May: Done with First of Three Terms
The academic year at Kingsway runs between February and December, and has three trimesters with breaks in May and August. Once again this year they have full dorms and about 100 students, which is double what they had only a few years ago.
A New Kitchen, For the Time Being
In January break there was a real emergency – the kitchen 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! 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.
They quickly built a replacement before students arrived. It’s better but still very basic, and school inspectors said that while this is OK for the short term, they need to build a real kitchen at some point, preferably with a dining area where students can eat. Students now eat outside or in a dorm or classroom. For more details, see this blog.
Student in Focus: Gift Vivian Naigulu
Vivian is a new student at Kingsway this year, in Senior 5. Vivian wants to become a journalist and is currently taking history, economics, geography, and entrepreneurship.
One challenge for her is that she has a disability. She is totally deaf in one ear and partially hears in the other ear. Despite this, she is refreshingly full of life and optimistic.
Bullying is common in high schools in Uganda, especially of students who have a disabilities. It’s wonderful to hear Vivian say that there is no bullying at Kingsway. The student body is so close-knit that it fosters fellowship among the students. This is the testimony of a truly Christian school.
On a sad note, Vivian is an orphan who has no parents. She lives with her grandmother in the village. We are excited to be able to give Vivian an education which she would not have without the benefit of a Kingsway scholarship.
One of the most exciting things for her is the Christian life she has found at Kingsway and the way she has been impacted by the Bible. Vivian is now born again and experiencing the joy that is found in Christ Jesus. Vivian says, “I did not know who God is, but Kingsway has taught me about God.”
News about Kingsway’s Staff
Last year Milly’s daughter Comfort married one of Kingsway’s teachers, Ivan. This was a time of great joy for the whole school, and the students provided live music for the wedding.
As is the way things naturally go, Comfort became pregnant soon after the wedding. (Ugandans see children as a blessing and let conception happen naturally.) As happy as this news is, she has had much difficulty with nausea and fatigue, and she is quite slim so she doesn’t have much extra weight to lose. Please pray for her! Comfort teaches several classes and leads chapel so she has many duties for Kingsway, so this is a struggle for all of Kingsway.
To lend an extra hand, Milly’s other daughter, Faith, has joined the staff at Kingsway a few days a week. She is acting as student counselor and helping write newsletters. (You will see her touch on your next email newsletter. )
Faith is enrolled online at Western Seminary in Holland, Michigan to get her Doctor of Ministry in Disability Studies. Her goal is to work as an advocate for the disabled in Uganda.
Progress on Kingsway’s Water Needs
Kingsway is happy to report that because of the assistance of Genesis Waters, a ministry that does water projects in Africa to serve Christian outreach, they finally have a functional well on campus that provides very clean, drinkable water (some of the best that they’ve found in East Africa!) Now, students don’t need to spend hours walking 2 km everyday to fetch water. This was a huge amount of time that can now be used for better purposes.
They have now constructed a building around the well for security, with a solar panel on the roof to provide electricity to the pump motor. (More details and pictures in this blog post.)
They are hoping to provide water to all the buildings on campus some day, but for now just two dorms and the kitchen will have their own supply. They are building a tower for the water tank and installing piping right now. It will be a huge improvement in life quality when it is finished. Praise the Lord!
For the rest of our recent news, see our blog posts .
Daily Life at Kingsway
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.
We’ve posted a blog to show you what it’s like.
Our Ongoing Concern: Applicants Turned Away
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.
Check out Kingsway’s Wish List