About 60 children were quietly seated on their rocks when I
entered the very small one-room school. The darkness combined with their deep
brown skin challenged me. I explained through an interpreter that I desired
their help in making beautiful cards on which to send thank you notes and they
were happy to help, though they really had no idea what it meant to send a card
to a friend.
Armed with a box full of markers, crayons, and colored
pencils, as well as some note cards already outlined with the shape of Africa
(which the children could not identify) I invited them to begin. Shading? They
had no idea what to do with this stick and paper in their hands. After showing
them how to shade, and how to do it in a train to avoid turning every card to
the color of clay, they quickly caught on.
Teachers in remote villages rarely have a blackboard let
alone supplies for themselves to use as teaching aids. Children who, in the
city would be required to wear a uniform, wear black shoes, and have books and
pencils to write with come to school even without lunch. But they come, praise
God!
So, think of these children in Ojigu when you receive your
Africa-shaped thank you card. Remember they didn’t know what crayons were or
what it meant to color or be creative. And remember that because of you they
got a taste. Thank you!
