Anna's Dance Ministry

Anna's voice echoed through the halls of the all-girls' boarding school in Shomboyacu:

"Forward - 2 - 3 - 4 - back - 2 - 3 - 4 - forward again, let's go!  Step - clap - step - clap - everyone together.  Great job girls!  Let me see your big rainbow arms."

It touched my heart to hear Anna confidently instructing her newly formed dance class ~ in Spanish, of course!

She has 25 students that range greatly in age, ability and interest level.  

When I asked Anna how she felt things were going, she simply said, "It's challenging."   I know it's tough, but if anyone is up for the challenge, it's Anna!  We're all SO proud of her!

After teaching a couple classes, Anna figured out that instructing 25 girls (that have never had a dance class) alone was ineffective. 

So, she solicited the help of her sister Katelyn and our missionary friend Andrea.  

After teaching her new helpers the moves, Anna broke the class into three smaller groups and assigned each group an instructor.  

The old proverb says, "Many hands make light the work."  We discovered that extra feet are helpful too! 

Last night the girls were incredibly blessed with the shoes donated by Anna's dance teacher in the United States.  The room filled with shy giggles as they attempted to wriggle their toes into the snug slippers.  Even though they had no experience with formal dance and had never tried on dance shoes, they quickly figured out the potential of their new footwear.  It was beautiful to watch them spin around and glide across the floor with grand smiles. We can't wait to share a video of their recital, which is scheduled for November.

We had a little miracle regarding the shoes that seems worth sharing:

When the shoes were first put out, several girls grabbed and fought over the "nicest" ones.  This rush on shoes left the less aggressive girls with nothing.  It was terrible and Anna didn't know what to do.  I prayed and asked Mama Mary to petition our Lord; that He would perform a multiplication of shoes.  Like the wine that ran out at the Wedding in Cana, our shoes had run out - at least shoes of the correct sizes.  I saw the box sitting off to the side and begged Jesus to put more shoes in the box.  We needed more large shoes since most of the girls are older.  Sure enough, when I got the box down, there were 8 pairs in the box. and they were exactly the sizes that the last girls needed.  As the quieter girls slid on the brand new white slippers, their smiles revealed the joy they felt inside.  Last night, in a little village in the middle of a Peruvian jungle, the Lord blessed these girls abundantly for their patience and gratitude.
It was beautiful!   Thank you Mama Mary.  Thank you Jesus!