Ahhhhh .... The last day of school for a month! That was sentiment yesterday, as I pack and prepare for Canada today! The last few weeks, the students have been working hard to complete as much as their coursework as possible, in order to move on to the next grade in August. This also means lots of work for us teachers, helping the students tackle tough projects and tests.
Yesterday, we had a short-term visitor from Canada, Shannon, visit our school to take some video footage. She is here in Angola to do some promotional videos for the different ministries. For the school, she is putting together a video to help recruit teachers. Praise the Lord! We need at least one more teacher part-time or full-time to help balance out the workload. I can't wait for her video to be complete, so I can share it and convince you all that teaching at the Mitcha school is an awesome opportunity, especially in light of the shortage of teaching jobs in Canada!
To give you a little glimpse of our school, I took some pics this week of our students. I can't express how wonderful they are-- and of course, these pictures won't either-- but hey, they'll at least give you an idea of the great group we've got here in Lubango!
Our younger kids use the A Beka program--American curriculum that keeps them busy!
I've checked it out ... some of those math questions are hard!
Of course, this grade 5 has no problem ... he's finished before the end of the year!
Gathered together for morning calendar and devotions.
This is our school! From kindergarten to high school!
And ... they accidentally all wore Mickey Mouse. It's freaky how often they match, and claim that they didn't plan it!
Wouldn't be complete without a pic of our future students, out for a wagon ride. They've got their musical instruments too ... seed pods from a tree on the compound!
This is a continuation of my most recent blog (if you haven't read it, I'll summarise it here--Saturday was awesome. Period.) Saturday ended, my heart was full ... and it turned into an equally good Sunday. A double header weekend! Besides it being Father's day, and enjoying a few precious moments play-wrestling with Ethan and Marcel in a warm, cozy bed, it was a great day because we went this morning to worship with our Brasilian missionary friends Flavia and Anderson.
Flavia and Anderson started, and continue to run, Criança Feliz Angola (Happy Child Angola), a program to help some of the most vulnerable children and families in Lubango. Primarily, this is through a preschool program at two different homes, but as we saw today, it reaches much further--I mean, I'm actually blown away by what they are doing and continue to do! Not only are they working super hard to help kids and families meet their physical needs (through the preschool program, but also through a "cesta basica"--aka. food hamper--program/"adopt a family" program they have started), they are also seeing incredible spiritual fruit through retreats, cell groups, bible studies, and Sunday morning services that they have started.
Today, we went to the Sunday morning service they hold at one of the Criança Feliz homes. It was super cool! First of all, there was somewhere between 100-150 kids ... they flooded in the doors! There were also many women, and a few men. These families are amongst the poorest of the poor, and most have an extremely limited education. Nonetheless, there we were worshipping together! We sang and we prayed, and then Flavia delivered a simple but effective message (with visuals) about building your house on the rock vs. the sand. She emphasised obeying Jesus and trusting Jesus even during hard times. The message was simple because just like us, the majority of the people present have difficulty understanding a lot of Portuguese. Not only because they lack a sufficient education, but also because many of them speak tribal languages as their mother tongue.
The message was simple--but one thing was clear. Despite their abject poverty, these people wanted, needed, and TRUSTED Jesus. Their prayers were heartfelt.
Afterward, we had the honour of visiting three homes to pray for different families. This was EYE-OPENING. I'm talking adobe homes with no windows, no electricity, no running water, no bathrooms, maybe two to three rooms at most. None of the three homes we visited had a father present. Just a mother and children. The POOREST of the POOR. Yet we were welcomed inside. No one seemed ashamed of their homes, just thankful for prayer. How does one process this? How does one see these homes, and then continue on, living in the same city, in a home so vastly different that it's almost funny?
I don't know the answer completely. One thing is clear--the work that Anderson and Flavia do, that Criança Feliz does, is necessary. It was clear today that their work is a bright light in these communities. These families, in the midst of their poverty, can see their children get food, an education, a good start. They can feel part of a community. They can know Jesus because His followers have reached out and loved them and shared hope with them.
I, too, am comforted by something one of our friends reminded us to keep in mind when facing such blatant poverty--that Jesus' words were spoken to the poor. His blessings, his encouragements--they were directed to the poor. The Bible is full of hope for the poor. See for example, Matthew 19:23-30:
Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is richto enter the kingdom of heaven.Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”
When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?”
Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
Peter answered him, “We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?”
Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife[e] or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.
I want to end by shamelessly making a plug for Criança Feliz Angola. I was moved today. Hopeful, happy, joyful because of what I saw. Challenged because the need is great, and Flavia was not afraid to say it--Criança Feliz would love to see more people from around the world become part of their community. They have some really cool opportunities available! Come and see. Of course, we would love to have you visit Angola ... can't you all just move here with us?
In the meantime ... check out our pics below, check out their Facebook page, or watch their video (although it's in Portuguese ... but hey, you can still watch it). I think you will be amazed and moved by what you see. Thanks Flavia, Anderson, and your team for your hard work!
