My Ministry

For more information on the ministry I work with click here.

I have served at Sahel Academy for two years both in their dorm and in the athletic programs through nurturing (dorm assistant), discipling (both individual and small group), model/teaching (athletic programs and service outreach projects) - leading by example. It was there that I finally understood God's plan for my life. He had specifically designed me to thrive in this location and ministry, through the events He had placed earlier in my life.

I envision impacting the lives of third culture kids so they in turn will become world leaders shining God's truth far beyond my reach. In short, I want to use the experience and gifts God has given me as a tool for God to use in forming this specialized group of youth into the future leaders of our world who will take a stand and make choices that honor God alone! I plan to impact the lives of TCKs thru leadership, discipleship, and time investment making it possible for many missionary families to carry on the ministry God has called them to while their own families thrive as well.

My desire is to remain flexible to meet the needs of the school. At this point, I plan to meet their need as a dorm assistant - helping a missionary family care for the housing needs of students who live too far away to commute to school. In times when that is not a need (perhaps filled by another) I will assist the youth pastor as a youth leader as well as help the school as an administrative assistant.

A Typical Day in the Life of a Dorm Teen Girl

She turns off the AC and walks out. I drag myself out of bed and put up my mosquito net. I’m quiet because one of my roommates, Rianna, does her devotions on her bed in the morning and I don’t want to disturb her. I usually do my devotions at night, after supper. Today is sheet day! I rip off my sheets and put them in my laundry basket, and I bring my basket out to the hall for Jaques, one of our two African employees at the dorm, to wash in the washing machine. Sometimes, on holidays, we have to wash our own clothes and sheets and towels, but that doesn’t happen very often. I left some of my clothes at the dorm parents’ apartment, so I head to the other end of the dorm to get them so I can get dressed for school. Once I am all ready, I trudge out into the dining room and stick some toast in the toaster. Since I’m one of the first kids ready, I don’t have to wait my turn for the toaster, but other kids who get up later have to wait their turn. I put lots of hot chocolate mix in my mug and stir it. Yum, yum! Some of the older kids come out and make their breakfast. Today, it’s just the usual options of toast and yogurt and cereal, but sometimes we also have waffles or coffee cake or banana bread or fruit. On birthdays, there’s a special table with decorations and we usually have juice or chocolate cereal with breakfast. Everyone is usually quiet in the morning because it’s the end of the year now and they are getting pretty tired. (Early on in the year this is not the case. They come out full of energy just like me for 6:30 breakfast.) But by the time school is out for the day, they start to get a bit more cheerful. After I finish eating, I walk over to school at about 7:15 and wait for the first bell to ring at 7:25. I then head into class in the secondary building where grades 7 through 12 meet in different rooms. Since we are still a pretty small school, we combine grades for most classes. For example, 7^th grade and 8^th grade go to the same class at the same time; 9^th and 10^th, 11^th and 12^th all do the same.

After the last bell rings announcing the end of school for today, I skip back to the dorm with my roommate. I grab the snack – cookies and candy from a package someone sent to the dorm! Yeah! I sign the thank-you card and greet Halima, the dorm cook. She cooks really good food! I go my room with my snack, put on blaring music and sit down to do my homework. Before supper, I set the table because my team is on chores today. Aunt Brenda (my dorm “mom”) says that I can ring the dinner bell at 5:30 and I happily pick it up and ring it outside and near the halls so that everyone can hear. The guys start coming out of the guys’ hall and the girls out of the girls’ hall. We all pick up our cups from the rack near the big water thermos and sit down at the tables. Uncle Tim (my dorm “dad”) makes a few announcements and then he asks someone to pray. He then picks a table to go get their food first so we aren’t all waiting in line at the same time. It’s hamburgers today! We make our hamburgers and sit back down at our tables.

When I’m finished, I ask the oldest person at my table if I can be excused. Then I go into the kitchen and wash my plate, knife, fork, and cup in the dish water in the sink, dry them, and put them away. (If we all do our own dishes, no one is overwhelmed with dish-duty washing up after 20 or more people.) Because my team is on chores, I help put away the leftovers, wipe off the tables, and rinse the pots and pans for Halima to wash tomorrow.