So what about the classes?

I have written and posted about a few things, but what about the classes?

About a week or so ago we met with the Principal of the public school located right across the street from the church. We set up a time every Monday where we will host English classes at the church for 5-6 year olds, with 2 classes of 6 year olds and 1 of 5 year olds each an hour long. However yesterday we just had the one class of 6 year olds and a class of 5 year olds with 15 kids in each group. Since these kids go to a free public school they come from various amounts of unstructured and sometimes abusive home lives. Essentially the inner city without the obvious inner city.

Listening was an obvious problem, but Bethany got through the classes and have been brainstorming ideas of ways to get around the struggles we faced with each of the classes. It is difficult enough teaching in the inner city, but can you imagine not being able to talk to them and have them understand? Oy avey. Nightmare city. And with these ages English is new new new. The 5 year olds have never heard the language before except maybe in cartoons, and the 6 year olds know a few songs, and maybe some colors and numbers but everything is an introduction. We definitely have our work cut out for us for these classes in the school

 This is the school and the school's playground, it doesnt look like much, and dare I say it looks a little concentration campy? Its almost directly across the street from the church which makes it miles easier for them to simply walk across the street with a teacher and come to the class.

This little nook is our English learning corner we hope to add more to the walls, possibly a picture of the kids in each class with their names and have people of the congregation pick a child to pray for. This will also create ownership of the class and hopefully help them be more willing to learn. In a way there is hope to plant a seed in these children, we are not allowed to pray or do anything religious with them because they are affiliated with the school. But if they have never been to church and this is their first experience we want it to be a good experience for them.

While I am at it, this is the church! I will no doubt add more pictures of it full on a Sunday, it is modest in size and congregation but their singing fills this place. There is space on the side of the building where they hope to build some classrooms at some point, and there will be a ceiling installed in the coming  months.

We would appreciate prayers on these things as well as the classes. For the patience of the cultural and lingual differences and difficulties and that we can not only bless God through this but also the church.
Thank you for your diligent prayers!