August 2013

Schools out: what they do in the rainy season

Rainy season is a muddy, wet time in Ethiopia, but kids are eager to use their break from school to go to school! More than 100 students from ages 8 to 18 are enrolled in Hope Learning Center located on the Soddo Christian Hospital compound. They learn basic English in beginner or advanced classes and also on the computer with a Rosetta program and typing. Every week someone knocks on the door looking for English classes. The long faces beg silently for a chance. They dont understand why I cant take more when their Ethiopian classes have 80 or more students. I finally had to post a note on the door that we are full. Government schools start to teach English in 6th grade and by high school all the text books are in English. A students success in school depends on learning English. Many of my 10th-grade students cannot understand the vocabulary of a 5th-grade reader. I dont know how they manage with physics, chemistry and history! At Hope Learning Center, we try to mix up the activities. Sometimes we hold a spelling test; they are very competitive and name their teams Genius or Best. Sometimes we teach a grammar lesson using pictures: What is Ed doing? He is sitting on the beach and drinking Coke. How do you explain a beach to a landlocked community? This week we read the Good Samaritan story in an easy Bible translation. Someone donated ten Bibles, which means we share. I asked, What words do you not understand? I was surprised by their answers: neighbor (very essential to the story), expenses, authority, inn, bandages, compassion. Teaching with the Bible brings great discussion from these lively youth, and I am impressed by their interest in knowing what the Bible says. One boy asked, If Psalm 121 says God will not let your foot slip, then what does that mean when I do stumble? We are memorizing that psalm this summer and will illustrate it using colored pencils. My regular Ethiopian teacher assistant, Paulos, is attending classes at the local university, so I am on my own. Several visitors have helped this summer. They gather up books, put away pens and markers, sort the handouts, and wipe down the whiteboard. We have three more weeks of classes before Duane and I take a break and spend time

with family in the States during September and October. Another recent accomplishment is a study guide of the Book of Romans that I wrote and Paulos translated. At first, it will be used in 20 small groups in Addis. At left is the cover. It says, Jesus is the only ladder to heaven. Greetings to all, Jackie and Duane Anderson