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Introducing Frances . . .
I am a volunteer at African Hope Learning Center. This journey God has brought me on has been amazing, exciting and terrifying at times. My story begins from last year, 2020. I came to Egypt for the first time and stayed during Covid-19 - for 9 months. My friend and I volunteered to help paint African Hope. I wanted so much to see the faces of the students when they came back to their freshly painted school. I was more excited about this thought, than painting the school. It was such a beautiful blessing to do something for the teachers and students here.
When I went back home after 9 months, I thought God was sending me next to Mexico to volunteer at an orphanage in Juarez. I started to raise funds to go to Mexico, where I thought God was sending me. Nothing seemed to be working; the little money I raised, I ended up spending for my expenses. I prayed and asked God, “Lord, what am I doing wrong? Am I not in your will?” As I prayed, Egypt came to mind, so I thought, okay, pray for Egypt. Then, African Hope came to mind. Ok, pray for African Hope. After a few days, I could not stop thinking about African Hope, so I contacted Bev, the Volunteer Coordinator at African Hope, and asked her what she needed me to pray for. She said they were praying for a volunteer to fill a need in the finance office. I realized right then what God was trying to tell me. I said to Bev, I am an accountant and I think God wants me to come back to Egypt to volunteer in the school finance department – for one year. As soon as I agreed to come back to Egypt, God started blessing me with donations to be able to return to Egypt. It is a beautiful thing when God puts everything in perspective for you and you begin to understand His purpose in your life.
I thank God for African Hope, the directors, the teachers who put their all into helping students understand the curriculum, and the students who work hard at learning the curriculum. God has richly blessed me while I have been here in Egypt and He will continue to bless me as I walk in His Will. I see the students flourishing; last year all except one of our 8th grade students who wrote passed their Sudanese Certificate exams, which are eight exams in total (see pictures of graduating class below). We are so proud of the teachers who worked hard to help the students pass their exams and the students who put all their efforts and knowledge into passing their exams. Most of all, we praise God for helping our students remember what they learned.
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