Third world charm-Day 4, week 2

Yesterday, having no water did not prevent us from painting, today, the lack of power and no water did not either. We got to the school right on time and the students were getting prepared and when we went in the deputy headmistress' office which has been defacto our office as well, she is in there in the dark holding a meeting with a parent and student, just as if it was no big deal.  I guess you just roll with it and we did.

Today was an important day because it was the good paper day for watercolor and the last class of making art.  The history lessons have been deployed, the concepts have been taught and the masterpieces were made today.  It is amazing to see how into the work these students are.  They were suppose to go to gym class at 3 but because we were there they stayed with us the whole time.  In addition, my class asked if they could paint until the very end because they wanted to make the most of their time.  These students are amazing.  You see their characters show through how they paint, or their expressions or their questions.  Interestingly, not lots of questions when they are actually creating for forms 2 and they are oh so quiet when they are painting.  Margaret has freshman and they seem to be a little more talkative and well, you know, freshman.

The patron of the classes that we are teaching is Sr. Luciana and she came by to say how excited she was and that their work could not stop once we leave that it had to continue weekly and I was excited to hear her say that.  Margaret and I will meet with the headmaster tomorrow to discuss how that might happen as well as discuss future engagements, etc.  The kids are abuzz with art.  

Margaret and I brought all the art home to look at it, put it in order by student, figure out what we might keep and leave and just look at the progress.  

The kenyan people are a resilient people and this shows through in how these students just want to persevere and push forward.  The energy and engagement is contagious and they make you want to do an much as you can with them. They are a loving, engaging and welcoming people.

Thanks to Margaret, they will have 2 great readers that she created from the art history classes that we taught as well as posters which both will find a home in the library at St. Al's.

I do not think either of us can believe that tomorrow will be the last day with the Students.  I think we are both attached and settling in to the surroundings of Nairobi, Kibera, the people, and our students.  

This trip is just another catalyst for what might be next.  Who knows?  I told the class that I had this dream that they were all showing art in the Nairobi Art Institute (There is no such place) and they all clapped with excitement that something like this could be true someday. 

As I continue to say, they are smart, beautiful and important.  We are getting so much more than we are giving it feels and all I can say is that we are lucky humans.

We were suppose to meet with Professor Kinota from Catholic University tonight after class for tea to find out that he had locked his keys in his car.

Tomorrow it is off to village market in the morning, then to pick up some beverages for celebration at the school and then to school to honor the great artists for their accomplishments.  It is exciting to see them so happy and so engaged.  It makes you realize that it is all worth it.  Every bit of it.

More tomorrow,

Charles and Margaret