Once a week I help in a first grade classroom listening to kids read their journal entries and typing them so they can have a typed book of writing at the end of the year. Popular themes include listing friends:
"I like James. I like Krista. I like Tre. I like Khang...."
Talking about recess:
"At recess I was looking for a friend when I found a rock. I banged the rock against the wall.
Before it was sparkly but then it broke and it was really sparkly. I asked the teacher if I could take it
home and she said no."
And exclaiming things:
"I am really really really really really excited to play my WiiU"
"I very very very very want a bike for Christmas."
"I am so excited. I am so so so excited. yes Yes YES! I am excited."
This last theme brings me to the real point of this blog entry. I had to explain how I must express the depth of my gratitude: I am very very very very very grateful to my wonderful friends and family who donated to JRS for my birthday. yes Yes YES! I am thankful, so thankful, so so so thankful.
My last entry I talked a little about how Sudanese and Somali education at JRS has evolved. Now I want to dream more about where it could go with a little birthday/Christmas money. To give you amazing people who donated an idea of what could be...
After I left Jordan, JRS hired the Sudanese community leader onto their staff. The education project now is made entirely of 30 volunteer teachers, but with growth, the project could look into hiring more teachers and staff from local population.
One of the strong assets the Sudanese and Somalis in Jordan have is their very strong sense of community. However, with no meeting space bigger than someones small home, it's difficult to have planning or social events. JRS is a free space, but there are still costs of transportation and food. Being able to have a meeting or a celebration is an important line on JRS's budget.
Home visits and rent assistance have for a long time been part of JRS's project to serve Iraqi refugees. When I left, those things had not yet been extended to include the Sudanese and Somali communities. Sudanese women voiced during discussion groups how little they felt supported by NGO's when they felt Iraqis got so much. It wasn't so bad all the time, but in the winter it gets very cold. Heat is expensive, as are clothes, coats, and blankets for the kids. Alleviating some of this burden would be true service and an amazing way to open minds up for better learning (either kids at school or adults in the education project). Can you imagine the gift of letting a mother not have to worry if her child will be cold at night?
Finally, most dear to my heart, I know that JRS can do better and expand its "informal" education project. Working in a school, I know what doors can be opened with a few extra dollars. It means a whole new set of books, new technology, school supplies, a teacher training manual, a warmer building, transportation to and from school. Oh the list goes on of things I would love to see those students have. Typing/computer classes, vocational training, access to JRS's higher education project (which requires mastering English). All of these things could take "informal" and turn it into "abnormal" Abnormally offering a depth and breadth of education to those who would otherwise have no opportunity to learn.
So, thank you. Thank you! Thanks!! thanks you thank thank thank you. very very very very very very very very much. I am so so so so so so happy, oh yes, so happy about the support my friends and family gave to this project for me and for my friends/students in Jordan. It was absolutely the best birthday gift I've ever received... and it'll be the best Christmas present too!
"I like James. I like Krista. I like Tre. I like Khang...."
Talking about recess:
"At recess I was looking for a friend when I found a rock. I banged the rock against the wall.
Before it was sparkly but then it broke and it was really sparkly. I asked the teacher if I could take it
home and she said no."
And exclaiming things:
"I am really really really really really excited to play my WiiU"
"I very very very very want a bike for Christmas."
"I am so excited. I am so so so excited. yes Yes YES! I am excited."
This last theme brings me to the real point of this blog entry. I had to explain how I must express the depth of my gratitude: I am very very very very very grateful to my wonderful friends and family who donated to JRS for my birthday. yes Yes YES! I am thankful, so thankful, so so so thankful.
My last entry I talked a little about how Sudanese and Somali education at JRS has evolved. Now I want to dream more about where it could go with a little birthday/Christmas money. To give you amazing people who donated an idea of what could be...
After I left Jordan, JRS hired the Sudanese community leader onto their staff. The education project now is made entirely of 30 volunteer teachers, but with growth, the project could look into hiring more teachers and staff from local population.
One of the strong assets the Sudanese and Somalis in Jordan have is their very strong sense of community. However, with no meeting space bigger than someones small home, it's difficult to have planning or social events. JRS is a free space, but there are still costs of transportation and food. Being able to have a meeting or a celebration is an important line on JRS's budget.
Home visits and rent assistance have for a long time been part of JRS's project to serve Iraqi refugees. When I left, those things had not yet been extended to include the Sudanese and Somali communities. Sudanese women voiced during discussion groups how little they felt supported by NGO's when they felt Iraqis got so much. It wasn't so bad all the time, but in the winter it gets very cold. Heat is expensive, as are clothes, coats, and blankets for the kids. Alleviating some of this burden would be true service and an amazing way to open minds up for better learning (either kids at school or adults in the education project). Can you imagine the gift of letting a mother not have to worry if her child will be cold at night?
Finally, most dear to my heart, I know that JRS can do better and expand its "informal" education project. Working in a school, I know what doors can be opened with a few extra dollars. It means a whole new set of books, new technology, school supplies, a teacher training manual, a warmer building, transportation to and from school. Oh the list goes on of things I would love to see those students have. Typing/computer classes, vocational training, access to JRS's higher education project (which requires mastering English). All of these things could take "informal" and turn it into "abnormal" Abnormally offering a depth and breadth of education to those who would otherwise have no opportunity to learn.
So, thank you. Thank you! Thanks!! thanks you thank thank thank you. very very very very very very very very much. I am so so so so so so happy, oh yes, so happy about the support my friends and family gave to this project for me and for my friends/students in Jordan. It was absolutely the best birthday gift I've ever received... and it'll be the best Christmas present too!
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