Ephesians 3: 14-16 - When I think of the greatness of this great plan I fall on my knees before God the Father (from whom all fatherhood, earthly or heavenly, derives its name), and I pray that out of the glorious richness of his resources he will enable you to know the strength of the spirit’s inner reinforcement—that Christ may actually live in your hearts by your faith. (PHILLIPS NT)
Following all the Father’s Day celebrations this past weekend, we would like to share some of the reflections of the fathers on our staff team. According to Mr. Habil Wesonga, our headteacher at the Mawewa School, “Father’s Day is a day when all the fathers are celebrated everywhere for the contribution they have made in the lives of their children. All children have a father but unfortunately each year fewer children experience what it is like to have a dad. This sad fact has also made it difficult for many fathers who are dads to their children to know how to be a good dad because they may never have had one when they were growing up. [Nevertheless] we should endeavor to nurture our children in the best ways possible, ways that please God.”
For Mr. Alphonce Omondi, our English teacher in the Upper Primary in Mawewa School, being a father means being faithful and trustworthy. “As the Bible states in the book of Proverbs 22:3, ‘Teach children how they should live and they will remember it all their lives,’ I am committed to train my children in the right direction by explaining to them some of the bad choices I made in my life so that they can make good choice towards their future.”
Mr. Onyango, our 8th Grade teacher, is very happy and excited to be a father. For him, Fathers Day is a reminder of the important role he plays as a role model to the children in his family and society at large. This motivates him to work hard to provide for his family, and earn him respect in his community.
Mr. Otieno, our 6th Grade teacher at Mawewa School is proud to be a father. He loves the experience as it comes with responsibilities, recognition, care, love, and sacrifice. To him, Fathers Day reflects the highest form of accomplishment, fulfillment and satisfaction in life. For Mr. Otieno, fatherhood has been one of the areas in his life where he feels he has experienced God’s favor.
According to Erick Nzomo, our eduKenya Procurement Coordinator, being a father means many things, including being a leader to his family, a role model to his children, providing for, protecting and being present for his family. Being a father of three brings him joy. He hopes to always be a role model to his children Grace Wavinya, Gabriel Mumo and Giannah Mumbi. “Being a model, many times children will learn in silence and what they see is what they will do.” He adds that every father desires to put bread on the table and provide for their family a good life. Every father will want the physical, emotional and spiritual safety of his family.
Our final reflection comes from Mr. Michael Maingi, our Head of Education at eduKenya who is also a father of twin boys, Jayden and Djibril. Mr. Maingi hopes to raise his sons to be great fathers themselves and is a father figure to many of the young boys and girls at both our Mawewa Primary and Chelezo High Schools. He believes Father’s Day provides an opportunity for reflection and an opportunity for sincere evaluation on how well he is playing his role. “Being a father is a privilege that is hard to explain adequately in words. It is an opportunity to mold, shape and walk with a younger version of myself…it’s a responsibility placed on me by God which should be approached with a lot of intentionality. It is a privilege to lead and create, out of a young soul, the perfect example of what God intended for him.”
We continue to appreciate the fathers on our team, who daily share their gift as caregivers, leaders and mentors with all our students. Please pray with us, that they would continue to be empowered by God our Father, as they share His love tirelessly with all the children under our care.