A Sponge in the Desert

This is a recent picture of Snoden’s family. Angela is standing to the far left. She’s twelve. Snoden and Susan are her parents, but she’s only been aware of that for a few years. When we met them Arthur was their only child, but shortly after John baptized Snoden, he confided in us that he and Susan also had a daughter. They were young when she was born, and they gave her to his mother to raise. He said that after learning God’s ways he and Susan felt like bringing her home was the right thing to do. We agreed and within weeks Angela was living in their home with her parents and her brother. She didn’t really seem surprised, only grateful. She’s a very bright little girl, and I’ve never met a more content child. 

Angela quickly blossomed into a wonderful older sister and caretaker of the babies in the feeding program. She learned English quickly by listening to us and practicing with her parents. She’s always eager to help and looks for ways to serve the people around her. We’ve had high hopes for Angela since we met her but have been discouraged by the limited opportunities available to her in the village and the public school system. Her eager mind has nothing around to absorb, like a sponge in the desert. One day during our prayer time, God revealed the perfect solution—send Angela to the international school in the city. It’s where our boys went to school and where I taught while we lived there. Until our Christian school is up and running, it’s the best education available.

Though we hope to add a new grade each year, we’re only up to the first. Angela is going into the seventh. At that rate she will be eighteen before we could accommodate her educational needs. The international school is the best option, but it’s also the most expensive and a seemingly impossible dream for a girl from the village. When we presented the idea to Snoden he was speechless. We asked him to visit and get a quote for the annual tuition, which he promptly did. He called us with resignation in his voice; the $5,000 fee was simply out of reach. He sincerely thanked us for trying. We assured him it was possible and to continue to pray. 

John shared the idea with our church this past Sunday. I was planning to post a fundraising video on DonorSee but, before we left the building, Angela’s first year was paid for. We were over the moon but probably nowhere nearly as excited as Snoden and Susan will be when we tell them next week. We plan to share the news through a video call next Sunday while the whole church is present. I can’t tell you how much joy it brings us to be a part of something as fundamentally life changing as this ministry has been to our family, to Snoden’s family, and to so many children in the village. Thank you for joining us along this journey. May God bless your life as much as He is blessing the lives of these kids through you. 

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