A Teacher Transformed

The transformation in Crépine, a 24-year-old Togolese American, from the time she first started volunteering at the International Christian School of Togo (ICST) 10 months ago to now is clearly tremendous. Crépine came to volunteer at the microschool while she was figuring out what she wanted to do with the next chapter of her life. Even though she didn’t have experience in teaching, it didn’t take long before her connection with the kids and her natural teaching abilities were revealed. By the end of the school year, after 4 months of volunteering, she happily led reading, math, and book club sessions, assisted with science and geography, guided younger students’ projects, conducted read-alouds, taught music and art, and organized Friday extension activities for all students.  

This volunteer experience and the confidence it brought was only the beginning of Crépine’s transformation. It became clear that Crépine was a strong candidate for the new teacher position. After being encouraged to apply, she is now serving as teacher and is still amazing everyone with her capabilities, her thoughtful interactions with students and staff, and much more. On top of all of this, she is planning to go back to school to finish her degree, but this time it will be in education in order to become a certified teacher.  

Not only has Crépine undergone a remarkable transformation through her volunteer work at the school, but she sees in herself remarkable change. Once uncertain about her future and how to serve God, she now feels a clear calling to teaching as a form of ministry. Before this experience she didn’t feel the willingness to try new things. Now, she describes her entire thinking as changing from “but I can’t” to “I’m scared, but I’ll try.” She also sees spiritual growth. While she previously had devotions and prayed in the morning, she is now praying throughout the day and seeing her faith impact all areas of her daily life more deeply. 

“This space was built for growth, this environment tailored to growth… I would be surprised if someone could come to this space and not grow; something would have to change.” She sees the fertile ground for change in her director’s encouragement to “Just try it” and offers of help, in the way the Bible is integrated into everything instead of treated as a separate subject, and in how the 4 core values of humility, excellence, love, and partnership are focused on and lived out. She sees it in the people of God who are guiding her and helping her.