In early 2021, we ran an appeal for a hostel in Pakistan. In order to house and disciple the next intake of students, the hostel needed $10,000. You and others raised over $18,000. Our Mission Partner who serves there reports back on the powerful impact this will have for these students and their communities.
In order to protect her, the ministry she is involved in and the communities she interacts with, the Mission Partner who wrote this article is kept anonymous.
No room at the Inn. What difficult news that would have been to hear when Mary and Joseph arrived in Bethlehem. Yet we know the events, and that God made provision for where baby Jesus would be born. In 2021 it seemed the Diocese would have to tell new students wanting to continue their studies that there was no room at their hostel. But this is not how the story unfolded.
Thanks to God’s provision, through your generous response to the appeal, the way was made for our new intake of hostel students to come from their villages to continue their studies. Nine new students were accepted and joined the Diocesan Hostel.
After another covid-delayed start to the new school year, the boys joined 9th grade classes at St John’s High School in late August. They have since all received their covid vaccinations, which is now mandatory for senior students. Since joining the hostel one of our students has lost his father, being in the hostel will enable him to continue his education thus building a stronger foundation for his family’s future.
The opportunity to be part of the hostel family opens up new doors for these students. Computer literacy in NZ is very high, in contrast, most of these boys have never had computer access. The hostel laptop lab gives these boys the chance to build basic computer skills. Our College students this year were needing to put in their admission forms online. I watched the senior students helping one another fill out their applications and they said, “it is because we learnt computer skills at the hostel that we are able to do our online applications.” These skills are important for their future prospects.
Along with computer literacy, the new students will have opportunities to grow through a variety of hostel activities, exposure visits and trainings. They will develop self-confidence, life, faith, leadership and vocational skills. Even the short term impact on others might be like Arjan (name changed) who last year learnt about girls’ rights. He said, “I told some of my relatives about girls’ education. Now they are motivated and agree to send girls in to school. Four girls take education because of my little bit of effort. After this training, I feel more respect for my sisters.”
Thank you for enabling these students to benefit from being part of the hostel family, and for the overflow from this which will reach into their own families, their villages and the wider community. Your support is changing the trajectory of these boys’ lives… and they are deeply grateful. Thank you for making ‘room at the Inn’.
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