The first two weeks of April were full of exciting events for both the English and Drama ministries! During the first week of April my English classes wrapped up with “despididas,” which are “leavings,” during which the students received completion certificates for the material we covered. Almost all of the students plan on continuing with the classes when we begin again in June! Then, on April 12, the Drama classes successfully presented their parables and scenes from Romeo & Juliet! Pictured here is the cast of Romeo & Juliet with the masks they made for the masquerade ball in Act I, scene 5 of the play!One of the most exciting despididas happened at Los Guandules. Griselda, the pastor’s wife, who was a student in my first class and is now my assistant in this class, planned the event with presentations in English by each of the students, cake, her special homemade juice (which was delicious!), and gifts for me from the class! I had no idea any of this was planned, and I enjoyed every minute of it! Two students sang a children’s song, two others had a conversation, two prayed, two gave short speeches, and one read Bible verses! Pictured here are the two who gave speeches, and the class with me and the pictures they gave me as wedding presents!
While my English classes were finishing up, my Drama classes were working toward their production, which took place on April 12! We had two full-cast Saturday rehearsals prior to the 12th, which was complicated by the fact that only half the cast came to the first one, but they were all there for the second one and for the dress rehearsal the day of the production! It was also only at the second full-cast rehearsal when I realized that there were nearly 50 students involved in the four classes together – separate, they were great, but having them all together at one time was a new challenge I had not anticipated! To say the dress rehearsal was a bit rough would be putting it mildly, but amazingly, and only by the grace of God, it all came together beautifully! Pictured here are the casts of the parables and of Romeo & Juliet just after our final re
hearsals.
Thankfully, I was not alone in this! Karen George, another American staff member, and Amaury were both there with me during the classes and rehearsals in April, and only with their help, and God’s blessing were we able to pull everything together in time for the presentation! Along with helping in the classes and backstage, Karen also organized the youth group from the church to come and help during the production with crowd control backstage and refreshments for the parents afterward! Amaury helped the students design their costumes, made wood swords for Romeo & Juliet, helped backstage preparing for the show, and ran the sound and took pictures during the production! It was a great night, and several students have asked when the next class will be! Most of these students live in our neighborhood, and hopefully they will also be involved in the Drama Camp this June with the group that is coming from Woodland Hills!
I returned to the states on April 22, and as usual, have been traveling ever since! Over the last two and a half weeks, I have traveled to or through six different states, spending time with friends and family. I also worked at Churchill Downs in Louisville, KY, for a fundraiser for the ministry selling KY Derby souvenirs in the week before and during the Derby. It was a great fundraiser for the ministry, and I love a reason to return to Louisville!
While I was in Louisville, I was blessed by two wedding showers – one hosted by four of my closest friends and one hosted by the women with G.O. – and by an Open House hosted by the English Department at SHA! These times were filled with love and laughter, and they were wonderful times to share the excitement and joy of my marriage with my friends!
This month I have clearly felt God pouring out His love on me, and I have been overwhelmed by my thankfulness for all He has done! From the blessings of my English and Drama classes, to my time with my family and friends who have “showered” me with their love and gifts for my wedding, God has let me feel His love through the people in my life.
Also, through my relationship with Amaury, God is continuing to draw me close to Him and show me that He is involved in every aspect of my life, and He will take care of all the details, if I just let Him. Please be in prayer for us this month as we prepare for the wedding on May 24 – we are looking forward to our new life together and to the opportunity to do ministry together!You are each a blessing in my life, and each time I think of you I thank God for you!
“Give thanks to the Lord for He is good; His love endures forever.” 1 Chronicles 16:34
Con el Amor de Jesucristo,Catherine