Meeting some of the kids after the service. Immediately prior to, and following
this pic, they proceeded to chase a more than willing Ethan around the yard,
trying to pet his hair. How did we miss getting a picture of that?
Flavia demonstrating that those who hear but don't obey the words of Jesus
are like the foolish man building his house on the sand--when the rains come,
the house collapses.
This ... this. This was crazy. An adobe home with no windows. One room.
These women wanting and needing prayer for food, for work, for family difficulties.
The woman on the far right prayed for them in Umbundu, their heart language.
Thankful that Criança Feliz is there as a source of hope, in the name of Jesus.
It's hot today. Slightly unusual for this time of year, when it's supposed to be winter. It's sunny, and beautiful, not a cloud in the sky. Ethan is playing with our 4-year old neighbour, Eddy, swinging, giggling up a storm. I'm playing play-dough with some other neighbourhood girls ... sitting on rocks in the dirt with a make-shift table. It's simple ... nothing fancy ... and it's beautiful.
We break for lunch. We pull up chairs in the front of our house and sit down with two of our guards, Laurindo and Rafael. We've never done anything quite like this before. We bring pizza, they bring rice and beans, we say grace and we share lunch. I've spent many hours talking with these guys ... but never like this--the four of us (Marcel, myself, and the two of them), all relaxed, sharing food and sharing real, honest conversation.
We talk about family. What are they up to today? Doing the laundry and the kids are at church. We talk about fashion--what's up with kids these days, with their pants on the ground? We talk about technology. What, Laurindo, you have Facebook? Two of us love Facebook, two of us, not so much. We talk about working out ... what exercises are best for the back, how to build muscle.
We talk about the hardships of Angolan life. Food is expensive. Life is expensive. How thankful they are that their children can receive English lessons from me. (They say this constantly, but the truth is I love teaching their kids--it's the highlight of my week!) How English is such a precious commodity in this country--how it's a way out of poverty.
We talk about dreams--though this scares them, because to dream is to risk. What are their dreams? For themselves, for their kids? Do they dare to dream?
We talk about faith. How Angolans have so much, how Canadians have so little ... how Angolans need God, how Canadians think they don't. We talk about how one day, this struggle, this suffering that they face ... won't matter. We'll walk on streets of gold.
Our conversation, our time of fellowship, our lunch came to a close. Did they appreciate this time of fellowship as much as I did? Do they even get how much this REAL conversation meant to me ... and I might add ... it was completely in Portuguese? Do they understand how few of these conversations I actually have with Angolans, not just with other English speakers?
I'm happy. Happy this time happened. Sad because it didn't fix things--things like their poverty, or the cost of living. Sad because we won't always live here in this apartment to have these times. Sad because here in Angola, the work is plentiful, but the labourers are few. There's so much need ...
But for now, I'll follow their example. I'll be thankful. I'll be hopeful. I'll pray. I'll be glad we're here ... for the days like today.
Knowing your child will speak two languages more or less fluently ... without paying private school tuition ... basically a parent's dream.
Realizing that most people never take (or get) this opportunity to learn another language, mostly because, like us, they wish it happened automatically and not from years of hard work.
When you look back and see how far you've come.
Learning so much MORE about the Bible and God's character, because you literally dissect every word in Portuguese to figure out the English meaning. "Oh cool, I didn't realize that verse actually said that ... it sounds so different in Portuguese than English ... oh I never noticed that little word, it totally changes my perspective!"
Learning about a totally different culture, and gaining new insights about the culture from the words they use.
The humility ... in a good way. It's actually really hard to be proud when a four year-old has a better vocabulary than you.
All the opportunities that come to teach English in a country that doesn't speak English!
The Bad
Struggling to share what's on your heart and mind.
Actually having to think before saying things.
Not knowing the exact words to say.
Brain ... hurts ... so much ... right ... now. (Said every week after church ...)
Only understanding 10-90% of a conversation, instead of 100%.
The fear that sometimes comes when you know you have to talk with a stranger, or talk on the phone, or explain something totally abstract.
Having a harder time making friends.
The Ugly
Knowing your child basically doesn't even need to try to learn another language ... where as you have to try every single day.
When you use the wrong word, or wrong sound, and the word takes on a totally different (or offensive, or embarrassing) meaning. Read: cocô--poo, côco--coconut.
Actually, the ugly things are very few ... THANKFULLY!
Why did I post this? Why here, why now? Lately, I've felt a little discouraged. I've felt a little discouraged making friends. I've felt a little discouraged missing home and church services in English. But I've also felt discouraged because Angola needs missionaries. Needs doctors, teachers, nurses, mechanics, people with a heart for discipleship ... but you know what people all say immediately when I mention this? "Ahh, but I'd have to learn another language!" Yes, but it's worth it! It's tough ... but it's totally worth it!
Anyway ... things to think about and pray about. Até a proxima vez! (Until next time!)
