Okay, so I know pretty much all I put on this blog anymore are links to other websites, but there is just so much good writing about Sudan happening these days! And really you should go listen to this story on NPR about the process of building a country in Sudan. I think it captures how many challenges there are and, at the same time, how much of a difference can be made with a little education.
My favorite part: When Clara Kenyana, a Ugandan the UN has hired to teach budgeting to state finance ministries said she could "confidently say" that the Minister of Finance in the state we live in can make an Excel spreadsheet. Because she taught him.
This story really shows how important John's work is as an educator. His job is to train pastors in Church History, but recently he was asked by a group of students if he could teach them how to use a computer. It's amazing how much there is to learn for people whose education has been shredded by decades of conflict. Through his teaching, John will have such an impact on these students' lives! It's exciting to think about how they can then take the knowledge and skills they get from John and use it to be better advocates for peace and development in their communities than John ever could be as an outsider. It's like fuzzy math come to life as 1 + 1 = really does equal 11!
My work doesn't seem as directly helpful sometimes, but at least I can confidently say that, unlike my state's Minister of Finance, my staff get receipts. Because I taught them.
-Stephanie
No comments:
Post a Comment