The Life of a Pencil

A pencil and a dream can take you anywhere. 

​-Unknown

How would you define the value of a pencil? To most North Americans they would probably say it is worth very little if next to nothing. There is no value in the pencil because it is cheap to replace and espeicially in public schools there seeems to be a never ending flow of pencils. People and children do not value pencils because they are not taught to value or take care of their supplies.

But here I can see that the children and people very much value even the smallest of materials, aka pencils. The life of a pencil in Costa Rica is longer than i've ever seen before. I saw the tinniest pencil the other day and it blew my mind that students would continue to use such a tiny pencil, when pencil's in the U.S. sometimes barely last a day before they are snapped in half or lost. Here Give Dignity uses 200 pencils in a year for all students and all classes. I went through over 500 pencils in a year for only 25 students in the U.S. 

When we are taught to value the little things, in turn we value the big things more. A pencil may seem insigificant to Americans who have so much, but to those who have little, they value their one pencil and take such great care of it until it is no longer usable. Do you take for granted the little things? Or do you value them and teach your children to also value those things?

It brings to mind the Bible verse, Luke 16:10, “One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much.” 

This month has been filled with creating new English classes, helping with youth group, learning Spanish, building relationships, and a boarder run to Ecuador. I am currently helping to develop 4-6th grade and have taken these classes over, and I have also been creating a pre-intensive program and curriculum along with continuing to teach 1-3rd, and 7-8th grades. Youth group has been a blast and it has been fun to see the teenagers in a fun capacity as well as in the classroom. I have been working to develop my Spanish and while it isn't perfect, it is improving! Finally, I took a boarder run to Ecuador to refresh my tourist visa. 

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-Kids build relationship with Jesus
-Energy to prep for all the classes
-Build relationships with the kids
-Learn Spanish quickly
-Patience with the children
​-Adapting to cultural differences

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God is constantly faithful and I am overwhelmed by how He is providing for me and I am also so thankful for all my friends and family who have supported me in so many ways. Community is so important. God is constant and faithful in even the little things.

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