Mawar Sharon Christian School

I’ve translated this phrase, Mawar Sharon, for many people now, but really, where does this phrase “Rose of Sharon” come from? My mom told me that Rose of Sharon is used as one of the many titles for Mary in the Catholic Church. I also asked a coworker just now what she thought it meant, and she said that Rose of Sharon can grow and flower even in the desert. Hence, the host church where I am volunteering adopted the philosophy of growing a strong, faithful church in the midst of whatever surroundings there may be. 

The welcome desk

Lobby

Here she is, MSCS. While the outside of the school looks a little like the face of a transformer, the inside is clean and cozy! 

Words of encouragement fill the halls

As well as words of...caution?? : /  Yikes!

Whirlwind weeks

I finished work at “I Have A Dream” Foundation on July 17^th, flew out July 18^th at 6 AM, arrived in Surabaya at 9 AM on July 20^th, and went to the church for the first day on July 22^nd. I have also visited the church's sister school to see what that is like. Last Thursday (July 30^th) the senior high students arrived for the first time. As 10^th graders, most of them were part of the first class that ever existed at MSCS (the school began 10 years ago). However, a handful of the 29 10^th graders have been at MSCS only since middle school (grades 7-9), and 3 of the 29 are completely new to MSCS. 

"1st Batch" had already happened by the time I tried to explain that that was more for cookies than students...

  

The school building

The facility is a beautiful, clean building with 6 floors. The higher the floor, the older the students! 

Standard classroom, complete with President Jokowi and the VP's picture flanking the Garuda. Because this is, after all, still Indonesia!   

A candid shot of some teachers. The staff is overwhelming yuppies in their 20s and 30s. 

  The church and school are equipped with Western toilets, classrooms with the black lab tables just like I used in high school, a classroom with a full kitchen for Life Skills class, a (nearly empty) library, computer labs, an elevator that sadly only runs from 7 AM to 4 PM (meaning that the 6:40 AM and 4:30 PM arrival and departure forces teachers to walk up and down 5 flights of stairs), lockers for the middle and high school students, and so on!

Chem/Bio lab

Life skills classroom

The library that is rather empty at the moment.

Computer lab

Hooks for the little kids

Lockers for the big kids

It really is a beautiful school, but it is bursting at the seams. The school prefers to have moving classes for the middle and high school students, but it is not possible with the number of classes this year (pre-K-10^th grade). Just like Peace Corps, the teacher comes to the students’ classroom, not vice versa.

Miss Nensy modeling the elementary school staff work room

The high school teachers' workroom...the school is maxed out on space, so they all have to share this one room until they move to a new location next school year!

Students

While I have spent a few days at the school, today was my first day interacting with them in English. I have to say, I was pretty doubtful about their level of English after witnessing how everything happened in Indonesian on the first day of school. All communication with teachers is also in Bahasa Indonesia, so it’s a real blessing I speak it. Most of the teachers from pre-K-10^th grade speak either decent or pretty darn good English, but it is not always required that they use English when teaching. It will depend on the teacher and the subject. 

Team-building activities

Indoor playground!

Sports field for gym class

Anyways, the students. These students are SMART! Today, I heard references to “a short summary of WWII”, “9/11 and Al Quaeda, John Wilkes Booth and Abraham Lincoln, Miller’s “Paradise Lost,” Dante’s “Inferno,” “Girl Meets World”, and more! These students are nothing, I repeat, nothing like my students during Peace Corps. Many of them travel to MSCS from 20-30 minutes away. Some have drivers. Some visit other countries on Christmas and summer break. Some of them make movies and are in bands. I bet most of them have laptops, too. 

I find myself struggling already to bridge the gap in my mind between these students and those in Jombang. I have to hold back from widening my eyes as I tell people I meet here in Surabaya that basically one student in Jombang spoke conversational English, and their classrooms in Jombang are little more than 4 cement walls. I do not want to discredit the wonderful personalities and smart students I met in Jombang, but when I see firsthand the haves and have nots, those presented with countless opportunities and those who do not have opportunities, the gap is gaping.

First day seminar with the school pastor, Mr. Victor

Praise and worship with the students...including three students who were asked to dance in front of the screen the whole time. Needless to say, there were no smiles from these middle schoolers when asked to do this. : )