#somanychildren

[jenniemead]

More Halloween fun! #halloweenfun #halloween #iamsotired #grandchildren #somuchcandy #somanychildren (at Belle Plaine, Kansas) https://www.instagram.com/p/B4TghnCgU2K/?igshid=zsvh7kk0z93

[amethyst-organic]

My sim had sextuplets and then immediately after that had twins. Send help. 😅 I did get 4 million $$ in child support for all these kids, though. 😂 #thesims4 #modthesims #somanychildren https://www.instagram.com/p/B2sIpKZFzg9/?igshid=dp8bpfy79mmf

[desim18]

All the grandkids!! #SoManyChildren #ImTheOldest (at Frio River Concan Texas)

[auswrap]

Were taking a short break, back on Tuesday! #familytime #paradiseresortgc #somanychildren

[socialnilla]

Rural church service in Rwanda

[timeintogo]

Lycée

I am standing in the middle of the huge courtyard at the lycée. To my right are the CEG (middle school) buildings, to my left, the high school classrooms. Running towards me from all sides are approximately five hundred screaming children. It is 6:45 in the morning.

OK, to be fair, it was really only the middle-schoolers that were running. Or screaming. The high schoolers, having perfected long ago the cool nonchalance of teenager-hood, are ambling along behind the younger students. The censeur, similar to a vice principal, had just introduced me to the whole school at the morning assembly. She introduced me as Hillary - many teachers seem to prefer using my American name - before adding that here I also go by Abla. There were giggles and whispers about my village name - so at least the kids like it. Before giving me the chance to make my pitch about the environmental club, she told the students to come closer to the center of the courtyard where we were standing. "You don't want to shout, right?" she adds, glancing at me for confirmation.

To be fair, no, I did not want to shout across a space the size of a football field at the columns of students lined up by class. Two columns per class, girls in the front, boys in the back. But even though I don't mind public speaking, starting my morning with hundreds of screaming children running towards me was enough to get my adrenaline going. I introduced myself again and made my pitch for all of them to come check out the environmental club. "We'll be learning about gardening and doing lots of really interesting activities!"

Each morning at 6:40 the students line up like this in the courtyard. Three designated students raise the Togolese flag, and then recite something resembling a prayer. Think the Pledge of Allegiance, except the whole school echoes the "Amen" at the end. The classes take turns singing - today it was the ninth graders, led by Nathalie, one of the girls in my youth group. Then there is time for announcements - today, about the arrival of the new volunteer and the first environmental club meeting of the year. No PA systems here, thank you very much. I wonder what they do when it's raining?