The chalkboard read "How ridiculous it is to believe Jesus is God.”

---

School (Dream Academy)

As Wayne and I stand back and look at what God has done, we are astonished but not surprised. There were lots of sweat and some tears (my tears. Wayne's sweat). On the first day of school, as I sat on the step listening to the children worshipping in Chapel and in classrooms singing their ABCs, all I could think of was, “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken, and spilling over, will be poured onto your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured unto you." Luke 6:38. Winning a lottery could not have brought more joy in that moment!

We had signed the papers to buy the school in November. This gave us less than two months to remodel a school (previously Muslim) and in shambles. One of the schoolroom's chalkboards read, “How ridiculous it is to believe that Jesus was God." What a transformation, physically and spiritually, we had ahead of us.

The process was painstaking, but on Jan 8th we opened our doors. We had about 600 applications from the community for a place in our school. Many applications were from Muslim families, willing to put their children into our Christian school because, otherwise, their children had no hope of attending school. It was difficult, but Wayne, along with our staff, were slow and prayerful in choosing what would end up being 107 students. We did have a few who were not on the list, hiding amongst the other students the first few days of school. When we located the stowaways, we decided to allow them to stay. Never a dull moment.

Application line one of six!

First day of school!

Classroom before and AFTER!

We currently have 85 student sponsors and 2 teacher sponsors. Wow!

Part of the requirement for a child to be sponsored is their parents must attend at least one teaching a month. Classes available will be Bible Study, Godly Parenting, Reading, CPR, substance abuse etc. We hope to use whatever tools we can to empower not only students but whole families and community.

Rukia

Each child has a story. Here is just one of them….

I met Rukia when she was about 3 years old (about 9 years ago at the feeding program). A couple of years ago, she disappeared. When I asked her cousins about her, I was told she had run away (age 11) because her father was abusive. She had apparently run away to look for her mother that left when she was a small girl. After about 6 months of living on the streets, surviving only from the kindness of strangers and being discouraged from not finding her mother, she gave in and came back to stay with her grandmother (her father’s mother). She had not attended school for more than a year.

Even though her grandmother was a very long walk from our school, she was very excited for the opportunity to be part Dream Academy. When I began to ask her teacher who was the best student in math, the teacher replied, “Rukia.” Who is the hardest worker? “Rukia.” Who is the fastest runner? “Rukia.” Who has the most Christlike attitude? “Rukia."

My heart is so full. We have made arrangements for her to stay with another student during the weekdays, so she won’t be walking in the dark.

It is children like Rukia who we are fighting for. Lord willing, boarding will be part of next year's Dream Academy Phase 2.

Our Family

We are currently back in the states for Wayne's surgery (last year's hernia surgery failed). He is recovering well, and the doctor said he did an industrial strength surgery this time. We are taking our time letting him fully recover. We will begin visiting churches and our ministry supporters in April. We pray we will be able to share a message of encouragement wherever God leads us. We are fully ready to be back in Kenya to our ministries but trust they are in good hands while we are gone. We are taking every opportunity to rest and fill up, visit our children and grandchildren, and friends and family. It’s also a time to raise funds for our work, do our craft sales, and share our testimony of what God is doing to whoever wants to listen.

Our God-Sized Vision 

We are amazed but not surprised at God's blessings this year. A lot has been done, and there is much more to do, but His burden is easy, and His yoke is light. We aren’t doing it all ourselves, or it would surely fail. We are just faithful to whatever God shows us. Thank you for your faithfulness as well--TOGETHER we are doing great and mighty things. 

Beyond us

We will have a remainder of $130,000 by November 2024 and another $130,000 by November 2025, for our school to be fully paid off. All of this is way beyond us, and so we trust God will provide what we need when we need it. He has shown us this over and over. Also praying He will make a way for boarding for next year and a way for us to add a grade every year, so we can keep all our students with us. 

Thank you for being part of God's heart of redemption and beauty from ashes. We pray that as you pray and give, you will be blessed the same way we are blessed, as we all pour-out our treasures together.

WAYS TO GIVE

-Giving link at the bottom of our website.

-Mailing address: ANDRUS FAMILY MISSION INC., PO. BOX 9101 CC TX 78469

Thank You, and God bless you!

Wayne, Tammy, & Haven

Stay connected to everyday happenings at Tammy Shaffer Andrus Facebook.