Kindness

I have recently been overwhelmed by the kindness of others. From small gestures to a large project, we have been so blessed to have much kindness shown to us...

A couple of weeks ago, Andrew opened the front door to go and fill our jerrycans from the compound water-tank for our kitchen water-filter. He was surprised to find this on our doorstep:

 A lovely friend from America had left this with a kind note, saying that this was a Mother's Day gift for me, to make my Juba breakfasts much more fun! Such a thoughtful gesture :-) It made my day- and my breakfasts for over a week! What great break from Weetabix!

About a week later, we heard the noise of a loud truck arriving in the compound in the area outside our front door.

 On the back of the truck was a folded-down pre-fabricated building, ready to be lifted off by the crane and assembled. But this was not just any building: it was to be made into our new School Room!

 Esther, Ben and I interrupted our lessons in our front room and rushed outdoors to watch! We saw the workmen as they operated the crane controls. The crane lifted the building off the lorry and onto the concrete foundation that had been prepared a few weeks ago.

Then the workmen began the work of "unpacking" and creating the school room from the flat-pack:

 Less than 2 hours after the lorry's arrival, we had our completed school room!

 Inside, work was soon underway to install electricity points and ceiling lights:

This week, further work is being done to install the air-conditioning and to move the school furniture and materials over to the place that will be our new school...

It is a very exciting time! The new building means that we now have a place to go to out of the house: we have a place to call "school"!
It helps Esther and Ben to have a specific room to see as "school", a proper learning environment that does not blur so easily with playing and relaxing at home and gives more structure to school times.
It means that our front room can now be the office space that Andrew can use for his flight planning and work-related tasks, instead of doubling up the bedroom with the office space.
It means that I will actually get out of the house to go somewhere, instead of spending the majority of my time, 5 days a week, in the house. It is quite normal for me to spend some days here without going out of the front door, but this is about to change and I think it will be much healthier all around!
It means that we have a physical and mental space between school work and home and a place I can go to plan lessons when Grace is working here or when Andrew is home, without the constant interruptions that happen at home when you live on a busy compound and when you have 3 energetic children! I can leave the doorbells and visiting children and noise of play and have a place where I can actually concentrate!
All this is possible because of the kindness of St. Michael's Church in London: an overwhelming and incredible kindness. It is hugely appreciated. What a difference it makes to us; what a huge practical help and encouragement here in South Sudan.
Soon, we will have pictures from inside as the classroom itself takes shape: but right now, I must sign off. I have some boxes of books and some children's desks to move, with my team of willing helpers, aged 4 up to 9...