July 2, 2014
Wednesday was a Kitende day. We got up and ready and planned
our PE for the day. We asked Teacher Amanda if we could please keep the P1 and
P2 classes separate to give us a chance to be able to accomplish some of the
activities that we had planned. When you have 100 +/- students in a class, it
is hard enough to give instructions on a field when they are ready to run and
play. It is just impossible if the two classes are together. They agreed.
Essentially, I had a few ideas, but just went with whatever came to mind. We
did running relays, the Hokey-Pokey, Red Light Green Light, and Head Shoulders
Knees and Toes. Of course, when one of the students comes to you and says,
“Teacher! Wheelbarrows, wheelbarrows!” we have an impromptu Wheelbarrow Race.
Not one minute later, the same student that had asked me to do the
wheelbarrows, was laying on the ground. When I asked him why, his response was,
“My wheelbarrow was too heavy!” Benange. We survived PE, and the kids were worn
out. Mission accomplished.
Right after teaching PE in a skirt outside in the hot Africa
sun and working up a good sweat, we “take tea” with the teachers. Teacher Gorret
asked us, “Do you have trousers?” She could obviously tell how miserable we
were wearing skirts running around. We responded telling her that she did not
wear trousers. She laughed and told us, “I am too big to fit in trousers!” (She
is at least pregnant.) We promised her to wear more appropriate PE clothes next
week. As we were sitting there talking, she then asked, “How can I get an offer
for my children to enjoy the benefits of Sozo?” I told her that it is much
better for her children to stay with their mother who loves them. She said,
“All Africans need help… the school fees, clothes, food… it is expensive. Even
the wealthy ones need help.” We reassured her that she is doing a good job
providing for her children, she has a good job, and she is the one that God has
picked to raise her children.
Earlier in the day when we first arrived, Teacher Gorret
informed us that Teacher William (a teacher from Kitende that has been in the
hospital) had passed away during the night. All of the teachers were in a very
somber mood, and they even told us that they were having a hard time being at
school and teaching during the day. Teacher William had been in the hospital
for a while. The story that we were told was that he was playing futbol and got
kicked really hard in the side of his stomach. He ended up needing surgery and
then got some kind of infection/complication from the surgery. He had fluid on
his stomach, and the doctors could not figure out how to diagnose/treat him.
During our time there, they called a teacher meeting to discuss the situation.
Although it was a very solemn time, this time in the
classroom was quite humorous. The teachers of each class (including the baby
class – equivalent to 3 year old preschool) left one student in charge to take
names of those students who were misbehaving. This would never happen in the
states, but it seems reasonable for a quick meeting. Rebecca and I were both in
P1, so I feel like our presence helped with the class behavior for a little
while. Then after about 20 minutes, we both realized the natives were getting
restless. Being teachers, we decided to step in and try some tricks to buy
time. We reviewed the lesson that was still on the board… teacher meeting was
still going on. We attempted to teach “quiet mouse” to no avail. We tried a
game of “teacher says” that worked for all of two minutes. Rebecca reviewed an
activity to making a silent “wild rumpus” from the lesson she had taught with
the book Where the Wild Things Are. Students
started coming up and saying, “I want to go for a short call.” In muzungu, that
means, “I need to go to the bathroom.” Let’s just say, I’m glad none of them
asked to go for a “long call” or I might have lost it. All of this time, we
were fighting 87 P1 students who were laughing at the muzungus who were trying
to have some classroom management, and clearly had no idea what to do. When we
asked one of the students how to make them quiet, the response, “Get the stick
and beat.” I’m not going to lie, we carried the stick around the classroom for
a bit, but we could not even do that without laughing. All in all, we had many
interesting experiences in the classroom today that I never thought would
happen. So, an HOUR after the teachers left the classroom, Teacher Gorret came
back to the classroom to relieve us.
With all of these conversations today, my heart was hurting
for the pain and burdens that people are trying to carry around. It reminds me
of when Jesus told his disciples, “…In this world you will have trouble. But
take heart; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) Christ has promised that
the Father is with us, and He will carry our burdens. Yes, it is hard to
provide for our families, it is hard to continue with the mundane tasks of our
job when we have lost a coworker… Life is hard! Although I cannot begin to put
myself in others’ shoes to understand the pain of the burdens that they are
carrying, but Jesus Christ can. He has walked through life on earth and felt
these pains. And He promises to carry these burdens for us. “Cast all your
anxieties on him, because he cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7).
My prayer is that in our time at Kitende, Rebecca and I can
show others the hope they can have in Christ. Yes, we are teachers, we love to
teach, we want to learn about Ugandan education, we want to love on some
children, but most importantly, Rebecca and I are at Kitende to share the love
and hope of Christ. He has called us to serve alongside Him this summer, and to
share His great name among the nations.
“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he
who promised is faithful.” Hebrews 10:23
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