Black Friday’s been around for decades and Cyber Monday for a few years.Last year, a new movement began: Giving Tuesday.
Christmas season is an exciting time of the year. The lights, the decorations, the nativities, the time with friends and family, and the gifts. Everyone loves gifts; both giving and receiving! After a crazy weekend of shopping, shopping, shopping... Giving Tuesday brings us all back to the heart of the season. To GIVE!
The directions for Giving Tuesday: Determine your favorite non-profit organization and give a financial donation. It’s that simple.
We hope you’ll choose to give to the Suba Lakers where we’re using football to impact young girls’ lives physically, socially, academically and spiritually.
The 2nd Annual Giving Tuesday will be on Dec 3rd, 2013. Will you join us in this movement?
Send checks to: Hands and Feet P.O. Box 294 Sullivan's Island, SC 29482 * Make checks payable to: Hands and Feet; include a note stating check is for Suba Lakers We challenge you to readjust your focus of the giving season! We hope you accept this challenge!
The 2013 school year in Kenya is officially over! Over 800,000 Eighth Graders and 400,000
Twelfth Graders took their National Exams and are waiting patiently for their
results. The closing week of the school
year at CGA was filled with all kinds of activities!
Monday
Giving Back:
Service Day
“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served but to
serve…” -Mark 10:45
CGA students and staff invaded the community for a day of
service. Recognizing that they are
blessed by God, they wanted to also go out and bless others. The older classes did several service
projects. Daneenwent with 4th Grade to
the hospital where they were able to pray for sick patients, pass out Bibles
and help clean the hospital grounds by picking up trash. The 5th Graders walked to town and
helped clean up the trash around the Mbita sports field. Since the field is near a lot of houses, much
trash gets thrown there, including what the students called flying toilets; plastic bags that some
people use as toilets at night and then throw out their window. (Gross!)
Joe helped the 6th graders in cleaning up a local fishing beach which is
similar to a mini slum. Finally, the 7th
Graders served at a local church which needed heavy stones moved from a storage
place into the church compound for building their new sanctuary.
The students spent the whole day serving, with the
teachers and staff alongside of them. It
was tiring work in the hot African sun; but a great opportunity to teach
students (and also the staff) about serving.
The students were urged that they should be serving on a regular basis;
not just when we do it as a school, but even at home, in their churches and in
the community.
Tuesday
Mashindano Day:
Class Competition and Games
On Tuesday, the staff and students enjoyed a day of
competition (Mashindano in
Kiswahili). The students were put into
two teams and they competed in football, volleyball, netball, running relays,
sack race, balancing a tomato on a spoon in their mouth as they run, and
pouring water into their mouth, running and then spitting it out into a
cup.
The Tie-Breaking contest between the two teams was a
relay where they had to run down the basketball court, get dressed with a
t-shirt, skirt, big shoes and a crown.
After dressing, they had to run down and back, take off those clothes
and return to the starting line to tag the next person. It was a dramatic finish which ended with the
winning team dancing, shouting, running and the biggest smiles ever seen! Check out this 30 sec video of the students celebrating:
Everyone had a blast on Mashindano Day, but they also
learned about teamwork and unity; whether winning or losing. We even saw talents in some of them that we
didn’t know they had!
Wednesday,
November 20, 2013
Closing Day:
Awards and Chapel
The final day of the 2013 school year concluded with a
joint Chapel. Joe led the whole CGA
family in praise and worship, and then in the teaching time. They were reminded about the theme for CGA
this year: Jesus is the Way, Truth, and the Life. The focus for this chapel was that we are
blessed to be a blessing to others. In
Genesis 12:1-3, God is making a covenant with Abraham and promises to bless him
and that he, in turn, will be a blessing to others.
Students shared the different ways they are blessed; such
as having a family, a school to learn in, food to eat, clothes to wear, shelter
at night, medical treatment when they are sick and eternal life. Those who appreciate what they have, are
always ready to return those blessings to others around them. The students also shared practical ways of
how they can be a blessing to others; such as saying a kind word, sharing their
things, teaching others what they already know and serving others.
