God is bringing about generational change in Sierra Leone, and He is beginning with the children. As numerous students attending Edify partner schools come to know Christ, their families and surrounding communities at home are hearing the Good News.
How it all Began
Edward Fatorma, the proprietor of Blossom Preparatory School, shares the catalyst of how change began in the school in 2017 — the outstretched hand of God through Edify. The dedication to do all things with excellence caused Muslim parents from the community to send their children to Blossom Preparatory because they noticed positive changes in their neighbors’ children and wanted it for their own.
“For most Christian children, they only had Bible teachings in Sunday school…[but] our teachers bring a Bible teaching for every subject we teach. Whether it is science, math, or agriculture, we bring the Bible into it. We also give a weekly memory verse.” Because the teachers are bringing God’s Word into every subject, the students are excelling far beyond their expectations — all the while experiencing a genuine love for God’s Word.
One miracle, however, has been that “children from Muslim homes are now teaching in the devotion time and leading other students… One mother came to the school and asked what we were teaching the children because she saw such improvement in her child. It makes me so proud, and we tell the parents… we are training the kids to be academically, physically, and spiritually fit for the outside world,” shares Edward.
Testimonies From the Classroom
Edward’s students also had the chance to share the transformation they experienced. Before coming to Blossom Preparatory School, Ishmatu was Muslim. She shared about her life before coming to know and love Jesus. “The things I was doing, like lying and stealing, once I joined the Discipleship Club, I stopped doing those things. I’ve started to preach the Word of God and tell people about the Word of God. That is what I did so that it would be better for my life.”
Edward, another Blossom Preparatory student, reflected on his experience, “I was a Christian, but I wasn’t familiar with the Bible. But the Discipleship Club changed my life. It taught me that reading the Word of God would put knowledge in me and make me believe in the Word of God and understand it. It also gave me boldness. I used to never stand in front of crowds; I would panic that I’d say something wrong and later embarrass myself. But when I joined the Discipleship Club, it changed me… it encouraged me that I could do anything because of Christ who strengthens me. And that’s why I’m here today.”
Implication for Today
Sometimes in life, all you need is for someone to believe in you. For Ishmatu and Edward, that is precisely what they received from Blossom Preparatory. As the students of Blossom Preparatory School continue to learn how God is in every detail, may they continue to learn and grow so that one day, they will be the ones to inspire faith in families of their own.
To learn more about our work in Sierra Leone, click here.