A Pocket Full of Passion

 I just got back from Accra after having spent this weekend with some of my friends. A nice break is always good. I realized that I hadnt really missed much in Accra. Coming back to the island I brought back with me is a pocket full of passion. Passion for doing something I love, getting something I want – joyful passion I call it. I have been soo busy this past two weeks trying to fit in, to get adjusted and to finally say, well this is home!! How could I have forgotten good old passion? Coming back from Accra yesterday gave me a renewed sense of that and for the first time since I arrived two weeks ago, I felt the flicker in my eyes and the anxiousness that comes with wanting  to live every bit of this passing moment instead of enduring it. This past week has been great!! I am officially an islander now. If you call me a stranger I’ll tell you I’m from here. If you call me an acquaintance I’ll tell you I’m a friend. Some days have been hard, when trying to control a bunch of 30 kids in one class does not seem to work and the only option is to use a cane but I still refuse to do so. Kids screaming, complaining, fighting, running around and not paying attention – this is a typical characteristic of a day that’s not going too well but the ones that hit hard on my heart are days when the kids don’t do class work because they have no books, can’t afford to buy pencils or have no 50 pesewas lunch money to pay for the lunch that is served at the school. There are some days where I seem to lose my patience with myself and with the children because they either don’t make any efforts at learning or just really need help in grasping what is being taught. On days like this I am ashamed of myself because I can do better, be more patient and be more understanding. Most times all they really need is a little bit of attention from me. But no one learns everything in a day and as time comes and goes, learning and experience brings maturity.

This past week something bizarre happened. A 5 year old Kindergartner was sent to the hospital at night. What happened? She had been stabbed by her father on the head. He came over to their hut to threaten his wife who he does not live with anymore. She is a single parent as he does not take care of any of his kids. The wife tried to escape and unfortunately this little girl was also in the room. He stabbed her instead and afterwards, without any remorse slashed her cheeks as well. He was of course arrested and put behind bars but from what I am hearing he has probably been released. I still cannot comprehend how a father can do this to his own daughter? How this really beautiful kid is now scarred physically and emotionally and how she is going to grow up with scars on her face? I saw her at school a few days later; she had bandages all over her face. All the other kids were staring at her. She says no words and when you speak to her she only nods. She is a really strong kid and I hope that she will do fine. According to the other teachers, she was seen dancing at church days later and no one could make her sit down, she refused. What an amazing spirit she has J

The island is a great place to live. I like it more with each passing day.it is very big and full of kids. There are kids everywhere. Most of the families have at least 5 kids or more according to my observations. They never tire of screaming MADAM- MADAM every time they see me. I gave my KG’ers a treat this past week by showing them the Lion King animated movie. Imagine a class full of 50+ small faces looking intently on a tiny laptop screen with the look of surprise on their faces. I am unsure of whether they have seen a laptop before, it is probably unlikely judging from their reactions but it was a good movie hour of silence and some chaos when some kids kept standing instead of sitting in order to see more. They did not understand the language but they intently followed the story with their curious eyes. Tomorrow I will be showing them another animated movie and again every Wednesday of the week. This promises to be fun. I have been doing lot of creative things with the kids and I have realized that they enjoy doing new things. They are always so excited to do something new. We have been painting and drawing using most of the school supplies I brought (colours, crayons A4 sheets) because most of the kids don’t have any. You should see their enthusiasm, it’s absolutely amazing. Kids are amazing!!!

On the lighter side.......

This is what one of my kids drew today. We were learning about the parts of the body and we taught them about the lungs for air and the heart that beats in our chest. We asked them to draw  the human body and this is what one of the kids drew….LOVEABLE!!