January 24 is the International Day of Education. Full disclosure: some of these international-days-of can seem pretty obscure (Talk Like a Pirate, anyone?), but I have some skin in the game on this one. I’ve got three littles in school, and I’m married to a school principal. So I feel all things education right where I live—underfunding, high stakes testing, Special Ed… There’s the daily grind of homework, the morning scurry to pack lunches, and the spectre of active shooter lockdowns. 

School can be stressful on so many levels. I have one child in particular who would prefer to skip the whole endeavor. And yet I have to pause frequently to be grateful and to remind my children that they have opportunities for education that make them among the most privileged people on the planet.

Education is one of the most effective tools known to man for overcoming poverty and injustice—both in wealthy nations and in the Majority World. And yet children everywhere face so many barriers to obtaining it. I could give you statistics all day, but you can Google those. Instead, I’ll pass along a few testimonies we’ve heard lately from our partners in Africa, a small glimpse of what they’re facing:

“Two and a half years ago, a pastor had decided to build a school to serve the community. While there was a school in a neighboring area the school fees of $30 per month were prohibitive to most families. However, the project quickly ended when he ran out of money to build. Attending the TCT training, he realized that he needed to look again to see what resources God had already provided in the community. He started building again, mobilizing the church members to get involved, and was able to complete the school. Four church members volunteered to be teachers. The school now has 44 pupils between 5 and 11 years old.” – Martin, Democratic Republic of Congo

“We went to the preschool nearby…to see what they need, what we can do there. We realized that there are no tablets for the kids to work on. Even the teacher sits on the floor…. About 105 students went to that preschool…. We decided to take care of the chairs or benches and a table and some furniture to put their books and stuff inside…we found a carpenter to volunteer, made a budget, and the church started to give… During September back to school, we gave the furniture to the school.” – Pastor, Madagascar

“I never went to school…. I never had anyone to support me, much as my father had the capacity to do so. He never saw any value in educating a child. I feel bad if I see a child who is not at school. I started helping four children by paying for their lunch at school and buying some scholastic materials for them with my little earnings… I told the church, ‘We can also be sponsors. Not only whites.’ Now we support 38 students.” – Pastor Peter, Uganda

“In one community they have a school built with mud bricks with a roof of leaves. In our country, they changed the program of school; now year 7 and 8 are called ‘standard 1 and 2.’ So students continue on in primary two more years. They needed more classrooms to comply with the government’s new mandate. The church decided to expand the school. So they made more than 4,000 bricks [and built classrooms]. Now the church is looking at another problem—to get to this community, you have to pass over a river. It’s risky for students from neighboring villages to pass over the river to get to school. So, they want to learn, but especially in the rainy season, it’s really dangerous.” – TCT Master Trainer, Democratic Republic of Congo 

“This is a school for the deaf. We have 105 students. We do our best , but we are working in miserable conditions. First, professors are not paid…. It’s very hot. It’s dark. And all parents are not regular to pay school fees…. Yet today we have light because of the Act of Love of Pastor Amman and his church.” – School for the Deaf Headmaster, Democratic Republic of Congo  

Will you take a few minutes to join us in praying this month for young people who face barriers to education, for churches like these who are working to help, for educators, and for parents? 

Pray:

  • That all young people would have the opportunity to be educated so that they can reach their God-given potential and contribute to flourishing societies. 
  • that churches would have the opportunity to understand their God-given role in helping children to grow mentally as well as physically and spiritually. Pray that they would bless students and schools in their communities.
  • that all children—especially girls, those with disabilities, those from impoverished backgrounds, and minorities—will be seen and treated with great value. Pray for equal opportunities for education.
  • For children for whom traveling to and from school—or being at school—is dangerous. Pray that God would guide their paths and be a shield about them.
  • That children would have everything they need to learn—enough to eat, healthy bodies and minds, school supplies, safety, and encouragement.
  • For parents to see the importance of education. Pray that they would have the resources to pay for school fees, supplies, and uniforms. Pray that they would support their children well, even if they themselves didn’t have the chance to go to school. 
  • For teachers, classroom assistants, and administrators to see and value each child as God does. Pray for wisdom and insight in how to steward the resources they have and shepherd the children in their care. 
  • Pray for educators with passion, knowledge, and skill. Pray that more Christians would feel called into education and would have a biblical perspective of their role in the lives of students.