It’s incredible to think that my time teaching at St. Benedict’s is
already winding down. Just as I begin to solidify my teaching and
foster some of the most meaningful professional relationships I’ve
ever had, I must leave! But, all things must come to an end, and I am
looking forward to the challenges that await me at Mazinde Juu.
I was asked to teach the students a religious themed song in English
yesterday for a special service to be taking place on Saturday. Since
my knowledge in this area is somewhat limited, I decided on the
classic “Soon and Very Soon”, which both my parents and I grew up
singing in church and sunday school. Slightly fearful that they may
already be familiar with the song, I walked down to the school’s
chapel/cafeteria near the end of the last class to scroll the lyrics
across the aged blackboard. Hacking chalk dust out of my lungs, I
finished writing the lyrics to the song’s three verses as students
began to trickle into the room, even before the last bell rang. And
soon after came more students. And then, more students. Before I
could process anything, nearly the entire student body had made it
into the chapel to learn my song! Knowing that I had to sing to the
students and teach them a song without the luxury of music, I started
trembling slightly, allowing a nervous grin to take over my face.
I clapped my hands to get the attention of the 100-odd students, and
they shuffled their way into the pews along the side walls of the
chapel. I smiled and welcomed all the students.
“Habari za jhodi! I am going to teach you all an English song that I
used to sing when I was a small child. It is called ‘Soon and Very
Soon’”.
They mumbled the title of the song to themselves as I grabbed a stick
off of the ground to use as a pointer. Then, over the course of the
next five minutes, magic transpired.
The students required me to sing the song only once, before they
knew it by heart. I began singing slowly, pointing to the words with
my stick as I went along. By the second time around, the students not
only knew the song, but were out of the pews, smacking them with their
hands and sticks, throwing their arms in the air, wiggling around in
perfect rhythm. And every one of those 100 students sang with at the
top of their lungs and with all their hearts.
Josh
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