Surprise Surprise!

They tell you that cross-cultural volunteering requires flexibility, that Africa requires a high degree of laid-back-ness and willingness to work with changes, and frankly, I'm looking forward to how this will challenge and cause me to grow.

The first surprise and change of plan has recently come my way. In my first post, I told you I would be primarily teaching English at the Nomadic Girls' Primary School. However, I've recently been informed that health education is going to be my main focus, and that I will likely be teaching at all three schools in the village, including at a technical school made up mainly of older (16+) boys. Oi. I may also teach Christian religious education at one or more schools, as it seems this is part of the government curriculum. Although it's somewhat more out of my comfort zone to teach health education as opposed to English, I'm embracing the idea more and more, as it is another area of education that I'm passionate about. Especially in rural areas, education about HIV/AIDS, STIs, and even basic sanitation is often sorely lacking, and a little knowledge can go a long way. I've been told that there is a curriculum there in place for me to follow, but if any of you reading have experience teaching in this field, I would definitely appreciate advice.

The suggestion to teach PE, time permitting, has also been put forward. ... I kind of laughed at that idea, a lot. Umm, music workshops? Art class even, please? ... Let's just say that limb-eye coordination and ball sports aren't exactly my forte. I guess I could teach the students to stretch really well. Maybe hike or kayak. Except for the fact that it's flat, and a desert. Anyways, we'll see how that one goes ;)

Rakkoo, in the Borana-Arsi-Guji Oromo language, of which the local language, Gabra, is a dialect, means "difficulty". This change-up is unlikely to prove my biggest difficulty (I mean really, I haven't even left the continent yet), and I know there will be other difficulties and challenges to surmount on the road ahead. But I've both found personally and also believe that where there is struggle, there is also potential for huge growth of character through deepening of reliance on God. It's good to be out of my comfort zone; that's where my strength ends, and His shines all the more brightly. His power is perfected in my weakness, so that when I venture to (or am thrust into!) areas in which I am weaker, it's there I find that I am strong in Him. {2 Corinthians 12:9-10} En fait, it's kind of exciting!