A True Account of an RVA student

I wanted to get a student's story, a student's perspective, during my visit to RVA ...just for my own understanding of the ministry we are about to enter. I am thankful to have had the privilege of speaking with an outstanding Senior girl on the last day of my visit. I was so blessed and enlightened by what she shared that I now want to share it with you!


For the protection of her family, I can not use my new friend's real name, so I will call her "Penelope..."  Okay, how about "Anna"?


Twenty-five years ago, Anna's parents moved to a small village in the middle of the bush in Eastern Kenya that had no electricity, no running water, no internet, no phone... and was a 12 hour drive to the city, where they could purchase groceries. Why? Because they felt called by God to minister to the Muslim people in this village and so they willingly made the sacrifice.


Anna and her 3 siblings were raised in this village. They consider it home and consider these Muslim people their family. Anna's mother is a registered nurse and works day and night to serve the people in their village. Because of cultural differences, she is not able to carve out and protect "school time" to properly home school her children. Alternatively, they were schooled by American teachers who would volunteer 1-2 years at a time and serve this missionary family by teaching their children.


Unlike American culture, every Muslim child is not allowed the opportunity for an education. Traditionally, once a Muslim child reaches the age of five, the father decides his child's fate:
1. To stay at home to work (typical fate of the first born female),
2. To become a herdsman, or
3. to attend school


Kenyan law (loosely) requires students to complete eighth grade; at which point the students take a test to determine whether they will go on to secondary school (boarding). In this particular village, the girls typically marry anywhere between the ages of 12-18. It is not unusual for a man to have 2 or 3 wives and for each wife to bear 10-12 kids! A little different than what we are used to! :) Anna told me,

 "I don't view this as my parents' mission,

but as MY mission, too."

Following in her mother's footsteps, she aspires to earn a medical degree in America and then return to Africa to minister to Muslims, a culture she already knows. (Sidenote: I am learning that many missionary kids (MK's) grow up to become missionaries themselves! Very cool!)

We all know that medical programs in the States are competitive. Her parents had to choose which of four educational options would best equip Anna for her God-designed future and suit their family.
         Option 1: Continue to home school with limited resources for computer and science lab work.
         Option 2: Send her a world away to attend boarding school in the States.
         Option 3: Leave the mission field and their home and move back to the States so Anna could get an American education.
         Option 4: Send her to RVA which is in their same country (Kenya) and offers a great education and preparation for university and medical school.


We already know which one they chose. While not denying that it was a challenging transition at first (including culture shock), Anna claims that she has loved her experience at RVA and is so thankful her parents chose RVA for her education. She has enjoyed and taken full advantage of the opportunities there to learn, to play sports, and to interact with other cultures, becoming more diverse herself. She is currently applying to several ivy league schools in the States and I have no doubt that God is going to use her in mighty ways to share His love and expand His Kingdom.


I'll leave you with something she said that was very challenging and convicting to me.

Islam is a lifestyle... its own culture. You will know a Muslim by the way they live.

I wish Christianity was more like that.

Food for thought from a Senior missionary kid at RVA.