Two Months have passed

March 1^st,

HAPPY RABBIT DAY EVERYONE. Can you believe two months have already flown by. I am entering my 9^th week here in Swaziland and I am on a midterm break. We have a long weekend which I made plans to leave the farm and have a little get away. So last night was my first night away from the kids and what a restful sleep it was. I slept like a log in a nice comfy bed, white sheets, a fan, nice shower and was so thankful for a small break from the farm life.

On the school side of things my students are doing great. I did some midterm assessments in Math and English. One student got a 98% the rest were averaging in the 80s and my two really struggling learners were in the 50s but I knew that was going to be the case ahead of time. As time goes on I am feeling more and more confident about the classroom setup and routine. I am also becoming more comfortable during those days that things just do not pan out the way you think that they will and you have to throw the idea out the window and start fresh.

These students are amazing; I guess you could say that I am biased since they are my kids. However each one of them is so unique and carries so much strength as they have overcome so much. I am almost a proud parent when I see them succeed and they want that affirmation and I do my best to give it to them the best ways I can. When they get a good grade on an assignment, or are behaving nicely and even remembering to speak English in class and not siSwati. We have a sticker wall and each student has a animal and can put a sticker on it. Once the animal is full they are able to claim their prize which changes every few weeks.

There is this student His name is Mamba. Now Mamba is sort of the leader of the class and he could use this leadership for good or for bad and some days I am not sure which Mamba I am going to get ha-ha. However I have seen SUCH a change in him, his shell is less hardened, he smiles, sometimes he lets me give him a hug but that’s rare. But watching him open up, for him to laugh, to be praised for good marks, to have him sit in his seat and listen were NOT the notes I got from reading his file. I almost tear up thinking about him and the many others in my class like him who are hungry to learn but have behavioral issues due to their circumstances. For my first year of teaching I feel like after each day I have just survived it and have to go home rest and get ready for the next one. Taking each day and even each moment at a time.

So for some funny African stories. Well last week as I was greeting the class a cow came up onto our Veranda and I went out to shoo it away and their it comes right into the front door of the class not one bit afraid of me. So the boys went and pushed it out the door haha and that was how I started my Monday. Last week we had two unwelcome visitors a 2meter long python snake and then a 2.5 meter black mamba snake. The Black Mamba is actually the scarier one because it is said that once you are bitten you have about 15minutes to live. Now when I saw them they were already dead however as I was teaching the farm worker guys were out there in the chicken houses trying to kill them. So that was an interesting afternoon. Now I am bit more fearful of the snakes so I do my best to just stay inside after dark or have someone walk me to my house even though it isn’t far I just don’t trust myself to be able to see the snake before it sees me.

On Tuesdays I have found a wonderful young adults group that is through the church I am going to here in town. So on Tuesdays I drive 1.5 hours to go to the bible study and then 1.5 hours to come back. Some people tell me that I am crazy for driving that far but I tell them that the time I am able to spend in the word with people my own age is like gold. It is totally worth the drive and God has really blessed me already through friends I have made with just encouraging words and I am also meeting up with a few of them this weekend. We are going to hang out and go swimming. There are moments when you are on the farm surrounded by kids, workers, moms and wish I just want one person to hang out with after my day, to ask me how was school, to talk about life, who is where I am at in life. When I was in Portland I always had that and never realized what a blessing it was I always had my friends around. I always was going to coffee, visiting friends, going to college group, talking to people in class, I had people everywhere. So coming here and realizing I am without that, truly has made me rely on the Lord for strength and conversation. He is becoming more and more of my true best friend. Ha, he is the one I now vent to about my day, He is the one I go on walks with after school is out when I need a break and He is the one I seek advice from. Now I don’t think having my friends in those spots was wrong but I am now seeing what it truly means to seek the Lord in all things and bring everything to Him in prayer.

Thank you so much for your prayers, encouragement and support. This adventure has just begun and God has been showing and teaching me so much while I have been here. These Orphans need to be shown the love, grace and compassion as they grow and mature. I am still memorizing Psalm 23 as well as having my class memorize it as well. We are working towards a victory of memorizing it before the end of first term which is April 18^th.

Blessings,

Courtney