Here we are in the last third of Mission Year! It feels like it has gone by so fast. I think I say that in every newsletter, haha. We all had a great Spring Break and are back safely in Atlanta ready for the home stretch of our year here. I spent my break with my roommate, Chelsea, in her home state of Delaware. We had a great time and got lots of rest. I feel ready to get back to work and finish out the year strong. I’m very excited for everything that will happen this trimester, seeing hard work pay off and seeing how far relationships started at the beginning of the year have come. Also, it’s just great that it is summer and so much warmer now, and lighter in the mornings and evenings. We get to spend more time outside in our neighborhood and get to take the kids to the park and let them release their energy!
This month I wanted to tell yáll about one of my friends here in Atlanta. Her name is Elia and she is the mother of one of my Kindergarten students, Emily. We have known Elia and her husband for almost the whole year. We had them over for dinner once and Elia comes to the English classes on Tuesday mornings that Chelsea and Kelly provide childcare for. Last month, however, I started getting to know Elia in a more intentional way. I had been thinking a lot about my relationships with adults in the neighborhood, which were basically nonexistent… and I was feeling convicted that I had always wanted to get involved with helping the parents learn English, but had never really acted on it. So I finally worked up the courage to ask Elia to let me come over once a week and learn Spanish and help her practice English. I was so nervous the first time I went over to her house. It was terrifying and really fun. It’s embarrassing and awkward to not understand someone and not be understood, but in the end so rewarding in the relationship that gets built and the laughter and accomplishment when you do succeed. My relationship with Elia is something I am really excited about for this trimester.
Exciting news: Some huge potholes in our trailer park roads were finally filled in! Kelly had to drive over them every day to drop off the kids and do some hardcore maneuvering in the fifteen passenger van to get around. When we saw them filling it in, Chelsea, Kelly and I went out and took pictures and danced around with joy, haha.
I hope this letter finds you well and enjoying the Spring! As always, thank you so much for your support. Mission Year Atlanta is behind financially right now, so any donations are truly appreciated! Thank you once again!
Love and Peace, Kimberly
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