Friday mornings at the tutoring center

Fridays are one of my favorite days of the week at the tutoring center.  The pace is different, our activities are different, and it's a time that I can be more relational with the students we are working with.  The past two Fridays have been very sweet times with our girls group in the morning.  Generally, we have been doing some sort of art or craft activity with the girls, a lesson from the Bible, a time of praying together, and some sort of delicious treat. 

Last week we were talking about the fruits of the spirit with our kids during our afternoons at the tutoring center, so we continued that theme with our girls group.  I had been doing some brainstorming with the team members that were working with me, and all of the girls agreed that they would share about one of the fruits of the spirit and how the Lord has been growing them in that area.  I was very blessed to hear these college girls share from their hearts with the girls of Los Guido, especially some of the struggles and journeys that they have been on recently.  I think sometimes my Los Guido girls can have this image that those of us from the States have it all figured out and that life is easier for us.  In reality, some of the struggles that we deal with and need to depend on the Lord for are the very same issues these girls go through.  Talking about love, joy, patience, faithfulness and self-control was a really sweet way for the team to share with the girls on a very real and personal level.  And it blesses my heart to see the college students using their Spanish to share with the girls too.

Making our coffee cake muffins (lead by some of the college students)

Girls group

The recipe for our coffee cake (in Spanish, of course!) The girls like to write the recipes we make down in their journals.

Finished products!

L to R, Intern Rebekah, four college students from Arizona, Jose and me

Yesterday was another girls group and this time the high schoolers that are here for two weeks with me shared with them about the passage in 1 Peter about inner beauty being of great value in the eyes of the Lord.  It was so interesting to hear the high schoolers from the US and the girls from Los Guido going back and forth about how they struggle with their self-image at times and the need to find their worth in the Lord.  We all are bombarded with false images from the media that makes us feel less than beautiful and of worth to the world.  We ended with a time of prayer in small groups, praying for one another in the way that we find our worth and value.

The end of our time yesterday morning was wrapped up with some delicious fruit salad and just hanging out together.  Two of the girls were asking those of us native English speakers to sing songs for them in English and then they sang songs in Spanish.  Their request for me- "My Heart Will Go On" by Celine Dion.  For some reason, Ticos have a huge fascination with Titanic and Celine Dion, so their choice did not surprise me.  I obliged them in my best Celine impersonation, and I think it was really good for them to see my goofy side.  I think little by little, the girls of Los Guido are learning that I'm going to be here with them for a while, and it's been really rewarding to see how they are opening up to me (as well as to our team members who are here for two weeks with them).  Friday mornings are a LOT different than the rest of the week at the tutoring center, but they are an anticipated part of my work week here.  :)