Annie BrownPrayer letter, February 2017

bmsworldmission.org/abrown

As I write this letter, I am sitting with views of snow-capped Himalyan Mountains, from where I am staying at the Tansen Mission Guest house and working for a week with our 10 Palpa district partner schools.

I am this week visiting classrooms to observe lessons and provide support to 30 teachers I have been training over the last two years. To see a teacher who two years ago used only rote learning, engaging with his pupils and using new ideas that help them to think and enjoy what they are learning, is so encouraging and can bring me to tears.

Two seasons in a day and how to win over a government minister

It’s been a busy and exciting start to the New Year. Immediately after returning from my Christmas and New Year break, I set off with three of my EQUIP colleagues to a place called Daman, situated at 2300 metres in the mountains to the south of Kathmandu.

At this time of the year, we have two seasons in a day. After the sun goes down around 5pm, it’s full-on winter with coats, hats, gloves, boots and many layers needed. Without any heating it’s the same temperature inside and out. Once the sun is fully up, it can be very warm, like an early British summer and the reason why I love winter here!

The reason for being in Daman was that we had been invited by the Ministry of Education to demonstrate some of our teacher training with a view to EQUIP becoming a recognised government teacher training body. This is something that as a team we have been prayfully considering over the last year. Three government ministers accompanied us to Daman to observe English, Science and my Thinking Skills training. The first challenge came on the first morning after we arrived, when our vehicle refused to start in the below freezing temperatures. I like to think that pushing a jeep along a mountain road with three government ministers was a great way to develop a closer understanding and connection. It was quite daunting to arrive late, having pushed the vehicle and

Pushing the vehicle each morning!

View from Tansen Mission guest house

With EQUIP team and Gov ministers

PO Box 49 129 Broadway Didcot Oxfordshire OX11 8XA Tel: 01235 517700 mail@bmsworldmission.org bmsworldmission.orgBaptist Missionary Society: registered as a charity in England and Wales (number 233782) and in Scotland (number SC037767)

then have the ministers sit in on my training for the 30 English and Science teachers. One of the ministers had been asking lots of questions on the journey about what creative and critical thinking was. So I suggested that he took part in the training and learning activities alongside the teachers. This had a profound impact on him and he told me on the journey back that he was considering re-writing the whole Nepal national training programme for teachers, which he oversees, to include something on thinking skills for all teachers.

Thanks for your support!

If you are reading this, you are an important part of my support. Your prayers, encouragement and interest mean a great deal to me. Here are some areas I want to give thanks for:

• For opportunities before Christmas to spend a week building on my Nepali language skills

• For some resolution of last year’s Visa renewal issues for NGO organisations.

• For the progress made at Daman to get government accreditation for our training.

Prayer requests for the next few months:

• For the recruitment of new EQUIP Teacher Trainers needed for Maths and Science.

• For the Nepali Teacher, Pradeep’s (not real name) new journey in Christ and his protection.

• Ongoing opportunities to build my Nepali language skills.

• KISC’s renewing of agreement with the Ministry of Education, needed to secure all Visas this year.

• Ongoing discernment on how to develop our programme from April 2018 if we get government approval.

• For my plans for the UK visit in June and July.

I will be back to the UK and visiting support churches in June and July.

I look forward to seeing many of you then.

Annie

If you would like to support Annie by prayer and committed regular giving, visit bmsworldmission.org/partners or call 01235 517617 for a 24:7 Partners leaflet.

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Minister gets to grips with creative and critical thinking

Not too scary... being observed for a whole day by 3 ministers.