Pictures from today

So while on break from class 8 yesterday I wandered into class 7 to find cute Joseph talking to himself and working out a huge division problem on the blackboard. Sidenote, he was using a huge piece of sidewalk chalk, which was leaving an amazing amount of chalk dust on his pants, sweater, not to mention his hand.
I said "Joseph, do this" and i put my right hand on my cheek. He copied me and went on about his business, not realizing he now had the pile of chalk all over his face...


I love this kid. Outside of class he messes around and can be a bit crazy, but he's incredibly smart


The chain


Then Bram wandered in from break after playing soccer, so he was all sweaty.



Once we got home from our day, I had to pack up more of our room and its safe to say I cried my eyes out from around 4:30 til i went to bed last night. I cant and dont want to imagine my life without seeing these kids everyday. I dont think they know how much we love them and their personalities light up our days.
Allison and I were talking and I was saying how I didnt know if the teachers strike has been a blessing or a curse. On the positive side, we get these kids everyday and teaching them we've gotten to know them in a different way than before, but now I am that much more attached, which will make it harder to say goodbye...
Ive decided Ill take the pain as long as i get to see them everyday...

Simon

This is a harsh story so just be prepared before you read...
Yesterday I took a boy named Simon to Sister Fredas. He used to live in one of the houses at Oasis until he ran away.Hes been gone for some time now, but showed up at the Oasis center about 2 days ago with severe burns all over his upper body and head.
And not blistering burns or anything, his skin had been so badly burned that it hadn't even blistered, it had already melted off.
We asked Geoffrey what happened and he said that Simon had gotten into an argument with a another guy and the other man had said some things about Simons mother and sister that apparently really upset him because Simons response was to pour paraffin on himself and light himself on fire.
This didnt happen a couple of days ago, it happened on the 11th, 2 1/2 weeks ago, and Simon has been living in Kipsongo since it happened. By the time he got to Oasis it was so infected and had been so long that he couldnt look at you straight because what was left of the skin had hardened with his head tilted to the side.
At first he refused to be admitted to the hospital but then Jane, the doctor talked with him and convinced him to stay. When I left he had been given some medicine and they were in the process of disinfecting and cleaning the burns. Were going to Freda's tomorrow so we'll get to see him then and see how hes doing.
Whats disturbed us, and even the doctors talked about it, was psychologically what would cause someone to do this to themselves...