Ginny Stoller has worked in education for 13 years and with plenty of experience in teaching, Stoller's aunt and uncle asked her to help them with the beginnings of the new Lifesong-Meserete Kristos Primary School in Ethiopia.

"It was a whole different world there, beautiful, but different," Stoller said. "Going back and forth to work was always an adventure because we'd have to stop for sheep or a cow in the middle of the road or you'd be packed into a rusty, old van with 20 other people trying to catch a breath of fresh air with your nose out of the window."

Stoller, a Van Wert High School 1992 graduate, took a leave of absence last August from her position as a senior English teacher at Ottawa-Glandorf High School to stay with her relatives Gary and Peggy Ifft in Ethiopia until May.

Stoller's aunt and uncle have lived in Ethiopia for 10 years. They worked with three different organizations before starting their own, Misgana Ministries, and they teamed with Lifesong for Orphans to build the new school in Ziway, Ethiopia.

"When I got there the school wasn't finished," Stoller said. "It opened in September and it was pretty neat to see the kids come the first day."

Even before the school opened, Stoller had work to do beginning with deciding which kids to enroll.

"The most heartbreaking thing was seeing the lines of parents and grandparents trying to get their kids into the school," Stoller said. "There was just this huge, heartbreaking need and we just didn't have enough room for everyone. We tried to squeeze as many desks into the classrooms as we could, but we still couldn't fit all the kids."

Stoller acted as a co-director for three schools: the new primary school with first through fifth grade students and two preschools, one a nursery and the other kindergarten. Stoller and the other administrators accepted students based on the greatest need.

"The parents and grandparents knew that if the kids would get into school, they would have a better future," Stoller said. "The other thing was that this was the only school in the area that provided the kids with breakfast and lunch."

According to Stoller, even the children recognized the great opportunity they had as students at the school.

"All the kids were so proud and happy to be there," Stoller said. "They all knew what a great privilege it was and they valued their chance to learn."

Stoller also remembers all the love the children had.

"If I would stand outside a classroom when school let out, everyone wanted a hug before they left and then they'd want another one," Stoller said. "Sometimes it was overwhelming how much love they had to share."

Stoller did more administrative work than she expected because the language barrier proved difficult to overcome, but she still enjoyed the work she did.

"As Co-Director, I acted sort of like a principal," Stoller said. "Everything was new, so the administrative roles were important because we had to figure out how to make this work. Each day was new and I had to be flexible because I never knew what I would have to do next."

The school held a flagpole ceremony each morning where the students and staff sang the national anthem and had morning prayer. Following that, the students learned a Bible verse each week and would memorize it in both English and their own language of Amharic.

"Learning the Bible verses was a great way to teach the Bible and English," Stoller said.

The language barrier prevented Stoller from getting to teach as much as she expected, but she still felt she could communicate with the students.

"What I am happiest about is that even though the language barrier was difficult, I felt I could connect," Stoller said. "I could be walking to the school and a second grader would walk with me and even if we couldn't speak, I still felt connected. Sometimes we would even say Bible verses just as a way to communicate."

Stoller enjoyed her time in Ethiopia and felt the people deserve attention because they have so much need.

"The people were just so generous, polite, kind and welcoming," Stoller said.

To help raise funds for expansion of the primary school in Ziway, Jeff Stoller, a relative of Ginny, plans on hosting a hog roast in Van Wert set for Saturday August 27 at Hueston Woods. The event will allow the community to learn about the needs in Ethiopia and the plan to expand the school and the public will be able to make donations to the cause. All are invited to the event and more information will be released as it becomes available.



Source: http://www.timesbulletin.com/