It was another good day today on many fronts. Not perfect, but good. I woke again to bad news as a friend who lost a kidney to cancer is undergoing surgery today for cancer on his other kidney (the only one left). Yaha and his wife are improving. I learned it was his newborn daughter he lost (six hours old), and his wife had a very hard time in the childbirth. Today, she is home and Yaya is with her. Alhamdulilah.
It was a cool day (by equatorial standards) and I was glad for the reprieve from the heat. It also gave me new context to discuss the weather in class. The classes are growing and we are adjusting our initiatives to accommodate the needs. I am still learning the politics of the camp, although they try to hide issues from me from time to time. I admire the fact that when things arise, the people here can call them out (gently and fairly of course) and eventually discuss them. I smile as this is not my experience in many institutions in the US. We are making hay while the sun shines, and it shines a lot here.
With the heat, humidity, and rain, the crops are growing before my eyes. I am looking forward to get back out into the fields and seeing the big variety of fruits and vegetables the refugees care for so well.
Each day, the word spreads and new students come in. The veterans help them out, and as I have mentioned, we are training the older students to be mentors and tutors. I learned this thirty years ago in Jamaica, courtesy of Marcus Garvey - Each One Teach One. Later, it was the motto of the Laubach Literacy Action organization. I have chosen (with a nudge from God) my profession well, and there is nothing on earth I would rather be doing than clawing away day by day at the obstacles between good people and their dreams.
Speaking of good people - today was wonderful as I got to connect some of my favorite people in the world! Good people are good people, despite their circumstances. I got to share some of my secret joy with the staff back home, and the members of the English Club got to see that there are kind and caring people everywhere. I had a wonderful ride home tonight and topped the evening off with two very ripe avocados. I think I will teach the ladies here at the UN center how to make guacamole (whock a molay) tomorrow :)
It was a cool day (by equatorial standards) and I was glad for the reprieve from the heat. It also gave me new context to discuss the weather in class. The classes are growing and we are adjusting our initiatives to accommodate the needs. I am still learning the politics of the camp, although they try to hide issues from me from time to time. I admire the fact that when things arise, the people here can call them out (gently and fairly of course) and eventually discuss them. I smile as this is not my experience in many institutions in the US. We are making hay while the sun shines, and it shines a lot here.
With the heat, humidity, and rain, the crops are growing before my eyes. I am looking forward to get back out into the fields and seeing the big variety of fruits and vegetables the refugees care for so well.
Each day, the word spreads and new students come in. The veterans help them out, and as I have mentioned, we are training the older students to be mentors and tutors. I learned this thirty years ago in Jamaica, courtesy of Marcus Garvey - Each One Teach One. Later, it was the motto of the Laubach Literacy Action organization. I have chosen (with a nudge from God) my profession well, and there is nothing on earth I would rather be doing than clawing away day by day at the obstacles between good people and their dreams.
Speaking of good people - today was wonderful as I got to connect some of my favorite people in the world! Good people are good people, despite their circumstances. I got to share some of my secret joy with the staff back home, and the members of the English Club got to see that there are kind and caring people everywhere. I had a wonderful ride home tonight and topped the evening off with two very ripe avocados. I think I will teach the ladies here at the UN center how to make guacamole (whock a molay) tomorrow :)
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