Hold the Press

Indeed life has so many variables which become more complex in cross cultural ministry. As we pray “Thy will to be done on earth as it is in Heaven,” we sometimes are brought to those “Selah” moments calling for a pause.This morning was one of those times. 

Following a time of prayer, the four of us with VOICE Africa began to discuss plans for publishing the next module, Forgiveness…a discussion which lasted about two hours as some of the challenges of teaching this value began to emerge. Both of our Ugandan staff grew up in abusive families and have struggled through the journey toward forgiveness. They represent a very high percentage of this population. And as one of our friends frequently says, “children who are hurt grow up to hurt other children.” Only a Biblical understanding and practice of Forgiveness can break the vicious cycle. Forgiveness, in this “Christian” country is a common topic, but many of the beliefs and practices connected to “forgiveness” are unbiblical.

Although the testimonies received following the test teaching of forgiveness more than a year ago clearly showed that the lessons (using God’s Word) were effective and brought about transformation, we feel a need to review and make sure it’s the best it can be before proceeding. We realize again how huge of an issue this is and the need to unpack this Biblical value carefully for maximum understanding—both for the volunteer values teachers as well as the students they teach. We are giving ourselves more time for prayer and also inviting key people to join us for a Forgiveness Consultation which will include a review of the module on each of three age levels. Pray that the volunteers of God’s choice will be available for our Aug. 9 consultation, that they will intentionally prepare themselves by reading through the lessons with both cultural and Biblical lenses, and arrive with practical insights for improvement. We all need God’s wisdom. We are so grateful for your intercession that is backing us as we work toward publishing this module to be taught by many (wounded) values teachers to thousands of (wounded) students throughout East Africa. May God's Spirit using God's Word bring freedom from an unforgiving spirit and bitterness to many souls for His glory.