At the Grail

I have moved from Pastor Paul’s house to the Grail, very close to the Lubaga (also called Rubaga) Cathedral.  The convent is surrounded by lovely gardens with fruit trees such as banana and pawpaw.  When I asked if I could stay I was warned that I might find their accommodation too uncomfortable.  Uncomfortable?  I have a lovely room looking out on a lush hillside garden.  I have my own toilet and shower right next door to my room.  The meals are basic by European standards, but luxurious by South Sudanese.  There is delicious fruit to accompany every meal.  The Grail community is very welcoming and congenial.  I am free to come and go as I please.  What more could I ask for?

I asked to be allowed to work while staying with them.  They suggested that I could help in the kindergarten in the Lubaga Hospital grounds, which is run by the Grail.  Each morning I take a 5 minute walk to assist in the kindergarten.  The kindergarten is a world away from the nursery and school in Nimule.  There are around 70 children.  Although the area is small, it has been well planned so that there is an outdoor area with play equipment and a proper indoor classroom with displays on the walls.  There are seats for all the children.  As at Cornerstone, the children practise drawing and writing on slates to avoid wasting precious paper.

Although the child/teacher ratio would not meet western requirements the teachers cope very well.  The children get individual teacher time to practise writing numbers and letters in exercise books.  I am helping with this task each morning.  I had forgotten how difficult it is for small children to hold a pencil and form letters correctly.  It is very time-consuming work.  While the individual sessions are going on the other children have free play; otherwise it would be impossible with so many children.  

Apart from helping with the individual writing sessions I have also introduced some counting songs.  ‘Ten Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed’ is a hit.

The kindergarten is divided into three classes.  I have been amazed by the level of English in the top class’s English lesson.  The teachers are clearly very well trained.  There is lots of repetition to help the children absorb new concepts.  Towards the end of each morning some of the younger children start to collapse and are put on mattresses to sleep.

On my first day, the Grail sister who introduced me was embraced around the knees by a very tearful two year old girl.  The child’s mother died during the holidays and this was only her second day back at school.  She is a very pitiful sight, very solitary and unsmiling.  At her young age she has no understanding of death and keeps asking for her mother.  She is clearly feeling very fragile.  Every small thing is enough to set her weeping.  Her father is a doctor in the hospital.  He works long hours, so each day she is looked after by kindly staff and Grail sisters until her father has finished work.  The little girl often shares our supper at the Grail.  

Late last week she smiled at me for the first time.  It was like seeing a glimmer of sunlight through very dark clouds.  Then the poor little thing fell down and hurt her arm and was in the depths of despair for the rest of the day.  

The next day I found her lying on a mattress weeping.  I picked her up and sat her on my lap, rocking and singing to her.  She calmed down and snuggled into me for a large part of the morning.  I noticed that she was scratching at her arm, which had a bandage on it from the previous day’s accident.  (The bandage was only put on as a placebo.)  When I unwrapped the bandage I saw a large insect bite.  I nipped back to the Grail to get my tea tree lotion which I use for my own insect bites and find very effective to relieve itching.  A short while after putting the tea tree lotion on she suddenly perked up and joined the other children who were playing outside.  Two slightly older girls adopted her.  Today (Monday) she seems to be completely her own self, playing with the other children and not needing adult attention. What a relief it was to see her  getting back to normal at such a fast rate.  I