Culture, Celebration, Compassion and Cake

Brazil, India, Oceania, Ireland, Hong Kong, Turkey and Nigeria.
Seven rooms playing sounds from these seven cultures from around the world. Seven team members hosting the spaces as students with eager anticipation discovered which culture they would be immersed in. One teacher said to the form that they were getting on the magic carpet and flying to an unknown location. A student replying, 'Ready to go'. They experienced three spaces at the start of the day like this, two further sessions with school staff and two further sessions with the Step team.

Prayerful planning and much conversation with teachers we have worked with for a long time provided the team with this new opportunity.  Yesterday saw an eight strong Step team gather to set up a Yr 7 Step day, a first for Sir John Lawes school in Harpenden.  

The days theme, Cultural Enrichment sparked our team's creativity.

Imagine Joel dressed in traditional Nigerian clothes, playing a Djembe Drum, Hopscotch and other games dotted around the room for the students to explore.
John taught the class to do a Hakka, celebrating the rich variety of cultures represented in Oceania, marvelled at the sea-life that surround the more than 100 islands in the region.
Presenting wearing a traditional Indian saree, Claire captivated the students as she shared stories of her friend Lorena's culture along with bringing in items to show students. Jewellery, clothes and chess. One student in the session was desperate to try on a saree and proudly told her this was her culture.
Peggy took the students to Hong Kong - smells of food cooking in the room, games and colourful items that are used to celebrate festivals decorated the room. It was so inviting that many students returned at lunchtime to continue to eat and be in the space.

After break time students joined us for the Refugee Experience session where they imagined they were a group of refugees fleeing Syria, the process encourages them to look with compassion as they see the people and visualise their reality.

As people of faith we wanted to bring in a session that would speak to the compassion and care that needs to be taken when we interact with cultures different to ourselves and foster respect between students. Jesus modelled this posture of being in the way he interacted with so many people (the woman at the well) and the way he taught (the parable of the Good Samaritan). Our team have also got first hand experience of supporting refugees through a ministry run out of Markyate Baptist Church where a number of refugees gather weekly for a cafe.

Angela was able to share with the students her own experience of befriending those that attend the cafe and being interested in their stories, this being a catalyst for her own perspectives to be changed and compassion raised.

Misunderstandings have happened often within the year group when one student's cultural assumptions have clashed with another. We concluded the day reflecting on our Animal Responses and challenging the students to consider how they treat one another and more than that providing them with a language to use when they observe a way of being that is different in one culture to the next. Andrew has lead this session with sixth-form many times in our Leadership Foundations Course and had the opportunity to share this with year 7 this time.  Our hope is that by being people of peace and sharing something of Jesus' humanity with the students yesterday that they will see a way ahead that respects culture.

It was a privilege to spend time with the Staff, have lunch and cake with the team. All the while celebrating individuals for who they are, what culture they are connected to and who they have been created to be.

If you are interested in being involved in the day, next year we are already planning a bigger and better day for 2024, come and join us.

Blessings and peace,
Charlotte