Songs and Steps Towards Peace

 

These are two reflections shared by teachers on the impact they felt in their hearts as teachers and students paused for peace on Monday.

From OzawaanimkeeqweWasausking Nation, Canada

What an exciting day! Everyone so enjoyed the project, right from the kindergartens up to the grade 8's. The peace flame lite our ceremonial fire and we offered our medicines and each us offered our prayers of peace and harmony throughout creation. Our big peace drum was talked about and how that relates to us as anishabe people and the love and respect we need to continue to offer and give each other and the kindness that will guide and keep us we walk this road in life. The candle sat upon our beautiful drum and the spirits sang up a song which was sent out by our young men. The girls protected that circle and sang a song of peace to all four directions. It was amazing to have the whole school surround the drum in two beautiful circles, from the smallest child in kindergarten to the oldest youth in grade 8. The staff too were just overwhelmed by ceremony and talked about it all day.

The students worked on a project in their classroom and each class so enjoyed having the candle in their room for part of the day. The spirit of this peace flame truly touched us all. I have enclosed some pictures but as you know we don't take pictures of our ceremonies but, I feel a picture could never capture the moment and feeling of what transpired today. The girls hand drum group sent out a song too right before the minute of silence. It was so touching!

From Mrs. Jeanie Knight, St. Andrew's School, Savannah, USA

I knew that this connection was something special- from the beginning. We have loved every minute of our connection with students in Ghana and our connection to you, and we look forward to a continued relationship with our friends. After you left, the children asked, "When will Amy be back?" " How long will it be before we can work on our projects for the students in Ghana?" "What will be be doing to send to our new friends in Ghana?"

They asked about the peace flame - the expected questions about "Will we light the candle again?"  "How does the flame travel if it is not lit?" but they also asked, "Will we be able to light the flame again when we need it for peace?" and "If they light the candle in Ghana, will we be able to know that they feel the same peace that we do?"  WOW -what an impact!!! I am so glad that they see the "candles of peace" each day in each of the classes that they attend. Small steps - but also really big ones!!