a drop in the bucket
Soon after we arrived here, a man new to our church approached me about helping in one of the local schools. He is helping lead a Boy's Club here in Nassau. Mr. Wright told me about the need for a tutor, one Wednesday a month after school for about an hour. I thought, "Oh, that could work. I'd love to help tutor kids here in the community. After all, I teach my own children. It's only an hour or so once a month. I think I could do that."
Well, apparently I MISUNDERSTOOD! In this case, "tutoring" means I teach the class, 80 boys. They are ages 7-10 and basically my goal is to teach them how to read. STOP RIGHT THERE.
80 boys? Me? And the materials I'm given to do this with? ONE CHALKBOARD. NO TEXTS.
Oh dear. What was I thinking? Is this really something I am supposed to do? I taught two of my children to read and that took several months each, one on one. How in the world can I teach 80 boys to read in only one hour a month? NOT POSSIBLE.
Am I crazy? Should I do this? Is this what God wants? What could this effort possibly amount to? IT IS SUCH A DROP IN THE BUCKET!
Tonight my wonderful husband and I will sit down to talk about the feasibility of this endeavor. Knowing myself, I will not be content to just show up month after month, write some things on the board, talk about consonant and vowel sounds and leave. I will agonize over the fact that 80 children schooled in the public system are coming to me, illiterate. I won't want them to leave the same way they came in. In fact, this situation reminds me of the task of evangelism. So many lost people. Life is at stake. Our contribution can seem like a drop in the bucket. Yet God has assured us it is He who does the saving. Our task is to go and tell. Hmm.
Praying for wisdom in this decision....'til next time.
Well, apparently I MISUNDERSTOOD! In this case, "tutoring" means I teach the class, 80 boys. They are ages 7-10 and basically my goal is to teach them how to read. STOP RIGHT THERE.
80 boys? Me? And the materials I'm given to do this with? ONE CHALKBOARD. NO TEXTS.
Oh dear. What was I thinking? Is this really something I am supposed to do? I taught two of my children to read and that took several months each, one on one. How in the world can I teach 80 boys to read in only one hour a month? NOT POSSIBLE.
Am I crazy? Should I do this? Is this what God wants? What could this effort possibly amount to? IT IS SUCH A DROP IN THE BUCKET!
Tonight my wonderful husband and I will sit down to talk about the feasibility of this endeavor. Knowing myself, I will not be content to just show up month after month, write some things on the board, talk about consonant and vowel sounds and leave. I will agonize over the fact that 80 children schooled in the public system are coming to me, illiterate. I won't want them to leave the same way they came in. In fact, this situation reminds me of the task of evangelism. So many lost people. Life is at stake. Our contribution can seem like a drop in the bucket. Yet God has assured us it is He who does the saving. Our task is to go and tell. Hmm.
Praying for wisdom in this decision....'til next time.
Kristin,
ReplyDeleteWhat an exciting opportunity!! Don't get overwhelmed with this, just do what you can and trust God with the rest. Apart from the education aspect, I think that God can use your influence in these boys' lives. Praying for you in this!
Love,
Tina