ILTI Week 4 Begins

ILTI Week #4 begins, with a new week, a new month, and the 

Teacher Training Workshop Practicum!!!

In the photo above, Helena is pictured on the right.  Funlola is pictured on the left.  

"We need to be open for God to use us wherever we are, in whatever context." ~ Helena

Friday, Helena, from Ghana, West Africa, led our morning Bible study of Daniel 2:24-35.  As Daniel prepared to reveal the content of the dream, he was quick to point out to Nebuchadnezzar that only God could explain such mysteries.  "You must realize that these mysteries weren't explained to me because I am smarter than everyone else."  Daniel continues, "Instead, it was done so that you would understand what you have seen." (Daniel 2: 30, CEV) Daniel reminds us, time after time, that it is all about God and his desire to communicate with his creation,  and Daniel was just being obedient, making himself available to God and the king.  Helena asked us how we can discern the plans God has for our lives.  We concluded that it is best to constantly communicate with God through prayer, reading his word, trusting Him each step of the way, before a crisis happens.  In that way, when trials come, we are prepared to trust God with his plans.

In chapel on Friday, Harold, from Colombia and Chicago, gave an amazing testimony of our Lord's faithfulness in very difficult family circumstances.

A big thank you goes out to the ladies from Kirk of the Hills and those from Piccolo House Church who graciously served lunch on Friday and Monday.

Early Monday morning, David, from Togo, West Africa (pictured below, at left, teaching at the Tutor Training Workshop), led our morning Bible study of Daniel 2:36-49.  In these verses, the drama continues as Daniel tells King Nebuchadnezzar what his unusual dream means.  He begins by saying, "Your Majesty, you are the greatest of kings, and God has highly honored you with power."  (Daniel 2:37, CEV) How wise of Daniel to begin on such a positive note.  King Nebuchadnezzar is interpreted as being the statue's head of gold.  Daniel goes on to describe the other less illustrious kingdoms to follow.  The pinnacle of the dream is when Daniel reveals God's eternal heavenly kingdom that will never fail and the truth that God can be trusted.  We as Christians know that the fulfillment of this prophetic dream comes as Jesus Christ (the living stone Peter talks about in 1 Peter 2:4-8) establishes his eternal kingdom.   We can trust our Lord with the eternal plan he has for his creation.

Faith, from Kenya-now living in Tulsa, told her story today in chapel.  Faith grew up in Kenya.  Because she was a Christians she was often not accepted by some of her family members.  Faith lived in abject poverty in a small hut into which rainwater often poured.  Yet she never realized how poor her family was until she was much older.  At nine years old, Faith accepted her mother and grandmother's faith in Jesus.  She grew up wanting to be just like her grandmother who demonstrated peace in very difficult circumstances and Christ-like generosity even when there was little to nothing to share.  "We praised God every morning.  We didn't care about what we did not have, because we were so grateful for what we did have."  Through these difficulties Faith learned to give the sacrifice of praise in all circumstances.

Even when Faith and her children were trying to come to America to join her husband, who had already moved to Tulsa for his education, she suffered rejection.  She waited six years for a visa to be granted by the American embassy.  In her time of waiting, Faith did not remain idle.  She developed a ministry to young girls who were being taken advantage of.  These girls were illiterate.  In the mean time, she prayed.  God did not ignore her prayer. God intervened through the efforts of people from 1st Presbyterian Church, Tulsa, who contacted the authorities who made decisions about granting visas to Kenyans.   Finally, one day, when Faith was on her knees in prayer, a messenger came to her house and said, "Come to the embassy at 11 o'clock.  Please come and get your visas."  Our Lord was faithful to Faith.  Now she is taking ILTI training to be prepared for wherever the Lord leads her to do next.

Teacher Training Workshop

David says the words and sentences then has his "student" repeats.  

 Tania demonstrates the process in her native language of Bulgarian.

Today, the ILTI students became the teachers as the second phase of the Teacher Training Workshop continued.  Phase one began on Saturday as volunteers from the community came to Tutor Place to be trained as literacy teachers.  The ILTI students put their newly acquired skills to the test as they taught others how to use LEI's overseas literacy method.  Our ILTI students are becoming very good literacy teachers.

Tomorrow, Greg Bennett will begin teaching Development of Leadership Skills.

posted by Christa