The Best Friday

I had the best Good Friday of my life this year. I decided to spend my holy week (from Maunday Thursday to Easter Sunday) at the monastery this year. The brothers were very hospitable and I was able to spend the weekend flooded with beautiful symbolism and tradition. After school on Thursday as the students left for the fall holiday I walked out to the monastery to spend some time reflecting on my time here as well as looking to what next year come July might offer. I enjoyed the evening with my after school students walking the dirt road to the monastery in the dark watching kids be kids, singing dancing, holding hands. Holiday was about to begin for them and I sang along. Just by them calling me Mti (my xhosa name which means tree) I felt welcomed into their joy. We all sat and waited for service to begin as we picked elder berries nibbled on the sour fruit and spit out the pits.

After the service of foot washing and prayer came the opportunity for fasting of food and silence. To symbolize and partake in the even in scripture where Jesus asks his disciples to stay up with him, I took my hour of silent prayer and vigil from 12:30 to 1:30. All who stayed at the monastery took a time of the night and early morning to pray before the sunrise service on Good Friday. During this time on Good Friday I was able to attend sunrise service, morning prayer, midday prayer, and the Good Friday reading of the Passion of Christ. I broke my fast on Friday to have an amazing meal with Noma Miasi (helper of the after school program and grandmother or caretaker of many of the students). I felt so welcomed into her home and family. I could tell she was excited to have me in her home as much as I was excited to eat her food. Playing uno in the dining room before the meal with the kids made me feel like one of the family.

I left the meal high as a kite as we returned to the monastery, the kids and I parading through the fields over, and under and through barb wire fences to play rugby and go to the Good Friday service. After the service I returned to my fasting and silence engrossed in a book about finding vocation. I read the book through sitting next to a fireplace soaking up its light and heat. In Sam Portaro's book "Crossing the Jordan" about vocation I was comforted as I read about Christ and his challenges and attempts to find his place and prepare for his ministry, requiring him to cross the Jordan to live with the gentiles and face many challenges and questions, and make mistakes to find what would be the most amazing vocation of living God's will towards his own death and resurection.

I read the short book cover to cover and in silence and in my hunger I felt comforted and assured that while I don't know where I will be in three and a half months, it will come and with my heart in the right place I will go where I am called.

Wish you were here:

These images had me wishing y'all could have been here to experience this amazing hike. We hiked 9kilometers barefoot hiking along the beach. After our hike we stayed at an incredible hut overlooking the dolphins playing in the waves. The next day we hiked over 8 kilometers over sand dunes. What an incredible experience. Photos are taken courtesy of Sarah Jackson.

Treasures

While the U.S. Dollar is doing well against the South African Rand as of late, I still cannot help to shop for bargains. After a long week, I revelled in the opportunity to run errands in town. One errand of consisted of checking out from the public library, children's xhosa books that I attempt to read to students. While there I found some real gems. I found 3 National Geographic magazines that had articles of the Northwest, one an article on Washington, The John Muir Trail in Northern California, and The Pacific Crest Trail. The other magazines had articles on Nepal, and a couple south african countries, two of which came with maps the cost me the equivalent of 3cents a piece. I also checked out some Emily Dickenson and Thoreau. What a find. There is nothing like looking at pictures of Bloomsday race in Spokane taken from a helicopter, pike place market, Mt. St. Helen's, and the sun setting over the beach in the Olympics. Ahhh......Country road. Take me home. To the place where I belong......

I did come away with a book to read to students as well.

Oh, and I found some old keyboards at the local computer shop that they donated. This will give my friend, security guard and computer tutee Isaiah, something to work practice with at home.

South African Resource Room

A photo of two students I work with at one of my schools. I share a classroom with an inconsistent schedule so sometimes I set up shop outside, which is nice on sunny days like this photo. Items worthy of notice: Students are sitting in chairs, however the makeshift desks are amputees delicately balanced for one student with his left hand. The other student has it leaning against his chair. These broken chairs are a glimpse of what kids find to do with their time when not learning. Also, you may notice the lovely decor of the tree in the background. I refer to it as South African Tinsel (barbed wire). Believe it or not one of the students swiftly scaled the tree to fetch a frisbee on the roof a while back. I was amazed and frightened at the same time. His climb seemed, to me, too well practiced.

This is why I am here

This photo was taken while I sat with a couple students one evening after visiting the shelter. We sat on the steps overlooking the city. I remember thinking to myself, this is how I want to remember my time here.

Today brought another "aha" moment. For teachers and family of teachers you know the aha moment, the moment in which a child realizes he or she is capable. I was not expecting it either. A 15 year old student had been referred to me by a teacher and I wanted to do a quick assessment to figure out where to start. I first assessed whether or not he knew his letter sounds. He knew them well and so made the assumption that he would be able to read a difficult text. When I showed him the text he gave me a blank stare as if to say, you want me to read this. I then pulled out a simple cvc (consonant vowell consonant) book called Dan the Tan Man.

He took the book and stated in broken English "I cannot read that." At this point I decided I would spare the poor kid from trying anything too difficult and damaging his self confidence. I gave him a simple worksheet where he had to listen to me say the simple word and he would pick the letters that needed to be blended to make the complete word. After a couple examples he was able to pick it up. I showed him some flash cards where he had the "an" and "ad" cards as well as some other letters. We sounded out "an" and "ad" first then I placed a letter in front of the "an" and "ad" cards and he blended them together. After he had built his confidence with this, I then showed him the small book "Dan the Tan Man." He read the book brilliantly. I told him he should be proud of himself. I then gave him the book and he proceeded to read the book to several teachers.

Later that afternoon in conversation with June, Ntombekia and Sarah, of the after school program, "What happened today is why I am a teacher." Who knows what tomorrow has, but today was incredible for both the student and I.

This is a photo of "the boys" working hard at the after school program.

Working at the Monastery with the kiddos.