Today the girls woke up late and barely made it to
devotion in time and without breakfast. The morning was a little slow after
that, but Jessi and I helped test 1st graders on their English reading and then
helped teach the restavek class. A restavek is a child who is
sent by their parents to work for a host household as a domestic servant
because the parents lack the resources required to support the child. So these
children are of various ages and education levels, making it very difficult to
teach them except for one on one. These children's owners were convinced that
at least a little education was important enough to interrupt the housework
duties, and because of this, they have very flexible schooling hours. This
makes it difficult for the teachers making lesson plans. I worked with Junior
and Sylvia with their past tense English verbs and their larger numbers. They
were both smart and so willing to learn, it was refreshing! They knew that
their education was important and a blessing for their situation.
After teaching, we rushed to
lunch and then to VBS. Chase and I led worship and the message on faith for
VBS. Then, Stew, Ciara, Chase, Michael, and I built 3 bookshelves out of 2 by
4s, and it was so much fun. There was a lot of smack talk and competition, but
Chase and I made the best bookshelves :) The power went out, so we had to stop
and play with the children, since school had just gotten out. Patrick is still
my little buddy and I think I found out why. He's autistic, and teaching
and loving kids like Patrick is what I want to do with my life. God always
finds a special way to affirm me in what I'm doing with my life. We sang songs
with Muriellw, JJ, and Rose Marleen (the birthday girl) and played with lots of
chalk. It was so much fun to play like a kid again!
After a delicious dinner, we
had group talk about how spoiled we are in America and how it's reverse culture
shock when we go back to the U.S. Then I looked up songs for VBS with Ciara and
talked to Amber about long-term missionary work and her family's autism school
in Roanoke, VA. It made me realize how many cool opportunities there are and I
can't wait to see where God takes me!
