Road to Rwanda----Changes in Teaching

 We were very surprised and saddened to be told two days ago, that this would be the last semester that we would be teaching online for the Asian Mainland University (trying to be obscure in my writing)that we have been contracted to for six years. For three of those years we lived there and then after covid we have taught for an additional three years: oral and then written Engish.  Although this means that we at times have been overwhelmingly busy with about 100 essays a week to grade, it also has filled a place in our lives that we are having trouble imagining letting go of.  Evidently this decision is being made on the government level, and the university has no choice but to comply.  I understand that it is MUCH better for the students to have inperson teachers, rather than the rather poor substitute of online teaching.  Still, written English involves more grading of and reflection on papers than actual interaction.  It means that the limited amount of Christian witness we could be within the circumstances will be lost. Not to mention the prayers that we attached to the class and students.   It means that a cross cultural bridge which we love to foster will no longer exist.  It means that the positions that have been reserved for our organization which places Christian professors in elite universities will not be retained....unless individuals under the age of 60 with univeristy experience come forward to move to the country. (Is the Lord calling you?) An added difficulty, which is not the main difficulty, but still one that effects us on a different level, is that our support will be cut in half.  For many years the communist government has supported our missionary work. I love the irony.   We still have our Social Security, but a life of missionary salaries does not translate into large SS payments.  We will be fine.  We have always been able to live within our budget and Rwanda is a very economical place to live.  We also have the continued fulfillment of our teaching here at Virunga Valley Academy, so it is not like we will no longer have our missionary work as part of our lives.  It still makes us sad.  I do not know if the Lord wants us to pursue some other areas, or not.  At this point, we are just sitting still. I keep thinking that really it is not true and next February we will be back grading papers, but our organization and also the admin at the university assure us that no online classes are going to be allowed.  So pray for us.  We need to sit with this for a while before it becomes a reality, and we can trust His ways, but the anticipation still makes us sad.