art club

Thanks for praying for Agnes, saw her yesterday and she seemed fine, she giggled when I poked her in the belly so I think that means she’s fine!

So art club…art is making something outside yourself to show what is inside yourself, it’s a way to figure things out, think about things, question things, challenge things or tell a story. It takes creativity and courage and therefore anyone can do it. It can mean nothing or it can show all sorts of deep things that are hard to communicate, both types are good. Next Friday I’m hoping to start an art club with the older girls at Turning Point. Don’t know if anyone will come or will get what I’m on about. Im hoping it will be a fun time to make a mess with paint and glue and colours but I hope more than that we will be able to use the stuff we are doing to communicate beyond the ever present language barrier.

Whenever I have done art with the kids before they just want to copy what I have done exactly and some have been too scared even to try that in case they get it wrong. Whenever I chat with kids its hard to get beyond the usual conversation because I don’t know enough swahili and they don’t know enough English. Its still good to chat as its usually pretty funny but I don’t feel Im understanding them any better or really able to say anything of worth to them.

I would really appreciate your prayers that the art club will overcome some of this stuff, that it will encourage the kids to not be scared to share what they think or feel about things or to ask questions and not be scared to try things and make a mess. I’m praying God will help me to show them what art is meant to be about rather than teaching them to draw nicely or colour inside the lines. If it works as I plan, I’m hoping it will help me to understand the kids and the slum a bit better and that it might be a way for them to ask questions and explore stuff a bit more deeply. I’m super excited but also super scared that it will just be lame and not work at all so would really appreciate your prayers. God is good and if these ideas are from Him He will be faithful to make it happen.