Sponsorship Update

When we left Zambia, Rajiv Siamweela, a sponsored student at GBCC, took over the communication and recordkeeping duties for the sponsorship program. Rajiv recently compiled a sponsorship newsletter to be sent out, and I think you'll agree he did an excellent job.

Outreach activities

Outreach activities have been taking place since the inception of the mission. Like in the past terms, sponsored pupils have been very much involved in this term’s outreach activities. On one Sunday I remember seeing almost all the boys leaving the school campus for outreaches to different places.

A New Outreach Wing Emerges

Through his blessings and his spirit, God has brought up another outreach wing called “A Preacher and His Work”. It is basically a group composed of about ten blessed, talented, and energetic men of God who are 1^st year students at the college. These men set off for outreaches every Sunday using the CDP (Church Development Program) vehicles and at times on foot.

“ A Preacher and His Work” has done more than just ministering in churches. This year, the Namwianga community has recorded three deaths within a short period of time. It was a hard time, but through the help of these men and the pupils at the Secondary School, things became much easier. They helped to dig the graves, put up shelters for mourners, gave messages of encouragement, and sang. They worked tirelessly at will and not out of command. They are such a wonderful blessing to the community that has come as a gift from our God.

A Former Sponsored College Student Gives Thanks

Thinking that Mrs. Gregersen was still around, Fay Sianjina, a former sponsored student who graduated from GBCC, traveled all the way from her village to come and express how grateful she is for the sponsorship that helped her go through college education successfully. After finding out that Mrs. Gregersen had left a long time ago, she gave me these words to send to the sponsors:

“What I don’t have are better words to use, but using these that are available,

I want to say thank you very much for helping me go to school by paying

for my school fees. Truly I wouldn’t have made it on my own. I am really

grateful for the good work you have done in my life. May the good Lord

richly bless you all. “

Taking a lead in academics

Each and every brand new year that comes there are quite a number of school activities that are scheduled. Just like in the previous years, this year’s calendar shows various activities like Sports, JETS (Junior Engineers, Technicians, and Scientists), and Debate.

All these activities come in the form of competitions amongst schools within and at times outside the region. On the 4^th of June 2010, a district level JETS fair was held at Namwianga Christian Secondary School. In the fair, sponsored pupils represented the school in the categories of projects, paper presentations, and olympiads.

Patricia Machelele, Eugene Kaango, Sebby Siabaswi and Roy Moono are some of the pupils who participated in the fair, and they made the school proud. To be specific, Eugene, Roy, and Sebby sat for Olympiads in sciences and they topped at the school level. At the District level, Roy is on the second position while Eugene and Sebby are on the fifth position in the entire District. What a wonderful performance.

Patricia’s case is a distinctive one. She was in the projects category in village development section. Her project is an interesting one. She made an effective pesticide that can cost a farmer in the village not even a single coin. She is ranked first position at school level and also at District level, and ranked third position in the entire southern region.

Current Affairs

On the 9^th of July this year, the blessings of the living God fell on Namwianga Christian Secondary School when the Copperbelt Energy Corporation Plc (Private Stakeholder) donated a good number of computers to the school. This company is headed by Mr. Sindowe who is the PTA chairperson of the school. On the same occasion, the company also donated a huge sum of money amounting to ZMK75,000,000.00 which is equivalent to about $15,000.

In her speech on this occasion, Mrs. Ellie Hamby thanked the company for the assistance rendered in providing resources to the school. She also encouraged other private sectors to come on board and help in developing the school in various sections.

The College Kitchen Gets Close to Completion

The college kitchen which has been under construction since some time last year is now close to its last stages of construction. The kitchen is an extension of an already existing building that is going to be modernized by putting in electric cooking pots. Currently the outdoor kitchen cooks meals in iron pots over wood burning fires.

This development has brought joy to the students who have expressed their feelings towards the building in different ways. Student Body President Miller Muwelya says that he can’t wait for the day when the kitchen will be completed and in use. Still other students have said that the building is going to change the face of the college, and that they really want it to be in use before they complete their three years at the college.