Wishing Beads 2

The process began.....pieces of bright wool, soapy water and lots of rolling the ball in your hands. Rolling and rolling so the fibers bond together. Dipping again in the water. It was messy with water all over and fun.

One of the teachers decided to use capes the Secret Seamstress Society made. (see Blog story Nov 6th, 2014). Capes now became aprons.

Look at the amazing beads. They will be gifts to bless some of the many students that are part of Urukundo School. .......Wishing beads to extend goodness, love and friendship.

To School - Project 1

Sister school projects have been a great teaching tool for children in the US and Rwanda. This is our second time working with sister school, Mt. Nittany Elementary. One class created a book "How I Go To School" writing about and drawing what they see on their way. It is based on the book, Where Are You Going Manyoni? about a little girl in Africa walking through different landscapes on her way to school. This project was a great way for the classes in the US and Rwanda to compare the similarities and the differences.

Most walk or take the bus in the US while in Rwanda their parents walk with them or bring them by bicycle or moto bike.

**See Blog entry School Partnerships Nov 28, 2014

To School - Project 2

The other class drew pictures showing how they would like to go to school. Everything from riding on animals to stars and butterflies. What fun they had imagining all the ways they could arrive at school.

To School

In Rwanda it's such fun to watch the kids coming and going to school. The parents' love for their children and wanting to protect them is shown as they bring them to the gate to drop them off. Our parents are very involved in their children's education.

By foot, moto bike, bicycle, taxi (father's job) or on their mothers back they come to school! 3 year old in preschool to 9 year olds in primary 3.

Worship

God calls and we answer. Sarah, a junior theology student at Houghton College, has been in Rwanda since January with Go-Ed Africa and at Urukundo for 3 weeks. She answered that call. Seldom do women preach in Rwanda but at Urukundo is is common for our mamas, staff and visitors to preach at Sunday worship. Pastor Antoine has a short message then we are blessed with others sharing their message.

Here is a summary of Sarah's words.......

“With what shall I come before the Lord and bow down before the exalted God? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” - Micah 6:6-8

What does the Lord require of us? Not all our bows and exaltations, not our offerings, our wealth, or even our children. He requires simply that we act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly. It is easy to say we will do these things. What does that actually look like in our life though?

Act Justly- Psalm 146:7-10 and Isaiah 58

Love Mercy- Ephesians 2:4-8

Walk Humbly- Philippians 2:3-8

It is important to remember that we are not just commanded to walk humbly but to walk humbly with our God. We can do all these things, but if we don’t walk with God, what does it mean? Nothing. It becomes just like the useless sacrifices. All of these requirements culminate in a relationship with God. It is important that as we strive in our daily lives to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly that we do so in relationship with our Heavenly Father in the hopes of bringing glory to his name.

Butterflies Blandine

Teacher Bailey Kellerman at the Friends School worked on several projects on insects with 6, 7 and 8th graders. She took that theme on as she is an entomologist then agreed to draw a butterfly that could be reproduced. I soon had 180 for the kindergartener's project at Urukundo School.

They would learn about butterflies then color, cut, tape and tie ribbons. The teachers loved the idea and said these would be creative and sometimes challenging skills for little hands and fingers. But things they needed to learn.

Blandine, a new preschool/kindergarten teacher this year, decided to do the entire project in one day. After the children made their butterflies, their reactions were such fun to watch. They ran up to the blackboard and raised them over their heads then waved them as they ran around the room. The teachers said was spontaneous and had never done it before. When they settled down we were able to get a class photo. I loved being there and watching them play and laugh as little children.

See my next stories where I helped as Theogene worked on the first steps and another day when David worked on skills.

Butterflies David

Most days my time is spent visiting and helping in the classrooms on the sister school projects I bring with me. So I am on the move a lot! This day I travelled back and forth between David's afternoon kindergarten class and "How I go to school" in Primary 1, math graphing in Primary 2, biomes in Primary 3. Other projects were in action last week and will be finished this week.

Now back in David's class.....he was working on the second day of the butterflies attaching to sticks with scotch as they call it. Then he had them learn how to tie on a piece of ribbon. I'm sure after I left and the project was finished, the kids loved their new learning tool.

The teachers want to use them when teaching parts of the body touching their butterflies on their heads, knees and toes. They will continue with teacher trainings/ meetings after I leave and discuss how to expand on the projects that they did this year.

Last year I brought a huge kit on Butterflies with many projects and lessons made by a retired teacher friend, Lynn Saxton. I barely had time to introduce it but throughout the year they explored it themselves using many of the materials. They see how those materials and lessons can be used with this butterfly project.