After just three months on campus, we asked our first year students to reflect on their experience. Rethabile is from Lesotho and she talks about the things she has learned about herself so far.
When I came to African Christian College, I did not fully know who I was. I had ways of doing things: keeping peace, going with the flow, staying close to a few trusted people. But I had never taken the time to think about why I was that way or what it meant.
It was in my Identity and Community class that I was introduced to Clifton Strengths. We explored our top. It was like someone finally put language into parts of me I had never understood. I also learned that I am a “Defender,” someone who cares deeply and leads quietly.
But the real shift came when we looked at Peter Scazzero’s false self. That is when I realized I had been using my strengths as a shield. My need for peace sometimes made me avoid hard things. My Belief strength kept me grounded but also closed off. I thought I was being strong… but I was just staying safe.
Then came the Spiritual and Community Retreat — a turning point for me. We were invited into the practice of silence and solitude. We read about Henri Nouwen’s rhythm of solitude → community → ministry. For the first time, I paused. I breathed. I let the noise settle.
In that stillness, I felt God gently uncover the parts of me I had been protecting. I surrendered. I forgave. I cried. And in that holy quiet, I heard the truth: I am deeply loved by God, not for what I do, but simply because I am His.
That truth did not end at the retreat. It followed me into our Spiritual Formation class where we went deeper with Ruth Haley Barton’s Invitation to Solitude and Silence. I began practicing solitude regularly. In those quiet moments, I met God repeatedly, even through dreams. I was not just learning about spiritual practices, I was being changed by them.
Looking back on my first few months, I can say this: African Christian College has helped me become aware of who I truly am, of who God is, and of the places in me that need healing. And now I am learning to live not from my false self, but from a place of wholeness and love.
If you’re searching for a space where your story matters… where you can grow, be challenged, and be known, African Christian College might be that space for you too. You do not have to come with all the answers. Just come willing. The rest will unfold.
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