Today
we installed 6 more libraries:
Jupamatho,
C.O.P.E., Ogalo, Palwo, Adhingi, and Adusi
Several
of the schools had receiving lines for us as we approached in the bus and then
sang in lines on either sides of us as we walked up to the schools. C.O.P.E.’s singing was precious; they
are a young school. They are one
of the poorest schools we will see, but were ready for us with brightly painted
blue shelves. Jupamatho is a very
small primary school supported completely by parents. It consists of 2 classrooms about 10’ x 10’ in size. Peering into their room reveals a sea
of little faces. They are packed
into their space. Ogalo greeted
their helpers with a school song showing their Ugandan pride.
The
drive to these schools is akin to a roller coaster ride. Some members chose to walk home from
their school, not to avoid the ride, but to enjoy the scenery. This new area is closer to the
Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The topography changes a bit with more defined hills. There are tracts of pine trees planted
for lumber harvesting as well as clear cut areas that have yet to be replanted.
The
afternoon’s schools included more singing and spirited receptions. Palwo waved bunches of leafy branches
as they sang their song. They also
had a special song sung by their award winning choir saying “We will remember
you forever!”
Adhingi
and Adusi also had heart-warming receptions. We’ll report more about them after tomorrow’s opening.
Thank
you to all of you who made these libraries. We are lucky to get to see their reactions, and feel blessed
to get to meet the people who cherish the efforts of those whom they have never
met.
Thank
you also to our prayer partners.
Your prayers are felt.
There are over 20 of us in close quarters, but we are getting along very
well. This is a large effort and
all of your hard work made it possible.
Michelle
Williams
Michelle, the Uganda Rural Community Library Association name dropped The Good Steward Global. From reading from your site, I am amazed at the phenomenal work you did in Zombo and elsewhere. May the good Lord continue to use you in the ministry. I used to work for Africa University, the only UMC related university in Zimbabwe; and friends from the UMC have called me to support an effort to professionally support the transformation of school libraries and investments in knowledge resources for youth. I am keen to interact with any of your team member who may be willing to share experiences and insights about your work. Suffice to indicate that at this stage, Africa’s hesitant steps into the global knowledge economy are characterized by
ReplyDeletepolicy and programmatic disharmony at national level. Yet the emerging information society is at
the confluence of information, social media and communication technologies. African progress
needs social transformation through government planning, policies and non governmental programmes aimed at
inclusive growth to achieve among other critical goals, social justice; and we believe that Faith based organization, who have all along been on the forefront of education has a bigger role to play.