My apologies for not posting about my ministry sooner, but here you go!
My ministry in South Africa was being a teacher’s aid in a local school. The school caters to 3-7-year-olds, teaching them basic Afrikans before they go to primary school. I had a class of 6-7-year-old, so it was their last year at this school. Most of the kids come from the nearby townships, my whole team has felt a deep desire to love on them for the short time that we are with them. It has been really hard to sit down and write a blog about ministry because there is no way that can describe to you what my day to day looked like while I was there. But here’s my attempt.
Each day we would arrive around 9:15 and my team would split into their different classrooms. My teacher, Natasha, would let me do different things like check papers, make flashcards, or even teach lessons on seasons. Then around 10, all of the classes would go outside for playground time. Playground time was different. My team felt like we were toys allowing the kids to do whatever. They wanted to play with my hands or touch my tattoos, we let them. After the playground, the kids would get more time either in the classroom, or they would practice for their graduation ceremony. Then at 12, my team would have lunch, we would meet up in the library that the school had and just spend time with each other. At around 12:45 we would go into the kitchen to dish out food for all the kids so that they could eat at 1. They would go through the kitchen to collect their bowl and sit outside and each, we would then do dishes until 1:30, then we would go back to base and do whatever afternoon ministry they had planned for us.
Observations~
Playground time was the most challenging for me. I had a lot of barriers to allow kids to sit all over good, but as I prayed for God to increase my heart for the kids, He did. My last day in JBay, I spent at my kid’s graduation. I felt like a real mom, lol. I was in the back standing on a chair taking videos of them because I had so much pride for my kids. This ministry, in general, was a challenge for me because I don’t really like kids that much. I love just one or two kids that like to draw, but having 22 kids attached to me always hugging me, was definitely not my cup of tea. But they love so well. A kid’s love is so different and it was such a gift to be able to receive that for two months straight.
P.S. Watch team Halal celebrate Courtlan turn 21
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1G9SjnpP5yg&feature=youtu.be
