For many students, this is the season of tests and “Final Exams.” In fact, if you think about it, we are all taking final exams and being tested in some aspect of our lives every day. I just received an update from one of The Haven’s former missionary guests. Stacy is serving as a missionary in Africa where God led her about three years ago. She is one of the teachers at the school she refers to. Read this letter carefully and ask yourself, “Can I ACE this test?”

Can we talk for a moment about the strength and determination of my African brothers and sisters?

I am staying at the Bible school with them during the week and this week we have faced some real challenges. The water stopped flowing a few days ago so it was necessary to fill buckets and carry them from the well in order for all of us to have water for bathing, toilets, and cooking.

There are more than 45 students and teachers staying on campus right now in four dormitories and a few small apartments. The night before last, when I saw that the students had finished filling their buckets from the well, I grabbed my bucket and opened my door to go fill it so I could bathe and wash dishes. When I opened the door, I saw buckets of water sitting in front of me. Our students, most of whom are pastors, had filled them for me and had given me double the quantity they would use for themselves. (It’s amazing how much water you can conserve when you need to… this week I learned a lot about how to do that. I made those buckets last for two days and nights. They can make them last longer. I’m learning.)

Then last night, the well dried up. So now there is not a drop of water to be had on campus. I watched this morning as student after student turned away from the well with an empty bucket to figure out how to get clean for class.

School is in session for two more weeks and we do not know whether we will have water. And yet, the students and teachers are in class, studying God’s word so that they may rightly divide the Word of Truth and the gospel may be shared in this nation. And despite attacks of the enemy and challenges beyond imagination, and despite lack of water, they smile and continue on. This is how they are.

They study in a library that likely hasn’t seen a new book in a decade, handwriting papers as we have no working computers and some of them do not have laptops. Sometimes there is electricity and sometimes there isn’t. It’s very hot but the fans in the dorms no longer work. And yet, they walk on. We walk on. We go to chapel and we worship and pray together. Next week, we are fasting to begin the week and having an extra chapel service to pray. They are teaching me a strength and resilience that they have been building since birth. It is necessary. They are amazing.

As you go into your weekend, would you pray for our Bible school, the students, and teachers? Pray that there will be an answer to the water problem, that we may have access to water again. Pray for them as they learn under intense time pressure. Pray for their families who are missing them during this season. Pray for provision for their school fees, food, and dorm fees. Pray most of all that in everything we will all live in such a way that brings glory to God, especially in trials. That is our witness to the world. May we all “ACE” that test.

"Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me." Philippians 3:12 NKJV