Precious Faces

These faces make my heart so happy!!!

I was at Target yesterday and needed some folders to start the year so back to the school supplies I went.  There were so many eager faces buying their school supplies (one of which was one of my students last year and I loved getting to see him and his family).  I remember going with my mom and picking out my supplies growing up and I loved getting all of the new crayons, folders, pencils, and anything else I might need.  As I was looking around, it reminded me of how blessed we are to be able to go and purchase what we need.  When we were teaching  in Zambia, we took new supplies with us into the classroom to use and the kids (and teachers) were so excited!!! 

I began thinking about all the sweet faces that will be entering my classroom this year and how they will be bringing their supplies with them to start the year.  It made me think about a conversation that Teacher  Dorothy and I had about some things she won't allow at the school some of which are razorblades (pencil sharpeners) or scissors.  I didn’t understand why and when she explained to me that the students aren’t allowed to have these school supplies because of the high percentage of students with HIV.  That is one thing that I don’t ever have to think about here.  The worst that happens here is that at least one child tries to cut their hair so we have to have the conversation of what we can cut and not cut at school.  I don’t have to think about the fact that 1/3 of my class is infected with a vicious disease that knows no boundaries.  Five of the sweet babies in my classroom at Kabanana are HIV positive, two are sisters and the others have siblings but none of their siblings have it.  Dorothy said that there is no reason those kids should have been born with HIV.  In Zambia when you are pregnant, "if" you go to the clinic, they automatically test you and if you are positive they put you on medication so your baby doesn't contract the disease.  Sadly, many women don't or won't go until they are ready to deliver, and therefore, the innocent are infected with this vicious disease! 



How can you not fall in love with these faces??

The next day after our conversation when I got in the classroom and looked into those beautiful eyes of the 5 kids in my room with HIV, my heart broke into a million pieces.  I had to fight the tears back so hard as they were singing and dancing with so much happiness.  Looking at those beautiful, loving, and precious kids I know that other than a complete miracle (which can totally happen) their precious lives are going to be cut short here on earth.  Most of those sweet faces don't even know they are sick!  God has filled them with so much joy and love despite their situation.  Even though these children have been dealt this, I know God is and will continue to use them in a mighty way to impact His kingdom until He is ready to bring them to their eternal home.   The future of Zambia is being changed, one child at a time.   

On a side note, as many of you will be shopping for school supplies before school starts and are looking at the wonderful “sale prices” of the supplies, if any of you want to pick up a few extras, I would love to collect them and take them to Family Legacy to ship over on the next container they send.  These are the supplies they are always in need of:

Pencils, crayons, blue pens, red pens, construction paper, dry erase markers, composition notebooks, notecards, pencil bags, and block erasers.

Last Day at Kabanana

I can't believe it has been a week since I had to say good-bye last Friday! It was so hard to know that I was leaving.  I knew how much I loved those kids, or so I thought (I love them more than I could have ever imagined)!  As I told them how proud I was of them, their tears began flowing.  I prayed over them and during the prayer, all I could hear were sniffles and then sobbing.  In Zambia, you are not 'supposed to cry" and teacher Dorothy had even joked about the fact that I shouldn't bring a "funeral"to her classroom, but she was even crying.  I think they were sad I was leaving, but even more than that, I think all that they deal with at home needed a good cry!  A good cry can be good for you especially when you are in a safe place to let it all out.  Teacher Dorothy has created a classroom of safety, happiness, and love.  This is something these kids don't have at home like they should.  Teahcer Dorothy is the head teacher and so not only does she know all of the stories of the kids in her class but the stories of all the kids in the school  Essentially she is a teacher, counselor, nurse, and prinicpal!  The stories that she has to bear is almost too much for any human being's heart to take.  All of the kids come from severe poverty and I think out of 20 kids in my class only 1 had both parents.  Many were double-orphaned, and the rest typically lived with their mother.

The whole school came together in an assembly and presented the American teachers with a gift.  They gave all of us chitenge's which is a piece of cloth the women wrap around their waist that goes down to the ankles.  The kids were allowed to speak into the megaphone if they wanted to say something to us.  Many of them said thank you and then came Dalitso (which I would have put into my bag and brought back with me if I could have), he was sobbing and so loudly said, "teacher, I love you! Please, please, please, don't leave!"  My heart fell into a million pieces!  We all cried a little bit more and hugged.  The good thing is that even though we left, their teachers are there and love them so much!!  Those kids know that too, and know that they can always talk to their teachers about anything.

