School is fun but challenging.
School is fun because I love the students, many of the students are very loving, and the entire teaching staff is committed to help these students in school, in life in general and most importantly in knowing God.
I loved these students the first time I saw them in November 2015. They are full of life. Most of them have joyful attitudes. All of them have a need for Jesus at some level as do all of us. Some know Jesus but their sin nature gets in the way at times. Others don’t know Jesus and need to keep hearing God’s word. I have seen students grow.
One student that had severe anger problems last year now has occasional bouts of anger that are so much less severe that it is miraculous. God is working in his life and it is obvious. Many other students demonstrate varying levels of increased responsibility and work ethic. A few have made professions of faith and committed their lives to Jesus. Even more miraculous, God is doing this amazing work through teachers and staff that are also fallen and broken, but now restored in Jesus.
Many of the students are loving. They enjoy hugging their favorite teachers. They beg for my lunch at times and other times they like to give me food. One girl sprays water on my face when it is hot. Oh, it is always hot. The expression of love I appreciate the most from students is completing their work.
Some of the biggest challenges in school is overcoming cultural differences as this is only my second year living and teaching in Mexico. Normally, you would not want to try too hard to overcome culture, but in this case, there is a culture of cheating and copying work. There are many students (not all) that avoid doing work in school so that they can copy from their “friends” that evening. I am learning to juggle the amount of homework and am having more success than last year keeping them on task, Praise the Lord.
My lovely wife and I are going to build a house, Lord willing. He has provided more than sufficient and it appears that construction work will actually begin on or about Monday, November 27, 2017. We are excited and know that God will give us what we need in our new house. We are looking forward to moving in in January or February if that fits in God’s plans.
God has been teaching me patience through all of this. I pray for help with patience but not too fast. Learning patience is not an easy task. God knows how much I need patience and how much learning I can stand without cracking. He has been very good to me.
-David Coulter, GEM Missionary