Hi everyone! Happy April! I hope you
all had a wonderful Easter, celebrating Jesus’s amazing sacrifice! Amefufuka!
(He is Risen!) This year has been busy to say the least, but it’s been
wonderful! I just returned from Nairobi, Kenya with my friends for a fun Easter
weekend getaway! I’ll be sharing more pictures and stories in another post, but
today I have some updates and news for you!
all had a wonderful Easter, celebrating Jesus’s amazing sacrifice! Amefufuka!
(He is Risen!) This year has been busy to say the least, but it’s been
wonderful! I just returned from Nairobi, Kenya with my friends for a fun Easter
weekend getaway! I’ll be sharing more pictures and stories in another post, but
today I have some updates and news for you!
 |
| Best Day Ever – Hanging out with Giraffes!!! |
First, I am very excited to announce
that I will be returning to Tanzania for YEAR FIVE of teaching at Hope School!
When I first came, I didn’t really know how long I’d be here. I let God take
care of that, and I made Moshi my (home-away-from) home! I seriously love being
here, teaching our amazing students, and developing relationships with my
coworkers & friends. It’s been a stretching, beautiful, hard, fruitful four
years, and I’m not done yet! (insert happy dance here!)
that I will be returning to Tanzania for YEAR FIVE of teaching at Hope School!
When I first came, I didn’t really know how long I’d be here. I let God take
care of that, and I made Moshi my (home-away-from) home! I seriously love being
here, teaching our amazing students, and developing relationships with my
coworkers & friends. It’s been a stretching, beautiful, hard, fruitful four
years, and I’m not done yet! (insert happy dance here!)
 |
| My class of fourth graders on Career Day! |
Next year, however, my position will
look a bit different. I’m not even sure exactly what it will entail yet. That
really depends on how many awesome teachers come join me! (HINT HINT!!) But,
we’re shifting things a little bit. In the past years, there would be a team of
two teachers in each classroom: mostly one Western lead teacher and one
Tanzanian assistant teacher. It is a joy to co-teach with local teachers and
learn from each other. Next year, we want to empower them more, but still back
them up. So, the plan is to have two Tanzanian teachers in each classroom,
co-teaching. And for every two classrooms (ex: Kindergarten & First) there
will be one Western teacher who will be working alongside them, giving them
ideas, working on classroom management, lesson planning, etc. I will also be
helping with teacher training at the beginning of the year, to get everyone set
up and ready to go! We’ll see how God unfolds everything, but I know it’s where
I’m supposed to be, and I’m excited for new adventures!!
look a bit different. I’m not even sure exactly what it will entail yet. That
really depends on how many awesome teachers come join me! (HINT HINT!!) But,
we’re shifting things a little bit. In the past years, there would be a team of
two teachers in each classroom: mostly one Western lead teacher and one
Tanzanian assistant teacher. It is a joy to co-teach with local teachers and
learn from each other. Next year, we want to empower them more, but still back
them up. So, the plan is to have two Tanzanian teachers in each classroom,
co-teaching. And for every two classrooms (ex: Kindergarten & First) there
will be one Western teacher who will be working alongside them, giving them
ideas, working on classroom management, lesson planning, etc. I will also be
helping with teacher training at the beginning of the year, to get everyone set
up and ready to go! We’ll see how God unfolds everything, but I know it’s where
I’m supposed to be, and I’m excited for new adventures!!
 |
| On the road in Tanzania!! |
Second, I’ve been having some health
problems with my right eye. I was born with something called Dwayne’s Syndrome.
This means that I cannot track my eye out past the center. Also, as I’ve gotten
older, it has turned into the center of my face more. God has masterfully
created our brains to re-calibrate, so I haven’t had much double-vision, until
this year. Currently, I cannot wear any kind of correction for that eye, as it
makes my eye see double-vision. It’s turn has also become more pronounced. I am
believing and declaring that God will completely heal my eye- that I’ll be able
to see clearly, and it will have a full range of motion. Please continue to
pray with me!
problems with my right eye. I was born with something called Dwayne’s Syndrome.
