Our ministry here in Malawi is teaching English to a bunch of 3,4, and 5 year olds. Monday through Friday we go to the same preschool in one of the poorest communities in Blantyre. We work with an organization called Life Child whose vision is centered on bringing education and hope to the next generation.
I attempt to teach the 4 year olds colors, shapes, numbers, and letters, emphasis on the attempt part. Teaching, so far, has been a whirlwind of chaos, silliness, and exhaustion. At least I’m not alone, I teach with Kate and the teacher already working at Life Child. The kids, of course, are so precious and adorable. They stole my heart before I could even learn all of their names. I have some little troublemakers in my class who like to fight others and sass me, but they occasionally surprise me with kind acts. There’s also some really sweet and smart kids which make class more pleasant. Some of which really enjoy sitting next to me which produces a squabble here and there to decide who gets the much coveted spot. Holding 4 year old’s attention for more than a few minutes proves to be challenging most days. 30 minutes to an hour seem to be the maximum. After that, it’s usually chaos. Sometimes we have to resort to silly songs or nap time to make it to 12pm.
At the beginning of class everyday, each student says an introduction including her name, age, where she lives, and what she wants to be when she grows up. The last bit is my favorite part. It shows me a glimpse of their dreams and hopes. It reminds me how important it is that these kids know they can be anything. I believe in them and belief goes a long way in showing them they have potential.
For a whole 3 months, I will be pouring love, encouragement, and hope into their lives and homes. They will shape the future of Malawi and I get to shape their minds and hearts now. They will grow into the next doctors, lawyers, teachers, pastors, presidents, and businessmen. I love them more than I thought possible. I can’t imagine spending my time in Malawi any other way.
A pastor in Cambodia once said “dream big, aim big, because our God is big.” That’s my prayer for these kids that they would continue to dream outrageously and hope in the hopeless moments. I pray they would realize worldly circumstances don’t define who they are or how much they’re worth. Their futures are just as bright as their smiles.
