It was an eventful week on our active hill near the shores of Lake Victoria.  Way too many quizzes to grade, and too little time to prep for lectures!  Classes are getting interesting as students ask the hard questions.....both a challenge and an encouragement to us!  The thinking process is in high gear.  Analysis to come next...I hope!  The most significant event that I experienced was not in the classroom, though.  I oversee 5 main teams that do outreach into Kampala.  The team that I went with this week was what we call, "The Street".  Basically, it's a focus on...

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       I won't claim to entertain like the Prairie Home Companion.  Keillor can keep his job.  Mine for the present is that ever present task of managing the impossible....TIME.  At about this point in every semester I find myself managing energy to make time more efficient.  "Do I dare take a 15 minute power nap....?"    And so goes the quest to be effective and efficient.  My world is the ever present and humbling scramble to present lecture material well, and the time to think through the issues that are important.  Rambling on is pointless when the precious student is...

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..Or the Bang happened and now we're off!  After a year in the US, we're finally returning to Uganda!  It is a welcome return!  A return to our calling, our passion, and our routine.  The routine is one of the key things that we miss!  We have enjoyed seeing family, friends and supporters, and now we very much wish to return to the life we know and love.  It will be especially hard to say goodbye to "Opa" Schimke, but we'll stay in contact closely!     Ah yes,....that "bang" thing....  We were aware of such a possibility, but it still is...

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Greetings from the good 'ole USA!!!  That's new to us, at least.  Oh, and Happy 4th of July!  We typically go to the American Recreation Association in Kampala, Uganda on the Sunday closest to the 4th for a wonderful BBQ & Fireworks display.  This year, however, we get to go to a Ranch Rodeo in Colo. Springs at the Penrose Center where my youngest brother, Kenny Yoder, is competing with a team of fellow cowboys in the events of the night.  Should be a great time and something our kids will remember for a long time, too.We are also now...

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Spiritual Emphasis Week (March 2009):For the week of March 23rd, we were tremendously blessed on ABU campus to host Dr. Dominic Aquila and Dr. Mike Ross as speakers to the student body.  Each year in the Spring, students, faculty & staff take a week off from normal classwork and receive food for the soul as we sit under teaching from guest speakers, have group and individual prayer times, and focus on our walk with God in a specific way.  It was really a joy to see Dr. Aquila, from our own home church, and to be able to host him...

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Nairobi is a fast and happening place to be, with big malls and Super-stores that would rival any US shopping encounter.  Hard to believe what I saw or that I was still in Africa while in the middle of one of these large mall areas to get just a few small things before Ana's surgery.  Fortunately, our stay at the Mennonite Guest House in Westlands was a calm, peaceful place of rest and proved just what we needed for the time we spent in Nairobi.  We were grateful for the advanced technology and expertise in the surgery realm this past week...

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Ana needs a second eye surgery, so she and I will be traveling to Nairobi, Kenya this coming Monday.  The surgeon is a specialist from Austria, and will be examining her on Tuesday morning and the surgery is scheduled for Wednesday morning.  This will only be on the bottom muscle of her left eye.  We hope and pray that this will be the end of needed surgeries for her eyes, but only God knows.  We are at peace with this and believe it will go well, but we earnestly seek your prayers that all will truly turn out for the...

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Sometimes we know it is difficult for you all to appreciate some of the unique aspects of ministry in a different culture. With that in mind, we are going to need to set this up a little bit to help you walk a mile in our shoes. Imagine being asked by your church to spend some time counseling a young married couple going through a season of trials. Both husband and wife find themselves in the pursuit of professional careers. As if that weren’t enough, they are struggling with their extended family, and even though they have been able up...

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The new semester is now in full-swing and we have nearly 80 students on campus this year from eight different African countries. For the first time since the University’s beginning, we offer courses for all four years of our degree program. It’s been exciting to behold the wide variety of courses and activities on our now very active campus. Lord willing, in May we will celebrate the accomplishments of the first graduates of African Bible University Uganda! This semester we have also welcomed new staff and faculty: Bentry Mhango, a graduate of ABC Malawi and Reformed Theological Seminary in Jackson,...

