Sooo...I’ve had two days back at school with the kiddies and it has just been so much better than I imagined it could be. There are a lot of really good things happening for Hill Crest and it’s just making me more excited, and more sure that building Isaac, Elizabeth and the kids a real school is the best thing I (actually we..because I can’t do it without the support of everyone back home) can do to help this community. I hadn’t talked to Isaac much about what happened at Hill Crest while I was gone, I just knew things had to progress and we had to make a solid program and get things really, really going there in terms of education and setting up for the future. So, I was surprised to walk into school and see a teacher!! Prior to January 3rd, Hill Crest has only had Elizabeth as a teacher, which is sufficient because she got a degree in education, but pretty much since May, the combination of malaria and pregnancy has not left her very well or energetic. The entire time I was there, she told me what to teach and helped me with the class, but I always encouraged her to just rest. She is in Kenya now, so I figured it would just be the new volunteers and me teaching, hoping we were doing alright, but the new teacher seems to have a lot of really good potential. Isaac told her she is to answer to me for everything and go by what I say in terms of what to teach, but I had to explain to him that I don’t know the best way to teach the kids, so hopefully she will be more comfortable doing her own lessons come next week. I’m so glad Isaac took the initiative to hire a teacher without feeling obligated to ask me and get approval from me. While I’d like for him to include me in these big decisions, I have to remind myself that it is still his school, and he isn’t obligated to get permission from me to do everything. He still apologized for doing it without asking me, so I know no decision will be made without my consent, but I’m still glad he did this. (And if you’re wondering, the money from the contributing kids is what will pay for the teacher salary!). It’s been so nice being able to go to school and be kind of “behind the scenes” instead of up teaching every day, wondering if they’re understanding and hoping I’m doing it right. Now, I just lead the kids in songs, prepare food and talk to Isaac about future Hill Crest. I also spend my day tripping over our 7 year old, Njayo, because since my return, she won’t let me be more than about 2 feet away from her. If I’m just standing somewhere, she is standing in front of me with my hands wrapped around her. If I’m preparing lunch, she’s right there with me. Anything I do, she does within arms length. I love it, it really makes me feel good knowing that I don’t just love the kids, but the kids also love me. Yesterday, Johnson and I were preparing lunch and we were joking around with each other...he was threatening to throw a piece of hot rice in my eye and I was threatening to pour a hot cup of tea down his shirt. But we were serving the finished lunch product, and he turned to me and said “You are my mother. When I come to school on Monday, I will say ‘Good morning mother, not good morning teacher.’” It made me so, so glad to hear that because most of the time, I really feel like his mother..just in a sense of unconditional love and a need to protect him, but hearing that he feels that way about me too made me so so happy, but also sad. His mother died of HIV a few years ago, and it breaks my heart that she isn’t here seeing how incredible he has turned out to be, even though I know she can still see him. That’s about the extent of this update. I’m just loving so much being back here and being with my kids. We’ve also taken on a handful of new students so to see the growth of the school is also amazing. Forgot about that in the above update. But with the new kids, comes a new 50 minute route to school...which is just fine :) I love being able to pick up the kids and take them home, it really adds to the experience. Not many people get to be relied on so much and I just love it. This week we have lots of singing, dancing and coloring planned in the lessons. We want to make school more fun while still applying education in the fun. The kids are so young that they need that kind of environment. Thanks to everyone that has followed this journey. I am so blessed to have had this opportunity, and each day I am more and more sure that I made the right decision to come here, and by chance, be placed at Hill Crest, fall in love with the kids, and know that something better can be had for them if the motivation is right. Here’s to my last four weeks until May (hopefully)!!
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