Kenya Mission Newsletter 7: Hanging Dusters

We all started the day at BLISS.  We did a number of important "deliveries" including a set of tractor models (1 for BLISS and 1 for the Polytechnic) and a set of power drills (also to be used at BLISS and the Polytechnic).  We spent time with Gilbert who teaches Mathematics and he shared a number of insights that we applied to our teaching of math at the primary in the afternoon.

Dixie worked at the Thiiri Centre teaching a session for local retirees.  She covered safety in the home, reducing clutter, and safe lighting.  She then assisted in checking everyone's blood pressure.  After lunch she joined the Boy Scouts at BLISS as they practiced their drills.  She provided a First Aid Kit to each new scout.

Only Greg had enough energy to return to BLISS late in the afternoon for the practice of the new band members.  We will check his hearing.  

Our "aha" moment came today as Marcos and John were working at Gichunge with the  materials we brought to assist teachers in hanging instructional materials on their rough block walls.  In the past, they have used glue, paste or heavy tape.  When they need to remove the posters for exams, they are damaged … often permanently.  We brought a variety of magnetic strips and dots, glue and other fasteners.  As Marcos and John made their classroom assessments trying to figure out what would work, they ended up in the Teacher Work Room.  They attempted to engage the staff in a discussion of what would work … they got NO where.  Marcos admits his Mexican accent probably did not help.  As they were feeling almost complete rejection, John took a strip of Velcro and slapped it on the back of an eraser ("duster" if you are in Kenya) …this got the attention of the staff.  He took the next strip and slapped it on the wall next to the blackboard on the wall.  Eureka!!  You would have thought it was the last day of school and these two had made it happen.  Suddenly everyone was running for their "dusters" to have them Velcro'd by our 2 Velcro engineers.  The two of them then moved from classroom to classroom slapping Velcro strips on each wall for the teacher and making sure each "duster" was treated.  All kidding aside, materials as simple as erasers and chalk are so hard to come by in Kenya, they are treated with great care by each teacher.  I suspect Marcos and John may be remembered long after all our attempts to enhance their math skills are forgotten. So be it … it is often the simple things that help the most.

                                                                                                 

Kathy, Marcos, Debbie, John, Dixie, Julie and Greg