Pic1-This was a pic taken during my 8 hour walk to visit students with their families during Mid term break. Getting down in the mud to weed in their rice fields was something I enjoyed.
Pic2-An experience that have touched my heart. One of these girls is Oliver, my student who carried charcoal to sell in town.
Pic3-A wonderful opportunity to be encouraged and inspired by a fellow VST volunteer. 3 hours to reach his village by bicycle.
I've been in Tanzania for almost a year. My commitment to serve here is almost over. A lot has happened since I first set foot in Dar es Salaam, TZ. I have adapted to the environment and have built strong relationships with students and villagers. I'm already beginning to envision the difficulty of leaving in August. Not because life here is conveniently easy..because it is not. But I have seen how my students live their daily lives and how they struggle to get an education.
I read a book by Baldacci entitled, Ms. B's Classroom. In it she said that loving a student is not necessary in educating him or her. She and other respected educators may be right, but I am beginning to love my students somehow. That's why the verse in First Thessalonians has such new meaning for me. You do live with them and by loving them you begin to share Christ's love. I am not very vocal about sharing my faith to others. However, I do hope and pray that I live Christ out. (It's harder than it seems.)
Sometimes I get so narrowly focused on the task of teaching, that I don't find the time to read the Bible even without a television to distract me...go figure.
But God has been faithful through it all. He reveals himself in the beauty of the gleaming stars at night or from the children's beaming smiles as I pass by.....
On a side note...
Tanzania is very rich in many resources. I just can't believe that the system in weeding out students after Standard 7 is doing any good for the families or the country as a whole. Why can't they fix this? Do they not have enough revenue from tourism or mining industries to fix the problem of illiteracy? What is it really?....
Village Schools Tanzania is doing something the government can't. I am a believer of what VST is doing here. If each village could just understand VST's true motive, what an impact this organization would have in this country.
I know that my presence here in TZ is temporary. I know that. But God, "help me make the right decision come August." I want to be rational when deciding what my next step will be.
I thank HIM for giving me peace. HIS grace is what keeps me going. And I'm forever grateful to HIM.
Thank you for all of you who invested in me. You are a big part of what God is doing in my life. May God bless you in return.
Anthony..
I read a book by Baldacci entitled, Ms. B's Classroom. In it she said that loving a student is not necessary in educating him or her. She and other respected educators may be right, but I am beginning to love my students somehow. That's why the verse in First Thessalonians has such new meaning for me. You do live with them and by loving them you begin to share Christ's love. I am not very vocal about sharing my faith to others. However, I do hope and pray that I live Christ out. (It's harder than it seems.)
Sometimes I get so narrowly focused on the task of teaching, that I don't find the time to read the Bible even without a television to distract me...go figure.
But God has been faithful through it all. He reveals himself in the beauty of the gleaming stars at night or from the children's beaming smiles as I pass by.....
On a side note...
Tanzania is very rich in many resources. I just can't believe that the system in weeding out students after Standard 7 is doing any good for the families or the country as a whole. Why can't they fix this? Do they not have enough revenue from tourism or mining industries to fix the problem of illiteracy? What is it really?....
Village Schools Tanzania is doing something the government can't. I am a believer of what VST is doing here. If each village could just understand VST's true motive, what an impact this organization would have in this country.
I know that my presence here in TZ is temporary. I know that. But God, "help me make the right decision come August." I want to be rational when deciding what my next step will be.
I thank HIM for giving me peace. HIS grace is what keeps me going. And I'm forever grateful to HIM.
Thank you for all of you who invested in me. You are a big part of what God is doing in my life. May God bless you in return.
Anthony..
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