Day 4 – Sanding Begins!
"Give generously to them and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to." — Deuteronomy 15:10
The weather hasn't quite cooperated since we arrived. We certainly aren't complaining—the cool temperatures have been refreshing—but with the morning starting around 54 degrees, it wasn't ideal painting weather. Instead, we decided to make the most of the day by sanding as many desks and benches as possible to prepare them for painting.
Heather Hagner shared that the students at her school complete a service project before they graduate. We loved the idea and asked Director Anne if something similar could become a tradition at Huruma HOPE School. She thought it would be a wonderful opportunity for the Grade 6 students to help paint the desks and benches as a service project. We hope this becomes a meaningful tradition for future graduating classes.
Each morning around 10:00, the students are served porridge for snack time. Families are encouraged to send an additional snack from home, but what stood out to us was the students' generosity. Those who brought something willingly shared with classmates who had nothing. Twice each week, every child also receives a boiled egg to provide extra protein.
Meshack's job today was helping serve the porridge. He carefully carried each bowl, making sure not to spill a drop. What a sweet responsibility! Aren't these children the cutest? We still have students who are waiting to be sponsored. If you've ever considered sponsoring a child, we'd love for you to learn more at www.hurumahope.org.
Once again, our team spread out into different classrooms to assist the teachers. For those of us who aren't educators, this has been an eye-opening experience. We've gained an even greater appreciation for the patience, creativity, and love these teachers pour into their students every single day.
I spent the morning in the pre-primary classroom with the five-year-olds. The lesson focused on hopping animals and walking animals. Each child colored pictures of four different animals before taking a turn in front of the class to explain whether each animal hopped or walked. It was absolutely adorable watching them proudly share what they had learned.
One exciting addition this year came from our teammate, Heather Gehrett, who teaches elementary school. She suggested providing individual dry-erase boards for the students after seeing how effective they are in her own classroom. Thanks to the incredible generosity of our donors, we were able to purchase 160 dry-erase boards! Yesterday Heather demonstrated several ways teachers could use them, and their excitement was contagious. Today, many classrooms put them into action, and they were a huge success. Thank you to everyone who made this possible—you are directly impacting these students' learning!
After lunch, it was time to get to work. Our team spent the afternoon sanding desks and benches for the P1 and P2 classrooms. It was hard work, but everyone jumped in with willing hands. Well... almost everyone. There may have been a few playful complaints, but Joel kept everyone moving, and by the end of the day, we had accomplished a tremendous amount!
Thursdays are also Sports Day at Huruma HOPE School. The students arrived wearing their tracksuits, excited for an afternoon of games. Grades 3 through 6 walked to the clay field near the entrance of Mji wa Huruma Village to play football (soccer), while the younger students enjoyed games in the school courtyard. The laughter, energy, and joy were contagious!
Watch the kids playing the real football HERE
Be sure to check out the short videos below to see the students playing football, trying a creative new version of tug-of-war, and enjoying a game of cornhole.
A special thank you to Greg Holifield for donating the cornhole boards. They have already brought so much fun to the students! Here is a video!
We left the school around 3:00 p.m., stopped to pick up paint for the desks, and then returned to Heart Lodge. After another wonderful dinner together, our evening devotions gave us the opportunity to get to know Paul Powell a little better. Hearing one another's stories continues to be one of the greatest blessings of this trip.
Thank you for your continued prayers and encouragement. God is doing incredible things here at Huruma HOPE, and we are grateful to have you on this journey with us.
