I Was Blind But Now I See

“Imagine a person who sees the world for the very first time. He was blind for twenty years, and then miraculously was able to see. That was me! I was blind, and through TransformNation, God gave me sight.”

My name is Vano. I never really knew my parents. My dad left before I was born and my mom worked so hard to provide for our family that she was barely home to spend time with me and my three siblings. She worked as a seasonal farmer and sold miscellaneous items, travelling from village to village to make a small profit. By the age of 12, I left home to continue my education in another city far away. In light of this, I never really got to know her.

Growing up without spiritual knowledge or direction, I never had hope for my future. All I knew was that I had to work hard to make a living. By the time I was in high school, I began to question the meaning and purpose of life. I remembered that someone in my family had once said that I had the character of a leader. I didn’t know what that meant but it stayed in my heart. When I saw a brochure for the TransformNation (TfN) teacher training program, I felt moved to apply.

My first year in the TfN program was confusing, since I was far away from everyone and everything that was familiar. I learned so much from my mentors and classmates in TfN and before long they became like family. For the first time in my life, I felt like I had a close family. It was then that I realized that this was part of God's plan for me all along.  My perspective changed and I began to see that my future was filled with hope.

TfN has given me so much more than knowledge, it has opened my eyes and changed my heart. I’m beginning to lead with the character of Christ. I know now that children need teachers who can open their eyes to see God for who He is and the promising future that He has for them. Teachers who are rooted in Christ will impact their community, both inside and outside the school's walls. Now I can see that wherever God sends me to serve, I will be a teacher who not only impacts my students but the entire community. I once was blind, but now I see.

Code names are used to provide privacy.