Growing and Learning Together!

Teachers: Joinise and Lumose
Class: Kindergarten
Region: Léogâne 

How has God shown up in your class?
[Joinise] In the course of daily devotional activities, I have always felt a kind of transformation through the children, both psychological and spiritual. They also love to sing for God and dancing!

[Lumose] God has shown up in my class through the changes He has made in the lives of my students. When school started, they weren't always friendly and always complained, but soon we started to teach the Bible, and we saw big changes in their lives.

What are some notable updates or activities that your class has been a part of? (i.e. holidays, celebrations, traditions)
[Joinise] We have been participating in many activities, but what my students enjoy most is Flag Day and Christmas.

[Lumose] Flag Day, Recreation Day, and Christmas.

What was the occasion and why is it important to your culture? 
[Joinise] Flag Day is May 18th when we present the flag to the class, and the students color and wear red and blue to come to school. For Christmas we always celebrate with our students before their vacation for the holidays. We sing songs, teach them new poems and many other fun activities.

[Lumose] Flag Day on May 18th. It is our opportunity to celebrate our flag which represents our sovereignty among other nations, to celebrate this special day with our students; we also do coloring, sing songs and tell riddles. For Recreation Day, we usually do it at the end of the month and before the summer vacation. We organize a fun day for them where they can express themselves, sing, dance and do many other fun activities. For Christmas we teach them new songs and do crafts; this usually happens before they have their Christmas vacation.

What is your favorite memory from this year so far? Something that made you laugh? Cry? Praise God?
[Joinise] I had a student who was not feeling well and I had to call her mother to come pick her up, but before she left the whole class prayed for her and the next day she felt much better. What made me happy on that day was because my students were eager to pray with me for her.

[Lumose] I had a student who did something wrong, so I had to discipline him and make him spend some time alone. After I released him from his punishment, he came and kissed me and said that he was sorry for what he has done. I was happy to see his act of kindness.

What are some activities or events that you and your class are looking forward to?
[Joinise] Flag Day, Christmas, and learning the alphabet and colors.

Is there a Bible verse that your class has been studying? Or maybe a verse that God has put on your heart during this season? 
[Joinise] We study Psalms 22. We always study a verse with them every school week to encourage them to learn the word of God.

[Lumose] We are reading the book of Genesis in the Bible with them. It is always good to let them know who created the earth and the sky and that God is the true God that we are supposed to worship.

Is there a student or parent that has stood out to you? How and why?
[Lumose] I had a student who was crying and wanted to go home because he said he didn't like school. I had to call his parents and I was happy the way we talked to him and he said he would stay and learn.

What would you like to say to partners who are supporting the class and students?
[Joinise] Thank you for reaching out to help these children throughout their schooling. May God and His immense love continue to shower His blessings on each of you. The best thing you can do for someone is to help them be educated so that they can be of service to their community. Thank you for your endless support to them.

Prayer Requests:

Joinise:

• You can ask God to give me more wisdom and patience so that I can teach them well academically and spiritually.
• I would like you to pray for my students so that God bless them to have a good understanding and that this school year goes well.

Lumose: 

• The goal of our prayer is to have health, wisdom, and courage to be able to educate my class well.
• I would like you to pray that my students focus on their schooling and that God will give them good understanding to learn well.
• I also want you to pray for this school year that it will go well for us, where we do not have to be bothered by political issues in our country.