| LitNet! News Blog July 2010 |
| posted by Sharyn and David Curtis on 2010-07-20 11:56:22 |
| |
Dear Family and Friends,
So much news, so little space….
It’s been a busy month for LitNet! on both sides of the ocean!
The eagle and the tortoise from our School in a Briefcase curriculum represent points of view: the eagle’s perspective is the big picture; the tortoise shows us perseverance….the place where vision meets the road. We have a lot to report from both points of view.
Here in the U.S., we spent two weeks reconnecting with family in the Midwest, enjoying time with our son Aaron and his wife Alison in Minnesota, David’s mom in Illinois, and Sharyn’s parents in Nebraska. The hours were too short (though sweet), and the miles are too long that separate us from our loved ones.
David is making a slow, complicated recovery from surgery that was done the end of April. His stamina is returning, but summer projects and recreational plans have been curtailed a bit. We have enjoyed the more relaxed schedule, time to grow a garden, and opportunities to catch up on a few minor home improvements.
We’ve been reading a book called Revolution in World Missions by K.P. Yohannan, a visioneer from India. His “eagle’s perspective” is that the role of missionaries from the West has changed in what he calls the Two-Thirds World nations. National missionaries should shoulder the responsibility for obtaining and carrying out vision, and our role should be more of supporting that vision (with finances, prayers, and tactical support). This book was first published in 1986, just about the time we began a relationship with Uganda. His viewpoint reinforces the work we have set ourselves to do since that time. PTL.
Sometimes the going gets tough, both here and abroad. In Maya, Uganda,Pastor Eugene was to have seen groundbreaking for his new school this month.
Complicated circumstances beyond his control have delayed those plans once again. Sigh. Many times we have sung the SIAB tortoise song with Eugene:
“The tortoise walks a slow, slow pace. Slow and steady wins the race.”
National news reports from Uganda this month have been alarming. Terrorist bombings and threats have rocked many parts of Kampala (Uganda’s capitol city). Annie tells us that public transport is dangerous at this time. Yet, our Uganda LitNet! team is engaged in its busiest travel schedule ever—and all of it is being done by public means.Reports from their trip to far southwestern Kabale July 11-14 were exciting. They were invited to ten different schools where teachers had received LitNet! training and SIAB materials. As they observed teaching practices and assessed children's’ progress, they were pleased with what they found. Annie is on the lookout for likely LitNet! Teacher Trainers that could conduct SIAB seminars in this region (as Juliet and Catherine are doing in Mbale).
As this newsletter is being written, our faithful teacher trainers are catching their breath (and catching up on household business) before heading upcountry again July 22-24, to a teach in a village called Mubende.
Then, on July 30, Annie, Eugene, and Bibian are scheduled to take a bus to Nairobi: our first foray into Kenya. This teacher training seminar was made possible through Sports Outreach, an invaluable ministry contact which sponsored the team’s successful time in Gulu earlier this year. We are hoping this will prove to be a successful vision transplant!
Somehow, between trips, Annie and Eugene managed to attend a Leadership Training, and Annie made arrangements with our printer in Kampala to publish another 100 copies of East African Alphabet Animal Stories. This new addition will include a CD of the LitNet! songs which accompany each story (an improvement over audio cassette tapes). After the Kenya trip, we will print an additional 100 sets of the School in a Briefcase curriculum, as well. Whew!
In August, Annie will refocus her energies to prepare for the opening of “Rainbow House”, her new daycare and someday nursery school. Our friend Maryetta Beebe from Kalispell will be joining her in October and staying for three months to help with details, and to supply encouragement. Hopefully, Eugene and his wife Florence will be operating a brand new school in Maya by then, too. Maryetta has her work cut out for her; she has purchased her ticket, and she is excited about this grand adventure.
Meanwhile, we are closer to our goal of making SIAB teaching materials available online. East African Alphabet Animal Stories made it there in May (perhaps you have a friend or two who would like a copy). Visit the LitNet! website listed below.
Be blessed and refreshed; enjoy some rest from your journey!
David and Sharyn
David and Sharyn Curtis
LitNet!
P.O. Box 913
Kalispell MT 59903
|
| |
|
| May/June LitNet! News |
| posted by Sharyn Curtis on 2010-05-29 20:44:17 |
| |
Dear Family and Friends,
www.litnet.info
That’s the exciting news for this month. Please check out the new look and new features
offered on our LitNet! website.
Last month, we highlighted the LitNet! team at work in Uganda. Many of you were kind to comment on the wonderful work they are doing. Thank you for that encouragement.
This month, the spotlight is on some people who work behind the scenes to make LitNet! successful...people like Nini Welch.
Nini has been one of David’s and Sharyn’s dear friends since our kids were young. She is a computer guru and military wife who lives in Colorado. Nini came to our rescue when we first began talking about creating a LitNet! website. She secured our original website account, has maintained that site, and has acted as computer consultant to support LitNet! in a unique and valuable way.
