Since 2008, Kingsway Christian High School has been providing secondary education in an evangelical Christian setting to orphans and vulnerable youth. Many are survivors of the war with the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) in northern Uganda. More history here.
After nearly two decades of ongoing war, the social, economic, religious, health and educational effects on communities are still greatly felt. Survivors were left with almost nothing. Children couldn’t attend school or church for many years. Kingsway educates and nurtures children of war survivors, and more recently, children born and raised by child-mothers raped during the wars.
“Unstoppable with Christ” is the school’s motto, reflecting an earnest faith and awe for Christ who has accomplished miracles in the lives of the students. Some have gone on to attend university and get good jobs, a fate impossible for impoverished youth otherwise.
Orphans and vulnerable youth from eight districts across Uganda have graduated from Kingsway and now are shining Christ’s light in their communities. Some are teachers, policemen or business owners. Others work for water mission ministries and the United Nations. They are nurturing families and rebuilding communities destroyed by the war.
Check out the video below for an introduction to Kingsway from the founder:
Kingsway News – January 2025
As 2025 Begins in Uganda
The school year at Kingsway runs between February and December, so the school is on break right in January before a new class arrives in a few weeks.
About 100 young people were able to get an excellent education last year, and this year they are planning for a slightly larger number of students. Preparations are being made for the next class to come, and furniture is being made and repairs are done as needed.
January News: Their Kitchen Collapsed!
About a week ago there was a real emergency – the kitchen had collapsed! Thank goodness the students were on break at the time. You might not be too surprised if you know what this dilapidated structure looked like:
Cooking is done over an open fire so the building’s function is mainly to keep the rain off. The large gaps in the walls are to let smoke dissipate. But still, you can see that its days were numbered! (More details here.)
When I (Lois Tverberg) first visited, I asked if they intended to replace it. They said no, but not because it was adequate. The structure came with the property and they were just making do for lack of funds.
Now they need to quickly build a replacement before students arrive in early February. We will send them some funds to help rebuild. Would you like to contribute? The cost will be between $2,000 and $3,000, we estimate.
What Happened in 2024
In the last few months of 2024, Kingsway’s Director, Milly Erema arrived in Michigan for another two month stay with Lois Tverberg, author on the Bible in its cultural context. During her visit, the two gave seminars with insights from Milly’s “insider” view of Bible, because she grew up in a tribal culture not unlike the culture of the Ancient Near East. You can watch one of them at this link. Toward the end, Lois shared the remarkable, heroic story of Kingsway. Check it out below.
During Milly’s stay, she and Lois worked on writing a book by the title Reading the Bible as an Insider. Lois submitted a proposal for this book to Zondervan and Intervarsity Press, and she and Milly met with interested editors at both publishers about the book. They are awaiting the publisher’s responses now. They are hoping that book sales will be an ongoing source of support for Milly and Kingsway.
The Marriage of Comfort and Ivan
One exciting event in the life of Kingsway’s leadership is that Milly’s daughter Comfort married one of Kingsway’s teachers, Ivan. In September the families celebrated a traditional Lugbara wedding. Over two thousand guests came!
In December they had a Christian ceremony in the church. Once again, over a thousand people came. Because Comfort’s father Sam is a retired Anglican priest who ministered to several small Lugbara congregations, almost every parishioner wanted to attend his daughter’s wedding. (Details here.)
Because of Your Generosity
Because of the generosity of Kingsway’s friends, things are improving all the time at Kingsway Christian High School. Like the fact the girls were finally able to move into a dorm last March, after having to sleep on thin mattresses on the floor of a classroom for several years. They still need to finish the second floor of the dorm, but at least now the girls have much better quarters.
Other buildings underwent critical repairs too. We were excited to have finally plastered and painted Kingsway’s brick buildings in 2024. This was very needed because locally-made mud bricks slowly crumble in the rain unless they are sealed by plaster. And the paint makes the campus look like a whole different place! (See the pictures and read more here.)
Progress on Kingsway’s Water Needs
Kingsway has also been in crisis since their well collapsed late in 2023. Students have had to walk 2 km each way everyday to fetch water since then. (More at this link.) We were overjoyed that Genesis Waters, a ministry that does water projects in Africa to serve Christian outreach, has been helping Kingsway install a well.
