Bukeeka is a Muslim village and home to Fountain of Hope Christian School. The school began with a rocky start; it had only a handful of students and was under intense opposition from Witch Doctors and Muslim occupants of the village. The headmaster, Robert, was chased from the village by men with machetes; a price was put on his head; one morning he arrived at the school property to find his school surrounded in a trail of chicken blood (evidence of ritualistic ceremonies performed at the school); coffins were placed in homes of his friends to signify and prophesy death. This may sound crazy, but after having sat with this man and been in his house and school, I assure you, it is very real. This kind of stuff is normal in Africa. So convinced by God he was to establish this fountain of hope in the midst of darkness, he persevered. Since 2006 the school has grown from a dozen to students to 700. Now, the Muslims and Witch Doctors actually advocate for the school, realizing it may be the only hope their children have of ever receiving an education; they even encourage Robert to run for Parliament. Wow; the power of God is also very real.
Robert and Sara; founders of Fountain of Hope
School Grounds
Trying out their new whiteboards Over the last couple of weeks my team and I have had the privilege of teaching at this blessed school. When you pull up to the school the first thing you see is a sign stating “Educate the girl child, educate a nation.” This is a powerful statement in a land that often oppresses and persecutes women. As you walk the grounds of the school you encounter more such signs posted. “Virginity is healthy” “Say no to bad touches” “You are important” “Never walk alone” “Trust God in all” “Respect your leaders” “Shout for help in case of sexual abuse” “Fight human sacrifice” "Always speak English" "Serve as an example". The motto of the school, which when asked all the students of the school can recite, is “Righteousness exalts a nation.” These may seem like basic principles, but here these things are not commonly taught and with the declaration of these values comes great power.
Even though the classrooms are smaller than an average American classroom, the class sizes range from 45 to 100 students! Despite the large amount of students packed into a small space, there are virtually no management issues; the kids are so excited to have an education and it’s obvious by the amount of respect they give to their teachers. One day we gave a Bible lesson related to fear and God’s protection and asked the students what they feared. The top responses were “murder, rape, sacrifice, being robbed”. The reality of the life they live in is very sad; but in the midst of their struggle God has placed them in a safe place where they are taught, discipled and given an opportunity to fulfill the destiny God has for them. Teaching at this school has been an absolute dream come true for me. Thank you Jesus; You are so good.
Students at Bukeeka
4 comments:
Hello Jill! This is my first reading of your blog-- what an amazing opportunity God has given you! Reading your blog is like being there-- you have great expression! The children of Uganda are very special, they do have a way of capturing your heart--leaving you never the same. We are praying over and around you as you are Jesus's hands and feet! Love in Him-- Judy (Miller) Grell
Jill,
So good to hear about your experiences-- certainly lifechanging for you and for them! Seeing you in those pictures makes it all so real; we see stuff like that all the time, but it's hard to relate. Thank you for the reminder of how blessed we are! Praying for you. Love you. -Janine
P.S. Yours is the first blog I've ever looked at :)
Hi Judy! It's great to hear from you. Thank you for reading. Have you been to Uganda before? Bless you and thanks for the prayers!
Thanks for looking at my blog Neen! Love you; looking forward to seeing you soon!
Post a Comment