In Praise of Teens (and lots of them)

This morning we moved RMS: shifted our missionary-kid school from a half of a former girls' dorm at Christ School, up to a vacant mission house (the former Tabb house). This will free up space at CSB for more teacher housing. And it will make use of a very spacious home that SIL graciously allowed us to inherit. There is a whole library-room for books, and probably three times as much space inside and ten times as much outside as we had before. We are so grateful.

From the Lee and Herron days, through the Leary, Tabb, and Myhre era on to the Massos and Barts, Fillyaws, Pierces . . .we've accumulated a serious number of books and great curriculum and resources. But moving it all is quite a monumental task. Ashley and the other teachers worked hard to organize for weeks, but the final effort would have taken us days instead of hours were it not for the willing and able teens we are blessed to have around. Fourteen boys and Julia, to be precise. They hefted shelves and loaded trunks with books, carried them to the truck, and unloaded them. We had crews on both ends to unpack and return the trunks empty for the next load. Desks, tables, even a couch and chair set, huge chalk boards, art supplies, notebooks, sports equipment, all the assorted paraphernalia of a primary school. And all the furniture handmade locally of VERY HEAVY wood.

This afternoon they're having lunch in a local "hotel", playing soccer, and generally recovering. So a moment to pause in praise of growth, maturity, service . . an muscle power.