Monday, November 23, 2015

The Superstars of the Backyard School

It has been my absolute joy to be the English teacher for the backyard school for the last 4 months. We have truly gotten up to some crazy things in the last 4 months and I have grown to love these three kids with all my heart.


Let me introduce you to our stars

This is Adam – 


He is the provider of jokes and made up songs.  Without fail he will ask for ‘appo’ (apple) for snack time and request ‘fola’ (toilet) right in the middle of said snack time.  His favorite color is ‘oran-gee’ (orange) and his favorite tasks are ‘cut-cut’ (coloring and then cutting out his picture) and ‘yellow’(lego).  His facial expressions are priceless and his generosity is unmatched.  He has improved leaps and bounds in the time I have been here, growing in confidence in writing, coloring, cutting and communicating in English.  Adam is loyal and relentless in his affections for you.  I have seen him persevere in difficult situations and hold his head high when he is down.  His beautiful spirit is not one that hits you in the face but one that creeps up on you unexpectedly, before you know it you are in love!!  He is full of joyful chatter, funny faces and cuddles.  Adventure will always be before him as his character is one of curiosity and determination.  He is going to great things – I have no doubt!

This is Enya –


Don’t let her delicate demeanor fool you, this girl has got GRIT!  She loves a good giggle and will ALWAYS prefer rough-and-tumble play over cuddle time.  Her ability to concentrate for hours floors me and I know will serve her well in the future.  She has a peacemaker’s spirit and is always giving up her toys to stop arguments between the boys.  Oh boys!
Enya’s favorite color, like many girls her age, is pink. Whilst she enjoys coloring and drawing, her preferred activity is building with Lego.  Enya provides us with many golden moments of physical comedy, as her eagerness causes her to be a little clumsy at times but this well-humored little girl is ALWAYS able to laugh it off, catching us all up in giggles too. This beautiful little one has picked up lots of useful English words such as ‘yellow leaf’, ‘red leaf’, ‘green leaf’, ‘tree’, ‘table’ and ‘chair’!  She is able to count up to 30 and works really hard to pronounce words correctly, usually succeeding in three or four tries.  She will be such a precious addition to any family.

This is Hudson –


If I was to describe this little one in one word it would be ‘cheeky’...oh, and ‘monkey’. Hudson has a calling for mischief and with the large dose of cuteness that has been given to him, he is able to achieve most of his mischievous goals using cuteness to defeat his opposition –namely me.  Hudson is also the most loving and joyful little boy I know.  He is quick to love, cuddle and kiss.  He wins the hearts of all who meet him and gets us all caught up in his cheeky plans.  His favorite color is ‘purpo’ (purple) and he has a disdain for oranges, though tangerines are okay!  He LOVES playing on the swing outside and enjoys being swung to dizzying heights.  He has taught me the Chinese words for ‘faster’ ‘higher’ and ‘more’!  Hudson also enjoys being chased around on the little cars and is able to persuade nearly all he approaches that this would be a fun game for them too!  His view on the world encourages me to see the fun in everything and to get others to experience it too. Hudson deserves all the best things and all the love in the world as he exudes love to all who met him.


I have received much more than I could have ever imagined from these little ones.  Their passion and determination for life has moved and humbled me.  I have been so privilege to have been let in on their jokes and their thoughts, to have shared in their happiness and their sadness.  Each day as I say goodbye and my heart breaks as Adam asks me if I am coming back, I am reminded that there is One who never says goodbye and is always with them.  That there is a heavenly Father who is always near to them, who knows them much deeper than any foster mum, nanny, staff worker or volunteer.  He knows their thoughts before they think them, their mischievous plans before they execute them, their need for security and protection.  He knows and he provides them with what they need in abundance. His faithfulness to these three has been so clearly demonstrated to me in my short time here.  He is the one who fights their corner and makes impossible things possible.

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This post was written by Anna, volunteer Backyard School teacher from England.

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