During my time in Kitale, I have been spending a large amount of time at a place called Deliverance Church. Deliverance is a church that serves the surrounding community and includes a school on the compound that has all classes from baby class all the way through high school. After about two weeks in Kitale I had the privilege of teaching an English class to form two students (sophmores in high school). I was given a class of around 35 students. The students range in age from 16 to 20. When I first walked in the classroom on the first day, I was scared to death. I had never expected to find myself in front of 30 some Kenyan students that I didn’t know at all.
It has been two months now since I started teaching at Deliverance and it has been two of the most rewarding months of my life. I cant wait to run through the door of my classroom and see the smiling faces of these students that have become some of my greatest friends. Monday through Friday I go to school and teach English for forty minutes with these students and we have such a great time. I have grown to love them each individually as I have sat down with many of them and heard their stories.
One day after class I told my students that I was going to be praying for them and if they wanted me to pray for anything to please let me know. No one made any requests, then later in the week a student named Sauliemon came to me after class and told me his story. He is an 18-year-old orphan that is from a refugee camp in Sudan. He lost his parents and 3 other siblings during warfare in his village and he still to this day, has never been able to find them. He came to Deliverance with other boys from his camp and boards at the school. He has been such a wonderful student in class, and has taught me so much about perseverance and humility in the little amount of time that I have known him. Sauliemon in the hardest working student I have and on our last exam he earned an A of 98% only missing one question.
Sauliemon has continued to amaze me with his heart and his kindness. He is from some of the worst circumstances and continues to be a light to the class that he is in. He helps other students that are in need and he would never refuse to do anything I asked of him. He is always respectful towards me and helps translate things I am trying to say to the class (apparently Americans talk too fast...who knew?!) When the others don’t understand. I always enjoy seeing him in class with a smile on his face and an open hand to greet me. He has been such a joy and encouragement to me. I have been so honored to meet him and I know that no words can do him justice. I am so thankful for the opportunity to serve at Deliverance Church and to meet students like Sauliemon.
Please pray for Sauliemon as he is on the journey to finding his family and pursuing an education. Thank you, Delia Baltierra
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