What’s happening

20 January 2015. The date will forever haunt Butoto Yoweli, a refugee from DR Congo and a mother of eight children. The day brings unpleasant memories so deep and painful that tears stream down her sad eyes when she recalls it. The date left a bruise in her mind, a gaping hole in her life and a scar in her heart.

It was a cloudy Tuesday afternoon and the time was around 2 O’clock. Bridget was going back home from school not because she had knocked off but because she was not allowed to attend classes. Her tuition had not been settled. To Bridget, this was nothing new. Tuition fees had always been a serious challenge since she commenced secondary school. One way or the other, when schools opened she was guaranteed to experience disruptions in her education.

When Pastor Richard Kachipande walks to the pulpit of Grace Baptist Church every Sunday, he moves with confidence and passion. He has his sermon properly planned out, the verses well organized and above all he fully understands church administration. He preaches with clarity, knowledge, and a passion strengthened by the Biblical studies that he completed earlier this year, courtesy of our Bible school.

Two years ago, a group of three women calling themselves Chikondi (Love) held a meeting where they planned to start a small scale business. It was a fruitful gathering and when the women bade farewell to each other later that evening, they knew what type of business they would launch. The three women, although coming from separate villages, resolved to fight tooth and nail to realize the vision they had discussed that day.

A good tailor is required to have the perfect tools and machines in order to work properly. That means the tailor’s needles, quilting machines and related equipment must always be in flawless condition. It is no secret that customers take their businesses elsewhere if a tailor fails to meet deadlines. Nothing destroys a tailoring shop faster than squeaky old machines with random breakdowns. Unreliable sewing machines are the perfect way to lose the trust of clients.

When Faith’s brother passed away, the girl’s secondary school education came to a complete standstill. He was the one paying her tuition and with his demise, Faith had no alternative source of money. Her brother had been providing for her ever since their parents died over 10 years ago. Faith was stranded. She was in Form 3 and was remaining with only a year to complete her secondary school studies but she saw her future crumbling.

Dorothy grew up knowing that her elder sister could not do everything on her own – she needed a helping hand. That is what Dorothy has been for most of her life; making the necessary sacrifices to make sure that her sister, as well as her family, lived a blissful life.

The crucial role that Sunday School plays in churches cannot be overemphasized. It is through Sunday schools that kids are taught discipline and morals and it is where a child’s upbringing is shaped in a righteous way. It is also where their spiritual welfare is strengthened from a tender age. However, without proper training, Sunday school teachers usually experience difficulties in reaching out to the children in a way that is interactive but persuasive.

When Kelvin Ndayisaba tells his story, it is both amusing and, to a certain extent, alarming. He narrates the tale with a visible expression of disbelief and gratitude on his face. Disbelief because he did not foresee a sudden positive transformation in his life and gratitude because he was offered what he calls “a turning point”

We took a dusty road outside Dzaleka refugee camp, turned north and headed towards some distant hills. The motorbike we were riding billowed dust and gravel as we sped past huts, trees, small farms, a couple of ox-carts and herds of livestock.

When Jacqueline Hoya heard the news that she had been selected to commence a degree in education at Chancellor College, she danced with excitement! Her goal of going to college had finally been realized. Who would not dance anyway? She had worked hard for this day and the effort had ultimately paid off. A year back, she had re-sat her secondary school examinations and she passed with top results.

Have you ever heard of the name ‘Kanisa Ndugu’? Maybe not. Well, the term is Swahili and it translates to ‘Sister Church’. Setting up a church in a foreign country, especially when one is a refugee, can be a hard assignment. Many refugees lack the financial muscle, material and even moral support to plant churches or run those already established.