TEE Programme in Uganda

It all began in Kakuma Refugee Camp, North Eastern Kenya where most of the people did not have future plans or dreams to follow. A few who made use of their time then are now helpful. When the Theological Education by Extension program reached Kakuma under the auspice of New Sudan Council of Churches (NSCC) in late 1998, it was sought to be a window of learning the ways of God. I was too registered with Sudan Interior Mission church. Evangelist Daniel Yor Akech, (now the Commission of Melut County) was our TEE Tutor. A deep sense of desiring to learn theology became stronger I was able to consistently read the materials assigned and attend TEE group discussions for two years.

TEE is a programme that was designed to train the church workers especially the lay and those who feel led to pursue ordination (TEE programme is not a qualification for ordination). It was designed in a way that bridges the church workers with theological colleges. In this case, Bishop Gwynne College (BGC) is a place where previously trained church workers would come to do more studies to be ordained.

It is a right time to engage our church leaders with the TEE programme especially those who are in living in the refugee camps and other parts of Uganda. Our church workers are less engaged in anything else, they can be engaged positively through TEE programme.

With the help of the Revd. Andrew Wheeler, and George Kimani, TEE Course syllabus had been developed to suit the needs of our church workers just as they follow:

1. Introduction to the Old Testament
2. Introduction to the New Testament
3. Evangelism and Mission
4. Church in Sudanese History
5. Church in Action; in the context of Acts of Apostles
6. Life of Christ, according to the Gospel of Mark
7. Sin and Salvation
8. Our African Heritage
9. Islam.

We have laid out the programme in the following cycle of activities in Phase 1:

PHASE 1

Activity 1

The first phase is fortnight training of 18 tutors from 16^th to 27^th January 2017 if all goes as planned.

Activity 2

After their training (tutors), each will start registering their church workers in their camps for classes to commence right then. The mode of learning would be each TEE participant will take home a book with containing week lessons (with maximum of 4 to 5 lessons) before he/she attends a group discussion (led by one of the tutors we have just trained).

Activity 3

The purpose for TEE training as it was designed is to prepare those who will do further theological education in places like Bishop Gwynne College. With a few training we conducted the church among the refugees in Uganda, some have already picked interest to join BGC. That means the TEE programme helps the church in both ways, first, it fans a desire in individuals to do further theological training and in this case, I am a living example of that. After finishing my TEE programme in the year 1999, it developed in me a real burning desire to do more theological training and God orchestrated it, and secondly, the church workers will effectively serve even if some wouldn’t make it further. TEE programme will boost their serving capacity to be licensed as lay readers, evangelists, teachers in their local capacity. 
 

PHASE 2

Phase 2 will shortly come along as we wait for new arrangements being done by the province of the Episcopal Church of South Sudan. New internal ECSS Provinces are now being inaugurated. So far, we have Western Equatoria (based in Yambio), Lakes (based in Rumbek), and Jonglei Provinces (Bor). Our leadership in the college will engage with the offices of the Archbishops of Internal Provinces to chart TEE programmes forward.

APPEAL

An appeal for funding to the tune of USD 16,200 was launched in January 2017.