This may not be the family member that you expected, but our children are so glad to announce that they have a new BIG brother! We are going to call him Sunny online - you may be able to guess why. He is now living with us and has been an inspiration to us. He is a breath of fresh air for our family. There is so much that I could say, but I am sure you want short, so I will try to be brief.
Why is Sunny a breath of fresh air to us? Well, we are in the honeymoon period, but he has shown he has a positive attitude, is grateful and is a hard worker. Although some of our friends also display these qualities, these are not qualities that we have seen with all our friends in this area. So it reminds us not to make generalizations about people groups, but to get to know each individual and love them for who they are. Every individual is different. Just as I don't want to be known only for all the typical US stereotypes!
May I have the privileged to tell you some of Sunny's story? He is a twin with a twin sister. He was the only one in his family to become a Christian. Both of his parents passed away. Another Christian family brought him into their home because his brothers would no longer care for him because he was Christian. He continued to work hard and go to school. Through many events he spent the last two years living at our friends house and going to public school.
Have you heard much about public school here? I am convinced it is the worst schooling in the world. Last year the teachers were not paid, so they spent over half of the days in the year on strike. These days were never made up. The end of the year testing still went on as planned and the students were held responsible for all the information on the tests that they had never been taught. But last year was no exception, as this is a very common theme here. Many days teachers do not even show up to school and students go home or at the university level just give some notes to the teachers assistants to read. In fact, we heard in one place the middle school teachers were given the tests that their students are expected to pass and the majority of them did not pass the test!
There is a lot of corruption in the testing system too. Some students pass because their families have money to pay off people in the system. Of course that is a difficult situation to be in as a Christian and we are proud of the prevailing attitude among the Christians here holding to their morals and not paying off to pass the tests.
So no surprise, Sunny didn't pass the test the past two years. After 4 years in public high school he is not longer eligible for public school here. His only option is private school. As an orphan there was no money for him to continue schooling. So he returned to the village and on his own worked to apply for the government testing to try again - even without any more schooling. We hear of many, many needs, but this boy has so much initiative in addition to his needs. From El Padre's brief encounters with him, he seemed to be someone we could live with also. So after praying about it for a bit of time, we are scrambling to get him all set up for schooling this semester. Please pray for him to get the schooling necessary and be able to pass the test this year.
El Padre was gone on Sunny's first day with us. I was braced for an awkward breakfast and day ahead. Our lives are so many miles apart that I figured we would just have to wade through the awkward stage. But it never really came! He is so polite, has good eating manners, is grateful, is so helpful and observant and so smiley, that he just fit right in our family. The children are SOOO excited to have a new big brother. In fact, they were all over him and he was so gracious. He even knows some English and wants to learn more. I think everyone's language ability will be strengthened with this new relationship.
Realistically, we probably have some rocky times and wonderful times ahead, but we are so very grateful for this new addition to our family! How can Sunny who has been through so much heartache be so grateful and happy?
John 14:27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.
During this time of the year we often talk about peace. May we be filled with Peace, not necessarily the peace found in security of position, finances, friends / family or education, but true Peace found from only one Source.
-- La Maestra
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