Our Only Hope for Transformation

Jinja, the second or third largest town/city in Uganda, sits right on Lake Victoria about 80 kilometers/50 miles east of us. It’s the first place we visited back in 2010 during our initial vision trip. At that time we saw such open doors as we visited and spoke in some schools and met with the District Educational Officer overseeing the schools of that district.  We left with a sense that Jinja would be a strategic place for the Biblical values program. Since then we have done several promotional meetings and one or two trainings for volunteers. Although the interest seems to remain high, we’ve had minimal feedback of implementation or impact. 

Last week, in this same town, our staff, Chris, along with colleague Beth, (both of whom grew up in that area) met with two groups of leaders to cast the vision for the Values Program.  The first group of several key pastors received the concept of reaching out to schools in their different zones with enthusiasm and lots of insightful questions. One older gentleman requested to purchase the Purity Module immediately.  Another Pastor promised to pass the vision of teaching values to students in schools to the next group of leaders who will be coming on board within the next few months. Both Chris and Beth left that meeting with excitement—it seems these leaders will actually put their enthusiasm into action and mobilize churches in their circles.

The next group was somewhat different but in the end, could be just as key. Chris was by himself for this visit with a Bishop with whom he had shared the VOICE program previously. But somehow the Bishop had understood that the transformation VOICE represented was transformation through creating jobs by empowering youth through teaching entrepreneurship and income generating skills.  Thus the Bishop brought two others who are engaged in that area of “transformation.” When Chris had finished his VOICE presentation of transforming students, families, schools, and communities through teaching Biblical values in schools, the Bishop paused and turned to the other leaders. “Well I think God is teaching us something here.  Without godly values, our multiplication of wealth will come to nothing.  Biblical values should be our priority so that when it comes to money, it will be handled properly and with integrity.”  Indeed, unless transformation takes places in the heart by the Spirit of God, there can be no lasting or eternal transformation. Pray with us that Jinja will become a pivotal example of churches initiating lasting transformation through teaching godly values in the classrooms.