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Proverbs 22:6 AMP “Train up a child in the way he should go [teaching him to seek God’s wisdom and will for his abilities and talents], Even when he is old he will not depart from it.”
During the Tuesday service 28th December 2021, a testimony was read of a 12-year-old boy who was struggling academically. Ripfumelo Baloi is one of the beneficiaries of The Lesego Daniel Foundation and is taken care of by and lives with his sister.
Ripfumelo’s educational journey started in the year 2015. This journey had not been easy as he was repeating Grade 1 in 2016. His sister [who is also his guardian], fetched him from their maternal home in Limpopo where he started his foundational learning. She brought him to live with her in Johannesburg towards the end of the school year [October 2016]. This meant that he had to do Grade 1 again, for the third time, in the following school year – 2017.
Upon his arrival in Johannesburg, Ripfumelo started attending services with his sister at Rabboni Centre Ministries. It was not until 2019 when his sister (Legal Guardian) informed the church about his learning challenges. During that time, he was 10 years old, doing Grade 3. Though he was promoted to higher grades, it was not due to successfully completing his grades, but of his age. And during those years, his poor performance had been raised with his guardian through constant meetings with his educators. He could not perform basic numerical, language and writing tasks which a Grade 1 pupil could and is expected to learn. In 2019 the church assisted in enrolling Ripfumelo into a different school and they [church] took care of both his social and educational needs through The Lesego Daniel Foundation. Looking at his school work, it was evident that he was a struggling learner.
His sister reported his progress to the church and his books and term reports were constantly prayed for by our Father Prof. Lesego Daniel. During the beginning of 2020 plans were underway to enrol Ripfumelo into a Special Educational Needs (SEN) school. To realise this, an assessment written by his educators from the school was required. However, schools had been closed due to the Covid-19 pandemic and there was no work he could be assessed on because even before the lockdown teachers kept on telling the family to leave the child at a normal school (The current school).
After the end of the 2020 school year where he had been doing grade 4, Ripfumelo progressed to Grade 5. We thank God for speaking through our father Prof. Lesego Daniel for hosting the children’s services in 2021.
During his Grade 5 year, Ripfumelo showed progress. Since participating in the Children & Youth Guidance services via Zoom he grew in confidence, developed a positive attitude and an improved overall behaviour. His sister has been reporting that Ripfumelo has become talkative and happier, being a boy that God foreknew embodying the spirit of a child. This was contrary to his quiet, reserved nature and somewhat angry character he would often portray. This progress has also been seen in his school work where he can read and write in Xitsonga, his mother tongue which was not the case previously.
During the first zoom session for the Children & Youth, he interacted with Papa Lesego Daniel telling him that he is struggling to read, then our father ministered prayer to him. Every morning before he went to write exams, he would call the Rabboni Prayer Line for prayers. His handwriting had significantly improved. It is only now that he can recite days of the week and alphabets. Although Ripfumelo, 13 years of age, will be doing Grade 6 in 2022 [three Grades behind], we are grateful of the progress that he has made.
God has His own plans concerning His own and to prove that He knew us from before the world began, when Ripfumelo wrote from the bible [in English], he did not make any mistakes [his spelling was correct]. We believe that He Who began the good work in a child, will surely see it to completion. Truly what is impossible with man, is possible with God.
Parents, refuse when you are told that your child is a slow-learner, for God has a purpose for each and every one of us and His plans can never be thwarted by any situation or circumstance.
Some of the things are not disabilities, but they happen for the glory of the Lord. Our father [often] tells us how he was associated with slow-learners while growing up. How he would be rejected because of that, however, that changed when he got to varsity (tertiary, college) and that by God.
Parents, know who you are raising (who your child is in Christ) and raise them in the way of the Lord.
Yes, some are naughty and need to be disciplined, however, some issues are spiritual and need discernment. You might beat a child who bed wets forgetting, 1) you had the same issue while growing up and, 2) the issue could be spiritual. Always depend on God to raise your children.
Also to encourage parents to allow their children to participate (take part) in the Children & Youth Guidance Sessions where we learn more and have fun in the Lord. Not only do these meetings assist in taking the children off the streets, but it takes their minds off the lower things (things of the world). They fellowship and are brought to reach nothing less than the standard height of Christ’s own perfection.
To God be the glory!!!
