rewarding to know that the work I put in with them actually is having some fruits! One of the students who had no idea how to even turn on a computer showed me he could successfully use microsoft word and powerpoint.

Work at the hospital was busy but and stressful. There is a couple of young patients who are not doing so well in the hospital. It is always really difficult to see young children suffer from HIV. Its difficult to know that they are dying from HIV and at no fault of their own. (Not saying people who get HIV are at fault!) It takes a lot of energy to mentally understand any good that could come out of a situation like this.

My student who has been in the hospital is slowly making progress but is still in need of much medical attention. Right now she is still waiting on blood but there is a huge blood shortage right now. They don't know how soon she will be able to get the blood but I will let you know the progress.

This week more than once I have been "stuck between a rock and a hard place" with little idea of how to get myself out. Being in these situations always makes a person more angry and vulnerable to the world around them. This is definitely true of myself, when I am in a difficult situation it is really easy to get defensive and look towards others. I took a long time this week to examine the mistakes I had made to bring myself into the situations that I encountered. This is a very difficult thing to do because it can go one of two ways. The first was is that I would blame everything on the other person and say that I had no fault. (Pride) The second way is that I would blame everything on myself and feel bad and think "Woe is me". (Scrupulosity) Neither of these options lead to a very healthy outcome. I began the week thinking like the second one, in the middle of the week was thinking like the first one, and finally by the end of the week I started to realize that may I need to think a little more along the middle lines. I have made many mistakes since being here, and I have many more to make but everyone around me also makes mistakes.

This was all made really clear to me when I went to a church yesterday and saw one of my own students. He gave me a really big hug and told me he was very happy to see me. He is an aspiring pastor and as we got to talking he said to me: "Well on Sunday we ask for forgiveness because we are all sinners, no matter how much we try we all sin". Such a simple message but so easy to forget sometimes. We are all at fault and we all sin against one another. Why is it that we always want to see ourselves as so perfect when we are flawed. Yes we should strive for perfection, strive for holiness but until we realize within our minds we will fall we will be battling pride and scrupulosity within our minds.

I am so blessed and happy to have so many students and other individuals in my life who help to show me light every day.

Well I hope you have a really good week - "If you can't feed a hundred people... then just feed one..." Mother Teresa!

Love,

Ashley Ann

Friday, April 8, 2011

Happy Birthday Kelsey

Dear Friends and Family,

Today is my best friend from high school's birthday!!!! I am missing her very much! We have been through the past 15 or so years of life together and I am sad to be so far away when she turns 23!!! :) She has always been a sense of calm and security through my life and for that I could not be more thankful!

Well this week has been an interesting one. Audrey's family arrived Sunday morning and it was really exciting. Not only did they bring us candy from home but it was just really good to talk with her family. They have been really interested in all aspects of our lives and its good to share what we have here with people who are closest to Audrey. It is also nice to come home to see her parents because it gives our house a little more "homey" feeling.

Work at the hospital this week was busy for me. I spent a lot of time doing clerical work because we are still working on reports. Finally on Wednesday afternoon I finally got everything done. Nothing was too exciting other than the constant movement. Seeing and talking with the patients is also very rewarding. I find an abundance of kindness and respect from the people I work with. I was working with a child who is HIV + and he was so sweet in my mind I said "I just want to take you home with me".

Work at Mercy Wings this week was rough. On Thursday morning I had to give my students an assessment. During the test they were really difficult. I was having a hard time keeping them quiet which is unusual for them. At the end of the test one of the students tells me how his cell phone had been stolen during the test. I ended up sending for the Co-Coordinator of the school because I knew that it was something I couldn't deal with. The students were searched thoroughly but the phone was never found. Although a phone wasn't found quite a few forbidden items were. The boy who's phone was stolen is super sweet and never causes any trouble. The boys who took it (Suspected to have) are very difficult and almost never cooperate. I guess the rough part about this is there is one boy in particular who I have seen change over the past month. He used to keep to himself, be respectful, smart, and always help out. Then he started to hang out with the boys who are suspected to have stolen the phone. Within the past month he has become more aggressive and disrespectful. Last week I asked him to clean for me and he tried to disrespect me in front of all of the other students. This was something that is very rare for him. I let it go and told him if he did it again I would make him clean the entire yard of the school. This week while we were taking the test he once again gave me problems. After the test had gone and the bell rang I called him into my class. We discussed his test and how he almost failed. I confronted him on the fact that last term he was the second highest student and that I expected better from him. When we were talking one on one I told him that he was being respectful. He responded "Miss I always respect you" and I said "You always respect me when the other boys can't see". He shamefully looked at me and didn't argue. I told him how I knew he could be and has been a better person, I asked him if I should expect this behavior from him to continue or if he would return to his normal respectful self.

