We arrived back from America and immediately went straight back into our lives here as if we never left. It truly has been a wonderful thing to see the lives that we are blessed with touching, and the opportunities that the Lord provides for us to minister in. As many of you know we drove to Reno, NV. to catch our flight back to Mozambique only to find out the morning of our flight that New York airport had been shut down due to a blizzard, to us it is just another thing that has occurred in this adventure we call our lives. Many people would naturally be annoyed with this but we were so blessed. In secret we talked about how we wished we could stay just one more week to attend a good friend and leader in our church's funeral after he had passed away suddenly the week before we were scheduled to leave and also we desperately wanted to attend staff retreat with our Faith Tabernacle staff members. So we praised God for this time that we were able to have with friends. At this retreat we talked so much about of personal visions in ministry, one desire that I have had on my heart is working with the preschool that is here on our base. Although many would look at it as a practical mission, to me it is so important and the children deserve to be treated well and educated. I shared this with the staff while we were there but had not expected the door to be opened to me so quickly.
Our preschool caters to children that are from the most needy families in the community, this includes, orphans being cared for by widows, those whose parents have no source of income or are handicap/disabled. We also have children placed with us through social services for various reasons. We went from 65 students last year to 93. This jump has allowed us to open a third classroom, we have children from ages 3.5 to 5 years old. Having free education for children in these types of situations is a huge blessing, it allows them to learn the things needed before entering primary school without the struggle to pay for materials. We provided each student with their needed school supplies and breakfast, children are taught many subjects but the school itself provides a strong biblical understanding through devotions and worship. This task is not a small one. As I have spent many days in the classrooms listening and giving suggestions I have come to realize just how different things are than what I am used to in America. As I sat in class one day listening to the teacher give devotion and explain creation she discussed how God created plants, she asked the children what are some types of plants. I watched as the room was silent and she drew a on a piece of paper, pointing to it she asked "what is this?" and again, and again, finally she had the children go outside underneath the giant mango tree in the middle of the playground. "What is this?" silence filled the air, I had to ask if she was not saying the question in a way that the children could understand but that was not the case. It hit me, all 27 of these 4 year olds did not know what a tree was called. As I thought about this I began to see the difference between how we raise our children and how around age 2 the children here begin to spend their time among other children not much older than themselves while their mommas tend to newborns and crops, never having the much needed talks about trees, and birds, sounds in the air and colors, their curiosity never explained. I am thankful for the new eyes that I have been given to see where these children need love and guidance, so that they can strive to meet their potential that is usually over looked in such a young person. I wish I could say that it stops with the children but I am also on a journey of showing the teachers new ideas, in a place where they have only been taught a little with no resources I am able to spend times showing them new creative ideas on how to reach the minds of these precious children and see them advance. The teachers have requested that I teach them one new idea a day, so I make my way down there around 1:00pm and show them how to make owls out of paper plates and turtles from used egg cartons. All of these ideas are new to them, I find such Joy in being able to teach them. Please pray for creative minds in the children and teachers, I would love to see all the children go into primary school advancing in knowledge. Bless You Tawnya
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