Choose to Shine

“Choose to shine.” That is the slogan for the Star School, founded and built by none other than our own favorite son, Nathan Amooti!

One year ago, Nathan walked me up and down a very steep and overgrown hillside. He pointed to bushes and clumps of grass and banana trees. Each was a marker in his mind’s eye for the ideal spot for a classroom, dormitory, or other school building. Nathan is the product of education. He studied hard and worked for all his education. He began life as a simple cattle keeper who now has a master’s degree from an American Seminary. He has built a number of schools for and with the Anglican Church.

Nathan shared his lifelong dream of opening a Rwandan school for excellence. It would be educationally rigorous and open to children of all income levels. He wanted a school that would give poor cattle keepers the same boost through life he received – regardless of their ability to pay. He told me that he wanted to put a rocking chair on the porch of the school building so that when he retired he could be surrounded by children in his old age.

We returned this year to the Star School site. Where only plants grew out of the hillside one year ago, now buildings have sprung from the ground. Nathan has raised funds and built a classroom block (with 5 classrooms) and the attendant bathroom buildings. He has now almost completed separate boys and girls dormitories that will hold 500 children when complete. Let me tell you, I have seen a number of building go up in Rwanda. Never have I seen work happen so quickly! And so much has been built with so little. What makes it more amazing is how much has been done in the face of massive inflation here. For example, when he priced his drawings a bag of concrete was 7,500 frw ($15) and is now 12,000 frw ($25).

Soon Nathan will complete the dorms and be ready to build a cafeteria. His future plans include buying out the land next to him (currently owned by the Muslims – how heartbreaking to consider a possible madras being built next door to the Star School), building a primary school on those lands, and installing soccer and volleyball fields between the two schools. Oh, yeah: and a porch with a rocking chair, but he has a few decades left before that is absolutely necessary!

I don’t know when my friend will be able to finish building his dream, but I believe in him and his ability to raise the funds necessary to continue. I met the children of the Star School and their teachers. I have spoken with the headmistress. Most importantly, I have prayed on those lands with the school’s founder. I have no doubt God will bring all His good works to completion for his servant.