Thank you for your prayers! Our first Learning Center outreach was a success as I led four teachers and two students from The Learning Center to Apia, Western Samoa.

Before we left, we were informed that the majority of the children in the surrounding villages were not attending school. Most public schools are not free and many families are too poor to afford the tuition fees. Although the tuition requirement has recently changed, many still cannot attend school because they don't have a birth certificate.

But God’s plans are often much different and bigger than our own. And this was true for us!

When we arrived, we saw a new fale (open structure) being built and it was named... The Learning Center. They were building a school even before they had teachers, curriculum, or students. All by faith! God is multiplying The Learning Center already and it happened organically!

When we began our first week, we quickly realized our schedules were quite different than what we anticipated! We were scheduled to visit public schools in the mornings and teach the village kids in the afternoons. Initially, we thought we were making observations in the public schools but before we knew it, we were put in a position to teach in some of the classes. In those two schools alone, each of us taught about 250 students, ranging from 1-8th grade! We also realized how it is possible that 95% of children do not pass their national exams since teaching is based on rote memory and without textbooks in their own language. Our hearts broke for Samoa.

Second week, we were invited by the base to train the DTS and The School of Frontier Mission students and staff in what we do. So we took turns teaching about The essence of education and in the afternoons, we held workshops to train them on how to teach children effectively on outreach. Everyone was excited that they had something more to take on their outreach!

During this time, God was also pioneering something for our team - the training part of our vision! We thought it would take us at least 5 years to start training others but God had us on a different track! We are seeing the beginnings of what we can multiply! What an incredible journey we have when we obey, stay flexible and not flinch!

We finished our third week the same way we began - teaching in the public schools and teaching the village kids. And again, we were stretched and learned to be quick on our feet. In total, we taught over 300 kids in our last week of ministry.

The living conditions were typical outreach experience with mosquitoes and rodents, communal bathrooms with cold showers and unfamiliar food but with a little of giving up of our comfort, greater goals were accomplished.

What I have learned through this outreach is once again - just say "Yes" and let go of the control and God will do His will according to His timing and His ways.

We went to do a mercy ministry but God allowed us the opportunity to pioneer a training ministry while witnessing the multiplication of The Learning Center! What a blessing!

Please pray with us that the educational system will change so that it truly serves the people of that nation to achieve their God given potential.

And once again, thank you for your support and prayers!

Our prayer requests are:

1. Strength to continually push strong in everything we do here

2. God's protection & provision for Megan as she goes off to college.

3. Two more teachers for the upcoming school year for The Learning Center