Dear Friends and Family,

We are so happy to share with you that our school, the Adventist Primary School of Lassin, is successfully beginning its third week of school! Two classrooms are full past capacity at 21 students each, the other two classrooms have 17 and 18 students each, making a total of approx. 80 students. We were able to offer five grades this year (first through five).
The students are really enjoying their classes, and they are endearing themselves to their teachers also.

For each classroom, we have an imported teacher and a local teacher. This combination seems to work very well for translation and general load sharing. Praise God! When we left Lassin last May, we only knew of three teachers (myself, Naphtali, and Naphtali's wife), and we were praying for more. When we visited the Gospel Ministries office in May, we met two Southern Adventist University students (Jessica and Kimberly) who wanted to come help. We tried to give them an accurate picture of the Lassin setting, but they tell us it would have been impossible to really describe in words or pictures how it really is! Then during the summer, a local Adventist teacher from the nearby town of Din applied; Vivian is a real sweetheart and true-hearted Christian lady. Then we were placed into contact with a gal from Romania who wanted to come help also; Adela is doing a great job teaching third and fourth grades. Her friend Adelin came too, and he is a great general helper. So that meant we needed just one more local teacher.
Both Steve and I thought of asking our friend Divine, but we knew he was busy keeping his store. When we returned here, we found out he was available and very willing! What a blessing! He is a true Christian and such a loyal friend.

Now, for some neat, exciting stories about our students. All but two of our previous students have returned. One student moved away, and we are not sure why the other has not returned although we have seen him several times and he says he wants to come back. We were very excited to see Juleyatu (our Muslim girl) return, and then we were very excited to see her brother Abulai come also. He attended last year for a few days and then left to attend the newly started Islamic school in Lassin. He always wears a bright smile and seems truly happy to be back! One of the Muslim leaders in town told Steve a few days ago that he was sending all the Muslim students to our school! The next day a Muslim lady said she was going to send two Grade 1 children on Monday! We are happy to be making friends in that community.

Here's another interesting story about a Grade 1 student by the name of Godswill. I met his mother last year on the path to school. She was selling cassava rolled in banana leaves, quite a nice treat. I purchased several that day. The next day she came to our quarter and "demanded" that I buy more cassava from her. Well, I didn't need it, so I politely refused.
She said more about me not buying from her. I was quite shocked and didn't know quite what to make of this. Anyway, we did have some short but pleasant interactions after that time, and now she is sending her son to our school! I am just so happy I did not grumble back at her! It is possible that she was just good-naturedly pushing for a sale. Sometimes the people seem more abrupt than they mean-does that make sense? She is very happy that her son is attending our school, and we are happy he is there.

Another student who is in the 2nd Grade, I believe, began attending our school this year, but after a couple days was physically removed by an aunt to another town to attend another school. Somehow, though, by the grace of God, the child is back at our school!

Keep praying for our school, each student, and each teacher. God is working, but the devil tries to hinder this great work.

Carol