I would like to share an amazing experience we had in our classroom this afternoon. Two women from the African Studies Outreach program at the UW came to share their culture with us. I would like to thank Sarah for organizing this in-house presentation to help prepare for the Learning Expo next week. Yinka, a woman from Nigeria, taught us a few words and phrases in her native language. She also shared with us what the traditional clothing is like in her country. She brought a suitcase full of clothing for us to try on. All of the kids had an opportunity to try on at least one article of clothing and had a fabulous time with it. Some children even dressed like the king of Nigeria! Yinka was so sweet and kind. She was quick to praise us as we shyly struggled to speak a new language. She was also quite generous when she offered to let us borrow her entire suitcase of clothing for our Art and Learning Expo next Friday evening! To say we are extremely excited is an understatement. Nhlanhla, a woman from South Africa, shared African storytelling with us. As she told us a story, she engaged the class by asking them to clap the rhythms she beat on her drum throughout the story. We enjoyed clapping a variety of rhythms. The story she told us had a beautiful moral which I would like to share with you. The story was about various body parts coming together for a meeting to decide which of them was the most important to the overall body. The head, eyes, tongue, hands, heart, and feet each shared why they thought they were the most important body part. Before Nhlanhla revealed her thoughts about which part was most important, she asked the class which body part they thought was most important. As you might expect, answers varied. Some stated that the head was the most important because it controls all the other parts. Some said that the heart was the most important because its beating keeps us alive. Someone said that all the parts are equally important. Nhlanhla's face brightened with this answer. To further the student's thinking on this matter, she compared the body parts to the people in the room. She asked the students who was the most important person in our room. The students replied, "Mrs. Kreutz." She paused, considering this answer, then asked who was the next most important person in the room. The students responded, "Miss Koenig." Again, she asked who was important in the room. One student responded, "God." She smiled at this response and nodded her head in agreement. She asked the question one final time, and the students stated that they were the next most important in the room. To help the students understand that we are all equally important, she asked them all to consider their role in the class, as a friend and as a student, and how it feels when one of us is absent, even the teacher. All agreed that when even one person is absent, no matter who it is, the room feels different. We concluded that we function best, and it feels best when all of us are present. So just as the head or any other body part, may not be the most important part, no one person in our room is more important than the other. We all work together for the good of the group, bringing our unique qualities, just as the various body parts work together for the good of the body. Nhlanhla stressed that we should always be kind to one another and be mindful not to make anyone feel that they are not important. To conclude her time with us, she read Matthew 22:37-39. It says,' Jesus replied: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' She reinforced what we learn in school, and that is the acronym JOY: Jesus first, others second, and yourself next. Throughout the dialogue with Nhlanhla, the students were respectful to her and one another. Many kind and caring comments were made by students, about other students and the class as a whole, that brought goosebumps to my arms and tears to my eyes. It was truly an amazing experience in which my retelling cannot do justice. I was so proud of how all the students listened and participated in this activity. Both women have been in the United States since August and will be returning to their home countries next month. During their time here, they have been visiting many local schools to share their culture. As they were packing up, both women shared with me that our students were hands down the best group that they have had the privilege to visit. Yinka, in a very serious and sincere tone, told me that our school is "different." She said that she could see the love of Christ permeating among us. She said that the students were considerate of each other and shared a love for each other that they haven't seen anywhere else. Yinka also said that she noticed the phrase "to know Jesus and make Him known" on our mission statement poster as she entered our building. She said that she could see and feel that this was happening in our class. Finally, she told me that our school is special and that she would love to come back in 2019 when she returns to Madison to begin work on her Ph.D. in English studies. Just as Yinka and Nhlanhla enjoyed their time with the students today, I too enjoy spending each school day with them. I feel blessed to be their teacher, and I couldn't have been more proud of them than I was today. God's blessings, Mrs. Kreutz