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Water quality is something of an issue on our campus and its purification is essential for our physical well-being. This month we hosted Pat Freeman from Mississippi who came at his own expense to install a campus-wide water treatment system for the benefit of having purified drinking water for entire student body. Praise God! Pat accomplished the installation in just ten days. While, we’re still figuring out the proper adjustments needed for adding the chlorine at appropriate times, (one of Kurt’s jobs now!), we are so very grateful for God’s provisions in this area. Boiling water for drinking for this...

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Kurt is busy teaching: Romans, Church History, and a newly re-vamped course about African Political & Religious History. In addition, he’s still in charge of the Outreach & Evangelism program that takes place on Thursday afternoons. Finally, a recent addition to his schedule involves teaching a College & Career-age Sunday school group through the book of Ruth at out church, Zana Community Presbyterian. Marlene, in addition to home schooling the little ones, teaches Speech Communication 1 and serves the student body as Dean of Women, a role which presents opportunities to engage in doing some counseling, too. It’s been a...

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We celebrated our 11th Anniversary on the 27th of September!  We have recently revamped our website, which you discovered if you clicked any of the links. Please take bookmark our site, www.kmschimke.org and let us know what you think!  From the mouths of our babes, from A to Z Ana prayed recently for her future husband: that he will go out into many places and tell others about Jesus. Where do kids come up with these crazy ideas? Don’t be surprised to hear this from a child though, as she often points out that one need not be an adult...

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This past month has been a real trial in the health of the Schimke kids.  It started out with Ana having a simple urinary tract infection that healed up slowly, but surely.  Then we were back to normal when... A MAJOR ordeal occurred with Nicholas swallowing a long, rubbery pencil grippy, vomiting it up, and then being kept overnight in the clinic to recover from that whole thing, including being put on oxygen, steroids to keep lungs open & clear, etc. etc.  Whew!  Been there, done that, don't want to go back again!  Nick did enjoy eating ice cream on...

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Well, this month marks our completion of two full years here in Uganda!  Isn't it hard to believe it's already been that long?  After about the first six months here, we were, in different ways, homesick and longing for the friends and family we'd left back in the US.  Having the opportunity to go back at Christmas time to see family after being here for a year and a half was exactly what we needed to refresh us for better service here.  Now we have another school year remaining before we return to the US for furlough when we'll get...

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Yes, this summer has been a time to rest a bit from the hectic teaching schedule and has included time to play around with the kids a lot more, too!  As you can see, the kids hate it when Daddy takes time to go wrestle & play ball on the front lawn with them! (ha!)  Nick is getting better at kicking a soccer ball, and the kids have all had fun flying kites and learning how to throw a Frisbee, as well as riding their bikes around the house.We try to set aside at least one whole day each month...

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Once again, I must face embarrassment and this blog.  The school term is over and now I can breathe some and begin to settle and set up for the fall.  Fall is a superimposed term here, for the seasons do not change.  For me though, my brain will ever be tied to a set of seasonal changes. One change is the chance to think over the curriculum rather than constantly be in panic for the next week or even the next lecture.  I am writing a course for African History that incorporates Christian and other religious systems into the flow...

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 Zoe had an extra special 7th birthday as she & Ana got to be flower girls for an Ugandan couple who got married this Saturday, June 14th.  The girls learned how to do the dance-like shuffle in procession with the wedding party by the end of the evening, too!  And they had a blast posing for the camera by the time photos were finished, too.  All in all, it was a very fun day.  It's definitely true, however, that the African's are event-oriented more than time-oriented.  Although the wedding service was supposed to begin at noon, the pastor showed up...

