Ray at Treasures of Africa - 2008Many children express ideas at a young age about what they want to be when they grow up. But in most cases, those dreams change as they mature and are exposed to new possibilities for their life. In Raymond’s case, he never wavered. Since the time he arrived at Treasures of Africa at the age of 6 1/2 years, he enjoyed drawing crayon pictures of cars and planes.
In 2014, the Hidden with Christ Ministries media director videotaped the children at Treasures of Africa Children’s Home asking about their dreams for the future. Without hesitation, a young teenage Ray answered, “My dream is to become an airplane engineer.” He already spent his free time taking apart and repairing his bicycle at every opportunity. But his access to airplanes was non-existent. And what he didn’t know, was that his country of Tanzania, had no training facilities for aviation mechanics whatsoever. Yet God had a plan that would defy all the odds stacked against that childhood dream.
After graduating from Secondary School, Raymond headed to the best technical college in Northern Tanzania. After three years, he received a Diploma in Mechanical Engineering. But his dream of working on airplanes had never diminished. At the suggestion of my son, who at the time was a graduate student at Liberty University, Raymond applied to the School of Aeronautics at L.U. in Lynchburg, Virginia. Raymond was accepted and Hidden with Christ Ministries donors generously stepped up to help cover the enormous cost of private university tuition for an international student.
Raymond on Graduation Day - May 2026Raymond excelled at the School of Aeronautics, and after two years, he completed an Associate of Science Degree in Aviation Mechanics. Ray also passed the rigorous FAA certification exams for Air Frame and Powerplant on his first attempt. He was ready to try his hand at working in the field he had always dreamed about. His student visa allowed one year of working in the USA in his field of study. With his degree and FAA certifications, Raymond quickly secured a position at a company in Amarillo, Texas. I drove with him from Virginia to Texas in December of 2023 to launch out into his first career related job.
After his year of work experience, Ray was ready to complete his bachelor’s degree and chose Aviation Maintenance Management as his target, wanting to add management to his resume. So, he returned to school at Liberty. In May of 2026, Raymond completed his degree requirements and graduated from Liberty University (again!) with that coveted bachelor’s degree in hand.
Before the graduation ceremony even took place, Raymond had already been recruited, interviewed and offered a position with Duncan Aviation in Lincoln, Nebraska. The largest privately owned business jet service provider in the world, Duncan Aviation specializes in Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul services of corporate and government jets. This well-respected company has tremendous growth opportunities for its employees and is an amazing gift from God for Raymond. With a bachelor’s degree in a STEM related field, Raymond is legally allowed to work for up to 3 years in the USA. So please pray for him that this will continue to be the case, since there are currently many governmental changes happening with visas for citizens of East African countries.
There are not adequate words to express the appreciation we feel toward the donors of Hidden with Christ Ministries. Your investment in the lives of students in Tanzania has been nothing short of transformational for the TREASURES OF AFRICA KIDZ. We hope that by reading these stories you can get a sense of the power of your long-term generosity. Only heaven will be able to reveal the depth of it. Thank you for your love and grace toward the children of Treasures of Africa.
KIDZ Education Fund: Click to Donate