Mangoes for books

   



1476  school books

 I believe that one of the greatest satisfactions in life comes from seeing a dream or an idea realized. That's one of the reasons why I like to draw so much, you have and idea, a picture in your mind and with enough effort and talent you are able to bring it to life on paper. The most rewarding experience during my 13 years at school was my senior paper. I picked a subject spent many hours researching and planning and in the end I held a 30 page paper in my hands. So it was a great joy for me, after many discussions, emails and phone calls, to have been able to present 1476 books to the students and teachers at my school on the 12^th of May.

When my father came to visit last December we were invited to the school director's house for supper. With a western background it is difficult to understand what position a school director has in this society and what an honor it was to be invited to his house. One of main reasons I believe for this invitation was to tell me and my father that the school is in need of many school books, and to hint at the possibility of us perhaps donating some. We didn't promise anything that evening and afterward my dad said that I should take care of it and that he was sure that he would find some people who would be interested in donating some money for a 100 books or so. At this point I have to confess that I was rather lazy and the thought of trying to organize what in theory sounds like a small matter but in practice would involve many difficult and confused conversations with the directors of my school (something I always try to avoid) made me push the whole matter off for another very distant time. A few weeks ago the topic came up again in a conversation and I realized that it was time to do something about it.

The first school day after the Khmer New Year I started the negotiations. I told the teachers that I would be interested in donating school books and asked for a list of how many students are missing English books. That afternoon they presented me with what I believe to be a very comprehensive list of the books and their prices. I then wrote a letter in English and German to send to some friends and family who I believed would be interested in donating money. The next part was to wait for answers. It took about a week and in this time I was asked every single day by the teachers if my father “he say 'no problem' “, completely ignoring the fact that I had repeatedly stated that the money was NOT going to be coming exclusively from my parents.

The result of my letters was really overwhelming over 700$ were donated, that very happy fact however posed a new difficulty: It was more money than I would need for the English books. So it was back to the negotiations table and it was decided that I would buy math books with the remaining money.

I was already able to appreciate the positive effect this project would have on my relationship with the directors and teachers on Saturday when I was awakened at 7 o'clock (Saturday is the one day I try to sleep past 6.30) by S'dung telling me “The DIRECTOR is here and is waiting in front of the gate and he's brought mangoes for you!”. Again it's probably difficult to understand the significance of the director coming to visit me bearing mangoes from his OWN TREES. They were very delicious but I had a hard time getting any of the kids to eat them who were rather worried about eating the DIRECTOR'S mangoes.

Ream (the co-director of the orphanage) helped me call the book store in Takeo and order the books (and then call back and change the order and then call back again and change it again) and they were delivered on Tuesday. It was really great to see the big boxes containing the books and I was really happy until I looked at the bill and saw it was for 900$, that mistake was however quickly taken care of (it turns out that the 10^th and 11^th grade have two math books each and that the school had changed the number of English books needed) and the bill was payed.



me with all the books in cigarette boxes




that's what I like about math it's the same no matter where you are



an English book

Thursday was to be the official handing-over ceremony and I was rather petrified, I've seen official ceremonies over here and they often involve big tents, microphones and loudspeakers and I knew that I would have to hold a short speech. It was however not nearly as bad as I had feared. They had just set up a few tables in the teachers' lounge and had invited one of the 12^th grades and my 10^th grade to come and watch.



the 10th and 12th grade at the ceremony


Pastor Khan, Ream's father and very respected figure in the village who helped organize me going to teach at the school and who is the main link of communication between the school and the orphanage, gave the first speech followed by me and then the director. This is what I said:

I'm so happy and excited to be able to present these books to you that were payed for by me friends and family in Germany and the United States

Teaching at this school has been one of the most exciting and sometimes very challenging (pointed look at my problem students) experiences of my life. I'm so thankful to Kit and Ream for enabling me to come to Cambodia and Pastor Khan for organizing my teaching here and of course to you (look at the teachers and directors) for asking me to teach here and for being so friendly and helpful.

Jesus has blessed me so much in my life: with a good education, friends and family who love and support me and the opportunity to come to Cambodia. It's because he loves me so much and has blessed me so much that I want to show His love to you by giving these books.

I believe that education is one of the most important things in the world. I see how much you (look at the students) want to learn and I admire you so much for it. I hope I can help you to learn more by donating these school books.

There was then a symbolic handing over of the books to a student and that was that. The director gave me another bag of mangoes and I went home.



me handing over the books



me with all the books

I ended up buying a total of 1278 English student books, 60 English teacher guides and 138 Math student books. I want to thank everybody who gave money. This really means a lot to the school and the students here: For probably the first time in the history of the school, every student at the school will have their own English book and many their own math book, and they wouldn't if hadn't been for you.
After I had bought the books I received some additional donations, amounting to about 100$. With these people's consent I have decided to donate this money to the orphanage to help them with their plans to open up an elementary school. They started with a kindergarten this year, which I have been helping at three times a week and are planning to open a 1^st and a 4^th grade next school year. The money will be used to buy tables, benches and books.



at the kindergarten



Love and Peace

Sarah
P.S.(If anyone is interested in donating money to support education here in Cambodia please write me, there are still many ways to help)