Remembering...

I spent the last night tutoring some men who work at the local Mexican restaurant. They speak only Spanish. A group of students go over every week to tutor them and I was very nervous about how it would go. We spent an hour and a half there, writing word after word. Sometimes they'd get it, and other times I'd look with sadness at the blank yet frustrated look on their faces.

Not coincidentally, the Lord placed me with a high schooler from Guatemala.

He asked me what I want to do after college and I told him that I'm planning on being a hospital translator. In his broken English he said, "Oh, you be very good at that."

We all laughed over confusing English terms (who invented this language anyways?!!) like..foot and feet. Why not feets? Mouse and mice...why not mices?

We talked about the word "to study." Study, studying, studied, student. One of the boys looked at us and said, "So me and him are the students. And you and her are the teachers!" Yes, I am your teacher. But I have so much to learn from you.

It was a night of encouragement and laughter.

But it was also night of remembering.

A night of remembering the story that God is weaving with Spanish in my life.

Remembering this deep love and passion I have for these people and this language.

Remembering that, despite the months that have passed, there's still a piece of my heart in Guatemala that swells at the reminder of the orphanage or that country.

Remembering the cute accent the kids would have when I taught them English words. My eyes filled with tears and I looked away from the group when I heard my new Guatemalan friend saying the same words I'd taught the little girls last summer. Memories flooded my mind and I was taken back to the incredible work God has done at an orphanage on a mountaintop in Guatemala.

Remembering that there is a reason why God has led me to this school, this tiny little town that has more opportunities for Spanish than I have time for.

Remembering why God miraculously opened doors for me to study in Spain this summer that I might communicate more effectively.

Remembering the joy that I have when I get to use this language. The delight when I can use the gift of Spanish to help others. Seeing the spark in the eyes of the students when they finally understand what we were saying.

Remembering that while I only see a few of the tiles, God sees the whole mosaic of my life. A picture and a story. As I watch the Blocks pack up their family and move to Eagles Nest, I was reminded that nothing is impossible with God (you should read their blog...i wish i could hang out with them they are one of my heros!).

I have no idea where this will take me. I have no idea how this semester, this summer, this year will connect to the rest of my future. But I know that God is good, God is faithful, and He has a plan.