Africa - The School

One day we got to visit the Vision School.  The children were in grades pre-Kindergarten through grade 4.

 Laurie and I spent time with the kids in grade 1 and the pre-K class.

They were so excited for us to be there! We got to do a craft with them (this class used their hand prints  to make a flower picture.)

Their smiles could make you melt.

We got to tell them about Jesus, give them some gifts and candy - "sweets" - and love on them a while.

They welcomed us, sang songs, and were incredibly polite.

This was the Pre-K class, and you can't imagine how disciplined they were.

We got to visit with the Kindergarten kids while they ate their lunches and waited to be picked up.

Their little lunches reminded me of what my kids like - something similar to PB&J, and a few had rice.

This is their teacher - super sweet!

The kids were happy to learn a new song, get a sticker, make a craft - they were so easy to please!

After school, the kids met under this tree and starting singing a beautiful song and dancing their traditional dance.  It was awesome!

Beverly had been in the office visiting with this lovely principal, when the principal heard the music and jumped up and said, "They're dancing! We've got to get out there!!" She got in the big middle of it and danced right along with them.  She explained that she has to go to lots of trainings and schools to keep her job - if someone is more qualified, they'll take her job.

The man who runs the school loves money, and while he drives a nice car, these kids are without pencils.  As I mentioned in a previous post, they had never heard of glue sticks, and they asked if we came back to bring math books that they can copy for the kids because they are so lacking in curriculum. 

The kids loved to pose for pictures, and the boys tried especially hard to look cool...

The school made me so thankful for the opportunities my children have, and so sad that this is not the norm for children everywhere.  These kids all deserve an education and hope, and this was a school for those who could pay for it.  Very eye-opening.