Roommate? I don't think so!

My first morning staying in my apartment I was greeted by this “little” friend.


I had to make a decision…he had to die. Sorry big guy.

Books, Reading, and the Children I Love

I love children’s books and have taken an interest in the library. There is no one in charge of the library so the books are put this way and that. During break times I find myself in the library straightening up the shelves and putting books into their proper place. In the process I have become the “reading specialist” for some of the teachers. They ask me about books for their class and lessons they are teaching. It’s wonderful to be sought after for something that I love so much. From personal experience I know that reading is so vital to every part of education. It brings me great joy to introduce children to books that are at their level so that they don’t have to be scared by reading.
I have caught one boy on multiple occasions say, “I can’t read”. I quickly intervened and told him, “yes you can, just not very well now but you will get better”. He crawled into my lap the other day and said, “I am going to learn to read with Miss Rachel!” I was honored that he would trust me with something I know is such a struggle for him. I have four months until summer break and I want him to be reading by then.
Please pray for Christopher as he begins the wonderful journey of enjoying books on his own through reading.

School Bus?

6:00 wake up
6:30 be to breakfast table
6:45 get helmet on
6:46 pose for photo
6:47 climb into the Buzz Bomber and pose for another photo
6:50 leave for school
6:50-7:00 wave at all the Burundians staring as we drive by (this is the only Buzz Bomber in Burundi, Ken created it)
Daily the morning schedule is the same, minus the photo shoot. Once at school I attend the staff devotion time. Then the day begins.

Mailing Address

Address!!!

Rachel Jacobs
c/o Ken Johnson
BP 122
Bujumbura, Burundi

If you are interested in sending me some snail mail :)
note:do not put AFRICA on the address, they get confused and send it to South Africa (I'm not living there)

Not in Kenya (change of plans)

I want to thank you all for your fervent prayers for my trip to Kenya. As with life plans must change with new information and circumstances. I am writing to you from Burundi. The tickets were purchased and bags were packed (mine wasn’t but I was thinking about it). Two days before our trip Sammy began to vomit and had a high fever. The trip was off. We are still not sure what is wrong with Sammy, we would love your prayers for him. He has been to the hospital three times now for different things. Please pray that God will direct the doctors in what is wrong with him.

As for my plans I am here at home working with Sammy on his counting. Today we used empty yogurt cups to build towers of different amounts. We did our best to knock down the tower after it reached 10. I’m trying to take the sting of math away by making learning fun. We will see how it goes.

Clear Goals for the Year

It seems so natural working at a school. Yet I found myself worried about all the things that need to be learned and goals that must be accomplished. I felt defeated by the invisible presence of things that weren't being learned. Then it hit me. I need to know the standards for the school.
I asked the principle and he gave me a short list of things that these kindergarteners needed to know. I can do that. It is attainable in 4 months to teach these things. Addition 1 to 10. Counting along a number line. It's possible!!! I can teach that :)
What a relief it is when the goals are clearly stated and fear is dissipated.
All will be accomplished...of this I'm sure

Internet Saturday

Today I spent the morning remembering all the things I have to do before the trip on Monday. We are leaving on the bus before dawn so things must be accomplished in the next 48hours. After my list was completed I wrote some emails and now I'm at the internet sending them off. It's nice to know that I have all the time I want to accomplish what is needed. My email box is FULL and so I'm spending the morning cleaning it out. I always feel good with a clean inbox :)
Blessings on your day.

Silence

Sorry I have been so silent lately. It is the transition phase of my journey and internet is far. So I have not been good at communicating with you.
Things are much better now. Those first few weeks were tough with illness, worms, lack of sleep and new job. But thanks be to God who carried me through and brought good friends around me during this time.
Monday I will be traveling to Kenya with the Mother and Sammy to see the children who are in boarding school. While there I hope to visit some special education schools in Nairobi to add to my research.
I hope to write again before I travel but if not please pray for me as we will travel via bus (a two day trip on a grey hound type bus) up and down bumpy and winding roads. Pray for safety and sound minds as this will be the Mother and Sammy's first time on the bus.
Miss you guys
Rachel

Day 1 of First Grade?

