New Life Christian School is Headed for Three Weeks of Service in Ghana, Africa

After a long journey filled with one-of-a-kind experiences and life changing relations, our Ghana team has made it back home at last. Undoubtedly, many of us had never felt such a bittersweet goodbye in our lifetime. Our arrival at BASCO was one of warmth and beautiful connection which was the foundation of 3 weeks of powerful cross cultural learning and pure delight. As we traveled the narrow dirt path that was called a road into the BASCO village on the outskirts of Suhum, some among our team feared our trotro was going to flip as the van had to traverse ditches and the floor of the van scraped violently along the road. However, somehow the driver managed to get us to our BASCO home. Upon arrival there were numerous beautiful faces, with bright eyes and smiles, to greet us. Some were familiar to our Principal and to one of our teachers who had been there before, but most were new faces. Joyful faces… faces waiting expectantly for someone to play with them, someone to chat with them, someone to have an interest in their daily life…. These were the faces of the ones we came to so dearly love--- these are our BASCO friends, our family! Within a short time of our arrival games were being played--- circles were made while the children taught us their favorite games. Even though we did not know the names of many of them, their laughter and joyful personalities barricaded the trivial barriers of language and any sense of shyness. Over the next few days, friendships, long talks about life experiences, dreams, and so much more were beginning to take place among some of the older students--- the development of these strong bonds are held dearly in our hearts and are cherished memories we will never loose. Nonetheless, New Life didn’t travel to Ghana only for the sake of friendship. It was time for us to give of ourselves and to help teach, to take our God given opportunity and form it into something to benefit our friends. Witnessing the gaps in education, not by choice but by circumstance, pulled at the hearts of our team. This fact alone inspired many of our students and teachers to fully put their hearts and strength into each school day so that the takeaway for the children would be enduring. Our mission was to exemplify a new kind of teaching: a kind of teaching where the immense hunger for knowledge would be satisfied: a kind of teaching were each child would be encouraged to pursue education to his or her fullest potential, to understand that individual actions can affect ones community in enormous ways, and that every person has been created with a purpose in God’s almighty image. We were so excited to see the students soaking up science!! They loved learning and we loved teaching! They loved math and we loved teaching! We had a blast and they did too! We were thankful for the teachers to allow us in the classroom and for the administration to allow us the opportunity to tutor and make learning fun and different for a few weeks. However, not all learning was in the classroom! As it happens, something so casual--- such as playing volleyball --- can be a learning tool! Sports is always a test of honesty and sportsmanship--- inclusion of the younger ones--- and he hope we were able to teach lessons on the court as well as in the classroom. Yet, when we traveled across the ocean we went with open minds knowing we were going to learn as much as we taught--- and we sure did! The BASCO and village kids weren’t the only one’s learning. Many of us on the team had never seen or been remotely close to a life such as this. From pumping water for bucket showers, long and intense sessions for worship and prayer, excited dancing, new food, harsh weather, bug bites and other frightening creatures, washing clothes by hand, to listening to languages we don’t understand, many valuable lessons were absorbed from these experiences. One big life lesson to be taken from this experience is that joy is not about what you have it is about your state of mind. Jesus says we should have joy and have it abundantly and those in BASCO have that joy although they do not have things. Do not chase the things--- chase the One who has and created all things. Keep it simple—He is the Joy!  We look forward to returning to BASCO in 2025--- God willing--- May God help us as we seek to raise the funds. All donations to help us man be sent to New Life Christian School P.O. Box 102 Olean, NY 14760.

Remembering the Legacy of Jonathan R. Alder: A Tribute to a Dedicated Educator and Visionary Leader