Our Staff Blog
I am blessed to have found my calling in teaching. Of the 15 years of teaching in Georgia I was blessed to have most, if not all, resources at my fingertips… all the latest technologies, reference books, mentors, supplies - for both myself as well as my students - were in abundance. I am blessed to have a four year college degree and have had many training sessions through the years all in the field of education. My classroom in Georgia was bright, colorful, clean, inviting and fun.
I now find myself staring into the eyes of 40-45 children ranging in ages from 3-14 years old. I am teaching/tutoring in one of the largest slums in Goa, India. We gather each day in the cement block, cement floored living room of a local pastor. The only furnishings being two thin woven mats covering the floor. Nauseating smells of raw sewage stream in through the open windows and doors through which the chickens come and go. As I look into the eyes of the children sitting “Criss-Cross Apple Sauce” on the cement floor, I see the desire and yearning of hope. As we begin by learning new words in English I see their little eyes grow brighter. As we sing “1-2-3 Jesus Loves Me” and the “Tooty Ta” the smiles begin to grow and I hear laughter. As we act out Bible Stories and recite the weekly Bible Verse the hope arises in their innocent, little souls. On Friday afternoon when they recite the Bible Verse to me, MY hope arises for them.
Never, not in a million years, would I have ever imagined that God would be equipping me to use the gift of teaching, that He blessed me with, here, on the complete other side of the planet… in the slums of India. There is nothing easy, comfortable or clean about this place. However, as God continues to equip me to do HIS work, I cannot imagine being anywhere else in this world. I am blessed, so very blessed, to have found my calling and to know that I am in His will. Easy? Comfortable? Clean? No. Blessed and honored? Yes!
-Goa Staff
Posted: February 10th, 2012
