Further updates for BGC Prayer Partners

Dear Prayer Partners,

Thank you for your prayers which continue to bear fruit for BGC.

• The college remains among the poorest among colleges of tertiary education in Africa. But we have come a long long way from 2008 and the trend is still upwards despite all the problems in South Sudan. We give thanks for all of this.

• Give thanks for the arrival of computers for the students at the college. The first we have had since the college re-opened in 2010. Pray that we can now get connected in some way. Internet connectivity is important but very expensive.
  

• All went well for the final exams which finished earlier this month. All the students have now gone home - or at least to wherever they can find to be. We await the results which will not be published until the end of September. The graduation for those who have completed there three year diploma will be on 25th October 2014. Some of these students began in a foundation year in 2010 and have been at BGC four years. We give thanks for their commitment though tough times and their generous sponsors.

• The Principal, Samuel, has just had a two week holiday with his wife in Uganda and is now back at the college overseeing ...

• The completion of the library and foundation works to hold back the variable river that is constantly breaking down the bank. 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

• The neighbouring hotel has given a substantial sum which has been allocated to building a guest house for visiting lecturers and college supporters. Here is Samuel's email:

Dear Canon Trevor,

Greetings to you once again in Christ's name. I hope this email finds you well with Tina and your mother.

We are also doing well.

By God's grace, I came back from Uganda through Kenya as I mentioned it to you in my last email.

School is closed [for the recess] and we still have final touches on the library work but we are done with more basic stuffs. As you can see on the photos attached; the shelves are already in their places including the counter at the library reception. The white stripe you can see from the bases of shelves are aluminum fixed there to protect them from the water or moisture. You will see the details of these when you come to us. All these works including the labour has cost us $9,300. We thank God to find such skillful carpenter who did this great job.

Secondly, the river behind us has been causing us trouble for a couple of years now. There has been an erosion and that has taken off almost two metres from our land. In consultation with our chairman of BGC council, we released 54, 000 SSP ($11,134) from guest house project to make gabion or dyke to protect our land from this fast moving erosion. The work is still underway but I took these photos for you at least to have an idea of what we are doing here. We are going to anchor metal fence on the dyke to keep strangers off from the college.

Third, I have asked John Jal, one of the students who finished this semester to help our librarian. The purpose of this is that, I did not want him to go back to UNMISS' harsh living.

Thanks so much and God's blessings

Rev. Samuel G. Marial, BA, MAR, STM.
Principal,
Bishop Gwynne College

• The next event scheduled for the college is a short course for the training of pastors in peace and reconciliation work. Please pray for this.
  

• New applicants are due to sit the entrance exam in the middle to July. Your are prayers needed. May they be able to travel, do well and then get the money to come.

Thank you all so much for your prayers,
Trevor