We tend to start a new year with fresh plans, new ideas of how things will be different this year. We use the date of January 1st as a transitional time to shed the bad habits and start new, better habits. “This year will be different because of sheer force of will,” we say to ourselves. “I’m going to build better habits.” One of the challenges of using a date for change of habits, is that there is nothing magical about a date. If our hearts and minds haven’t been transformed we are setting ourselves up for disappointment and failure.Perhaps when we seek to start something new, we should start with scripture and look to the first words written in the Bible in Genesis 1, “In the beginning God…”. If we look at the first words of the Apostle John’s Gospel, the first words are, “In the beginning was the Word.” The Word is referring to Jesus. So, as we embark on a new year, we may have grand plans or we may have very simple plans, or we may feel disappointed and stuck, but I would offer this to all of us - perhaps we should simplify and look at our beginning, not centered around our plans, but start the way all things started, with God.
2022 is going to be a busy year at eduKenya. Due to the government changing the school schedule because of Covid lockdowns, we are required to squeeze 3 school years into 2 calendar years to catch up. This means in 2022, 4 terms instead of 3; two graduating high school classes; two senior leadership programs, and an increased budget on items such as food because of more school days and increased global costs. There are so many logistical items that have to be completed, extra tests that have to be taken, forms for scholarships for further education to be filled out, that it can be easy to look at 2022 and create goals solely around achieving tasks. Yet, we are not simply in pursuit of achievement, we are in pursuit of transformation. We are pursuing transformation milestones that center around Jesus. As we embark on this new year at eduKenya, we go back to the second line of our Mission Statement - We are driven by the love of Christ, and a desire to glorify God. I think that is my mission statement for 2022 - to be driven in all that I do by the love of Christ, and that my desire in all things would be to glorify God. Sometimes we overcomplicate things in order to achieve goals that we create. Perhaps, this year we need to simplify and go back to the beginning, and reorder our lives to start with God.We are grateful for you and your partnership, and pray God will lead you as you enter into 2022!