Love Yourself

I like working with the children. This might be surprising to you, but I assure you, I’m stunned when I hear myself say those words. Working with children is not something I usually enjoy. I like teaching adults. I love to develop and deliver adult training. But teaching children? It’s never been my specialty.


I can hear the bus drive onto the gravel in the school yard. I emerge from the IT Room and take a deep breath. The children in the after-school program are excited. Elvinette opens the door. They rush out into the school yard, backpacks in hand, greeting those that are already here.





There are forty of them. Forty little balls of energy. Don’t get me wrong, sometimes I wonder if I will live through the afternoon. But many times I’m having as much fun as they are. I think my saving grace is that I only have them for about ninety minutes. The program has four segments: Life Skills, Creative Arts, IT and sports.





Lately, I’ve been teaching computers. No, I’ve never taught computers before but as one Peace Corps Volunteer eloquently said, “volunteers are experts in everything”. So true. There are no limits and the stretch is always uncomfortable. I’m accustomed to the discomfort of doing new things. I like it.





The Life Skills Facilitator, Elvinette, is an amazing person. She is young and the mother of a three year old. Regardless of her age and experience with children, she is a natural and should pursue teaching. She is working with the children to help them understand who they are, where they are going and what it will take to get there.

Thursday was an important day. The people who are funding the after-school program were coming to visit. Elvinette recently helped the children make paper shields. They were asked to write statements on their shields. Who do you admire? Name a favorite thing? What do you want to learn? She took the shields and mounted them on cardboard for display.




As I read the shields, I smiled. One boy wants to be a mechanical engineer. I asked Brenda, “What made him say that? He must know someone.” This is a small village and not an answer that one might predict. Brenda responded that his uncle is a very successful mechanical engineer. A lot of the children admired their mothers. Many said their favorite color is red or that they like chicken and bakes.


As I continued reading through the display I came upon the shield of a boy that has been a challenge. He’s been labeled as a “troublemaker” by his peers. I’ve been working with him, “Come on and let’s show them what they say isn’t true. I know that you are a good boy. Let’s show them today how good you can be.” Some days he is successful. I see improvement. Other facilitators are also working with him. He is one of the reasons why I like working with children. As I read his shield, my eyes fill with tears. It’s another moment that stops my world.