Mindi Aleme tells us of a remarkable school which is deeply influencing missionary children in Ethiopia
When some think of Ethiopia, they think only of her poverty.
But poverty statistics are only a glimpse of this rapidly changing nation. Many are coming to recognise the importance of this growing economy and the potential of her 96 million+ residents. In addition, Ethiopia’s geopolitical location in East Africa has made her an influential leader and stabilising force on the continent. Her capital, Addis Ababa, is the fourth largest diplomatic centre in the world, boasting the HQ of the United Nations for the continent and the African Union. Addis Ababa enjoys a uniquely strategic position that is arguably unmatched by other major cities in the developing world. This dynamic city is gaining significance in more ways than one.
Protestant church
The growing Protestant church has also recognised the importance of Ethiopia. Not only did ancient Ethiopia play an important historical role in the spread of Christianity during biblical times, but modern Ethiopia continues this role today.
Missionaries are spreading the Word of God as they translate the Bible into 85 language groups within the country. Others are expanding the kingdom as they train evangelists returning to bordering nations where Christianity continues to face fierce persecution. As missionaries from around the globe converge in Addis Ababa to base ministries that touch the region and the continent, their families come with common needs.
Missionary families are often unable to commit to long-term work in developing countries such as Ethiopia without the knowledge that their children will be able to thrive within the new environment and continue their education.
Bingham Academy
This important need for the educational support of missionary children prompted the founding of Bingham Academy 70 years ago. Today, Bingham Academy teachers continue to volunteer their skills as educators to make it possible for missionaries to share Christ, support the growing church, and provide the children of the larger international community with a quality Christian education.
Supporting the body of Christ in East Africa by teaching the children of missionaries is one of the most common reasons that Christian teachers from all over the world join the staff of Bingham Academy.
Naomi Rubie came to Bingham Academy four years ago to teach the elementary-aged children of missionaries. She instills Grade One students with a love of reading while showing them how all Scripture points to Jesus Christ and his never-ending love. What she did not expect was how God would use her time as a teacher to impact more than just the lives of her own students.
Naomi describes how her heart was touched by the poverty of the community surrounding the school. She felt that ‘it wasn’t enough to hand out a few coins here and there and think it made a difference’. Naomi soon took the lead of one of Bingham’s com-Yetesfa munity outreach programmes – Birhan. She describes how the ministry was started seven years ago by other female teachers experiencing the same desire to reach out with God’s love to the impoverished community surrounding Bingham’s campus. Naomi explains: ‘We help the girls physically by paying for them to go to local schools and by giving clothing, books and other needed items. But we also encourage them spiritually to know Jesus – teaching them the Bible when they come each week to our school’.
Transforming lives for Christ
Yetesfa Birhan meets weekly to practice English, play games and share food. Friendships form that make long-term impacts on the lives of these school-age girls. The relationships with the girls in the ministry led Naomi and other teachers to visit their families. Naomi sees those visits as ‘where we can live out the gospel in showing Jesus’s love and grace in often grim circumstances’.
Those connections have allowed Yetesfa Birhan to transform lives for Christ. In the past year, they have helped the mother of one of the participants who was struggling with AIDS to access medical care so that her daughter did not become an orphan. This mother has since given her life to Christ! Another girl’s father had an eye operation to save him from blindness allowing him to return to work supporting his family of six. Naomi and other teachers are witnessing the saving power of our Saviour in Addis Ababa in ways they never expected.
High school students
Another beautiful aspect of the ministry has been the involvement of some of Bingham’s female high school students. These young ladies join the weekly gathering to help translate between Amharic and English. These students get to know the young ladies and girls in the community and gain a better understanding of their lives. This student involvement has become a wonderful learning experience for Bingham students as they use their gift of language for Christ.
Teachers are certainly not the only ones through whom God is working at Bingham. Shalom Seleshi came to Bingham as a Fifth Grader in 1996. Shalom was raised in a Christian home by Ethiopian parents who wanted an international standard of education for their daughter within a God-glorifying environment. Bingham was the obvious choice. Shalom reflected on some of her favourite aspects of the school: ‘… the close-knit community, meeting people from all corners of the globe, building friendships with my classmate and teachers, the memorable class trips we went on, the fun sport activities. Academically, Bingham prepared me to excel in education beyond high school. Since graduating from Bingham in 2005, I have gone on to study for a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management and an MBA in Corporate Management, graduating among the top few of my class on both occasions. I am currently working in the banking industry in public relations and research’.
Academic success
Shalom’s is not only a story of academic success, but of a young Ethiopian lady who now shares Christ as she walks the journey of life. Her graduate studies took her to China where she became involved in a campus ministry as well as an outreach that introduced Chinese nationals to Jesus within the setting of a Christian coffee shop. Then upon the completion of her degrees, Shalom returned to Ethiopia, where she currently leads a youth group ministry for her local church while working with a bank started by evangelical Christians.
Shalom took full advantage of the opportunities available to her at Bingham and has become an amazing role model. Students like Shalom become Christian leaders who will shape the future of Africa.
Impact for Christ
Shalom and Naomi are only two examples. Naomi is one of more than 40 missionary staff members from nine countries living out lives of service to the glory of God everyday at Bingham Academy. Their words and deeds affect the children of missionaries, development workers, African Union representatives, and Ethiopian leaders. The impact of their influence for Christ is immeasurable. Shalom is one of 172 graduates of Bingham Academy in the last ten years, many of whom live out lives of service in the name of our Redeemer all over the world.
Be it students who change the world for Christ or teachers who serve a higher calling, Bingham Academy is an inspiring place to watch God’s plan for a key strategic region unfold. As a teacher, the opportunities to share the Word of God in the classroom and in the surrounding community are plentiful. As a student, the journey that begins on Bingham’s campus is only the beginning of a life of service. May many more teachers like Naomi come to support the mission work of others in Ethiopia and find that they are also directly spreading the Word of God to a hurting people. May many more students like Shalom find that they are empowered and gifted to expand in the kingdom in their own unique ways.
