PRAYER POINTS:
- Give thanks for all of the ways we have been blessed this year.
- Pray for our graduates as they move onto to universities
- Pray for next year's developments: sports facilities, tougher academic expectations and better pastoral care for students
- Give thanks for the summer we have planned and that we will be rested
- Pray that current and new supporters will catch our vision as we raise financial support for the coming year.
My Ditch
I have a big ditch. It's long, wide and empty; and runs next to the Secondary School wall. It used to be blocked and broken. I'm very excited...let me explain.
I was walking back to the Secondray School the other day and noticed a tunnel under the road which the Secondary School is on. The tunnel runs from a drainage system, fed by most of our neighbourhood and a busy road, to our side of the road. Hmm? Is our neighbourhood draining into the land we'd like to develop for sports? A development requiring very expensive ground works and drainage. I was pacing the dimensions for a football field the other day, in the dry season, and it was water logged. Why? There had only been a little rain the other day.
We walked round our neighbourhood and stomped through undergrowth. Not very pleasant given the absence of public toilets. I did misstep once, but it's amazing what you learn to shrug off. But it was worth it. Linked to a shiny new drainage system, was an old, blocked system that was supposed to drain the neighbourhood water under the road and down to the lake.
And not only was it blocked, but it was broken too...right by our boundary wall...draining the contents of the neighbourhood onto our compound.
Sponsorship deals, surveyor visits and fundraising options were instantly stopped and some of our workers were wellied-up before taking on the ditches.
Two days later, I have a long, wide and empty ditch. I'm very excited...let me explain.
This development represents such a significant development for the coming academic year.
- By December, I hope, sports lessons for the Primary and Secondary School will be held on school premises...simply by allowing the ground to dry over the summer, being de-stoned and then flattened. Then we lay concrete for basket ball and volley ball too. All affordably. (Grass etc...can come later)
- This will reduce costs and increase the quality and supervision of sports in the school.
- Onsite sports means that most Secondary students will remain at the school for a full day. This creates exciting opportunities for lunch time clubs and sports teams. A great way to develop our extra curricular programme.
- Secondary students will have space to play games at breaktimes...helping them to let off steam and reduce damage to school property.
- We can host sports competitions with other schools.
But most excitingly, it helps us in our core mission...to disciple our students. Next year we are really increasing the amount of spiritual, pastoral and life skills input we have with our students. We are determined to produce not only academically excellent students, but disciplined, Godly young men and women who can shape the future of this country. And every extra hour they are in school, under our supervision and being mentored, is an amazing opportunity to nurture them spiritually and shape their characters. Wow!
Seriously, this is a big deal. I'm very excited!
Previously all our options were very expensive and time consuming.
It's amazing what a ditch can do.
My Flags
As well as my ditch, I have two new flags. Flags with poles and right colour rope to fly them from. I have a shiny, new Burndian flag and a shiny, new Union Jack!
We put them both up in preparation for last week's graduation. A proud symbol of a UK initiative, working in Burundi. Educating and discipling for a better future.
It was fantastic to have parents, students, staff and VIP'S together to celebrate the achievements of our senior students. A wonderful day put together by an amazing support team. Though, despite our best efforts, we started late...some things never change.
This was the school's second senior graduation and is an event that creates real hope. Many of last year's graduates are returning from overseas scholarships and the feedback is great. They have found that the education they got at the school has well equipped them for their degree studies. And many are volunteering whilst they are back.
Such an affirmation for the staff and a real sense of the school's vision coming to fruition.
Some of this year's graduates are beginning a time of preparation before applying for comprehensive US scholarships. I had my first meeting with them last week...setting out my expectations. We will work with them over the coming months to mentor and disciple them. To help them grow into high-performing, credible, interesting, reliable young adults. Godly individuals that scholarship programmes will be desperate for. Well that's the plan.
But whilst we see the culmination if 16+ years of hard work and faithfulness from the those who have gone before...in many respects we feel like we are now just ready to begin...
The Buzz
I have a real buzz about next year...for three reasons...none of which involve ditches...or flags.
STAFF
Almost all staff are returing, again, for another year. So I assume that they're happy here. And, now that everybody is familiar and settled, I'm seeing a real desire for progress and an understanding of the school's values.
Two examples:
1) At a staff training day a month or two ago, we had some departmental sessions to come up with ways we can continue improve. Everyone was tired and, I thought, just thinking about the end of the year. My expectations were low. But the output was amazing. So many creative ideas; many involving longer hours or more effort, for the staff. Sophisticated ideas to radically improve the pastoral and educational standards in the school.
I have seen such growth in the spiritual life and love for the students in all our staff. It's amazing.
2) Secondary staff who, additionally, support sports are now eligible for an extra allowance. Which was turned down. Because it was too low. Why?
Not because the staff felt they deserved more or we're being greedy. But because they understand the expectations. They know that, if they step up for this, we will be expecting very high levels of reliability, standards and hard work. Apparently what I was offering was not worth it because 'Mr Jeremy will be on the phone' checking and pushing.
Too right!
We'll work something out, but the staff understand that excellence is the norm. Wonderful! This is how organisations move forward...high standards and creativity. God has really blessed me with a staff that have a real, faithful, heart for this school.
We have had some staff turnover in our Administrative functions...solid people who will be sorely missed. But they are being replaced by a new team of young professionals who are determined to prove themselves. I strongly suspect that they will give all of us, especially me, a run for our money next year!
STUDENTS
We are, and always will be, a mixed ability school. But the time for students failing to reach their potential is over.
Earlier in the year there was a lot of discussion around students dropping subjects at GCSE. It was too easy. So rather than dropping subjects, why not increase the expectations?
From September there will be a minimum standard for Secondary School students to automatically remain in the school at the end of the academic year. The entry standards we require for entry to A-levels will become the norm. Anyone falling bellow this standard will require interviews with parents to discuss the student's future. Of course we aren't going to remove students who aren't academically gifted...but the option of not being bothered is being removed.
To support this we are:
- increasing the pastoral responsibilities of form tutors
- expanding the student support teams
- introducing standardised testing for years 7-9
- cracking down on absences
- increasing parental engagement
- introducing leadership development
- having career conversations earlier
We want grades to go up. Not because we are proud, but because we want these students to realise the gifts God has given them and to be well equipped to serve their country.
FINANCES
As always, though it doesn't always feel like it, God has been faithful in His provision. We have a difficult and austere summer ahead of us...but after that we break even. In fact, next year, we will have a modest surplus that will allow us to invest in the school, invest in our staff and, perhaps, provide a small amount of support to our mission.
There is so much hope...and so much more that we can still do. God is good!
Being Able To Be Here
Our life and work here is not easy. I think we might've mentioned that before.
But I realised something today. Right now I'm rested and happy. Now I realise that I'm sitting by a pool right now, in the sun, and that, without my family, life is much simpler...but it made me see that I don't need to leave Burundi to recharge.
Don't get me wrong, I'm really looking forward to coming back to the UK and seeing friends and family (see my last blog) and we all need a break and a rest. But that's life, work and families. It's not all because of being here.
And I'm grateful to God for showing me that. I don't want to be one of those people who are resentful about being here. (Feel free to remind me of this when I'm moaning next year). If I couldn't go back this summer I'd survive. I'd rather go back, but I'd survive.
Finances and the complications of living here continue to frustrate and cause sleepless nights...but I'm glad God called me here.
God Bless (from the pool),
Jeremy
