Ibrahim Speaks Up

Liz Roddy (bottom right of photo), shared with us one of the highlights of her time here with the Christian Assembly team that helped us launch our on-going English classes with the young men in our football/soccer club.

Above, she and some of the others on the team are seen with the trainers they trained to carry the classes on. Below, you'll find her highlight story. Enjoy!

"We started the English club on a Monday and some of the students were very timid and afraid to speak up in front of the class. A lot of them had not had much opportunity to practice their speaking, so I think they were a little intimidated. One of the boys, Ibrahim, was particularly shy. He had a hard time understanding, and whenever we would ask him a question, we could barely hear his response...everything came out as a whisper.

Then on Thursday, our second to last day of class, we were teaching about "CAN and CAN'T." The boys had to do an activity where they walked around the clubhouse and asked each other what they can and can't do. They were to write their classmates answers down, so they could share with the class. Then, as we went around asking each person to share, we slowly made our way around to Ibrahim.

We were expecting another quiet response, when all of a sudden, Ibrahim, shouted in a loud, clear voice,

"I talked to David, and he can play football, but he can't swim."

We were shocked! And so was everyone else. All the other boys began applauding for him; they knew this was a big moment for Ibrahim. We gave him a prize for a job well done.

When Ibrahim spoke up, my heart was overjoyed. I could feel God in that moment, I knew English club was making a difference and that it would mean a long term change for these kids. I was so excited because of how much Ibrahim and the other boys had improved over just 4 days. Think of what we could have done in a month!"

Great Teachers/Eager Learners

Our first 10 week session of English Club is under way in the tiny little club house of our Nyota Football Club!

The wonderful team from Christian Assembly (who were with us at the end of August) poured their hearts into a full week of classes that included the training of trainers to take the English lessons on.

Wow! You've never seen such eager learners :-) Those Nyota guys hardly let us pause after the team left before they were insisting that they were ready to get the 10 weeks of follow-on classes under way.

We really could not have gotten this lasting effort off the ground without the preparation, training and materials that our friends from Christian Assembly brought with them. Thank you, CA!!



Team member, Christine Kim, reflected on the photo above, which she took when she arrived to teach one morning.

"When I arrived on the second day of English Club, I saw our students sitting on the grass reviewing and studying their books. It was such a blessing to see their eagerness to learn and acquire English. I remember sharing with the team that in all my years of teaching, I have never seen kids treasure education and the opportunity to learn so much. It gave me excitement each day to teach."

The team filled our 40 students with encouragement and the excitement to learn. Their impact carries on as these young men, aged from about 8-18, continue to come in with a hunger to improve their language skills.

Visiting Team

We have a wonderful team from Christian Assembly in LA visiting with us right now. They are here to work hard during their 2 week stay and we're excited about the ESL type training they'll be doing so that English Club can carry on even when we don't have volunteers around.

If you're interested in what types of adventures they're up to while here, check out their
BLOG

We're thankful for their great hearts and willing hands :-)

A Safari for the Heart

The entire Borden Family, the entire Russell Family and the entire Summer Team went away for 8 days together! There were 18 of us on the road through dust and ditches, forests and mountains, volcanoes and rivers, plains and lakes, friendships, studies, prayers, sharing, service, times of great adventure and times of quiet awe.

The combination of learning, giving, working, serving and adventuring combined with the beauty of Creation, turned our hearts toward the Creator in new and deeper ways.

This really was a journey for our hearts!

Thanks for prayers!

Photos: Jesse Borden

Sore Hands and Good Times

Our summer team spent the day at the home and farm of Alfonse and Rose and sons. We worked until our hands were covered in blisters in an effort to bless their farm, bless their lives, and serve in a practical way some of those God has given us friendship with.

Rose cooked up a hot lunch and sharing food together in the shade of their garden was filling in more ways than one.

When we pulled away the sun was pushing low toward evening and we were tired but exhillerated. Mount Meru looked stunning in the golden shades of the late afternoon and we felt the joy of serving, even in our weary muscles.

The Latest Around Wild Hope

Wow! Everyone around Wild Hope has been on the move in a big way!

Peter and Tammy and their crew (AKA The Russell Family) were in the States for two months. They were in and around LA and up to Canada, over to Colorado and back again before landing in Nairobi last Saturday night. After such a wonderful season in Tanzania, they had much to share and they had a great time connecting with people and telling them Wild Hope stories in person ☺. God so blew them away with the supportive enthusiastic response that greeted them everywhere they went. They were blessed up one side and down the other as they racked up the miles.

Byron and Lisa and their crew (AKA The Borden Family) finally left the States and arrived here in Tanzania mid-May. These first weeks have been absolutely packed full of the details of immigrating, house-hunting and general settling. Phew! They are totally relieved to be here and to have found a house to move into. Life is starting to feel sort of normal to them as they unpack those boxes of familiar household things shipped from Portugal months ago.

We have a summer team that just arrived! Six young people from Portugal and/or Santa Barbara are with us to experience God in new ways, grow, get their heads and hearts challenged and their hands dirty as they help out. We are really looking forward to this time together seeking God, volunteering in different service oriented ways and experiencing the fullness of what the Lord has in store for this summer.

We’ll catch up again soon. I hesitate to say, “When things settle down,” but I think you know what I mean ☺

Photo taken by Jesse when the summer team hiked the gorge.