Sponges

"Education is not filling a pail but the lighting of a fire." -William Butler Yeats

I am sitting at Sonrise as I write this post. It is a beautiful day with a little chill in the air. I look out and see the great Rwandan hills in the distance. The rainy season has begun so everything is turning green. There is beauty everywhere.

I started teaching English on Monday to P1 students. The kids are ages 5, 6, 7, and 8-all in one class. Instead of their hour rest time they will come to me for English. Since it's the end of the year, none of them sleep anymore (except for the little girl in class yesterday!). I teach P1 A on Monday and Wednesday and P1 B on Tuesday and Thursday. P1 B has the youngest kids in the school who know the least amount of English. Their minds are like sponges. They are so eager to soak up everything I teach. We have been reading a book called, "Handa's Surprise". It is about a little African girl who is taking fruit to her friend and along the way different animals eat the fruit. The kids LOVE it! They love when I read books to them and shout out the animal names with every page. This is something no one does for them. They didn't grow up with a house full of books and there aren't even books in their classroom. I have been handing out books during the 2 hour lunch break and they are read all around the school yard. They soak up every picture, word and letter on every page.

I am also teaching Music and P.E. to P1 and P2. I have no musical background! I am teaching them different types of songs: silly songs, simple songs, songs about Jesus and many others. I can't carry a tune to save my life but for some reason they love when I sing to them. Teaching music is giving me a chance to bring out the creative side of the kids. They don't get much of a chance to use their imagination so I encourage them to draw a picture of whatever they like or get up and dance and go crazy as we listen to music. They really like listening to The Wiggles and Raffi from my laptop. P.E. has been a bit of a challenge. Usually their P.E. class is dividing up girls and boys and playing football (soccer) and that is all. They have a hard time understanding me so explaining games is difficult. I have taught them games such as Chicken, Chicken, Cow (our version of Duck, Duck, Goose) and a ball game named, Flinch. "Doggy Doggy Where's Your Bone" has become an instant favorite!

I have also taught them to walk in a straight line to P.E. by giving themselves a hug and catching a bubble in their mouth. The other teachers look at me in amazement wondering how I got 40 students to walk in a straight line being quiet. It's something that just isn't done here.

Everyday I get loads of hugs from the sweet little kids. They smile when they see me and I smile even bigger when I see them. They know that when they see my red and orange teacher bag that I have something fun inside just for them. These kids are the future of Rwanda. They will be the leaders of these green rolling hills and breathtaking sunsets. I am honored to be their teacher and love watching as they absorb everything I share with them.

"Children are the world's most valuable resource and it's best hope for the future."

-John Fitzgerald Kennedy

Make Your Mark

I finally met Bishop John! I told him how wonderful I thought Sonrise was and how I love everything about it: the teachers, the students, the school...everything! He thanked me and said, "Make your mark here in Rwanda." I have been thinking about these words and how God is using me to make my mark in Rwanda. What is more powerful is that God is using Rwanda to make a mark on me. I have been here one month and my life will never be the same as it was one month ago. Here are some things Rwanda has shown me in the last month:

-The Genocide Memorial in Kigali. It was very heartbreaking and the room dedicated to the children shattered me.

-The Presidential Election. President Paul Kagame was re-elected. That night, we went to the stadium hoping to hear his election speech. I took an ambien by accident before we went and was pretty out of it. We left before he spoke which wasn't until 3:30am.

-Visiting the beautiful children who attend Mwiko school. The village is located on a moun

tain between two lakes...it's breathtaking! We met some amazing children and adults. It's one of my favorite places in Rwanda.

-The first day of a new job. Sonrise is better than what I imagined it being! The teachers are supportive of one another and I have found myself in yet another great family! Every morning I share tea with my friend, Betty. I am currently teaching Religious Education, PE and Music to P1, P2, and P3. Language has been a small issue but I have figured out how to work around it!

-Being the only blonde haired, blue eyed girl almost everywhere I go (unless I'm with Anna!). I am the only "Muzungu" or "foreigner" at Sonrise Primary. Somedays, however, I forget that I'm a little white girl from Arkansas.

-Letting a child use her imagination to draw a picture of whatever she chooses with whatever color of crayon she would like.

-Watching wide-eyed students hold a children's book for the first time and flip the pages while being enamored by the colorful pictures.

-My first church experience at Sonrise Chapel with the students of Primary. It was so sweet and their singing was precious.

-Running on dirt roads through the village. Kids are always on the roads carrying a load of sugarcane or a jerry can of water on their heads. The first day I went running, I looked behind me and there were 4 children running with me. I slowed down and we ran together for about 10 minutes.

-Changing a little boy's bandage on the front porch of our house because he had no one else to do it.

-Moving that same little boy into his new home with his new and loving family!

-Experiencing the beauty in a sunset and really appreciating every day.

I have a blessed life. God is doing great things in Rwanda!