Embarrassed No More

"I don't want to be embarrassed anymore", "I want to help my children with their homework", "I don't want to get cheated in the market", "I want to be able to read to my children", "I want to read the Bible".

The first day I began the literacy class in Joe Bar I asked the participants why they wanted to learn to read and write. The above statements are a sample of the answers I received and I sensed the urgency in their voices. They were tired of being called names and told they were stupid. They so desired simple things that can be taken for granted like the ability to read to their children.

This was a month ago and yesterday I said good-bye to the class in Joe Bar so I can help start another class. The national teachers we trained back in January have been doing most of the teaching the last two weeks and they are more than ready to take over completely; I need to get out of the way.

This last month I have seen many of them go from not being able to write the letter 'f' to begin reading words on their own. They have a long way to go but to see their excitement because they know they are learning is so encouraging.

Before I left I gave them each a Bible and prophetically declared over them that they will all be able to read it. One of the participants stood up and spoke on behalf of the class, thanking me for all I had done and then she said, "We now have confidence and we thank God for that. We will not be embarrassed anymore".