Today was the final day of classes as two days of hard-core, STL partying commence here in Ismalaia. Since we teach both orphan and non-orphaned children we decided in order not to leave anybody out we would throw parties for all our classes tomorrow and another round of partying for our Not Alone children on Friday.
Earlier today we all underwent that pivotal moment that defined our STL experience. After hours of incompetently fiddling we showed our rep Dr. Fifi the final product of our movie slideshow (complete with sappy background music a la Josh Groban). It was the first time we all came together and just sat back and witnessed what we had accomplished. In class, between the yelling, the singing, the coloring, and then the fights for the yellow crayon we were too distracted to see the changes that blossomed in these children. As each picture passed by to the swooning of Phil Collins, each with its own moments of happiness, sillyness, and sometimes pure oddity, the white noise was no longer present. All that was in front of us, was genuine, angelic joy. Despite the fact that most of our lessons will never be remembered (and are probably already forgotten), these children will remember these three weeks and the joy that they brought to us, a joy laced with innocence and purity that is entirely unmatched. If there is one thing these children can do it is generate a happiness and a trust in God's love in even the darkest, most cynical hearts. As we all brace ourselves for the tearfest that will be this Friday's party, we cannot wait for one final moment to selfishly indulge in their love.
Peace.
Mary, Ismalaia
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Thursday, July 10, 2008
A Breath of Fresh Air (In 120+ Degree Weather)
First and foremost, let me just say that these past two weeks have raced by. I approached this trip with a lot of nervousness and fears that it wouldn't be at all the experience others made it out to be. I must have been in Beni Suef for about 2 hours when I realized I couldn't have been more wrong. I have never, in my life, met such hospitable people who love and respect you for who you are. Everytime I speak with any of the servants here or think about how amazing the people are, I can't help but feel truly humbled by the fact that my preconceptions were so wrong.
That being said, as soon as classes started, I knew that I was in for an eye-opening experience. Michael, our coordinator, tried to brief us on the situation of the Not Alone kids before we began teaching. However, nothing could prepare me for the kids I encountered. I was amazed by how sad and introverted these kids were. It was as though they had been through such turmoil that even the thought of "playful" English classes didn't perk them up. Yet, as soon as Day One came to end, and we visited the kids in their home settings, something inside them seemed to come alive. The same downtrodden, depressed children who'd been scared to raise their faces and voices became joking, mischievious individuals who were even willing to walk over an hour in the sun to get to class. I can honestly say that I don't dread waking up in the morning. In fact, I can honestly say that I have never felt as spiritually, physically, and mentally enriched as I have in the past two weeks. I really can see God working through my wonderful brothers and sisters and me, as I witness the way in which I have learned from these children more than I hope they have learned from me.
Jenny, Beni-Suef
That being said, as soon as classes started, I knew that I was in for an eye-opening experience. Michael, our coordinator, tried to brief us on the situation of the Not Alone kids before we began teaching. However, nothing could prepare me for the kids I encountered. I was amazed by how sad and introverted these kids were. It was as though they had been through such turmoil that even the thought of "playful" English classes didn't perk them up. Yet, as soon as Day One came to end, and we visited the kids in their home settings, something inside them seemed to come alive. The same downtrodden, depressed children who'd been scared to raise their faces and voices became joking, mischievious individuals who were even willing to walk over an hour in the sun to get to class. I can honestly say that I don't dread waking up in the morning. In fact, I can honestly say that I have never felt as spiritually, physically, and mentally enriched as I have in the past two weeks. I really can see God working through my wonderful brothers and sisters and me, as I witness the way in which I have learned from these children more than I hope they have learned from me.
Jenny, Beni-Suef
Beni Suef update
I pray you're all well and blessed.
Just a quick update because I don't have access to the net where our village is.
A few quick thoughts:
1) I have never seen so many cases of Hep C in my life - it is a merciless illness and it is so common here in Egypt (many of the orphans have been orphaned by it)
2) I have never witnessed so much gender inequality (to the point where it is sometimes suffocating). Michael, the CO coordinator here (who is an angel), has even told us that some young girls aren't fed equally. At the dinner table at home, if the girls have a brother, their brother may get larger portions while she eats the leftovers. And if a women is not married off by the time she is twenty she is basically a social outcast.