Joe urged them that during their 6-weeks of school
vacation they should strive to be a blessing to their family at home, members in
their church and people in the community.
The chapel concluded with each student receiving a Bible to take home
with them courtesy of the Gideon’s.
Upcoming School
Break
December CGA events include food distribution to the
families caring for orphans and the annual Christmas party. However, the students are on vacation until
the 2014 school year which begins on January 8th.
Though the school year is over, Team Pete will be very
busy in the coming weeks. The last week
of November will be consumed with the CGA Secondary Reunion with all our
secondary school students. A team from
Nairobi will be coming to share during the week-long conference. In December our focus will be on the Suba
Lakers. There are numerous tournaments
when school is not in session. We will
have football training and academic training with our primary and secondary
girls, and we hope to participate in several of those tournaments. We look forward to having extra time with our
girls!
My first Scripture Union Uganda Camp experience was in April
2010 in Mwiri, at Busoga College located on top a high hill next to Lake
Victoria, not far from Jinja. Only 3
weeks prior, I arrived in Uganda from the USA ready to serve with SU for 1
year. I honestly didn’t know what the
next year might involve, but I knew God had a great plan. I enjoyed working with secondary school
students; especially walking through life with them in discipleship. SU seemed like a great fit for me.
The theme for the Camp was “Transformers, not
Conformers.” I quickly learned of the
excellence and Biblical Truth which SU strives for, especially during
camps. Guest speakers spoke powerful
words which challenged and encouraged the students. The Worship Team easily got everyone singing praises
and dancing to our Lord and Savoir. I
even learned that although I was a female and normally called Auntie, within SU
I was an UNCLE (You Need Christ to Live Eternally)! But some of the most impactful time was small
group Bible Study. This is the heart of
SU; studying God’s Word and discipleship.
I was passionate about the SU Mission.
After that first camp experience, I returned to Gulu,
Northern Uganda excited to serve as the area SU representative. Each time I walked into the Head Master
office of a new school and shared that I was with Scripture Union, I was
greeted with a warm welcome. They knew
SU. Everyone who’s ever attended
secondary school in Uganda knows
SU. They know and understand the great
impact SU can have on the students.
They’ve seen students from difficult backgrounds have hope for the
future; for eternity. They’ve seen lives
transformed through the SU ministry.
I
didn’t know it then, in April of 2010, but I know it now; God had great plans
to transform ME through SU. As a
missionary in a foreign country, we too often think we are the ones sent to
impact or transform a community. I am
certain I made a positive impact on many of the students I interacted with;
yet, I think they had more of an impact on me and my life. Through the SU staff and volunteers they
taught me what true trust and faith in the Lord really means. Through the students of SU clubs at secondary
schools around Gulu, by how they lived their lives with hope, I learned of
God’s Sovereignty through all situations and all life circumstances. Serving with Scripture Union Uganda was the
most transforming 1.5 years of my life.
After 50 years in Uganda, Scripture Union, you’re doing it!
You’re living out your mission throughout the nation of Uganda.
“Children and Youth following Jesus filled with hope and transforming
the families and nations of Africa.”
May God continue to greatly bless this ministry which I and
thousands of others have been blessed and transformed by.
--written for the SU 50 Years Jubilee Celebration and
Fundraising Dinner in Kampala, Uganda, Nov 2013.
Each school year, CGA invites a new class of students to begin
their education at Christ’s Gift Academy.Most students begin attending CGA in Nursery or Pre-Primary class
(equivalent to Pre-School and Kindergarten in the U.S.); however, a few are
also admitted into grades 1-4, if space is available.
Every October, the CGA Student Care office, led by Lillian
Ombori, heads-up the Intake process.