Ken Watkins with an excellent water report.
In April, Ken Watkins, the founder came to assess their need and in August, a test well was dug and the water was checked for quality and quantity. This fall we got some happy results. Our water was some of the best they’ve ever tested in all the wells they’ve dug in East Africa!
They now need to install a pump, a solar panel to power the pump, a storage tank and then build a surrounding structure. Genesis Waters is funding all of this work – hooray.
With the Lord’s help they hope to finish the project in 2025.
Are you curious to know what the students’ daily life is like at Kingsway? Believe it or not, wake-up time is 4 AM, well before dawn, and math practice comes even before breakfast.
Your ongoing monthly support allows Kingsway to transform many more lives. The school has a long list of needy applicants who they are unable to enroll. These children may lose their only opportunity to get an education.
In the past we’ve asked folks to sponsor students, but Milly did not bother to wait for the money to arrive. She just accepted needy children anyhow and stepped out in faith.
If you’ve ever wished you could directly help the poorest in Africa, you’ve come to the right place.
In early January 2025, there was a real emergency – Kingsway’s kitchen collapsed! Thank goodness most students were away on break at the time. You might not be too surprised if you know what …
One exciting event in the life of Kingsway’s leadership is that Milly’s daughter Comfort got married to one of Kingsway’s teachers, Ivan. Comfort is 32 and has taught at Kingsway for several years, and …
If you’ve been reading this blog, you know that Kingsway has been in crisis for over a year now because their well broke down. Students must haul water from over a mile (2 km) …
Over 250 people joined Lois and Rev. Dr. Milly Erema, of Uganda Christian University for a zoom presentation on October 22, 2024. They gave a seminar called “Reading the Bible as an Insider” that …
Rev. Dr. Milly Maturu Erema arrived in Michigan on September 28 to stay with Lois Tverberg once again, and they immediately began working to prepare for the “Reading the Bible as an Insider” seminar …
Hundreds of students have attended Kingsway and have been nurtured in faith as they’ve received essential education for life’s journey. Here is where you’ll hear and see them share.
Letaa Ivan Bob
(Credit: Kari Tverberg for video editing)
Trinity Yikiisi
Here is Milly along with Trinity Yikiisi, who graduated from Kingsway in 2014.
Trinity’s father died when she was a baby and her mother had no money for school fees. Her education would have ended in the 7th grade but Milly sought her out and enrolled her at Kingsway, where she did very well. When extended relatives heard how well Trinity did, they pulled together the money for her to attend university.
Trinity has since attended university and is looking for her first job.
Donate
Kingsway Ministries is a fiscally sponsored project of the Christian Ministry Alliance. The Alliance is a U.S. registered 501c3 tax-deductible charity with the Internal Revenue Service and has a Candid Platinum Seal (formerly GuideStar), the highest rating available for nonprofit transparency and accountability. [Tax ID: 46-3408177]
The Kingsway Ministries US Financial Oversight Board is in Holland, Michigan.
Lois Tverberg, Chair (616 212 9910)
Patricia Bartlett
Fred Bartlett
Elizabeth West
Tim West
To make a donation by mail, please make your check payable to Christian Ministry Alliance with this note in the memo line: Fund #3134 – Kingsway, and mail to
Christian Ministry Alliance
P.O. Box 7735
Goodyear, AZ 85338
Cooking is done over an open fire so the building’s function is mainly to keep the rain off. The large gaps in the walls are to let smoke dissipate. But still, you can see that its days were numbered! (
One exciting event in the life of Kingsway’s leadership is that Milly’s daughter Comfort married one of Kingsway’s teachers, Ivan. In September the families celebrated a traditional Lugbara wedding. Over two thousand guests came!
Are you curious to know what the students’ daily life is like at Kingsway? Believe it or not, wake-up time is 4 AM, well before dawn, and math practice comes even before breakfast.
Your ongoing monthly support allows Kingsway to transform many more lives. The school has a long list of needy applicants who they are unable to enroll. These children may lose their only opportunity to get an education.
