VOICE Philippines Curriculum Goes to a Ugandan Camp

Fairly soon after our arrival, a Scripture Union of Uganda (SUU) worker asked us if we had lessons that would feature certain topics. We gave her what we had and she adapted and blended it with other curriculum to use at a SUU youth camp. Her evaluation was encouraging but we didn’t expect it would be used again until we had the Africanized lessons.

Surprise! Another SUU worker who oversees all ministry to children in what is called the Central Area of Uganda (which includes the capital, Kampala), requested the use of all of the lessons on Honesty…Teacher’s Manual, visuals, song, Class activity sheets, and Take Home activity sheets. We hesitated because it is so “Filipino” but she wouldn’t take “no” for an answer. The training of her staff and small group teachers happened about two weeks ago and despite our warning of the difficulties they would encounter, they were eager learners and seemed ready for the challenge. They also were excited to use the recently Africanized and published CrossTalk with their campers.

Indoor games...with lots of enthusiasm and noise!

This past week was the camp, held on the SUU camp property about 1 ½ hours south of us which boarders Lake Victoria. We were warmly invited to come and observe and so plans were made to do that this past Friday. We were in a rainy stretch here and the last 30 minutes of the drive is on dirt road, but with a bit of slipping, Connie, our WorldVenture co-missionary who also loves the Scripture Union ministry (and their camp property) skillfully drove us to our destination. Enthusiastic camp leaders, counselors, and their 140 campers met us and it was obvious that the rain had not dampened any spirits! Following a rowdy but fun indoor game session, Laura and I split up to join two of the small groups for their Values class.

Showing the Visual for the story of the honest Filipino
taxi driver

The initial review quickly showed us that they have been enjoying and learning. Following the memorizing of the Values Voice, “I will be honest even if it is difficult,” the teacher told the story of a Filipino taxi driver in New York City who chose to be honest even though, humanly speaking, he had “the right” to be dishonest. The teacher skillfully tried to help the children grasp the essence of the story that obviously held some foreign and confusing elements in it for their minds. She then opened up a discussion of what they would have done if they had been in the same situation…obviously stealing and claiming lost property is not considered such a bad thing when it involves rich people, in fact it could be considered a blessing from God to have found lost items…hmmm. Amid these comments, some campers felt strongly that taking such items would be wrong. Again, the teacher did very well guiding them back to what God’s Word says and helping them understand the Biblical viewpoint that stealing is always wrong.

Yes, Biblical values are the same in any culture; they don’t change. But the way we teach them does have to be thought through carefully…thus the need to Africanize the values curriculum. I’m convinced that some of the children in that small group left with a lot to think about and decisions to be made about their behavior. How much more powerful once those truths are put in an African setting…please pray!