{"id":122,"date":"2009-06-12T21:56:53","date_gmt":"2009-06-12T21:56:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/leopardshark.com\/botswana\/?p=122"},"modified":"2012-01-31T23:10:16","modified_gmt":"2012-01-31T23:10:16","slug":"wofa-pete","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/leopardshark.com\/botswana\/?p=122","title":{"rendered":"Wofa Pete"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Maun city school has several hundred kids.\u00a0 Of those, some have special needs.\u00a0 Some have Down’s Syndrome, some have more severe issues.\u00a0 We traveled to the school and met the headmaster.\u00a0 She told us we were late, and they had panned for us to take the kids for 3 or 4 hours.\u00a0 I secretly thought to myself, “how in the world could we manage a work with the class that long?\u00a0 The headmaster was very polite, but clearly the schedule for our planned visit was not corect.\u00a0 We would however have time for about 90 minutes with the kids.\u00a0 After many introductions, the headmaster took us to a classroom with about 12 kids.\u00a0 The children were sitting at tables.\u00a0 Many were smiling at us.\u00a0 Some were looking down.\u00a0 They seemed about 10 to 14 yrs old.\u00a0 I took a deep breath.<\/p>\n

Then the headmaster led us to another classroom, with another group of even older kids.\u00a0 After another set of formal introductions with the classroom instructor, we were shown a final room, with yet another set of kids.\u00a0 The headmaster informed us that some of the kids were 25 yrs old, because the country had no place to put them.\u00a0 She also apologized for how the kids looked.\u00a0 On Fridays, the kids are allowed to dress themselves, and so they were not wearing their \u201cproper uniform\u201d.\u00a0 She then proceeded to combine the 3 classes.\u00a0 Soon we have about about 42 special needs 10 to 25yr olds sitting in a room awaiting our instruction.\u00a0 Beth Bounds (OneWay Intern), Hannah, Emily, Jake Johanik Derek Johanik, and Cynthia, Ray\u2019s wife, looked at each other.\u00a0 The headmaster and the 3 teachers looked at us.\u00a0 Emily whispered to me \u201cwhat are we going to do?\u201d.\u00a0 I said, \u201cI don\u2019t know, I\u2019m still praying\u201d.<\/p>\n

We started with a Bible story, with exaggerated hand motions.\u00a0 I REALLY exaggerated.\u00a0 We got the students doing the hand motions, soon the room was laughing and cheering.\u00a0 The teacher translated.\u00a0 The headmaster was smiling.<\/p>\n

Emily told me later the headmaster then turned to her and said \u201cI\u2019m heading back to my office\u201d.\u00a0 Then we started telling David and Goliath to the students.\u00a0 Once again, totally overacting the parts, Jake Johanik (at 11 yrs old, he makes a good David) and I (Goliath) started acting while Beth Bounds narrated and one of the teachers translated.\u00a0 The headmaster then turned and said \u201cMaybe I\u2019ll stay a bit longer\u201d :-)<\/p>\n

I snorted, and I growled, and I flailed my arms.\u00a0 I stomped.\u00a0 At one point, after a narration setup by Beth Bounds, I said \u201cIsn\u2019t there anyone brave enough to fight me?\u201d.\u00a0 4 or 5 of the students\u2019 arms shot up as volunteers, not waiting for the translation to Setswana.\u00a0 The room erupted in laughter.<\/p>\n

We spend the rest of the time doing craft activities with the kids.\u00a0 It was tremendously rewarding.\u00a0 The kids were so sincere.\u00a0 Our hearts went out to them, even if we only had 90 minutes in their classroom.\u00a0 Below are some of the pictures of our new friends.<\/p>\n