2006 Aeri and Ben dedicate their wedding
gifts towards Youth & Child Visionary Ministries (YCVM), the organization
birthed to carry forth Silver’s vision, providing seed money to buy land for
the future school. Others follow suit in the next few years: Dustin &
Valene (wedding), Popo Margaret (birthdays), Leo & Helena (Popo May’s
funeral).
2008 CCUMC as a body formally declares a
mission partnership with YCVM. Foundation is laid for the future school.
2009 CCUMC sends 8 people on a Volunteers
in Mission (VIM) trip to Kumi, Uganda where they meet the members of YCVM, hear
for themselves about this vision for a school, and pitch in with bricks,
mortar, and steel as the school building begins to take shape. The trip
invigorates CCUMC’s involvement.
2010 CCUMC holds its first “Kumi Benefit
Dinner” raising money to continue construction. The benefit dinner becomes an
annual happening.
2012 Doors, ceilings, windows, and walls
are added to the school building.
2013 Kitchen and 2 latrine buildings are
built. CCUMC hosts its first ever “Mission Exchange,” bringing Rev. Martin Odi,
longtime chair of YCVM’s Board, to the Bay Area.
2014 Kumi Christian Visionary School (KCVS)
opens its doors in February with 1 student! CCUMC sends its 2nd VIM team,
including members of Chinese Com-munity Church (CCC) in San Diego.
Today KCVS has over 200 students, 12
teachers/staff, and 3 nursery and 7 primary grade levels in operation. Praise
God!
The Future Following God’s lead, we anticipate
more wonderful things to happen!
Our
mission partnership with YCVM/KCVS is an ongoing one. Through it, we seek to
walk faithfully with God’s beloved in another part of the world, deepening our
understanding and practice of what it means to love and serve the world God
loves. It has not been without challenges: working with, communicating with,
trusting others who are radically different than ourselves in a completely new
cultural context is not easy. We are learning together! You are invited to
participate in today’s lunchtime Mission Partnership Report Back where all
questions are welcomed as we discern God’s guidance and movement together.