Africa Cries Out Report 2023019 Africa Cries Out Technical School: The Graduation of 52 Students, June 30th 2023 by Jun Xu, MD

After 9 months of a strenuous full-time study, the fourth batch of the Africa Cries Out Technical School, celebrated the graduation of 52 students in June 2023. This group of students started their journey at Africa Cries Out Technical School in the second half of 2022, and according to their own wishes, chose the majors offered in school: English, French, electrical engineering, civil engineering, hydraulic engineering, mechanical engineering, printing and dyeing, sewing, and cooking. These majors are certified by the Senegalese National Ministry of Education, and students who complete their studies receives a diploma issued by the Africa Cries Out Technical School. After the students graduate, they undergo and complete a six-month internship program, after which they will obtain a license to practice their chosen field.

This year, there has been a major breakthrough in the composition of students at the Africa Cries Out Technical School. For the first time, we have welcomed female students to live on campus. In a country that is 96% Muslim, it is immensely difficult to convince a family to let their daughters leave home and live in school. Even as all fees are waived for female students, it is still difficult to get family support. Thanks to the Lord for being wonderful. Although it took a lot of convincing and persuasion, we are very happy to have 12 female residents this school year. They are like seeds in the technical schools. As their lives improve, they will one day influence and encourage other girls to join our Africa Cries Out Technical School.

Since the establishment of the Africa Cries Out Technical School, we have received strong financial and all-round support from caring people all over the world. We are very grateful for their love and enthusiasm that allows us to persevere without any worries. Our student fees are all fully supported by the Africa Cries Out Foundation, including tuition, accommodation and meals, which cost us $2,200 per student this year. The total expenditure for school year 2022-2023 of the Africa Cries Out Technical School is approximately $114,400, including the cost of hiring local teachers.

We sincerely thank everyone for their support! Through the many years of operating the technical school, we recognize and acknowledge that without the continuous donations from the caring people who were touched by our mission, we would not be able to achieve the technical school to what it is today. Although the development of the technical school is still in its early stages, with the graduation of the fourth phase students, we believe that our students will disseminate the blessings and teachings of the school to help the school improve and become better. We dream that one day, we can make our technical school an excellent local university.

Report from Pastor Anna: 9 Months of Companionship and Sharing

As we enter into the last week of the school year at the technical school, our hearts are filled with gratitude to the Lord for all He has done so far. There are many emotions in our hearts when it comes to the upcoming separation from our spiritual children. We are so proud to see the growth and changes in their lives.

Yesterday, we had our last service. We visited the Bethel Church in Dhaka where they had their final service, which was a huge blessing to our students.

On Saturday, we went to eat lunch with the students. Many of them were Muslims, and after nine months of companionship and the preaching of the gospel, most of them have chosen to receive the best blessing they could ever have.

This is the last outing that we will have with the dormitory students. During these nine months of intimate exchange, we completely opened ourselves up to the children, devoting ourselves to serve these young people as if they were our own children.

At this moment, we are about to welcome tomorrow’s graduation ceremony, a graduation full of blessings.
We are all so excited!!! We rejoice for our children. They have learned the needed skills and are about to embark on a new journey. However, we are also very sad as graduation also means that we will be separated from them. It seems as if these students of the fourth phase of the Africa Cries Out Technical School just began, yet they are now finished. But with hope in my heart, the next batch will be here soon!

This is a very special day. It is our students’ graduation ceremony!
Rich and surging emotions swell in everyone’s heart. This whole experience has been so wonderful! They have been looking forward to this day, and everyone, as well as their families and pastors were all so proud of them in achieving their goal of successfully graduating. We fought another good fight, and every volunteer felt a sense of accomplishment. God was glorified in everything. Thank you to the Lord for walking with us all the way until now. Thank you to God for putting words of encouragement in our hearts through prayer and helping lead us to overcome one challenge after another, and complete this arduous task together.

Pastor Anna’s report allows us to see that all the efforts and dedication, like a trickle, merge into a stream, irrigating the dry hearts, nourishing the empty brains, and bringing life changes to the Africans. The joy in our hearts is unparalleled.

The Change and Hope That The Lord Brought

Thank you to the Africa Cries Out team and to our supporters. This school only exists because you believed in the vision given by the Lord. The lifetime help for these children is huge, and will surely pay off in heaven. There are 52 students this year. In addition to training them in technological skills, we have also changed their lives. Please take a look at the photos of some students before and after enrollment. In their eyes, you can see God’s blessings. Thank you for your support and trust.