Another Giant Leap Forward

Feb. 15, 2014 - Group picture of the first-ever training for
volunteer values teachers in Uganda/East Africa

Seven and a half months ago, we moved here with a “dream” which we felt was also God’s plan for us…to see the godly values program established here in Uganda/East African…to mobilize and equip church volunteers to teach God’s Word and His righteous standards to Primary and Secondary students in their classrooms. For several months a Start-Up Committee met to discuss and advise us as to how to adapt the Philippine program to work best here in East Africa. Then God brought us writers, artist, and musicians to work on revising the Philippine curriculum for East African students. And…now the exciting (and somewhat scary) leap forward of actually training the first group of potential volunteers to use the curriculum is history. All together we registered 26 participants—about double of what we had initially intended for this first phase. We were delighted to see that the number of men almost equaled the ladies, there was a fairly broad spectrum of ages and experiences, and a number of evangelical denominations were represented. Praise our God for how He has continued to bring together all that’s needed for each step!

The training was somewhat similar in content to what we are used to in the Philippines, but there were also some remarkable variances. Rather than a number of people from a few churches (as is usually true in the Philippines), there were one or two from about 20 different churches. All of them listed the school where they planned to test teach the curriculum, meaning that rather than a number of classes in one school (which is the norm in the Philippines), we’ll have one or two classes in several schools. These differences are probably are due to our partnership with Scripture Union Uganda and our reliance on them to contact and recruit churches/volunteers. We know that a lot of prayer went into the training and so we’re trusting God for how this somewhat new paradigm will work. We’re also excited and anxious to see who will actually implement the training by test teaching the curriculum. And we can hardly wait to hear how the VEC (Values Education Class) program will go over with school administrators, students, and parents. Thanks for praying with us on this journey of faith!

God’s Hug

As is Ruth’s and my custom, after supper we share devotions/prayer together. It was Thursday, February 6 and Beth also joined us as we opened the “Daily Guide” Scripture Union Uganda devotional book. Startled, I heard Ruth read the suggested passage for that day, Isaiah 58.  This was the very passage God used on September 14, 2009, in the Philippines to challenge me regarding my availability to minister to a broken people for the Savior.  It was also that day the e-mail arrived from Uganda asking us to consider coming and beginning a VOICE-like program in the Ugandan schools. Now, here we are in Uganda in the very week when the very first Values Education Class was being taught and the training for other volunteers was nearing.

But that’s not all that amazed us that evening. Guess who the author of that day’s devotional might be?  None other than our Ugandan co-worker sitting across the table!  She wrote the Isaiah 58 devotional two years previous for submission to the Regional Scripture Union. She had written, “Do we not want our ‘light to rise in the darkness and night to become as the noonday’? Children are amongst the most oppressed and hungry. By helping them we are in fact helping ourselves and deepening our relationship with God (v.14).’”  Two years ago, did Beth ever dream she would be Test Teaching a Biblical Values Curriculum to 36 oppressed and hungry students in a neighborhood school? Yet, on the very day of her devotional, here she was in our home.  We are humbled as we continue to realize God’s plan for us together embracing the children of Uganda…and once again amazed at His timing. What a special hug of encouragement from our God!

Just a quick cute story...as Beth was teaching the truth that God loves us so much, He even knows how many hairs are on our head, one of the girls rubbed her shaved head and broke out in a huge giggle of total amazement that God knew that much about her! 

Surprises along the Journey

Thanks for praying for our friend and co-worker, Beth, during her one week “missions trip” into South Sudan…which was full of surprises (which Africans handle way better than we). Beyond the huge challenges of harsh living conditions, extreme heat, frequent lack of electricity, and traveling for hours in open vehicles in the thick dust, the current conflict added the need for numerous security checks. At one of them she gave the military person a copy of the God's Offer tract, and witnessed him suddenly shaking physically and rescinding his demand for more money! Although the youth conference she expected to join was not possible due to security concerns, she helped train 35 youth leaders in evangelism and discipleship including the Cross Talk. In an amazing way, God provided for a number of Bibles to arrive just before she did and they were distributed among these leaders…with great appreciation. God provided flights for her (she later learned that one of the airlines that she managed to get a seat on is considered by most to be unsafe…but God protected her) which saved many hours of overland travel. Her flight out of South Sudan was cancelled but she was able to get another one…and later rejoiced in the people she interacted with during the delay (God truly does work all things together for good!). She asked if she could come direct to our house upon her arrival to rest since her the area of Kampala that she lives in is going through frequent and prolonged electrical and water outages; she arrived in the early hours of Sunday morning but let herself in with a key we left with the guard. What a delight to be the first ones to “hear her stories” and experience her tender tears as she aches for all the suffering being experienced by so many there, as well as her excitement as she senses a deeper hunger for God's Word than before.

But surprises don’t stop there! Monday morning Ruth and I planned to go to Scripture Union to work out some details regarding test teaching…and Beth came along with us. While meeting with various ones…surprise…Beth announced that she’s decided she should experience the process so that she can help others; she already had plans to visit a church and school the next day! She did and received permission to begin teaching a combined class of 6 and 7 grade students starting tomorrow (Wednesday) for 6 weekdays in a row! Praise God for this encouragement and sacrifice of Beth to “lead the pack” as we launch the VOICE East Africa program. Yes, we like those kind of surprises, but continue to learn how to also “welcome” the other kinds of surprises as well.