Today, we went on an excursion to Tetteh Quarshie Cocoa Farms and Aburi Gardens. It was a fun trip and I'm so glad that we had the opportunity to take the kids on a trip outside of our little boundaries.
It was kind of a journey of introspection for me. I spent much of the day talking with volunteers and the Beebe family about the struggles of running a school here. There is the constant battle of "shame-based" discipline, the issues with staff, the lack of knowledge about the TRUTH...it brought about a whole bunch of insecurities as I looked at what has been accomplished this year and how far it still has to go. It is completely overwhelming at times and addressing issues with staff is not my favorite thing to do. Confrontation is so difficult for me and part of our conversations today just meant so much confrontation for me.
Introspection can be a really good thing. It makes you take a hard look at things going on in your life...in your work...in your family...and it encourages you to bring change to the places that are needing change.
But change isn't always easy. Change is difficult and it is sometimes painful.
And looking ahead at what needs to happen before the start of the next academic year...well, there needs to be a lot of change.
So, while I so enjoyed time with the kids walking through the farm and gardens and seeing the children ask questions and see things that they haven't every seen before, I also was challenged to continue to bring in change into this school, among my staff here particularly.
And it's not going to be easy...but that doesn't mean it won't be good.
I keep coming back to the TRUTH. Perfect love casts out fear. Our children at CORM have already experienced their fair share of fear. So this school should be the place where they experience the perfect love of Christ. And it's there where they can experience true freedom.
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Amen!
ReplyDeleteI'll be super confrontational with you for the next couple weeks, help you practice : )
Aut you CAN do what you need to do. You have wonderful examples to follow. First, your mother. Think of how she confronts the kids at her house when they need to change. She says it how it is. The TRUTH can hurt but it always ends up being the best for everyone.
ReplyDeleteYou have an example in Johnbull. How many times has he had to get down and dirty with workers who were not working or not doing what they said they would do. He talked with them with force and integrity. He told it how things really should be and how the worker no longer fit into the vision of CORM.
And last you have the most perfect example to follow, CHRIST. Do you think that Christ , in the outer court of a Jerusalem temple, wondered how he was going to confront those men selling animals for sacrifice...Yes,they were selling animals like they were supposed to, but in the wrong place-they were not suppose to be in the temple court. You have some people who work for you that need to hear the TRUTH, with integrity, with the knowledge that they are in the wrong place. You can do what needs to be done because Christ walks right there with you!!!
You CAN do what you need to do!