Today was the first day of trying out the new location for the orphanage. Supposedly it was to be in a far more welcoming space, instead of smack dab in the middle of the IDP tent camp (a very depressing and heartbreaking place to be.) In my head I was expecting a lush grassy area for outdoor teaching and tall trees for shade. I momentarily forgot where I was, apparently. Sparse green littered with patches of mud surrounded the extremely hot tent that felt more like a heat box than an outdoor space. But as kids usually are, particularly in Haiti, they’re resilient and versatile and we made it work, despite the few pretty dresses the girls wore.
It was also the first day of trying out the new structure for the lessons. It went flawlessly. It was as if we had always run things this way. The kids seemed to expect what was about to happen and jumped on board without question. I was so impressed by them.
The first group I had for the craft project reviewing numbers (making a spider) was the group of children 8 years old and below. Some were so little they didn’t know how to hold a pencil and never spoke a word no matter who spoke to them. A few came in partially naked - something you get used to seeing daily in Leogane. A few students were impeccably clean and a few others made my heart hurt how dirty they looked. No matter their level of cleanliness or ability to communicate, they all did the project and did so with such fervor, even if they didn’t understand. I tell you, the children of Haiti are truly remarkable and incredibly strong.
The second group of children were 9 years old and above. Brilliant. Orphans in a 3rd world country after suffering so much destruction for so many years and yet there they sat bright eyed and eager and so unbelievably smart. These children only go to school in the mornings and yet they didn’t skip a beat. And how amazing to see how quickly they pick things up, such as knowing when to put up the “quiet and ready” signal without being told, learning new English songs, and going with the flow of the lessons. They blew me away. They blew all the volunteers away.
We got on the taptap to head back to base with a sense of accomplishment that is owed almost completely to the children. There are many kinks to still work out but it’s all on the right track. Experiencing the enthusiasm of the children only makes me want to work that much harder to make this learning experience for them as meaningful as possible. I wonder, though, if I will ever be able to give them as much as they have given me.
Angie - just wanted you to know that we keep up with you daily and your news encourages me with my own students. While not suffering in any way the same deprivation as yours suffer, in their own way these extremely poor, rural black kids are at the bottom of a slightly more affluent totem pole and feel a similar sense of alienation, loss and fear. I have given up even the most vain attempt at any answer - I have no experience or worth that can help in any way but...Debbie is riught that when we look for Jesus Christ in every situation, we will begin to see Him and He will gladly share the purpose and response for all you see and do. I can only imagine the magnitude of the suffering you describe; the even carefully and neatly packaged as U.S. dollars, it still is beyond real comprehension - but each time I try ti wrap some sense of meaning to to the vastness of the problems you face every day, only one thing brings tangible hope to the devastation in Haiti - God is bigger than any problem we can either be present in or imagine! If I brag to my friends about anything you do, it is that I am am sure your are clay in the potter's hands and through you He will accomplish His great and wonderful purpose in Haiti. Our church will be coming in October - we stock piling concrete, rebar, plywood, nails, bolts...corruption is so bad that nothing that is shipped separate from the mission team will ever be available - we will bring every thing we need to rebuild a church and community center in PaP as you call it. There are millions of people that pray daily for those in the field - as many are giving financially as are praying! Do not tire from doing good, fight that good fight, help all that your hands can touch; nothing more, nothing less and nothing else will do. My personal prayer for you is that you are BtoB...blessed to bless
ReplyDeleteI am so inspired. Thank you. And i love that you're using the TFA 5 step lesson plan!
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