School

I'm in Harare for the weekend before going back to Mazowe for the Zimbabwe School of Youth Leadership orientation. We have a great group of 22 students this year. They are eager to learn, happy to be here, and already showing amazing potential. My favourite student names are: Temptation, Never and Obrain. As usual, we have struggled to find food for the students. We are serving sadza and green vegetables for most meals, and tea breaks have just become breaks, but no one has complained. I really respect that. We also have about 6 divisional youth officers who have joined us, and it's really good to see them participating in everything, out of uniform, just enjoying and being "equal" with the students. The team-building has been fun to watch. Last night the students had a dance party - going all-out crazy with moves - all the while singing memorized songs from The Salvation Army songbook (no electricity, so no luxuries like a CD player!) They want their own flag and t-shirts. They want to study hard and care about others and be good leaders. It's inspiring.

I'm big on education, and have been pretty much considered a geek my whole life for how much I love school and learning. But here, learning is a privilege - not a right, and having the chance to go to school is something people take seriously and with joy. Yesterday we were at a primary school and we saw all the pupils on "Thursday afternoon worksections" cutting grass with long metal poles and going to fetch water from the borehole. Most of them had torn uniforms and no shoes, but they were just happy to be at school. The other day I was watching the girls singing and dancing and the boys kung-fu fighting at recess, and I nearly cried. It was so good to see them so happy! This morning we were in a combi that was dropping off children at another primary school. As we approached the school, all the kids started smiling and cheering. They were absolutely jubilant! I asked why and the lady next to me said, "they're just really happy to be on time, because if they're late they miss some of the teaching."

I have taken my education for granted way too many times. Not any more. I am SO thankful that I got to go to public school and especially to university. I know so many young people here who would love the chance to go to university, but will never have it (in contrast with so many first-years in Canada who spend their whole year drinking, failing and wasting their parents' money!) I am so thankful that I always had clothes and shoes to wear to school and a packed lunch and snacks. Education is so valuable.

P.S. I wrote a Psalm from Zimbabwe and it was published on the Rubicon this week. It's a bit depressing, but straight from the heart...