Royce’s story….
My story is part of God’s Love story. In my early years, as Francis Thompson describes in his poem “Hound of Heaven,” I felt I was being pursued by Love. I encountered this mysterious Love at various moments and was certain that it was none other than Jesus. It may seem strange that while I deeply desired and sought after Love, I feared the intimacy it offered and the loss of worldly pleasures and so…
“I fled Him, down the nights and down the days; … down the arches of the years; down the labyrinthine ways of my own mind and in the mist of tears I hid from Him and under running laughter “
…until my college years when I experienced a deep sense of despair unto death and finally, I allowed myself to be embraced by unconditional Love. From that moment on, I followed wherever Love led me. My journey of seeking and learning took on a new perspective as I began to view everything through a different lens. I developed a passion for Science especially Physics, which revealed to me the beauty, wonder, grandeur, and boundless mystery of God’s glory in the universe. I wondered what education would look like if its purpose were to unveil and reveal the glory of God and to fall in love with the Creator. I pursued a Master of Science in Physics (M.Sc.) from Mumbai University. After which I ventured into the world of software programming.
One evening a friend invited me to accompany him to minister to some Christian laborers at the building construction site predominately from the Soura tribe in Odisha. Seeing so many teenagers, working as unskilled laborers piqued my curiosity. I wondered what if they had the opportunity to study in a Christian school in their villages. My love of adventure led me on a journey as I went with a friend to visit the forests of Odisha, where the Soura tribe lived. During this visit, while spending silent moments in devotion atop a mountain, I felt a deep calling within me, “Will you come back here and serve with me?” Hesitantly yet willing, I replied, “Yes, Lord, here I am. Please send me a partner along the way.”
When I returned to Mumbai, the calling became increasingly clear, and I recognized that the Lord was preparing me for the journey ahead. After a year of reflection, I resigned from my job and set off for Odisha in 2003. Within six months of my stay there, the vision was clear to start a Christian school among the Soura community.
Lydia’s story…
Love surrounded me – that is my memory of childhood. Joy, fun laughter intertwined with deep pain, and tears formed me. I grew up knowing that I wanted to be with Jesus but I feared what He would ask of me. That fear reflected in my choice of vocation. I chose nursing hoping that would give me stability and security. However, failure and disappointments and a brief stint with medical work made me realize that the medical field was not my path ahead. A ‘chance’ opportunity to teach little children helped me experience for the first time the joy of embracing my calling. I then pursued my studies in English Literature and completed my Master’s degree at Mumbai University. I pursued a Bachelor of Education from St. Teresa’s Institute of Education, Mumbai.
I began my teaching career in 2002. At church, I worked with children conducting JOY clubs. I was also involved in conducting literacy classes for a few members of the Soura tribe who worked in Mumbai as construction laborers. Little did I know that in a few years, I would be living in their village running a school for their children.
Our story….
I (Royce) had become clear that the path ahead was through providing education from a Christian perspective. After a series of interesting events Lydia accepted my proposal of marriage and we were married in 2005. Together we set out to start our new lives in Odisha. Around the same time, a church in Mumbai expressed their desire to support our work in Odisha. In 2006, we started the school in a small village. The school grew each year from Kindergarten till Grade 10, one grade at a time. Our three children – two daughters and one son – were born and they studied in the same school. We equipped our teachers to teach Christianly. By 2009, we felt a strong need to learn more about Christian education and so Lydia completed her Master of Education (M.Ed) while I completed my Graduation Certificate of Education from the National Institute for Christian Education, Australia. This learning helped us look at all of education and processes involved in education from God’s perspective. I pursued my B.Ed during this time. Due to a new rule all our teaching staff, as well as Lydia and I, completed our Diploma in Elementary Education ( D.El.Ed)
Although our work was thriving, the cross-cultural experience and isolated living took a toll on us. By 2017, we began to show signs of burnout. In 2018, we cried out to the Lord for help and sought life from a place of rest. We longed for more of Him and the Lord led us to www.renovare.org through a small book. The articles on this site struck a chord with our weary souls. We wanted more of what they offered. So we joined Renovaré’s two-year program on Spiritual formation.
Covid hit in 2020. Life was taking a turn in a very different direction. In 2021, the Lord led us to step away for a season of rest, and in obedience, we went on a sabbatical where the Lord asked us to pass on the school into the able hands of the teacher leaders who had journeyed with us over the years. We handed over the school in 2022 and returned to our hometown in Mumbai. We began homeschooling our children. Our season of recovery, and healing had begun. This was also a season of seeking God’s heart for transitioning into the next phase of our life. All that we had learned and experienced thus far laid the foundation of what He had in store for us – a new vision, a new pathway where we come alongside parents, and educators as they journey with their children to grow in friendship with Jesus through education. We also desire to walk with young adults in their journey with Christ. With-God Education was born in this space of waiting upon the Lord.
The Triune God continues to weave His story with us .…