Today...
Was a slow day. The kind of day you have to mentally muscle your way through. We were down to two painters with lots of work, lots of cutting in paint, slow progress. That did change however, after school. We are painting inside the girls dorm now. Today we were painting the common room. They have Chai here and do homework and everything in this room. So once the girls got home from School, it was on. "Didi, I can do that" We went from two slow painters to 6 plus 2. Erin and I had to run around after them with the drop clothes, just to save the floor. It was so great to have them. They got so much done. And it was nice for them to help out in the room that they use, and have a chance to talk about school, and life. Now don't think for a second that it was quiet and clean. There were 6 girls painting and that means there were 10 girls watching/standing around. We finally shut it down when one girl got a paint roller in the face. Good thing it was not the oil paint.
Stories from today: As I was cleaning up the painting project from yesterday, the teacher came in (sorry, cant remember his name) and we chatted a bit about the school. He wanted to know if we would be out of the rooms by today or tomorrow. I said we would be out by tomorrow, but maybe that did not matter because it is Saturday tomorrow. He said that in the Christian province of Misaram (SP?) they do not have school on Saturday, but here in the Hindu state of Himachal Pradesh they have school 6 days a week. He said it was because the Hindu's are so driven, that they have school 6 days a week, and because they want to fit in and not draw attention to themselves, they also have school 6 days a week. He then said "It is ok, we only have them while they are juvenile so we want to spend as much time as we can teaching them before they leave" He is referring to grades 1-4. I am amazed that they feel such urgency, they have four years. But it just goes to show how seriously they take their job here at Shanti. These staff constantly amaze and humble me.
After work, we had a coffee date at Thanga's house. We had been at his home last year, before the birth of his daughter. And so we went off to see his home now one year later. We took our baby gifts over. Every time we talk with Sing Singi (the baby) she bursts into tears. So her Mom had to spend the whole visit in the other room. You never can anticipate what a kid is going to do, that is true everywhere in the world.
Was a slow day. The kind of day you have to mentally muscle your way through. We were down to two painters with lots of work, lots of cutting in paint, slow progress. That did change however, after school. We are painting inside the girls dorm now. Today we were painting the common room. They have Chai here and do homework and everything in this room. So once the girls got home from School, it was on. "Didi, I can do that" We went from two slow painters to 6 plus 2. Erin and I had to run around after them with the drop clothes, just to save the floor. It was so great to have them. They got so much done. And it was nice for them to help out in the room that they use, and have a chance to talk about school, and life. Now don't think for a second that it was quiet and clean. There were 6 girls painting and that means there were 10 girls watching/standing around. We finally shut it down when one girl got a paint roller in the face. Good thing it was not the oil paint.
Stories from today: As I was cleaning up the painting project from yesterday, the teacher came in (sorry, cant remember his name) and we chatted a bit about the school. He wanted to know if we would be out of the rooms by today or tomorrow. I said we would be out by tomorrow, but maybe that did not matter because it is Saturday tomorrow. He said that in the Christian province of Misaram (SP?) they do not have school on Saturday, but here in the Hindu state of Himachal Pradesh they have school 6 days a week. He said it was because the Hindu's are so driven, that they have school 6 days a week, and because they want to fit in and not draw attention to themselves, they also have school 6 days a week. He then said "It is ok, we only have them while they are juvenile so we want to spend as much time as we can teaching them before they leave" He is referring to grades 1-4. I am amazed that they feel such urgency, they have four years. But it just goes to show how seriously they take their job here at Shanti. These staff constantly amaze and humble me.
After work, we had a coffee date at Thanga's house. We had been at his home last year, before the birth of his daughter. And so we went off to see his home now one year later. We took our baby gifts over. Every time we talk with Sing Singi (the baby) she bursts into tears. So her Mom had to spend the whole visit in the other room. You never can anticipate what a kid is going to do, that is true everywhere in the world.
Thanks for the updates. You know we are living for them. :)
ReplyDeleteAwesome stories!! Miss you all...
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