Bailey Krall is a junior music major currently serving in Bangladesh as a Student
Missionary at BanglaHope school and orphanage. These excerpts are from Bailey’s blog
when she first arrived.
Landing into Dhaka, Bangladesh, I realized that these four months here are going to
be like nothing I've ever experienced before. Dhaka is the capital city of Bangladesh
and one of the most densely populated cities in the world. I walked out of the airport
after going through customs and was immediately hit with so many sounds, smells, and
sights. I was relieved to immediately see Robyn Griffin, the director of the orphanage,
and that I wouldn't have to go searching for him.
There were a few things about Dhaka that stood out to me right away. There was so
much smog that the sun wasn't very bright. My eyes started stinging almost immediately
and when I blew my nose, black stuff came out. The smell of the smog, smoke, and poor
sewer and trash infrastructure also hit me right away. There was nothing luxurious
about the city. Beneath the filth and lack of infrastructure in the city, however,
there was a richness and vibrancy that no amount of luxury could bring to the city.
I felt a rush of excitement as we sped and bounced through the streets in the little
green car as the sights and sounds surrounded me. We drove through narrow little streets
crowded with people and shops barely the size of a closet.
I was amazed that there was traffic and bustling cities almost the whole entire way through the country. Because of the road conditions and a couple of stops, it took us 11.5 hours to drive 160 miles. As exciting as the drive was, I was glad to see the school. Between the smog, smell of the sewer, and the wild driving, I had felt pretty nauseous for most of the two days before we reached the school.
After a 12 hour car ride, we approached the gates of BanglaHope and were met with
the sight of kids running from all directions to meet the van. I was supposed to quarantine
at the school, but I came to terms with the fact that there was no way I was going
to get to my room without first encountering the zoo of kids. I'll admit I was a little
overwhelmed as the kids surrounded me while I waited for my bags to be unloaded. All
the kids told me their names and demanded I remember them. The only name I remembered
was a little girl named Barbie, wearing a pink jacket and proudly displaying chocolate
stains on her teeth from the ice cream she was eating.
It's hard being in quarantine knowing there are so many kids just dying to meet me and to just be with me. It's a humbling feeling; I've done nothing to earn their trust except for just coming here. The kids here are just that desperate for love and attention.
To read more about Bailey’s experiences check out her blog here
Description: Timor-Leste Adventist International School (TAIS) is located in the capital
city of Dili, situated right on the coast. TAIS currently has 135 students from Kindergarten
to 8th grade and is hoping to expand into high school in the coming years. Serving
in a developing country such as Timor-Leste comes with its challenges–occasional power
outages, limited resource availability, and cultural differences, to name a few. On
the positive side, there's fantastic snorkeling and diving, whale-watching, pristine
beaches, and stunning mountains to explore. However, the best part of serving at TAIS
is the daily opportunity to share Jesus with His children! If you have a passion for
children and an adventurous spirit, consider coming to serve at Timor-Leste Adventist
International School!
Student Missionary Responsibilities: To be an example of Jesus' love and teachings
to others through your personal life, dress and relationships. To mentor others to
grow in their relationship with God and to make a decision to follow Jesus as their
Lord and Savior. To be involved in all aspects of teaching elementary school including:
lesson planning, instruction, Bible-based spiritual education, English-language instruction,
classroom management, supervision, extracurricular activities, grading, and administration.
To possibly teach English language (ESL) classes or other classes to children as needed.
To regularly attend, participate in the local SDA Sabbath school and worship services.
To be prepared to participate and lead in ministry and in programs of the local SDA
church. To visit and train others in the outlying districts of Timor-Leste. All other
duties as assigned.
