Today we welcome Sheila Dykstra to Hope Fellowship. Sheila is a member here, but is working in West Africa as an Education Specialist/Consultant. She will share a little bit about her work in our service this morning. If you are interested in learning more, Sheila would love to get together with you at some point in the next few days. You can contact her at sdykstra@crcna.org. The following is one of Sheila’s stories of how God is working in West Africa.
Being in Nigeria has given me the opportunity to both bless others and be blessed in the work I do. Mrs. Ngozi Okiyi is one woman who has done just that in my life. She is a guidance counsellor in her school. This is a unique position that not many schools even have. Mrs. Okiyi has a heart for children with special needs. She resonates deeply with acknowledging the various gifts and abilities of each student. She is passionate to see how their needs can be met in classrooms where purely lecturing and note taking takes place and students are being taught to memorize something simply to pass a test. Even though she has a very modest salary by North American standards, she is committed to developing herself so she can develop others. She will pay money out of her own pocket to attend trainings. She is part of our local “train the trainers” group. And in line with her passion, she puts her money where her mouth is. She has decided to take on equipping the teachers and the orphanage school near her house, which is an entire community of children who have unique needs! Every training we have, she will pay for the head teacher of the orphanage school to come as well. Join me in thanking God for her life and pray God will use her to nurture her love of children with special needs in the lives of those around her. I am both blessed and challenged to walk with her. May God give each of us the grace to follow our words with action.
- Sheila Dykstra
Christian Education Specialist/Consultant to West Africa Serving with Christian Reformed World Missions
- Sheila Dykstra
Christian Education Specialist/Consultant to West Africa Serving with Christian Reformed World Missions
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