Close friends, Joe and Amanda, came from Michigan. Joe taught English at a secondary school and junior college and wanted to work in a school. The school in Babati was excited to have him, but we prepared him for the possibility the school probably wouldn't make "preparations" for him. He was somewhat frustrated when he was given a classroom and little instruction on what to teach. After much research, Joe discovered the one piece of American literature which appeared on national examinations was "Death of a Salesman". He jumped right in and the students loved him. Joe created his own experience and spent a lot of time in the town talking to people and making friends.
Over a year later, Joe has found himself immersed in ministry to African refugees in Michigan, helping them with English, working through mounds of governmental paperwork and just loving them in a strange new land.
Amanda worked in Arusha for a few weeks with a class for special needs children. When she arrived, she shared she was going to change her career path from primary school education and planned to enroll in nursing school when she returned to the states. Watching Amanda with children, it was obvious she was passionate about working with little ones. She was able to join us in Babati for the last 2 weeks of her stay and worked with the children at the primary school there. Her love was so apparent as she spent time with boarding students confined to the dormitories because of illness.
Today, Amanda is in Colorado.........not in nursing school...........but teaching and loving children.
After a tearful good-bye at the airport, Ed said, "Well, there will be other volunteers...........but never another Joe and Amanda".
And then there was Tisha.................read on.
No comments:
Post a Comment