Wednesday, November 29, 2017

Learning as Serving: The Love of God School Part II

“École L’Amour de Dieu” – or the Love of God School is our student service project this year. This morning we were blessed to have Bernice Huinink-Buiter from that school community come and be a part of our chapel. She brought greetings from the staff and students and shared details about a day in the life of the school of more than 300 students.

Here are some of the things we learned this week:

  • There are eight teachers and one principal at the school supporting all of these students. (One of our students raised a hand and offered the advice – “You need to hire more help!”)
  • Parents send their children to this school hoping to create the best possible future for them.
  • Students stand in the courtyard every day for 25 minutes of morning devotions.
  • There is running water at the school, but electricity only in the principal’s office.
  • Students must bring their own bowl with them for a daily hot lunch and many of the students take part of that meal home to share with others.
  • The bathrooms they have are not really well matched to the number of people there every day.
  • Classrooms have very simple furniture and no walls. Our students were rather surprised to find that there were no bulletin boards or student art work up anywhere.
  • Haitians love to sing, and as result singing is big part of their community life.
  • There are no art, music, French, or PE classes, and no school busses or class trips.
  • Their largest class has 55 students in a room.
  •  It is a Pre-K to grade six school currently. There are passionate dreamers and planners who strongly desire to expand to grade nine and beyond, and build a new facility that serves them well.
  • One of the goals of the school is to be a blessing to the local community and economy. Many in the area are getting closer to or already earning a living wage as result.
  • All LCES students had an opportunity to create a Christmas card for a student at this school in Haiti, which will eventually be paired with a “Blessing Bag” full of life essentials and a few treats that will be purchased in the local economy.
Video shown in chapel linked here

We do a service project every year so students are reminded not everyone in the world lives as they do.
It is our wish to train their hearts and minds to be quick to love and especially serve others.

SJ

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