The plan for our visit was to spend 2 days with the TLP kids preparing for a 2 day camp with a school in the Transkei. More about the Transkei later. The TLP kids were going to be the leaders or helpers for the activities we were going to be doing with the school kids. The first days in their normal program would be practicing the activities so that the kids and us were prepared. The 200 or so school kids were to be divided into 4 groups which would rotate between a story time (led by Schaun or another adult), crafts led by the women in our team with assistance from TLP kids, and 2 different game groups led by TLP kids with assistance from the men on our team. Today we practiced the games and one of the crafts. Here are some pictures that tell the story.
Left: The kids are getting instructions about what we were going to do that day. Schaun and Kosi have great control over the children. When he wants them to be quite, he says, “clap once” and they clap and then “clap twice” and they clap twice and are immediately quiet. Right: Practicing one of the crafts that was planned for the camp days.
The first night the TLP kids did a dance for us to a Christian song. The goal was to teach us the song because the entire TLP kids and the team would teach it the school kids at camp. Below is a short excerpt from our first practice.
In our pre-brief material it was emphasized that building relationships with the kids trumped the activities and program. A year ago the kids were pretty shy and it was hard to have a conversation with them. This year it was easier because they had matured, their English skills were better, and because we had more unstructured time.
Left: Naas speaking with Lucky. Lucky is a one of the older boys and is always smiling and ready to help. Right: Jim with three of the having a chat.
Left: Rich helping Zolecki with science homework. Chuck helping a girl with her geometry homework. (Even though with a math major in college, I had trouble with the problem because they use different vocabulary. Right: Chuck helping Jonah with his math homework. I could do his math.
Left: Kurt helping Senzo learn the bass. Right: Cheryl with one of the TLP kids.
It was a great day.