Back To School

All my UW-Eau Claire friends started class today. Although I do miss the "back-to-school" anticipation, I am so thankful that I didn't go through the normal beginning of the semester freak-out/"how am I ever going to graduate?" session in my advisors office.

However, the back-to-school bug must have hit me because I somehow managed to enroll myself in a Bible Class at our church in Tegucigalpa.

Well, that's not entirely true. Elvia came to the Villa and told me that she "had a plan for my life". That plan involved me driving into Tegucigalpa every Monday night for a bible study that she is facilitating.

Bible Study
I don't know if I can truly call it a Bible study. I mean, we are definitely studying the Bible (a lot) but it feels like a university class. Each year contains 4 parts, and each part is 4 weeks long (two hours each week). We have homework to complete each night and a quiz every Monday. At the end of the 14 weeks there is a final exam and class in mandatory.
yup...sounds like a college class to me

My group is mostly 20-somethings and I love each person! In only two weeks, we have connected on a deep level and I feel so comfortable with everyone. Our second week went nearly 3 hours and we didn't even get through all the content! In addition, I have a prayer partner named Mara. She is 32 and used to work in the Japanese embassy! She great and has been so sweet to me: sending me emails and texts of encouragement and of course praying for me.

The content is fast but not too difficult (considering that it's all in Spanish) and I am learning a lot. But the best thing is that this is a total answer to my prayers from the months of February thru June. So many times I had cried out to God for a friend and community. Now I have it. God provided in His perfect timing and I am so thankful!

Each week, we have to memorize a Bible verse and re-write it for the quiz. The first two weeks were pretty easy once I learned the vocabulary. This week's is a doozy...the Lord's prayer (Matthew 6:9-13). Not so difficult in English but Spanish is a whole 'nother level.

»"Padre nuestro que estás en los cielos,
santificado sea tu nombre.
10 Venga tu reino.
Hágase tu voluntad, como en el cielo, así también en la tierra.
11 El pan nuestro de cada día, dánoslo hoy.
12 Perdónanos nuestras deudas,
como también nosotros perdonamosa nuestros deudores.
13 No nos metas en tentación,
sino líbranos del mal,
porque tuyo es el reino,el poder y la gloria,
por todos los siglos. Amén".