Sunday, June 21, 2009

Nekemt girls start to share their stories

Last week the girls wrote letters to their sponsors and I asked them to read the letters into my MP3 recorder so sponsors will hear their voices. They must have practiced over the week end because their reading was almost flawless. I know they wrote their letters together because they are all so similar:
"You are my mother...."
"I am very appreciate you....."
"If the God says, I am next year turn to ninth grade...."
All of them thanked me and Beth and Sosi profusely for teaching them English.

During the week end, we had talked to Obse and she told us all about her personal life. I heard a story that broke my heart:

"I was born in Siree. When I was baby, one uncle took me to Nekemt. I don't know my family. After five years he married and his wife make me like her servant, only working, no learning or time to study. Then I sit at my aunt's house, but after two years, she married. It was not good; her husband don't want me. I sit another aunt up to tenth grade, but she married and he don't want me. Then I rent a house for 70 birr ($7 US) and school is 145 birr ($14 US). I not stop my school. I want to be good journalist."

When I asked her if she ever sees her family, she said, " My mother and father, they don't know me. My brother and sisters, they don't know me so they don't like me."

Kathleen Moore, REAL teacher