On Monday of this week I worked at the school primarily in the classroom again. The kids are taking exams this week so they are limited on outdoors time during the day. I was still allowed to work in four different classes, and was also able to take a group of 7^th grade students out before school ended and then the usual group of 6^th grade boys came out after school as well. I was able to share the story of God’s deliverance of the Israelites beyond the red sea, to a group of 4^th grade students in class. The day was a bit sporadic as far as which classes I worked with but it was still nice to have interaction with students that I have been building relationships with.

Keagon, who is a boy in the fourth grade class that I worked with, revealed to me last week that it was his birthday on Monday. He and I got to talk for a good 10 minutes or so during the day last week and I was pretty surprised by the mature way this little guy talked. By the sounds of it he has had a pretty challenging road so far in life though. Keagon is only 10 now, but he showed me scars on his stomach last week from where he had been knifed in a fight. This had happened to him over a year ago and he just turned 10.

His dream though is to one day move to America and become a police officer. He did tell me though that he wants to become a police officer so he can shoot some bad guys. But, after he told me it was his birthday I was able to get a gift bag ready for him over the weekend. I was given some beanie babies and greeting cards before I came over by Katie and her family, so I put a beanie baby lion in a bag with a U.S. dollar bill and a singing card. At school on Monday I didn’t want to give the gift to Keagon in front of everyone so I told him to meet me after school by my car. This turned into what felt like a drug deal.

Keagon came up to me after school and we went over to my car together. The sixth grade boys were still out playing games with me on the field so I emphasized to him that he couldn’t let anyone see it right now. As soon as I handed Keagon the bag he stuffed it under his shirt and took off on a dead sprint for the front gate. He was running too fast for me to ask him what he thought so I’ll be excited to ask him next time I see him.

On Tuesday I went back to the school but it was chained up and closed. Right now in Balitto and the surrounding area there is a public transportation strike that was caused by an increase in the taxi fare rate. There has been some violence arise due to the strike so many schools in the area have closed. Schools have closed before due to similar strikes and it just depends on how soon it gets resolved before schools will open back up. I’m hoping that it will open up again within the next few days but time will tell.

Above: some of the 4th grade boys

Below: My buddy Keagon