Today was a day that I will remember for a long time. We began by coming to our Step Up Nursery School for our final day of teaching. We taught them, at the teacher's request about fruits and connected it to what we taught them about colors last week. We also reviewed the months of the year song we taught them yesterday. They are smart and could remember it and loved the hand gestures too. We made up a song to the theme of "I Love the Mountains" that went for fruits. "I love the apples, I love bananas, I love oranges, I love papaya, I love pineapple, and watermelon....fruits are delicious, fruits are delicious. Fruits, fruits. fruits are delicious FRUITS." The really like the song and it is actually very catchy- ask Yvette, she couldn't stop humming it ;) It was fun to see which kids love to sing, which love to color, how smart they are to remember what the things are we are teaching them and even in another language can recall what they are called and the songs. Love these kids! Luckily this little girl that Sam and I nicknamed Sticky Fingers, was too preoccupied to be rubbing her sticky fingers all over me today ....hahaha, but seriously! George was great today and Maggie was a little down which was the first day she has been anything but all smiles, she perked up later though. It is interesting, after talking to Hussein who runs the school that many of the kids are beaten at home, have rough home life. There was one boy I didn't see at all the week before but was here all week. When he showed up I thought he was new, all Hussein was that he had a rough home life. He looked beaten up honestly when he came to school. But he seemed to have a really good week and really was trying to learn the song today and was so cute about doing his coloring.
We had a chance to really visit with all the teachers after class today and gave them all the materials we had made that they can use again. I also wrote out all the lesson plans we had done and gave them to Hussein so that they could repeat some of the things we had taught them. We left all our visual aides. Once again we got so many compliments from the other young teachers, and Hussein that we were "professional". I don't know totally what they all meant by it since we were definitely fake it till we make it, but maybe it means we made it...at least we kept up the front and used all our best songs and stuff we had-- which I don't think could have filled more than a couple weeks.... :) But it was nice that they really appreciated us and I feel that all 3 of us had a positive influence on the kids and the teachers.
After school we had time for "Reflections" and feedback that was conducted by our leaders Sarah and Mama Fatuma. We shared some of our suggestions that maybe they could incorporate into their program for those that are there for 6-12 weeks. Rather than just more teaching in the afternoons maybe they could for those that are interested have an adopt a grandparent program. Yvette and I were talking and how great would it be if some of those elderly people we visited yesterday had a friend, a regular visitor. Many of them live alone or support a small grandchild and they might like some interaction or support. Our feedback about the program and our experience was basically that they were doing a great job and we loved our placement at Step Up and we loved the cultural experiences, especially the visit to the orphanage, Batik class, waterfall hikes, and elderly visits.
When we were done we ate and then headed out to visit some of the children that we were going to support. Originally I was thinking Sam and I would just take 1 child each. Then mentioned it to Yvette to see if she was interested in supporting one child so that they could continue with their education. She said yes. We spoke with the two women who were organizing this program and had gone to the homes of these kids, the ones that need it the most. As we were ready to head out they explained more about where we were going and that there were 10 kids there and we could meet them and chose the ones we wanted to sponsor and if we knew anyone else that would want to sponsor these kids ...they really need the support so they can continue school. You could feel the love these women had for these kids, those they didn't even really know but saw what their life was like and wanted to help. There was a moment of pause when they were so grateful and then Yvette said, actually I would like to sponsor four more- one for each of my girls. At that moment, what I would call the spirit, just filled the room, the woman just collapsed over and began to cry. It was so moving that she cared so much about these kids and her desire to help them was so genuine. I then spoke up and said I will take the rest, each one of my children will then have a child to sponsor and my husband. Done, we had taken on the whole group. Both women were stunned. They shook their heads with tears in their eyes and said this is a miracle from God. We can't believe this that all these children will be taken care of. I couldn't help but cry, the gratitude, the love, the feeling that this is how God works...he blesses those kids, he blesses those that are trying to do his work, he blesses those that can help support these kids. It was just one of the most tender moments. Each one of us, including Sam were touched. We said ok, lets meet the kids!
Right after lunch we piled into their car and drove out to the school that was about 20 minutes away. The kids that are in the most need have an individual teacher that helps look after them and give them after school support. All the kids came into the classroom right after class got out and we got to meet 8 of the 10 kids our two families will be supporting. They each stood up and spoke, introduced themselves and then told us what their favorite subject was and what they wanted to be when they grow up. Witness wanted to be President. She is beautiful and bright and smart. The oldest girl wants to be a doctor and tried to speak to us in English. Their was a little older boy and he wanted to ask Sam questions. Prosper, the 12 year old was so shy and wore clothes that were so worn and kept his head down a lot of the time, told us he wanted to be a teacher. He loves Science. When our friend told them in Swahili that they were all going to be sponsored they all gasped. You could see a sense of relief in each one of them. The woman in charge said we were their 4th family- their family, their teachers, the heads of this initiative and now us. She told them we were going to visit some of their homes today. They each wanted us to come to their homes. The leader picked Sabrina, Witness, Fredrick, and Prosper. They were so excited. We then went out and took a picture of our new family outside their school. They ran to get their backpacks and met us back at the car, the four kids we were going to visit.
