Wednesday, February 12, 2014

Bright, Hard-Working Students (2-11-14)


Bright, Hard-Working Students (2-11-14)

Across the seven years Darlene and I have been working at Hope Africa University, we have met some bright, hard-working students.  We had three of them in our apartment today. 

One of the Master’s students with whom I (Wayne) am working is Senior Pastor of the nearby/campus Free Methodist Church and District Superintendent for 31 other churches in Bujumbura.  This morning, Ephraim came to get my final input on the Questionnaire he plans to use in his thesis on Effective Preaching.  I called in Darlene to help with some of the research methodology involved…and we “went at it.”  I was impressed—even somewhat amazed—how Ephraim was able to keep pace with both of us.  When he left, Darlene and I commented to one another: he is not only a good preacher, but very intelligent.

Later in the morning, a graduate of Darlene’s Master’s program in Nursing paid us a social visit.  Edouard is now employed by the Burundian government as a researcher in Public Health and currently serving as Acting Director of that department.  As Edouard talked with Darlene about substantive matters in Nursing Education, and I sat by and listened, we both were impressed not only by his knowledge but also by his analytical and administrative skills.

The third former student to visit is now the Director of the School of Nursing at Hope Africa University.  Eric and Darlene have been working daily, long hours, on multiple drafts of a self-study for the Master’s program.  We see him daily; and Eric never fails to impress us.  He is a hard-working young man (perhaps too hard-working), very bright, and blessed with good administrative skills and savvy.  I recently asked him where and how he learned to be such a good administrator.  He responded, “Just by observing others.”

Can you imagine the satisfaction Darlene and I experience in having a small part in the education of persons such as these three (and there are many others)?  It is good to be here: We are fulfilled; we are blessed!

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