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OK, so maybe it has been awhile since you have seen her, but it should be obvious that Zoe is just hamming it up for you.   What is a day in the life like for Zoe?  Read on and find out!Zoe, like her name means, has a LOVE for LIFE!  Yes, in capital letters!  She's full of energy, laughter, and is a hopeless extrovert who's always ready to plan the next party.  While Rev. Tim & Cheri Hoke have been here, she's borrowed Tim's Texan hat and he's even let her put bows in his hair, too!  (Shhhh...don't tell!)One of...

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There is a longstanding group of motorcycle taxi’s in Uganda called Boda-boda’s.  Boda-boda stands for border to border, meaning that these bikers are found everywhere in Uganda, even on the highways.  They’re a unique group of outcasts, rejected much like prostitutes, with whom they often interact.  We have begun an outreach program to them in connection with our local church, Zana Community Presbyterian Church.  It involves developing relationship with these drivers on the street, inviting them to come to a school building where they get training in literacy & HIV sensitization and, of course, the gospel.  As a rejected class...

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Greetings dear friends!  It has been WAY too long since we posted anything here, but we are committed to changing that.  We are currently on Easter Break at ABU and enjoying a week off to catch up on things we haven’t had time to even think about tackling before now.  Some students are still remaining here on campus, especially those from far away places like Malawi, etc. but many are gone back to their home areas for the break.  We have had many visitors on campus this month as well, which has made ABU a place of much activity. Henk...

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Most countries have laws against exceeding the speed of sound over their territories.  But nothing is mentioned of the acceleration of time that may happen in classrooms!  Ok, perhaps a silly way of saying that the week goes by fast when you’re teaching load has doubled.  So far, it hasn’t been too stressful.  The load will always be there.  It is upon us to do well with the time that we have.  Some of the additional load is is my own making.  I have assigned the students in one particular class a series of questions that carefully take them through...

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Zoiks!! Our student body doubled in size this week. This past week was the beginning of a new academic year, and the “fresh intake” was 29 students! 15 came from Malawi, several from Kenya, Rwanda. Oh lala, je besoin de pratiquer mon Francais!! The whole family is now getting involved in both Luganda and French langauge “acquisition” Prenez!! It’s a strange thing for me to walk into a classroom of 29 complete newbies to the university system. I had a lot of funny looks as I described “Presuppositions” in the first day of lecture in the Ethics course. Oi vey,...

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One of my Pilot friends recently gave me the title, G.I. Joe. Why? I have been struggling with the after effects of ghiardia. More specifically, with a close cousin of this parasite called “T. Hormona”. Well, the parasite has been gone for months but the damage left behind has been difficult to recover from. I have lost about 15 pounds, and the effect has been noticeable by my friends. I have weakened some, but still feel fairly normal. I have changed my diet drastically, in the hopes of finding an allergy or hypersensitivity, but to no avail. With time and...

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I can hardly believe that we have been here for a year! I am amazed at how everything came together and also came almost completely apart. This business is so rewarding and can be so challenging at the same time. But that is why it is so worthwhile to be here. You either grow or die. We have seen both, and choose life!I am personally disappointed at how little we have communicated to you all. I am committed to do much better. I don’t know where I will find the time. But at present, I am using a designated time,...

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Greetings dear friends! Sorry it’s been literally forever since we last wrote an entry for you to read. We are thrilled to say that we have survived our first full year of teaching at African Bible College and we are now enjoying the summer months to catch up and regroup. Some things this past year, unfortunately, including our website, were put on the backburner until we could come up for air. Since we last wrote, much has taken place, but here’s a brief synopsis. The school finished it’s 2nd full year of classes here in Uganda in early June. Beginning...

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“Well, it’s been a quiet week in my home town…” Well, maybe for Garrison Keillor, but not for the Schimke’s. We had a team come in from FL to do an intensive week of training in EE. It was great to have them here, but my teaching schedule and family needs did not change. I’m not whining, it just is hectic. I’m beginning to wonder, because I am saying that often.It was so good though to have visitors from the states. These pastors brought a fresh perspective on what we do here and were very encouraging. They also taught solid...

