A disclaimer to start. I tell this story because it has a moment of
true beauty to it. I’m just trying to do
it some justice. To get to that moment
though, faith and culture may get caught in the crossfire. This story is in no way a jab against any culture
or creed. The flip side is true as
well. I don’t write it as an endorsement
of a particular faith or culture, either.
It’s just a moment laced with some beauty and I hope it is taken that
way. So, here we go.
If Spanish is your first language, we’ve got you covered here. It’s Southern California and we know our
audience. We’ve got instructional
assistants, teachers, and other staff members that speak Spanish well. Our English Language Development is primed
for the native Spanish speaker. Our
number of families that check Latino on school forms hovers around 80%. It just makes sense.
If Egyptian is your native tongue, then we are a bit limited. No one here speaks Egyptian, well or
otherwise. Of course kids are truly
resilient, particularly when it comes to acquiring language. I have seen kids with no knowledge of English
pick up an amazing amount in a matter of months. It’s a joy to watch when you get a chance. Progress in over-drive.
The new boy speaks only Egyptian.
And he is brand new to the country.
No language references. No
culture connections, either. An island,
of sorts. But, his teacher is in
luck. There is a little girl in the room
who speaks Egyptian and English. She is
second generation and the perfect liaison to help navigate the new student back
and forth between both languages and some of the nuances that go with each.
When asked to translate and answer questions for the boy, the young girl
is only too eager to help. She nods
emphatically, and moves her seat next to him.
She is excited for the chance to illuminate a brand new world for
somebody.
First few days, the teacher notices nothing. The boy never asks any questions of the
girl. When she attempts to translate,
the boy works to ensure no eye contact is made.
Occasionally, he leans to the girl and whispers a few, short
phrases. Something is up. At the end of the day, the teacher pulls the
young girl aside.
“I notice he doesn’t seem to ask anything. Ever.
Is he understanding at all?”
The girl nods. “Some.” He is very strong in math and understands
during math.
“What about the rest?
“I’m not really sure,” she says, looking a little uncomfortable.
“What’s the matter?”
“He refuses to accept my help because I am a girl.”
“Oh, I am so sorry that I put you in that situation. I didn’t realize.”
“It’s okay,” she says calmly.
“But, I did notice him talking to you very briefly from time to
time.” The young girl nods.
“Yes. He is forbidden to talk to
me. His parents won’t allow it because I
am a Christian.”
The teacher seems confused by this.
“Then, what was he saying to you?”
“He was cursing me because of my faith.”
By now, the teacher feels awful.
“Again, I am truly sorry. It was
insensitive of me. I deeply apologize
for all of this.” The girl just smiles.
“No, no. Don’t be sorry. I want to thank you, really.”
“Thank me?”
“Yes. I thank you for the
opportunity. My mother was so proud of
me, because I used my faith.” She
smiles, ponders her sentence, and then corrects herself. “I am my faith,” she says proudly.
I have heard it explained that if you discard or ignore your values when
they are tested, then you don’t really have any values. You have something more akin to hobbies. No hobbies here. Just faith.
I thought about ending with the lines about children inheriting the
kingdom of God. Good Bible reference. But, I think the words from her own pure
heart work best. “I am my faith.”
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