I was extremely encouraged by my conversation with the director of the Catholic school today. I asked how the Scholarship Project kids were doing and she gave me a very positive report.
She raved about the sweet spirit of the oldest girl, Khady, who is 14, and assured me that she is certain that she will pass the test at the end of the school year in order to gain admittance to the public high school. The village teacher who had been teaching Khady last year told me that no girl from that village school has ever passed the test to gain a place in the high school - so this will be a very big deal! Khady has been studying the Bible in the village for years and asked to be baptised last year. I am so glad that God is blessing her in this way; what a wonderful witness to those adults and children in her village who have persecuted her and her family for their faith in Jesus to see her going forward in her studies.
At the same time that Khady is doing well and earning the praise of the director at school, she is enduring a difficult living situation. She and her older brother, who is studying at the local high school through the Scholarship project, are living in Kaffrine at the home of an aunt. They are the only followers of Jesus in this Muslim household and this is not easy. Khady's aunt will only allow Khady to go to one christian meeting a week. This is sad and difficult for her, and also a shame for the Sunday school group and the girls' Bible study group because she was such a strong participant and contributor to these groups. She is required to do housework, wash clothes by hand, etc., in return for being allowed to sleep in her aunt's hut and eat from the common bowl. This work, in addition to her school work, does not leave her enough time to fully participate in the life of the Body as one would want. Pray that God will give Khady patience and endurance to humbly work for her aunt without complaining and at the same time to succeed in her studies and continue growing in her faith.
The director said that all of the students are working very hard and are very well-behaved. When she talked about Keba, she broke into a big smile. She said that he is such a good kid, so mature, polite and responsible, that she has made him the library leader for his class. His younger sister, Fatou, was chosen by her teacher to be a group leader in her class. I am so pleased that the director of the school is so impressed with all of the Scholarship kids because I think it reflects well on Jesus, whom their families are committed to following. The director also let me know how much she appreciates Fatou and Keba's father. She says that he has contributed wise, gentle words at the parents' meetings and that she is so glad he has been asked to join the parents' school board. She told me she thinks he will contribute a much-needed voice to the board. I am glad that his testimony, as one of only a handful of evangelical christians in town, is being recognized so postively and that he will be in a place to speak truth in the community. Praise God and continue to pray for the witness of all the believers in Kaffrine, particularly for these children and their families.
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