English Class for Kids. I am balancing myself quite well on my left foot!
It’s the 4th day I have taught the kids in the neighbourhood at the front porch of our temporary home.
Praise God for the opportunity to start this ministry despite my fractured foot. The kids are sitting on the cement steps in front of the home for the lessons. These 10 flights of steps have caused much pain as I moved up and down on them so they have become the obstacle to my mobility. But God has used these steps as chairs for the kids and the very reason (my immobility) to start the ministry right at the front door step!
Lesson starts around 0930 hours and end about noon time when it gets too hot. We incorporate the last half hour for songs. The kids sing really well and enjoy singing: “Lorong Ohin” (local Christian song); “Maromak Diak” (God is so good) and the action song “He’s Able”. I have also learnt a local folk song “Diak ka la” (Are you ok?) from these lovely kids.
The number of kids has doubled in just a week!
The kids are between 5 to 12 years old with little or no exposure to English. They are most intrigued that I greet every one of them before the lesson with “xx, nice to meet you!” and end the lesson with “xx, thank you for coming, see you tomorrow!”. The “senior” kids will then teach the newcomers how to return the greetings and say thank you before going home.
Simple equipment like blackboard does not come easy! We have to get someone to saw the plywood, sand it, then we have to paint it so the lessons can happen ☺
We are now on the topic of “friend” and what does it mean to be a friend. As I look up the dictionary to explain the various words in Tetun (local language), I am also learning the local language at the same time. The kids are helping me with the proper way of making sentences in Tetun as words often have multiple meanings. I am thankful that my language learning can be interactive and enjoyable with these little ones!
Will your heart melt when you see these innocent faces that hunger for knowledge?
Civic behavior has also been incorporated into the lesson where kids learn how to ask for things nicely:
“May I borrow the book please?”
instead of snatching from each other. There was one youth who visited the class actually stub out his cigarette when I requested him not to smoke in front of the kids.
I am encouraged that they listen & practice what they have been taught! I pray that God will continue to guide me and help me to be sensitive so I can modify and adapt the lessons according to the needs here!
With love from Timor,
- Lydia.
