Thank you!
After returning to Hewa to press toward completing their New Testament translation, we have been talking with our tribal friends about other goals they would like us to help them accomplish.
Together we believe we should continue to expand their little Christian school over the next two years to include both 7th and 8th grades. This is a daunting goal as it will require a higher quality curriculum as well as teachers who are qualified to prepare the students for their High School years. Together we have many dreams for this next step, one of which is to build two small dorms for the upper grade kids. Living in a dorm setting will help give them new life skills in preparation for the challenges of moving out of the village for furthering their education. Learning how to use and maintain living quarters that include a shower, toilet, bed, and desk as well as lights at night may seem like simple skills but remember only a few years ago they didn’t have the benefit of education, and many had never even sat on a chair or used indoor plumbing. Having a desk with overhead lights will allow them to do their homework in the evenings. If you would like to donate towards the purchase of higher-level curriculum, building projects, more desks and possibly even school uniforms, feel free to contact Ethnos360, 312 W 1st St., Sanford, FL 32771, (407)323-3430), and include a note to have your gift forwarded to the Yifki Hewa Christian School in PNG, and include account # 416228 so that 100% goes toward the school.
We were very encouraged to return and find the villagers have been working hard to make their school a success. Not only do they help the teachers by providing their daily food of sweet potatoes, vegetables and occasional game meat, but they also bring them firewood for cooking and warmth. While the village women spend hours every week planting and maintaining gardens for the teachers, the men spend equal time building and maintaining fences around the school grounds to keep the pigs from coming in to ruin the gardens at night. The men also built small cooking huts in which the teachers prepare and cook their food.
As we are discussing the possibility of building dorms for the older students, the parents eagerly talk about helping to clear and level the land and participate in the construction project as they have done in the past. We feel their active participation is confirmation that they will work hard to make the school a success for years to come. Though these village parents can’t possibly come up with the finances to pay teachers to educate their children, we are very proud of their efforts to support and sustain the school program through working.
With deep gratitude,
Jonathan, Susan & Mikenna
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