The Desciak’s ACC Experience

This year we had Joseph and Lindy Desciak who came to teach Education Programs in the Church. It was their first time to come to eSwatini and they have good things to say about their faith journey, ACC, and their wishes to come back for a longer stay with us.

Brief Background

Joseph & Lindy Desciak is an American couple living in New York City. They have been married for five years now although they have known each other for over ten years. Lindy is from Missouri while Joe, as he is otherwise known, grew up in the country-side of north-eastern Pennsylvania. Even though they were born and raised in different religious denominations, Joe and Lindy are a living example of how two people with different religious beliefs can get along well.

Growing up as children, they both loved going to church and listening to stories about God. In both their lives, you can clearly see how important their parents were in shaping their Christian journey right from an early age. For example, Joe said that his family used to hold formal family prayers at their home because they believed in the saying that “A family that prays together stays together.” As for Lindy, her parents took her to church three times every week. She says that she always enjoyed this because it was the only way she could meet and chat with her friends.

Just like all human beings, they both had moments of doubt in their faith journeys. Joe said that sometimes he felt as if God was silent in responding to his pleas which got him frustrated forcing him to stop praying. Sometimes, Lindy also doubted her faith in the existence of God. However, she says that her church community was so friendly that it helped her overcome this situation.

How did you learn about African Christian College?

“Coming to teach in Africa has become one of the most memorable events of our lives,” said the Desciaks. In the past, Lindy had once visited the East African countries of Uganda and Kenya. She always talked to Joe about the beautiful African landscape, the rolling hills and the beautiful people. This sparked Joe’s interest in also visiting the continent of Africa.

The couple said that they learnt about African Christian College through a friend’s wedding in 2018. It was at this same event that they met President Brad Carter with whom they shared some thoughts about coming to teach at the college the next summer.

What were your first impressions?

“Upon arrival at the college, we were amused by the majestic beauty of the macadamia orchard and the role it plays in the provision of education to African students from over 9 different countries,” they said. Unlike other college campuses we have been to, African Christian College feels more like a community of people who all know each other very well. We had also never seen a Christian college before that is as sustainable as ACC through its job opportunities for students to pay their tuition and feed the people on campus through agricultural projects like the gardens. It is also interesting to see that every student contributes to the ecosystem on campus.

Accreditation by ACTEA

The accreditation by ACTEA is indeed an incredible accomplishment by ACC. We think ACC deserves it because of the great work it is doing on the African continent and we see the college flourishing (getting stronger from within) soon. This also becomes a strength for the students since the degree they now receive is credible across the world. We feel so happy for the students because ACC is a place full of knowledge, legitimacy and trustworthiness.

What did you enjoy?

Apart from teaching and the big class challenge, we enjoyed eating the Locavore ice cream and banana bread. We also enjoyed having individual conversations and sharing personal stories with the people on campus. The food served at the cafeteria was also very tasty and the staff there were very kind.

Concluding Remarks

            Keep doing what you are doing and focus on the college mission. The students should use the community available at ACC to strengthen their future ministry work because at some point they will need friends to support and mentor each other. Otherwise, we thank you all for inviting us to ACC. We feel so grateful and honoured for the opportunity to take part in the work of God here at ACC. The next time we return, we shall try to be here for a regular semester not a mid-semester.