In a previous blog, I wrote that we had given up on the public school near us because we could not get services that our boys needed and because there was an underlying racial bias there. That left us with two choices: home school or private school. At the time, we felt like homeschool was our only viable option because of the cost of private school.
Homeschool was a wonderful experience. It gave Nancy time to do really basic bonding with the oldest three.
Nancy does not have a teaching degree because we decided to get married during her junior year in college and moved shortly thereafter. She taught children when she was a children’s pastor for thirteen years. She not only taught, she wrote most of the curriculum and all of the Wednesday night, Sunday morning children’s church sermons and lessons. Our homeschool time was wonderful for her. It also enabled us to capture a heart that was still up for grabs. It was the right thing for that time.
Our problem was that when they were homeschooled, we had all of them all of the time. It almost “sunk our boat”. We needed to consider alternatives.
I visited the best local private church school. I was worried that the school had very few minority students and that we could not afford it. From the very first moment, we were treated like the most important people that had ever walked in the door. They treat everyone that way, but it sure felt good when we were there.
I brought up the issue of race and that the school had very few minority students. The school director’s eyes lit up (they really did) and she said that they had recently prayed for minority students to come to the school and we were answered prayer. I mentioned the problems that Matthew Walter had at the public school and she said that he sounded like a typical eight year old boy. The difference between this school and the public school was like day and night.
I also had to talk about paying for the school. I explained that we are living on a fixed income, that we have savings that we were trying not to spend, and that we would try to raise money through our ministry to pay the tuition. She said that they could help us, that we should let them know how much money we had raised and talk again.
I toured the school and it was wonderful. Everyone and everything thrilled me. When I walked out of the building I called Nancy and told her that we were going to go there, that I felt strongly enough about it that we would draw down our savings if we had to. She agreed.
We raised over half of the money, the school paid the rest. After seven days of school, Matthew Walter has not had a hint of a problem. The boys are so happy. Note to file: I must quit doubting God.