It’s a long process to ensure a fair and just evaluation and that all
decisions are made with good discernment and accurate information. The selection is done by a Selection
Committee which includes the CGA Leadership team along with the local area
Chief and the Chairman of the PTA. Joe is a part of the Leadership Team and I was invited to be part of the Selection Committee. It was very insightful for me to better understand the foundation and reasons for the guidelines of CGA. Listening to the various
children’s circumstances and going along on home visits gave me great insight
to this community.It’s sometimes hard
to grasp how and why there are so many orphans and widows in this area.They each have a unique story yet the
severity of their circumstances or the harshness of their family disownment is
astonishing; even for me, someone who’s lived in East Africa for 2 years.
Academically, CGA is one of the top 5 schools in the
District. In addition to the academic
excellence, students also benefit with meals in school, medical treatment and
other things. Hence, every
parent/guardian would love for their child to attend CGA. We strive to give first priority to orphans
and then to other needy and vulnerable children. Yet, there are so many desperate families and
children desiring to go to school at CGA.
Many families often attempt to forge documents (such as parent death
certificates) to give their child a chance to qualify to attend CGA.
Application &
Short Listing
The process begins with advertising around Mbita to let the
community know that CGA is now accepting applications for the next school year. Parents/Guardians must come to CGA with the necessary
documents (including child birth certificate and medical history, and the
parent’s death certificate). In 2013, we
accepted 60 applications, though many were turned away even before getting the
application because they failed to meet the requirements.
Students who apply for Pre-Primary, 1st,
2nd & 3rd Grade must take an entrance exam to ensure
they are placed in the correct grade. CGA teachers focus on academic excellence
starting from Nursery class. Students
who have attended a local public school for a number of years often have a very
difficult time academically catching up with their peers at CGA. They are often far behind CGA students and
it’s a challenge to catch-up with the high standard here.
After a comprehensive review of the applications, many
applicants were determined to not be eligible by the set criteria of the CGA Intake
guidelines and policies. The
disqualifying reasons include forged documents, home being too far from school,
the child not being an orphan, the child is not from this area or if the child
is living in an unstable home environment. The Selection Committee finalized a shortlist of 37 eligible applicants
this year!
Home Visits
CGA staff must visit each home to ensure they have an
accurate understanding of each child.
This is a key piece of the process.
Visiting the home is necessary to see the environment in which the child
is living and also gain a better understanding of the child’s needs and home
situation. Over a course of 3 days, our
4 social workers traveled on foot to all 37 homes within a 4-mile radius of
school. In pairs, they walked to each
home and interviewed the parent/guardian and child. These are long days, but our dedicated staff
understand the importance of the home visits.
They collect information and write reports for each home. This information then helps the Selection
Committee make a wise and informed decision about each child.
Final Selection
Over a 3.5 hour meeting, the Selection Committee discussed
each child and carefully considered every situation, taking into account all
the information available. CGA was created because of James 1:27 which
says, “True religion in the sight of God is to care for orphans and widows in
their distress.” It’s very difficult to
deny a child an opportunity to come to school at CGA. However, we know and believe God has a
specific purpose for CGA to assist true orphans and widows and other needy
children. Final selection is difficult
but necessary.
2014 Intake
We are excited to welcome our new students in January 2014. The following classes will be accepting new
students:
Nursery – 19
Pre-Primary – 4
Grade 1 – 6
Grade 3 – 1
Grade 4 – 2
We are excited to welcome these new ones, and we are also
looking for sponsors for each of these little blessings! Learn how to become a sponsor for a new student.
New Smiling Faces
The best part of a new intake is that we as CGA staff and
teachers have the opportunity to love on new students. In January, these new students will become a
part of the CGA Family. We look forward
to extending God’s love to these new students and their families.
A lot of our time over the past couple of months has been invested in preparing for and then hosting a team from one of Joe's supporting churches in Billings, Montana. While I was in college at Rocky Mountain College, I fellowshipped at Faith E Church. It is a growing, vibrant church where the love of Christ is witnessed inside the church, but also outside the walls. I had personally seen it during my time there and subsequent visits, but I saw it even more clearly during the two weeks we hosted 11 of their church members here in Kenya.
