The World - Our Classroom (Part 2)

One of the main reasons why I felt led to start a blog separate from our ministry blog is to share the adventure of educating our girls. We have two main focuses in our life right now: ministry and family. And it is very important that we do not let our family suffer because of our ministry.

You can read historical accounts of well-known missionaries who have saved thousands but lost their own children. I can also tell you very recent stories of missionaries who have accomplished great things in the kingdom but have allowed their children to fall between the cracks and in the end wondering why their grown children have no love for God or ministry. This is not what God intended. He never asks someone to lose their family for the sake of saving others.

With this in mind, Steve and I have committed ourselves to always pursue a balance between our ministry and our family life. The education of our children is a big part of our family life. It is actually our lifestyle.

So when it is time to renew our visas and head out of the country for 72 hours, I see it as an adventure. It is an opportunity for my girls to experience something we would never experience sitting in our living room in San Jose.  Our living room is the place they study language, reading, writing and mathematics. But when it comes to science, geography and social studies, what could be better than taking a trip across the border of two developing nations in Central America and island hopping in the Caribbean Sea?!?!

This is what we did on our recent trip to Panama. And what an adventure it was!

Let me show you our science class for the week. For very little money we caught a car taxi then a water taxi to Starfish Beach.  Living up to its name, there were starfish everywhere!

Gabi thought she was in heaven.

Abi was captivated.

We spent 2 hours just enjoying the crystal clear waters as the starfish moved gently around us.

Awed by the complex, yet simplistic beauty of God's creation.

The perfect science class!

More treasured than the splendor and intricacy of nature is God's most glorious creation - people.  And the people of Central America are so beautiful. Everywhere we go we look forward to meeting people and to see how they live.  On this trip to Starfish Beach, we met Willis. He was our water taxi driver.

After we had hung out with the starfish a while, we were eager to find some reefs.  The waters were so clear and colorful. At just the right time Willis came back around and took us to a very special reef - one right in front of his home. What a privilege it was to see his wife and 1-year-old son sitting on the front deck!

Meet Willis - a rich man

A rich man's boat

A rich man's home

The waters in front of Willis' home were extraordinary in marine life. Coral of all colors shapes and sizes, fish the same, huge sea urchins and sea slugs teamed the waters below our feet.  There was so much down there to see, Abi was a bit afraid at first. But once we got her in the water, it took some effort to get her out. It was a glorious day!

So after we met Willis, saw his home and experienced the wonder of his front yard, I asked the girls, "Do you consider Willis a rich man?" Their initial response was no. They had seen the tarp blowing in the breeze that served as his walls and the flimsy tin roof of his house. Then I asked them about the reef in front of his house, the wife and child he has waiting for him at the end of the day, the boat he owns to make a living and the wealth of food and beauty that surrounds him.

Yes, after a bit of consideration, they realized and heartily agreed that, indeed, Willis is a rich man.  I saw at this moment that my girls will no longer measure wealth by the size of ones home and the number of cars in the driveway, but rather the simple blessings of life.

To know my girls have learned this lesson, is huge for me.  Through it, once again, I was reminded of why I do what I do and why it is so important to take every opportunity to teach my children godly truths and principles.