There is a difference

11 January 2019

After a long silence, it is time to let you hear about us again. The silence did not mean that we did not do anything, but that there was so much work that we could not find the time to write a blog. High time to let you know something about our beautiful work!

Last september, we started a nursery school in our Meeting & Knowledge Centre. Twice a week, 20 children between 3 and 5 years of age come to school to learn and receive food. I have the privilege to teach to those children. Before I started working for the Foundatoin, I taught a while at a school from the government and I always have enjoyed the teaching. But now, with this children, that are also 'our children' a bit, it is different. I feel a special bonding with those children.

The first day that I taught those children, was not an easy day. I could not get to the teaching. A lot of children were crying and that resulted in a lot of noise in the flassroom. The first day I tought: why did we ever start this? This is not an easy job. But the children got used to the school and their teacher, and I got to know them. We could start building a relationship. I felt like a grown-up man with a group of very young children. The challenge was to relate to their level, and to understand their troubles, pain and humour. To be a friend to them, a parent and a teacher. I started to enjoy the teaching more and more, although I did not expect that they would learn a lot during those first 10 weeks. Getting to know school and each other was the biggest goal.

But when we organized an evaluation-morning with the parents and caretakers after those 10 weeks, I was very surprised! The parents and caregivers told me that they really noticed a difference in their children. I was very curious...

'My child always wanted to stay with me and he never wanted to play with other children. But since he goes to school, he wants to play with other children!'

'My child is so proud of the first English words that he learned at school!'

'Recently, I heard my child tell his friends about the Biblical story he heard at school.'

And one mother said, a bit ashamed: 'When we started eating, I did not pray. My daughter told me that it is very important to pray, the teacher told her so at school.'

I was touched by those stories and I felt sorry that it was holiday. Our work seems so small sometimes, but it still makes a difference!

We hope that we can help more and more children. 20 children can visit our school, but a lot of children are still at home. It would be so great if there can also be a difference in their lives!