A visit to the preschool

It is about a 45 minute drive from Macia, where I am staying, to the village of Licilo, where One Heart Africa has a preschool.  Mancoba and I have picked up two passengers, Milton, who works at the preschool, and Julia, who is a teacher at a school near the preschool. While we drive Milton gives Julia some lessons in English.  Her pronunciation is excellent but her vocabulary is limited. I encourage her that she is on her way to fluency.

When we arrive at the school, before we even enter the gate, the children are clamoring near the fence in anticipation.  I hear them saying "Mancoba, Mancoba" and as we get out of the pickup we are greeted like rock stars.  He is the celebrity, I am more of a curiosity.  As typically happens, the children gather around me and are fascinated with my light skin, the hair on my arms, and my beard.  Dozens of kids stand around me smiling and rubbing their hands up and down my arms.  I would have taken a photo but it would have ruined the moment. 

I was introduced to the three teachers at the preschool: Judith, Genesia, and Sadalia.  Each one is responsible for a different age level: three, four, or five years old. They show me their classrooms and their attendance records. I tell them I'm on an errand from one heart Africa to photograph some of the students for the website, so they can receive sponsorship from American donors. As we go over the list of names I learned of a tragedy. One of the students only 3 years old has died. The news is heartbreaking, especially for Mancoba. We have no time to grieve properly, because there are still over 60 students at the school that need our attention. It's not until suppertime that we actually express our mutual grief.

After the children are dismissed the staff Gather in one of the classrooms and I realize that there will be a short program before lunch, and I'm the guest speaker. I must quickly decide what I'm going to say. The choice is not hard.

Matthew 19 verses 13 through 15. "Then were brought unto him little children: that he should put his hands on them and pray, and the disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said, suffer the little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me. For of such is the kingdom of heaven. And he laid his hands on them, and departed thence."

Some people scorn children as less important, and by extension scorn those who work with children. But I encouraged the teachers and the staff that children have a special place in the heart of Christ, and that their work was a blessing to him.

While I was talking  and trying to encourage  the staff  another verse came to my head.  I didn't know the exact reference at the time  but I looked it up later.  It's Matthew 25:21 "Well done, thou good and faithful servant." It wasn't until I had finished and sat down that I noticed behind me while i was speaking was display on the front wall: a cross with some bulletin board cutouts that said "well done."

There are no coincidences.