Moira

At La Esperanza School, in addition to assisting with English conversation, I am now a mentor/tutor of sorts for a 12-year-old girl I’ll call Moira. To put it bluntly, Moira is not doing well in school. Her grades are so low, she may not be able to graduate to the next level. When I told a teacher I was going to start being around all day, her request was that I take Moira under my wing. She explained that Moira doesn’t finish her work and has a tendency to sit and stare. She needs to be encouraged to complete her assignments and to participate. I could see and hear the concern in the teacher’s eyes and tone of voice. She clearly really cares about Moira and wants her to succeed, but she has other students and can’t give Moira the individual attention she needs. That’s where I come in. I am free to walk about the classrooms, observing, disciplining and encouraging students. I am permitted to sit by Moira and to encourage her to complete her assignments.

This is Moira during an art exam. She painted the tree but wasn't going to draw the house that was part of the exam. I walked her through it, pointing out angles and counting lines for windows and such. It seemed to me she had no confidence and so just didn't want to try. She did a great job when she tried!

I quickly learned that Moira’s family situation is not good. I also learned that she has a tendency to walk aimlessly about town alone after school instead of going home. (I’m guessing the bad home life makes her not want to go home.) So now, one of my roles is to accompany her to her bus stop each day to ensure she goes home. I asked her about her family while we were waiting for the bus the other day, and it is quite a story. I didn’t understand all of what she said, but I gathered that she is from a broken family, has been passed around between relatives, and does not receive great care at home.

When I ask Moira questions, she answers me. But she doesn’t realize how much I need her to slow down, so I don’t understand most of what she tells me. I chuckled to myself today on the way to the bus stop as Moira was rattling off the answer to one of my questions, that I am glad she tells me more than “fine” when I ask about how things are, but a simple “bien” is at least something I would be able to understand!

I don’t know what Moira needs, but God does. Please pray with me that He would meet her needs, emotionally, physically and mentally, and that I would be sensitive to how I may join Him in His work and love her.