Doors open, children line up, check in and get breakfast. Faces are moving all the time, looking where they can play, conversations are overheard about which to do first: the ball pit or the tricycles? Children are overflowing with energy and want to run, laugh and do everything. But there are always children rushing down the stairs and stopping tentatively to look at the craft tables. What can we do today? Is there frosting? Frosting is a favorite item to apply to everything. Some forget the glue and add the frosting first. “You need glue,” others tell them, but before the teacher opens her mouth to tell them that the frosting must be removed before putting on the glue, a brown mess has already been created. The children, disappointed, look at the teacher and hear the response, “it’s okay, don’t worry, that’s how we learn, now you know we need glue to stick the frosting on. Let’s start again.” Soon the frosting runs out and the children begin to use play dough and wool to make the figures. Today they color the hands. Last week they decorated silhouettes of boys and girls with messages “I was created in God’s image” or “God is always with me”. The week before last, they made paper snow designs with a Canadian group of high school students. Next time, who knows what they will do, but we do know that they will be welcome, encouraged to participate, to learn and to experience the love of God.
Art in the Jungle
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