Convocation - Day 3

From Linda:
"Hola to one and all!
Another busy day is behind our team, and it is hard to believe tomorrow will be the final day of our conference here in Zacapa. If we look at our daily schedule we can see where we have been spending our time, but it truly does seem to fly by as we have moved through our days here with these wonderful teachers.
Our team experienced quite an evening last night as the Ministry of Education here in Zacapa gave us such a cultural treat. As our team arrived for dinner, a marimba band was playing music, which continued throughout our leisurely dinner outside. From there we adjourned to the main auditorium, where a very unique program had been arranged for us to enjoy. There were small children of elementary age and younger, (as young as two years of age) Jr. High age kids, and teenagers too, all presenting dances that were representative of this region. One interpreter explained to me that Zacapa is known as the ‘wild west’ of Guatemala, so the dances had much more of a ‘cowboy’ feel to them: the young men wearing straw cowboy hats, and the girls, while wearing the traditional full, flowing skirts we have seen before, these skirts were beautifully hand painted with cactus and trees indigenous to this area. Also, because there really is no Mayan influence in this area, the other heavy influence here is the Caribbean , island influence. And so a few of the dances had this flavor to them in the music and in the dancing. All of them were excellent, energetic, and truly well done. Some of the dancers came to the audience to get members of our team up and moving, making for lots of laughs and some great photo opportunities!
The Ministry of Ed. Also presented each team member with a ‘certificate of participation’ that had our individual name on each certificate and signed by the Regional Director of Zacapa. Truly a thoughtful expression of their gratitude for us volunteering to come here at our own expense, and to give them all of the materials absolutely free as well. One of the big surprises of the evening was the Governor of Zacapa being part of these festivities and speaking to our team. He expressed deep gratitude for ISP coming to Zacapa and the great need for the teachers to receive this training and for the students to benefit in turn. After the governor spoke, the Regional Director also thanked the team. He said, “Zacapa will always have open hearts for all of you! A lot of teachers have told me that the strategies you have given us already will be so helpful and they will show these to the children in their classrooms. In order for us to have a moral society we must begin with a spiritual foundation. I thank God for this conference and all of you, most excellent professionals.” The evening ended with a traditional ‘snack’ representative of this region while we visited with one another outside the auditorium.
Today, Day 3, things moved smoothly from one session to another: Ray Albrektson began with his talk on “Honest Answers to Hard Questions.” Following Ray and the morning break (with more yummy food!) conference director Bob Wilson spoke on “Why Teach Character in Education.” Paul Neumann’s session just prior to lunch began the words and hand motions to some of the major events described in the Gospels of the New Testament, concluding with a wonderful description of each of the twelve apostles. We did not have an exact count for the morning sessions, but the auditorium was quite full with many of our team members and interpreters standing in the back. So we think there was well over 360 teachers attending this morning.
After lunch, the workshops began their busy afternoon. Administrative track did a lesson from the secondary curriculum, each group depicting in a unique way the Parable of the Prodigal Son; the Secondary track while discussing objections to Christianity, also had fun playing a game based on the film ‘The Story of JESUS for Children’ that the teachers saw yesterday morning; the elementary track looked at another lesson from the elementary curriculum, reviewing one of the songs, making a small paper booklet, and looking together at The Greatest Promise Book. And then each group, in each track, began planning for their group presentations that will be part of tomorrow’s workshops. It is always such an exciting conclusion to the convocation to see the teachers actually pick a lesson from the curriculum to present in part or whole to another small group or to their entire track. The music of these teachers voices, laughter, and enthusiasm as they plan these lessons is simply WONDERFUL and so beautiful to hear! All total, we had 347 teachers in workshops this afternoon.
The afternoon concluded with the optional special interest seminars. Today’s choices were: Haroldo Arreaga speaking on Leadership Skills for Effective Leaders; Dr. Russ Williams presenting Leadership and Workplace Ethics; and Hilda Ajsivinac, tackling the topic of HIV, AIDS and other Sexually Transmitted Diseases. Once again many teachers did stay for these informative sessions as well. There were about 300 teachers attending between the three different seminars.
This evening our team is busy preparing for tomorrow; they have various forms and information to fill out on the teachers within their small groups as well as preparing a very small gift to give each teacher as they bid them farewell tomorrow. It will be a day of smiles and tears and definitely difficult to believe we are at the end of our time with these precious teachers.
In signing off this evening I would like to share two stories from our time here in Zacapa. I pray they will bless you just as we have been blessed here by the response, enthusiasm, and gratitude of these delightful teachers. Thank you for being a part of this journey and standing with us in thoughts and prayers as we do our best to bring God’s love and truth to Zacapa.
May God’s abundant blessings be yours.
Serving together,
Linda
For all the team here in Zacapa"



From Amy Smith, Elementary Track

“When I asked my group what they expected from this conference, many stated how to incorporate morals and values in their classroom. One teacher (in her 2nd year of teaching) said she was expecting to learn about what morals and values are, and once she understood this, she would try to put them in her classroom. Through attending the conference, she now sees that God is the basis of all morals and values; if you want your students to live properly then you will teach them about God, not about rules or by giving definitions. This teacher is very excited about how the curriculum, along with her new realizations, will change her classroom. Through this conference the teachers are becoming aware that they need God and values in their own lives before they can expect it from their students.”



From Janell Morris, Elementary Track

“Andre, my interpreter, came to the conference as an attendee, but agreed to serve as an interpreter when asked. I learned that Andre is from Brazil and has studied history and theology. He wanted to teach students about God and the Bible, but all schools in Brazil became public schools that did not teach these things. Andre asked his pastor where he could go to teach about God. His pastor suggested Guatemala , so he left home and friends and came here. He is now chaplain and teacher of Christian Morals at a school of 400 teenagers. This school even has a dormitory to house over 60 students who live too far away to permit daily travel from home to school. Andre impressed me as a young man with a heart for God, who also is a natural leader.”