Day 4

May 20th, 2013 Today was a collection of teaching and learning...I think I definitely did more of the latter. I started off my wonderful morning with teaching a small group of Burmese learn basic English. I thought we did only a small lesson but after I journaled what words we went over I figured out I taught over 30 words! Way too much in my opinion. I started off with family terms like "mom, dad, baby, son, daughter, husband, wife" and then moved into food and clothes. I know I definitely lost track of time because I taught for over an hour, but I had a blast! I love teaching, I do not know how good at it I am, but I know I loved doing it, especially when I could see them picking up on words so quickly! I was then later informed that there is a plethora of teaching material all over World Relief that I had no clue about! I was drawing pictures and creating props the whole time. Nevertheless, I had a blast and I was blessed to be able to interact with a few familiar faces.

 
I then was allowed to attend an Arabic session on "Right and Responsibilities" for American refugees. I loved hearing it in Arabic because even though I was only able to pick up a few new words here and there, it was a great refresher. More than anything, I learned a lot about our country and the teacher actually gave me a stack of "civics" flash cards! They are used to help prepare people for their exam to become American citizens and I answered half of the questions he asked wrong! I really need to brush up on these things. The refugees probably have a better grasp on these things then most of us Americans.

 
The majority of my day however was spent trying to come up with ways to measure and test health education absorption and the changes that come from it. There are a lot of materials, but our largest problem is the fact that we have many people who are illiterate in English and even their own language. I found a pretty cool place that creates "Speaking Books" about health topics in specific languages. These books have pictures and when you press on certain buttons it talks about the topic in the language you create it in. I think these books would be specifically helpful in the Karan language of Burma. I have to remind myself daily that the Lord has brought me here and He is going to give me all I need because I often feel so under qualified to be of any help yet desire to help so much.


2 Corinthians 12:10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. Lord I pray You fill in the gaps. I pray that we never rely on our own strength, power, or endurance and can fully lean on You. I pray against the attacks of the enemy that try to steal and destroy everything that You are doing. Please remind us who you are and how great just Your name alone is. *Amen*