Impacting Nations Through Education

Monthly Goal:

 USD $3,000

Total Raised:

 USD $550

Raised this month:

 USD $0

Campaign created by Suzanne Kolstad

Campaign funds will be received by Suzanne Kolstad

Impacting Nations Through Education

Children and education have been my passions since I was small. Since the early '90s I have been blessed to serve as a missionary in many countries in the area of education.  Starting a school for children with special needs in Central Asia, writing curriculum with YWAM to be used globally, and spending time on six continents doing teacher training, helping to start school, working with parents, and helping others grown in their ability to lead and train has been such a blessing.

 In 2024 we will continue to focus on biblical teacher training, starting schools, and working with families.  Literacy will be a key component as we train classroom teachers, community volunteers, and older students to help students become literate.  The literacy rates in many countries is very low.  They struggle to get materials and with extremely large class sizes.  We have developed a training program and classroom materials to quickly get students reading and thinking.  

Other focuses for 2024 include special education and helping start preschools.  So many have the desire to help their own nations but need a little help to get started. Helping people see what they can do with what they have is one of the most rewarding parts of doing training and creating curriculum. 

Funds donated will be used for our living and ministry expenses.  In order to go to the places where people are asking us to do training and help start schools we need plane tickets, visas, and living expenses.  Your donation will allow us to continue this work and be able to say yes to those asking for help.  

Recent Donations
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Anonymous Giver
$ 100.00 USD
18 days ago

Anonymous Giver
$ 100.00 USD
8 months ago

Blessings Suzanne! May the Lord be with you!!

Richard Ensrud
$ 150.00 USD
1 year ago

Anonymous Giver
$ 200.00 USD
1 year ago

Updates

Flying out today

June 19th, 2024

Hi, 

I am starting the journey to Manila in a few hours.  It is looking like we will have over a hundred teachers at each training over the next three weeks.  Please continue to pray for the team, the teachers, and all the arrangements that need to be in place for the training to happen.  There are nine people coming from various countries to run the trainings in multiple locations.  Please continue to pray for funds to cover all the costs involved.  Thank you!

Literacy in Malawi

June 14th, 2024

Literacy in Blantyre

We were able to run three different programs in Blantyre at the nearby school. Together with my local partners we worked on developing games, stories, and teaching techniques that will help improve literacy and English for the 1st - 4th graders at the school.  
It is a big job as each grade has 70-95 students who all come at once for a 30 minute lesson. Pashan and Joe have taken on the leadership for this program and are doing an excellent job in difficult circumstances. 
While I was with them we all worked on developing more active learning that helps every student participate. The students really enjoyed the learning games and the stories. Being read to is not a common occurrence and they were very attentive as we read or told them stories.  
Upcoming
On Wednesday I leave for Manila for three weeks. This time I will help lead one of two teams who will use portions of our Educating for Life curriculum to provide training for different schools in the area. 
We are still working on details and funding. Please pray and consider helping financially if you are able. There are nly a few days left before everyone starts traveling to the location.  
I still need $1600 to cover my flight to Manila and a bit more for expenses while there. 
Update #2

March 31st, 2024

He is Risen!

He is risen indeed! The greeting used by Christians for centuries is as comforting

and inspiring today as it was the first time it was uttered. I pray that as you celebrate

Easter you will feel the joy of our living Savior and marvel at the sacrifice He made for

each of us out of a love beyond our full understanding.

Quick update

I wanted to take a moment to share what is happening in my life and ministry. On Wednesday I

will begin the journey to Africa. I am planning to spend about two months on the continent,

working in three different countries. As you know, I spend a good deal of time working on

curriculum for our training programs. It is time once again to bring the to the field and test them

out, train others to use them, and strengthen the programs that are already running.

Below is my itinerary and why each place is strategic in bringing or enhancing biblical education.

