My name is Steve-get used to it! Sorry but not sorry
I decided to save this story for a week so Doug and Frank can get home and forget all about checking my blog regularly before I tell it. There is something you may need to get used to or accept if you come to visit our school. The kids in our village area think all white guys are named Steve. Even if they don't think it, they will run up to you yelling "Steve" until they get close enough to see you are not me.
I have not encouraged it, did not even realize it was happening until Doug went for his morning walk and all the kids came up running yelling my name until they got close enough to realize he was not me. I still did not realize how deep it ran until Frank started to talk to them and they kept calling him Steve.
Don't get me wrong, now that I know it is happening I love it. I am not going to discourage it unless I think it is hurting someone. But if you come over here to visit you better get used to the chant, because now that I know they do it or am listening for it, I here it everywhere. The bus rolls in sounding like the kids are powering with the chant "Steve, Steve, Steve...."
Some of this probably goes to the fact I have worked hard to get them to quit using the word for European which is Mzungu as a word for all white people. But some of it also has to do with the fact I play with them, sing with them, chastise them for talking in class, help them with their tests and sometimes just let them fall asleep in my lap. For many of them I am the guy who fixes their backpack or tapes up their Bible spine or ties their shoes twenty times a day or gives them a hug when they are crying.
While visiting, we did more than just hunt for money the bank misplaced and listen to folks chant my name. We did 4 services at Kiruani TAG just down the dirt path from the school and 3 services at Mserekia TAG church just outside of TPC. You know you left the TPC grounds when the water and sugar cane disappear. When I say "We" I mean Doug.
we let a lot of bugs die in citronella candles-so many in fact they started to burn themselves and liquify to some extent.
We also set into motion our next two buildings and some water system modifications. We plan to build another school classroom building to make sure we have plenty of room next year when we add Standard 3 class to our rooster. We also plan to build a dining hall for the students to eat in. While many of the schools in country don't have a dining hall we felt it was important for many reasons including having a facility where all the kids can be in at one time for assembly type programs. We also were not big fans of the solution many schools use by having the kids eat their meals at the same desk they spend the entire day at learning. It is nice to get a change of scenery for lunch and porridge.
Now I have been trying hard to get our videos from their visit up online but the internet has not been cooperating very much. I think I have them all up now and will put them all here.
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| The twins getting ready for their debate speeches |
I have not encouraged it, did not even realize it was happening until Doug went for his morning walk and all the kids came up running yelling my name until they got close enough to realize he was not me. I still did not realize how deep it ran until Frank started to talk to them and they kept calling him Steve.
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| The kids chant my name as the van rolls into the school because I am normally there to greet them when they arrive. |
Don't get me wrong, now that I know it is happening I love it. I am not going to discourage it unless I think it is hurting someone. But if you come over here to visit you better get used to the chant, because now that I know they do it or am listening for it, I here it everywhere. The bus rolls in sounding like the kids are powering with the chant "Steve, Steve, Steve...."
Some of this probably goes to the fact I have worked hard to get them to quit using the word for European which is Mzungu as a word for all white people. But some of it also has to do with the fact I play with them, sing with them, chastise them for talking in class, help them with their tests and sometimes just let them fall asleep in my lap. For many of them I am the guy who fixes their backpack or tapes up their Bible spine or ties their shoes twenty times a day or gives them a hug when they are crying.
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| Doug far left, Lukas 3rd from left, Frank far right and Stephano next to him with family members and village men. |
we let a lot of bugs die in citronella candles-so many in fact they started to burn themselves and liquify to some extent.
We also set into motion our next two buildings and some water system modifications. We plan to build another school classroom building to make sure we have plenty of room next year when we add Standard 3 class to our rooster. We also plan to build a dining hall for the students to eat in. While many of the schools in country don't have a dining hall we felt it was important for many reasons including having a facility where all the kids can be in at one time for assembly type programs. We also were not big fans of the solution many schools use by having the kids eat their meals at the same desk they spend the entire day at learning. It is nice to get a change of scenery for lunch and porridge.
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| Beatrice found somewhere comfortable to eat her porridge |
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| Kids Lining up for porridge |
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| Our cook Barkira (sp?) I keep hearing different names for him in the Baraka and Elibirki area |
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| youngest kids get the bench seats |
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| firewood stacked up |
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