Miles In Missions

C.A.R.E. Africa will be a year old in August. We have experienced the Nigerian school system for two terms and have entered into our 3rd. We have learned a lot. One of the most troubling things is that there are many children in middle and high school grades, that do not know how to read.

Bolu, 15 years old, and our beautiful Fulani M&slim Adama, 13 years old, are two that have been struggling with reading. After the 1^st term of school we realized there was a problem and put them with a tutor. After a 2^nd term of poor results again, I realized my children needed more one on one attention than the school could provide. I was very frustrated. I am so unequipped for this journey God has me on. I know nothing about school except for the one year I tried to homeschool my children. I prayed for God to show me what to do. It is so challenging to find resources and knowledge in the bush. You cannot just google how to teach a Nigerian to read and find books and curriculum and have them delivered to your house….or can you?

After some serious prayer I remembered the women that seems to know all, our SIM personal director in JOS, Adena. She of course was an answer to prayer and immediately knew of a Nigerian created reading curriculum. 27,000 Niara ($140) later it was in my hands. As I held the books I was in awe of how much God loves me and these children!

As happy as I was to have my curriculum I realized I had no teacher. I went into panic mode. Who was going to teach Bolu and Adama?  I circled another prayer in my prayer journal “TEACHER”.

After interviewing several Nigerian teachers, I felt hopeless. Some would show up, some didn’t. Some said they wanted to do it but then we would never hear from them again. How was I going to find a qualified teacher in the bush? I guess I am just going to have to do it myself! I’m so American to the core….if you can’t make it happen then just do it yourself….who needs God?

The next day, Bolu came to my house with a horrible tooth infection. After Dr Jen examined him, we realized he would have to go to a town 3 hours away to see a dentist. This poor boy was so swollen and in pain that we could not start reading class on that Monday. I was so frustrated again!! God…don’t you want these children to read.

Then enters sweet Janet… Janet, her husband and two children arrived to our community just two weeks ago. Her husband is a new resident doctor in our hospital and they will be here for five years. She has been coming to our morning devotions and Wednesday Bible Study. She always has so much wisdom and the sweetest demeanor. One day someone mentioned that she was a teacher. I approached her and sure enough, she use to teach Nursery and Primary kids.

When I arrived at her home to talk about my ministry, the first thing I noticed was a chalkboard with spelling words written on it. She was already teaching her two children reading and writing at home. God…..you are sooo good! I showed her my C.A.R.E. Africa book that tells all about C.A.R.E. Africa and then began to tell her my burden for these children. I asked her to pray about teaching them. The next day she come to devotions and with a smile on her face she told me she would do it.

Amazing how when we pray, God shows up! Even though my type A personality would have just taken this task and tried run with it….it wasn’t part of God’s plan. I am so relieved! I had no desire to teach reading. God knew it would be a disaster and saved me from myself. How many times do we jump into something because we are not patient with God? His timing and plans are always better than our own. Pray, wait, and watch what God will do in your life!