Semester of Training

This  semester has been busy with training workshops both here at Uganda Christian University and in other contexts.  Each one was for a rather specific audience, so required a fair bit of planning, but the variety it good for keeping things fresh.  In April we conducted an orientation workshop for new staff, most of whom were administrative and service staff members.  The emphasis was on encouraging each one to understand their job as an essential part of the whole ministry of the university and to approach it from a heart of Christian service.We were pleasantly surprised that a group of new administrative assistants decided to meet regularly to help each other stay accountable in matters of time stewardship, fulfilling their responsibilities with Christian integrity, etc. 

New staff orientation at UCU

In June, Karl and I spent a few days in Rwanda where he conducted some Farming God's Way training for Prison Fellowship and I took advantage of the opportunity to work with the teachers from Wellspring Academy, a large Christian school in Kigali.  Some of the Wellspring teachers had attended the teacher training course at Timothy Centre last year but were not able to continue because the school holiday schedule in Rwanda did not coincide with the Uganda schedule so it was difficult for them to be away during the school terms.  They had been asking for someone to come to Kigali and help them with further training so this was a great chance to do that.  Of course, it is not possible to condense such an intense course into a two day workshop, but we were able to hit some of the highlights and they were appreciative of the help.  It is interesting that some of these teachers have been asked to provide input into the new government curriculum that is being developed for Rwanda because of Wellspring's reputation for being an outstanding school offering quality education. 

Wellspring Academy teachers

Last week we had a follow-up session with the Faculty of Social Sciences lectures that attended the intensive training we did with them in May.  It was good to have time to discuss their challenges and encourage them to keep learning and moving ahead in faith-shaped teaching.  They will be doing some work on revisions to course outlines in August so this will be an opportunity to put into practice some of the principles they have been learning.  It is not easy for lecturers to start thinking and teaching 'outside the box' of secular humanism that has been the norm for all of their years of education, but some are catching a vision for teaching for critical thinking from a biblical framework.  Exciting to see!  The next major workshop is for the Faculty of Education and Arts in September.

Another opportunity for teacher training has been with a small group of educators that is planning to begin a Christian pre-primary teacher training program called 'Master's Institute of Education'.  I was able to share some ideas about working with young children and honoring their unique educational needs to build a good foundation for creative, critical thinking and a love for learning.  Unfortunately much that takes place in early childhood education here is very poorly suited to children's needs for learning through play and discovery, so there is a lot of work to be done in this regard. Hopefully I will be able to help with a couple more training workshops for them in the next few weeks. 

Anniversary Safari

This month we celebrated our tenth wedding anniversary on safari at the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary and Murchison Falls National Park.  It was a wonderful getaway after a few very busy months of work and we were not disappointed by the amazing variety of animals and scenery on our trip.  The rhino trek gave us the best viewing of a baby rhino than we had seen before and we were able to watch it suckling.

Murchison Falls National Park is worth the visit just to see one of our favorite animals, the giraffe.

This lion appeared out of the bush just after we had taken a 'bathroom break'!

Then she wandered down the road in front of us in search of good drink from the river.

At one point, as it started to rain, a huge herd of over 100 elephants decided to cross the road and we just had to sit and wait.  They have the right of way!

A couple of them decided to take advantage of the mud and lay down to wallow.

We enjoyed the view from the top of Murchison Falls...

..and then took the boat cruise up the Nile to the base of the falls, enjoying the rich wildlife and beautiful scenery along the shore. 

                                              Murchison Falls from the boat

 Maybe the most unusual sight was this elephant having a nap with his trunk resting on his tusk.  Every safari here is a new experience with new adventures and we were blessed to have the time away to celebrate in such a beautiful setting.

Kids at University!

The activities I have been able to be involved in at Uganda Christian University have been so varied!  Much of my work has been with the faculty members, particularly in training workshops for the lecturers.  But a few weeks ago I had opportunity to observe in the Kids’ Care Centre, the preschool on site for the young children of the staff members. 

 The dean of the school of theology has played a big role in starting and supporting this centre. When she found out I had worked in the past with younger children and had helped to train early childhood teachers here in Uganda, she urged me to visit the centre and see how I might be able to help the teachers.  It was really refreshing to take some time out of working with adults and spend time observing and interacting with the young ones. 

