Teacher comes to Kechene

"Cherokee Gives Back" is an organization that works to bring education to vulnerable areas around the world. They are located in North Carolina, but send volunteers out to spend 3-4 months at a location to assist in any way possible while also giving Americans experience in their field of work.

Colleen is one of those teachers sent by "Cherokee Gives Back" and has arrived at Kechene! She has a blog that she will be updating as she assists the children at Kechene with Math or whatever the staff needs her to do.

I added her blog to my favorite links so you can read it periodically as I will be doing. I asked several friends and family if this would be something to share and they all thought it was a valuable resource and reading a different perspective of the care point was really interesting. So, here is the entry I read this week, again, you can find the entire blog on my favorite links section in the right column down a ways.

FRIDAY, JUNE 22, 2012

Settling in

This past week, I have felt much more useful and much more productive at Kechene school. I am starting to get to know the kids and their different but totally cute personalities, and I literally cannot believe how smart they are! I am also getting to know the teachers well too, and that has been great. We have conversations about education, marriage, and just about life, usually while we are eating rice and cabbage for lunch (the students are totally silent during this time because they are concentrating so hard on eating their own food). And when we are feeling frustrated from the language barrier, we just go outside and play volleyball, and all is well.

I have only ended up teaching one day this week, for about half an hour. And believe me, it was tough (in a different way than in New Orleans, but still as tough for sure). Anyway, I asked the math teacher what he wanted me to teach, and he said "Anything! American math!" And I was like..uhhhh.....help haha. I know nothing about kindergarten curriculum, and at the time I had no idea how much math these student knew! So I decided to teach them order of operations, because it was clear that they could add and subtract (I focused on how to evaluate math expressions when they included parenthesis). Thus, I began my lesson to at least 30 six and seven year old kids. They had no notebooks or pencils,  so only a few kids could work out a problem at the same time on the chalkboard, which was quite problematic for my behavior management! Not to mention the language barrier, which was hard (although I am pretty good at counting in Amharic now, I must say!). Teaching was quite an experience... but I think I learned a lot from just jumping right into it, and I have a few ideas for improvement when I teach next time. I really want to teach an African geography lesson (they love pointing out things on their map).

I have found tutoring students during recess and breaks to be much more productive. The first time I had sat in on a class, I noticed one of the students was REALLY far behind the others. So at recess tapped him on the shoulder, and we practiced the English alphabet together. I made flashcards, because I noticed he could only do the alphabet in order. He really liked the hands-on activity. In fact, like five other kids gathered round and were studying with us! It was great. The next day, I started giving kids math problems. Now a few of them walk up to me and ask me to give them a problem right when they get to school, even though they have time to play outside then. Especially these two really cute kids named Besufucato and Limya (Limya has the biggest eyes I have ever seen!). Anway, it makes me really happy that they enjoy learning, this is going to take them far in life.

I am also working on a few other projects for the school, like writing a newsletter about the graduating kindergarteners and editing their school brochure. Also, one of the teachers is starting another school in his neighborhood, because none of the kids there have enough money to go otherwise (government school tuition is free, but students have to pay for uniforms, books, and meals). A church has donated land and labor to build a school house, but other than that they have no funds whatsoever. But this teacher has such a big heart, that I think it will work one way or another. I am helping him write a proposal and budget; it's a great learning experience for me! I hope the school will be successful because the kids deserve it.

So even though there are setbacks often, things are going really well over here. I almost feel like I have been living here for like a year! It's only been three weeks though.... :)

-Colleen

God has spoken, and His answer is "WAIT."

Well, after some restless days last week of feeling anxious over getting things done and shots taken care of, and $6000 raised by Nov., I prayed. I prayed for clarity like never before. I prayed over the email I sent to the sponsors for help with the trip. And I prayed for peace in our family about this decision.

God answered ALL of these prayers almost immediately after sending the emails out to the sponsors. I had just sent out the first email with an explanation that I was wanting to go back to Ethiopia and take our 16 year old son, Caleb when the phone rang. It was my friend, Susan informing me that I had 2 different conflicting reference numbers for which to give a donation for our trip. I thanked her and sent out another email with notes for the change. Again, I prayed that as it went out, if God wanted me to go back in Nov., to open the doors and raise the money. If God did not want me to go back in Nov., I told God that I was ok with that and that I just wanted to do His will. I truly meant it this time and felt peace almost instantly.

Well, almost immediately, I got another phone call. This time from my friend Kristen who just came back from Ethiopia with her son, Dalton. He is also 16 and will also be a junior. I asked her how her trip was with her son. She was very honest with me and said that she could NEVER have taken him during the school year since there was so much to process after their experiences at the care points. I totally know what she is talking about. It was very emotional for me upon coming back in 2010 and to think of our Caleb coming back with this load to process AND trying to catch up with missing 9 days of school was like the loudest message I have heard in a long time!

