Today, I spent time with Teacher Geofrey, our fourth-grade (P-4) class teacher. I wish I could recount all of the wisdom he shared. He has many stories of children traumatized by family break-ups, parents dying, illness, abuse, and hunger.
One such child's father was a fisherman and able to make enough to feed his family and give them the basics. Tragically, he drowned in a storm on Lake Victoria. Now, his widow tries to provide for her family by walking around town selling fruits from a basket.
With Geofrey's guidance and parental love, Deborah is overcoming her trauma and becoming more social and confident. And much to her mother's relief, soon she will join Rapha's House, Mustard Seed's children's home, where she will have the protection, care and freedom needed to be a happy child.
Teacher Geofrey tells his students that they need to love themselves first – before they greet him with "Good Morning, Teacher," he asks them if they have wished themselves a good morning. He is a loving and caring father to forty students each year. He said, "In this school of ours, we don't just teach; we give parental care." He counsels children, telling them, "I love you. Let the school be your family."
When relating the wisdom of Geofrey to Kathryn (Hiscock) this evening, she said, "Geofrey is Mustard Seed's, Mr. Rogers." She nailed it! What a blessing! |