Only One Week Left!

Only one week left??! Where did all the time go? I must say that working with the girls has been such a joy! I finished up with the smaller group on Saturday. It was our last day together. I shed a few tears Saturday morning knowing that it would be the last day of the workshop with them, but I was able to pull myself together before they arrived. They finished working on their memory books, which are just beyond words. The girls had all made cards and drawings for me, "Teacher Laurie". One girl wrote, "I love you, teacher. I love my mother, and my mother is dead. I now love you as my mother." Gasp!! Another girl drew a picture of me and titled it "My Second Hero" (being second to the director of Kondwa, of course). Another girl stated in a note to me (word for word), "don't you know that it's easy to buy anything in the shop but it's not easy to buy people like you. You are so difficult to find. So am asking if you can continue with your kind heart." The list goes on and on of all the exchange of inspiring words. I gave out many hugs that day and told each girl individually at least once or twice that I love them. I asked each girl to write down their prayer requests so that I can pray for their specific needs until we meet again. One young 9-year-old who lost both parents and now resides with her grandma wrote, "please pray to send someone to love me when my grandmother dies." Can I even begin to put into words what I've experienced in the last 2 short weeks?? Not even close. I finished up that workshop with a bit of psychodrama. I took a very powerful class in my graduate program that taught us the basics of acting out certain scenarios in our life and changing certain behaviors in the drama. It's quite empowering. The girls took an active role and acted out their "regrets". One girl wish she would have told her mother that she loved her before she died. So she chose another girl to play the part of her mother and another to play the part of her grandma. They did such a great job! They ended with the girl telling her mother that she loved her before she died. Another girl wishes she had taken a picture of her father. She picked a girl to play her father and another to play the photographer. The scene was that of a hospital room where her father was dying. In the drama she took a picture of her father. There were a few other dramas that took place as well. Wow, it's amazing some of the tools that I pulled from my experience and classes at San Jose State.

So today (Monday) and tomorrow I'll finish up with the larger group. I plan to discuss anger and guilt and discuss proper ways to cope and deal with the two. The latter part of the week, I plan to meet with community teachers and inform them of the workshops I conducted, as well as activities and techniques I used. I'm looking forward to getting their feedback. I'm guessing they've have insight as to what may be more effective next time around.....which will be next year, of course. Yes! I've already decided....I'm returning to Zambia next year. I just have to!

Another great weekend spent with Barbara's family. It was great to meet more aunties and uncles, cousins, friends, etc. One of her uncles is seriously and generously considering donating about 5 acres of his land to me to build an office site for any program I'd like to start. Can you imagine? See how things are coming together?? It's incredible! We'll see what the future holds. Oh, and by the way, I'm not sure I mentioned that I am a recipient of a Cultural Ambassadorial scholarship from the Rotary Foundation. They are going to FULLY PAY for 6 months of language and culture training in another country. I petitioned for either Spanish or Swahili. My earliest start date would be Fall of 2008. We'll see where I get placed. Tonight I will be attending a Rotary Club meeting here in Lusaka. Should be interesting.

Well, have to head off again. My time has expired. Have lots to accomplish. Looking forward to sharing more experiences with you as time passes. Have a wonderful week!