Sive's Story

Working here at Bridges Academy, we have the privilege of being witnesses of how God is at work in the lives of the students here at the school. 

Sive (See-VAY), a 10^th grade boy here at Bridges Academy, has had his life transformed by God and the ministry of Bridges of Hope.  I recently sat down with him, and he shared with me the story of how God has worked in his life and changed him into the young man of God that he is today:

“ I grew up growing to church with my mother and would go to church with her just to sing the songs.  When I was younger, my mother died, and I blamed God.  I began to feel anger towards Him about my mother.  I started doing drugs and drinking alcohol and doing bad things that I knew I shouldn’t be doing.  I never really had a problem with people who were Christians, but I just felt like it wasn’t for me.”

Bridges of Hope runs After School Programs (ASP) and Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) support groups in Philippi and some of the other local townships.  These programs provide kids with a safe place to go after school and help them stay out of trouble.  But even more importantly, they also introduce them to Jesus and provide much needed support for these kids who have lost either one or both of their parents.   After his mother passed away, Sive became involved with Bridges’ OVC program in Philippi:

“I started going to the OVC group and it was here that I first learned about who Jesus was.  I began to learn that there is more to it (Christianity) than just going to church and singing songs. But during this time I was still drinking and doing drugs and those things.”

Bridges of Hope has also started Bridges Academy, a boarding school that currently houses about 50 orphans/vulnerable children from Philippi and other surrounding townships.  Bridges Academy provides the students with a safe learning environment to equip them with the educational and Spiritual tools necessary to e successful.  The hope with the Academy is that by providing the students with education and sharing Jesus’ love with them, then they will become leaders who will strengthen their communities and bring about positive changes in their country.  All of the students at the Academy are selected from Bridges’ OVC programs.

“I began attending Bridges Academy in 2010, and it has changed my life.  I started meeting with Mr. Sawers (school chaplain), and he would talk with me about how Jesus loves me and died for me and wanted to have a relationship with me.  After meeting with Mr. Sawers, I realized that I wanted to have a relationship with Jesus and I decided to give my life to Him.

My life has been very different since I gave my life to Him.  I stopped using the drugs and alcohol.  I didn’t want to do those anymore.  Now I just want to follow Jesus and know Him better.  Each day I want to grow closer to Jesus and learn more about who He is.”

Sive is one of our quiet leaders here at the Academy.   Sive, along with some of the other older students, has recently started leading discipleship groups for some of the newer, younger students at the Academy, and they are currently going through the book The Purpose Driven Life.  He is also active in the school’s basketball team and choir.  He is one of those kids who always seem to be so full of joy and always has a smile on his face.  It is obvious that God is at work in his life!

A few months ago, the students participated in the Sunday evening service for a local church by helping lead worship, act out some drama performances, and share testimonies.  Sive got up in front of the few hundred people that were there and powerfully shared his testimony and the story of God has transformed his life.  I was blown away because the Sive that I interact with on a daily basis is completely different than the one that he describes in his testimony!

Sive is a great example of how God works in the lives of His people and radically transforms us into new beings.  Like Paul wrote in 1 Thessalonians 5:17, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!”  Praise God that He sees us for the people that can become and then leads us on the journey to become that person!  And praise God for the work that He has done and continues to do in Sive’s life!

-Matt Andre