A testimony of Teacher Esther from Ngadulanggi School on Sumba Island.
She reminds us that when seeds are sown in faith, God brings the growth.
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Hi, I’m Esther, one of the teachers serving at Ngadulanggi village school on Sumba Island.
Eight years ago, we did not have any school in our village. Many children didn’t go to school at all. The nearest school was kilometers away across hills and difficult paths, so children stayed home and missed the chance to learn. As a result, many adults in our village still cannot read or write.
I saw that the children needed guidance and care. I dreamed of them growing with knowledge and wisdom as the future generation of our village. With that hope, together with a friend, we gathered the children and began teaching wherever we could sit together, sometimes even under a tree.
Esther gathering the village childrento teach them.
Later, a simple bamboo building with two rooms was built. We combined grades and two teachers handled all the students. It was crowded and uncomfortable, but the children kept coming. They were eager to learn. We knew something important was growing, even if we could not yet see the results.
Over time, kind-hearted people came and saw what was happening. With their help, a permanent school was built. Now we have four classrooms, four teachers, and 46 students. For the first time, each grade has its own space. The children can focus better, and every day we are thankful for a place where learning can happen peacefully.
Esther, pictured on the right, with fellow teachers and students at Ngadulanggi School
Many students still travel far to get here, with some crossing hills and walking three to seven kilometers. However, I am grateful that now they have the chance to learn in a classroom with teachers.
Our focus is simple. We teach reading, writing, and counting, because these are the basic seeds for their future. But we also plant another kind of seed. Every Monday we gather for student devotions, and teachers take turns sharing God’s Word. From Tuesday to Thursday, teachers meet together to read the Word of God, and encourage each other. Faith is not just a lesson here. It shapes how we teach and how we care for the children.
Ngadulanggi school's teacher receive vegetable seeds for the school's garden
Recently, we also started a school garden. Through the support of MSI donors,a hydraulic water pump now brings water from a spring about 500 meters below the valley up to the school. Before the pump was built, we carried water from the river by hand for cooking, washing, and bathing. Now we can plant vegetables. The children water the plants and learn to wait patiently. When they see the plants grow, they understand that growth takes time, just like learning and faith. We are already seeing confidence growing in them.
Students are involved in tree planting activities
To our friends in North America, thank you. We are grateful that you visited us, saw our situation, and shared God’s love with us. Your visit motivated our children and encouraged us to keep teaching faithfully.
We thank God for His goodness shown through you. Because of you, children who once stayed home now come with excitement to learn. They can read, pray, and grow with hope for their future.
We pray that the same hope you plant in our lives, will also fill your hearts with joy and gratitude.
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Main picture: Esther and her students inside the new classroom.
See more pictures and videos of Sumbanese children click:
