A Vision Comes to Pass

 

 

 

After spending days painting my house, it was now time to move up to the school and paint those walls as well.  The first priority was getting the store room primed and painted so we could get shelves on the walls and then move all the supplies from the library here at camp, up to the school where they all belonged.  Gretchen and I first had to clean all the lime off the walls and then sweep the floors before we could do anything.  Two hours later, we were white as snowmen, but the walls were ready for primer…so we got to work.  At the end of the day, we had most of the school primed (finishing the 20 L we had) and the store room painted as well.  Luckily we were going to town in just a couple days, so we could get more primer and paint color for the rest of the school.  In the next couple of days flew by and once we had the paint, we finished the whole school in just one day.  We put two very nice coats on the walls, cut in around the floor and all the windows as well.  Whew…when it was all said and done, I think I had painted 8 days in a row…my fingers and hands were sore for the following week…hehe.

Over in the store room, the shelves went up and everything got moved into the school.  They are now organized by category (science, math, reading, writing, art, music, building, puzzles, etc.) helping me to see what I need more of and the things that I am good with.  It is safe to say that I think we have enough crayons to last for a few years…

I was so excited to have all the painting completed and the store room stocked, so I could bring in all the furniture that Jako and I had made.  I had a vague idea of where I wanted each “area” to be, but until everything is in there, it’s hard to say.  I currently have the art studio set up, a book nook, a writing center, a table for math and science, a discovery table, and a music center.  There is a large space in the middle, where I plan to make a stage for in the new year and then have an area for dramatic play.  Now that I have everything set up, I just need things to fill each center with (educational toys) and children and it will be perfect!!! 

As with everything else, God had already ordained a young, beautiful woman to be an assistant teacher at the preschool.  She is from Lusaka (the capital of Zambia), has completed grade 9 and started grade 10, speaks impeccable English, is good with children, active in her church, and really enjoys teaching.  Please pray for Stella as she has never formally taught before, but is eager at the opportunity to be a part of something different and to impact the lives of so many children. 

God has provided so much for this school, I pray that the children are blessed to feel His love every single day they come, that they hear and see the gospel frequently throughout the year, that they benefit from God’s blessing of this school, and that they each feel unique and treasured as God has created them to be. 

Please be praying for each of the 80 children who will be attending the MOL Preschool starting in February…this is a  totally new experience for every one of them!