by Phil Arbon
CIMS and the Challenge of Lockdown.
Following the successful CIMS Pastors’ Training in January with a combined total of 178 students in Rwanda and Uganda we had expected that the next teaching would occur in April. This of course has not happened due to the spread of Covid-19 across the world with the resulting lockdown in many countries.
We had planned for Peter McLean and Emmanuel Gatera (a local Rwandan Pastor) to teach modules in April, this has been provisionally rescheduled for October. The July Programme has also been cancelled. So we are praying that a way forward will be open by October. Obviously there are huge delays to the overall teaching programme.
As lockdown began to ease in Busia, Uganda, Fred Wejuli (LEMA) managed to find opportunities to teach the “Who am I?” module in May but, because of social distancing and restrictions on gathering sizes, he had to use several different venues. We are pleased to report that the teaching did happen although in an unusual way.
We are looking to see if it is possible for Pastor Fred to teach at least one more module himself within the next few months with the possible aid of further technology (zoom or messages that have been pre-recorded).
Whilst the Covid-19 lockdown has caused a considerable setback to the training programme we are by no means discouraged. There is a great hunger for expansion of the school in other areas especially among the contacts in Uganda.
One little story from my last day in Uganda confirmed why we do this and what the Training School is all about. One of our students invited us to visit his church in a very rural part of the wider Busia district. As the congregation gathered the pastor explained how much he appreciated the training he had received from CIMS and how much it had blessed him. He also told the story of how he had moved into the largely pagan area with no Christian witness to plant a church. He began in 2016 with three people and pointed out the mango tree that they used to meet under. He then told the story of a Christian lady in the area who owned a small plot of land and when she died it was made known that her wishes/legacy was for a church to be built on that land. The pastor was rejoicing because the building now had a roof. They had met for several months without a roof!
LEMA Support Vulnerable People During Lockdown
With a gift from Love Wales LEMA were able to purchase supplies for distribution to 80 vulnerable homes in Busia in crisis due to Covid-19. Each received 10kgs of Maize Flour, 2kgs of Rice, 1 Bar of Soap and 5 Kgs of Beans.
Those who received this help included widows whose businesses were shut down due to Covid-19 and HIV/AIDs sufferers. They were from a variety of denominations and religious backgrounds. In cases where the receiver was unable to travel through disability the supplies were distributed by Fred by bicycle. One widow became a Christian because of the care that she received through this support.
Please pray
- For Fred and Josephine and the LEMA team. There are extra restrictions in Busia because it is a border town with Kenya. Supplies, finances and businesses are all struggling.
- For the Rwanda programme. One of our translators is retiring and we are looking for a replacement along with some help with administration.
- For wisdom and opportunities as we think and pray through short and long term strategies for Uganda including the use of technologies such as zoom.