 Hopefully I will be able to carve out some time in the next couple of months to do a bit of training with these preschool teachers to improve some of their skills so that the children they work with will have a strong foundation and will develop a true love of learning.  These young ones are the next generation of university students and future leaders of Uganda.

Catching Up!

It has been many weeks since we have been able to publish a new post....a combination of a very busy schedule, the theft of our laptops and camera in a break-in, etc. but we should now try to bring you up to date on some of the happenings in our lives here at UCU (and beyond!)

Karl had a full couple of months in March and April conducting Farming God's Way training workshops in many places throughout the country, including projects near the Timothy Centre (Masaka) area and culminating in a week long training of trainers at a site near the university.  This was for Church of Uganda workers country-wide.  Karl's "right hand man", Stephen, who is being mentored as a trainer was able to assist in some of these trainings.

Arleen's biggest focus was on the Faculty of Social Sciences and last week she conducted a four-day intensive training for the lecturers, helping them to apply principles of faith and teaching integration to their social science courses.  At the conclusion, one of the lecturers said,  "This was a tough nut to crack, but we did it!".  In the past, many lecturers have seen faith and teaching integration as a mysterious, difficult concept. Thankfully they are beginning to understand its importance and relevance in a Christian university...and are taking steps to move ahead and apply what they are learning in their course planning.  We had some lively times of discussion in last week's workshop and lecturers were eager to work together to improve their course outlines in terms of faith integration.

There is much more to report, and so we will endeavour to hit the highlights in the next few blog posts.  We thank you so much for your prayers!

Go Light Your Candle

 

On Friday morning we celebrated part four of the 14th graduation ceremony with a commissioning service for 459 students from Uganda Christian University.  It was a very uplifting service with much singing and jubilation, the theme being, “Determine to live in peace with each other”. (Hebrews 12:14)

UCU sends its students out with strong encouragement to take seriously their responsibility to be change agents in Uganda, in whatever career they are entering.  We pray they stay true to their commitment they made at their graduation ceremony to serve God and His people faithfully wherever they are placed.

The  closing hymn, “Go Light Your Candle” summed up the commissioning well:

There is a candle in every soul

Some brightly burning, some dark and cold

There is a Spirit who brings a fire

Ignites a candle and makes His home

 

So carry your candle, run to the darkness

Seek out the hopeless, confused and torn

Hold out your candle for all to see it

Take your candle, and go light your world

 

Frustrated brother, see how he’s tried to

Light his own candle some other way

See now your sister, she’s been robbed and lied to

Still holds a candle without a flame.

 

We are a family whose hearts are blazing

So let’s raise our candle and light up the sky

Praying to our Father, in the name of Jesus

Make us a beacon in darkest times.

.

DRY SEASON TRAINING

Since returning to Uganda at the beginning of this year from our Christmas break, I have been preparing for upcoming Farming God’s Way workshops. The best time for agricultural training in Uganda is in the dry season, before the planting season. In this way farmers can implement what they’ve learned as they prepare their fields and plant their crops.

The rains usually begin towards the end of February through to the middle of March in most places in Uganda. That gives us about 2-3 months of training from December onwards.

A lot of the prep time involves not only making sure one’s tools are in top shape, and seeds and fertilizer have been purchased, but community leaders, churches, and NGO’s (non government organizations) have been contacted to set up schedules and venues for the training. In order to see lasting change, we commit to train in a community for 5-10 seasons (Uganda has 2 seasons a year). During this time, faithful men and women can be identified who will continue to pass the word around and train others in their community.

In Lwengo district, close to the Timothy Centre near Masaka town, two such individuals are now sharing FGW principles with their neighbours and friends. It’s taken about three seasons, but their neighbours are noticing the difference in crop yields and are now beginning to adopt more productive farming methods.

In the past few weeks I’ve done several training workshops, with several more to come before the rains start. In future blogs I’ll give updates on these trainings and how people are being impacted.

I appreciate your prayers as Stephen Bwogi (my associate trainer) and I travel the country sharing how the kingdom of God impacts the agricultural domain in Uganda. Our desire is to see not only land become productive again but lives transformed by the power of the gospel.