© Victor Ochieng’
There are things that thrill people in schools entrenched on strong Christian values.
In most cases, such schools overcome vices such as theft and perversion. Ipso facto, they register impressive performance in several spheres. This is because they believe in Deuteronomy 28:13 (NIV), “God will make you the head, not the tail… You will always be at the top, never at the bottom.”
Again, schools anchored on heroic Christian culture have disciplined students who attract the favour factor in life after school. Somehow, such schools hardly trend for wrong reasons. Such schools are not associated with spate of strikes that sometimes hit our schools. Why? Students that fear God are wise, not otherwise. Solomon son of David admonished us in Proverbs 4:7 (KJV), “Wisdom is the principal thing. Therefore get wisdom, and with all thy getting get understanding.”
Personally, as a form of self-disclosure, when I was in high school, faith played an integral role in my life as a striking stripling. I served God as the chairperson of the Christian Union in Form Three and Four. Piety and prayers acted as good guides to the penman Son of the Lake. More so, when it came to coping with challenges teens go through. Being the age of experimentation, I also had the irresistible urge to engage in youthful hedonism, frivolity, vanity and immorality. Albeit, through it all, conscience and Christian conviction convinced me to remain sane and sober.
In addition, life skill of self-awareness made me know that drugs addle the brain. Teenage was tempting and tempestuous. Being a practicing Christian, I lost several battles, but won the war. For those who obtain strength from faith tap floods of inspiration from the wise words of Apostle Paul of Tarsus recorded in Romans 8:37 (NIV), “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.”
In retrospect, you now know why I support the ubiquity of robust spiritual programmes in our schools. Some schools enjoy the sponsorship of mainstream churches such the Roman Catholic Church, Anglican Church of Kenya (ACK), Presbyterian Church of East Africa (PCEA), Methodist Church of Kenya (MCK), African Inland Church (AIC), Salvation Army (SA), Friends Church (Quakers), et cetera.
It is instructive to note. Churches that sponsor schools deploy chaplains to preside over puissant spiritual programmes. Those who are at home with our rich national history and heritage know that churches play a pivotal role in the growth and development of schools. Schools built by missionaries and have kept the wonderful tradition have the best spiritual programmes that prop up students and staff.
Moreover, there are schools that do not enjoy the steadfast support of churches. Therefore, Principals in consultation with the Boards of Management (BoMs) employ school chaplains to spearhead vibrant spiritual programmes. Over and above, chaplains who are skillful and sensitive shun taking the tragic tangent of extremism. Instead, through soft skills of tolerance and moderation, they take note of different religious groups in schools like Muslims, Hindus, Catholic Association (CA), Seventh Day Adventists (SDAs) and Christian Union (CU).
Furthermore, the most important thing is that vibrant spiritual programmes build the spiritual dimension of students. When spiritual programmes are extant, schools achieve their tripartite mandate: Holistic formation, character development and value addition. No wonder, those who are in charge, prioritize piety and prayer. For there are wars we wage and win only in the spiritual realm.
No wonder, Apostle Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 10:3-4, “For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.”
Consequently, powers-that-be should ensure that daily devotions feature in classes before lessons begin. School assemblies, class conferences and house meetings, should have segments of reading sacred scriptures and oration of orison. On the day of worship, students should gather for fellowship. There is also exigence of Christian rallies and weekend challenges, where plenty of time is set aside for students to delve deeper on special spiritual truths.
Finally, before candidates sit for national exams like KCSE and KCPE, it is important to organize prayer meetings. For when exams are in close range, tension tightens among the candidates.
Steaming off sessions, pep talks and spiritual programmes, steady the nerves of candidates. Apart from ample academic preparation, schools prone to best practices focus on divine direction to fight exam fever, panic and anxiety that attempt to pilfer the poise, peace, confidence and composure of candidates. It agrees with exhortations of Apostle Paul of Tarsus in Philippians 4:6, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Then, the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”
The writer speaks in schools across the country. vochieng.90@gmail.com. 0704420232