The donors of the school were there on that Friday that we were leaving and so the students gave a presentation.  One of the 7th grade boys spoke from his heart about Kabanana meant to him.  This is a paraphrase of what he said: Kabanana means so many things to me.  I have learned to love and learned to love others.  When I grow up I want to be a lawyer so that I can help those who are imprisoned.  It is AMAZING what these schools are doing for these kids in Zambia.  Everyday, there are kids in the community peering over the wall of the school or through the gate longing to be able to come to school.  If any of you would like to make a difference in a child's life and send them to school, please contact me and I will share with you about the Father's Heart Sponsorship program through Family Legacy.  I have seen the change that has been made in two years of the girls that I sponsor and it is beautiful to see them learn and grow.
 I love those kids so much and I didn't want to have to tell them bye, but God has filled my heart with a love for them that I didn't know was possible.  As much as I love those kids, how much more God loves them, me, and you!  I cannot even fathom the love the Father has for all of His children.  No matter how much they are hurting, they can always find comfort in God's love! 

Precious kids in my class!!

"In your unfailing love, you will lead the people you have redeemed.  In your strength you will guide them to your holy dwelling." Exodus 15:13

Teaching in Kabanana

I guess in Africa, you can say the Fourth times the charm. I have tried to post something three times now and everytime I type it and hit post and everything freezes up. I guess you could say that the internet doesn't like me. Lizzie (who's computer I am using) has been able to upload pictures and blog everyday and I sometimes can't even get logged in. :)

I can't believe is aready Wednesday night!! This has been such a busy week but such an amazing week as well! On Monday, I was able to observe in a classroom of about 35 kids that were in grades 1, 2, and 3. It was a bit overwhelming as I saw so many different ways that I wanted to help. I knew that I needed to pick the most important thing but had so many things that I didn't know what that was going to be at the time. As I was observing, we were asked to write down the good things that we saw happening and to write down ways that they could do it differently. The teacher that I am working with is named Dorothy and she is so good with the kids. We talked about the things that I saw and she said, "I don't need you to tell me anything that I did good, just tell me what I need to change. I am serious, because I just want to learn from you." They are so eager to learn new ways to do things and to make a difference in the school and children. When I left on Monday I was completely overwhelmed, because I didn't know how to manage three grade levels and a class of so many. When we got back to the house that evening, we started looking through the donations that had been given for materials to use in their classoom. When we were looking through the supplies, I found the number posters that I had taken down from my own classroom and was able to put them up in her room. That was fun to be able to do that and have a piece of what I had been using in the states in this classroom.

On Tuesday, I started teaching by doing some of the morning routines that I use in my own classroom. Some of those include music and songs that I use everyday. I was able to get a cd player to take with me and the kids were so excited to be able to hear the music and sing with it! I loved seeing their faces light up when the music came on. I quickly learned that most of the kids (except for a couple) don't know their letters and sounds so the most important task at hand is learning to read. Another overwhelming feeling came over me as I knew that I would only be here for such a short time. Also, when Dorothy was telling me what she wanted help with, it was to show her how to teach them to read and to teach them how to write...sure I can do that in two weeks, NOT! I just have to keep reminding myself that it is baby steps. I taught most of the lessons and Dorothy taught one. During the break time, she pulled out the paper that I had written suggestions on and she said, " I want you to tell me what I have not addressed" In one days time, she took everything to heart and was really changing what she was doing. As I read over the list, she changed everything that I had mentioned. I was so encouraged by her enthusiasm and dedication to her job! That afternoon, I gave the kids a notecard and asked them to write their name in pencil and then I would check it and they could then trace over it with a marker. When I pulled out the markers and showed them how to use them their eyes lit up like a runway! They were so excited and couldn't wait to use it. They all worked so hard on their name so they could get it to write with. As the kids leave each day, they line up at the door to leave the room. I told them that I wanted to give them a hug on their way out. I hugged them and told them that I loved them. As they left the room, the teacher said that she could hear them saying in nyanja, "teacher Allison loves me." It is so amazing to think that some of those kids don't hear that and how much they need to know that someone loves them! We did have a fun suprise today. Right before lunch, all of the teachers left us in our rooms. It was very strange and they were gone for a while. In a few minutes Dorothy came and asked us if we could go outside for a minute. While we were looking at her funny,we said yes and she closed the door of the school behind us so we couldn't see in. After about 5 minutes, she came and got us. We walked into her room and all the teachers had set up lunch for us. It looked so nice. They had a table cloth across some of the desks and they had fixed chicken, relish (spinach and something else that is soupy), and nshima which is their staple food. They said that if you are welcoming someone into Zambia, then you will kill a chicken and fix them a meal. It was so nice of them. Later that day, new desks were delivered to the school and Dorothy told Kathryn ( who is the American that is over the teachers) "today is a day of miracles, first God provided the money to come together so we could fix you a meal and then we have just recieved new desks" It was so humbling that they scraped together enough money to cook for us when they could have saved that for their family. I never have to think about where my next meal is coming from or if I have enough money to eat. This is something that I take for grantid and being here is just a reminder of all that I have to be grateful for.