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Here we go again! I’m frantically getting ready for the new semester, by making sure the old one is properly put away. I have done some extensive African Church history studies, but that has taken time away from 1 and 2 Corinthians and the Leadership course. Thankfully, I have good experience with the leadership course text. I am looking forward to this, but it’s going to be tough going. A lot of lecture notes will be warm from my laser printer as walk into the classroom. That’s OK, Dr. Robertson tells me that sometimes that is a good sign of...

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OK, yes, I have been away for FOREVER! My humble apologies to those who have raised reasonable expectations of my blogging, and yet again, have been dissapointed. Wow, what the last 4 months has been like is hard to describe. Normally, by the time I think about writing anything, I am exhausted! Yet, this is important as a channel, and I have to squeeze this in as well.  Even now I am really busy with house settling issues and future classes to start in two weeks, as well as a special leadership conference to take place! In the midst of...

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In the midst of the madness at Heathrow while the terrorists tried to stop us from coming to Uganda, a kind BA agent gently asked during the re-checking of 1100 lbs of baggage , “Sir are you mad?!!” The agent said this as they eyed the haggard parents of three very strung out children… Well, thank the Lord, he gave us much grace to survive that and thrive in the new campus. Marlene and the kids are doing well, adjusting better than “Dad” did. I have had a few short nights, and a few days of stomach problems. The great...

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“Snakes, why did it have to be snakes!” This is one of my favorite quotes from “Indiana Jones”. The quote is appropriate here as well. I was hoping that by being close to a city setting we would not see snakes. Well, after a lot of earth moving in preparation for a football (soccer) field, some snakes have come out, looking for new homes within a few feet of our own. Our setting here is a bit suburban, but country enough to reveal elements of the African bush. To have snake neighbors is one thing, to have cobras and mambas...

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How long does it take to buy light fixtures? 4 hours if you do it in Kampala. I sent 20 minutes picking out what I wanted, and then waiting 1.5 hours to get it, and then 1.5 hours to get back home in traffic. I would never do this unless I had to…. I need a helicopter!

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Danger Will Robinson!, Danger!, Danger!!! This is the message that keeps popping in my mind as I think about the next few weeks. We have now committed to leave for Uganda on August the 9th!! What is amazing about this decision to leave is that we are presently supported at 75% of our monthly goals, yet ABC has encouraged us to go. The Lord knows well the need for us to be there. We will simply work hard in the support process up until the minute we leave. I haven’t made entries in this blog for a while-sorry. Since January...

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Dear Precious Family, Today was an eventful day, as our tender little 2 1/2 year old, Ana, went through eye surgery to correct an eye coordination problem that she has had since birth. The surgeon tells us that everything went well, and that she handled herself exceptionally well for a girl her age. And that’s Ana for you, she typically comes across as unusually mature. Naturally this Dad would brag, but I have no clue where she gets it from, because it certainly is not from me!! A heartfelt thanks goes out to all of you who have prayed for...

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Kurt, Marlene, and Nicholas brought in the new year by visiting missionary friends in the Yucatan Penninsula, Mexico. We have wanted to do this for a very long time, but babies and seminary limited how long we could get away! We had flight miles to turn in, and with friends to stay with it proved to be an inexpensive trip. We spent most of our days in Cancun with the Chai family, a delightful Mexican couple who have lived in the area for over 30 years. They had a spacious house for us to stay in, complete with hammocs and...

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Greetings Precious Friends! This has been an eventful and blessed year for us. We started the year focused on the arrival of a new baby and the hope of being able to serve again overseas. On February 21st, the Lord blessed us with a wonderful baby boy, Nicholas. He was born with a heart murmur, and the Lord saw fit to heal him of that issue fairly quickly! He is 10 months old now, and doing marvelously well. He is such a big kid that several folks call him “bruiser.” He is a daily reminder of God’s gracious providential care...

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