Our All Stars in Kantolomba just went on their first official field trip. All Stars are the students in the Living Compassion program who opted in to after-school lessons, learning to read, speak and write English, and achieving 100% attendance. (There is allowance in the attendance agreement for excused absences due to illness, an all too prevalent reality given malaria, TB, and countless HIV related illnesses).
The All Stars were taken to Mwanawasa Stadium, the nearly brand new home to Chipolopolo, the national Zambian soccer team. They had a ball (pun intended)!
When I spoke to Theresa the day after the trip, she was LIT UP. She described the wonder of teachers and students alike at seeing such a large, well-built structure, the delight of riding in an elevator for the first time, and the thrill of sitting in the President’s seat at the stadium.
Theresa enthusiastically reported that the goal of offering the Living Compassion students the opportunity to see a wider world of possibility is really working! But, what struck me most, once again, was her point that the children get to experience something that they don’t normally--they matter, they are important. “They never dreamed someone would take them to see this national stadium.”
Everyone and everything matters. This is the aspect of practice that moved me most.
Recently, at the Monastery, a mama bird built her nest in the eaves of a space we usually use for retreat just before the retreat began. It was clear that our being around was causing her to leave her nest unattended. We moved the entire structure of the retreat to facilitate the peace and quiet she would need until her babies were hatched.
As we learn to practice, to move beyond self-hate, we live in a world where we see our own goodness and the goodness of all Life. We realize it all matters. It is a great joy that our buddies in Kantolomba are having that experience!
See the account the team sent on their stadium adventure http://www.livingcompassion.org/kantolomba-wall. (scroll down to the June 12 entry).
Gassho,
Jen