Today is unlike "normal" days that I typically have at World Relief. To be honest I could not tell you what a "normal" day looks like here, but I love that about this internship. This weekend the engine blew in my car and got towed to Daytona. This means that not only do I not have my English material I have been collecting for over a month, but I am not able to drive to my 4 homes I teach English in. I know I cannot control this and I should not feel guilty, but after taking a week off teaching because of having family in town, and now not having a vehicle... I feel really bad. This morning however, after I was dropped off here by a gracious best friend, I gathered together what I could and started teaching English to my 3 faithful students who show up every morning to clean World Relief for community service hours.
These students consist of a Burmese man named Peter Nay, and a Bhutanese couple, Chandra and Tulasi Koirala. Peter Nay has a tiny amount of education behind him and recognizes about 75% of the alphabet and can count to 10 in English. He is literate in his dialect of Burma (Karen) but has a serious hand tremor and therefore writing is difficult for him. The Bhutanese couple is 100% illiterate in their spoken language of Nepali, in their Bhutanese language, and in English. This has made writing very difficult to teach because they have never had to practice such foreign exercises. As of now, they know basic body parts, and a few phrases (good morning, how are you, good, thank you) and can almost say all the days of the week in order. I am trying to work on things they really need to know like "First Name, Middle Name, Last Name" "Address, City, State, Zip code". Peter Nay can now successfully fill out a form by himself with correct spelling, Tulasi is getting better at handwriting and is improving in writing the correct information in the correct places, and Chandra is getting better at copying letters and still getting a grip on spacing letters and words and writing on the lines in the appropriate places. I find myself getting frustrated not at my students, but at the lack of ability to communicate with my students where they need improvement. Lucky a young man from Bhutan helped translate corrections in writing for a few minutes. I could not be more proud of them though. I really enjoy every day at the end of class trying to ask them questions about their life.
Today we struggled through a fragmented conversation about things they liked to cook or eat. It was really interesting to see the differences in the foods they liked or did not like, and even funnier to combine a mixture of gestures, noises and pictures to describe animals, and produce they eat. The Burmese man for instance eats pork and beef, but the Bhutanese couple only eats poultry. They both eat fruits like watermelon and bananas, but the Chandra and Tulasi eat mangoes and Peter Nay does not. I know I these conversations are about as surface as you could get, but in a way we feel pretty connected to each other and almost a sense of victory when we are able to understand the points others are trying to make. It feels like we were familiar strangers, but I feel like we are now crossing the border into friends who just come from different worlds. If we can collectively laugh at least one time every English class, I consider it a success.
After English, I was informed about an Ethiopian family who needs some minor health education on sanitation and hygiene. The main issue I will deal with immediately is a case of "Ringworms". This is actually a fungus that is spread through the surface of skin and hair. I am not quite sure how I will go about treating and education this family affected by ringworm because they do not speak English and I certainly do not speak Amharic, but my goal today is to research methods of treatment and simply ways to explain (though pictures) what this is, how it spreads and how to prevent reoccurrences. I also am becoming more experienced with Social Security Income (SSI) and the different processes people have to go through in order to prove disability. Because I am the Health Intern I have been able to help, along with an interpreter, asses and document a bomb victim’s physical and mental wellness. At first I felt sympathy for the man who was a victim of the car bombing, but after filling out form after form of what his injuries affect- I feel much more then sympathy. Literally every single task, whether socially, mentally, or physically has been massively affected since the explosion. I knew the physical struggles he would suffer due to his amputation, and artificial eye, but I never really considered how his mental ability to cope was hindered, or fine motor skills like shaving or cooking would be affected. Even though it broke my heart, I really did enjoy filling out the copious and redundant forms. I liked being able to affectively articulate the pain and symptoms of his physical issues. I have also been really encouraged to see SSI respond positively to the ways I have communicated his physical condition.
Now, after gobbling down my left over Thai food, I am attempting to organize the next few days, figure out how to make up on lost hours due to my recent vacation, and start writing up health biographies on the families I visit…I love my internship.
Isaiah 52 "This is My Servant; I strengthen Him, [this is] My Chosen One; I delight in Him. I have put My Spirit on Him; He will bring justice to the nations. He will not cry out or shout...He will faithfully bring justice. He will not grow weak or be discouraged until He has established justice on earth."
Jesus please strengthen me this week. I pray I can delight in my work here at world relief and find joy in every task you put before me. I pray I will not grow weak or discouraged because of my present situation. Give me endurance in these confusing and challenging seasons. I pray my joy never becomes contingent on my circumstances and I remember your character and your promises. *Amen*
(Actual names have been changed for privacy purposes)
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| The Karen Flag |
Today we struggled through a fragmented conversation about things they liked to cook or eat. It was really interesting to see the differences in the foods they liked or did not like, and even funnier to combine a mixture of gestures, noises and pictures to describe animals, and produce they eat. The Burmese man for instance eats pork and beef, but the Bhutanese couple only eats poultry. They both eat fruits like watermelon and bananas, but the Chandra and Tulasi eat mangoes and Peter Nay does not. I know I these conversations are about as surface as you could get, but in a way we feel pretty connected to each other and almost a sense of victory when we are able to understand the points others are trying to make. It feels like we were familiar strangers, but I feel like we are now crossing the border into friends who just come from different worlds. If we can collectively laugh at least one time every English class, I consider it a success.
After English, I was informed about an Ethiopian family who needs some minor health education on sanitation and hygiene. The main issue I will deal with immediately is a case of "Ringworms". This is actually a fungus that is spread through the surface of skin and hair. I am not quite sure how I will go about treating and education this family affected by ringworm because they do not speak English and I certainly do not speak Amharic, but my goal today is to research methods of treatment and simply ways to explain (though pictures) what this is, how it spreads and how to prevent reoccurrences. I also am becoming more experienced with Social Security Income (SSI) and the different processes people have to go through in order to prove disability. Because I am the Health Intern I have been able to help, along with an interpreter, asses and document a bomb victim’s physical and mental wellness. At first I felt sympathy for the man who was a victim of the car bombing, but after filling out form after form of what his injuries affect- I feel much more then sympathy. Literally every single task, whether socially, mentally, or physically has been massively affected since the explosion. I knew the physical struggles he would suffer due to his amputation, and artificial eye, but I never really considered how his mental ability to cope was hindered, or fine motor skills like shaving or cooking would be affected. Even though it broke my heart, I really did enjoy filling out the copious and redundant forms. I liked being able to affectively articulate the pain and symptoms of his physical issues. I have also been really encouraged to see SSI respond positively to the ways I have communicated his physical condition.
Now, after gobbling down my left over Thai food, I am attempting to organize the next few days, figure out how to make up on lost hours due to my recent vacation, and start writing up health biographies on the families I visit…I love my internship.
Isaiah 52 "This is My Servant; I strengthen Him, [this is] My Chosen One; I delight in Him. I have put My Spirit on Him; He will bring justice to the nations. He will not cry out or shout...He will faithfully bring justice. He will not grow weak or be discouraged until He has established justice on earth."
Jesus please strengthen me this week. I pray I can delight in my work here at world relief and find joy in every task you put before me. I pray I will not grow weak or discouraged because of my present situation. Give me endurance in these confusing and challenging seasons. I pray my joy never becomes contingent on my circumstances and I remember your character and your promises. *Amen*
(Actual names have been changed for privacy purposes)
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