Caring and Careful Wisdom

As you read in my previous post, obviously I enjoyed the importance of tea in the meeting of the Scholarship Committee.  I was even more impressed by the caring and careful wisdom of the men and women on this committee.  We interviewed candidates from a number of backgrounds and current situations, all of them rather dire by western standards.  We had the expected criteria -- academic performance, experience, vision, spirituality, etc., plus a scoring system to aid in the decision making process.  Here is what impressed me:

Me with Canon Jovahn, Deputy Principal of BBUC
and Chair of the Scholarship Committee
(yes, having tea!)

• My colleagues did not hesitate to ask piercing and probing questions.  I squirmed more than once during the interviews (as did the candidates), but clarity came from such honest questions.
• The people mattered far more than the process, and "people" meant far more than the just the candidate we were interviewing.  The questions and discussion explored how awarding a scholarship to an individual would in fact affect their family and their community.
• My colleagues' dialogue was insightful, humble, and responsive.  They listen to each other.  The conversation is formal, polite, and often firm, but minds and hearts change submit and change as the discussion continues.
• They are always ready to stop, pray, and listen before making decisions.

I actually have learned more about Ugandan cultures, my colleagues, and my students in these meetings than in many other situations.  No surprise, of course, but working together reveals even more than observing and asking questions. I have also been grateful for how willing they are to listen to my thoughts and ideas, even though I'm an outsider and newcomer.

By the way, if any reading this blog would be interested in providing a scholarship for one or more students studying at BBUC, please contact me directly at hinesfamily@gmail.com.  The need is great, and I am now witness to (and participant in) the fact that the scholarships are faithfully and prayerfully given with consistent integrity.

Lecturers and Administrators of BBUC