The Good Teacher

Formerly known as Besive High School, the vacant property looked more like a bunch of old toolsheds and gang hotspots under the sunlight. Umile Ndlovu walked carefully toward his former school and remembered all the times he’d run through the hallways to make it to his first class in time. Being late was a trendy thing back in his youth days, but the cost had never been worth it. He’d never enjoyed being part of the ‘cool kids’ and found himself associating with them because their parents were all elitists and snobbish. Well, at least that’s what he told people now, but it really was his own lack of sound judgment and principles that made him settle for that reputation.

It was not his true identity but he enjoyed some of its perks in high school; getting the best seats during school events, having the prettiest girls always gawking over him, and missing tests only to forge sick notes to permit special tests for him and his peers.

It was all unbecoming, in hindsight and Umile felt gratitude now filling his heart because he’d since found Christ. In fact, Christ had found Umile – floating through a life of mediocrity and snatched him right out of it.

He was standing at the entrance of his former school, as a response to a prompting that wouldn’t give him rest.

“Alright Jesus, I’m here. Don’t let the lions eat me alive. Show me what you want me to see”, he requested and ignored his raging heartbeat.

Umile was a part-time teacher at a Catholic school in a different town, so he was more than curious about this adventure to Besive High. He walked carefully and looked around the dilapidated walls and worn floors. The bad rains had done a number on the place, but he could still make out where the classrooms and restrooms were. He walked a few meters forward and recognized the corner in which a glass display unit stood and held all the school’s local, regional and international awards.

He smiled at the memory of holding up one large, silver trophy after winning the school’s regional finals in public speaking. He was a non-starter in sports, but a master in the art of communication, despite his tardy behavior and rebellious episodes.

He was in Form 4 when Umile decided to take his books seriously and drop the cool guy act. He’d just lost his father and his two elder siblings were building their careers outside of the African continent. His father was a teacher by profession as well, and his passing had knocked Umile off his invisible high-horse, and kept him focused- which consequently qualified him for a full-sponsorship at the University of Eswatini (UNESWA). There, he devoted himself to his studies and completed his first and Master’s degrees in the Faculty of Humanities. All this, while fighting an internal longing for something greater.

He continued walking along the darkened hallway, with just bits of light breaking in through the ruined roof and ceiling of the school building, until he saw the door to the courts. He paused and stared at the door while pressing his hand against his chest. There was that pounding again. He wasn’t’ sure what was causing the anxiety, especially because the worst memory from the school courts was his failed attempt to impress his crush by throwing a basketball from across the court, only to miss the basket embarrassingly. Surely, that wasn’t what God wanted him here to confront. With that thought still in his mind, he drew in a long breath, exhaled and then walked boldly into a large empty hall with the wooden bench stands surrounding the circumference of the room. The forsaken basket pole was still standing but rusty and discolored.

Umile’s neck was sweating, yet it was 16 degrees Celsius outside, in Mbabane.

He felt his toes stiffen in his semi-sharp pointed shoes, as if to prohibit him from walking any further. The middle-aged man immediately thought of a relevant scripture to calm his mind and heart. He got Philippians 4:6 and clung to it, speaking it under his breath multiple times as he stepped forward slowly.

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.

Umile continued to meditate on the scripture and made it to a steady wooden bench. Slowly, he took a seat and waited. The silence was loud but he was determined to endure it. The flapping of a pigeon’s wings above him startled the man and he clicked his tongue at that. He took his phone from his pants pocket and placed it beside him on the bench, then closed his eyes to pray.

Only a few minutes had passed when he felt light beaming over his eyelids. Umile’s eyes popped open involuntarily and his hand flew over his eyes, a reaction to the blinding Light that now covered the entire court.

He couldn’t make out where nor what the source of this Light was, but he was no longer anxious, and instead his eyes adjusted as he looked on. Umile turned his head to the left and then to his right, trying to spot a source or explanation but the Light just lingered in silence. He grabbed his phone to try and capture the moment, and address during his prayer time that evening when he heard a voice from the Light speaking.

“Come, let us look at the plans of God for this place, for these must come to pass, and he must see”, the voice echoed in the empty room.

Umile looked around to locate the ‘he’ whom this mystery voice was referring to, and at once he saw two figures emerging from within the dominant light. Their form grew clearer as they approached and Umile’s eyebrows rose when he realized they were walking toward him. They were two men, tall and wearing white robes.

They walked toward Umile and sat beside him; one on each side, and said nothing until the voice from the Light spoke again.

“Do not be afraid, for you are called. It is the will of the Father that you see what is yet to come and do what He has commanded you. These beside you, are they not your brethren, Peter and Matthew, whom you know but have not seen? They are your witness. Come, we must show you what you must do.”

Umile was trembling and fell mute, but the men on either side of him stood and lifted him, moving into the Light who spoke.

The three men stood in the Light and waited. Then Umile felt strength returning to his bones, that he could stand.

“What do you see?” the Light asked.

Umile looked before him and saw his school, back in his days as a student. Then that vision turned like a page and he saw the incident which had caused the school to close and become what it was presently. Umile’s eyes watered up and Peter, who stood beside him, held out his robe and wiped the falling tears from Umile’s cheeks.

Besive High School was one of the best in the country, for over thirty years, until a new principal with more ambition than character took office. He was found wanting in many regards, but what had caused the utmost damage to the institution’s reputation was his liking to female students in the school. Allegations of sexual harassment and intimidation piled on against him amidst allegations of embezzling funds and coercing the bursar’s office to allocate unauthorized funds to his personal account, promising to return the money in due time.

Umile was no longer a student when this all unfolded, but he loved the school and took pride in what it had offered him. He was shattered when he’d heard what had been unfolding.

That picture also turned like a giant page and then Umile saw himself, sitting in his dorm room at UNESWA, studying hard and helping others to prepare for their tests and exams.

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon you. You will rebuild this school and uphold the statutes of the Lord your God. You shall forsake nothing the Lord tells you, and all your steps will be ordered by the Lord of Hosts”, the Light spoke.

Umile opened his mouth to probe, but looked at Peter before uttering a word. Then Matthew, on his left side spoke to him.

“He has your answers. Ask and it shall be given you”, he encouraged his brother.

“Is it the same school I must rebuild, Lord?” he enquired fearfully.

Then Light answered him.

“You will name it Good Shepherd High School. The children who will enroll will be my people and I will be their God. You will lead them. I will show you the way. Have I not called you out and made you Mine? Write this vision down when you leave here and show it to no one. I will send to you men and women who will carry it with you, for I am your faithful God. Abide in Me, and I will abide in you.”

Umile stood as a soldier stands when summoned by the commander in chief. The Light showed him the structures within the school; what programs he’d introduce and how they’d be taught. He showed Umile the architecture of the school and what the curriculum would entail per year, for each grade. After Light had shown him all this, Umile was beat and fell on his knees. His brethren left him but Light remained, surrounding him.

“Arise, chosen one. The time is now. Take heart, the Lord your God is with you always”, Light spoke.

Following this, as Umile was still on his knees, the original dimness of the room reappeared and his company were no longer in sight. Umile prayed a prayer of thanksgiving as he wept, knowing that what he had just witnessed would impact him for the rest of his life. He stood in amazement and looked around the once forsaken court which had now become his place of encounter with God…his Good Shepherd.