“Please teach us,” many children surrounded her.
Her arms were full of folders for a meeting in the hut down the path.
“Yes, of course,” She smiled as she set her things down.
A little boy proudly presented her with a stick that was perfect for writing in the dirt.
“We will start with the alphabet.” She placed her stick in the ground and drew a letter.
“A” a boy called out.
“Very good. Now we must all say “A.”
Several of the children knew their letters very well.
She tried not to frown as the two children a brother and a sister struggled. The teacher knew they had not been in school for some time and it made her sad. They tried very hard and finally got the sounds right.
All the children knew their numbers but addition and subtraction was much more difficult. One boy was very bright with all of his letters and numbers.
The teacher was called into her meeting. She shrugged as she felt that what she was doing was what was important.
Before she gathered her things, she gave each child a sweet.
“Well done,” she smiled.
Each child proudly carried something that belonged to the teacher.
“This is why we are in Uganda,” she whispered to herself as she waved goodbye to her pupils.
penned in moon dust 