“Let the children come to me” (Mt 19:14)

Today was all about the children! In the morning we travelled to Terre Promise school in Cite Soleil. Children attend from age 3 through Grade 13. We were greeted by classrooms full of smiling kids. On the upper floor, the oldest students were studying chemistry (on one side of the room) and Spanish (on the other side). We spent most of our time at the school with the pre-school age children. First, we performed a skit about baby Moses in the Nile River (with translation help from Reiser Relief’s in-country manager, Joseph). Next, we sang songs, including a rousing rendition of “Pharaoh, Pharaoh, Oh baby, Let my people go!”, followed by “Baby Shark” (not biblical, but fun all the same). Lastly, we provided the kids with crayons and “baby Moses” coloring sheets, and a craft-kit to make their own baby Moses at home.

The afternoon was spent at Sakala (also in Cite Soleil), which is a community center with a large after-school program. It was a joy to see some of the kids we had met earlier in the day, complete with their finished Moses artwork! Sakala has so much going on! They provide tutoring, computer lessons, a community library, a meal program for the kids, and a wide variety of sport activities (even tennis, ping pong, baseball, and American football!). The center is also home to the Tap Tap Garden (Jaden Tap Tap), a beautiful, urban “secret-garden”. Among the crops they grow is moringa, which is very nutrient rich. The garden even is home to several hives of honey bees! The garden had an area for people to just sit and experience nature (which at this time of day was being occupied by the teenagers who were enjoying the peace and quite away from the younger kids). While some of our team had their athletic skills tested by the kids, while others were humbled by the chess-playing talents of several children. As we left at the end of the day, older students were gathering for a fancy graduation ceremony, 20 kids were starting their Tae Kwon Do lessons, and the Sakala was preparing to host a big chess tournament on Saturday.

Days like today remind us all of the hope and joy children bring to every nation. We see the wonder of students learning new subjects and songs in school. The laughter of children playing games and sports can chase away the blues from anyone’s mood.

 

Read more about Jaden Garden here and here.