Math

Math was never one of my favorite subjects. I remember many nights being
up late crying as my dad would walk me through my math homework. So it
seems so odd to me that many of the boarders love math, or as their
teachers call it 'maths' (we are working on that one). They love it,
they cheer when it's time to study it in class, they are content if you
simply sit with them and give them problems to work through. I'm not
sure if it's the challenge or the enjoyment of being good at the subject
but they find joy in it nonetheless. Today I was sitting in the assembly
hall with some of the boarders and we went from playing tic-tac-toe to
math facts- not sure how that change came about but I rolled with it.
Soon it was me against them, they used my phone to come up with
outrageous equations for me. One boy in paticular is very intelligent,
loves his numbers and has a contagious laugh. Each time he gets an
equation right he laughs, this full heart, giggle cackle mixture. I'm
not sure who he laughing at, me or himself but I love it! Even if I have
to be quizzed on my math skills I would do it just to enjoy his
happiness. These boys, and Aisha, are so anxious to learn, I'm not sure
that as children they can fully grasp how education is going to change
their lives but their families must. When we visit Fulani camps across
Nigeria there are hardly any boys around, they are all off following
cows, an important job that ensures the camp's livelihood and
well-being. So when we see our 22 boys and Aisha here as boarders we
know their family must value education, and value the change that can
happen because of this school; their sacrifice speaks volumes to us.
These are the warm fuzzies, the things that God is bringing about for
his glory, the positive change, the justice for this tribe, the
opportunity and future. Knowing this I will gladly sit in the hot sun,
with 22 bodies packed around me, practicing math equations.