Classes are back in session at Peningki School in Tarakan, Kalimantan, Indonesia. The school for MAF MKs was closed for two years after the previous teachers departed in March, 2023, and no one has lived in it as teacher housing for six years. The top part of the building was in considerable disrepair due to termite damage, and the elements had taken a significant toll on everything. This summer, donors financed the complete renovation of the top portion of the school, which will be used again for teacher housing (our home!) The classrooms and the lunchroom downstairs were used for storage while the top part of the building was under renovation.
Since the school closed two years ago, students have been homeschooled while waiting for new teachers to come live and teach in Tarakan. This fall, students began school in their homes due to delays in construction and teacher visas, but were able to start classes back in the Peningki school classrooms on October 6! And the teacher apartments were completed and we moved into them on November 1st.
There are eight students and two teachers using the newly reopened school. Mrs. Emely Blowers-DeLeon teaches the junior high grades and Mrs. Katlyn Strickland teaches the elementary age students. Ibu Arsel teaches Indonesian language class, and Greta Rojas teaches Art. Jodie Toews, Kristina Braim, Brendan Blowers-DeLeon and Corey Strickland put a good amount of work into deep cleaning, arranging, painting, and organizing everything.
So much cutting, hammering, finishing, painting, cleaning, and moving of things has gone into getting the facility up and running. And with a functional building as a platform, teachers, kids, and families are now diligently working to sharpen their minds and learn more about God’s incredible world.