Why I Haven’t Been Blogging or Posting Much

First, What I’ve Been Up To:

Teaching Reading to Struggling Readers at an Elementary School

I’ve been teaching reading to some struggling readers at an elementary school, grades 4-7. I did this for one week before they had a 3 week break. This last week it started up again. I’m excited to get it going again. There’s a boy in 7th grade who doesn’t know the alphabet. I’m working with him one on one. He is making progress and I’m hopeful for him.

Another interesting thing is Grades 4 and 5 don’t speak English well enough for me to teach them in English. So… I’m trying to do the class mostly in Swahili! So that has been interesting and fun.

Children from the home reading together! The together part is so beautiful!

Hanging Out With my Little Friends at the Children’s Home

I bring books to read to them, help them read it or just let them read it/look at the pictures. I carry them, hold them, let them sit on my lap, play with my hair.

I’m hoping to give the kids that can read their own book. I’m still trying to get some books. Thanks SOOOO much to those that donated some books to me! So many good ones. If you’d like to donate (used or new), right now I’m most in need for early reader books, like K-3rd grade type books. Little chapter books are good. Pippy Longstocking and lower is what I’m thinking. Those are the books I’m wanting to give to the kids. But many others I still bring and just take back home at the end of the day.

Oh the irony… brand new book, first day… ripped. We need to keep reading this one at the home!

I’ve also been teaching the preschool age kids colors, numbers, counting, and the alphabet. It’s been really fun and I love seeing their improvement. They’re supposed to be learning these things in their preschool classes. Books that teach colors, the alphabet, counting, basic words are great for that purpose, as I’m loving helping the little ones with those topics.

Me

I’ve been trying to devote time to personal and spiritual growth. I have time on my hands and I want to use it the best way I can and becoming a better, more peaceful person is certainly something I want. #definitelyinprogress

Keeper of My Own Home

I just moved to my own apartment on April 30th. I’m excited to have my own home and look forward to being able to use the space to focus on my personal and professional projects.

And Finally, Why I’m Not Posting Much:

I’m still taking things in. I’m observing and experiencing. If I write about it, it’s going to have some opinions in there and I’m not ready for that. I want to understand more before I go blabbing about it.

It hasn’t been easy. I still don’t really know my path, and that’s scary for a control freak like me. And I’m learning about things: about myself, about life, about love, about patience along with more tangible things like Kiswahili, how to teach reading, how to help emotionally hurt children, how to be a Kenyan. I’m also unlearning decades of harmful ideology about what it means to be a “successful human”. Honestly, it isn’t always fun or thrilling but I still feel I’m in the right place.

Buying furniture in the rain… A nice rainy day for moving.

There are more blog articles coming later. My hope and intent, is that they aren’t trite. I’m just trying to have things settle down here and then I’ll have more to write about!

That’s it for now. Peace.

Also, if you’d like to pray for me, I would really love that. Contact me here and let me know that you’d like to support me through prayer. Prayer Team.

And if you’d like to help me financially, that would be great too, because I’m still just volunteering right now and not sure where future money is going to come from. Financially Assist Me.