Day 2 - Finally we meet the kids!!

Today is what we've been waiting for....a chance to meet the kids!! Jasen and I were on one team, Aunty Eva, Mary Ann and Shawn were on another team and Melissa was on her own. We all had some unique experiences today but I want to share my thoughts on the day.

We drove for about 1 hour to get to our school. As we got nearer and nearer, the roads narrowed, the squeezes through the alley with 2 vans passing were tighter and tighter and seeing the peoples lives were right out the window. There are so many people and so little space that privacy is not part of life. Driving down the roads you see laundry being washed, kids being fed, little stores being set up, kids hanging out and playing with their makeshift toys (we saw 2 little boys playing with some kittens and then off to get some big rocks.....the pastor said they were building a house for the kittens....I wasn't so sure of that - boys, rocks, kittens...I'll hope for the best.) Anyways, finally we arrive to this very small 2 room preschool/church where we will be spending our day. We were a little early so only 2 little ones were there when we arrived...slowly they trickled in all dressed in their very best. We're talking fancy party dresses, make-up, heels....some serious fashion going on! The kids would come in and sit politely and quietly. We would try to go around and warm them up a little. Taking photos with them is always a good way as they love to see themselves. Eventually the party started...songs by the kids, games, our Christmas skit that we did with the kids, passing out the bags and then a special treat of lunch for the kids. All so much fun but there are two things that struck me today that I want to share.

First, I was so impressed with the pre-school teachers. These teachers get paid almost nothing to do this job....they do it totally because they feeled called and they do it from their hearts. They are not necessarily from these areas but choose to live their and become part of the community and truly are missionaries in their own countries. As an educator, I was also impressed by the quality of what they were doing....they showed us some of the games and activities for teaching the kids numbers, letters, reading. These were some of the same things I might use in a pre-school classroom here in the US. So very excellent to see this in a place were rote learning is the norm! No wonder these kids score in the top 10% of their classes when they move on.

Second, my heart breaks for these moms (nanays). As I look around I see the kids smiling, having fun and yes, at times the nanays are joining in and you see smiles. But for the most part....you can just see the pain in their eyes. The hard life they have, raising these kids as single parents for the most part without a lot of resources. There were a few woman that stood out full of joy and a sparkle in their eye. I'm not sure of it but I believe that these nanays attended church their and knew Jesus. The difference is so night and day....my prayer is that one day each of these nanays will come to know Him as they see the hope in the ones that do.