Hitting the Dusty Road

Last Monday we filled our truck with books and soccer balls then hit the dusty to Lome! In one week we visited:
5 of our Christian schools

1 new school that wants to join our association

1 church that wants to start a new school

We traversed many a long and bumpy road (thanks to all of you who help provide for our truck!) and left town before the large government protests started on Friday.

The most important thing we saw was the night and day difference between the trained Christian school teachers and all other teachers. Our teachers who have been trained created a great atmosphere for learning and demonstrated the fruit of the Spirit to their students. We also saw that we have some new teachers in our schools (and more coming next year) who have not been trained, so we decided to provide a 3-day crash course during Christmas break.

After seeing several good teachers and some areas in which to improve on Monday, we drove out to another school Tuesday morning. The first teacher I saw there made me want to just pack up and go home. He was threatening and insulting his students; and generally displaying a horrible attitude. I felt sick to my stomach. But I stuck with it and had a good conversation with the teachers at lunch. As it turns out, he was a band new teacher who had never been trained. He was just copying what his teachers had said and done to him all his life. At first glance the situation seems hopeless, but I saw many other teachers who used to be exactly the same who are now radically changed. We are breaking the chain of abuse and destructive teaching, and we have some great teachers leading kids down a new path.

Please continue to pray for our teachers, principals, and students. Pray that we would be able, through this conference, to help the teachers to better communicate, share the Gospel, and make disciples among their students.