Everything comes down to this

Last Saturday I took my soccer team, 18 girls in all, to a soccer tournament in Richmond,which is about 30 miles away from Hanover. The tournament was sponsored by Grassroot Soccer, a non-profit organization that educates kids on HIV/AIDS prevention through soccer. The girls were extremely excited to go to the tournament, even though it meant they had to sacrifice sleeping in on Saturday. I told the girls to be at the school by 7:30, expecting all of them to be there by 8, but when I got to the school, about 8 minutes late, the entire team was there, and was making their way down the main street to get me, singing at the top of their lungs. I had to hire 2 “taxi’s”(14 passenger vehicles) for their transportation, as the school does not have a bus or a bus system. At the tournament, the girls played a lot of games that had a motif of not being able to tell who has HIV, in addition to playing soccer. The games were 7v.7 so I had two teams of 9. One of the teams got second in the tournament, but the other one didn’t do as well.
One of the girls hurt her knee, and the trainer on duty couldn’t do anything, so I had to go to the hospital. The hospital didn’t have an x-ray machine, so the only thing the doctor could do was assess her leg to make sure it wasn’t broken. The girl was in extreme pain, so they gave her a shot to assuage the pain, but there was nothing they could do to treat the problem without knowing what the problem was, so we left. That made me feel far more helpless than anything I have ever experienced thus far. There was nothing I could do to help her, and there was no way to diagnose her without driving an hour away. Nobody should have to be in that situation, no matter how third-world their country is.
I have 3 days left at Phakamisani, and my students are just reviewing their mistakes from their term test. I told them that they would have to retake the test until they had 60%, even though a passing score is technically a 30%. I don’t think the students thought I was serious, and on the first try only one girl passed. Once they realized I was serious, they all buckled down and committed to learning the material. I conducted extra classes every day after school for a week, but they all managed to pull through and get 60%. I don’t think any of their previous teachers had pushed them to succeed, so they weren’t expecting me to be any different. One boy who told me at the beginning of the term that he was going to fail the term got the 2nd highest grade on the test, a 72%. All he needed was someone to think he could succeed. So it’s been a great run and a very trying one as well. I hope the students keep up the standard I set after I leave, because they all have the potential to succeed.

halfway there, tragedy strikes

This week has been very trying for me. My host passed away February 28, and it had a huge effect on me. Throughout the week he had been having minor strokes, and was slowly deteriorating. On Saturday afternoon, something told me to go check on him and make sure he had called his son. We found him on the floor, unable to move. We called an ambulance, but it took more than an hour for the ambulance to arrive. When he got to the hospital, there was very little that the doctors could do. He was unable to breathe properly, and he had suffered a heart attack on arrival. He died peacefully, and without pain. His sson told me, "Even if you don't affect the lives of very many of the students, you made a man's death a lot more peaceful. If it wasn't for you, he probably would have died alone and in pain." So maybe the reason God brought me here wasn't primarily to change Phakamisani, but instead to change the lives of those I interact with. I was supposed to have gone to Cape Town for a week on a mini vacation, but at the last second my accomodation fell through. At the time, I was disappointed, but looking back I know God had it in his plan for me to be in Hanover.
This week will hopefully be less stressful, but with God by my side I know even if there is a terrorist attack on Hanover, God will be able to use me in a way only I can be used. I just have to listen and be ready for the opportunity.
On a different subject, the math students take their term test this Firday, so I will be able to judge how much I actually taught and the students actually retained. With a passing rate of 30%, I am not expecting the students to try their hardest. But if the class average is above what it was last year, I know I would have at least made a difference.
I had to diffuse two arguments at soccer practice last week, and I told the girls if it happens again that I would no longer be their coach. I hope that resonates with them, because I am smaller than many of the girls, so if a fight broke out I don't think I would be able to control it. The girls are getting better, and the team is growing every day. The other teachers tell me that the girls are always talking about it in class and inviting all of their friends because they are having so much fun. I am supposed to be taking the girls to a tournament in 2 weeks, but I am still struggling to find transportation for all the girls. I think I am going to have to solicit the services of the taxis, because they are the only ones who have the space to transport all the girls. The only problem with that is that I will have to send one group of girls alone in a taxi.