Wednesday

It’s 9:30 in the morning here and already I have had an absolutely amazing morning. We woke up early to go to Arlington Academy of Hope where the students were putting on an assembly. They do this every Monday and Friday, but since there were visitors they decided to do it on a Wednesday. Because there were visitors it was a special program today. AAH is primary school, grades P1-P7. School starts at 8am every morning but the assembly begins at 7:30. School ends at 4:40 for P1-P5, but at 6 for P6-P7. They go three terms each year, getting the month of in January, May, mid-August to mid-September, and December. However, P6 and P7 only have one week of at each of these breaks because they are preparing for their exit exams which determine if they get a scholarship to secondary school and/or get to graduate. So when we got to school this morning all 325 children were out on the lawn of the school. We were given seats, in the shade, to watch from. The children just giggled every time they looked at us or saw us taking pictures. To begin, they were marching and doing drills. They are so well disciplined. They all marched together and sometimes the teacher would call out a number and a class and they would have to say the times tables up to 12 for that number. Even the P1’s and P2’s knew most of their time tables. It was very impressive. They also had fun with them, like making them squat down then try to march. It was hilarious and the kids were just on the ground laughing. I took tons of pictures. Then they raised the flag and sang the national anthem and opened the morning in prayer. Oh to hear this 3rd grader pray and thank Jesus for his school and his teachers and the visitors, so overwhelming. The whole P3 class then came and stood in front of us and led in the morning praise songs. These kids all know English so they were singing “Hallelujah, praise Jesus” over and over. Having 325 elementary students sing praise songs was such a beautiful way to start my morning, and again a reminder that God is working in this place. The joy on these children’s faces was amazing. We were then introduced to the students. Over and over the teachers emphasized that we have come a very far way to see them and it is because we love them that we are here to see them. What a morning.

We then went back to the house to meet up with Brea and Carly to go on home visits. This is where we walk around the village to random houses and the people invite us in and then we give them health education lessons. The people are so warm and inviting and always so glad to see us. We walk up these mountains and tucked into patches of trees are these homes and fields. All the way up the mountains you can see houses and gardens. I have taken tons of pictures that will hopefully be able to show you the scenery. Today we were teaching lessons on family planning again. It was again amazing to us that these people had never heard of these family planning methods we were teaching, but they were so interested because they know the poverty and problems that come with over population. Molly and I got to teach two of the lessons so that we will know what to do when Carly and Brea leave. It was…well an experience haha. Our final home visit was that of Richard’s (our translator) aunt. They invited us inside and they had so many questions about this lesson. At the end, the man said that he was very old and past having children but that he will take what he knows and teach his children so they can learn from him. He doesn’t want them to worry about how to provide for their children as he worries about providing for his family. PS. He had two wives who we met, one who had 2 children, the other 11; 13 in all. But that is what it is all about. Giving them knowledge to use and pass on so that it will have an impact on future generations. An incredible morning.

This afternoon we went back to AAH to help teach computer lessons. These kids were so excited to even just learn how to use a mouse or open a word document. It’s so strange because in America kids in kindergarten can use the computer, but here they are so eager to learn the simplest things. And its so worth it when one turns to you and says “Thank you for teaching me the computer.” Africa is great.

The catch phrase around here is “TIA”- This Is Africa. It gets said so much, i.e. if someone says something about not having power for the past seven days, well TIA. Cold water bucket baths, TIA. No one around here ever being on time, TIA. This is Africa.

In Him,
Becky