We began the day with the wonderful students at Gichunge Primary School. We barely got out of our van and we were surrounded. Handshakes or high-fives for everyone. We started leading their morning devotional assembly with song and a skit … so far, so good. We were building to our BIG close when the left side of the assembly broke into excited chatter and the rest of the student body quickly abandoned us to see what they were pointing to. We found ourselves standing in front of a handful of dazed 3-year olds for our big close … and no one else. I am sure most of us have had a weak ending before, but never quite like this. We were upstaged by an elephant on the other side of the fence a hundred yards away. Oh well. It was all very humbling … and very Kenyan.
The team spent time at both BLISS and Gichunge today. We also briefly visited Kithoka Primary School where we will be touring tomorrow. Hopefully without elephants. The BLISS classroom highlights today were sitting in on classes, touring their agricultural efforts (some sweet pigs and a need for water catchment), and First versus Second Form debate in Swahili (we will never know who won.) Great news about the BLISS band. They placed 3rd out of 10 bands for all of Kenya last August. (Larry Dittmar, you had better be smiling!)
The Gichunge Primary teaching highlights included trying to use planing cards to teach basic math (said "Maths" here in Kenya) skills. Aside from a language barrier at 1st Standard (about 5-6 year-olds), there was a much stronger interest in touching white skin and hair petting (ask Dixie for details). A bit more progress was made at the 2nd level. It made for some wonderful story telling over dinner. The absolutely great outcome of our trip thus far is how much we are discovering and documenting about what will and will not work. There is a real sense of partnering with the teaching staff.
For those of you wondering, today's best business name is The Glorious Kiosk. It was unmanned as we drove by the 5x5 roadside stand today leaving us to speculate about it products or services.
Another rainstorm this afternoon … did not dampen our spirits. Until tomorrow,
Kathy, Greg, Marcos, John, Dixie, Julie and Debbie
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