First, here is the December update:

Lion of Judah Academy December 2011 Update

Second, here is information about Student Scholarships, and how you can help out.

Lion of Judah Academy Student Scholarships for 2012

Many students are in need of scholarships for 2012.  If you are looking for a proven way to change someone’s life and make a real difference, this just could be the way!

Hi, Everyone…this doesn’t have anything to do with The Lion of Judah Academy.  But I think this post, from someone else’s blog, is very cool.  And there is a wonderful parable attached.

I hope you enjoy this.  Please keep The Lion of Judah Academy, the students and staff, in your prayers.  The drought continues, and the food supply shortages are growing worse.

View in Word:   Update 2011 October

View as PDF:    Update 2011 October

This is a photo of Nassa Theological College alums on an outing to the Nyerere Museam.  Nyerere was the first president of Tanzania, and a national hero.

Many of the men and women in this photo have children who are students at The Lion of Judah Academy.  In fact, it was for people  just like this that the school was founded!  In addition, many of them were students of Hart’s when he taught at Nassa Theological College from 1999 to 2003.

When we encourage you to pray for the faithful pastors and church workers who are making tremendous sacrifices for the work of the Gospel, these are people we are talking about!  Your sacrificial contributions help support their children, and are a wonderful encouragement to them and their families.  Thank you!!

More photos of this outing appear on Mlelema’s Facebook page.  All the photos in this group are of the NTC alumni…the group photos are near the end of the list…but all the photos are of them are NTC alumni and LOJA student parents

Pastors and Church Workers -- Parents of Lion of Judah Academy Students

This examination is required for all Form Four students in the country (somewhat equivalent to U.S. high school seniors), and pretty much determines what future academic opportunities will be available to them.

Lion of Judah Academy students have an excellent track record on these examinations, and we expect this year’s exams will be no different.  However, the students are under tremendous pressure and stress this week and next…and they only have one opportunity!

The exams started on October 3, and continue until October 14.  Please keep the students in your thoughts and prayers.  Pray especially they will have peace and confidence, that they will honor and glorify God, and that they will each do the very best they are able.

God is so good!

Lion of Judah Academy Annual Report 2010

The Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) is the annual workplace fund drive for federal and postal employees, and military personnel. To participate, a charity must go through a rigorous application process and meet demanding qualifications. The Lion of Judah Ministries is one of those select charities which has been qualified.

The CFC season is now underway, and if you – or someone you know – would like to support The Lion of Judah Academy in its work, this is a great opportunity to do it! Please forward this opportunity to everyone you know who works in the federal government, postal system or military!

The Lion of Judah Ministries CFC number is 12377.

We are also in a very unique group of charities with overhead costs of less than 5% (LOJM’s overhead is actually less than 4%!). So you know that over 96 cents of every dollar contributed actually gets to the school to assist with the ministry there. This percentage is calculated by the CFC, based on IRS figures.

More information about the CFC can be found at their website: http://www.opm.gov/cfc/

Mzee Shinyanga

Shinyanga, a humble man of great faith and devotion to Jesus, has been a beloved and invaluable member of The Lion of Judah Academy family. He has been one of our most devoted supporters, almost from the school’s beginning. During the past few years he has served on the school’s board of trustees. He was the first president of the school’s parent group. He has given generously of his time and other resources. He will be sorely missed.

However, the greatest loss is to his family and grandchildren, several of whom have been orphaned and who are students at The Lion of Judah Academy. He and his wife have made many sacrifices to enroll and support these children during the past several years. Some of them were students in the first classes at the school and the oldest, Abia, was the first Lion of Judah Academy exchange student to study at The King’s Academy — our sister school in Pennsylvania.

Shinyanga’s death is a terrible loss for his wife and family, including his grandchildren. And we, at The Lion of Judah Academy, have lost a wonderful friend, supporter, and encourager. Please keep all of these in your prayers.

His funeral will be on Saturday, September 3, in Mwanza. Surely many people will be there, for his influence in the Christian community, as well as in in the secular community, was very great.

Shinyanga leading the first Parents Group

Nine of us are here. Five from The King’s Academy in Mohrsville, PA (Linda, Jeanne, Sarah, Kayla and Lillian), two from New England and Hart’s former church in Connecticut (Laura and Elizabeth), plus Hart and Lynn.

Work Team Arriving

The new Lion of Judah Academy gardens are bringing forth lots of fruit and vegetables, even in these near drought conditions (see the photo). Lots is happening at the school…

 Form 5 (A level) has started;
 Over 500 students are here for the start of the new term
 A team from the campus ministry at Dodoma University came to lead a week-long teaching seminar, and helped the students get off to a great start for the new term;
 The faculty is getting stronger and more committed each year, and the vision of what The Lion of Judah Academy is growing quickly.

Of course there are always challenges, expected and unexpected. The water issues continue, and intensify. And The King’s Academy has invited one of the Form 3 students, Miriam Jacob, to come to the U.S. to study during the 2011 – 2012 school year, but getting her student visa has been considerably more challenging that in the past. We’ve almost completed the process, but it has been arduous and stressful.

On the positive side of the water issue is the fact that all parts of the new water system are now in place and ready to go, with the exception of electricity to the pump, and the water storage tank. Unfortunately, to get the electricity to the pumping station we need either,

a) the cooperation of the Tanzanian government, or,
b) about $25,000.

That is our most pressing need.

While here we are gathering tons of information, photos and video which we will share in the coming months, after we return to the U.S. But for now we wanted to let you know that all is well, and request your ongoing prayers for this work team.

We spent a fantastic day in the Serengeti on Saturday, seeing lots and lots of game and wildlife, including more elephants than I’ve ever seen in one day, and a wonderful pride of nearly 15 lions tracking down a group of gazelle, with us watch the whole time! Every trip into the Serengeti brings new songs of praise to our Creator!

Mtebe Showing Lynn Around the New School Gardens

However even we are amazed by what we have recently learned about the results of last fall’s Form 4 national examination!  Form 4 is roughly equivalent to 12th grade.  All form 4 students take this exam, and a student must do very well on it in order to qualify for form 5 (A-level, or Advanced level secondary school).  Simply passing the exam is not enough…their scores must excel.  If they don’t qualify, they will have no opportunity to go on to form 5, or university.

To put what we are going to tell you in perspective, only about 50% of all form 4 students who taken the exam, even pass the exam.  If a school has 2 or 3 students who qualify for form 5, they have reason to celebrate, because that school has done quite well.

Last year’s class was the first Lion of Judah Academy to take the exam.  We were hopeful the students would do well.  But this was a new experience for the school, as well as for all the students.  How well had we actually prepared them?

Well, the results are in.

Thirty-0ne out of thirty-eight students not only passed the exam, they received such excellent scores that they qualified for Form 5!!

That is absolutely extraordinary.  31 our of 38 qualified for form 5!

Study Group outside the Library, preparing for the exam

School director Mtebe, not known for overstatements or exaggerations, reports, “everyone is talking about it!”

That, in combination with the fact that The Lion of Judah Academy has welcomed its first form 5 class, continues to demonstrate God’s remarkable blessing on the school project.  By opening form 5 we have become the only school within about 50 miles to offer A level classes (form 5 and form 6).

We are praising God, and thanking you for your prayers and support!

Students in Science Classes