"No!" But "I will sell it all to you!"
Lebanon and Lake Mantasoa School- Our Story
Our Preschool was established in 2007 at the Scripture Union Centre and very shortly after starting it became very successful with children and families in the local community. We were asked by the parents to make a Primary School to continue the learning progress that their children were making. These children also faced the prospect of long walks (over 7kms) to the nearest primary school and dangerous roads.
Our response was we have;
No land
No money
No equipment
No teachers
"You'll have to pray..."
So we did and God answered in December 2006 with a nearby room to rent, a gift, some materials, some volunteers to clean and decorate (Sherian and Wayne Morgan), and finally a teacher, Olivier. Olivier literally lived 10m from the schoolroom! He had just come back from the very north of the country, to support his mother, after his father's death. He'd been working as a teacher too!
The Primary School started with 24 children in Year 1, ages ranging from 6 to 14! Many arrived by boat and had never been to school. Mary and Olivier taught between them, with Olivier learning on the job for teaching the youngest children.
However, once you start with Year 1, you will soon need space for Year 2 and more in the next year! So we kept praying... We hunted all around for some land or a building to buy or rent nearby. But there was nothing to be found. Despite many houses being empty for many years, other plots of land had long-term reservations on them.
We tried sending a letter to the neighbours (who we'd never met) above Kanana, via the guard. However, he didn't deliver it. Finally we found out where the owner worked and made a visit, asking if they would be interested in renting or selling a part of the site for the school. She thought about it, and said "No!" But "I will sell it all to you!" That was 13 acres (5 1/2 heactares) with an old house already on it!
Within 6 months and various court settlements, it was ours!
We cleaned out the old house and made it into a classroom for Year 2 and an office. Various staff members also used the bedrooms to live in as many had long journeys to and from school each day.
The school parents helped make terraces for the first classrooms and many were part of the building team on classrooms 1, 2 and 3.
Martin designed the rooms to have as much natural light as possible, as well as an area for shelter and wet-playtimes.
We moved out of the rented room we had been using for the Pre-School and continued building a classroom each year.
Our children CEPE (end of Primary School) results have been excellent, so the inevitable plea came for a Secondary School! We had the space but again, no funds or teachers. So we all prayed again. And with friends giving donations for roofing sheets and furniture, along with a big grant from the Polish Embassy, we were able to build;
Classrooms 7 and 8
The Resource Centre, with offices, computer area and library
The Director's House
The Dining Hall / Meeting Room with kitchens.
Visiting volunteers and Nehemiah students helped with decorations. A Trust helped us to finally add rooms for Year 8 and 9 and a new shower and toilet block in 2020, to complete the Middle School of Lake Mantasoa School.
We have no plans for a Lycee (High School) yet! Our biggest need is to find consistent funding for the teachers we currently have. We have built 5 rooms for teachers to stay on site who live a long way away.
We also have made play equipment and sports areas, many with the help of parents who did amazing work digging out the terraces. They also made and continue to look after the school garden.