Trying Our Hand at Teaching Literacy

Monday, October 27, 2008

Carol Claes writes:

Welcome to PHC blog readers today. It was another hot one today, and after having electricity all weekend, it was off most of the day. It’s on right now though.

After a time of worship and prayer this morning, which was a tremendous personal blessing, the Team piled in the van with fearless driver Barb and went to the Hand in Hand School at Yemba. We got to help! The level 2 readers came to us one by one and we “tested” them by pointing to words and saying “Diko”, which means “read”. The children taught us to count to 5 in Sango. Oto, ase, ota, usio, oku.

Then came recess without swings, balls, or any playground. But they are kids and like kids anywhere had no problem making their own fun. We helped Level 1 children write on their slates and say the letters “A” (sounds like ah) and “O”. Fun for us and hopefully not too scary for them to sit with us to read and write!

We had our first rainfall this afternoon as we left for the Artisan’s market on foot. Yea for the cooling rain and yea for a beautiful rainbow against the sky and a hillside. It seemed close enough to run up and touch it. We left the market happy and left some happy vendors behind. We look forward to a cooler night with fans running for sleep and more contact with precious children at another Hand in Hand school tomorrow.