UBCentral

Owen Gordon, president of Jamaica Bible College, sent this note on July 16:
Two weeks ago we brought down the curtain on another challenging, but successful year. We were blessed with a very beautiful graduation service. Our special guest speaker was Rev Dr Stephen Clark, son of Mr Ernest Clark, one of the three founding fathers of the College in 1945. Dr Clark gave a very inspiring and challenge address to the hundreds of persons in attendance.

There  were a number of firsts at this graduation:

• We had the first group of 5 students graduating with a B.A in Theology with minor in Business.
• Several students graduated with an Assoc Degree in Business. (There were other students with the Diploma in Theology)
• Several students graduated with the Certificate in Business, & General studies.
• Some students completed their Seconday level education under the ROSE II/ Ministry of Education program.

In all there were 59 students.

Rejoice and pray with us for the following:

• Lenique Powell, a Secondary level student who committed his life to the Lord in the Week-end Camp in February, has expressed a desire to return to study Theology. We are putting things in place to offer him a tuition Scholarship.
• Duane Harris, another student who just completed his Assoc degree in Business, wants to do the BA in Theology. Pray for Scholarship support.

We will introduce several new programs in September 2008:

• BA in Theology, minor in couseling.
• BA in Psychology emphasis on counseling.
• Assoc degree in Finance.
• Early Childhood Certificate through the HEART NCTVET.

Our desire is to lift the standard of the College and increase and improve the offerings.
Pray with us for a good group of incoming students for September 2008, the necessary committed teaching/Administrative staff, and the necessary funding.

Two major challenges are ahead of us:

1. Security.
2. The challenge to change the name of the Institution to reflect the original vision and purpose, and broaden its appeal for funding, and student enrollment.

A group of 35 people from New Hope Community Church (Bryan, Ohio) are finishing up a short-term trip in Honduras.

I’m in China participating in the English camp for Chinese teachers. We had the teachers participate in a values survey.

• The number one value among our teachers: “Respect and honor your parents and grandparents.”
• Least important: “Keeping oneself disinterested and pure.”

This requires some explanation. What they mean by this is that they want to remain connected with people, in touch, not aloof. “Pure” in this context is seen as negative. It implies that you are unwilling to be “dirtied” by others. I like that.