Number 4 out of 61

One of my favorite things about teaching is watching the students "get it" in class. There are some students that take a little bit more time to really grasp a concept, but when they do grasp it everything begins to change for them.

When Glory first came to us in March she was enrolled in first grade. She struggled. School was difficult for her. She didn't get it and she worked at a snail's pace. Often I would have to leave Glory at school for a few extra hours in order for her to complete her work. She would cry watching the other kids in her class walk out with me to return home.
I was not punishing Glory. Her tutoring teachers at the orphanage and I knew she could do the work...and with excellence. By having Glory stay at school we were telling her that we knew she could do it...it was up to her.

It did not take long for Glory to see that she could do the work. It all began to click. She was embarking on a journey of understanding concepts and completing her work in a timely manner while doing it with excellence. Soon she no longer had to remain at school to finish her work.
During tutoring time at the orphanage we began to see a marked difference in the way Glory was working. She was enjoying herself...the work wasn't so hard.

Last week I walked into Glory's classroom at school. Her teachers said they wanted to show me something. They opened up their grade book and showed me their list of most improved students in the past two months...Glory was one of them. Then they showed me the class rankings. Class rankings are a very big deal in Tanzania. There are 61 students in Glory's class. For the first two months Glory's ranking was in the late 50's in every subject. But last week her teachers showed me her ranking in each subject...it was wonderful to see. In each subject Glory ranked between three and six. And her overall ranking in the class is number four.
We have been rejoicing over this news since last week. Everyday I congratulate Glory on a job well-done.
We knew she could do it...we knew it.
Glory has inspired the other children at the orphanage to work to their best ability.
Fatuma told me yesterday she wants to work towards ranking number one in her class...you know what? I believe she can do it...I really do.

Goodbye Andrew

Last Friday the head of the Welfare Dept visited the orphanage. She had two African women with her I didn't recognize. She began to tell me that each of these women were interested in adopting a baby. They came to see our babies. We are not the only organization that cares for babies. In fact there is a home for babies less than a mile from us and they have over 50 babies. But they wanted one of our babies. In order to adopt in Tanzania there cannot be any known living relative of the child . Two of our babies were abandoned...Andrew and Destiny. They have no living relatives because the police have not been able to find any information regarding where they came from, except that Destiny was left at the bus stop and Andrew was dropped off at the hospital.
The women visiting our orphanage took one look at Andrew and Destiny and said they wanted them. All that was needed to be done was to go to the police dept and have the police sign the papers stating their investigations were complete and they have officially closed the files on Andrew and Destiny. The police signed the papers this morning and the women returned to our orphanage to pick up the babies.

I had all weekend to think about this before they came on Monday to take Andrew. It is interesting to process emotions in a situation that is completely new. I have four nieces and three nephews. I love them very much. But Andrew was different for me. He was my baby. I named him and made him my own. I would hold him everyday and fed him and rocked him to sleep. When he would cry the workers would tell me and bring him to me...he was mine. I love that little guy.
They took him this morning. I held him and cried. I kissed him and he smiled...he just started doing that this past week. I miss him already. I cry as I write this because I love that little guy. Andrew had only been with us for one month but in that short time he won my heart.

I will write another blog about Andrew after I have had more time to think about what has taken place this morning...it is all still so new. It's lunch time right now. I liked feeding Andrew and holding him until he fell asleep...my favorite part of the day.
The Lord gave me Andrew for a short time, but enough time to hold him in my heart and remember him for the rest of my life.

I know that it is best for Andrew to have a home and be raised by Africans, but I didn't know when we took him in that there was even the chance that someone would come and take him. This has all come as a surprise and it happened so fast. I will pray for Andrew for the rest of my life. I've never known a baby like Andrew...he was mine and I love him.

Imma is Reading

As I write this blog entry I am sitting in my office with baby Andrew on my lap listening to the younger kids in the next room having their tutoring time.
I can hear Imma...he is reading.
Imma is twelve years old. He had never been to school before when he came to live with us on March 26th. He had to be taught how to sit and listen, hold a pencil, recognize the alphabet, sharpen a pencil, and other simple tasks before we could enroll him in school. He is in first grade. At first this was very hard for him. He is not a big boy but he is bigger than all the other first graders and quite a few years older.
In the beginning school was a struggle and he would get frustrated a lot. His two hour tutoring time turned into three and four hours because he would get frustrated and give up.
One evening during the evening prayer and devotional time Imma prayed aloud to the Lord for help in school. He said that evening he felt in his heart that God was making him smart. Not long after that things began to click. Imma became more focused and less frustrated. Math was becoming more and more understandable to him. Everything was becoming easier...except reading. Imma was improving in so many ways but reading was still so hard. But he was not giving up...he didn't give up and become frustrated. His tutors worked hard with him for hours.
This week there was cheering in the classroom. Imma is reading! It has been a long road but one paved with perseverance for Imma. I am so proud of him.
Imma knows the Lord is with him helping him in school.

As I sit here with a baby on my lap listening to Imma read my heart is full of joy. God is good. I am so thankful. To be here and to see such wonders taking place. It may not seem like a lot but to all of us here it means the world. This is what it is all about...why I am here. I am looking forward to all the other wonders God has for these children.
They know the Lord loves them and He is here helping them and answering their prayers. I can see God doing so much.
Imma is reading. We are so excited. God is so good.