Faculty Funding at BGC South Sudan
At the end of November last year, John passed all his subjects and became our first South Sudanese student to graduate with his Bachelor of Theology. He has moved to South Sudan and is now living in Juba where Bishop Gwynne College (BGC) is based. John will start working on the BGC faculty, commencing lectures at the beginning of March. John will be teaching a number of subjects at diploma level. In due course, faculty and existing lecturers will meet and decide what classes he will be taking.
At the moment, John has returned to working at the library at BGC college, and will be helping at the library as well as lecturing. While he was completing his degree, John was able to have a good look at the layout of the George Whitefield College library, which will be of great benefit for this work. Overall, the year has finished well for John. He is in good spirits and feels positive and excited that he will be working for the Lord in South Sudan again.
New GWC South Sudanese Scholarships Students – Seme Jackson and Philip Lomoro
Seme and Philip arrived in South Africa early, in January. They worked intently in studying English for six hours a day for the next seven days with the tuition we provided. Unfortunately, their English was not yet at the level needed to commence the Bachelor of Theology. Instead, Seme and Philip will do the George Whitefield College (GWC) certificate course this year, with a view to commence the GWC Bachelor of Theology at the beginning of 2020. As the certificate course has several units that overlap with the first year B Th., Seme and Philip will be sitting in the same classes as the B Th. students, and these particular modules will go towards their B Th. degree as credits.
Seme and Philip will be learning English throughout the year as the GWC certificate has an English component. This will prepare them well for to undertake their future bachelor’s studies to the best of their ability, perhaps even allowing them to continue onto post-graduate qualifications. We trust that this is working for the good. Both Seme and Philip are doing well, settling into their new accomodation with good spirits.
Philip and his family have an exciting development with the birth of his first child in November last year. When there is an opportunity to study or work, it is not uncommon for husbands and wives to live in separate countries in African culture. Nevertheless, it is tough for Philip to be studying in a country far away from where his wife and young child live back at home.
Elias
Elias has had a tough time since he’s been at college. When he first commenced his studies two years ago, the village where his family lived was attacked. His family consequently fled, and it took a long time before he knew they had successfully made it to the Ugandan border, and then another wait before he heard that they finally made it to a refugee camp in Uganda. Having this in the background of his first year was very difficult.
When rebels took over the village, Elias’ family left in a hurry, taking nothing with them. Elias’ little brother later returned to a village in an attempt to salvage their possessions, but he was shot and killed. Elias traveled to find where his brother’s body was buried, but he was told that it had been dumped in a mass grave, and that nobody knew where it was. This was especially difficult as the body after death is incredibly important in African culture.
These struggles have had an impact on Elias’ ability to focus in his studies and concentrate on his work with the other students, particularly at the high academic level at GWC. Despite the challenges, Elias is hanging in there, working hard, and doing his best to get through, including re-sitting some of his exams. We praise God for that!
