Coming Full Circle

            I decided to start writing a blog in order to keep my friends informed about what is going on in my life. As you all know I grew up in West Africa and went to high school in a city called Dakar in Senegal. My high school’s name is Dakar Academy. My parents are missionaries in Mali, West Africa with the United World Mission. During my school years, I was home schooled, and attended public and private schools. I attended Dakar Academy at some point in each level of schooling – elementary, middle, and high school. I graduated from high school in 2008 and for college I went to Bluffton University in Ohio. During college I acquired a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting and a minor in missions, and graduated this past May. Last month I had the chance to go back because my little sister was graduating from high school. When I was there I had an interview with the director to work at DA – preferably in the business office. After I filled out the applications, sent in my resume, and my references helped me out – the director wrote to accept me to the Dakar Academy 2012-2013 staff!

At college graduation

            It did not take me much time to decide to accept the job offering. Before I went back to Senegal my parents and I had been worried about the upcoming year: where was I going to get a job, where was I going to stay, etc? Although this job has answered many of those questions, new ones have been added.

            Why do I want to work at Dakar Academy? Dakar Academy was started in 1961 as a woman teaching the kids of missionaries so that the parents could continue their ministry without taking time out to teach their kids. This small little group grew to what it is today, a thriving, Biblically based, American school of 250 students. The students represent between 20 and 30 nationalities, ranging from Canadian to Korean to Nigerian to Saudi Arabian. The students include children of missionaries (79%), children of diplomats, and children of business people.

            My experience at DA was very rewarding. I have heard many people who went to school in the States talk about their high school experience as a bad thing, as something they don’t like to think about. Not so with me. Going to DA meant I received a first rate education, I learned about God, I was surrounded by many people my own age (which would not have been true if I had been home schooled in Mali all my life), I learned how to make good choices, and gained experience in a variety of things: fund raising, leadership, teamwork, and much more.

            For me to be able to go and work at Dakar Academy and be able to do the same thing as that first woman would be wonderful… however, I am not going to be teaching, rather I will be doing the background work – some of the work that helps make the school run smoothly. I will still be enabling missionaries to continue their work by having a place for their children to go to school. While I train for the cashier’s position, I will also be working with Quickbooks, helping the director with recruiting, and doing some jobs which will involve interaction with the students.

            Ideally, I would like to go to DA under a mission organization. However, with only one month until I leave, that won’t be possible. Dakar Academy provides housing, health insurance, and a small monthly stipend so I can live simply with what they provide. During the year to come, I will be applying to United World Mission, through which I can receive financial support.

            Until then, if you would like to support me directly, I would appreciate any help you can give. I have included a Paypal link here to enable friends to contribute. However, you will NOT receive a tax-deductible receipt for such gifts, just my heartfelt gratitude. I will use such funds to help purchase my plane ticket and make payments on my college loans. By supporting me you will be supporting the hardworking men and women who have given up other opportunities to go and share the gospel with the people of West Africa.

            More than that, I really need your prayer support. Please let me know if you would like to receive monthly prayer emails which I will be sending. Even though in one sense I will be going “home,” life as an adult with a full-time job will present new challenges and I know I’ll need God’s help.