Preparing and Playing!

The last few days have been pretty low-key here. Mostly just spending our day in our house working on our school plans or up at the school building getting Ann Elizabeth's room set up for her second graders. (The junior high teachers don't have individual rooms, but instead the students stay in one place and the teachers rotate for each subject, so I don't have a classroom to set up).

We met the other day with our academic supervisor and got some more details about our school yet. I am teaching two sections each of 3 classes: 7th grade math, 8th grade math, and 9th grade Bible. I have about 35 students in each class for a grand schedule of a little over 200 students. TWO HUNDRED. That's a lot of names to learn!! Classes start next Tuesday, September 1st, so needless to say I am a little nervous about the task before me. For those who have been asking about specific ways you can pray for me (and Ann Elizabeth), this would certainly be one! Please pray that I will have confidence from day 1 as I teach, that I would have a clear assessment of the needs of each student, and most importantly, that I would be able to teach them in a way that will help them enjoy each subject and be successful in school. A great deal of trust has been given to us, and I just want to honor that trust.

On a lighter note, we've had the chance to get to know a few more people a little better over the last few days. Marcus, a 9th grade student who we talk with almost daily, showed us his farm on campus, and ended up telling us his story of coming to Ricks. Suffice it to say, it is an extremely powerful story and one I will not soon forget. And also one that makes me both happy and intimidated to have him in my Bible class!!

We also have a group of kids - children of one of the teachers on campus - who visit us daily when we're up at the school. Usually they just watch us working, but today we had some FUN time together. We made sure to bring our cameras (they love looking at pictures on our computers), and had a blast taking and letting them take pictures. They also taught us several clapping games, most that involved saying the alphabet. We must have played for over an hour. My hands were stinging and almost numb by the end! They're great kids, with such lively spirits, beautiful smiles, and hilarious for sure. I've posted some more pictures (http://picasaweb.google.com/holly.wegman/LifeInLiberiaPart102), including some of our play session, so be sure to check those out (I posted one of my favorites here for you)!

So much else I want to write about, but I keep telling myself, "I've got 10 months, I don't have to say it all now!".