Staff Orientation

CSB starts our 9th school year on Feb. 5th. We have 25 Ugandan staff who will be involved in a staff orientation seminar prior to the opening of school. Just this week, in fact. The topic for this year is "Business as usual or moving forward?" Other than the basics of lesson preparation, modification and evaluation, Kevin will be focusing on how our staff's view of God impacts their teaching. For example (from Kev's notes):

Let's begin with a discussion on our view of God using two viewpoints:

1. He is distant and uninvolved, someone we go to when we are in need, someone we have to beg, manipulate and convince with many words to grant our request. We are dependent on Him and desperate for His help, but He remains apart from us except when we approach Him ever so fearfully for His assistance. Whenever He decides to help us (because of our own goodness, humility, or sacrifice) He sends us a word, knowledge, or material blessing and then resumes His place of distance.

2. He is present among us and wants to be in relationship with us. He is ever ready to communicate with us, not one-way and from a distance, but real, personal communication. He wants us to speak to Him and He wishes to speak to us. Our god is a personal God who engages us and is involved in all aspects of our lives. He doesn't so much want to give us things as He wants to give us Himself, and in so doing we are transformed.

Our viewpoint, whichever of the two we tend towards, also affects our view of the role of a schoolteacher. Which one will we be to our students? Will we be distant, imparting knowledge from on high, the voice of authority, teaching our lessons and then withdrawing to the safety of our own world? Or will we be really present with our students, not only teaching them their academic lessons, but being involved in all aspects of their lives: guiding, helping, demonstrating, leading, celebrating, mourning, communicating and finally being an agent of transformation?

Would you pray with us, for our staff and for ourselves that these challenges would go deep into our hearts this coming year? We have the opportunity to hang out with and influence 300 young people. What a blessing, and what a challenge. Pray that we at CSB would be faithful. Please pray for us to draw closer to the Lord as we step out in faith and discipleship.