Everyone likes a little update, right?

So I fully realize I have not posted in quite some time... But heres that update.

In the weeks leading up to the classes beginning in April, we went around to 5 different schools to canvas
and hand out flyers for the English classes. We targeted ages 8­-5 years and ended up with 4 students in the morning class and 6 students in the afternoon class all ranging in those ages. The interest was high, but the resulting numbers were at first a surprise. However since this is an attempt at community outreach the numbers arent as important as the churches name getting into the community. With the canvassing alone it doubled the hits on the church website!. The kids are  doing quite well, since we are building a foundation for their English learning it can sometimes be slow and tedious. But they are catching on, and with the small numbers Bethany and I can try different games and strategys so it has been a lot of fun!

The Monday classes, the students who come from the public school across the street, have proved to be a challenge. Before I mentioned it was 4­-5 year olds which was the age range we had planned on, but it actually turned out to be 5­-6 year olds. We have two groups of 6 year olds and one group of 5 year olds in 55 minute intervals that vary between 11­-15 students per class. These classes have been difficult to teach as we dont feel comfortable with the typical method of discipline in schools here which is characterized by empty threats and yelling. For obvious reasons, Bethany and I dont believe this is a method conducive to learning and have made efforts to be an example of Christian behavior for these kids. We have spoken with the Director of the public school and have been using different strategies to try and minimize the bad behaviors and covet your prayers in this process. Bethany and I have worked with and spent substancial amount of time with children and both know how a classroom should be run and the biggest problem
seems to be that of respect. When the children dont respect the teachers everything else falls apart and the teaching environment collapses. Though this has been a frustration, we are not ready to give up just yet. Our goal is to not only teach the kids English, but to be an example to them, the teachers and the parents. If absolutely no English is learned, we hope these are the things that stick with them for a long time.

This entire process of starting these English classes has been quite the learning process for me. It has not been easy, but it has been a blessing to learn. I am  confident in Gods hand in these classes. His purpose is clear, even if it isnt to us right away. It took me awhile to get homesick but when it hit, it hit hard. Sometimes being around a room filled with different people speaking a language youre unfamiliar with can be hard and very lonely. I have been catching onto the language faster than I had hoped and am getting more brave in my speech and can make simple exchanges, but the frustration is still there. Its not only missing friends and family, but missing familiar things. Even something as simple as understanding and being understood. My prayers have been to stay comfortable and confident in the job that is set before me and to see it out. I would really covet your prayers in these things and that I might be a blessing to John and Bethany in word and deed and I stay adamant in my representation of not only Harvest but the church here as well. Also that I am intentional with my Spiritual health and prayer life and that I am able to be Spiritually fed here. I thank you so much for keeping me in your thoughts and prayers!

Heather

Since I wrote this update to the church, we have been able to try these different strategies with the Monday classes with great success! First, the school has been sending teachers to stay in the church during the classes which helps as a reinforcement for us when we have to correct a child. Another thing we have been trying is splitting the kids up into different groups, especially separating the kids who egg each other on, which has also worked wonders. Our problem now is with the lack of organization at the Public school and we keep getting random kids who havent been coming so they are not up to the understanding the other kids who have been attending the class since the first day. So we slow down a little to help the newer kids, and the other kids get bored and disruptive. Ooph! We will have to see what next week brings, hopefully we can even things out with the kids.

As for the weekly kids, we have been teaching them body parts since last week and  they have been doing quite well. We are trying to focus on other subjects other than the ones that get repeatedly integrated in their English classes in school. As the years go up and they move on to different grades, apparently the English classes do not improve in content or in substance. So its the same old same old ABC's and numbers and colors, the basic stuff. So we are trying to focus, though not ignoring the basics, on body parts, family, clothing, and introducing some grammar in as well. Its been a challenge not having a curriculum, but I suppose we will have experience with it for another time if we are caught without one!

Thank you again for your support!