December team
Happy Advent Season! I just landed in Uganda with a team of 5 others from Carthage, TN and want to share an Advent Blog of our time here.
At RTRA, 2023 has been a year to celebrate the parts we play in God’s mission. God created each one of us with and for purpose. The Apostle Paul wrote to the people of Corinth and told them that each member of their community was valuable and had a significant role to play. He wrote, “The eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I have no need of you’, nor again the head to the feet, ‘I have no need of you.’ At Raise the Roof, we cultivate a culture of collaboration, teamwork, corporation, and co-laboring.
What kind of success would Raise the Roof Academy have if every member of our network played their role? Just like different instruments of a symphony harmonize together, we believe that each person is an instrument in God’s symphony and when we all play our parts, we hear the full measure of our life’s symphony. At RTRA, we are committed to discovering who we are, and the role God has empowered us to play in each season of our lives.
Here are the Play Your Part activities we have planned for our time as we wrap up the 2023 school year:
1. RTRA Christmas Musical — 50 RTRA students with friends from Carthage will record the 2023 RTRA Christmas Musical to be streamed on December 25th at 8am, entitled "Omwana means Child".
2. REAP Rhino Kid’s Camp — 216 students who are in the Raise the Roof External Academic Program (REAP), RTRA Staff, Volunteers, and friends from Carthage will have their own VBS experience.
3. Raise the Roof High School & Buddu Youth Empowerment — It has been 12 years since we launched RTRA. Did you know that today, 45% percent of our children are now youth? We are excited to host our first Youth Day on Friday, December 8 with teachings, games, and music.
4. Kalungu Leaders Empowerment Summit — In our first 12 years, we have been discovering and activating the latent potential in our children and families. In the process, we have learned much from them. Without a doubt, Kalungu District has all the resources needed for each family to live a healthy and prosperous life with meaning and dignity. Kalungu is a 13- year-old district with young institutions. The Kalungu Leaders Empowerment Summit is a gathering of the frontline leaders around a bold vision we are calling Zero Method: Zero Teenage Pregnancies, Zero Out of School Children, Zero Malaria Deaths, Zero Elderly Neglect.
These few days are designed to recognize and celebrate the parts we all play every day. We are praying our time together will ignite hope, joy, passion for service, and love of God and neighbor. We will share more updates on the blog, instagram, and facebook during our time; we hope you follow along!
Blessings this Advent Season, David Ssebulime
