The pre-school education programme (PEPE), supported worldwide by BMS World Mission for 15 years, is giving kids the opportunity to grow in Angola.
A site that was bare just one year ago is now the location for three classes for over 50 young children in the suburb of Sapu, situated on the outskirts of the Angolan capital, Luanda.
BMS teacher Lynne Brown has been helping to establish PEPEs and train teachers in Angola since 2004. She said of Sapu: "Last year it had a trial with 16 children. This year they have 50 in two classrooms and have started primary lessons in a third classroom.
"It's all on what was empty ground at the start of 2006, but where a cell group wanted to start a congregation. Praise God for the enthusiastic pastor who has captured the vision!"
At another PEPE in Luanda, numbers have grown simply because the church has now been built and members have been trained.
"When I visited, there were 50 children all learning together and half of them came and sang at the service on Sunday," said Lynne. "The pastor is so keen to improve things. They have seen an increase in numbers at the services and part of that is due to PEPE."
Elsewhere, two new groups have just opened in the province of Uige, northern Angola, and one of the areas that was hardest hit by the country's civil war. This brings the total of PEPE centres in Angola to almost 20, with almost 400 children registered on the programme.
It is still a bumpy road, however, and Lynne is appealing for prayer for some of the struggling schools, especially the PEPE at Rocha Pinto that was unable to find a space for classes to run this year, and at Terra Vermelha, which has been reduced to one teacher. "Pray for the missionary educators as there are always challenges to face," says Lynne.
The pre-school education programme was launched in Brazil in 1992 by BMS worker Georgie Christine. It has since spread throughout Latin America and to three African countries. Today more than 5,000 children benefit from the programme.
Please pray for:
The continuing growth of the PEPE at Sapu.
God's guidance for those leading PEPEs at Rocha Pinto and Terra Vermelha.
Lynne as she travels around Angola, training and encouraging PEPE teachers.