First stop was Witness's home. Wow! She lives with her father, has no other siblings and her mother divorced her father because of his poverty and apparent drinking problem. They rent a single room in a very crude house, with other families renting other rooms and a communal kitchen that is just dirt with a fire and a pot. The only furniture we saw in the whole place was a bed made out of wood slats. She sleeps in the bed with her father since her "home" room is just 8 x8 foot space. She was so sweet and all smiles and hugged each one of us, including Sam. She reached out and gave him a big hug. It was so sweet. There was a neighbor woman at the house and she was really cute and that made us feel better. She seems to come by often and had a good nature. I guess her father is out trying to make a living and doesn't get back until late and is usually drunk.
Next stop we drove to Prosper's home. Our car could only go so far and then we had to park by a stream and walk through fields and across streams until we reached his home. It was in the middle of what appeared to be a banana tree grove. He lives with his Aunt and Uncle, who have 9 children of their own. His parents both had died and has no other known siblings. The mother has her hands more than full with all the kids, and her husband, the Uncle is an abusive alcoholic. They live in a two room mud home and the father sleeps in one of the rooms, which looks like where they also keep grains etc and then the mother sleeps with her 9 kids and Prosper in the other room- which is covered in clothing hanging off a string, since there are no drawers and 11 people sleep in there. His cousin was sitting on the doorstep and looked really out of it. The big sister was there, she seemed nice and had a baby and is back living at their house- which makes her and her baby too. She said the mom was in the fields. She sent another child to go get her. She came back and was covered in dirt. She washed her hands in some water in a bucket and greeted us. She was very friendly and was so grateful that Prosper was going to be sponsored. We asked our host to interpret to the mother and Prosper that we believed he is a really good kid and a smart boy. That we need him to always go to school, do his studies and we know that he will be able to do great things and we want him to be happy. He was shy but smiled. He gave us each a hug and then said our goodbyes. It was really an unbelievable living situation and it must take him at least 45 mins to walk to school.
The next child lived near Prosper, Fredrick. He walked us to our house and held my hand for a while. He lives with his grandmother. I think his father had died and mother abandoned him. He lives with his grandmother and don't think he has any other siblings but I think the grandmother takes care of other grandchildren too. He shares a bed with 3 others. He showed us his room. This time he didn't have a real bed, but a piece of wood balanced on rocks and some bedding and again a line with clothes hanging from it. HIs grandma said that each day after school he walks and cleans his clothes and then it is about time for bed. His grandmother seemed like a pretty good lady, but it overwhelmed. We are excited to be his sponsor. Again I was moved by Sam's compassion as he led the charge with giving him a hug and getting his picture taken with him.
Then off to Sabrina's. We drove to her house. She lives likely 1 hr 15 min walk from school. It was so far down the road we thought she didn't know where she was going. But we got there and her grandma who she lives with was worried. She had just sent one of the other kids to go look for her, since she usually gets home earlier, but we had her with us. We apologized and our host explained why we were there. The grandma was so grateful. She explained that the security guys from the government come and hassle her all the time to pay the fees, but she can't afford too since she is older and taking care of 3 of her grandchildren alone. Our host then asked her where is her mother or father. She explained with great disappointment that this is the daughter of her sister. Her sister was a woman that had slept around with many men and had many children from several men. Her niece, Sabrina's mother, was just like her and had several children with different husbands and she would be raped if she lived with her mother and so she has kept Sabrina and a couple of Sabrina's siblings so that they would be safe. It made me realize that cycles are so often repeated and she has broke the cycle with Sabrina by taking her and providing her a safe home. Sabrina's homelife was the best of all the kids we visited and felt the safest. When we were leaving Sabrina's Bebe- grandmother she calls her, said to wait and ran with a machete into a field behind her house- no idea what was going to happen. She came back with a stake of sugar cane from her garden that was as tall as a flagpole and a ripe mango that she handed to Sam. She wanted to have a way to thank us. It was such a kind gesture and one of value to her.
As we came home in the car it just felt like the most significant thing we had done on this trip. My heart was full and also ached and also felt so hopeful for these kids as individuals they now had an opportunity to make something of their lives if they chose to overcome their hard situations, they had one more layer of support. It seemed one of the big reasons we had come to Africa. That evening in my room alone I just gave thanks to our loving Heavenly Father that allowed us to meet these two amazing women that are finding these kids that need support, for their desire to help others in the best way they know how with their education. For the process they have gone through to find the kids that are really in need and a way that isn't corrupted to give to them where the child will directly benefit. I felt overcome with the feeling that God hears these children and families prayers and these women's prayers and my prayers to know why I was here on this trip, to make this experience have greater value and life changing value. I realize that what happened today was all people opening their hearts, our hearts to God, to one another, exercising faith and that through Him he connects us all. We do all that we can do and then he makes up the difference in all things. We all felt blessed today.
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