while shepherds watched

just saw my first christmas play with caleb. he played a shepherd with his best pal and partner in crime, toby.

i can't tell you how excited i have been about this. not sure what you can expect with regards to acting prowess with 2.5 yr olds.

the show lasted 13 minutes. the head teacher stated in her memo to parents: "The performance lasts approximately 13 minutes, which you can imagine is sufficient time for 48 very young children!"... Indeed.

i came back a very proud papa... :)

paper bags

we ran a simulation, based on the lives of those living in slums, at a nearby school. we ran 5 sessions of this paper bag making sessions to year 9 students.

we were invited as part of the school's freedom and human rights week.

the game was there to demonstrate the economic slavery of the poor.

as part of the briefing process i asked the question: what do you think are the differences between work and slave labour?

the common answer i received was: it is about your will: one is voluntary the other is forced. the remainder of the game allowed the kids to strip away their decision and will-making process and become at the utter mercy of circumstance. principally their impoverished situation.

it is quite a powerful game and we witness some fairly funny, horrific and crazy decisions that the participants made out of utter desperation to just simply survive.