September 2012 Sarah Masson Update

One of our Iris girls recently had her 16th birthday. On the eve of her birthday she ran over to my house wanting to spend to time with me. We were chatting about life and getting ‘older’. I asked her what she wanted to be for real when she grows up. She took a minute and then said, “I really do want to be a teacher.” She continued to say “I am going to be a teacher here and they will not even recognize where I have come from!” Curious about what this meant, I asked her to explain. She continued, “Aunty, when all the new kids come when they are little, I will be older, finished school and have become a teacher! The new kids won’t recognize me as having been one of them before". Basically, she was telling me that she will be unrecognizable to the newer generation of Iris kids that will take the places in the 4 new homes on base here. She will be made new and transformed! I thought this line of thinking was incredibly deep and intelligent. It really impacted me.

I’m continuously impacted by the children that ‘we take care of’, most of the time feeling that they ‘take care of us’. It’s very similar to how Jesus washes us clean from the old into the new; we are unrecognizable. Often friends and family say to us, “who are you, what have you done to my good friend, brother or sister?”  For this girl to become a teacher in the future, coming from the place that Papa Mo found her 5 years ago is incredible!! For the kids to have dreams of what they want to be in the future is amazing!

One of the cooks on base continuously encourages the children to do well in school so they will be able to choose what life they want to live. As his parents didn’t encourage him to go further, he says to our kids, “stay in school, so you will have a future!”

I continue to enjoy spending quality time with the Iris girls and talking to them about life, and all that’s included in this precious life that we have been given. We discuss our differences and our similarities - homework questions. It's a real honour for me to continue to love and teach the Iris children in my spare time.

In what’s called ‘my day job’, I continue to be assistant to the director as I complete creative and administrative projects that come up during our days in the office.

I was recently asked to take on the hospitality duties on base. This means that I will be screening applicants, communicating about their upcoming trip to Iris Malawi and assisting and hosting our International visitors during their stay with us.

I have been teaching English as needed. My students (who are working adults) have been very busy in the past few months, so we have not been having classes. I really enjoy teaching, but for now will continue with my main responsibilities and assist our children with homework after school.

Chichewa lessons are a bit informal these days! I’m looking for a good time schedule with my teacher. In the meantime I continue to muffle my way through, and somehow we communicate by the grace of God.

I have been here since September 2010 and soon I will be applying for another 2 year permit. My current permit will expire in March 2013.

We are a family!  Ups and downs and all arounds…good days and bad days. We continue to love, care, and support each other in whatever happens.

Perhaps someday, you will be able to come and see for yourself! :)