On your marks, Get set
We are children of Ramalema
We are hungry, We are hungry for education
On our visit to South Africa in July, we were warmly greeted by hundreds of children singing this song, clapping, stomping and welcoming us to their school! On behalf of you, our First Baptist family, we had the privilege of delivering 1000 Tutudesks to learners (primary students) at the Ramalema and Bombelini schools in the Limpopo region of South Africa. These lap desks were provided by you with $20,000 you gave in the summer of 2018. To read more about the Tutudesk campaign and its impact on education, visit https://tutudesk.org.
The words from the children’s song stuck with our team. Their sincere desire to pursue education and strive for a positive future gives us hope! Other memorable words of hope are from Jamila, a 7th grader at Bombeleni Primary School: “When I grow up, I want to be the first black woman president of South Africa. I want to be president because… I see my country suffering… so I want to make sure my country is safe. I want to study hard so that I can succeed in my dream…” The commitment of the Tutudesk staff and team also gives us hope, and we were honored to come alongside Tutudesk and do our part to help Jamila and her classmates succeed!
Like the learners, we were also hungry for education. We don’t claim to be experts on South Africa after spending a week there, but we appreciate the opportunity to see and experience a new place and new people. Aside from the desk deliveries, we experienced worship at The Cathedral of St. Mary the Virgin Anglican Church and visited Kruger National Park, Mandela House, Lesedi Cultural Village and the Cradle of Humankind. A frequent quote in our group devotions was from Mark Twain, “travel is fatal to prejudice.” We acknowledged that each time we travel out of our comfort zone (whether in Greenville or in a new country), we grow in our faith and as a group. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to represent you and accept words of thanks, hugs, high fives and cheers on your behalf!
—Tutudesk Team: Pat Booker-Christy,
Harriet Major, Jenna Manning, Jordan Manning,
Mary Rankin, Laura Stout, Julie Treu