We've been back in Canada for the last three months. It has been a very full three months at home. We have had opportunity to see many of our friends and relatives over coffee or dinner, at church or at the school and it is always encouraging to see how God is working in their lives.
One of our main goals during our time at home was to help our daughter transition back into life in Canada, but we've also being involved in doing presentations on Kibaale and Timothy Centre in Pacific Academy classrooms and chapels and in several churches.
We have kept in touch with the staff in Uganda during our absence and have been pleased to hear of the many positive developments there. One very exciting piece of news we received around Christmas was that the Timothy Centre was chosen to receive a grant from the U.S. Embassy toward the beekeeping project that Karl is helping to develop. This is part of the entrepreneurship training program that will help to alleviate poverty in the community by potentially doubling the income of needy families.
Also, in early February our principal headteacher in Kibaale, Peter, was able to present several workshops in government teacher training colleges (by invitation from the government’s Directorate for Ethics and Integrity). Arleen and Peter were asked to develop these workshops on the topic of integrating biblical values into the primary school curriculum (based on the model we use in Kibaale Community Schools). After many delays because of lack of government funding, these workshops finally were launched and we are praying that they will have a significant impact on the way in which values are taught in Ugandan schools.
In recent weeks we have had meetings with our PAOS executive director, Ray Sutton, to make further plans for our involvement at the Timothy Centre and in Kibaale. Upon returning to Uganda, Karl will focus on entrepreneurship training in the community around the TC (including beekeeping and sustainable farming methods for subsistence farmers), pastoral development programs, oversight of the landscaping of the new site as the building of the Timothy Girls’ College and the leadership training centre takes place, and communication with local authorities and supporters in Canada (including updating our new website: www.timothycentre.net). Arleen’s role will primarily be the development of a comprehensive Christian teacher training program that will be conducted at the TC and this will involve networking with other institutions such as a teacher training college in Zambia in order to build a solid, relevant program. This will mean some travelling this year that will be very interesting and educational! As the education committee in Kibaale gains more experience and confidence this year, Arleen will act more as an advisor to the Ugandan educator team there and will be able to hand over many of her previous educational directorship tasks. This has been our goal for some time and it is rewarding to see it being fulfilled. We look forward to returning to Uganda in a weeks time.
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