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Friday, March 6, 2009

New Teaching Assistant

So, the decision was made on who to have help me teach. This needed to be decided fairly quickly as the kids are already around. I can understand basically what is being said in Luganda as long as I'm not nervous. This usually means I'm understanding when people don't think I'm listening. However, when it comes to speaking, I'm much less confident. I will only speak in Luganda with a select few, mostly those older women who don't speak any English. I know they're not going to laugh at my mistakes because they know how it feels when they are trying to speak in English.
Anyway, back to the subject of a teaching assistant. I decided that it was not a wise use of money to hire someone that didn't meet solving the needs that I have. So, I decided that the best thing to do was to keep looking for someone who could meet those needs.
The outcome of making that decision hasn't been the easiest to take as far as friendships go. But, financially I think it was for the best.
So, the last few days I've been interviewing various applicants. Ok, so the list of applicants wasn't that long but at least I found one that I really think is going to work. She speaks both English and Luganda fluently, likes children, has a sweet personality and a humble disposition. She seems to be able to express herself well and has some ideas on how to creatively teach the children.
Her name is Hadijah. Yes, she is a Muslim. Kind of a contradiction since the school is a Christian school and has a daily Bible lesson. I saw it as an open door. I don't think she's a very strict Muslim. When I was asking her how she felt about teaching a Bible lesson, her reply, "No problem. I can change religions if you want me to."
I didn't really feel it necessary for her to change her religion just to get a job nor did I want her to feel forced or to just say what she thought I wanted to hear. I told her to learn what it really is that Christians believe and then make that decision.
She told me her grandparents on her mother's side are Christians but her mother became a Muslim when she married Hadijah's father. Since there is some Christianity in her background, she probably already has a slight idea of what Christians believe.
My prayer is that as we work tother what it is that Christians believe will really be made clear to her and that she can make a decision based on the truth that she sees. Please be praying with me that over the next few weeks and months that there will be many opportunities for me to speak truth into her life and for Christ's light to be displayed in her life.

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