Today was a very good day, with lots of reassurance of good things to come (despite a small tantrum on my part late in the day). I picked up some used shoes and a couple of solar lanterns in Zongo this morning and gave them to some of the leaders in the camp. Teddy and Juliet had a great lesson planned and a lot of students, young and old, turned out. Today was also the first day of the new Secondary School Program with Yvon leading the helm. It is so incredible that we may be able to get some of these teenagers back in school before it is too late! Juliet, Scholastique, and I went to visit Felecien the carpenter to commission a wood sign for the Girls Empowerment Club. While there, the visit turned into an English lesson with his family and neighbors dragging all sorts of things out of their shelters, peppering me with "what is this?" The most touching member of this eager entourage was Felecien's mute son. He wanted to hear everything. When we got back to the school, I awarded the first round of certificates to the Teaching and Learning Academy and it was a proud moment. From there, we were very busy planning the rest of the week and their future as well. They were all a bit shocked that Wednesday will be my last day, but we will make the most out of it. The tailor finished some shirts today and also the dresses for Benjamin and Christine. Joanne, a colleague at work, has commissioned a third dress for another girl, Amina, who will get it Wednesday. The world is spinning in greased groves :)
Teddy's excellent art work
The kids taking a break from the "name this" game. Felecien's son is second from the right in the lower picture
The ladies mugging for the camera
Gorgeous smile
Amina who will get her new dress soon, courtesy of Joanne :)
Christine and Benjamin in matching dresses provided by the good folks at the LECR. They have been very excited all week!
Another of their pals with a nice smile
The weather rolls in quickly here
The first wave of graduates!
Each of these last days is ever more gratifying! The group is off and running, and the community is behind them. Their desire to learn English is incredible, and to be a small part of that dream is a life's ambition for me. In my mind, they are just like our ancestors ardently striding to improve themselves to reach out and seek new opportunities for their families. When I hear pigeon-brained republicans rail on immigration, I smile knowing why they want to keep these people out - they fear the goodness they have long lost, not wanting this sort of mirror around on a daily basis as an indictment of their inhumanity.
I heard in a discussion once, what if for every earnest, motivated, grateful immigrant, the US removed a knucklehead or two from citizenship rolls, what our country could be in a generation. . .
ReplyDelete