I could have
spent my summer playing video games, trying to get the Orioles to the World
Series in MLB the Show. I could have taken care of my goats, reinforced
the fence they are so prone to escape through. I could have worked on my
vegetable garden; spent my summer pulling weeds. I could have gone on several
two and three day adventures with my wife visiting old friends and new places.
I could have gone to family vacation and spent time with family. All of these
"could haves" is what my summer would have been if I had decided not
to go to Africa.
As I sit at home
now back in America reflecting on my summer in Tanzania, I would like first to
send out my love and gratitude to all those who made it possible for me to
spend the past two months teaching in Tanzania. First and foremost my wife
Emily who never wavered in her support of me leaving knowing full well what it
would mean for her: increased yard work, taking care of the goats, chasing
goats when they escape, taking care of any issues that come up around the house
(I'm looking at you dryer!),and just not having my pleasant, charming,
hilarious, and humble presence around her at all times. Secondly, I would like
to thank my family who have made this trip so much easier with their financial
support, a mother who never stops praying, parents and siblings who send me
encouraging messages (and Oriole updates!) and a father-in-law who can take
down a door jamb cause sometimes you just need to take down a door jamb (again,
I'm looking at you dryer!). Thirdly, I would like to thank all of my friends
who have supported me both financially and with prayer. I know there are many
of you and your prayers are felt and appreciated. Thank you.
Tanzania is a
country still developing and facing many obstacles. One of the most serious
obstacles is education. The government in recent years has worked very hard to
make sure more people are getting more education; the problem with this is
though people are getting more education, they are not getting a quality
education. The most significant detriment to a quality education is the lack of
qualified teachers. (Do you see this cycle? Inadequate teachers teach children
who in turn become inadequate teachers and teach more children and the cycle of
inadequacies continues.) I worked at Village Schools International's college
this summer in an effort to change that. I, along with others, guided 37
students in not only how to improve their knowledge in content areas like
English, Math, Physics, and Chemistry, but also showing them teaching
strategies that will make them more effective teachers. Right now, I'm
convinced after teaching these Tanzanians, who are in the middle or just the
beginning of getting their degrees, if we put them right now in Tanzanian
schools they would be by far the best teachers in the school. And as these
young men and women become quality teachers, they will produce better educated
students who will then become better teachers, better engineers, better
scientists, better supervisors, better professionals who will in turn help the
development of Tanzania making a lasting difference here. Village Schools
International has never been about changing just one life (though that happens
all the time), they've been about making a lasting change for villages and the
thousands of people in those villages. Their goal and vision is lofty but as
their over thirty schools now stretching into 3 different countries show, they
have a system that works and that is in fact currently changing thousands of
lives. This college will play a significant role in making sure that the
currently 30+ schools (the list seems to grow every time I look at it) will
have a steady flow of qualified teachers to produce qualified students.
So yeah, I could
have spent my summer playing video games (and goodness knows the only way the
Orioles are getting to the World Series is if I take them there in my virtual
world!). However Emily and I understand, or rather we believe, that a Christian
is someone who cares and does something about it. And all of you who supported
me in this trip spiritually, financially, and in a multitude of other ways like
hanging out with my wife, or sharing with others about what God is doing
through Village Schools International, or finding a way to get me sports
updates (Durant to the Warriors, really?!), you also played your part in being
a Christian, or just a human being, who cares about this world and feels called
to make it a better place.
Mungu Awabariki!
(God Bless!)
