NOTE: I know many of you have talked about sending packages of some type. I think your gifts could be more effective if you wait for me to get back and I can help you with some ideas. The students of Awere and the people of Gulu, thank you in advance.
Today, we said goodbye to the Group 1 teachers. On this blog, I have tried to use names to give you some feel of our days. Now I would like to tell you about my 6 colleagues.
Phil has a Ph. D. and is currently teaching at Boise State. He was closest to me in age and also to world view. We had several short chats where it just seemed our acknowledgment of mutual thoughts was comforting. I thought he was the old man of the group, but it turns out that is me. (Damn, I hate when that happens). Phil was and is very dedicated to his craft and his teaching. He is an old Detroit kid, and accepted my World Series commemorative ball with good humor and good grace. I like to know that there are people like Phil Kelly in the world. I think he brings a common sense and everyman's heart to everything he does and everyone he teaches. He also has the power of conviction to not be easily swayed from his views. He trusts the path he has taken, and uses his experience to help those around him and his students. I think the best part of Phil is the part I have not seen, he is a father to 3 daughters and has a wonderful wife, and I bet that just being a dad on a daily basis is Phil's greatest talent. Thanks, Phil.
On the other side of the age spectrum is Brian, Brian went to Miss. State, and the two of us are going to try to figure out how to see a State baseball game somewhere next year. He taught last year in Mississippi, but is moving to Houston to help his best friend coach and teach soccer. Brian is an English teacher, and brings real and honest dedication to his work. He was always being nice to someone in our house. I think he might have done the best job of just meeting people where they were and listening to them and sharing his thoughts with their views. I think he will be a wonderful teacher, and I would have brought him home to teach at Nerinx, but he is too cute and would have provided too much of a distraction to you girls. It is amazing how both Phil and Brian although completely different people share a real love of family. Brian has two brothers that he talked about often and very fondly. You can tell he has a real admiration for the work his father has done.
The third male, is also quite different. Seth Finkle is from New York and taught the Horah (spelling ???---the chair dance to his students at Gulu High). Seth is what you would think of as a fun loving person, who is working hard at theater at NYU. He was the first to welcome us in the house and he has a spirit that is infecting. He just enjoys like and enjoys being Seth. I walked with him this morning to the conference and he relayed a wonderful story about his admiration for a friend of his who is finishing a run playing Simba in the Lion King on Broadway! Seth recognized the significance of the role, but still talked about his friend with the pride and admiration that only a friend can do. He will continue to be a good friend to all he runs into, and I think I have a picture of Seth dancing at HEALS that if I have not uploaded I will soon. I imagine the people that are close friends of Seth to be very lucky people, and I also expect that each week he is alive, this number continues to grow.
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