October 2009

It’s been quite some time since you’ve heard from me last. A lot has happened since I last talked with you. I survived my first month of Belize and my first month of teaching. It’s hard to believe it’s already been a month but then again it’s hard to believe it’s only been a month. I have learned so much already and there’s still so much for me to still learn. I’ll give you a brief synopsis of things that have happened thus far. My first week of school was welcomed with a surprising amount of ease and peace. The moment I stepped into the classroom it all just seemed so natural and made a lot of sense.

It’s truly amazing to see how many different experiences in my life prepared me for this moment to be able to teach here in Belize: from mission trips to classes at Franciscan from catechizing the youth of Totus Tuus in Denver, Colorado to Y-Camp… each of these experiences had a part to play in preparing me for Belize and it's beautiful to see these pieces fit together to have made my transition down here so easy and natural feeling (not to mention all the prayers and intercessions that people have offered up for me and my fellow missionaries). The priests here are incredible and the Belizean staff at the school is fantastic. They are so hospitable and welcoming – it wasn’t hard to feel included. And the whole focus of the school is “the salvation of souls.” Amen!

The thing I love most about teaching is for sure my students. Honestly I hold each one in my

heart and they all have the ability to easily melt it. (They all call me “Maestro” which pulls at my heart strings every time). It’s crazy that these kids who I had never met before, I loved the second I walked into the classroom. Some are so little and adorable and the thing that really amazes me is the simplicity, sincerity, childlikeness and openness of their faith. I teach one class of freshman boys, two classes of sophomore boys, and one class of junior boys (with the exception of two girls). I love my guys, especially my sophomores. They absolutely crack me up and constantly have me laughing (at least internally).

Discipline has been no simple issue, it for sure has had challenges, especially because I have no idea what I’m doing but it is funny to see me become like my parents and teachers who have disciplined me in the past (“Look at me when I’m talking to you,” etc…) After I act all tough and “teachery” I go to the teacher’s lounge and laugh at how I tried to act authoritative and like I knew what I was doing but deep down I have no idea what I’m doing – then I realized “Wow, this is probably what my parents and teachers felt the first time they had to discipline” – Huge realization to come to that, "wow just because you’re an adult does not mean that you have all the answers" as I once thought.

Growing up is tough! I realize I’m only good at being young but I’m trying my best at this “adult” thing… I felt really old when they said we would have parent teacher conferences and I would speak with the parents of some of my students – I’m too young to do that! I felt even older when some of my students said they were born in 1995 (Lion King came out that year!) And I’m sure those reading this who once taught me or remember when I was young are flipping out at the fact that I’m a teacher (but heck I’m flipping out at the fact that I’m a teacher, for the first week I had to ask “Is this real life? Am I really a teacher or am I just playing teacher?”) But my third week of teaching rolled around and a student of mine came up to me and said “you know what Maestro, you look like a teacher!”

I love teaching the faith. It’s great to see my students begin to comprehend and apply the things they have learned. One day of teaching on the Fall and Redemption through Christ, one student came up to me and said “That is why I have hope!” Other students have written the most beautiful prayers and reflections on things they have learned. God has done so much already – I’m excited to see what else He has in store. The beautiful thing is living down the street from the church and being able to go to Mass daily. Because in the end teaching is not my vocation – Jesus is. In the end – it’s not about me and it’s not about my lessons – it’s all about Him and if I do not have Him – I cannot give Him to others. I just hope that I am able to be His hands, His feet, and able to speak His words.

Some other highlights thus far: I got E. Coli (along with the majority of the other missionaries), Belize has had two major holidays including St. George’s Caye Day and their Independence Day which were celebrated by huge parades in the street, a group of us missionaries went to Flores, Guatemala for a weekend to relax,
I’ve made friends with a lot of the little kids in the area and I sometimes have visitors at my front door asking “Can Mr. Dave come out and play?,” I went floating down the Mopan river, I met up with my friend from St. Ignatius High School Selvin, school is cancelled sometimes for strange reasons, I went to my first Belizean birthday party where I had the privilege of dancing in the Chatona (a huge scary doll woman that you wear and dance around in for entertainment), and I have become really great friends with the IT guy at our school, Victor – probably one of the coolest people I’ve ever met and we chill pretty much every night. So to sum it all up – Belize is wonderful. Please continue to keep me, my fellow missionaries, the people I’ve met, but most of all my students in your prayers!