Taylor Lyall: Volunteer Township Teacher

I’m officially done volunteering for Botshabelo. It’s been a really great year. Well, 11 months to be exact. God has done a lot, most of which I probably won't ever see.  I taught 1st grade for nine months at a crèche that Botshabelo runs in the community of Olievenhoutbosch.  Even though I wasn’t a trained teacher, it was amazing to see how far these kids came in this school year.

One of the greatest things I think God used me for, was to be a Godly example of a man to my students.  A lot of the men in that community are abusive, drunk, or lazy.  I showed my students how men should act towards women and others in general. I also got to be a dad to the kids in the Babies Home run by Botshabelo (where I worked partly through my time here and full-time the last month).  They are orphaned, abandoned, or abused children.  Most of our volunteers are women, so it was great to be father figure to them.

I had a great experience volunteering for Botshabelo and being a part of Urban Life Church.  I wish I could say that I saw hundreds of people come to the Lord while I was here, but I didn't.  I came here not only to help people in need in South Africa, but to really come to love them.  My love for them will now inspire me to continue to help them the rest of my life.  Now that I know the need, I just can't leave these kids like this.  
God put children in South Africa on my heart and I did my best to follow the path He led me on.  I just tried to be myself, allowing God to use everything that He has created me to be.  I guess that's all we can ever really do; walk in obedience and be ourselves.