two happy things

Sundays at Kasana are very full of life, yet also very relaxing. Church begins at 10:30am and lasts until at least 1:00pm, and it is followed by plenty of talking and laughing and greeting and eating. Today, two particularly happy things highlighted my day:

1. Uncle Tim gave the sermon at church, and began with an illustration that involved a person claiming that he had received word from an angel that history was actually wrong. As he set up the story, I couldn’t help but think of my 50-some students who had just learned about the “appeal to authority” logical fallacy, and whether they were making the connection between the classroom lesson and real life. Hardly had the thought crossed my mind when someone tapped my shoulder. I looked back to see Wilbur, a student in one of my S1 classes. “It’s the appeal to authority!” he whispered, a huge smile on his face. I just about grinned my face off. I had wondered whether my lesson on logic had gotten through at all–it’s difficult to put things in words that the students understand, while also not making them feel belittled. So to have Wilbur confirm that at least one person had taken the lesson to heart and was able to apply it outside the classroom…made my day. Is this how teachers feel all the time??

2. After church, two younger girls came and found me. They gave me hugs and said “Good morning, Auntie Beth!” with smiling faces. I only recognized one–Birungi, a girl from David Family. A few days ago, she came over and found me working on a sketch. She stood for several minutes and watched in silence. Now, she smiled and said, “I will come over at four, and you teach me to draw.” Lugandan is a sparse language with no word for ‘please’ and little accommodation for making a request rather than a statement, so while the rather direct words surprised me, I laughed and told Biru that yes, she could come over and we would draw. She arrived at 4 o’clock sharp, and we sat down with paper and a few pencils and spent the next hour sketching a portrait, with Biru making occasional requests. “Auntie Beth–how do you do this part?” “Something is wrong with her nose, I think…”

Between Wilbur’s reassuring comment and Birungi’s ‘request’ for a drawing lesson, my day was just plain nice. These people? They are awesome.

Tags: art, NHU diary, teaching