Saturday Club
Grace Ernst, a U.S. university student interning for Hope Alive! during the spring semester of 2022, shares her experience with Saturday Club.
The last couple of weeks, Tessa and I have been able to attend and participate in the Saturday Club for the Koro site. The day starts early for the children as many of them have to walk to the site from homes that are far. They are to arrive between 8:00 and 8:45 AM to get registered and be evaluated for good health. With COVID still a present reality, the children get their temperatures checked and are encouraged to wear masks when gathering inside the main hall. Around 9:00 AM, breakfast is served which includes porridge and a sweet bun. From experience, I like to dip the bun in the porridge; the meal is comforting to have on cool mornings. Porridge does not usually have any sugar or flavoring, so the sweet bread is a perfect carrier. After breakfast is cleaned up and the children are finished, we all gather in the main hall for worship and devotional time.
Worship and devotional time are my favorite because, whether it is in English or Acholi, everyone is very involved and energized. We dance and sing for worship. It is amazing to see so many young ones devoted in their praise to God. Then, we sit for the story which is translated so we too may learn the overarching lesson for the day. The children are encouraged to respond to questions and to read some of the Bible passage out loud that is being discussed. After the large lesson, the children then break out into study groups. This is followed by a small break for games and fellowship. The children will often play football (or soccer, in the States). Once the break time is finished, the children will go into “Skills Time” where they can learn or practice skills that will help them in everyday life. Some learn tailoring while others learn to read and write. During this time, Tessa and I teach a young girls’ class about healthy relationships and boundaries. We show them through Scripture how God values them and how they can know real love. This is important for young girls here because there is a lot of cultural pressure to become mothers and their value is found in how many children one can have. We want to encourage them to stay in school, finish their education, and share how to find the right partner once they do want to start a family.
The day ends with lunch which usually consists of rice, posho, beans, and some form of protein (either fish or beef). We either eat with the children and just spend more time getting to know them or with the other mentors in the office. Then we start to prepare the layout for the next Saturday Club. Every second Saturday of the month we have a break where there is no club. The day is long but filled with so much ministry and opportunities to bring the word of God to children of all ages in the program.