The decision was made. But then, Kristen made it even easier. She invited me to help her lead next June's trip back to Ethiopia to visit Kebron, her care point, Kechene and of course, Kind Hearts too, where our sponsor daughter attends school and building will be underway for a new school!  I had to start calling and writing all the people I would "disappoint." This actually turned out surprisingly well! I called a church friend who was planning on going in Nov., but when I told him the change, he was excited since his wife may be able to attend now with it being summer, and she is also a teacher. I wrote Karen, my dear friend who I would have been traveling with in Nov. She was also very understanding and was just happy we were finally at peace. I will really miss the experience with her!! But then, with Caleb, I explained and he was actually relieved, as was his friend's family who was also going to go. They are actually excited to not miss school and will be able to do their best their junior year. I also had to talk with Selam's mom in Ethiopia, who was just as excited as I was to meet and spend an entire weekend together in Addis. She was very understanding and agreed with me that it was a better time to come with Caleb.

And finally, my dear, patient husband, Matt. He did not say "I told you so." Rather, he was just excited for Caleb and his friend Chance to have the school year to focus on their studies and to then really experience Ethiopia! So, it all worked out all right, you see? God's plan brought peace. If we listen hard enough and are stubborn, like me, long enough, God will show us the way!

June 2013, ETHIOPIA, here we come!!

Two visitors in one week!

In one week, we have had 2 visitors to Kechene! Whoo Hoo!

The first visitor was Kristen Roach, my new friend and roommate when I was in Ethiopia in 2010. She was visiting her care point that she coordinates called Kebron. It is south of Addis, but she stopped at Kechene for us to pick up the art work that the children were working on for our art show in Aug.

The second visitor to Kechene just today was a woman who delivered a huge box of teaching supplies for us. Several teachers in our area like Penny Edwards and her colleagues as well as Beth Ingraham from Elroy, WI donated things that they thought the teachers would use and that were actually requested by those teachers. Thank you to Jenny Harris also for the extra colorful letters and other great supplies! I will post a picture as soon as I get one.

As I read in the email from Teresa, who delivered the box, I was instantly reminded of my heartache for the school and those kids. She wrote of her intense desire to help as her eyes were opened. It really does open your eyes when you visit and I needed to hear that from Teresa for new energy for this care point. Thank you Teresa for your visit, your inspiration, and your heart! Here is what she said after her visit today at Kechene...

Greta it was an amazing trip.  We just got back.  We plan to come back to visit school.  Please let me know how we can get their uniforms and shoes asap to them.  They really want them.  Also I am sending them crayons, makers and pencils in a few weeks thru a family.  My husband is gonna come back will plan with Juree and spend a week with some men from church....will also bring new basketball goals then.  We loved the teachers.  Want to send them some money at Christmas and gifts if possible when you come.

Thanks for your hard work!!  Our eyes are opened we will help more!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Much love to you,Teresa Toney


Just a side note, the uniforms/shoes have been ordered, we are just waiting for the order to be filled. This is one of those cultural differences that is very difficult for Americans to get used to with instant gratification. We get upset when things are late to come after we have ordered it. In Ethiopia, this is the norm. I will send pictures as soon as they get their uniforms and shoes. 

Here we Go!

(Fundraising, that is.)

Now that school is over for the summer, Caleb and I and our friends and family are busy planning how to fund raise $6,000! That is quite monumental for us, but we've got some pretty sweet ideas that God continues to show us. 

June 29, 30- Massive Rummage Sale to be held at a friend's shed. Bake sale and lots of items from many families will be available for sale. The awesome thing is that my brother, Leland, really wants to see us "get to business" and will match what we raise up to $500 by Aug. 1. So, our earnings may become bigger with his challenge! Thanks, Leland and Rachel!!

Aug. 18- Art/Craft Sale at Hidden Valley Community Church from 9:00-3:00 will (1) benefit Kechene's Care Point by raising money for their new library. I would LOVE to be able to purchase books for the children to have a library they can read from and get into stories that inspire them to write and enjoy reading. Right now there is nothing for them to read other than textbooks. (2) We would also love to serve the children a special meal while I am there in Nov. of goat wot and injera. 

We will be featuring several area artists including, but not limited to; oil paintings, wooden pens and crafts, popular crocheted items, scarves, photography, jewelry, and other crafts.

We will be showcasing and introducing the art work of the children from Kechene!! They will be sending  their own artwork via another traveler. We will be selling copies and various items made from their artwork. I am really excited about this display since it's an experiment for making long-term money for the care point. If the art sells well and becomes marketable, various fair trade stores will continue to sell the art  making it possible for Kechene to make their own money and support themselves long-term.

If you would like to sponsor Caleb and I, you can go to the Chidlren's Hopechest website directly at this link. In the reference field write,“ET121102T Byers”in the Notes field, enter "Greta and Caleb Byers."
https://secure3.convio.net/chc/site/Donation2?df_id=1420&1420.donation=form1&JServSessionIdr004=mtaydopur2.app332b

Thanks so much for your continued support!