What's it really like? One to One
My name is Katharine Fairbairn and I spent 5 months with Wycliffe on the One to One programme in Cameroon from July to December 2006. My placement involved teaching Missionary children from Kindergarten to 5th grade in two intense periods of three weeks of schooling in August and December in the capital city Yaoundé.
In between I had the awesome privilege of joining an American family at their home, a three day journey away in the Far North Province of Cameroon. I lived with them in a small village called Lalawai and was privileged enough to share in the great but challenging task of translating the Bible into the local language, Moloko.
My job whilst there was to teach French to all three children and to oversee the schooling of the youngest child, a delightful girl of 8. The family welcomed me so warmly into their home and made it so easy to live with them and to share in their daily lives, from walking the dog to playing the local market game to experiencing a little of the world of translation!
Having finished this placement I have come to learn what an integral part teachers play in the grand scheme of giving God’s word to His people in a language which speaks to them personally. In Cameroon alone I can’t count the number of families with young children who take part in this amazing task, and if their days are filled by home schooling their children as well as keeping house, numerous meetings and other day to day challenges then life becomes very difficult for them. FES (Field Education System) in Yaoundé allows many parents to entrust the children into the hands of capable teachers and helpers every morning and gives the children the opportunity to benefit from learning with others their age and to interact with fresh faces.
In a home school environment it seems a lot easier to go crazy as the mother (or father!!!) often has the demanding task of looking after one or more students of differing ages and abilities. Having a tutor coming in, whether qualified or not, is often a great help as it allows the parent to focus on one child at a time whilst not neglecting the others. Reports from previous parents say that having a tutor who can also help outside of school is a great help, particularly in family life, where they can take on tasks which otherwise would not get done and be around when help is needed.
Having been in this situation I feel that as well as benefiting those around me, God has also changed me, whether that be through easy times or the not so easy times. He is faithful in all things! Hallelujah!!
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