Yes, I'm in first grade again. Today we added numbers to make 10 and spelled bed and pot.
I am helping out in a class with Sammy. It is a much better fit for him, he's a social boy.
I really enjoy the teacher too. She is having me teach a math lesson tomorrow. Human Number Line, it should be good!

Thanks for your prayers. Keep them up!!!

And enjoy the snow for me if you are near it

The Opportunity to Go to School

I have not seen a boy so excited in his life. Sammy’s joy is overwhelming. I asked him yesterday if he was happy about starting school with me. A grin filled his face and an emphatic nod moved his head up and down. Anyone could tell he was excited.
Every day for the last few months Sammy has seen his brothers and sisters go off to school. And every day Sammy is reminded that he is different. Sammy doesn’t get to go to school. It breaks my heart to think that this boy desires so much to learn, yet in Burundi there is no opportunity for him to attend school. Sammy is one of the many students who have fallen through the cracks. If Sammy’s disability was greater he would at least be able to attend the only center in the entire country that serves people with severe disabilities. But Sammy is too smart for that. His needs would not be served. If Sammy was higher functioning he could attend one of the schools run by internationals such as the British or Belgium schools which focus on individual performance and education. But Sammy is stuck in the middle. He is lacking access to education yet with my coming to Burundi Sammy now has a teacher. Sammy also has an opportunity, just like his siblings, to attend school.
Starting tomorrow I will teach my first day of school and Sammy will attend his first class.
Thank you to those who have given finances, prayed for, and supported me in coming to Burundi so that Sammy, and soon others like him will be able to attend school.

Just 5 Minutes

4pm and I’m exhausted! I the kids are going on a walk and I am to join them in just a few minutes. I have to lie down and rest for just 5 minutes I tell myself. I crawled into bed. I closed my eyes, it felt so nice. My pillow was hard but it was supporting my very heavy head. “Get your shoes on, we are going”. I hear from the other room. The children were moving around. I still had time. I didn’t want to waste this precious time before the walk.
I woke up. The house was quiet, then an explosion of noise, as only five children all under ten years of age could create. They are back from their walk was all I could think as sleep once again claimed my consciousness.
Once again I was awaken by an explosion of noise, this time it was tears. The mother inside of me was concerned and so I listened. Apparently their mother was going to a friend’s house and they wanted to join. These tears and cried were not enough to move me from the bed until my arm started to hurt. I felt the area, oh how it itched. So I scratched it. Defiantly a mosquito. The sun had gone down and it was now dark. At 4pm when I laid down for my 5 min rest I didn’t need a mosquito net. But now that it was 6:30pm I was going to be eaten alive if I didn’t get up. By now the children were calmed by their father and my eyes were still tired. But the threat of more mosquito bites brought me out of my 2 ½ hour “5 minute” nap.

Buja Here We Come

I'm so excited to be heading back to Burundi, yet not so excited to be waiting in yet another airport. But by Wed at 2pm we will be (hopefully) to the Bujumbura airport!
Thank you for your prayers

Q & A Update

Where are you going? Burundi, Africa
Who asked you to go? Ken & Melli Johnson (career missionaries in Burundi)
Where will you stay? Johnson’s home guest apartment in Bujumbura, Burundi (south side of town this time)
When are you going? January 9, 2012
How long are you staying? 1 year commitment
What will you do there? I’ve been asked to homeschool/tutor a Burundian boy with moderate mental retardation in the mornings and help to set up a special education tutoring center and school for children with learning disabilities who need extra help to stay in school.
How can I support you?
Prayer, emails, comments on my blog all help to remind me that people are helping me through on those tough days.
Finances are also needed. I will be staying at the Johnson’s for free but will not be paid for my work so I am relying on sponsors to assist in finances. $20,000 is what is needed for the year. I’m at $4,000 as of Christmas.
Giving sent to:
Living Hope Church
PO Box 1726
Westport, WA 98595
check memo line: Rachel in Burundi

Clam Digging, Wedding, Lightsaber Battle