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Louise and Peter Lynch
July 2025
Helping Learning Happen
End of Term?
The end of term feeling is a very powerful memory from childhood. Those last days of the school year that were full of promise, taking home various pieces of art work, end of term concerts and the last day of board games and movies. Having sisters, friends and now a daughter in law who are teachers has also taught us not to assume that these fond memories necessarily reflect their reality. The term dates in Bangladesh are quite different, as the rhythm of the year flows around changing religious festival dates and a weather pattern that favours winter for sports days, outings and holidays. But for one moment yesterday as we finished our last project related workshop, we had that end of term feeling and we enjoyed the satisfaction of counting how many people we (us and our BBCS colleagues) had taught or trained through these different programmes over the past twelve months. Then we added on all the other opportunities we are given to “help learning happen” - different contexts, subjects and ministry areas and we came to well over a thousand. So, we thought we would focus on our roles as educators for this prayer letter.
Helping learning happen in Projects
“I am a Hindu, my wife has become a Christian and my friend suggested I should come to this seminar today, to find out more about Christianity. After what I heard today, I know I want to know more about Jesus."
This week we ran two moral development workshops for teenagers in two of our projects. 200 teenagers from different faith backgrounds signed up to attend this optional day. Young people from the local church helped us to create a youth camp feel as we explored the way Jesus led his life, as our best example for a moral life. Listening at the end to the young people telling us what they have learned, and what they were going to do next filled our hearts with joy. Out of all the workshops we have done for families and young people, these have felt the most impactful.
Family news
In keeping with our theme, we can tell you that Calum has completed his PG Cert (medical education) and surgery year; and in August is starting on his surgical training rotations. Abbie is now enjoying the end of term feeling and she and Jonah are putting on brave faces as they take their holidays during the school summer break.
Helping learning happen in the Theology College.
The workshops described earlier came straight after Louise had finished teaching the MA students how to design Education Programmes. This was a new module for the college and had to be written from scratch. The preparation for it has filled a lot of waking and quite a few sleeping hours for her. Just now it may feel like the end of term, but next month, she will teach it again to the online MA and MDiv students. In August Pete will be teaching Wisdom Literature to the BTh students during the week and the online MA students at the weekend. Our MA students are the senior leaders and future leaders of denominations and Bible colleges. It is encouraging to get feedback where students have written about Lou's course “I have often been asked to teach, but I just did it like preaching, now I know what to do - thank you” - and the MA student leader wrote to Pete saying “Your dedication as a teacher, mentor, and mission worker has profoundly impacted the students and faculty alike. The depth of your biblical insights, coupled with your engaging teaching style, has not only enriched our understanding of the Wisdom Literature but has also inspired us to delve deeper into God's Word”. In total we spend close to 3 months a year at the college teaching; then Pete in his advisory role to the executive gets to do extra as well. It feels like a highly responsible opportunity!
Helping learning happen for Outreach Workers (BMTC)
Last year we wrote and taught a 6 week course for our new outreach workers, who go straight out into new mission fields, and come back to Dhaka every two months for a week of teaching and support. Pete and our colleague Barnabas have been turning these lessons into course books and this year, using these books, we are consolidating their learning and focussing on putting everything into practice. We have been reflecting on how quickly these new workers and the people who they are introducing to Christ experience opposition. The simple act of sharing a meal is fraught with suspicion and misunderstanding. The realities of outreach work need to be patiently worked through. Threats and intimidation come from family, neighbours or others who hold power. Often the workers are having to work out “should we stay or should we leave?”. They are learning how you transition from peacebuilding activities to discipling people. Within these conversations we find ourselves less like teachers and more like learners.
Helping learning happen in the Churches
Invitations to speak and preach continue to come in. Each is a privilege, but also a burden, as we continue to make slow progress in our mastery of Bangla. What will we say and how will we say it are so closely linked when we prepare. These more formal settings and the speaking from the stage to a large group are the hardest for us out of all the different types of teaching that we do.
Prayers
Please keep praying for us that we will be both inspired and equipped, to do all that we are asked to do.
Prayer for CCTB. They hold a significant place in Bangladesh and it is amazing how such a small staff group do so much. Praise God that Jyoti has returned after successfully completing studies overseas. The national faculty are back to full strength and we pray for more Bangladeshi theologians to feel called to teach here.
Pray for all the people who have attended a seminar during this past twelve months. Pray that they will bear lasting fruit.
Pray for Bangladesh that it will be a place where people from any faith can sit together and learn together and enjoy hearing about Jesus together. There appear to be many obstacles ahead and we would urge you to keep praying for the transition from interim government to elected government.
As always, thank you for being alongside us.
God bless and have a lovely summer break.
Pete and Louise