My partner, John, and I have around 100 kids a day in three different classes - the first two classes are young elementary-aged kids and the last class are jr high/high school. We teach/mentor all day and then go home and eat - then we prepare gift packages for our visits (orphaned/abandoned children who CO sponsors (feeds them and pays for ALL schooling etc). The first few days were very overwhelming - the poverty and gender inequality is nothing I have ever seen before. The public school system is so corrupt here.....we have some high school students who cannot even read or write their names in arabic. Especially the young women - in the village (El Diabeya, in Beni Suef) women are brought up to believe that they are to be silent around men. Some of the young Christian women will cover their hair (growing up in an Islamic surrounding) and will never hold up their head around men. One student of ours, Mona, would never lift her head in class, always covering her hair and refusing to play games with the rest of the class since there are males present. Her and I quickly 'clicked' and now she's the one always answering questions and doing class presentations etc :) .....it's like I'm the first person to ever tell her how brilliant she is - and she needs to share her smarts!! Many of the young orphaned girls here want to go to college but their extended family etc marry them off early (to old men) so they could be rid of them (at like 13 years old). Something we have been doing as well is advocating for the girls (to their families), convincing them to agree to have them attend college (which CO will pay for)....and it has been going so well. The priest here (Abouna Riskalla) and the coordinator, Michael, are so amazing with emphasizing the importance of education, especially for the young women here. It is so heartwarming to see the progress.
I am so thankful or being here (with such an amazing group of people)....I'm in love with everyone I have met, I'm especially in love with my kids. When some of the kids in the village (who I don't even teach) found out by word of mouth that I was sick, they brought me a plaque with Jesus on it which reads (in arabic) "I am the Lord who heals".
I have not seen a mirror since I got here - this has been an interesting discipline lesson :)
We have to go to home visits now so I have to go.
Be well and be blessed - keep us in your prayers, please.
Be still and be free.
Verena, Beni-Suef
Just a quick update because I don't have access to the net where our village is.
A few quick thoughts:
1) I have never seen so many cases of Hep C in my life - it is a merciless illness and it is so common here in Egypt (many of the orphans have been orphaned by it)
2) I have never witnessed so much gender inequality (to the point where it is sometimes suffocating). Michael, the CO coordinator here (who is an angel), has even told us that some young girls aren't fed equally. At the dinner table at home, if the girls have a brother, their brother may get larger portions while she eats the leftovers. And if a women is not married off by the time she is twenty she is basically a social outcast.
My partner, John, and I have around 100 kids a day in three different classes - the first two classes are young elementary-aged kids and the last class are jr high/high school. We teach/mentor all day and then go home and eat - then we prepare gift packages for our visits (orphaned/abandoned children who CO sponsors (feeds them and pays for ALL schooling etc). The first few days were very overwhelming - the poverty and gender inequality is nothing I have ever seen before. The public school system is so corrupt here.....we have some high school students who cannot even read or write their names in arabic. Especially the young women - in the village (El Diabeya, in Beni Suef) women are brought up to believe that they are to be silent around men. Some of the young Christian women will cover their hair (growing up in an Islamic surrounding) and will never hold up their head around men. One student of ours, Mona, would never lift her head in class, always covering her hair and refusing to play games with the rest of the class since there are males present. Her and I quickly 'clicked' and now she's the one always answering questions and doing class presentations etc :) .....it's like I'm the first person to ever tell her how brilliant she is - and she needs to share her smarts!! Many of the young orphaned girls here want to go to college but their extended family etc marry them off early (to old men) so they could be rid of them (at like 13 years old). Something we have been doing as well is advocating for the girls (to their families), convincing them to agree to have them attend college (which CO will pay for)....and it has been going so well. The priest here (Abouna Riskalla) and the coordinator, Michael, are so amazing with emphasizing the importance of education, especially for the young women here. It is so heartwarming to see the progress.
I am so thankful or being here (with such an amazing group of people)....I'm in love with everyone I have met, I'm especially in love with my kids. When some of the kids in the village (who I don't even teach) found out by word of mouth that I was sick, they brought me a plaque with Jesus on it which reads (in arabic) "I am the Lord who heals".
I have not seen a mirror since I got here - this has been an interesting discipline lesson :)
We have to go to home visits now so I have to go.
Be well and be blessed - keep us in your prayers, please.
Be still and be free.
Verena, Beni-Suef
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
middle of week 2
So I'm not going to lie, I thought this whole teaching experience would get easier as time passed by but its actually quite the opposite. It's WEdnesday, middle of week 2 and today I experienced my most challenging day yet. Once I got to MATtay i fell in love with the place and the kids instantly. There's not one word to describe them our how I'm feeling but all I know is that I'm at peace here. I have no sense of time here and when I THink back about all the little things the kids did to make me smile each day, I cant wait to return back to school to see them again the following day. But then there are days like today where the challenges come and I dont know what to do. My first two classes are junior high and high school and I Am happy to say that they make it really easy to teach and communicate with. maybe its because they are so eager to learn. But then there's my last class of the day, the little ones. Boy are they a handful. THEY ARE SO CUTE but it gets really hard to control them and it ends up feeling like i'M BABY SITTING AND NOT TEACHING.
