She has:
A teacher she adores, someone dedicated enough to leave country and family to move halfway around the world and teach her.
Friends from literally all over the world, a multitude of cultures, backgrounds, and religions.
So many opportunities to practice loving and leading.
Lots of wiggly teeth.
First grade assembly, Term 1, doing their Ultra Super Cool Creation Rap.
(name that movie)
When I taught in California, there would be this big moving-van type truck that would arrive in the parking lot once a year with a mobile aquarium in it. The kids would be shuffled through and allowed about five minutes each to “touch and feel” the ocean animals.
First grade visited the tide pools last week to finish up their seashore unit. The kids at HOPAC don’t know how good they got it, with their own non-mobile aquarium five minutes away from their school, and they got a good two hours to “touch and feel” the real thing.
The octopus provided the most entertainment of the morning, when it proceeded to spray black ink all over the screeching children standing over it.
Mikayla, Nurdin, and their jellyfish friend.
Sometimes I laugh when people think our kids are deprived, growing up way over here in Africa.
Not just because of that great guy right there, but because of the over 200 people who have committed to read the New Testament this school year.
International Day 2012
Grace’s class (minus a few)
Our Annual Executive Council Retreat was last weekend, and it was great. This year: 5 girls, one guy. 4 Tanzanians, one German, one Korean.
We spent 8 hours writing our vision statement and making a master plan for the school year, and the rest of the time, we had fun! I wasn’t feeling too well, so I had to miss out on some of the fun part, but it was still so well worth the time.
I love the conversations we have with these kids. Sure, they love movies and Facebook as much as the next teenager, but they are far more interesting than just that. Last weekend, we talked about how body image is determined by culture, how superstition and animism is so much a part of African culture that it permeates Christianity in Tanzania, and what it is like to try to bridge two different ethnic backgrounds.
I learn something new every time I talk to them.
The team (right to left): Kandy, Daniel, Diana, Rachel, Joanna, and Cynthia
They’ve got a great plan for this school year. I am proud of their ambition and their love for their school. Great things ahead!
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