Bolivian Basketball Bonding

There we are...CHAMPIONS! 

This past week, my varsity girls and the varsity boys had playoff games last Tuesday and Thursday.  We are in a league that consists of us and 3 other teams.  Throughout the season we play each team twice.  Both varsity girls and boys teams went into the playoff games undefeated!! 

The boys team!!

Tuesday, dressed in my Boston gear, we played our first of two playoff games.  Winning this game meant we would play for the championship.  The game started off pretty rough.  After the first quarter, the score was 2-2!  It was the ugliest we had played...well ever!  As I think about it, the seniors had not played with the team in a week and a half due to senior trip and our practice was canceled the day before due to a track meet.  They had to find their groove.  We finally did, and in spite of Bolivian refs we won 31-15.

Thursday, our game started an hour and a half after school got out, so I had the girls meet me in my room for a time prayer.  At this time, one of our senior girls was lying in the nurses office with a fever.  I asked all the girls to pray.  It was so nice to hear their hearts for their ill teammate and for each other.  They praised the Lord for the season and the fun we had had together.  They prayed for His glory to be shown in the game and for protection of us and the other team. 

At game time the gym was packed and loud.   I had never seen it this packed before.  We were all nervous, and you could tell in the way we started the game.  We knew going in that the last time we play St. Thomas their defense had improved.  This time was no different.  At halftime, we were down by 3 points.  We had never been down at halftime in any game thus far.  It looked like to me the other team wanted the win more than we did.  They showed me different in the 3rd quarter.  Once we pulled ahead, we never looked back.  We won...I don't remember the score.

This basketball season was filled with many firsts for me.  This was my first winning season, my first time as a head coach for a high school varsity team, my first time to yell at refs in Spanish, and my first undefeated season.  I have enjoyed every moment with these girls.  After I was drenched by water, another first, I met my team outside where we usually went for halftimes and told them how proud I was of them.  One of my girls spoke up and said that she didn't like me when the season started and that she almost quit.  She then expressed that she has grown to really love me, and she is so thankful that she stuck with it, enduring the running and rules that I put in place.  I am thankful too because she was one of our MVPs this season, and she is now like a little sister to me. 

My favorite picture...Thanking the Lord for our season!

I was not only blessed with amazing girls, but also with a great assistant coach that stood beside me and shared insights about the girls that helped me approach them in the right way.  Laura had an amazing way of calling out my harshness in such a gentle way.  I love that she stepped up to help, encourage me and the girls, as well as love me in those moments when I wasn't lovable.  God knows the people I need walking beside me in this life.  He provides who and what we need at the right time.  For His provision of Laura, I will be forever thankful!!

 

Laura and I...she rocks!

These girls have become a huge blessing to me, and God has allowed me to pour into them as well.  Even now, I meet with a few of them on a regular basis to hold them accountable in their walk with God and with other relationships in their lives.   Being here in Bolivia, at this school has allowed me opportunities to pour into teenagers lives that I didn't have in the states.  I am so thankful to the Father for calling me out of my selfishness of not wanting to coach and for showing me that it wasn't about basketball or me.  It was about Him, and the way He wanted to work in their lives using me directly and/or indirectly.  I could not have done this without the Lord's leading.  He was all over this season and these relationships, and for that I am so grateful!! 



A little excited!

Spirit finger defense picture...inside joke!

My Seniors!

 

My "KIDS"

I am always writing posts in my head that never actually get turned into posts and end up getting lost inside of my head until I am prompted by the Holy Spirit to write.  However, the one I started writing in my head last night I thought I should actually put to virtual paper, if only to show you the emotional roller coaster that is constantly jolting back and forth in my heart and head.

I cried myself to sleep last night...that is the end of the story, yet it is really difficult to know exactly where the story began.  It perhaps was the day(s) the Lord gave me the privilege of being an aunt!  This picture is my desktop background on my school computer at the present moment. 

These are 6 of my 8 beautiful nieces and nephews.  I love them!  I miss them!  I long to hug and kiss them, and to hear them say my name as they run with arms open!  Being an aunt is one of the greatest blessing God has given me.  Even though they are not from me, they are part of me!  I love them more than anything!  Being so far from home has intensified my love for them.  Talking to them over skype has it's fun moments, but it is hard to connect with the couple that seem to be scared of the fact that I am on a computer and not in person.  I can't chase them around the house, have tickle fights, or shoot nerf guns at them through a screen.  Last night, I found myself looking through pictures and videos of my sweet little people from this summer with laughter and tears!

As I tried to stop crying, I prayed for each of  their hearts to be open to what God has for their lives.  As I prayed I thought about my kids, if I am to have some one day, and that their hearts would be open to God as well.  From there, instead of focusing on my singleness, my Father God reminded me of the many "kids" I already have.  Just last night, I got to facebook chat with two of my former 6th graders that are now in college.  Kristen and Margaret are two of the many students that I pray I get to see grow to be successful children of God.  I am so blessed to be a teacher in that I am blessed with many "kids" that I get to influence and be influenced by. 

With that said, I still have my ups and downs here in Bolivia.  I laugh. I cry. I remember that God provides.  I have many desires.  I desire to hug my family.  I desire to be a Red Sox bat girl...haha!  I desire a helpmate and children of my own.  I desire to serve him with my whole life, not just the parts I am willing to hand over to Him.  Yet along with these desires comes the fact that I have a heavenly Father that provides what I NEED.  He knows me inside and out.  He knows when I need love from my little people.  He knows when I need someone to hug me and listen.  He knows that I can't live this life on my own.

HE FAITHFULLY PROVIDES ALL I NEED! 

 

In my sorrow, he provides joy.  In my thirst and hunger, he provides living water and the bread of life.  In my loneliness, he provides friendship and community.  So today as I write this in my classroom, he has provided/surrounded me with children that I can call mine because He has allowed me to be a part of their lives in some way.  Children that I can love and cherish all my days on this Earth as He uses me to help them get to heaven and as they do the same for me! 

Please keep me in your prayers tonight as I will be at a sleepover with all my 6th grade girls for a birthday party!  It is very exciting and a little nerve-racking that I get to hangout with them outside of school, but I believe that He will provide what I need...and perhaps ibuprofen! :)