Today, when I woke up, I felt a little more settled in, in how the day was going to go. We found out last night that there would be a camera crew (they have been at camp all week) filming today so that they could use the video in promoting their school campaign to raise funds for new schools they need to open. When they got there, they came in my room and the kids were doing so good to not be too distracted by them. We were working on putting sounds togther and I was so excited to see how well they were doing compared to yesterday. They were really soaking in what I had been teaching them and they were retaining it! The kids attempted to write a sentence today and that was fun to watch them write and see who was able to figure out some of the sounds. After the break, Dorothy (who is also the head teacher, which just means she has to takecare of any problems that arise) had to go out and deal with some problems. I was with the kids for about 30 minutes by myself which wouldn't normally be a big deal, but when you have a language barrier, that becomes a long time. I was trying to read them a book and it was so hard to convey the meaning to them with the limited English that they spoke. they were getting wrestless, so I decided to switch over to math. I was trying to teach them to skip count by 10s and then I thought I could take them out and play the circle game so they could pracitce it some more. This became a quick disaster as some of the kids were pushing and fighting and the language barrrier was becoming more of an issue than ever. We went back into the classroom, because this was obviously not working. The kids continued fighting and nothing that I was doing was working, so I finally picked up my backpack and said that I was going to leave. I walked out the door as some of the kids kept saying, sorry madame, sorry, sorry, sorry. As I turned the corner out of the door, you could have heard a pin drop. I think they were so shocked. I waited outside the door for about a minute and then Dorothy and Kathryn were coming around the corner. Dorothy went in and asked, "where is teacher Allison, what has happened to her" It was silent for a few minutes and then they all started ratting each other out. They said that they would just apologize and that they wouldn't "dood" that again. She said that she would come and look for me and see if I would come back. They were very apologetic and I think that they realize that they still have to be respectful even if she is not there.

When we left today, they were working on a road that we have to take to get out of the compound. We got to the corner and there was a HUGE hole (deep enough that if the tire fell in we would be stuck there) and beside it was a huge pile of rocks/gravel that was piled up. Our only way to get out was to stradle the hole between the tires. One of the kids had followed us up the road to this point to make sure that we could get out. He was trying to tell Kathryn which way to turn her tires and it was getting very confusing. I got out to look and it was crazy!! There was no way that she could make it from that angle. The other problem was that we weren't really coming out of a "road" and we were between two buildings. So, Kathryn is trying to back up and get turned out onto the road to where we can go on it straight and miss the hole. Here is where the next problem came into play.....in the backing up and going forward and backing up and going forward, her wheel got stuck on a tire and we had to get some of the kids and the three teachers had to push the car so she could get unstuck. I am sure that we were quite a sight. She finally got the car where she could be straight on the road, and we had to be in the front of the car to help guide her over the hole. She got it straight and there was no extra room for mistakes. She had to perfectly stradle the hole and stay straight. We were all praying so hard, and God was good and we finally were able to get out. I will post pictures as soon as I can, because it was quite funny!

Thank you again for all of your prayers and hopefully I will be able to update more tomorrow, that is if the computer will be working.