If you love them...

Kids like boundaries.  I was surprised and a little doubtful when I first heard that, but I have found it to be very truthful through my various jobs with children.

Oh, they'll push up against the boundaries to see if they're really there, to see what happens when they cross the line.  But once children can trust that you'll be consistent with the limits you've set, they tend to be able to live their lives more comfortably.

I think back on a time when I repeatedly had to put a small child in time out, and eventually he became the child who always sought me out for a hug.  I've often found that the kids who I've had to deal with most behavior-wise are the ones who show me more affection.

When I studied to become a teacher, discipline was what I feared the most about teaching.  I just didn't know if I could muster up the authority to get others to do what I asked of them.

Now, through a series of challenging jobs that taught me a lot, I find that I really enjoy this aspect of being a school principal.  I like to help kids realize that behaviors have consequences, and help them try to make better decisions in the future.

We end the school year next week, and as I cleaned my desk I found gifts from the two most challenging boys at the school.  I also have pictures they drew for me hung up on my wall.  They're pretty much the only gifts I've gotten all year.

Unfortunately, these two boys weren't able to pull their act together, they each crossed a line, and they had to leave us before the year was out. But, as with the child who gave me hugs, I see these gifts as signs that these boys appreciated the boundaries we set at the school.

At least, I hope they did.  And I hope that, even though right now things seem to have taken a bad turn for them, eventually they'll get headed in a positive direction again.  Though their paths have parted with ours, the Lord is still with them - and what perhaps was meant for evil, God can use for good.

Love in a Movie

Last Friday was our final day of academic classes at the school here.  With things wrapping up, I offered to let the teachers work on grades while the kids and I watched a movie.  They agreed, so I quietly planned a movie day as a surprise for the kids.

I gathered the kids together and asked them to write the fruits of the Spirit we've been learning on a piece of paper.  Then I told them that they'd be looking for the fruits of the spirit in the movie, The Chronicles of Narnia.  Not sure of their WWII knowledge, I explained when the war took place and why children were sometimes sent by their parents into the country to live with relatives.

It didn't occur to me until they were all intently watching the Pevensie mother put her children on the train that many of our kids have had their parents/relatives decide to send them away too, for a safer life.  So, I might've cried a little bit during that part ;).

I knew it wouldn't be too hard to find characters in the movie showing the fruits of the spirit, and the kids didn't disappoint in their examples.  I'd like to share some of them with you...

AMOR/LOVE:

• The mother, when she sent her children to a safer place.
• Aslan, when he gave his life for Edmund.

GOZO/JOY:

• Lucy, when she found Narnia.
• Susan and Lucy, when they saw that Aslan had risen from the dead.

PAZ/PEACE:

• Lucy, when she told her brothers not to fight anymore.
• Narnia, when the war was over.

PACIENCIA/PATIENCE: 

• Aslan, when he waited for the four children to come to Narnia.
• Lucy, when she waited for the others to believer her.

AMABILIDAD/KINDNESS:

• The beavers, when they invited the four children to their house.
• Father Christmas, when he gave the children gifts to help save Narnia.

BONDAD/GOODNESS:

• Mr. Tumnus, when he didn't turn Lucy in to the White Witch. 
• Peter, when he told Edmund to leave the war for his own safety.

FIDELIDAD/FAITHFULNESS:

• Lucy, when she didn't stop believing in Narnia.
• Peter, when he followed through on the war he said he would fight.

HUMILDAD/HUMILITY:

• Edmund, when he asked his siblings for forgiveness.
• Aslan, when he could have defended himself when they were killing him.

DOMINIO PROPIO/SELF DISCIPLINE:

• Peter, when he was so angry at his brother, but didn't hurt him.
• Aslan, when he could've killed the witch (during their first meeting), but didn't.

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What kind of movies are we watching?  What kind of movies
are we letting children watch?   Worth thinking about...

I'm thankful for the imagination and inspiration of C.S. Lewis, and

that I had opportunity to share the great story with the kids.

