Day 4 Zacapa Convocation-team contributions

The following is a run down of the last day of Convocation covering the whole team:
Buenas Noches, one and all!
Today was our final day of the convocation here in Zacapa, and it seems impossible that our time here has come to an end. Tonight we are packing up our things, and after a debriefing session with all the team tomorrow, we will climb on a bus and head back to Guatemala City. We should arrive mid-afternoon, have a final dinner together, and on Sunday depart for our homes. While we are ready to be home with our friends and family members, there is always a touch of sadness, too, as we leave our ISP ‘family’ and of course the dear teachers we have come to know and love in such a brief time.
Our journey here has been adventuresome, fun, exciting, rewarding, and sometimes difficult as well. One of our track leaders became quite ill last night and has had to stay in bed today. Fortunately our very well trained and qualified national assistant was able to take over the track and finish the afternoon with the teachers and to lead the small group facilitators. It went very smoothly. Once again we say with thanksgiving, God has graciously provided for ALL of our needs.
The morning sessions went very well, with Dr. Ray Albrektson & Paul Neumann concluding their sessions. National staff member Haroldo Arreaga was also a featured speaker this morning, bringing to the teachers some useful information on Leadership in the Classroom.
Workshops resumed after lunch for their final time together, with all three tracks staying very consistent in attendance. The total number of teachers attending this afternoon was 345. In all three tracks the teachers were actively engaged in preparing a lesson from the curriculum to either demonstrate to another small group or to the entire track. Elementary teachers used the Elementary curriculum, Secondary their curriculum, and Administration also the Elementary (Yesterday they used a lesson from the Secondary curriculum.). This is always such a gratifying day, as the small group facilitators realize they have completed their task of helping the teachers review the curriculum and helping them realize they truly can use it!
Good-byes on this final day are always a struggle as the teachers want to give one last hug, a note of appreciation, one more picture with their group leader and new friends within their circle. But finish we must, and after the workshops everyone gathered again for the closing ceremony in the main auditorium.
The regional education dignitaries once again were part of these proceedings, and today, the representative from the Regional Director’s office could not have been more enthusiastic in her comments regarding the success of this convocation. She said, ”I want to give my personal thankfulness for this conference. Thank you for your professionalism; this was such an effective & coordinated effort. The regional Department of Education has already given a request for ISP to come back to Zacapa and hold another conference in 2011.” (With that comment, all of the teachers clapped and cheered loudly!) To the attending teachers she said, “Please apply what you have learned this week in your classrooms and with other teachers… so this training might go further.” She reminded the teachers that the national curriculum for the country [of Guatemala] allows the incorporation of other educational materials to enhance those already approved and being used. She concluded by saying “May God bless each and every one of you!”
With these comments, and the presentation of some plaques of appreciation to the Zacapa region and also to some of our national ISP staff, the conference officially came to a close. There were many hugs and pictures taken as the teachers made their way outside the auditorium to pick up their Certificate of Participation before heading home. Meanwhile our team with our interpreters headed to another, more private area to say our good-byes to these very special new friends that had become such an integral and joyous part of our days during this journey. Our ISP country director mentioned to the interpreters that ISP would be holding another conference this summer and to please let us know if they might be interested in helping us out. Many of them enthusiastically said they would love to help us out again!
And that, dear amigos, amigas y familia, brings us to the end of our time in Zacapa. It was, truly, an exceptional conference in so many ways. We were told by one of our main plenary interpreters that Zacapa is known as being ‘tough’… they have a lot of crime and a lot of drug-related problems in the region. But, she said, she could tell from the reactions and comments of the teachers, that this conference had really touched their hearts, challenged them, and encouraged them. We will be praying for this region and these teachers, because our team is leaving little pieces of our hearts here. And hopefully God will allow us to make a trip back here again one day to see how the teachers are doing. Meanwhile, our in-country staff will do all they can to follow-up with the teachers that attended and with the Zacapa Ministry of Education.
We cannot begin to thank all of you, our supporters, for joining us on this journey. We fully understand the meaning of ‘prayer covering’ when challenges, obstacles to health, and other circumstances arise during the course of one of these conferences. ALWAYS we know we are supported by your faithful prayers for us, because personal ‘miracles’ occur for each of us on a daily basis, and we feel and see God’s provision and protection for us. So thank you, to each of you reading this report, for your continual support and encouragement through these days.
Que Dios te bendiga,
Linda
For all the Guatemala Team
p.s. Because of our travel itinerary, I wasn’t able to get this sent to all of you until Sunday. March 7th. So by the time you receive this or read it, most of our team will already be home! Tired and weary, perhaps, but thanking God for this joyful and amazing adventure with Him!