My first class starts at 0800 and I expected to teach three periods.  Today's session comprised the completion of the VIA Institute survey of the 24 gifts of the Holy Spirit (Character Strengths).  The teachers' class was cancelled.

I spoke to the Internet teacher to see if his students could help with the data entry from the pencil and paper answer sheets to the VIA website.  He agreed and brought in about 15 students, logged onto the site and they completed about 110 returns.  I finished the rest in the evening.  Without that support I am not sure I could have met my deadlines.  Thank you Charles and Paul!  While I thank them so much, they were so excited to be included that they closed their work on the surveys singing a great rendition of the East African National Anthem.  How blessed am I?  What a gift!

While the workshop is very active and uses up all kinds of energy, I cannot but reflect on my sense of actualization.  I sleep with a satisfaction beyond my understanding.  There is something mystical.  How unlikely it is a middle class white guy from Hamilton Ontario would end up in the twilight of his years working closely in the backwoods of Africa with hundreds of students rescued from deadly poverty?  Yet here am I...lions, giraffes, and elephants...oh my!