A Light in Our Lives
By Ian K.
What is it that makes the Christian environment so magnetic and attractive? In my years at NorthStar Academy, I have found that the answer to this lies in the heart of the school itself: its teachers and management. The encouragement from the teachers and their daily efforts to intertwine Christianity into their lessons truly reflects the love of Christ. This is a reflection that I had not taken the time to think about before I had the opportunity to interview one of NSA’s newest teachers, Mr. Ayub. Mr. Ayub’s story and how he came to be a part of the NSA staff reflects his deep appreciation and sentiment for the unique love of Christ present in this school.
Mr. Ayub was born in Pakistan and lived there for the first 23 years of his life. His current residence is in Kosovo, a state that lies in the center of the Balkans in Southeastern Europe, which he recently relocated to in October of 2020. Brought to Pristina, Kosovo by the Network of International Christian Schools (NICS), he currently teaches at a brick-and-mortar school called Pristina High School. Run by NICS, this school has a Christian foundation, but operates within the cautious balance of being located in a predominantly Muslim country.
Mr. Ayub joined the NSA staff in April of 2021 while looking through a NICS job opportunity display and currently teaches AP Chemistry and Chemistry Honors. He is a husband and soon-to-be father by the end of the year and was looking for a teaching position for his wife or sister when he found NSA. This school embodied the atmosphere that he had been looking for. “I cannot think of myself working in any other environment than a Christian school. Whether it is a brick-and-mortar or online, it is always a Christian school. I cannot see myself working anywhere else, even if it is a high-paying profession,” said Mr. Ayub.
A graduate of Forman Christian College, a chartered university funded by the American Presbyterian Christian Church, Mr. Ayub received a degree in biotechnology and proceeded to teach in Dubai, UAE. He had the opportunity to teach Introduction to Biology and Introduction to Psychology at a commerce college, but the secular atmosphere and spiritual deadness of Dubai was heavy. “The stress level in working in a Christian environment, and this has touched me on a deeper level, is low. The stress level in Dubai in a secular environment where money is everything [is much more],” said Mr. Ayub.
Even though both schools Mr. Ayub now teaches at are affiliated with a Christian organization, the former presents unique challenges of its own. The extent to which he can speak about God and share a Christian worldview is limited by the Muslim influence upon Pristina High School. A careful balance exists between himself and the parents of his students, the board of education, and the government, ultimately limiting his spiritual engagement to after-class discussions. This caution does not exist with NSA. “At NorthStar, we can speak volumes and talk about it, but [with Pristina High School], no,” said Mr. Ayub.
NorthStar’s special atmosphere of Christian encouragement and fellowship is a light in the lives of students and teachers alike. “When I moved over here [to NSA], the personal commitment and the relationship that I saw between the colleagues, the love of Christ, was so intense and so beautiful. I fell in love with the school. The school gave me a really good idea of what the Christian environment is [like],” said Mr. Ayub.
A distinctive strength of NSA is its personal and integrated spiritual emphasis. Both the student body and the staff can reap the benefits of the connected nature of a Christian environment. Being a small part of a larger Christian community such as NorthStar Academy impacts us more than we may realize, and Mr. Ayub’s story reminds us of that. The love of Christ weaved among His followers in community with each other generates a light that attracts the hearts of many.
Columns: 👤NSA People ✝️Spiritual Life
Ian K. lives in Lynchburg, Virginia, but previously lived overseas as a missionary in Kenya and Uganda for eight years. He has attended NSA for four years and is currently in his senior year of high school. Ian has a passion for aviation and ministry, having grown up with this environment most of his life. He desires to pursue missionary aviation overseas, using the newspaper as a training field in preparation for reaching people during his future ministry.