Message From Lynn Gabriel
(Principal, Crossroads School, Kerala, India)
Abey, Esther and Lynn
Thanks giving is here and I have a heart full of thanks and praise to God.
Things are hectic here with Covid numbers coming up and all the related work. I am so thankful to you for the timely help you gave us all throughout this pandemic. We were able to help run a community kitchen and most importantly buy provision and make it into kits for the needy and distribute it from the churches. It’s been an amazing thing that we were able to help all who asked for it and not turn back any.
“God is leading us through the pandemic and online teaching. “ But when I started writing this letter , it made me realize , it’s been an AMAZING journey. When our school academic session was abruptly stopped, we were panicked. We were panic stricken. We have almost a 100 staff, not one owning a laptop of his/her own , most of them did not own a smart phone, 90% computer illiterate (very few barely knew how to send E- mail or Google); 50% did not even own a smart phone. But I don’t know why, I was not afraid a bit. I prayed every moment of the day – (most every awake moment– in my heart. )The rest of the time I goggled and researched . Talked to many experts , mainly, people in the U S and Middle East. , who had already started remote teaching. Then I spoke with teachers of ours, but they were panicked-told me over and over , very respectfully, it is not going to work, but were willing to work hard and offered me that they will stand with me and do whatever I say. – Thus started the training . From switching on a desktop..... or a lap top...first time googling...... to Google class ..... Microsoft Teams and what not. We did it!!Days and days of training and studying. Not one day of summer vacation we took. Now looking back , it’s an amazing experience.
But coming to school to work was not practical any more as the Covid cases rose. We could not have done it , if many Christians in USA had not helped us immensely to buy lap tops. We bought 16 new lap tops , which is shared between 35 teachers. There was a lot of juggling of lap tops initially , but now we have settled down. Then the rest of the teachers share the laptops of their husbands or brothers or some family. Some has rented and those who live near by still come to school and use the desk tops of the school computer lab. Each and every day we are so thankful to the Christian Brethren in the US for helping us buy the laptops and showing us your wholehearted and timely support. It means a lot .
The major problem we faced then is the availability of phones for kids . Many parents did not have smart phones – though all have regular cell phones. Sometimes we have 3 kids in a family sharing one phone. So we made time table from morning 7 am to evening 7 pm . So kids can share the one phone among siblings and all get a chance to attend at least a class every day. We also clubbed kids who had no phone at all , to neighbor kids who had phones and also we seek help from local libraries or good safe neighbors etc .We have about 70% kids on online classes everyday. The rest we do WhatsApp recorded class and some we post mail ( ordinary postal letters not emails)lessons and work after each class. And 100% of our board facing 10, 11 and 12th grades students are on our online classes. They have 3 hours of class every day.
Another major problem we faced then was the losing of jobs of
parents. The parents of many of our kids are now unemployed. Many of them are daily wages earners and have lost their livelihood . Due to the lock down, the farmers were not able to reap the crops timely and couldn’t sow timely and there is nothing to reap now. We have severe difficulty in getting tuition fees. Not even getting 50 %of the fees.130 students have dropped out in the past 5 months. We are afraid many more will go. Due to the abundant help from all of you, we have been able to pay our teachers and , staff till date. Since we are not compulsorily pressing parents for full fees , they are not forced to take away the kids from school. The parents are so thankful for the generosity of Crossroads school and in turn we are thankful to each and every one of the Brothren in U S , who has helped us in this Covid situation . Words can’t express my gratitude but the groaning of my heart is heard by my Almighty God. This is why I said “He is leading me through” Every day – Amazingly- people around me wonder . Other school principals were both shocked and amazed how such a rural school got this done. The above is my testimony to share.
We did our arts competitions and science fair online and one of the leading news paper of India , Malayalam Manorama (readership of about 20 million) put an article about our online teaching on it. Look what God can do. Took such an unfavorable situation and made it a blessing that His power could be witnessed.
Once again Happy Thanksgiving to you.
Thankyou very much.
We love you all so much.
Love
Lynn Gabriel
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