Laura Voight has been on a study abroad in India for 10 months, where she volunteers at a local primary school. A trained EMT, she recently offered a First Aid seminar to the school staff.
At the local public school we work with in India, the staff is trying to make do with the facilities they have. There is no playground, just an open “yard” of hard ground and dust. With approximately 100 students ranging in ages 5-16 playing during recess in this 1,250 sq.ft. “yard,” accidents happen. I have seen countless scraped knees, skinned elbows, and bumped heads. I have also seen kids running around while eating. Each time I cringe, waiting for one to start choking. I realized that there was a need here for a First Aid class. Teachers need to know how to handle minor injuries and illnesses. They need to know how to keep their students safe and healthy.
This past week, I met with staff at Aquatic Public School for an afternoon seminar on First Aid. We covered wound care, fevers, and choking. The teachers were very receptive to the information. Even being seasoned parents, they still took notes and asked questions: “What can we do for headaches?" "What if students pass out?” They were engaged and hungry to learn how they could better serve their students. They actually kept me past time with their questions! The next day, I found that one of the teachers was so enthusiastic about what he had learned that he passed it on to the ninth and tenth graders.
Please pray for the staff at the school, to be mindful and alert of potential injuries, as well as for the Lord's protection on the children that don't currently have a suitable environment.
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