Joel Belz - A school worth celebrating

MARY REICHARD, HOST: Today is Wednesday, January 26th. Good morning! This is The World and Everything in It from listener-supported WORLD Radio. I’m Mary Reichard.

NICK EICHER, HOST: And I’m Nick Eicher.

Hey this Friday is our regular Listener Feedback segment. So if you have something you’d like to share with us, we’re all ears! The best way to do that is to record a voice memo and email it to feedback@worldandeverything.com. But you can also call our feedback line at 202-709-9595 and leave us a message.

Here’s WORLD Founder Joel Belz with a reminder of our mission here at WORLD News Group.

JOEL BELZ, FOUNDER: I’ve never met Teng Kur—but I’d welcome the chance if we can ever arrange it. The school that produced a young man like this deserves a second look.

Teng has just finished 5th grade, and is right now launching sixth grade studies at Cush Christian School in central west South Sudan. Teng also enjoys his regular role as a “junior teacher,” directing a group of 2nd graders at this most unusual school. Teng says he’s 15 years old, although exact ages aren’t typically important in South Sudan.

WORLD magazine had a small role in the launch of Cush Christian School some 15 years ago. CCS’s founder, WORLD reader Scott Brinkerhoff, a veteran Christian school teacher and coach, was exploring a new role in some other country. His pursuit led first to several possibilities in Africa at large and then to a rural outpost in South Sudan. The missions arm of The Reformed Presbyterian Church wanted to augment a handful of church plants by including a radio station and a school. Brinkerhoff ended up being drafted to head both efforts—and both efforts called for unusual strategizing.

Enrollment in the school was just 25 students for the first year in 2012—with two teachers (at first and now 18) spreading their efforts over half a dozen grade levels and just as many subject areas. But when registration doubled in the second year, and then grew rapidly to 165 students, Brinkerhoff’s team knew they had a great need and a big challenge. In the days just before Christmas, Scott chatted with Teng about his experience.

SB: Can you remember back 10 years ago?

TK: Yeah.

SB: How old were you?

TK: That time I was like 6 years old. I liked to come early to fight with other students.

SB: Do you still come to school to fight?

TK: No, there was a time that we were being, like a program, and I was looking up for a verse I wanted to say to the parents. So I got a verse, “you need to forgive. If you do not forgive, God will not forgive you.” One thing came to my mind that I need to change and I need to forgive, so that my Father will forgive me.

SB: So He did forgive you, hmm?

TK: Yes, He did.

SB: So have you thought about the future, when you get to be finished with school, what do you like to do?

TK: My plan was to be a teacher.

SB: Oh really? That’s encouraging to hear!

Indeed! A school that teaches good manners, obedience to God’s Word, preparation for a career in teaching, and a readiness in the English language—well, that’s a school that deserves folks’ attention. And if there are adventuresome and healthy WORLD readers who might feel God’s call to spend a few months at Cush Christian School, an e-mail to Scott Brinkerhoff at brinkerhoffscott@gmail.com might help in taking the next step.

I’m Joel Belz.

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