Broken Lives

Two weeks after my arrival back in Peru, we had parent teacher conferences. As I talked to one parent after another, I realized how many of my students live daily with great hurts. Many of them have only one parent. Of those who have two parents, a good number of them still feel like their parents have no time for them because of work. This includes those whose parents don't come home till late at night because they're working all day. This also includes those whose parents are always at church and never have time for the family. It also includes a number of students who live with one parent and the other parent works in another city or drives truck and only comes home once every two weeks or month or so. Others of my students live with parents who fight or drink a lot. I talked to another mother and her son, individually. The son sees the father as showing favoritism to his older brother. I encouraged the mother to talk to her husband and encourage him to set aside a time to do something special with the younger son as well. We have students at the school who have been involved in pornography, drugs, alcohol, smoking and with pedophiles. We have students at school who routinely come home to empty houses. We have students who would be in special ed. if they were in the States.
It is tremendously difficult to minister to the heart-needs of 71 students in the course of a day. I am not perfect, by any means. I always see ways I could be doing better. But I take faith in the little seeds of hope I see. Aldair, Dennis and Patricia got better grades on their English tests this month. For that matter, most of my students did really well on their English tests this month. Aldair actually participated voluntarily in class twice today! I think that's a first all year. Frana went crying to the principal the other day requesting prayer and forgiveness because she's been treating her classmates badly for a LONG time. Then she came into class and asked forgiveness of her classmates. Marcelo opened his heart today and told me that he has been mad because Jafet insulted him several weeks ago. Samuel worked well in class the last few days (a minor miracle!). Patricia, Maricé, Sebastián and Milagros all encouraged me while I was fighting an allergic reaction of unknown origin. I felt Jesus' love through them. I am constantly reminded of the fragility of my clay vessel. At any minute I can break and I need Jesus to remake me.
I talked to the mother of one of my seventh graders today. This girl has been involved in some really heavy stuff and she's only 12 years old! The last time I talked with the mother was at parent-teacher conferences, when she broke down crying because we had to drop a bombshell on her about her daughter and she had had no idea. Today she told me she's getting involved in one of the local churches. "Pray for me," she pleaded. It seems as though her daughter is at a better place spiritually than she was a month ago when I came and we talked during the parent-teacher conferences. That is encouraging!
I've been challenged over the past month that what God has called me to here is simply to be faithful every day in the little things and to speak of Him whenever I can. This has led to conversations about the end of the world, loving your enemies, and being faithful, among other things. Most days I feel so imperfect, so far from where I want to be. Things come out of my mouth that I wish I could retract. I have attitudes that are not God-honoring. And yet, in the midst of it all, I can still see God's hand of grace at work on my life as I look back over the days. The other month for Family Day, one of the 6th-grade boys lip-synced this song (in Spanish). Listening to him practice and looking out across my students in chapel the day before almost brought tears to my eyes. This is so my prayer!

I Want to Be Just Like You - Phillips, Craig and Dean

He climbs in my lap for a goodnight hug
He calls me Dad and I call him Bub
With his faded old pillow and a bear named Pooh
He snuggles up close and says, "I want to be like you"
I tuck him in bed and I kiss him goodnight
Trippin' over the toys as I turn out the light
And I whisper a prayer that someday he'll see
He's got a father in God 'cause he's seen Jesus in me

Lord, I want to be just like You
'Cause he wants to be just like me
I want to be a holy example
For his innocent eyes to see
Help me be a living Bible, Lord
That my little boy can read
I want to be just like You
'Cause he wants to be like me

Got to admit I've got so far to go
Make so many mistakes and I'm sure that you know
Sometimes it seems no matter how hard I try
With all the pressures in life I just can't get it all right
But I'm trying so hard to learn from the best
Being patient and kind, filled with Your tenderness
'Cause I know that he'll learn from the things that he sees
And the Jesus he finds will be the Jesus in me

Right now from where he stands I may seem mighty tall
But it's only 'cause I'm learning from the best Father of them all