The dynamic new look of is due to the gifted efforts of another family. Our precious friends Aaron and Pam Thorson are remote members of the LitNet! Board of Trustees. They offer valuable counsel and prayer support for major decisions that guide LitNet! Kevin and brother Daniel create amazing computer animated videos at their home studio. Their sister Grace just completed her training in website design, and added to our new look.
Thanks to Kevin’s efforts, the storybook/Children’s Sunday School & outreach Curriculum is now available for purchase online at the website address. He
successfully navigated the mysteries of installing Pay Pal; purchases can
now be made securely. This is the first step in achieving our dream of
making School in a Briefcase available worldwide, and creating another
source of funding for the literacy work being done in Africa by LitNet!
There’s an exciting story about the soon-to-be king David in the Old Testament
(I Samuel 30). David and his men had successfully pursued a raiding party, recovering wives, family, and stolen goods. A number of their forces had remained behind with the supplies, and a few troublemakers didn’t want to share the booty with them. David established a policy at that time that became binding in Israel:
“The share of the man who stayed with the supplies is to be the same
as that of him who went down to the battle. All will share alike.”
This was the man who had been the young shepherd ordered to stay behind with the sheep while his brothers were invited to celebrate with the prophet Samuel, and again when they went to battle against the Philistine forces. His passion had been tempered with obedience and a sense of duty.
David’s ordinance is a favorite reminder for missionaries as well as soldiers and CEO’s. There is a team behind those on the front lines. Our LitNet! team is made up of friends, relatives, colleagues and associates. You range in age from mid-twenties to mid-nineties; you are married and single, and you live in Alaska, Washington, Oregon, California, Idaho, Montana, Colorado, Nebraska, Illinois, Minnesota, Czech Republic, Indonesia, Nepal, and China, as well as Uganda.
Thank you sincerely. Rest assured that you share in the rewards as we move into this new phase of growth for LitNet!
Due to a full schedule for the Curtises in June, news for that month will be posted on the website as a blog/memo. Our next LitNet! Newsletter will be in July. We have exciting events to report about Uganda! Stay tuned...
Blessings,
David and Sharyn
David and Sharyn Curtis
LitNet!
P.O. Box 913
Kalispell MT 59903
|
| |
|
| LitNet! News Blog April 2010 |
| posted by Sharyn and David Curtis on 2010-04-21 00:00:00 |
| |
Dear Family and Friends,
This month, we want to let the LitNet! Uganda team “speak” for themselves. In this newsletter we’re printing excerpts from the March Monthly Report and recent email.
The centerpiece of March’s activities was a day’s bus journey to the North of Uganda. The team spent a week in the Gulu area conducting seminars and doing follow-up visits to schools where teachers had been trained last year. Photos were part of the Report.
“We traveled to Gulu on (March) 17 and began training on 18 for three days. It was really amazing the way these people enjoyed and loved learning. Fourteen teachers attended from four different schools. The Sports Outreach ministry coordinated the work shop; they took good care of us. The workshop was conducted at Lagutu Day Care Center, 17km from Gulu town. Sports Outreach transported us in their van for four days, and they also provided lunch. They really took good care of us.... The whole exercise ended very well…”
“Thirteen teachers got certificates. We made a raffle which they enjoyed much; five Briefcases (LitNet! School in a Briefcase curriculum packs) were taken and one donated to the host school.
“...Today has been our Day 3 SIAB (LitNet! School in a Briefcase) training, we did have a good time with the team. Teachers have stories to tell, very touching stories! These teachers have different standards of living compared to the normal one. In teaching Strategies there is a part where we talk about the battle Field and the sitting room!!! For them they do not know a sitting room because they do not have one; they are instead familiar with a battle field. Anyway, it was good.. They enjoyed the raffle draw; it was fun and interesting. It was a miracle to them: they expressed joy by jumping and some crying. We have made friends…”(this from an email Annie sent during the trip)
“They also suggested that more training should be given to them in order to master very well the SIAB and at least to be monitored three times a year. They however say that SIAB has done a lot to improve on the children’s Skills of reading and writing. The Stories, letter formation and sounds are of great importance to them…”
“We also did Follow –ups in Pabo, S and J Primary School, Frorah Nursery and Primary School , God’s Glory Nursery and Primary School. The Schools in Pabo were Victor Bran Nursery and St Mary’s Rescue Nursery School... according to our findings it indicated to us that the majority of the teachers were still using the Briefcase materials. We also found out that in S and J nursery, the teachers had left the School and they had no one on the staff that was trained. They however showed interest for us to go and train them this year. We told them that we will communicate as soon as possible…”
“We also did two follow-ups, in Gulu DC (Deliverance Church) and Gateway Church. We were very much encouraged to see that the teachers were using the AAS (LitNet! Alphabet Animal Stories)…”
“Bibian taught the children, to check whether they were familiar with the Alphabet Animal Stories; it was very interesting and fun. …”
We are so impressed with the vitality, competence, and commitment of our Uganda team. They have caught the vision, and are moving forward!
Blessings,
David and Sharyn
|
| |
| www.litnet.info |
|
