Site
Contents
 |
General Information about the Area Office
North Indiana Conference Office
South Indiana Conference Office
Prayer Guides
(Courtesy of the NIC Prayer Team)
Area United Methodist
Foundation
For resources to assist your congregation in welcoming guests,
click here
Seashore District Volunteer Center VIM project -- Completed
Hoosier United Methodist News Archives
| Hoosier United Methodist News |
April 2001 |
Operation Classroom report:
What's behind, what's ahead:
A view through O.C.'s looking glass
By Mary Sue Best
Hoosier UM News correspondent
To upgrade United Methodist schools in West Africa and enable them to become self-sufficient was Operation Classroom's original goal. Though much has been accomplished, much remains to be done. Groundwork on projects began before the two civil wars devastated Liberia and Sierra Leone in the 1990s. Now all are coping with the aftermath, with an average per capita annual income of $157.
Education is a major concern of parents, youth and the church. In Liberia, the UM Church has over 100 schools, but only six or seven are secondary. In Sierra Leone, there are 200 primary and 20 secondary schools. Schools are totally inadequate, many have closed, many have not reopened following the conflict. Both countries depend on The United Methodist Church and others for educational opportunities.
And so O.C. looks ahead. A classroom and auditorium have been completed recently at W.V.S. Brumskine school in Buchanan; while Tubman Gray school, Ganta school and College of West Africa (a secondary school) undergo major repairs.
Not as much progress is evident in Sierra Leone, as rebel forces control much of the country, even sites where Koidu, Jaiama and Makeni O.C. schools are. But classes are being held at Bo, Baoma, and Fergusson in Moyamba. With help from former Sierra Leonese, O.C. has aided in one major renovation at Albert Academy. Its principal, Albert Kawa, said in a recent letter, "I wish you were here . to witness for yourselves what God has been able to do for us. Our dreams some nine months ago which looked like a fairy tale have become a reality.. We all need to thank God for these wonderful achievements. However, the renovation is not complete."
In contrast, the frustration of T.D. Yamba, the Koidu principal, displaced for two and a half years but still eager, has been witnessed in Freetown, as he has been unsuccessful in locating a site for a school for displaced persons.
Many major and minor repairs are needed. Buildings need renovation. New furniture, books and library supplies are needed. And though the costs and available labor determine what gets done, for whom, and by when, UM members know that while education is expensive, ignorance is even more costly.
West African parents have shown themselves willing to make sacrifices for their children. And O.C. can assure them of support as we continue to furnish YES (student supply) kits and ET (refugee) kits. An estimated total of 5,900 YES (school) kits are needed -- now!
Sierra Leone Bishop J.C. Humper has stated, "Our people have not given up, because God is in charge." The Lord's presence and guidance are evident in the Bible classes, chapel exercises, and opening prayers in the separate classrooms. The eagerness for more trained teachers has been evident through O.C. scholarships. The Bishop continues, "I am grateful, for the continued support and for all O.C. partners."
Through the partnerships with churches and individuals, Christians can continue to be bright beacons of hope for the two struggling countries.
For more information about
Operation Classroom
contact the Wagners at 765.324.2556; fax: 765.324.2686;
e-mail: Joe Wagner or Carolyn Wagner.
Check out the Operation
Classroom Web site
Last updated January 14, 2004