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In the past, we've struggled with children not showing up to class or not being allowed to attend by their parents. The reality is that it's not all about changing the hearts of the kids, but also the parents. If their parents won’t allow the children to go, they miss the benefits of an education and a Christian worldview.
Knowing this, we've wanted to engage the parents and get commitment from them. Many parents don't fully understand the significance of an education and how that can help their children make a better future. Over the past months, the teachers have been diligent to visit these parents and discuss their concerns and many are open to committing to send their children to the school. In turn, the parents have been seeing a transformation in their children. They're replicating in their homes what they've learned at school. There have been children that have stopped drinking, stopped stealing, all because of the influence and the example they've seen at the school. What's amazing is that the children are practicing their faith at home and it's impacting their families. We've had multiple parents come out and say their children are praying for them and praying out loud in their homes. And they want to know more and understand this change.
It is also the time of year when a few children write their big, seventh grade exams...
As the school in Twashuka is a primary school and only teaches through the seventh grade, this is very bittersweet. Charles, the principal, says it better than I ever could:
" Tears of joy and how we going to miss them when we soon part company with them gripped my heart as I sat amongst them this morning. The bell rang in my mind that the Lord gave them to us and soon he takes them away into another level of life. The Lord gave us chance to walk with them, impart the knowledge, wisdom and the fear of God in them. But on the other hand fear gripped me that they be released now into places where we will have little or no monitoring about how they doing spiritually, materially and academically. As I pondered about this, a scripture popped into my mind. 'Teach a child in the way they must go, and when they grow up, they shall not depart from it.'
The Lord gave them to us, let’s pray that we shall never loose any of them. May the Holy Spirit remind them about all things they learned in school even as they sit to write an exam. Stand with us as we release them on Friday (today) with an earnest prayer. May God bless his own work. "
Ways You Can Pray:
Be in prayer for our graduating class as they're working on their final exams. Also be in prayer that the Lord will guide their footsteps and allow the seeds planted during their time in our school to flourish.
Be in prayer for two of our teachers, Florence and Fridah. Not only are they teaching in Twashuka every morning, but they are also studying the get their high school diplomas. After that, they both want to go to college to get their official teaching certificate. Though they are both very motivated, this can be very taxing on their time. Pray that they have no complications getting their certificates and that they have endurance.
Pray that God will soften the hearts of the leaders in Zambia and that many more will be open to the gospel.
Pray for our evangelism outreach. We are taking the Jesus film into surrounding villages as well as neighboring boarding schools. Pray that the people will be receptive to the Word.
Pray for the young women in the Cherish program. We are making lots of headway with these girls, but there has been a lot of hurt and abuse in the past. Pray for forgiveness and healing in their hearts.
Thank you all so much for your continued support of the ministry, whether financially or in prayer. It means so much to us!
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