Thursday, March 13, 2014

De-Light!

I am not going to bore you with the details of the morning and early afternoon that was spent on the school budget, adding to their manual accounting system, and developing a school maintenance and inventory plan….because that would put most of you to sleep.  I had a chance to teach the secretary the rudimentary workings of Publisher and she is a quick study.

We got the students and teachers together in the afternoon to give out the solar lanterns.  We started with the students and boy did I get choked up.  It was so great to be able to help – thank you again for everyone who donated to this project.
House captains receiving lanterns

Lazarus (teacher) helping to demonstrate the lanterns
We fashioned an S hook from wire so the students can hang the lanterns to charge.  They will be charged from inside for safe keeping.  In the one large dorm room we also hung long wire hooks so in the evening they can hang lanterns and easily remove them for using to go to the washroom or for more detail work.
 


The students were very appreciative but somewhat subdued.  There were many claps and thank yous but I think the impact will be felt as they start to use them – tonight.
Shortly after that I gathered with the teachers and gave out their lanterns.  To say they were surprised and pleased really doesn’t even begin to explain the impact.  One of the students said to me ‘The teachers are happy’ and the student beside him said ‘No, they are very happy’.  The smiles, the skipping, the hoots & hollers and the high fives that went on for the next hour were so much fun.  They were all making plans for their first evening at home with the lanterns.  They were excited to surprise their families.  They just kept smiling.




Lazarus & Gideon still smiling!
I look forward to talking to them over the next week and also taking some photos of the lanterns in action at night.

1 comment:

  1. What a terrific blog. Thanks, Barb. The pics are worth tons. And the school grounds look so established and well kept. The smiles and surprise over the lanterns is almost palpable. Keep it coming; it feels like being there.

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