Team Flex lived up to their name! The team
nicknamed themselves “Team Flex” because they knew the importance of mission
teams remaining flexible and adaptable as they serve cross-culturally. Team
Flex consisted of two married couples, a mother and her 12 year old daughter, a
father and his grown son, two middle-aged brothers and a single man. It was a
great blend of young and old, male and female and different personalities and
capabilities.
This was the first time CGA had received a full team from Faith E, a church
where many of our child sponsors come from. Daneen and I had the privilege of taking care of the travel arrangements, accommodation, meals, schedule, project work, and every other aspect of their trip. Since we both enjoy details and planning, we enjoyed taking on the task together.
We were also blessed that they brought us a few comforts from home, some by our request and others that were a surprise. Though with the snack food they left behind, I think we have both gained a few pounds! The fellowship was also much welcomed. There is something special about spending time with people from home; just talking, sharing, learning about each other, telling a few jokes and laughing together. We
enjoyed seeing Kenya, Mbita, CGA and the Suba Lakers through their
eyes. It gives us a fresh perspective on things. It was fun for us to see others fall in love with a
place and the people that we adore so much. We also enjoyed seeing God stretch
them and move them a little out of their comfort zone, and closer to himself.
We welcomed them as they arrived in Nairobi tired and
haggard after a long journey with a couple of long layovers in Minneapolis and
Amsterdam, but with their bags in hand they were eager to experience what this
trip might have in store. After a good night of sleep, on Sunday we boarded
the bus and settled in for the 10 hour journey to Mbita. Some were struggling
with jet-lag, but others were so excited to finally see this place they had
heard so much about. They appreciated the amazing beauty of Kenya as they drove
through the Rift Valley; seeing the vast climate differences of the lush tea
plantations in Kisii and the dry, arid region of Masai land. They enjoyed a show
by the wandering baboons on the side of the road, and even saw a little of the
craziness that is common on Kenya roads.
On Monday morning the students and staff at CGA welcomed them with great
Kenyan hospitality and beautifully personalized cards. The team toured the
campus, listened the history of CGA (told by one of CGA’s first teachers), made
new friends, and learned some of the culture. A couple of them were fortunate
to finally meet the students they have been sponsoring for several years! Those
moments are priceless as a visitor comes face to face with a child they have
been praying for, sending letters to, talking about and longing to meet. For
the child, it is hard to comprehend that this “sponsor” really does exist. They
have written countless letters to a “funny name” that doesn’t sound like a real
person because there aren’t names like they know in Kenya. The moment they meet
their sponsor, it can be a little embarrassing for the student because all of
their friends are watching them and the sponsor is so eager to give them a bear
hug and tell them how much they love them. Most times the student will remain
pretty reserved in front of their friends, but inside, their hearts are leaping
for joy and it is a moment they will never forget. The first day ended with
some language lessons from four CGA Alumni who have finished high school and are
some of CGA’s most dedicated volunteers while they wait to join college.
The rest of the weekdays started with the team joining the CGA staff for
devotions, and then spending about 15-20 minutes with an assigned class for
devotions and prayer. Many of these times turned into Q&A sessions. One
memorable moment was when a 2nd grader asked one of the visitors, “Is snow a
human?” The question confounded everyone until they realized she had been told
about snowmen and was having a difficult time understanding this foreign concept
of snow in the shape of a man!
From the classroom, they tackled their team projects. It is amazing to
think of how much these 11 accomplished in the few days they were at CGA. The
ladies painted most of the rooms in our office building and also a wall in the
Nursery classroom. The bright colors really liven up the school as a whole.
They also spent time hand-sewing some of the students’ uniforms; repairing small
tears and missing buttons. The men helped to build roof trusses for our new
computer lab and even hoisted them up on the building. They also built the
foundation for water tank stands, installed gutters on the office for rain
catchment, built a shade for our kitchen cooking and washing area, put in
goalposts on our soccer field, and poured cement for our 5th/6th Grade classroom
expansion. These were very knowledgeable and hardy workers, but the first day
of work was a shock to them since they didn’t have the machinery and equipment
they usually use back home. The labor here was much “harder” and much more
“manual” then they are accustomed to. With great attitudes, they worked side by
side with the local construction crew, learning from each other.
