Graduation celebration!

Yesterday Kevin and Ebert graduated the 6th grade. This is different than it is in the States--here they have grade school from grades kindergarten through 6th, and then high school is 7th-12th. Depending on what the student wants to do as a profession, sometimes only 2 years of high school is required. For example, to go to nursing school you only need 3 years of high school & then you can go to nursing school. Here, if a child even attends school that is a success for the child and their family. But for a child to finish school through 6th grade is the same level of success & accomplishment as a student in the States graduating high school. So, needless to say, yesterday was a big deal and I am SO proud of these two young men!!! Kevin & Ebert will both continue in their studies by going on to high school later this winter when the school year starts up again.

Kevin & Ebert ready to graduate!

Although many graduate's parents come to the graduation ceremony, each student has to pick a madrina or padrino to be there to support and represent them as well. A madrina is kind of like a godparent, except it doesn't necessarily involve any guardianship if the parents were to die, etc. It's mostly someone the child & parents pick to be there for all major life events: graduations, weddings, baptisms, etc. Generally it's an aunt, uncle, cousin, or close family friend. Ebert asked me to be his madrina and it wasn't until later on when talking with Lisa about it more that I realized how much of an honor & privilege it was for me to be his madrina. I have known him since he was a tiny little 11 year old with a squeaky voice, and now he's growing up to be a young man who is fighting to succeed in school and honor God with his life. Although he was a little nervous to walk up in front of everyone (he had to go up twice because he also graduated with some of the best grades in his class) he looked so proud to be graduating! Lisa and myself and very proud of both Kevin & Ebert and excited for them to continue on to high school! 

Ebert picking a flower for me in 2013

Ebert graduating 6th grade 2017

To paint a picture of how the graduation ceremony went...we were told it started at 2pm. So, we showed up around 2:20 thinking no one shows up on time anyway. Well, even 2:20 was WAY too early with only one other student there. Around 3:30 or so everyone was there & the graduation finally started. Similar to the States, several teachers & school directors gave long winded speeches and kids and adults alike were already hot, tired, and wanting to go home! Haha. Pretty sure I've never met anyone that genuinely liked graduations. Celebrating graduation? Yes. The actual ceremony? No. Mind you, we are outside in the middle of the afternoon and it is HOT. Each graduate walks down the aisle and is seated in their section, then everyone stands for the national anthem which Ebert directed. Then, they pair up and do a dance to a traditional song, and then a few select students do a group dance to another song. More speeches are given. 

Traditional dance

Next, each graduate and their madrina/padrino were called up to accept their diploma with them. Then, the graduates and their madrina/padrino all went to the front and danced together. Of course Ebert was totally embarrassed to be dancing with me in front of everyone--but even though we were literally just stepping back and forth to the music, he did muscle up the courage to spin me at the very end of the song. :) After the ceremony, we picked up some coke to have with dinner and I gave them their graduation presents: a new Adidas soccer jersey & new soccer socks. Shout out to everyone who donated so I can make days like these special for them! Later this weekend or next week Lisa plans on taking us all out on an adventure to celebrate them graduating.

Kevin & his madrina, Fide

Familia

Now that graduation is over, it is a big thing checked off our list! This weekend is election weekend (which I'll write about in next post) and then the boys continue to be on vacation from school until February. Every day we continue to work on finishing the house, run errands, harvest & sell crops from the farm, etc and the list never ends. Please pray the rain will hold off (it started back up again this morning) and we can finish some of these major projects that are made much more difficult when it is raining and muddy. We are still in need of funding for the electricity project to be finished, along with a kitchen & laundry area to be built. Please pray for provision & if you want to donate check out bethesdahomeforboys.org or use their paypal directly at bethesdahomeforboys@gmail.com