This is one of the reasons I love being here.
A couple of weeks ago, our education dept. was having a meeting discussing the course, ways to improve it, etc. None of us are fans of the Biblical Foundations course. Don't get me wrong; we love the Bible, just not the way this course is presented! The students watch an hour long DVD which is basically a lecture from a man in the '90's, standing at a podium, who is translated by a man beside him. It is very dry and pretty academic and misses so much that it could be. We decided that we could write our own material just using the course's outline or Scripture choices. I volunteered to do that, with guidance from Joanna and a little help from Janet. Based on 30 years of teaching in Christian schools and some pretty amazing Bible teaching along the way, I really enjoyed this job. Last week was our first week to trial the new program, with lots of discussion and personal application built into it. The lesson was on the Tabernacle, and specifically the picture of God and Jesus that we get from it. Out of that flowed a very good discussion on personal holiness and God's expectation of us to be holy. In Tanzania, outward sin is "handled" by public remorse and discipline in the church, like sitting on the back pew until you've "atoned" for your sin. But, inner, private sin isn't even recognized as sin, for the most part. They live under a state of forgiveness until they sin and start the whole cycle over again. We talked about being forgiven forever and being seen by God as covered by Christ's blood, so our sin doesn't continue to separate us from God. This was such a new concept to the students, that Manase, our most Biblically astute young man, looked across the table at me and said, quietly and reverently, "Miriam. This is good news." I thought, that's exactly what it is - good news! Talk about having an impact; that may not be on their teacher exam, but I can bet it affects him and his teaching!
Me with my sponsored children
Me with my sponsored children
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Construction at Karanse!
The biggest thing last week was arriving at Karanse school to see that ground had been broken for the new computer room/lab! Then watching all week as the fundis (workmen) laid the foundation with truckload after truckload of huge rocks, then sand for cement. Plus, the week we were there before, they had been laying additional water lines, so there is a sink in the dining hall, another one by the teacher toilets, and several new outside taps for washing dishes, watering plants, etc.
On Thursday morning, I was standing on the porch of the school, listening to the children in their devotions singing, "We serve a miracle-working God," and from where I was standing I could see the whole "campus," including the construction site of the computer room. I couldn't help but remember the pictures of how this place looked at the beginning and think, "Yes, we do!" Miracles were evident all around me: classrooms for grades Pre-1-7, a dining hall, toilets and water tower from the well, playground equipment, and now a computer lab - here in Karanse.
Reminded me of showing the teachers there the picture of Isack and Pastor reading World magazine that got published in the magazine itself some months back. Moses, one of the teachers there and a truly Godly man, said, "Miriam, think about this. No one in Tanzania even knows where we are, much less the US or the world. But, God knows we are here, and He has brought your people from America here to work with us, and look at what He has done." I loved that idea because, truly, when I tell people here where I work, I have to tell them what it's close to as they've never heard of Karanse. But, even so, miraculous things are happening!
The other wonderful miracle was that the rains have started! Everyone had plowed their fields and planted their maize, and then they just wait for the rains. I've just been prayng for rain, as have many people back home, though I selfishly admit that I pray for the rain to fall on the fields not the road I drive on to get to Karanse! Lots of rain on Friday, so I hope that's just the beginning of the long rainy season. Hopefully, that wll also help the power situation, as that's what they've blamed our lack of power on for the past few months!
On Thursday morning, I was standing on the porch of the school, listening to the children in their devotions singing, "We serve a miracle-working God," and from where I was standing I could see the whole "campus," including the construction site of the computer room. I couldn't help but remember the pictures of how this place looked at the beginning and think, "Yes, we do!" Miracles were evident all around me: classrooms for grades Pre-1-7, a dining hall, toilets and water tower from the well, playground equipment, and now a computer lab - here in Karanse.
Reminded me of showing the teachers there the picture of Isack and Pastor reading World magazine that got published in the magazine itself some months back. Moses, one of the teachers there and a truly Godly man, said, "Miriam, think about this. No one in Tanzania even knows where we are, much less the US or the world. But, God knows we are here, and He has brought your people from America here to work with us, and look at what He has done." I loved that idea because, truly, when I tell people here where I work, I have to tell them what it's close to as they've never heard of Karanse. But, even so, miraculous things are happening!
The other wonderful miracle was that the rains have started! Everyone had plowed their fields and planted their maize, and then they just wait for the rains. I've just been prayng for rain, as have many people back home, though I selfishly admit that I pray for the rain to fall on the fields not the road I drive on to get to Karanse! Lots of rain on Friday, so I hope that's just the beginning of the long rainy season. Hopefully, that wll also help the power situation, as that's what they've blamed our lack of power on for the past few months!
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