PRICELESS update

(by Jolene):

The follow up for the PRICELESS program is in full swing. It has been extremely challenging figuring out how to incorporate a follow up program that will work for such large numbers of students at a time. The goal has been something sustainable and continuous that the graduates can use as a source of encouragement and reminding.

For the first couple/few months, the students are working in smaller groups on dramas for a competition that we will host at each school as the students are ready. The students were challenged to remember as much of the curriculum as possible and create a relatively short drama to represent everything they learned. The competition will be judged based on how much content they were able to capture, how many in the group participate, and how good the drama is overall.

The hope is that, through the weekly meetings, the kids will build stronger relationships with each other to form accountability relationships and since the topic of abstinence will continually be brought up, it will cement their commitment. The teachers go from group to group to help them as they are working on their dramas as well as to share some encouragement from the Bible and pray with each group. Hopefully the continuing contact with the teachers will help the students feel safe and comfortable enough with the teachers to go to them if they are ever in a tough situation. Also, the more exposure to The Word the better.

Since the weekly meetings are essentially chaotic by design, it has been difficult to gauge how successful the meetings really are. I have been around to observe the follow up at 4 of the 6 schools. One of the teachers is really struggling and I am having a hard time figuring out what to do about that. The rest of the teachers are having a great time with it and say the kids love it. After doing the observing, I believe it. The dramas are coming along quite well. The kids are remembering even some of the obscure facts that they learned and are finding really fun ways to incorporate them. I am SOO impressed!!

Another unintentional outcome is that a lot more students are hearing the PRICELESS message than the ones who have completed the program. As the students are practicing their dramas, groups of other kids from the school are forming around them completely absorbed in the dramas ... and we haven't even started the competitions which the community will be invited to watch.

I am excited about how things are going. Thanks so much to Marianne and Bethany for working so hard on a solid curriculum that the kids found interesting enough to remember!!! Many prayers of thanks for the wonderful teachers that I have to work with. And many prayers still to be offered for continuing to find programs that keep the students active without causing too much activity on the part of teachers/muni.