October 8, 2011

  • Ground Breaking number two

    Liz and I celebrated our 11th anniversary with roughly 60'ish Ugandans in a village 2 hours north of Kampala.  We were invited to be a part of a ground breaking ceremony for a Reformed Seminary and Vocational Training Center.  Check out our video of literally breaking ground on the vidoes link on this blog.  

    The potential for this school is limitless.  Having a foundation in Christ and devoted proprietors, this school is bound to do well.  The school is being founded by a group of individuals who are deeply rooted in the Presbyterian Reformed church here in Uganda.  With the gift from a generous family the school has a square mile available for its use.  That is 640 acres of land!  This is the biggest school plot that I have seen yet!

    The school is first and foremost a seminary.  There, teaching of theology and Presbyterian Reformed doctrine will be made available for anyone interested.  Secondly, it is a vocational school.  Having the specialized instructors from the seminary paired with leaders in the field of each vocation, everyday disciples will be made.  They are offering vocations that are important to the Ugandan culture both currently and to benefit the country in the future.  Agriculture and animal husbandry will be a huge part of the school.  Having the land available to grow large scale produce will help the school be self-sustainable.  This school will offer jobs to the nearby community to manage the property and also make an adequate education readily available.

    The part of the story that makes me most excited is that it is a Christ-based "adult" school.  With the resources available to the school, it has the opportunity to become the only Polytechnic University in Uganda!  Not only would it be the only poly-tech school, but it would be the first Christian Polytechnic University in Uganda!

    Now I realize that this vision for the school is far off.  There are years worth of preparation to become so grand.  However, it is totally possible.  The lead proprietor has already founded a very successful private university here in Uganda.  It is called Ndejje University.  He founded it on Christian beliefs with the expectation that quality education would draw students to PAY for schooling.  Because when the school was started, government run colleges were all free.  So that is his belief here.  He is bringing the best veterinary instructors for the animal husbandry school.  He has made arrangements to partner with Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan to assist with the seminary school.  He has plans that will make this the best school in Uganda, Lord willing!

    One more reason to be excited... his grand plan for the school is not ten years out.  He wants to set record time on the construction of this school.  He wants to have structures available for teaching in January of 2012!  I don't know what to say... I am so extremely excited, I am refraining from jumping for joy.  Thanks be to everyone for praying generally for our ministry.  Now pray that we can work well with this school group to get the necessary building plans in place.  Also that the community will contribute and get building materials (i.e. bricks) made as fast as humanly possible.

    We have some work ahead of us!  Praise God!

    Chad Neeley

    Construction Coordinator - WWCS Uganda/USA