That's Durga hiding behind the stack of market bags. She is quiet, painstaking, and very gentle. One day last week she got very excited. "Teacher!" she called out. "My man . . . down!" She tilted herself over to one side to demonstrate. "My man . . . down!"
Huh?
Communication is always a challenge with refugees from so many different countries. I hurried to Durga's side to discover that she had chosen a fabric covered with pictures of Noah, the ark, the animals, and the rain. On one side of her bag, Noah was right side up. But on the other, he was upside down. "My man . . . down!"
I explained how to cut the fabric and turn it to place Noah the right way up.
Then I took the opportunity to tell the story of Noah and the ark. The women gathered around and everyone listened raptly. When I came to the end, I began to explain that Noah had not died because he obeyed God.
Durga's face lit up with a smile as she broke into my story. "He pray to God!" she said.
That's right, Durga. Noah prayed, and God listened. God spoke, and Noah listened.
Am I listening now? Are you?
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