Hey, everyone!
This month, I want to feature one of my ministry partners and FOCUS alumni, Adam Chaibainou. Adam was a freshman at Collin College the first year I started working with FOCUS full time back in 2016. He went onto UTD, did the FOCUS Apprenticeship, and is now a high school English teacher. He and his wife Clarissa are good friends of Grant and I as well and they've partnered with me in ministry, just like you.
Last year, Adam released a self-published book called I am a Child of God. He's also teaching in the public school system and the school administration decided to use his book for recommended reading. In his book he shares his deep grief, pain, and God meeting him through other people like his grandmother, his friends and mentors in high school, and college ministry (FOCUS).
In his own words:
"A few years ago, I transitioned off of Focus staff as an Apprentice and into the world of education. Since then, I've worked as an English teacher at R. L. Turner High School where I've done my best to implement ministry skills into the classroom. If nothing else, I've been left extremely encouraged. I love interacting with the students, having both academic and casual conversations. I'd dare say that without my time spent in Focus, this job would've been much more difficult. But, what I'd like to share isn't just how much I love my job, but the amazing opportunity that God has given to me and my students.
Last year, I published my first book, I Am a Child of God. For a long time, I struggled with processing a lot of hurt and grief that I grew up with and decided to compose it into a memoir. I detail my journey from infancy all the way to college, highlighting the ways that God met me in my brokenness. After sharing my publication with friends and coworkers, the team lead in my English department wanted our kids to read it, too, despite the explicit mentioning of Jesus. In her words, "I think our students would benefit from hearing your story."
And so they have. For the last few weeks, all the seniors in our English classes have been reading and following along with my memoir. Though I feel uncomfortable at times knowing that everyone will know about my life, I remember that we rarely grow when we are uncomfortable. The results? Nothing short of inspiring.
My fellow teachers keep raving about how engaged students have been and that they rarely seem interested in a book like they have with mine. Students even come up to me in the hallways and share how much they love reading it. But, most of all, the greatest outcome is that students have been talking about their own faith in the classroom. This last week, I overheard a girl explaining what it means to be a Christian to another girl she sits next to after reading a section of the book. Whenever students read and submit their reflections for each chapter, students are able to identify the impact that Jesus had on my life. It seems, at the very least, that the conversation about faith and Jesus have gotten started, and that in itself is such a God deal, especially in a public school.
Please pray that our students continue having these conversations and that God would meet and guide them throughout it."
- Adam
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| Adam Chaibainou |
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SICM 2017. Peep me in the red jacket and Adam in the back, his head under the word "border" when we took our students the US/Canadian border!
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| our march student testimony! |
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