Kyogyera Father Paul Jeffries is Principal of Bishop McAllister College .
Bishop Gerald McAllister & his wife Helen
NEWS FROM UGANDA!
NOVEMBER 2008
Dear Friends,
Greetings from Uganda! After a wonderful trip to Canada I arrived safely back in Uganda on October 24th to find the rainy season in full force, and it hasn’t stopped yet. It was very welcome some months ago, but now we are all longing for a change.
I arrived back at school on the 26th to a wonderful welcome by the staff and students. I was met at the gate by senior staff and a senior one student where I was presented with a vase of “flowers”, and officially welcome by the school band with the “general salute” following which the band led the way to the chapel for prayers while on the way I was greeted and welcomed by students and staff. Following prayers of thanksgiving for my safe journey and a beautiful song sung by the choir, it was off to lunch in my compound. It truly was a very moving and touching welcome, after being away so long. It left me with a tremendous sense of how much I’m loved and appreciated by the students and staff. Of course such a wonderful home coming could not be complete without a soccer match for the afternoon’s entertainment. Our team played the nearby Ankole Western Institute, who’s Principal is also another Canadian, The Rev. Carolyn Langford. We won the match (4-0) which was a great conclusion to a wonderful day.
(Welcome back!) (A feast for all!) (Canadian Principals wishing the teams good luck)
After such a wonderful welcome it was a quick plunge back into the busy life of the school first thing the next morning. Jet lag and climate change left me a bit tired for a few days but it eventually passed. The biggest challenge was when I learned that the Principals 10 km Challenge needed to take place within 4 or 5 days in order for the best to meet the registration deadline for the national 10k run in Kampala. I new I would never be ready but was prepared to give it my best shot. The challenge was a great success with 41 students and 18 staff participating. It was a tough race, but a lot of fun. Nov 19 of us are preparing for the 10k run in Kampala on Nov. 23rd.
(We are off again!) (Principal with the best five runners)
School life goes well. Senior Fours apart from computer students have finished their national exams and have begun their long vacation. Today senior six have begun their national exams. For the rest of us the school term is also quickly approaching the end.
We are busy preparing for my Service of Thanksgiving on Nov. 26th, for 10 wonderful years here at Bishop McAllister College. The planning committee consisting of staff, students and members of the community are all busy organizing. It will be a wonderful occasion to finish the term and end of school year.
We now have a new website www.bishopmcallistercollege.net which is under construction. It is a learning curve, and we hope to keep improving. We invite you to keep checking us out as we continue to add pages and updates. Full size photos of those in the newsletter are now available there. Many thanks to Canon Jim Irvine who so many years has kept our site running. We are so grateful for all his efforts on our behalf.
I had a wonderful visit at home. It was so great to see so many of you and update you on what God is doing here at the school. We continue to be so grateful for all your prayers and support, and pray that God will richly bless you also.
Please continue to keep us in your prayers. Special prayer requests are
- Join us as we continue in giving thanks for all of God’s blessings at Kyogyera.
- Pray for the Senior Six students as they now sit national exams, that they may have peace of mind and good health throughout.
- Pray for all those preparing to travel to Kampala to participate in the 10k race, especially that they may have a safe journey.
- Pray for us especially on Nov. 23rd when we gather for a special service of thanksgiving, celebrating how richly God has blessed us!
You are also in our prayers.
God Bless!
Paul