From Kenya to Alabama: A Reflection of a Year with Teach Exchange

From Kenya to Alabama: A Reflection of a Year with Teach Exchange

Teach Exchange’s first teacher, Davis Athwart, recently shared some of his reflections with Cindy Lucas, Teach Exchange Program Coordinator. From navigating emotions to actual roads, Davis emphasizes it has been the power of prayer from people near and far that has carried him from Kenya and through his first year of teaching at Montgomery Christian School in Alabama.

What is Teach Exchange?

“Teach Exchange is a program through TeachBeyond that seeks to partner with missional minded Christians from around the world, helping them get a U.S.  Teacher Exchange Visa that allows teachers to come to the U.S. for 2 to 5 years, gain international experience, and fill a significant need for a school in the U.S. After the program, the teachers will return to their country, or even go to other schools around the world, and use their new skills and experience to share the gospel as missionary teachers.”

Navigating the Challenges of Being in a New Country

Some of the biggest challenges Davis faced were right at the beginning of his time in the U.S. There were daily anxieties of how to just get from the house to work and to the grocery store. “Transportation works differently here in the U.S. than in Kenya,” mentions Davis. After going about his day, there was the difficulty of going home wondering when and even if his family would make it to join him in the U.S. Then the time zones only made it worse; when he finished work, the people who knew him best were already asleep. While there were unique challenges that Davis and his Teach Exchange team encountered, he shares that time and experience have been on their side.

Davis’s Why

As Davis continued to show up to teach, and as community began forming, he saw God provide strength to endure.

“Why are you here?” is a question Davis received often during his first days of teaching. He heard this question a lot from students and from adults. For students, he would give the answer: “Because the Lord led us here.” But for adults, he would go into a bit more depth saying, “There is a burden in my heart to share the gospel.”

Impact of Cross-Cultural Teaching

Davis shares that he is seeing his students realize the global need for the gospel. Amazing! Davis's impact is helping kids see the world is bigger than themselves. This experience from Davis as their teacher is starting to burden their own hearts about the people around the world. One student even stopped Davis in the hallway one day after a geography lesson about the Caribbean. The student had heard Davis explain how there is sometimes an urgent need for the gospel to be shared in that area and surrounding. The student approached Davis in the hallway to say, “Mr. Davis, can we pray for those people right now?”

Future Plans and Advice for Future Teach Exchange Teachers

Davis puts his hopes for the future into the hands of the Lord. He wants to be here teaching and sharing the gospel in the U.S. as long as possible until the Lord ends their time here. If that were to happen, his family plans to head to Ethiopia.

Davis says the biggest encouragement during his time here has been the community. He describes this community as one that is very prayerful. Praying for his family to make it to the U.S.(which they have!), praying for provisions of daily life, praying for his ministry work in the classroom, and so much more.

If Davis could give one piece of advice to any future Teach Exchange participants, it would be: “Find a community of believers quickly. When you have that community of people who not only support you but support you because they believe the work you’re doing is valuable, you are able to do anything without fear. You may not see the magnitude of your work, but you will get glimpses.”