Kasina

Megan at English class

This last English class was different. This time a full third of my class consisted of people in their 40’s and 50’s (usually I am older than most of my students). One of these was a well-dressed woman I’ll call “Kasina”. She is the cousin of one of the prominent shopkeepers in our neighborhood. She’s in her mid-forties (though later in the class she started saying she was 30-something). I assumed she was probably a businesswoman like her cousin though I never had that confirmed.

It is harder to learn a language when you are older but she was working hard to keep up with the class. I could tell that she was studying, practicing her phrases at home. It looked like her hard work was going to pay off- I expected her to pass.

A couple weeks ago she came to class and looked sick and tired. Not long into the class she put her head down and fell asleep. She slept through the whole class. The next class she was absent. “She must still be sick,” I thought to myself.

Before the following class, her cousin called me over. “Don’t be scared if Kasina comes to class. She won’t hurt you.” I was confused by this comment, but she continued to explain that Kasina was having “an episode.”

Kasina suffers from mental illness…. I had no idea.

The next class Kasina came. She was a different person from the Kasina I knew before. She was slightly disheveled and missing a front tooth. She didn’t follow cultural norms. She couldn’t stay in her seat; getting up every few minutes and walking outside or to the front of the classroom. She left several times and came back eating food. For two classes she did this. Sometimes she would shout out in the local language things I couldn’t understand. She brought the class a bejeweled clock and presented it to me in the middle of the lesson. But worst of all, she couldn’t speak English. When she was sitting in her seat I tried to include her but the most she could get out was a few words before going into the local language or French.

The third class was the final review session before the exam. She was calmer but still the English wasn’t there. Her cousin thought she was coming back into her right mind. But would she be able to take the exam?! The day of the exam came and there was Kasina amongst the other students. I wasn’t sure what to do-- we do one-on-one oral exams. Would she get upset and agitated if I tried to examine her? Would she disrupt the other students? I asked an islander and they suggested I do her first and then tell her to go home.

David (18 mo) with heat rash

So I called her name. “KASINA!” She looked excited and nervous and started mumbling fast in a mixture of languages. She was doing better. She sat for the whole exam. I moved quickly through the questions that flustered her, but I was surprised how many she came up with answers for. But there was still no way that she could pass. She was remembering her English but every sentence was still muddled with French and local words. I was sad. She had been working so hard.  I realize now that to her family, Kasina’s studying English was a bit of a joke. Now I see her walking around the neighborhood and calling out inappropriately to people. I see people’s reactions to her. She’s just another “crazy” person to them (there are many on the island).

Kasina came to our house yesterday. She was inviting me to a prayer gathering at her house. I explained that I don’t pray the way they do, but I do pray. A neighbor followed Kasina onto our porch, no doubt to help me “get rid of her.” They made hand gestures to  show me that Kasina wasn’t in her right mind. I thanked them but told them I knew already. Kasina left telling me she would see me another day.

I’m going to pray for her. I hope you will too.

PRAYERS ANSWERED
Kasina didn’t disturb the other exams. The exams went well. We were very thankful that many of our teammates helped give the exams. Nathan is feeling better and no one else has gotten sick! We have been living on “Clove Island” for a full year!

PRAYERS REQUESTED
 Electricity continues to be a big problem-- no one on the island is happy about it. A group of islanders tried to ransack the electricity company’s offices. Other villages have threatened to attack electricity company vehicles and/or employees if they enter the village. Many shops have stopped selling frozen/refrigerated products (making it hard to find meat) as food continues to go back in the fridge.  The electricity company just got a new director, pray that he can sort through this mess.  All the kids have bad heat rash- pray for some relief from the heat and/or electricity at night so they can sleep with fans. Because of this, sickness, and other things, It has been a hard couple weeks for our team- lots of us have been feeling down. Pray for encouragement and revitalization.  On Monday and Tuesday we have the certificate ceremonies for our English classes- pray that we would give good speeches and that it wouldn’t be too stressful. Our team is taking a week of vacation starting midweek- pray that it would be restful (most of us are staying local). We are applying to renew our family’s service visas on the islands- pray this goes smoothly.