Education Education Education

Manuel reading in the Library

As I write this blog I am sat in the library with 2 of our most regular visitors and one other girl. Brother and Sister Ana Milena and Manuel come most days to the library but not to do homework, more often than not they come to play. My rules state that homework is done first then reading then games, therefore they spend about 20mins reading the shortest books on the shelf, meant for children of around 6yrs, ignoring those for their ages, 11 and 9 yrs, and then start nagging me to let them play. Karina has come for the second time today invited by Ana Milena but also has not brought any homework to do. The only regular attender we have at the library who comes to do his homework is Javier, a young boy of 11yrs who comes regularly with his history homework. I am learning so much about Colombia’s history from him, about the independence and other incidents around the immediate aftermath of their independence from Spain. I love history so it is really interesting and he is very interested in the work and has even expressed an interest in entering politics when he is older. However, unfortunately he is an exception, most of the kids who come to the library are like Ana Milena, Manuel and Karina, although, they have homework to do they don’t do it, preferring to come here to play. Indeed most of the kids of El Refugio have never been to the library at all.

Helping Javier research the Colombian Independence 

I remember my times in east Africa, where children would walk as much as 4 hours to get to school and parents would beg steal and borrow to get the best education possible for their children. Here in Colombia it is a different story entirely, parents here do not value education, most of them never finished high school and don’t seem to see the point in their children doing anything differently. We often see kids when we visit the barrio who should be at school playing in the streets, with their parents there watching them. When we ask why they are not at school we hear excuses like “I got up late” or “it looked like rain”, parents and children alike think that these are valid excuses! Johanna and I have had many discussions and prayer times about how we can challenge this attitude to education however nothing seems to work. Even now Karina and Manuel are looking over my shoulder at what I am writing and are surprised at the amount of words I have written like it is amazing anyone would write this much about anything. Ana Milena is lying on the sofa reading a book. (I put that in as the other 2 saw their names and wanted me to write hers too!) I was reading a book a few weeks ago and they assumed it was “homework” they don’t see the fun in reading.

Ana Milena, Karina and Manuel play games

We have spoken to the parents about the importance of education and about how it is possible for their kids to go to university and get good careers, there are organisations that will help with the cost of university for poor people in the country, we have spoken to the youth along with students who are currently studying in University, however their attitude still doesn’t change. It is so frustrating, we now have this wonderful facility but it isn’t being used or valued. I love the times I have spent here with Javier and the one or 2 others who come to do their homework, and I tell myself that through having half an hour of reading before playing the others might develop a passion for reading, or at least improve in their ability to read, however I know there is so much more potential in these kids and we just don’t seem to be able to tap it at the moment. Please keep this issue in your prayers; that the kids and youth of Loma Fresca will learn to value education and develop a passion for studying.

God Bless

Petra