An update is way overdue: Welcome to Texas!

The last post on this blog dates back to 2009. Since I'm hoping to keep everyone posted on my life through this blog, consider this my first bi-weekly update. Here we go

Life the past couple of year: This is mainly for the sake of documenting :)

I returned to from Ecuador in Oct 2009. My five months there were full of learning experiences and time of wonderful service. I learned so much about myself. I learned that I love kids. I learned that even though I may think I know that it is to rely on God, that is not a once in a lifetime lesson. I learned that one of my spiritual gifts is teaching. It was a great 5 months. I came home different. Perhaps a bit more mature :) and ready for what else my Father had for me.

After spending a few months unemployed, I was able to find a job as a Spanish teacher at Shannon Forest Christian School. I spent a year there teaching a once a week Spanish class to the Elementary and Middle School. This job was such a blessing. I was with kids and I was teaching. I enjoyed every minute there getting to know my students, teaching my native language, and loving children.

About January of this year, I had decided to stay at SFCS and teach for a second year. I enjoyed teaching, and I LOVED my students and co-workers. It was a fun job. Why would anyone want to leave? I thought many days. But God reminded me constantly throughout that month of January that He has an interesting plan for my life. Specifics?? He hadn't revealed those yet, but it was time to pack up my few things and move. Where? Dallas, Texas. Purpose? Bible Translation Training. So off I went. My contract with the school was over at the end of May and I was scheduled to move to Dallas on July 13th.

So let's fast-forward to November 1st:

I have been in Dallas for 3 1/2 months, and I am done with 4 graduate school classes. Needless to say, everything is VERY fast-paced here. Semesters or "terms" are separated in to 4 different sessions. Each session lasts 1 month. Some classes last 1 session and some last 2. I have successfully made it through Grammar or Morphosyntax part 1, Phonetics, and Phonology and Morphosyntax part 2. I am currently taking Cultural Anthropology (my last class of the term! yay!!!)

Through God's amazing provision, I was able to find a part-time job soon after moving here. I am working at the Baptist General Convention of Texas in the Hispanic Initiative Program. I am enjoying my job there. It is mainly focused on the promoting of education in the Hispanic community in Texas. Partnering with churches to promote education. It has been a great job.

My time in Dallas has been very far from painless. This is expected as I am leaving home and everything that is constant in my life for good. It has been difficult to adjust to a completely new environment and to leave my parents, friends, co-workers, house, etc. God has been so faithful and has continued to teach me to rely on Him fully. More details about how life is going will be coming in future blog posts.

More on my life in Texas will come soon, so be on the look out!

Love to all,

Raquel