Dreamin’

Hope keeps dreams alive. In many areas of life here, people’s dreams far exceed daily realities. We are often astounded at the reach of their aspirations. But it is hope that makes daily life bearable, and fills it with meaningfulness and joy.

Singing about Jesus’ second coming is commonplace and frequent. Recently we attended a service in a church “up country,” in which seven choirs performed; half  of the songs centered on this theme.

Accompanying the people’s hopes and dreams is infinite patience (or so it seems to us). While this attribute sometimes “tries our patience” (!), we are learning. I, in particular, have grown immensely in my capacity for patience from our time here in Africa.

Some big dreams are becoming a reality for Hope Africa University. In less than 10 years, the school has grown from about 100 students to more than 5,000! Admittedly, this rapid growth overreaches the available resources in many areas. But we are working hard to help HAU “backfill,” particularly in needed infrastructure. This week I had a meeting on campus computerization, and another on graduate research. Both represent areas where there exists tremendous need for additional development, but both also represent areas of tremendous opportunity for the further development of Hope Africa University.

HAU has come a long ways in less than 10 years! But the administrative leadership is not “resting on its laurels” (i.e., past accomplishments). Already the Rector is dreaming of considerable program expansion, an extension campus, and Ph.D. degrees!