Serving God at Asuncion Christian Academy

As you may already now, I recently graduated from Northwest Nazarene University with a degree in Biology Education.  I was drawn to teaching because I knew that there would be many opportunities to make a difference in the lives of students.  As I began sharing with my friends and professors about my desire to reach students both academically and spiritually, they encouraged me to consider options of serving God in the teaching field abroad.  Thus, I set up a profile on Mission Teach and began sifting through the different opportunities.

As I sought the Lord’s leading I began to more seriously search through positions in Central and South America that fit with teaching science in a school that was passionate about both ministry and academics.  Thus in April, I discovered Asuncion Christian Academy and began communicating with ACA about an open Math and Science position at their middle school. 

It was not long before I decided that even if I was not offered a position at the school, I would love just to meet the people who had been so passionate in sharing their vision for the school with me. From what the directors had already shared with me, I felt that I would love to be a part of the community at ACA and partner with them in their passion for ministry.  It was clear to me that if it was God’s will for me to go, I would be more than willing to accept a position if it was offered.  I was blessed to be offered the middle school Math and Science position and happily accepted.          

Asuncion Christian Academy is an international Christian school that aims to provide students with a quality faith-based education from a biblical worldview.  ACA is a very diverse school serving students from all over the world with around 50% of students being the children of missionary families.  Although Paraguay is a Spanish-speaking country, fortunately I will be teaching in English!  The position that I have accepted is a two year contract for teaching Math and Science at the middle school level.  I am excited to be partnering with ACA in their goal of helping students to achieve their potential academically, physically, socially, spiritually and morally.

Every morning I will join with the faculty in devotions and prayer, weekly attend and help with chapel services, and daily seek ways to share my faith with students in and out of the classroom.  I will be living in the school’s on-campus apartments with other teachers at ACA.  It is very reassuring to me that as I adjust to living in another country and begin my first year of teaching, I will have the support of a Christian community that understands what I am going through.      

While I will receive a salary from ACA that will be sufficient for meeting my basic living expenses, ACA encourages their teachers to raise additional support.  I specifically will need support to be able to stay current on my student loans, afford to come home on occasion, and meet other unforeseen expenses.  At this time I am seeking to raise an additional $300-$400 a month.  Raising support not only helps me to meet my financial needs, but really helps me take on a missionary mindset.  I am beginning my teaching career, but more importantly I am beginning a teaching ministry. 

God has blessed me with so much and I am very excited with the opportunity to serve Him in Paraguay! I am passionate about teaching, but am even more passionate about sharing God’s grace with people in Paraguay! Please pray that as friends and family invest in me, that I will have opportunities to invest in the lives of my students and have a ministry in Paraguay.