Cooking From Scratch and English Camp

Baking brownies from scratch

Every Thursday afternoon a group of locals, both girls and guys, gather at Baan Kanoon, community center where we volunteer, to learn how to make an American dish.  The best part is they get to eat what they make!  Last Thursday, L was asked to help teach the cooking class at Baan Kanoon.  Not being the best cook, L was a little nervous.  Thankfully, someone else was in charge of the menu and gathering all the supplies. We made brownies and chili all from scratch.  I must say I have a new appreciation for the convience of box brownies.  They are so much easier, but it was really fun to learn how to make them and to see the smiles on their faces while they mixed the ingredients together and ate the finished product.  Most locals don't like sweets, but this one was a success.  We gave them a copy of the chili and brownie recipe to take home with them so they can try to cook it again if they like.  During the class we are able to talk about cultural differences and teach them about life in America and American food.  In turn, they share about local food and culture.  It is great to see them in a relaxed setting and ready to share their life with you.

Mixing it all up

       Yummy!!

 American Chili

Last Friday, L spent the day teaching English at an English Camp south of our city for 400 students.  This camp was located in area close to the villages we are working in.  The school officials called some people from our company asking for volunteers to teach.  We agreed to come teach at the camp if we could share "The Story" with each of the children and school staff.  They quickly agreed to our terms, so we took 15 people to the camp.  

School

Opening Ceremony

Kids must remove shoes before entering the school

We broke the kids into two groups-elementary and upper grades. Each group of kids rotated through six stations where they would have the opportunity to learn/practice English words, games, and stories.  L taught English fruit and vegetables while the kids taught her how to say it in their language.  It was great practice and the kids had a great time laughing at her as she tried to pronounce the words.  Each student made a bead bracelet with all the colors of "The Story."  After they made the bracelet, they were explained "The Story" from beginning to end.  The kids and staff were so interested-most expressed they had heard nothing like it before.  The kids and staff asked us to come back and share more with them.  Two of the staff members even came to our community center that night wanting to hear more and to get involved with the activities there!  It was so amazing!  L met one teacher who wants to begin studying English with her once a week and begin coming to the community center.  It is amazing how the Father uses any avenue to complete His work.  Next week, our company will have a meeting with the school official to see when we can return to tell more stories. Some people with our company will also be following up with different families they met during the camp.  What a great day!

L teaching

Kids hearing "The Story"

Teacher who wants to study English with L once a week