The value of a soul...

I’ve been in Rehoboth for a full week now, and on Monday, I began teaching at Kwakwas, a farm school about 30km outside of Rehoboth. The children at this school either travel long distances on foot to get there everyday, or they live at the school in two tin buildings with mattresses on the floor. The school provides them with two meals each day, which for many of them is all they eat.

I began my week at Kwakwas feeling very overwhelmed. Suffice it to say that things are done so differently from anything I have been taught…and everything I am used to. I will mainly be working with the “grade fours” as they refer to them here. Fourth grade is the first year that children begin to be taught primarily in English. Prior to that, all their schooling is done in Afrikaans. The children can barely speak English, let alone read and write it. It’s extremely difficult to help them understand what we would recognize as the most basic of concepts, especially when my Afrikaans is limited. (I mean seriously limited, I know like 3 phrases!...but really, I am working on it!)
I left on Monday feeling totally in over my head…and discouraged because I wasn’t even able to have any meaningful interactions with the students. The language barrier felt strong, and they just didn’t seem to expect anything from me. It seems that they are accustomed to being ignored by adults. Their experience might have shown them that teacher’s job is simply to enforce rules during school hours and tell them what they have to know.

Each day, I began to feel just a little more comfortable. I got to know all the children’s names, and I began spending break time outside with them as they play and laugh with each other. It’s amazing how the littlest of gestures can begin to establish relationships.

On Thursday, the older girls stayed in my classroom to do their home economics for the week. This consisted of sewing and knitting… (and I am laughing as I write that I can’t do either of those things well!) But I got to be in this classroom with about 15 girls with no pressure to teach anything, but simply able to be in their presence. And it was, by far, the highlight of my week. As I sat at the tables with them, laughing and smiling as we tried to communicate, they began to open up with me. One of the girls started singing, and several of the others began to join in, hesitating as if they wondered if they would be told to stop. Of course, I TOTALLY encouraged them to continue, and for over an hour, these girls sang and danced their hearts out. Songs in Nama (most of student’s tribal language), Afrikaans, and English.

I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face or the tears out of my eyes. I saw their joy in what they were doing, it was the first time that they didn’t seem like they felt defeated by school. They were amazing. And in His good grace, the Lord opened my eyes and allowed me to see a glimpse of the immeasurable value of each of their souls in His eyes. My heart was jumping out of my chest, LONGING to be able to open each of their eyes to their own value. They were sweet moments of my week…the Lord reminding me once again that EVERYTHING else I do here is secondary to His primary calling on the lives of His followers: to share Jesus- His hope, joy, love, and truth. The each person I come in contact with is an eternal soul…
He has set eternity in the heart of every man (Ecclesiastes 3:11).
And that their soul MATTERS to this gracious God we serve. Oh Jesus, awaken them to the value of their souls…the value that comes from you. Open their eyes to see it, so that they will follow you, finding their lives purpose. That they could be mastered by ONE great thing.

These are some of the girls who were in the class, along with the school cleaner, Elizabeth.

Please keep praying for our team here in Rehoboth:

-For wisdom and God’s direction as we stand for truth amidst deceit here in Rehoboth.

-For the relationships I develop with the students at Kwakwas. That I would find a sweet balance of finding creative ways to help them learn their school subjects, while also having opportunities for real life conversations, and opportunities to share about a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

-For Mackenzie and Alli (the nurses on our team) – that the Lord would provide them opportunities to use their skills to His glory and be able to be established in a place where they can passionately serve the Rehoboth community.

Jesus, thank you for the amazing gift you have given me through such faithful prayer supporters. I will never know why you have blessed me so immensely in this way…aside from your unbelievable goodness. I pray that you would give each of them sweet and intimate times with you and open their eyes to the wondrous truths of your Word this week. Bless them with unmatchable satisfaction in YOU.

I love you all!