In the midst of all of the work, team members took time to eat lunch with
students and staff, others read books aloud to classes, while others played
soccer with the kids. Some members also shared their personal testimonies on
different occasions and others took time with 5th-8th Grade during Life Skills
lessons to encourage them in different ways. Thursday afternoon most of the
team went into Mbita town to experience the hustle and bustle of Market Day! On
two of the days, team members took time to walk home with various students to
see where they live and understand their family better.
The 12 year old Anne was definitely the star of the team. The Kenyan
children were so excited to interact with a foreign visitor who was their age.
Each class took turns pulling her away to join them for porridge break, lunch
break, PE class, or to come and share with their class. She loved answering
their countless questions and asking many of her own. She also played games
with the younger classes, blew bubbles with the Kindergartners and read
storybooks with them. After the 2nd day, she told her mother, “This is the best
vacation ever!” It takes a special child to be able to adapt and interact with
children from a totally different culture in such a positive way.
We held a Suba Lakers training weekend while the team was here. They came to learn more about how Suba Lakers is much more than simply a girls soccer club and also encouraged the girls. They put together "goodie bags" for each of the girls with much needed items: sports bra, underwear, sanitary pads and school supplies! The girls were very grateful. Additionally, the team also brought a few soccer cleats. Many of our girls have cleats which are old and worn out beyond repair. It was a great blessing for some of them to get a new pair!!!
The team got to experience culture in several ways while in Mbita. They
tried the local food daily at school. Most of it was good, though there were a
few things they struggled to eat. Each of them attended a local church which
was very different from their home church in Montana, mostly with regards to the
decibel level, length of service and the different languages translated back and
forth! They also experienced a traditional Luo dance by some students from
Wanga Primary School. Even their accommodations exposed them to rural African
life with outside restroom facilities, bush babies climbing on their roof at
night and other African sounds while trying to sleep. Along with the bush
babies, the team saw dik-diks, monitor lizards, monkeys, hippos and dozens of
species of birds. One of their highlights was the boat ride on Lake Victoria
out to the bird islands.
During their last day at CGA, the team led the morning chapel where they
acted out the story of The Good Samaritan, teaching the children what they had
been demonstrating since arriving; in order to be more like Jesus, we must serve
others. The school said a special goodbye and presented each team member with
special gifts which choked up a few of the them.
The team was a blessing to CGA in so many ways. They brought many
construction tools, school supplies, sports equipment… etc. They accomplished
so many needed projects around school which had been on the To Do list for a
long time. Despite “bringing” so much and “doing” so much, the biggest impact
they made was through the relationships they formed. In Kenya, people are much
more important than tasks, and this team understood that. They formed deep
friendships with CGA students and staff, and also with the construction crew
they worked with. It takes effort to form those kinds of relationships in a
foreign culture, especially in a short amount of time. They made effort to
encourage others, love others and pray for them. Several CGA staff members and
students made comments about how dedicated they were to their work, about how
well they got along with each other and how much they cared about people.
They remained FLEXIBLE throughout their time in Kenya. Flexible enough to
finish their projects while also spending time with people. Flexible enough to
do whatever was needed at any given time. Flexible enough to adapt to new
foods, new languages, new people and a different way of life. Flexible enough
to accept correction or advice. Flexible enough to endure animals making noise
on their roof at night, and to endure hard labor in the hot equatorial sun
during the day. Their flexibility has left a lasting impression on CGA and
Mbita, much more than just the computer lab they left behind. And, in the
process of serving others... I think God has also left a lasting impression on
them to bring back to their families, friends, churches and workplaces in
Montana!
While it's a lot of work to prepare for and host a team, we greatly enjoyed it. We're both "planners" at heart, so we enjoyed all the planning details and it was especially wonderful hosting a team TOGETHER! We are grateful for the time we were able to spend with this team and look forward to seeing them again soon; perhaps again in Kenya or maybe in Montana!