  - - - - - - - - - -

The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness... and the like... But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

Galatians 5

To Tell The Truth

Three young men stood in front of me.  It was the second day girls had come to me complaining about them shooting wads of paper at them across the room.  To be honest, my patience was completely spent.  I said to the boys, "I thought that yesterday you understood that you shouldn't do this, but obviously that is not the case.  So, you will now be cleaning the school before leaving for electives today."

After a moment of surprise, they began to sputter that they hadn't done anything, but I simply repeated that they would be cleaning the school.  It was clear that two of the boys were involved, but I began to doubt myself about the third boy.  I just wasn't absolutely certain I had to story straight.  Not wanting to be unfair, I called him to the side later on.

I said to him, "Listen, these other two boys have lied to me in the past, so I really don't believe them that they weren't involved.  But I don't think you have lied to me.  If you are completely honest with me and tell me you didn't do it, I will take you at your word.  So, please tell me the truth, were you involved?"

His pensive answer was, "Yes, but I only threw two or three."
"You threw papers today?"
"Yes."
"Ok, you'll be helping clean the school then - but listen, I really appreciate your honesty."

I made certain to thank him later on as well.  I almost wish a good option would have been to let him out of his punishment, but I don't know how helpful that would've been.  These students have their moments, but they are good kids, and I am very thankful for that.

Pray for Oaxaca

Update (6/4/15): The Section 22 teachers continue to block more gas stations today (90%).  As tensions rose, taxi drivers decided to block the gas stations too - with the intent of trapping the teachers there, since taxis are unable to do their jobs with no gasoline.  The government has given in to their demands, but the expectation is still that things will be worse this weekend, as elections are on Sunday.

Update (6/6/15): Friday night hundreds of Federal Police arrived to help restore order to Oaxaca.  After their arrival, the teachers left their blockades of government offices and the gas dispensary.  Saturday morning Federal Police accompanied gasoline trucks as they made deliveries to gas stations all around the city.  Most of Oaxaca is thankful for the order they restored.  The teachers regroups in the zocalo (city center).  Today, Sunday, is election day - but most people I know are not voting.  There are still reports of teachers burning ballots today, in protest of the elections.
- - - - - - -
This is a beautiful place to live and I truly enjoy it - most of the time...  You see, Oaxaca also has some major issues.  One of those being annual teacher strikes.  Having been here at the worst of it in 2006, not much surprises me anymore.  However the news of the last 24 hours has come close to shocking me.

Last night the Section 22 teachers took over gas stations, not allowing gas trucks to make deliveries - causing many stations to now run out of gasoline.  Today they also blockaded the airport and paralyzed activities there to the point of flights being cancelled.  This evening I heard rumors of them hijacking people's cars at major intersections.  And they do all of this apparently unchecked by law enforcement.

Thankfully here at the home we are less affected by all this.  Some of the kids don't have school and trips to the city are certainly made much more challenging, but we can mostly go on with life as usual for now. A silver lining to all this is that I'm reminded how super thankful I am for the dedicated teachers we have at the school here at the children's home.

If you find yourself curious about why the Oaxacan teachers are on strike, they continue to protest that the government wants teachers to pass an assessment test before they can teach.  I am not particularly compassionate to their cause, but I will admit to not being super informed about their side of things...

I thank you for praying for Oaxaca at this turbulent time of the year. May God's kingdom come and His will be done.

Found Faithful

As I've mentioned before, we're going through the fruits of the Spirit at school.  A few months ago we were on faithfulness, and once again, the kids surprised and impressed me with their examples of faithfulness in the Bible.  I share some of them with you here:

• John was faithful to God unto death.
• God was faithful to Noah when he promised it would rain.
• Job was faithful to God even though his family was taken away.
• God was faithful to David when he told him his first son would die.
• Paul was faithful to God because Paul served Him even when he was in prison.
• God is faithful, because He causes me to wake up anew [every morning].