Sunday School, Revisted

Last year at about this time, after being approached by our pastor and his wife, I committed to teaching Sunday School at Iglesia Bautista Esperanza to a group of 8-10 8-10 year-olds. I love being involved in church more than just as a pew-sitter, and this seemed to be a good opportunity to get more involved in the church we were calling home. Last year teaching Sunday School was both wonderful and stretching—I enjoyed teaching the group so much, but felt overwhelmed, mostly with the language factor of teaching the Bible story or lesson. While my Spanish was/is steadily (albeit VERY slowly) improving, and while my students were extremely forgiving, it was frustrating to NOT be the same kind of teacher I could be in my native tongue. I felt less fun, less creative, and less understandable. It was also fatiguing to teach every nearly single Sunday with no scheduled breaks and no substitutes. If we were gone, my students would join the 11-12 year old class, taught by the great team Maxwell and Carol, but it was already a large group of kids. 

As we prepared to leave last summer for our two months in MI and NM, a young man named Denis from our church joined our class as an apprentice/observer/helper, as did a young teen named José David. The idea was that Denis would be our “substitute” teacher while we were gone this summer, and José David would assist as needed.

This has turned out to be an answer to prayer that I had never even prayed. When we arrived back in Nicaragua after our time in the US, we took Denis and José David out to lunch to thank them for covering for me, and we were thrilled to find out that Denis and José David were willing (and excited!) to continue to teach Sunday School. So we made a plan: Denis would pick the theme and teach the Bible lesson, Facebook message me the scripture references during the week, and I would come with a related activity, game, and/or craft.

Denis, me, and Jose David

The “sharing of the responsibilities” is going so well! I can still serve and use my gifts coming up with creative activities, but alongside of Denis, a gifted teacher who the kids don’t have to struggle to understand as he teaches Bible lessons. Sundays are full of more joy, and less frustration. I can also miss a Sunday once in a while, for a Boy Scouts activity, illness, or to attend the English-speaking church, and someone is ready to take over!

God is good, and today I’m thankful to be part of a Sunday School team with Denis and José David.

Here's a few pics from our Sunday morning today:

Rushing out of the house in the AM always involves leaving a sink full of breakfast dishes!

Rainy season challenges:) Avoiding the mud puddles!

We did our 20 minute drive to church twice today because when we were almost there, we realized we had left behind the popcorn popper that Andrew needed for his Sunday School activity. 

Our Sunday school class (can you find Henry?), which meets from 9:00-10:00

Dennis, the master teacher

Mae is always proud to show off her own Sunday school work

As is Charlotte! 

Between Sunday School and church, we usually walk to the nearby park to buy some gum for the kids. Today, though, we had no small change so we just hung around. I got to hear what Jonathan has been learning in his piano lessons.

Danny also serves the church through music--he is a great guitar player!

Church begins at 10:30, and usually goes to about 12:00

Today, Ruth was serving in the nursery with a LOT of beautiful kids, for a very long service!

Our Sunday tradition: go out to eat after church! Air conditioning is a must!

Any guesses as to where we ate today?