Imagine an 8 year old in the 2nd grade who doesn't know how to read.  Take that even a step further and imagine that same child not knowing what sounds a letter makes, let alone which letter is which.  That is part of the reality I witnessed today at Ithemba.  Children here seem to go from grade to grade as they age, but really what grade they are in is meaningless.  It's the reality of a poor teacher to student ratio, and worse, the reality of passivity.  My heart breaks for these kids for their home lives, it breaks for the way they grow up and the lies they believe, and it breaks even more to see how many aren't getting the education they need to get out of the cycle. 

    This all came to a point today after I spent an hour working with one of my students trying to get him to understand what sound the letter 'T' makes.  I can't do enough.  I desire to take each of the children out of the class to do one-on-one work, but that leaves the rest of the class to be left with only one teacher to help.  I desire to be able to get them to the level they could be at, but I don't have the time or knowledge to devote myself to that! 

    Can you imagine living in a system where you have to pay to go to elementary through high school?  Where you are passed from grade to grade whether or not you know what is being taught, where a lot of times you are passed off just because. 

    I'm sorry, this is a short and scattered post, but I haven't had much time to process.  All I know is that my heart is breaking because I have fallen in love with my students and want more for them, more than they will see if they get stuck in this cycle, if they aren't able to make it out.  I have some students who are so bright, they could pick up the information in an instance, if only there were the resources to give them the time needed on a daily basis.  Just a thought.