This Little Light of Mine

So, today I write with some INCREDIBLY EXCITING NEWS ...

The Peace Train Class has started, and is off and running!

(This is a long one! Lots of beginning things. Talking about class structure, and philosophy --and just excited! -- so feel free to just look at the pictures and watch the videos if you would like :D )

So far, we have given a week of classes (2 2hr long sessions) of class at Centro Arte. The first class at the school I teach in across the lake and this past Sunday was the Grand Opening.

I am so beyond words, overflowing with this class. It is so amazing to see several years worth of work and preparation (both of the class material and of myself) put into action!

One of the things I am emphasizing is the Peace does not mean there is no conflict -- at times we all feel sad mad or frustrated and there are conflicts -- what peace is about is figuring out how to resolve conflict nonviolently in the midst of these tough feelings. And to do this, we first need to find the seed of peace within ourselves, and nourish it to share it with others. This, I suppose you could say, is the basic philosophy of the class. So through art projects, music, english, cooperative games, drama games, and circle time we are looking for and feeding our seeds of peace -- growing in self-esteem and self-confidence. Meanwhile, we are studying the Peace Train for tools to resolve conflicts. And studying peacemakers such as Romero, MLK, Mother Theresa, Nelson Mandela etc and inviting special guests to our class every week to lead an activity and show how the find peace to learn from examples how to live Peacefully.

Our first class at Centro Arte was about a week ago, Wednesday. We had 5 kids come (and one join half way through the class after observing the first half). We started in an opening circle, did check-ins (What made your peace this week? What broke it?), said a peace pledge.



Then we went to our stations! :

Learning from volunteer Alex about Monsenor Romero,


learning "This little light of Mine" and "Caminamos en la Paz de Dios" (originally "Marching in the light of God") from volunteer Ariel,


and tracing themselves with chalk and writing inside what brings them peace with Raquel -- one of our salvadoran helpers!




To rotate stations, we walk "in train" and sing "Marching in the Peace of God"


We ended in our circle, showing and telling what we did during the day and singing "This little light of mine" like we will every class. Amazing. See!!

Friday! We had 11 kids -- 5 boys and 6 girls. We again started in our circle and then went and saw volunteer Paul -- our special guest for the day. he brought his guitar and helped us write a song about the Peace Train. So cool.



We took a video which you can see here (The words to the song we wrote: "Vamos a subir el tren de paz / Alto alto cuando estoy enojado / Saber el problema / Buscar soluciones de paz / examina cada solucion/ Negociar una solusion" which means "Hop on board the Peace Train/ Know what the problem / look for peaceful solutions/ Examine each solution / Negotiate a solution").

Then we had one station to make situpons and another to paint using watercolors, a straw and their breath. We talked about the power of breath (and words). These pictures are going to be used as the "body" of little people we will put on the wall for each student -- they already all of glasses from Wednesday, which the decorated as "visions of peace" after learning about Romero. Oh yeah! And half way through each class we play a game -- to bring everyone together and to get out some of that always flowing fountain of energy every 7 8 and 9 year old has!

Oh my goodness, there is sooo much in the class that it's hard to convey it all. It's so life giving, I think both to me, the other volunteers and helpers, as well as the students. Two classes and there is already so much goodness!

At school on Monday, we also started with check ins and Peace Pledge and then we had a big peace of paper with a big circle in the middle -- Our World of Peace.

Around the World we traced our hands and drew what we like. In the middle, we each drew what gives us Peace. I was surprised at how well they all worked together -- I had classes of 12 and of 15, so a lot to all be doing the same thing on the same paper at once, but they did it! And were excited that it was going to be a regular thing.

Finally! On Sunday we had our GRAND PEACE TRAIN OPENING. We invited all 22 constructions kids and their families as well as well as all of the kids in the class and their families. We figured we'd have anywhere between 10 and 50 people show up, sometimes it's hard to know.



About 25 people in all came to witness the giving of diplomas and lots of thanks to the constructors.





Walter read the book he had written about his experience. I talked about the philosophy of the class. Raquel -- one of our amazing helpers!! -- talked about her experience as a helper, what we do, why the class is important. Walter and Raquel were perhaps some of the highlights of the afternoon.



They were both so articulate. Raquel tends towards the quite side and she talked in front of this group for 4 minutes!! Then the kids in the class and Paul and Ariel sang the song we had written with Paul on Friday. We ended, as we always do, singing "This Little Light of Mine" ("Esta Lucita Mia") and taught it to the parents!



At the end of the day, one of my students came over to me with a huge smile and said "Did we do well, Christy? Did we do well?" "Absolutely," I smiled hugely back and hugged him. "You did amazing!"

The light here is shining strong! What a privilege to be here, to be teaching this class, to be working with these kids.

LET IT SHINE LET IT SHINE LET IT SHINE