Week 2 Update!

What we've done:

• Practiced the Sabbath. Everyone here loves Sundays because they go to church, have a big lunch together as a family, and then spend the rest of the day gaining physical rest and resting in the Word as well. It was so nice to spend the day as God intended it (praising Him, in fellowship with others, etc...), but it was strange (and out of my comfort zone) because in America we are always used to keeping ourselves busy with something.
• Started volunteering at Marine Primary School. This week and next week is when the students are taking their exams before holiday break. So, on Monday I was in a Grade 6 classroom and I've been in a Grade 7 classroom the rest of the week. I've been doing a lot of grading exams and recording grades into the gradebook. It's been eye-opening to see how these students are scoring on their exams and how large of a gap truly exists here. I'm still comprehending what I've witnessed this week at the school, but my emotions have ranged from sadness to frustration. My heart breaks for these students who grow up believing that they don't have the potential to succeed; that it's their fault that they are not comprehending the curriculum. Then I become frustrated with the teachers who haven't been trained how to teach effectively, the school system that has created goals for the next 12 years but has no plan of action of how to accomplish this vision, and the wealthy who are failing to give to those in need. There are so many reasons why the education system is broken, and it's overwhelming thinking about where to start to help.
• Helped with tutoring. We'll be helping with two different tutoring programs while we are here. One is Monday-Wednesday at the local library. This one is run by the community and is for any primary or secondary students who need help with their school work. I've been working with a Grade 11 female student the past few days on physics and trigonometry. Not exactly my forte, but we've had fun struggling and finding success through it together. The other tutoring session is just on Tuesdays and is a program that Chantel started for the primary students in the community to help them with their reading skills. Math and literacy scores are extremely low here. On Tuesday I helped a Grade 6 female student study for her math exam the next day. All she had was a journal, no book or study guide...so I wrote down some practice problems hoping that they covered what would be on the exam. She said they were helping, but my heart hurt as she didn't know how to do long division and large multiplication problems.
• Had our first team session. Every Tuesday night, we meet as a team at Chantel's house to discuss how our projects are going and
• Drank A LOT of coffee. Since it is winter here, they like their warm drinks. The coffee here though is really sweet because they add a lot of sugar and milk. So, I usually don't drink coffee back in the states...but, hey, when in South Africa...
• Tonight we are going to a jazz night in a nearby town. Supposedly jazz is a big thing here, so it should be fun!

What I'm learning:

• When you don't understand what someone says (which happens a lot to me), you say "excuse me" or "pardon" instead of "what?" like we do in America. If you say "what?" it is considered rude in this culture. I've found it's a hard habit to break.
• Nutella and pretzels (shout out to my roommate Kaitlyn) brings temporary comfort, but God is the source of ALL comfort (2Corinthians 1:3-7).
• How to cross the street safely. Since they drive on the opposite side of the road, I'm struggling to remember the correct way to look before I cross the street. There have been some close calls (but don't worry mother...I'm fine).
• I thought Manhattanites were the friendliest people around, but the people of Ocean View might give them a run for their money.
• Everything that is familiar has been taken away from me. This has been convicting about where I find comfort and challenged me to lean completely on God for what I need (comfort, compassion, love, sunshine, etc...)
• The people of Ocean View have worked so hard for what they have. It is a pleasure to them to be able to invite people into their home and be able to feed them. It's exciting to them that they have enough to share with others.
• I've lost my jump roping skills that I had during my childhood. Even though the grade 7 girls giggled while watching me get tied up in the rope repeatedly during interval (their form of recess), I'm thankful they were so patient with me and willing to let me join them.

The traditional first day of school picture! My roommate, Kaitlyn, has been working in a grade R (like kindergarten) classroom this week. She'll move to grade 1 next week.

On Monday afternoon Chantel took us on a drive to the other beach near Ocean View. This one is where the Indian Ocean is. It was a raining day as you can see, but it was a beautiful beach with plenty of mountains in the distance.

After we stopped at the beach, Chantel drove us up through the mountains a bit and we stopped to take this picture of the rainbow that had come out after the storm had passed. Every time I see a rainbow, I am reminded of the fact that God will never forsake us. He is faithful (Genesis 9:8-17)!

Yesterday, Kaitlyn and I took a walk around Ocean View after we were done at the schools (they only go to school from 8 a.m. - 2 p.m.). The sun finally came out yesterday after a week of pretty much constant rain, so we decided to take advantage of it. It was interesting to see more of the community and made us thankful for the host home we have.

This is the front of  Marine Primary. There are two more buildings behind the front one and two other ones over to the right. I'll try to get a better picture next week, but I forgot to as I was leaving today.

This picture is for my cousin, Jen, who is graduating from high school today in Mankato, Minnesota. You can't tell, but I'm wearing the Mankato East High School shirt that your brother gave me. Missing you all and wishing so much that I could be there with the family to celebrate! Congratulations and play a game of Molly for me! : )