Tuesday June 9th

We started our day with a prayer service in our dormitory led by Pastor Jane Holslag. After the prayer service we broke up into our two groups, the teaching group and the painting group. The teaching group had 24 additional Ukraine students arrive late Monday. We are now divided into three teaching groups (Mary Ellen and Shirley, Connie and Roger, Battokok and Ellen) each with 11 students in their group.

Since 11 students arrived on Monday, and were introduced to the Tolerance and Diversity teaching plan and Obama book, it was important to meet with the new students so they could "catch up" on the lessons. Since Mary Ellen is a nurse, and has a great deal of experience with adolescent health, she met with the original 11 students in a separate classroom and led a seminar on Adolescent Risk Behavior. The topics covered were tobacco use, alcohol and drugs and their health consequences. Two teachers also attended. This session went very well and both the students and the teachers told us that they wanted Mary Ellen to repeat this session for the other 24 students sometime this week.

The newest students were introduced to the teachers and the Tolerance and Diversity lessons began. The teachers talked about meaning and examples of racism, both covert and overt. Battokok inquired as to racism in the Ukraine and the students spoke about people of color that live in the Ukraine. The students gave us the impression that there are tensions between Ukrainian and Russian groups regarding language and culture. Battokok spoke about the history of slavery, cmancipation and segregation as well as the Civil Rights Movement. The lesson culminated in a discussion about the election of the first African-American President in the US which was an excellent introduction to the Obama book. Ellen provided the second part of the lecture, focusing on Dreams From My Father. She emphasized the early period of Barack Obama's life and the stories he heard about his father from his mother and his grandparents. Students asked questions about unfamiliar vocabulary and concepts. All the students appeared eager to complete their homework assignment: to read Chapter One of the Obama book.

While the teaching group was in the classrooms with the Ukraine students, the painting group met Nerjius at the dorm in Karklu. With the exception of a lunch break, they worked until 3:15 on an additional 5 dormitory rooms! They caulked 3 sinks, painted 20 desks, edged and painted 5 floors and got to edge one additional dorm room floor! Whew! Based on the work that they have accomplished so far, they will probably finish their assignment by the end of Thursday. This allows for time to also work at Mother Teresa's site.