I'm thankful to have you read and journey with me in prayer as I prepare to head to Kenya for the month of June. I have been praying for over a year now regarding how the Lord would have me spend my first summer break as a teacher. I felt a clear call from the Lord that I was to use this time in some way to advance His Gospel to other nations and peoples. As to what exactly this would look like, I had no idea. In September, I began discussions with a friend as to possible options. I truly believe the Lord used my friend's prompting and connections to place me in just the right place.
I'm overjoyed and humbled that the Lord has answered my prayer and led me to serve this summer in Kitale, Kenya at the Mattaw Children's Village. There are nearly 1.9 million orphans in Kenya, and it is Mattaw's vision to change the country one child at a time by providing them with the Gospel, as well as a godly home, care, and an education.
Mattaw's school will begin using the Accelerated Christian Education (ACE) curriculum in April 2012. I get to spend the month of June at Mattaw working with teachers to provide professional development and training to, hopefully, ease the transition into the new curriculum and teaching style. I could not be more thrilled to get to rejoice in the Gospel with the men, women, and children at Mattaw as we work to grow and challenge each other in our professions so that, ultimately, God may be given great glory.
As described on the Mattaw Children's Village website, "Mattaw" is the English spelling of the Hebrew word meaning "planting" or "garden." This word is taken from Isaiah 61:3, which is a portion of scripture that has marked my life and profession as teacher in so many ways. I love that C.S. Lewis writes in The Abolition of Man, "Education without values, as useful as it is, seems rather to make man a more clever devil." As a teacher and a believer, I believe I am called to provide students with skills and knowledge to ask questions about the world that will, ultimately, lead them to the only answer for the world, Jesus Christ. In the end, education has no value without the Gospel. I'm thankful that by God's grace the teachers at Mattaw and I understand that to aid in the love of the Word and Gospel taking deep root in the heart of a child, we must ourselves love and be active in the Gospel, willing to work and serve with all our hearts to best communicate and model it to our students. Fopr me, this task looks different from the way it does for the teachers at Mattaw, but I believe we have lots to learn from each other and can grow together. I cannot wait to join together in June to encourage them in their profession and, ultimately, promote the Gospel alongside them.
Thank you for visiting and reading. This blog is designed so that those who have provided, and are providing, the great blessing of support prayerfully, and even financially, can see the fruit of their obedience and know how to best continue to pray. I hope it also can be of some encouragement to you. Thank you again for supporting me, and most of all, praying. Here are some ways you can continue to pray:
- Pray for the children at Mattaw.
- Pray for the teachers.
- Pray for Bud and Kimberly Huffman, the directors at Mattaw, and their children.
- Pray for the transition of children into families at Mattaw and for the teachers and students as they prepare for the transition of curriculum in April.
- Pray for me as I prepare in raising financial support for a portion of the expense for travel and teaching materials to leave at Mattaw with the teachers.
- Pray that the Gospel will always be the forefront of what we do, so that children may hear and know Him, and that God will be given glory.
Thank you so much. I am humbled by and thankful for your support. I'm excited for what He has in store!
Isaiah 61:1-3
