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.

VEC (Values Education Class) Popping Up in Various Places

God has given us the opportunity to train a good number of people over the past couple of months but the BIG question always is “Will they actually use the training to teach the curriculum in a school?” In the past, we’ve been somewhat disappointed but have tried to focus on the few who did take that step forward.

The second school term in Uganda kicked off this past May 29 and…YES, we are hearing reports of those newly trained people from our various Trainings moving forward in faith into schools; others are teaching it in Sunday Schools.  The Forgiveness Module is being taught in two different schools in Arua, a northwestern corner of Uganda bordering Congo and near the South Sudan border.  Forgiveness is also being taught by Sylvia, a school teacher, in Eastern Uganda.  She has 8 classes in her school and has already taught Lesson 1 in three classes with plans to also teach Forgiveness in the other five.  Janet, Jenifer, and Elizabeth are all teaching Truth—Janet started already; Jenifer and Elizabeth will begin this Friday.  Friday will also find Moses starting to teach Biblical values in a Catholic High School. Pray for a good beginning for each of these…and that more will join them. 

Teaching the 2nd Lesson of Honesty, Zaccheaus,
to the 2nd year high school students.

Perhaps our greatest joy has been to witness a near-by church rallying to teach in both a high school and primary school. Today the team of six (one being from another church) taught the 2^nd lesson of Honesty to two classes of 2nd year students at Crane High School.  The same team will return on Thursday to teach another two classes of the 1^st year students.  Tomorrow a different team from that same church will begin teaching Honesty to three P4 classes at Kiswa Primary School.  Praise God for this church and these volunteers who have “launched out into the deep” and are passing on Godly values to children and youth in schools and churches.  Uphold them in prayer for eternal fruit and pray that many more churches will follow their example.

VOICE Africa History in the Making!

VOICE Philippines was birthed among churches eager to use the program to reach schools around them…but that has not been the case here in Uganda. Rather many believe that either Scripture Union personnel or professional teachers should teach the Biblical classes as their own personal ministry—which is fine but it can be so much stronger and more effective as a church ministry. Although Scripture Union leadership continues to be optimistic that churches will “catch on” eventually, challenges have dogged our journey as we and our team have tried to cast the vision. Almost always, church leaders express delight and even excitement when they hear of teaching Biblical values in school classrooms…but that initial enthusiasm somehow fades away before any steps are taken.

BUT, today the first (that we know of) church-initiated VEC (Values Education Class) was taught by volunteers from a church in a high school—both of which are in our area of Kampala! Two classes were taught today and two more are scheduled to be taught on Thursday in that same school. (Interestingly enough, Laura and Ruth test taught the Forgiveness module in this same school a couple of years ago which was well received.) AND, that same church is planning to provide volunteer teachers for a Primary/elementary school near them! Laura and Beth, our Ugandan colleague, were there to witness this historic event and although there is room for improvement, Lesson 1 of the Honesty Module has been taught. Pray with us that they will indeed persevere and “taste” the first fruits of their investment into these students’ lives, share it with others in their church, and spread it to other churches in their network. Trust God with us that this small beginning—small loaves and small fish—will indeed be multiplied for God’s glory.