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"Gradation"






Today's cultural experience was quite a new one for us. Nursery school graduation (called "gradation"). Like many special events, it was an EVENT!

We hurried to get to the school by 9:00am, but given the gloomy cold rainy weather we figured that we would not be late for the "9:00am" start. On top of that, the head teacher broke his leg a few weeks ago and is still in the hospital in traction, so he was not around to "make things happen." So we helped put up the tent and decorations. I'm not sure when it started, no earlier than 10:00am. There were speeches, a sermon with an altar call (two folks came forward!
Pray for these two souls!), presentations by K1 and K2 (songs and recitations), a full debate by the older children's debate team, a drama and songs by the graduating K3 class... By 3:00pm, lunch hadn' t been served yet and we received the go-ahead to leave. We were grateful since we were exhausted!

The most interesting part was the presentation of the certificates to the young graduates. A name was called, a parent and relatives emerged from the parent's tent, grabbed the child, dragged or carried the mystified child at a near run to the presenter while the women in the escorting group let out a shrill yelping exclamation of joy. (We'll figure out how to get a sound file for you to hear this Acoli sound of joy, also used in church services to praise God or to greet a visitor in a group if the visitor brings particular joy.) The children looked bewildered at the scene but had a quiet sense of pride once they were back on terra firma looking at their certificate.

(One of our two Home of Love graduates with her certificate. It is VERY special that she has her hair braided - usually it is nearly shaved short.)

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