This is the most difficult aspect of my job because it breaks my heart to see him go in the wrong direction. It's so difficult when you see the untapped potential of a student and see them waste their time and try and fit in. I pray that he is able to see the good he has in himself. I pray that all of my students see the dignity that they have.

My girl in the hospital is still struggling very much. Her breathing is still difficult and painful but she is trying to be a fighter. I was unable to talk with her because when I went in she was sleeping. We have been taking turns going to see her and bringing her juice and water. I continue to ask for prayers for her. It is difficult to watch someone suffer for so long.

One thing that i've really been reflecting on this week is the fact that so many times we dream big but do nothing. I was thinking about the lack of education in the world today and how daunting of a problem it is. Then I thought well what can I do to fix it? I am teaching in one small area of the world but that doesn't change anything on the broad scale. Then I realized that so many of my friends and family back home also have passions about things such as: being green, helping children, spending time with the elderly... etc. Then I thought of someone I personally know who wants to be very green however is too lazy to recycle things within their own home. We dream about a greener world but sometimes forget the small things we can do. I found that in Guyana I have had to learn that I can dream big but I must work small. Sitting and thinking about things doesn't get anything done.

I've also learned to try and do what I love to do this week. Sometimes I get so caught up in the things I need to do, how quickly they can be done, and who good I am at doing them. I forget to take time for myself. I think that was one lesson my aunt and uncle taught me earlier this summer. They both love to cook and so they cook. I was able to cook with them this summer and it really helped me to relax and enjoy my time before leaving. Its simple... do what you love, and love what you do.

May you have a blessed week. Know that I am praying for you and I ask for your prayers.

Love,

Ashley Ann

Friday, April 1, 2011

Miss Stop Speeding!

Dear Family and Friends,

I write to you after a very relaxing weekend, but a very long week. Our retreat last week went very well. We spent most of the time just hanging out, reading, and talking. On Saturday morning we took a two and a half hour long adventure along the sea wall. It is a different type of sea wall than that of Georgetown and it was a good change in scenery. We all got a little sunburnt even though we put plenty of sunscreen on.

I found an apostolic letter by Pope John Paul II on the christian meaning of human suffering. It was a really good letter to read because it helped to put everything that I had been experiencing together. I remembered that suffering is always difficult but if we focus on the sufferings of Christ and how we can unite with Him things become a little easier. I am not saying it takes away any of the pain, or that it doesn't still really suck, I am just saying that its better than becoming self absorbed into the "why me". I need to remember that when I feel bad for myself and wonder why I am going through this I accomplish nothing... however, when I think to offer up my suffering for someone else I remember that good can come out of terrible situations. I've noticed people keep saying in the end you will realize there is a reason for all of this and maybe that is the lesson I need to learn. I have to understand that even though I don't understand it all now, I need to let go of the control and the wanting to understand and live life as it is presented to me. When life gives you limes, buy el dorado rum, coke and make a drink! :) haha.

This week at school I felt like the students decided to become extraordinarily agitated. I don't know a reason for this and I was not the only one to notice this. I feel that there must be something in the air. This made the days really long and punishment quite frequent. I have and always will be terrible at punishing students. I can be such a soft person that I fail to actually punish strict enough. I feel that the longer I am in Guyana the better I become at finding reasonable and just punishments. I wish that punishment wasn't a part of the job, but it is and therefore its just another place where I can grow as a teacher.

However even among the frustrations there are always the students that make you smile. I am constantly surprised at students when I see them grow as a person. I have learned that you can never label a student as a bad egg because there is good in everyone. Even the most difficult of students can surprise you by the changes they can make if they want to be a better person.

One of my co-workers at the hospital was gone for almost a month and she finally came back this week. I was really happy to see her and it made my week that much better. Work at the hospital was full of tons of clerical work because it is the end of the month and I was busy helping put reports together. Not fun, but necessary for the job! :)

If I've learned anything this week it has been that I must be patient. I sometimes feel like when I am confused or conflicted that I need an immediate answer. I spent the past two weeks thinking over something in my mind that I really didn't need to think about. Today it was on my mind all day and finally at the end of the day I realized the only reason the problem is not going away is because I am letting myself dwell on it. The Guyanese always say you shouldn't "Study things" (think too much) because it will make you old fast. I agree. My students noticed that I was "studying something" and kept telling me to not "take on too much stress". I feel that sometimes we wrap our minds in stress when really we need to let it go. Today my good friend told me "Miss, stop speeding", which means that I need to stop thinking so much. I then took the bus home and by the end of the bus ride I realized that he is right... I just need to stop thinking and let the cards play. If I can't control a situation I must remember "What will be, will be".

Well I hope that you have a wonderful week. (Update - my student is stable now, but still in need of many prayers to make it through this!... more later!)

Love,

Ashley Ann