Without vision the people will perish

Some of you may know that I teach part time at Joshua Teachers training college here in Arusha. It is a Christan college and I think the only one in all of Tanzania. However, the biggest difference is that we encourage the students to teach differently, to love the children, nurture them, challenge them, help them, and so much more. So often here, education can be rote. I think that the government would like to see that change but for now often you have teachers that only teach at the front of the class and the students simply imitating and memorizing. We want these teachers to have their children discover, be curious, and love learning. Most of the teachers at the Imara schools were trained there and fourteen out of the current 26 students will go to Imara schools.

I have loved my time there. It is so exciting to be a part of what God is doing at JTTC. Since the beginning of this term, I have started doing something different with the teachers as we begin class. Each day, we pray for a different country. They have been shocked to learn that all westerners are not Christians and what it is like in other countries. It has been such a powerful time to pray for others and as we pray, we pray for the students that they will one day teach. I am so overwhelmed as I hear them pray that maybe some of their students will be missionaries to the Sudan, Italy, Nepal, and other places. Today, we talked about that white missionaries are not what the Sudan needs but fellow Africans to bring them the gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ. These future teachers will help change their nation, transform it, and bring it out of poverty. The students that they teach will have such a large impact not only in Tanzania but in all Africa and even throughout the world. Investing in the lives of these future teachers has been such a blessing. I am so thankful for all the opportunities that God has given me!