- All of the Scholarship Project students passed their final exams at the end of last year and were able to continue onto the next grade level. In Senegal, this is not a given. We are particularly proud of Ndeye Khady, who passed her elementary school final exam and gained a place in the high school.
- All of the village children who had come into Kaffrine to go to school last year have been able to find a suitable place to live again this year. There were several for whom this was not certain: one father said he didn't think he'd be able to afford to find them housing in town this year; because of the good rainy season, he was able to build several huts on his Kaffrine land and move his first wife from the village into Kaffrine to take care of all of the children. Another student, who was often persecuted by the Muslim relatives she was living with because of her faith in Jesus, reports that this year things are much improved and she will have the freedom to attend church and Youth Group. Praise God!
- Two daughters of the believer who was baptised last Christmas were able to move from the village to Kaffrine to attend the Catholic school in town for the first time this year. Their mother died last Christmas and they are now able to live with their mother's sister (their aunt) here in town and still see their father often. This change in schools is a tremendous opportunity for them to receive a decent education and will significantly change their future. Also, because they are in Kaffrine, they will be able to be part of regular christian meetings and be discipled in God's Word.
- As I talked to the Wolof christians parents of the Scholarship students about the reason we are doing this project, I was encouraged by their response. I explained what our expectations are of their children: that they will work hard at their studies, that they will be part of the christian community and study God's Word and be seeking the Truth, and that they will be good witnesses who represent Christ's body well even if they are not yet believers. One father, whose high school son has not been baptised, said that while his son hasn't yet made the decision to become a christian, he is constantly reading his Bible. We both agree that Jeremiah 29:13 is true: " You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart."
The Bad News
- The public high school students have continued striking regularly, as they have been for the last three years. Sometimes they roam around Kaffrine en masse wreaking havoc, throwing rocks, closing all the elementary and private schools and breaking things. Other times they have big assemblies at the school where student leaders rant and rave about the conditions; other days they simply refuse to go to school at all. This means that there have been barely any class days so far this year. Last week the new governor of Kaffrine moved into the brand new house next to us, and the students came and threw rocks breaking all the windows in the governor's house. Three of the Scholarship Project students are in high school. One of them was able to get a place at a private high school in town so his studies have not been interrupted, but the other two are falling behind. We plan to get them into the private school early next year. Pray for the students to stop striking and rioting, both for their own sakes and for the safety of the general public.
- One of the girls who has been in the village school until this year has just received her first marking period report card for 4th grade at the Catholic school and she is failing. Pray for her to be able to adjust to the higher level of study and catch up in order to pass at the end of the year.
Thanks for your continued prayers and gifts making this project possible! We are confident that there will be many long-term benefits for the Wolof church of the future because of your generosity and concern.
In Christ,
Katie Garrett
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