Mennonite Central Committee

Relying on God's faithfulness in a Jamaican classroom

Press Release, November 2002
Jamaica
by Kendra King

I stood in front of the disheveled classroom and surveyed the 36 students talking to others around them, leaning out the window, shouting across the room, pushing each other, paying no attention to my futile attempts to settle them down so class could begin.

The morning was not starting off as I had planned. As a result of the grade 5 teacher's maternity leave from the school where I am working, my Serving and Learning Together (SALT) assignment had taken a dramatic shift. Assigned to teach drama and provide clerical help for the principal at North Street Primary School in Kingston, Jamaica, I now had sole responsibility of the grade 5 class until another trained teacher could be hired. No one knew how long that could take; I could be teaching for up to three months. I was expected to teach these unruly students eight subjects without any advance notice, lesson plans, or textbooks. I was overwhelmed.

With the students sitting down but still very restless, I turned to pick up chalk and write several math story problems on the chalkboard. "Open your exercise books and complete the problems!" I barked above the dull roar in the classroom. Some students stirred, but only to turn and talk to the person on the other side of them. I didn't know what to do. I wanted them to enjoy my time with them, but I didn't have the words to speak to make them understand the subjects I was responsible for.

Suddenly, I had an idea. The first story problem was about a boy named Andre who raised 3,396 bananas. Andre sold 2,617 bananas to a market vendor, and his family ate 17 bananas. How many bananas did he have left?

"Andre," I called to a boy at the back of the class, "Come to the board." I drew banana trees on the chalkboard and he stood beside them. "You raise bananas," I stated. "Is it a fun job?" "Oh, yes!" he nodded and shyly smiled.

"Chavanese," I beckoned to a girl in the front row, "You sell bananas in the market in Kingston." She stood and came to the board. All eyes were on the front of the room as the students acted out the story problem. Chavanese walked over to Andre, pretended to pay for the bananas, and picked them up to carry back to her fruit stand.

"You must have long arms to carry 2,617 bananas," one student skeptically interjected.

Four more students became Andre's family and, rubbing their bellies, enthusiastically ate 17 bananas. We did the math, found the answer, and the kids begged for more story problems!

I taught the class for two weeks before another teacher was hired, and many times each day I felt overwhelmed with the task of communicating parts of speech, Caribbean geography, and history to the students in a way that they would understand. But each time, I found inspiration to perform the tasks in front of me. It felt as though an angel was standing by my side, giving me ideas of ways to connect with the grade 5 students.

I have never felt the presence of God in such a tangible way as I did those few weeks. In my weakest moments, God was faithful. When I didn't have the right words to speak, God whispered them in my ear.

I echo the words of the psalmist David: "For great is your love, reaching to the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies (Ps. 57:10)." God's love and faithfulness extend further than we can imagine! When we are most needy, God is there, picking us up and carrying us forward. What a privilege it is to be children of such a faithful Father!

Kendra King, from Hutchinson, Kan., is a member of South Hutchinson Mennonite Church.