Ghana

The first stop is Ghana where I will partner with some of my teammates to train a group of

teachers in Literacy for Life. Together we will learn some ways to bring a stronger literacy

program to the classroom and create a tutoring program for those students that are struggling

with reading, comprehension, or writing.

This is a strategic opportunity because these teachers are from a well established Christian

school that has a good reputation in the country. They will be able to take what they learn and

teach others, reaching remote areas as well as other schools in the city. Their training will also

equip them to train older students to tutor younger students, taking some of the burden off

teachers who often have very large numbers of students.

Pray that leaders rise up amongst the participants who will carry the literacy program through

the country and beyond!

South Africa

In South Africa I will meet with a few people who have 40 or so years of experience in

establishing preschools in remote areas. Over the last few months we have been guiding a

YWAM base that is opening a preschool in an established refugee camp. We have been

strategizing on the best ways to give training and guidance to the staff and to meet the needs of

families. I intend to spend time at the preschool, bringing the materials we create and offering

in-person training on what the team decides are the most important next steps.

This opportunity will hopefully extend beyond those we are working with. It is hoped that the

preschool will become a light in the area, showing others how important basing education at the

earliest levels on God’s truth. As they demonstrate the differences between a biblical and

secular education, they will have many opportunities to speak with other teachers and parents.

Pray that they reach many with the Gospel in the coming years!

Malawi

The preschool mentioned about is in the country of Malawi. I will be in Blantyre most of the time

but will travel to the preschool location as well. Blantyre is where we first began the Literacy for

Life Student to Student tutoring program. My partners there have done a wonderful job of

training 7th and 8th graders to be tutors. There have been some difficulties along the way as

this is a new concept for the school administrations, but they have persevered in working with

the older students. One of the benefits they have seen is that the older students are doing

better on their exams!

The program has changed since I was last there. The initial training was for tutoring but this last

year the school has decided to send all 1st -4th graders to the program. That means 60-90 kids

a time. It is no longer tutoring but a full fledge attempts to increase literacy skills for all students.

Our team adapted well. We still use the same principles that they were taught, just on a much

bigger scale. I am excited to be able to spend a few weeks with them, helping them add

materials, develop more ways to work with such large groups, and spend time seeking God’s

direction with them. It will be a busy time!

Pray that we can put the things in place they will need in the coming school term and that more

people with join us in working with these precious children.

Philippines

Shortly after returning from Africa, I will go to the Philippines to work with my teammates running

our Foundations in Teaching course. We have been rewriting it to meet the needs of teachers

around the world and this will be the first country this version is used in. So far there is a plan to

train teachers from several different schools over a three week period. The team is coming

together as God brings people from different nations onto the team.

Please pray for all the funds, travel, planning, and people that will be needed to run these

trainings.

Support

All these things are exciting, strategic, and important. They all also have a cost in both time and

money. Will you consider praying regularly for each and financially supporting me so I can

reach each location? $2770 is still needed for Africa and about $2000 for Philippines.

If you would like to support us financially funds can be sent through Venmo, Zelle, Apple pay, or

facebook using my email smkols@me.com or phone number 7637727335

Checks can be mailed to:

Havens Near and Far

405 10th Ave NW Isanti Mn 55040

If you need a tax receipt, funds can be sent through Revive Church using this link:

https://give.egive-usa.com/app/giving/eGive2981Conv

Click fund, choose missions and then click sub fund and choose Suzanne Kolstad

Update #1 Upcoming Literacy Training

January 28th, 2024

We are planning to run a literacy training program for teachers in Ghana in April.  It is hoped that these teachers will then be able to train other teachers in remote areas and their own school.  They will also learn how to train older students to tutor younger students who are struggling to learn how to read.  Our goal is to impact these teachers and help them to continue to develop a biblical view of education and strengthen their own relationship with Jesus then they will be able to multiply what has been started. 

I need to raise approximately $2000 for expenses

If you would like to join my email list or prayer vine send me your email and I will add you.  

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