Travelogue 13: Oh Happy Day!

Graduation Day

Today was sanitation graduation day. It may be the closest I’ll ever feel to being a celebrity.  Most of the students arrived early, dressed in their finest clothes.  As we’d do in America, we planned to read each name and hand out a sanitation certificate of completion. We’d form a receiving line, shake each hand, and do a polite round of applause.  The students had other plans…

As each name was called, the recipient would approach each instructor and do the Bimba 3-move handshake, take the certificate, hold it over his head, and start dancing and singing. The rest of the class joined in as the person expressed their joy. Every person had their moment in the spotlight. This continued as each received their certificate. The room was filled to bursting with songs, gratitude, and thanksgiving.

 

Then it was photo-op time.  Some of the wealthier students with cameras asked to be photographed with each teacher. With only a tinge of jealousy, it should be noted that many of the students only wanted to pose with Bart. We posed inside, we posed outside, and we posed in groups. We smiled until our cheeks ached.

Our group needed to catch the bus to Lusaka so we tried to make a hasty exit. Some of the students insisted on carrying our baggage to the car. When I demurred, one student grabbed my bag out of my hand to take it to the car. She stood watch over it until it was loaded into the vehicle 

The Zambians are fairly formal people. They don’t do a lot of public displays of affection. They will shake your hand or grab you by the wrist. There are no pats on the back or other physical endearments. That was great for me because I’m not a physically affectionate person.  On this day, however, there were hugs all around. The women either hugged me side to side over each shoulder or gave me a bone-crushing bear hug. Even some of the men, who initially wouldn’t make direct eye-contact, pressed my hand, looked into my eyes and thanked me for teaching them.

Many asked to keep in touch. Under the advisement of our team leader, we only gave our email addresses to a few select students.  As I wrote in a previous blog, it is hard not to have favorite students. There are some people, because of their spirit, who just seem to speak to your soul.

The parting was bittersweet. While I’m tired and ready for home, the work is not finished. At the commencement ceremony, the office manager vowed the work we started would be completed. He said he would email the pictures to us as proof.  We’ve been asked to return in six months to do more training. Who knows what God has planned? In this trip, we planted good seeds. We planted seeds of hope.

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