But I think God is trying to tell me something...a few days ago I came across a passage from the bible about the story of Martha and Mary. I feel like I'm trying so hard to be a MArtha with all the serving and God just wants me to stop for a second, sit at His feet and be like MARy. I THink hE's trying to tell me that when i Feell frustrated and hopeless in days like these, I need to stop relying on myself and my strengths and just trust that He will handle everything for me, even if its a rowdy bunch of uncontrollable screaming,crying kids. I pray that my trust can grow and I can be more of a mary in this martha world.
joyce, Mattay
But I think God is trying to tell me something...a few days ago I came across a passage from the bible about the story of Martha and Mary. I feel like I'm trying so hard to be a MArtha with all the serving and God just wants me to stop for a second, sit at His feet and be like MARy. I THink hE's trying to tell me that when i Feell frustrated and hopeless in days like these, I need to stop relying on myself and my strengths and just trust that He will handle everything for me, even if its a rowdy bunch of uncontrollable screaming,crying kids. I pray that my trust can grow and I can be more of a mary in this martha world.
joyce, Mattay
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
I've Lost Track of the Days
So clearly here in Ismalaia we are spoiled. Besides our furry little rat friend (Mariam has affectionately named kot-kot) that has taken up residence in our apartment complex but has disappeared of late things are still going great. The kids have gotten very comfortable with us which means classes are chaos because now we are officially their friends and not their teachers. The littlest ones have recently been acquainted to the never-ending fun that is an Animal Bingo game. And yesterday we accompanied our older middle and high school kids to a cafe on the water in Fenara, a short drive outside Ismalaia. Despite one broken leg (not serious, not ours) all was successful. We can only wish best of luck to our fellow STL-ers hoping that there is less talk of hospitalization and infectious diseases. Later days.
Mary, Ismailia
Mary, Ismailia
Hospitalised Infections?
Just had to blog it so I can correct a couple of misconceptions my fellow blogger may have conveyed to you. When Marrian was talking about infections, she actually meant Ed. He visits quite often... He's kind of an unwanted visitor and hangs around like a bad smell...
And when she was talking about being hospitalised, the girl meant the hospitality of these people here is so amazing. They have so little but want to give so much... Albeit little, whatever they give is always prescious ... I guess this is what they really meant by 'it's the thought that counts'.
This group is the biggest and I think probably the craziest group there is. Valerie, Nermeen and Youstina (who float around all the groups) have also admitted to that. But it's heaps of fun. I love it. We all do. We are also really emotional. All of us. The first day, Minna started with the crying because she was so touched by all the overwhelming love and happiness that these kids show towards us. Next, it was Marrian (the baby of the group) and after that it was Ezabelle. Then it was my turn. I was so incredibly touched when I went on my second home visit. It wasn't about the poverty, I've seen it all before, but it was when I visited two of my kids from class on the second day. Those two are the rowdiest kids in class, but they've always been my favourites. And here's the touching part, the next day (and up until now) they have been much better in class, but the very next day, one of them came up to me about 6 times during the class just to randomly tell me that he loves me. I cried like a baby. I didn't realise we made THAT much difference, but we really do.
I'm sure we'll have more fun the rest of our time here, make the most of it, spiritually and while serving. Let's pray that God helps us through the rest of it.
Til the next time, God bless.
Mary, Mattay
x
And when she was talking about being hospitalised, the girl meant the hospitality of these people here is so amazing. They have so little but want to give so much... Albeit little, whatever they give is always prescious ... I guess this is what they really meant by 'it's the thought that counts'.
This group is the biggest and I think probably the craziest group there is. Valerie, Nermeen and Youstina (who float around all the groups) have also admitted to that. But it's heaps of fun. I love it. We all do. We are also really emotional. All of us. The first day, Minna started with the crying because she was so touched by all the overwhelming love and happiness that these kids show towards us. Next, it was Marrian (the baby of the group) and after that it was Ezabelle. Then it was my turn. I was so incredibly touched when I went on my second home visit. It wasn't about the poverty, I've seen it all before, but it was when I visited two of my kids from class on the second day. Those two are the rowdiest kids in class, but they've always been my favourites. And here's the touching part, the next day (and up until now) they have been much better in class, but the very next day, one of them came up to me about 6 times during the class just to randomly tell me that he loves me. I cried like a baby. I didn't realise we made THAT much difference, but we really do.
I'm sure we'll have more fun the rest of our time here, make the most of it, spiritually and while serving. Let's pray that God helps us through the rest of it.
Til the next time, God bless.
Mary, Mattay
x
Monday, July 7, 2008
1st time experience blog
I don't know where to begin. besides the hot weather, the poor immunity, and the infections going around, Mattay has been great! This experience is definatly an unforgettable one. It feels like it's all just going to end too soon. The first week was amazing, the kids, the classrooms, all the people that have been hospitalizing us here, and ofcourse our team. I couldn't have asked to be with a greater group. The kids in the school and outside of the schools are all so kind and so beautiful, it just feels like what we do is never enough for them ,they deserve so much more. The home visits are great, just to experience the lifestyles of these children is a great honor, how they are all so happy with the little that they have. As well the trip to the monastaries are really great too, seeing all these new sites and new areas, and getting a chance to become closer to God, all this is too great. I hope all the other areas are having a great time as well! Make the best of the rest of the time!
Marian, Mattay
Marian, Mattay
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