School Days

This week has been so incredible.  I swear I fall more deeply in love with this place every single day. 

School started for the children on Monday, so my real work here at Rising Star has officially commenced.  I am thoroughly exhausted and thoroughly delighted all at once.  I start my day off with a 7th standard computer class.  I basically just monitor the students as they work on a math program and answer their abundant questions.  Next, I head off to teach 5th standard writing. I teach a class of 26 students some basic grammar and writing skills.  English is a second language for all of these kids, so they are fairly far behind in American terms.  However, I am constantly amazed at their ability to quickly absorb information and do their school work in a second language.  After that, I have a two hour preparation period.  I spend this time planning my lessons and grading papers.  I then head over to eat lunch with the kids.  It is so fun to sit on the floor with them as they try to teach us to eat with our hands and tell us about their days.

In the afternoon, I teach a 5th standard reading class where we are reading a fictional book about the moon. Then I head to 6th standard English, followed by 4th standard writing, and 7th standard math.  It is so crazy and so busy, but I am loving every second.  I feel such a sense of accomplishment when I succeed at managing my classes.  These kids are used to Americans being the ones who play with them and run around with them, so it's hard for them to take American teachers seriously.  I have been so blessed with some intense Divine inspiration in those moments when I feel the class behavior start to slide.  The kids have been so well-behaved these last few days as they have begun to understand I am serious about their education, and it has given me some much-needed reassurance that I can do this job.  I know that teaching is the right profession for me, and India is where I am supposed to be right now.

Most of all, this week, I have felt joy.  I feel joy when I see the light bulb turn on for these kids as I'm teaching, and they suddenly understand what I'm talking about.  I feel joy when I am able to manage my class and keep the kids engaged in the lessons.  I feel joy when I feel a pair of tiny arms wrap around me and see the beautiful face of a child.  I feel joy when I laugh, tell jokes, and play games with some of the older boys.  I feel joy when one of the Indian teachers at the school comes up and pins a string of jasmine in my hair before morning assembly. I feel joy when I spend time with the other volunteers.  They are incredible and every single one of them inspires me every day.  I love this place, I love these kids, I love all the staff, and I love all the volunteers.  

Tonight is the last night of the nursing session, and all the girls are leaving really early in the morning. So when we were on the roof for dinner, the nurses all went around and said the most important lesson they had learned here in India.  I was so inspired by their answers and by the love that each of them had for this place and these people.   After dinner, the long term volunteers often linger on the roof to just sit and talk.  Tonight, I found myself overwhelmed with a feeling of peace and contentment. India is so full of trials, hard work, and physical discomforts.  However, all of those things are totally and absolutely dwarfed by the overwhelming love and generosity of the people who live here.  They are the kind of people I aspire to be in my life.  I feel myself learning from them, stretching, and (hopefully) changing for the better.

 

I can't express enough gratitude to the people here with me, to my Eternal Father, and to every one of you.  My life feels so full and complete when I feel your love from across the world. I wish you were all here with me to feel the magic of Rising Star.  I can't say it enough, thank you and I love you.

P.S. Mom, I promise there will be more pictures coming.  I have been so enveloped by the experiences and the energy of these kids that I often don't remember to pull out the camera.   But they will be coming. I love you!