Updates

Hey Everyone!

It has been quite a while since I posted anything.

I am having gall bladder removal surgery on Thursday. I have been feeling ill for about two months, but it took a while for a sure diagnosis. Then scheduling a date for the surgery took a little while as well. I will be heading to Quito for the surgery and will be there for at least 8 days for recovery. I should be back in Shell just in time for the last 2 1/2 weeks of school! Thanks for your prayers :)

In March, the NSMS school board made the decision to close the school due to extremely low projected enrollment for next year. The school has been serving missionary families for 51 years. I am grateful for the opportunity to be a part of this ministry for the last five years.

I have accepted a position to teach upper elementary grades (4th-6th) at the Alliance Academy in Quito. (http://www.alliance.k12.ec) I do not have an exact grade level assignment yet.

• My missionary status with Reach Beyond will remain the same. I will still be a missionary teacher raising support. (In other words, I will not receive payment from this school either.)
• Alliance is an Preschool- 12th grade international school in the Quito, capital of Ecuador. The school has a mix of students. There are international business families who enroll their children in AAI. (There is also a small student boarding program associated with the school.) Other students are from affluent Ecuadorian families that want their children to receive a US based education and to learn English. There are also many missionaries in Quito that send their children to AAI.
• I will have a class size of about 25 students. (I am so excited to have a full class!) I will teach completely in English, but the majority of the students will be learning English as their second (or third) language.
• Many of the families associated with AAI are not Christ followers or even church attenders. However, because they want the high quality education that AAI provides, they sign a form that says they know that their children will be learning about Christ, salvation, and Christian values. I am thrilled with this new opportunity to be able to share Christ with parents and students alike.

I will be moving out of my apartment here in Shell and going to Quito at the beginning of June. I will be sharing an apartment with 3 other teachers from AAI. Living in Quito will be a huge adjustment. There are over 2,500,000 people living in Quito. (There are roughly 8,000 in Shell). I have felt so safe walking the streets of Shell these last 5 years. Quito will be a whole new ball game when it comes to security.

All in all, I am VERY excited about the changes, challenges, and new opportunities coming my way!