Teaching the most amazing young people in Cape Town

Two lovely Grade 10 girls

I honestly do believe that our learners at the School of Hope have been especially hand picked (by God).  They really are the most amazing bunch of young people.  We have about 60 students at the school that range in age from 14 to 22.  On the surface they are your average bunch of kids from the Cape Flats.  Get to know them better and you realise that they are super special.  They are talented, FUNNY, full of life, and have been through some of the toughest situations you could possibly imagine!  They are at our school because they are youth at risk.  They have been unable to complete their studies elsewhere for various reasons; family situations making it impossible to pass, living in dysfunctional communities where the draw to drop out is stronger than the draw to finish school, pregnancy, gangsterism, drugs, homelessness.....the list goes on.  (see ACT - Active Compassion Transforms Facebook page http://www.causes.com/causes/188805 to see some of the situations our learners have faced)  www.activecompassiontransforms.org

The other day I was teaching the matrics (final year students) a concept in my subject that most of the learners cannot get their heads around....International time differences.  I was trying to explain about the International date line, the line of longitude that runs down between Alaska and Russia, that if you pass over it on a plane you lose a day or gain a day.  I noticed that one of my students didn't seem to be concentrating.  This young man is a Zimbabwean who doesn't always need things spelling out to him.  He's exceptionally gifted and bright so I don't stress too much if he's not giving 100%.  (It IS frustrating when those that NEED to be listening aren't listening, which is often the case).  Anyway I decided to confront him as despite the fact that he's bright, it is a little rude when someone is clearly doing something other than your work.  I thought he was perhaps writing a letter, or writing notes for another class.....  I was quite amused to find out that he was writing a poem, inspired by the whole concept of the International Date Line.  He gave me his permission to put it on here..

Let me Survive
 

In of my treasure

I wander night and day

In search for a unique border

Where night and day meet

And part their separate ways

Where the dreams of the skies meet

With the nightmares of the seas

There the waves grow sweet

And day is born

New and fresh each day

Again and again

 

There I shall find my youth

Day after day

Like the sun I shall bring some light

To my people

Our four beautiful Matric Girls

Once again I ask you to pray for these 13 young people who are currently writing their final exams.  For young people in England, finishing school is the law.  There are no school fees, transport is (or used to be) paid for, paper and exercise books are provided.  Here, for a young person growing up on the Cape Flats, finishing school is a massive feat.  Children are chased out of school for not paying fees.  On top of fees they must pay for their own transport and stationary.  These are people who are the poorest of the poor, whose families earn less than the minimum wage.  To add to all that, finishing school may be so unusual for someone in a particular community that they may be ostracised, or criticised for doing so....and some of these young people have noone in their immediate family who can help them with their school work.  To finish school in Africa can often mean a young person has climbed over the biggest hurdles to get there.  That is the situation with most of our learners.  THIS is why I ask you to pray for them at this time!!!