Fresh Start

We're at the mid point of our Easter break and there's been a lot of space and time for me to reflect on my work and our mission...which have, if we're honest, been a lot harder than any one would have imagined.

In a typically worldly manner, I've been looking at the way I do things (reviewing my workflow for you productivity geeks). One of the challenges of this role is the speed, variety, volume and unpredictability of my work. I've picked up some amazing apps to help me manage emails, meetings, diaries and projects...as well as this blogging app.

Allie and I are so aware of the importance of keeping our supporters updated, but blogging at the end of a long, hard day/week is often the last thing you want to do. I hope this app will help me write more frequent, if perhaps shorter updates.

I have an article app which gives me views on, amongst other subjects, leadership; albeit from a secular perspective. Feeling really challenged right now to:

- Do what's right, not what's easy...there are few troublesome pieces of work that just need finishing.
- Remember that it's not all about me...it's God and the people who work for me that make the school a success.
- Connect...really connect...with people. Spend time with them. Get to know them even better. Build relationships with everyone on the staff team.

Spiritually I'm overhauling my prayer life. Reading about and applying ways of making it more meaningful, structured...and grateful! I've also embarked on reading Christian books jointly with a friend in England. Allies does this a lot...perhaps reading a chapter a week then discussing it. In the 2 months or so my friend and I have managed to buy a book.

WORK:

This has been a challenging year so far. Hardwork, stressful and tiring...and, if I'm honest, I'm not really enjoying it. But I persevere because God has given me this job. I can be sure that the work he's given me will be for His glory...but he never promised an easy ride.

Recent reflections with my leadership team were that, on the whole, we are fixing problems and not, hopefully, creating them. Which is great...but it feels like wrestling a giant...whilst being frequently punched in the face. It's either straining or reeling.

But we do it in the hope and belief that next year will be easier as many of our challenges will have been resolved...trying to not to it in my own strength and accepting God's plans, timing and will.

Please Pray: That during the busyness, stress and strain we would continue to rely on God.

The challenges we face in the school include:

- Finances...we continue to look for the final £40,000 that will allow the school remain open until September.
- Recruitment...finding well qualified, English speaking teachers, especially for A-levels, is extremely difficult; especially as the Burundian economy prevents of from offering competitive salaries. Watch out for job vacancies in Christianity and Youth Work magazines and at the Big Church Day Out which we pray will bring some missionary teachers from the UK for September.
- Salaries...which, historically, have not been set with reference to a transparent salary structure. Naturally this creates inconsistencies and unhappy members of staff. We have a structure we'd like to move to...but these initiatives always put the salary bill up.
- Resources...for next year need to be bought soon. Without the funds to do this we may have to go ahead in faith that funding will come through. Many children are sharing text books in the Secondary School.
- Fees...for some parents are a real struggle. We have missionary children, widows and refugees whose circumstances have worsened. As a Christian school we want to be compassionate, whilst balancing this against the school's own financial issues.
- Administrative Staffing...has not grown with the school, putting pressures on the current staff and creating bottle necks around the school.

Please Pray: For wisdom as we deal with these challenges.

Personal challenges include:

- Finding time to get some work done. Distractions and demands on my time are insane. I've taken to spending some time at a local conference centre for an hour two now and then to get some work done.
- The sense that two terms were lost. In term 1 we were totally distracted by the financial crisis. In term 2 our return to the UK plus some issues in the Secondary School snatched that time away from us. I feel like I'm just starting!

Please Pray: That I might feel encouraged.

It's often the negative that we have to deal with and so there's a danger that we only see that. However there are a great many things to give God thanks for:

- The school continues to grow and new parents arrive to enrol almost every day. We have healthy waiting lists now.
- Last month we signed a formal agreement with Oklahoma Christian University who will offer scholarships to two Year 13 students each year to study in the US.
- Guitar and Keyboard lessons are now offered in the Primary School.
- The Monday morning Secondary School assembly now has a very talented worship group...one day I want our assemblies to be heard by the passing commuters!
- 20 PC's have been pledged so that we can fit out our second ICT lab at the Secondary School.
- Our first Easter Fayre was held at the Junior School. It was organised very successfully by our Year 6 students.
- All staff visas have now been brought up to date...when our Administrator 'left' we discovered that none had been done.
- Every half term I hold a staff day. A great opportunity to bring all the staff together, have some fun, do some training and share our plans.
- A-level staff are now offering additional study, teaching and mentoring to our Year 12 and 13 students to help our fledgling candidates cope with this new qualification.
- We have a full teaching staff and new administrative recruitments have really helped with building maintenance and management of our workers.
- Sports matches are now more regular in both the Primary and Secondary Schools. Also an arrangement with one of our parents means we can now offer Step Aerobics and Salsa to our Secondary girls as a sports option.
- Next term we will be launching a new House System in a bid to create a greater sense of belonging and ownership amongst the students. A points system will also create a competitive environment where both good and behaviour are recognised and contribute to House totals.
- Some staff restructuring has been put in place to provide more leadership support in both the Primary and Secondary Schools.
- Although progressing slower than hoped, our recent strategy work has given us some structure around how we'd like to develop the school.
- Offerings from Allie's father's funeral have enabled us to build a new Primary classroom, buy a new Primary projector, build two new slides for the Nursery and put shelving in for a Secondary library.
- I've managed to spend some time with the school's accountant building a financial model that will cut her monthly accounting from 2 weeks to 1 day.
- Despite all our challenges the teachers remain highly committed and our students receive some of the best education Burundi has to offer.

Thank God: For all His blessings

FAMILY:

Whilst work is tough, life in Burundi is different, challenging but pretty great.

School holidays are fun and restful...we have visitors (who bring treats)...we get letters and packages.

Harry is much more settled at school and Caspar and Felicity can often been heard talking or singing in Kirundi or French.

Life here offers some great experiences...Hippos, back garden Ethiopian restaurants, Burundian engagement parties.

We've been given plenty of DVD's and games...Settlers of Catan is growing on me.

My birthday was great fun...and well timed as Allie's mum was able to bring presents out!

Thank God: For our friends in Bujumbura

Fundraising has slowed a bit. Something I'm not very good at handing over to God. We still need £9,000 to get us through to Sept, plus next year's costs.

Over the summer we will need to find a new home, which is making us anxious, and it is likely that we'll have to pay rent on two houses for a month or two to avoid having to move house as the new academic year begins. We may also have to find some furniture too.

Please Pray: For God's provision and our faith.

FINALLY...

I've been trying to take a photo each day to document life here. Here's a very small selection.

God Bless,

Jez