Tag: Haven of Peace Academy

Most days at HOPAC, ethnicity is forgotten, even though our kids come from 30 different countries. Our students have names like Tsiry and Hyungmuk and Dasha, they bring chopsticks and sushi to school for lunch, and speak many different languages at home, but in their blue uniforms and the universality of childhood, their differences fade into the background. HOPAC certainly has cliques and rivalries just like any other school, but they are not based on race.

But one day a year, those differences are celebrated. International Day has always been one of the highlights of the year. Students dress in their national costumes, parents set up booths full of artifacts and food from their home countries, and dances and songs are performed. This day never fails to bring me to tears, as I always get the distinct impression that we are witnessing a foretaste of heaven from the Creator and Lover of culture.

Many of the nationalities at HOPAC come from business people working in Tanzania, but more encouraging is that many are MK’s–from Sweden, Spain, Korea, Germany, UK, Australia, Finland…the list goes on. What an amazing experience to witness the worldwide Body of Christ.

11th Grade Girls and Their Science Teacher

Litte Dutch Girls

Little Swedish Girls

The Korean Clan

Big Tough Irish Guys

It’s November…and gathered on the basketball court, everyone sweats in the same language!

Mmmm…Everbody’s favorite part is the food.

All the kids get their “passports” stamped at the different displays.

Magnificent!

Tanzanian Dancing

Iksheeta and Grace: She wasn’t too happy with the crowds and noise!

Hannah (American) and Laura (Dutch) asked Gil to do a photo shoot with them since they will soon be separated after four years of being best friends. Hannah’s family is moving to Kenya. Such is the life of an MK. We’ve recently been thinking about how we want to do some specific teaching with our students on how to deal with all the loss they experience every year as so many people come and go in their lives.

We also attempted to take a new prayer card picture. Gil isn’t satisfied with any of them, though, so we’ll be trying again!

Grace and her good friend Lotta (staying with us this weekend).

Friday night was our last night of Youth Group for the school year, and I think we set our record for the number of people we packed into our living room, especially because The Master’s College team joined us. Good thing the weather has cooled down–otherwise it wouldn’t smell very nice in here with 40+ people who’ve just been out playing basketball!

Below are the girls I spend the most time with. They are such joy in my life! All are in 10th grade and all were my students in 5th and 6th grade. Gil wanted to pracitice with portraiture, and after taking 10,000 pictures of Grace, needed new subjects. My girls were happy to oblige!

Lotta is a Finnish MK. She is one of the best students in her class, and she makes us laugh with her wit and sarcasm.

Aishi is Tanzanian. She is usually fun and easy-going, but not when she is on the soccer pitch or the basketball court! She is probably the best female athelete at school.

Bernice is part Indian and part Malaysian. Her parents run a church in Dar es Salaam. She is the best soccer goalie in school, and is quite artistic as well.

Lea is a German MK. She is also one of the best students in her class, and is absolutely delightful as “Juliet” in the upcoming Shakespeare production.

Dorothy is Tanzanian and her Dad works at school. She is also a menance in any sports competition, but really a romantic at heart!

Friday we returned from our 4 day trip to Amani rainforest with the 5th graders. Four years ago, I took my sixth graders on this trip; now it has become a 5th grade tradition. Gil and I chaperoned last year as well, and this year was just a bit more interesting because Grace came along! A fabulous time was had by all and we were able to spent great time building relationships with the 5th graders.

Grace did fantastic–she was in a good mood the entire time, up until the bus ride home, where she cried for about 4 of the 7 hours! (That was not fun, but you couldn’t really hear her crying above the rest of the noise in the bus!) She was extremely popular among all the 5th graders (as always!) and rode on Daddy’s back for almost all of the hikes.

We did all sorts of wonderful activities–this trip builds so many memories for the kids! My former students (now 10th graders) still talk about “our” trip and have asked me SO many times, “When can we go back?” Playing in a waterfall, visiting a butterfly farm, exploring a tea factory, roasting marshmallows….all a kid’s dreamland!

This particular 5th grade class is an absolute riot! Almost every kid in the class is overly dramatic. Their teacher let them put on a talent show one night, and the performances they came up with had us all cracking up! They would have gone on all night unless we hadn’t dragged them off the stage.

And of course, I can’t end without posting a couple of gorgeous pictures taken by my very talented husband!