End of the UCBC School Year

Preparing the grounds

It's a cool morning here in Beni. The city is just beginning to wake up. But there are workers, cooks, students, staff and family members of the UCBC community who have already been up for some time. Some have stayed up all night. Today is UCBC's 2nd graduation. UCBC has been a busy place these last weeks. Exams and deliberations, preparations for the General Assembly (Congolese board),and preparations for graduation for graduation have consumed time and focus.

And more preparations

UCBC is like any other school when it comes to graduation preparations. Grounds people have been busy cutting, trimming, and weeding, painting and cleaning. Faculty and staff have been correcting exams, organizing logistics, writing and practicing speeches, assembling awards and diplomas, and confirming invitations and seating arrangements. At 8:00 pm last evening, people were still the setting up sound equipment and chairs. Remember…there is no exterior campus lighting. Cooks worked through the night preparing food for the celebration. 

The General Assembly (GA) concluded its work yesterday afternoon. We met for three very productive days. The primary order of business was working through the CI-UCBC 5-year strategic plan. There was excellent discussion, learning, some adjustments and additions, and all-in-all a thoughtful process with God's hand at work.

GA members at work

One of the questions the leadership asked the GA to consider during its review of the strategic plan was, "Do the objectives and activities take into account the protection of the environment, protection of children, and equality of gender." As a result of that question, we decided to specifically articulate two new objectives (not the correct language, but here's the essence): (1) to be intentional in seeking out qualified women to fill teaching and administrative positions; (2) to employ universal design techniques in our building and landscaping to allow full accessibility to all people, regardless of age or ability; (3) to demonstrate environmental stewardship in our building and landscaping. These are important and unique intentions for this context. Men dominate the landscapes of teaching and leadership in Congo. Men hold the positions of pastors, administrators, mayors, parliamentarians, university personnel. Yet, CI-UCBC is a holistic answer to the challenges and opportunities of Congo. We have a 40/60 female/male student ratio. We are eager to bring more women into the classroom as teachers and into the offices as administrators, not only as examples to our students, but to encourage the creativity that comes from diversity. There is more to say about this topic, of course...but, I was glad we had this conversation!

The General Assembly

Articulating commitments to accessibility and environmental stewardship is also significant and unique to CI-UCBC. For the most part, people who are not able-bodied are stigmatized in this region. People with physical disabilities are shunned from the community, excluded from education opportunities, ignored for leadership positions, and often left without any means for their own support and care. Sadly, many people suffer physical disabilities simply because of lack of medical care that would otherwise prevent or correct matters that become life-long burdens. One of our own beloved GA members, Pastor Peter Amani, a wise, joyful, bright, compassionate elder, suffered the amputation of his leg after an otherwise minor and treatable wound resulted in infection and nerve damage. That CI-UCBC proclaims all as members of the body, and that CI-UCBC is going to be intentional in all of its practices to include, invite, make accessible its facilities and programs is yet another beacon of light in the region and the nation.

DRC is rich in natural resources. But those resources are being exploited in ways that damage communities, individuals, and the environment. From the beginning, CI-UCBC has envisioned as fully-sustainable and green a campus as possible. Now we have articulated that in our strategic plan. We recently received the full report and plans from eMi that will direct our campus development. In that plan are recommendations for a hybrid power system that includes solar, hydro, and biogas. There are also recommendations regarding building orientations to take advantage of sunlight (of which we have plenty) and natural breezes. But what makes this unique is that these practices are not part of local culture. In an area with seemingly endless supplies of water and trees, people use without consideration of future needs. These practices are no different from what the majority world has modeled over the last couple of centuries. We decimated forests in the name of progress and polluted our watercourses because there were plenty of streams and rivers and lakes. The same occurs here. That CI-UCBC is making a stand and setting a different example is yet another light.

But back to graduation...It's today. And there's great excitement. "To God be the glory."