The Beginning of the End

This is our most advanced group of students. They call themselves the "Gangsters."

Together are the Gangsters and the lower level class, the Chili Peppers!

The beginning of the end has come. Tonight I said “goodbye” to about half of my students who were all on a three month track. It would have been very difficult to do except for the fact that it all happened so quickly I had little time to consider the reality of the situation and what was taking place. Three things added to the chaos of the evening:

1. The class being taught by my teammate, Cat, was having a “last day of class party” and dragged me away from my class for a few minutes to celebrate with them. They presented us each with a hand made Kyrgyz style purse and had brought cakes and drinks to share. After saying a quick “thanks for everything” and “goodbye” and a toast (which I've grown quite accustomed to) I rushed back to my class.

2. I wasn’t exactly excited to be dragged away from my class for even a short time, because tonight was the class I had waited for and thought about since I signed up to come over here. With Easter approaching, tonight’s lesson was on the history and culture of Easter in America. Students read about the days leading up to Easter and vocabulary in connection with the holiday, including Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, resurrection, crucifixion, Mardi Gras, etc. The second half of the class was spent reading the Passion Play taken directly from Scripture. Together, the students read the words of Pilate, Judas, Peter, Jesus, and other crucial characters in the story. After each scene, I asked comprehension questions as well as discussion questions about the events they had just read. For the Orthodox students, the basis of the story was relatively familiar, but the details and characters were mostly unknown. For the Muslim students, who are the majority, it was the first time most of them had heard any amount of detail on the death and resurrection of Christ. We also talked about the true number of Christians in America. When I asked them what percentage of Americans they think are Christians, answers ranged from 80% to 95%. I was able to explain that most people will claim to be Christian, because that is what their culture or tradition tells them to do, but if they neither believe nor live their life based on the principles of the religion, then they are not truly Christians. It was an amazing opportunity for me to teach on this, a topic that I not only live by but love with my entire being. Now, I pray that the Spirit of God will work in those students’ hearts; that these words resonate in their hearts, minds, and souls, taking them to a place where they simply cannot continue on with life without knowing more about this innocent man, Jesus.

3. Public transportation slows down considerably after 8:00pm here, which is when the class ends. Therefore, after class, trying to take some pictures and cleaning up the party room, the students were off… and out of my life for what is more than likely, forever. Goodbyes were said quickly, hands were shaken, hugs were given and cheeks were kissed (tradition is one kiss on each cheek). And then, they were gone.

So, that’s it. Class will continue with about half the students for another five weeks. I am confident the last five weeks of class will be just as good as the first 7 or 8 months, but that they will go by just as fast. Then, I will be back to Haley, instead of Miss Goranson!