Short-Termers Equal Blessing

Although in some people’s opinion, money and time spent in facilitating short term missions exposure could be better used for other needs, we can whole-heartedly testify this short term team was a great blessing and encouragement. (Of course, one might say we are biased since the leader of the team was Ruth’s nephew!) Although it involved work, we praise God for all the seeds planted during that time which would not have happened without their participation. As we tallied the Lesson 6 Evaluations by the Kiswa Primary 100 pupils to whom they taught the VOICE Honesty module , we were delighted to see that:

•  65 chose “interesting” as one word to describe VEC (Values Education Class)
• 70 chose “helpful”
• 69 chose “liked by parents”
• 59 chose “life-changing”
• 87 indicated that their practice of honesty had improved as a result of VEC

As part of the evaluation, the pupils were asked to choose two of the following Values Promises which were the most difficult for them to follow:

I will be honest

I will not cheat or steal

I will always tell the truth

I will be honest even if it is difficult

I will admit when I am wrong

When asked what they wanted to do as a follow-up of VEC:

•  62 indicated they would like to talk to a Values Teacher about God and the Bible
• 83 said they would like to be more active in a Scripture Union Club in their school
• 55 checked that they would like to introduce their Values teacher to their parents
• 77 revealed their plan to continue reading the Bible at home

Wed., 7th of Dec., Group picture of Kiswa Primary
pupils involved in the VEC (Values Education Class) program.

Of course, these last numbers represent a weakness of short-term ministry in that they cannot follow-up these children, except through prayer which I know they will do. But we praise God that one of the Kiswa Primary teachers, Madam Jennifer, has agreed to do what she can to fulfill these pupils’ desires; we will give her the Evaluation and summary within the next couple of weeks. The absolute best answer for sustainable follow-up would be a near-by church to take Kiswa Primary School as part of their Mission Field…an urgent prayer request.

Once the VEC ministry was finished and after 3-day sight-seeing trip, the team was willing to spend 24 hours of their final hours at the Scripture Union Camp on beautiful Lake Victoria. The camp staff expected about 150 campers—somewhere around 350 came! Although a good number of campers slept in tents, the Canadians were grateful for one room where all 7 of them slept on 3 mattresses, side by side! The next day, the campers were divided into four groups and each of the four Canadian team adults taught an introduction to Honesty. Bonding happened as the Team ate, played, and washed dishes together. “It seems like these people have been in Africa before” was the comment of one Scripture Union camp staff.

How fun to see the culture and sights through new eyes and have our burden and work shared by this delightful Team. We are confident there will be many ripples of transformation resulting from their ministry.

Now as we turn our attention to other things on our desk, God surprised us as I chatted by phone with a friend in Eastern Canada.  This generous friend has provided the funds to purchase a second container which will provide for storage for the remaining 3 Values Modules to be published.

So Many Children Matched by God’s Provision

It was with some fear that we chose Kiswa Primary School, the closest government school to our home, as the place to attempt a new venture—a Canadian short-term team (with their non-Ugandan English accent J) teaching two VEC (Values Education Class) daily, Monday-Wednesday during the final week of the school year. We knew no one from that school; a true “cold-turkey” step of faith. Although we were assured by both the non-Christian Head Teacher/Principal as well as Madam Jennifer, the teacher assigned to work with us, that everything was in place, we still had our doubts…would children indeed come Monday through Wednesday since their final exams were finished and all they needed was the Report Card on Friday?

God answered prayer and provided around 100 Primary/grades 5 and 6 pupils, 50 for each class. Most of them arrived early each day with excitement and eagerness. As we and the team interacted with them, we were once again reminded by God of the preciousness of children. Each day the two teams of teachers each taught two of the Honesty module lessons. During the hour break between the two classes, the Team also provided other fun activities such as a “wind catcher craft,” coloring projects, and group games. On the final day, the SU Puppet Team gave an Honesty-related performance much to the children’s delight.

Written evaluations from the students on the last day tug at our heartstrings:

•  After coming you have changed my life through songs and Bible verses, thank you. Enock
• I have enjoyed the VEC because it has helped me to be honest and my parents have liked it. Gertrude
• Thanks a lot if it wasn’t for you I was not going to learn more about Jesus.  Even though it was just for three days it changed me, thanks. Prossy

Will God allow volunteers from a nearby church to continue teaching values at this school??  Join us in prayer for labourers. 

As if this was not enough excitement, God showered us with good news. The Canadian Foundation Grant has been matched (meaning that $10,000 additional gifts have been received) and the American Foundation has approved the second installment of their Grant! We anticipate that these gifts will cover the cost of publishing the next two modules, Purity and Self-Control. We now look to God for champions in churches with a vision to reach students in the classrooms and for volunteers to teach the Biblical Values Modules we are publishing. Join us in thanksgiving and prayer to the Lord of the Harvest.

What’s So Different About Your Class?

Many highlights were shared during the recent debrief with the test teachers of the Obedience module on the Lower Primary level. Let me just list some of them in bullet points. Some will be duplicates because several teachers mentioned that highlight. I’m sure you will join us in praising God.

• Warm reception by school; administration said “programme must be part of the school timetable”; Head Teacher and other classrooms teachers attended the Values Education Class (VEC).
• Children loved the songs and began singing as soon as they saw their VEC teacher coming
• Bookmarks (usually given during the 6^th lesson to pupils who completed all their Activity Sheets) were so special that Head Teacher asked they be given when parents pick the grades
• The Ms in his class participated very well, including completion of the Activity Sheets. One M student prayed in Jesus’ name.
• One M girl who lives with her grandmother asked her grandmother to sign the Activity Sheet (to indicate that the child had kept the Values Promise that week), but was refused for two weeks. On the 3rd week, the grandmother signed which thrilled the pupil.
• Many parents told the school that VEC is a good programme and must continue. Administration wants all classes in the school to be taught.
• Madam Susan asked “why are the children so eager to learn in your class? That’s not true in other classes.”
•  M girl showed keen interest. Her parent wrote on an Activity Sheet, “Thanks for what you are doing; it is good. But don’t give her the Bible to read.”
• Parents came to him with testimonies of how the VEC had “completely changed” their child and others asking what were they teaching that made such a big impact on their child.
• Some requested that the VEC programme be extended to the entire community.
• The school administration showed much interest in VEC. The Head Teacher wants it to continue because the discipline among the pupils has improved. That change was felt, not only in the school but also in the community which is known for being hard.
• One M pupil cried when he missed getting a Bookmark because he was one Activity Sheet short (he later was given one).
• Five children were members of families involved in a cult. Following the first day, 4 of the children were not allowed to go to school on Friday, the day of VEC. The 5th child attended but did not take home his Activity Sheet. Each Monday, the rest of the class retold the VEC lesson to the four who were absent.
• From a class of 187, 87 were selected to attend his VEC. Other pupils who weren’t chosen would jump through the window to join the class.
• Even after just two lessons, the administrators and parents began talking about the big change they saw in the pupils. Parents came to the school to ask about this new programme that was affecting their child’s behaviour. Administration said the atmosphere of the whole school was changed by VEC.
• One school wrote a letter to Scripture Union requesting that the programme continue “forever.”
• Most of the pupils from one school were from rich families and were quite naughty and hard-headed. The teachers recommended that the VEC teacher take a stick (commonly used for discipline) with her when she taught. She didn’t and her VEC was quiet and orderly; the pupils loved it. The teachers witnessed that the class had changed and acted better even in their other subjects.