This means that I cannot track my eye out past the center. Also, as I’ve gotten
older, it has turned into the center of my face more. God has masterfully
created our brains to re-calibrate, so I haven’t had much double-vision, until
this year. Currently, I cannot wear any kind of correction for that eye, as it
makes my eye see double-vision. It’s turn has also become more pronounced. I am
believing and declaring that God will completely heal my eye- that I’ll be able
to see clearly, and it will have a full range of motion. Please continue to
pray with me!
 |
| I spoke to the students in Chapel a couple weeks ago, and shared about my journey and testimony with them. They all laid hands on me and prayed for me too!! SO Powerful!! |
But, I also want to take advantage of
the opportunity to possibly have surgery to correct it. It will not completely
fix the problem, but it can help by turning the eye out, so that the
double-vision will go away, and I’ll be able to use glasses/contacts to see
clearly. God has opened the doors for me to be able to hopefully have the
surgery this summer! I will be leaving Tanzania before school ends to have an
appointment with my eye doctor, and we will decide if now is the time, and get
the process going. I’m sad I won’t be able to finish out the school year with
my Fourth Graders, but my co-teacher, Esther, will be teaching them for the
final few weeks. So I will leave around May 11 to fly back to the U.S. and have
my appointment May 15. The goal, if surgery is recommended, is to have surgery
the beginning of June to give me two months to recover. I will be returning to
Tanzania by the end of the first week of August, if all goes well!
the opportunity to possibly have surgery to correct it. It will not completely
fix the problem, but it can help by turning the eye out, so that the
double-vision will go away, and I’ll be able to use glasses/contacts to see
clearly. God has opened the doors for me to be able to hopefully have the
surgery this summer! I will be leaving Tanzania before school ends to have an
appointment with my eye doctor, and we will decide if now is the time, and get
the process going. I’m sad I won’t be able to finish out the school year with
my Fourth Graders, but my co-teacher, Esther, will be teaching them for the
final few weeks. So I will leave around May 11 to fly back to the U.S. and have
my appointment May 15. The goal, if surgery is recommended, is to have surgery
the beginning of June to give me two months to recover. I will be returning to
Tanzania by the end of the first week of August, if all goes well!
I would so appreciate your prayers!!
Here are some ways you can pray for me these next few months:
Here are some ways you can pray for me these next few months:
- Healing for my eye! I believe
God is our Healer- and He will heal my eye, whether it is through the surgery,
or before it even happens! His timing is perfect, and I trust Him!! - The next few weeks in Tanzania –
I will be working hard to prepare for the rest of the school year, as well as
organizing for easy pack-up in June, for my co-teacher and students. Please
pray that God gives me wisdom and lots of time to get everything organized and
wrapped up! - My travels back to the U.S.
- Favor & Wisdom with my eye
doctor – if surgery is necessary, that I would have favor in getting a time
slot that gives me plenty of recovery time before August. - Surgery – once again, that God
would be with the doctor to do exactly what’s needed for my eye, and that my
body would do well in and after surgery - Recovery – that the recovery
would be quick and painless, that my body would accept the change of my eye,
and my brain would quickly re-calibrate to the new placement of my eye - Teachers – that my school would
be able to find and sign on great teachers for next school year! If you or
anyone you know may be interested in teaching here with me in Tanzania, please
contact me! We would love to have you!
If you made it to the end of this post,
thank you!! Thank you for your love and support. Thank you for your prayers!! I
so appreciate you. If you have any questions, feel free to comment or reach out
to me!! I’m blessed to be serving God in beautiful Tanzania, and am excited to
continue doing so after taking care of me this summer!!
thank you!! Thank you for your love and support. Thank you for your prayers!! I
so appreciate you. If you have any questions, feel free to comment or reach out
to me!! I’m blessed to be serving God in beautiful Tanzania, and am excited to
continue doing so after taking care of me this summer!!
Praying for safe travel for you back the the US and positive results from your eye appt.