Extra Lessons

Spring Greetings LTLA Friends! 

Spring in the United States is always a refreshing season, especially after a cold winter, and even more so this year as we emerge from the long year battling a pandemic. Spring in the US also corresponds with the celebration of Easter, our Lord's death, burial and resurrection. As we celebrate the hope of life eternal through our Lord Jesus Christ, we say with the Apostle Paul, "Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!" (2 Corinthians 9:15) 

Zimbabwe emerged in March from a two month lockdown, imposed after they experienced a significant spike in Covid-19 cases and deaths from late December through mid-February. With the easing of lockdown restrictions, schools have reopened for all students with the following safety measures: only students in Grade 7, Form 4 (4th year high school) and Form 6 (6th year high school) will attend school everyday as they prepare for placement exams. Grade 7 students take exams for placement in high school, while Form 4 students seek placement in advanced high school / college prep programs, and Form 6 students study for placement in university. All other grade levels will alternate days at schools to enable social distancing in the classrooms. 

Last year students only attended school from January through March before they were sent home for the remainder of the year due to the pandemic. They were supposed to receive some remote learning instruction, but that essentially did not happen. Exam-year students were given exams at the end of last year in spite the lack of preparation. Families who could afford it paid for private instruction (referred to as "extra lessons") for their students. As a ministry, we were able to assist exam-year students involved in our ministry with extra lessons last year. The education department decided to advance all students to the next grade level for this academic year despite the lost time last year. We are concerned that many students won't be adequately prepared. 

Recognizing that students will need "extra lessons" in order to be able to catch up and progress in their learning, we are planning to provide extra lessons for students involved in our ministry. Marvelous Makumbirofa, an LTLA Training Ministry team member, will provide extra lessons for five primary school students to help them get established in their grade level in order to progress academically. These students will also receive spiritual input from Marvelous (see photo) and the other LTLA Training Ministry team members, as they have not yet been able to resume youth Bible study gatherings but are taking three days a week to visit children and youth in order to remain engaged with them. It is our hope to see these students investing in the next generation just as Marvelous is doing, because Marvelous is fruit of our youth ministry. She was discipled in her high school years and was the first in her family to go to college, where she was trained to be a teacher. She is now teaching students the ways of the Lord and helping them progress academically.

Marvelous teaching the LTLA high school Bible study in 2019 before the 2020 Covid-19 lockdown stopped such gatherings.

 

Below are the students to whom Marvelous will provide extra lessons: 

Grade 1 Students: Blessing Kadangure, Kuvanashe Bhoisi, Bright Mumba.

Makanatsa Kapfurutsa (Grade 3) & Millicent Soda (Grade 4)

 

 

Below are the exam-year students we will assist with private preparation lessons:

Ratidzai Kaswa (Grade 7), Beauty Mesani (Form 4), Leslie Mapfumo (Form 4)

Mitchel Makumbirofa (Form 4), Fungisai Charariza (Form 4).

 

Last September we asked you to pray for the students below who were preparing for the Grade 7 high school placement exam. Thank you for praying, as they have advanced and are now attending their first year of high school (Form 1).

Donnell Nhau & Godswill Banda (Chinhoyi High School)

Ngoni Gotora & Tito Zuze (Chinhoyi High School #2)

 

We are grateful to be able to invest in the spiritual and academic development of the next generation in Zimbabwe! Thank you for your prayerful and financial partnership so that this is a reality! 

 

Rejoicing with you in our risen Lord! 

Mike Sulc