Saturday, February 16, 2008

Architecture 101

This week I was asked to speak to an art class at an international school about architecture. I don't know who I have more respect for, teachers who teach inner city kids, or teachers who teach missionary kids. It wasn't that bad and to be fair, I was told that 99% of the kids at that school aren't as out of control, and I must have just had a rambunctious class. My instructions from a fellow intern was that I would need to give a little talk about how architecture and art are related, and how one becomes an architect. I thought to myself that this would be fun and I wouldn't really need to do any prep work to talk about that stuff. So I got up in front of the class and the teacher asked me to tell the kids about the history of architecture beginning with the pyramids. I don't remember if I asked out loud or in my head if she was kidding me, but I think the look I gave her said enough. To start I told the kids that the Pyramids were built in 1984 for the Olympics and is considered by many to be Frank Lloyd Wrights finest work. No I didn't really say that, but I may or may not have made up a bunch of stuff almost as absurd to fill the time allotted. Even though I will probably never be asked to be a guest speaker at that school again, I actually did have fun.



Just a Random Photo that has nothing to do with my blog.


Earlier in the week I went on a site visit with the director of eMi East Africa(Chad) and a civil engineer Intern(Heather). We were looking at a piece of property for a ministry that wants to develop a theological school, as well as a primary and secondary school for the community. It was pretty deep in the middle of no where, and we passed a lot of mud huts and small brick homes. As we passed by a mother and her two children just outside their home, Shannon, who is the person we are working with from the ministry, went up and talked them. He noticed one of the kids who was a little girl about 4 years old had some type of cloth in her ear that was there to catch drainage coming from her ear. Shannon, with the help of a translator asked If he could take the girl to a doctor and he would bring her back in couple of days when he comes back to the site. The mother was very thankful and gladly let her child go with a bunch of white folk back to the city. The little girls brother also came along. I was thrown back seeing someone take a child and get them the help they need(as well as a mother letting their children go with complete strangers). If it was just me, I probably would have just waved and passed by this family and would have never noticed that this little girl needed help. It was absolutely convicting and I hope to learn to not be afraid to go up and at least greet people instead of just waving and walking by and thinking I was doing my part. It definitely brought home the parable about the Samaritan who helped the man in trouble and the priest and Levite who both avoided him and went to the other side of the road to pass him. It's kind of hard to judge them for walking on by now.

By the way- the internet is running super slow and I can't do spell check or spell many words, so sorry for any errors.


2 comments:

Anonymous said...

It's times like these when you wished you would have paid attention in arch history! Way to go Zach! I am glad that you all were able to help that little girl, what a blessing to her and her family!

Anonymous said...

"The Pyramids were built in 1984 for the Olympics and is considered by many to be Frank Lloyd Wrights finest work." That's hilarious! I miss your dry humor, Zach attack. That's awesome that you guys were able to help that little girl, and that you were so convicted by the experience. Hope God continues to work in you and through you. Stay safe.