International (MNN) ― Worldwide Christian Schools is celebrating a milestone. This July marks 20 years of a global effort in making a Christ-centered education accessible.
The mark of their work has been seen in the transformation of the individually impacted communities. Where there are no schools in the area or families can't afford to send their children to school, there is no way to affect change in their communities or societies.
WCS' Scott Vanderkooy says they're now focusing on the next phase in building this evangelistic work--"the establishment of a field office in ten selected countries. It's pretty key for our vision because each office will be responsible for taking ownership of the Worldwide vision for their own country."
They're building their future growth on the Asian model. Vanderkooy says right now, China and India are wide open. "We're currently in the process of establishing an office in Singapore for the purpose of increasing impact within that Asian region. What this means is, the day is coming when Christ-centered schools in Asia will be developed by Asians with Asian resources. This simply did not seem possible five years ago."
To see this ministry continue to succeed means economic and physical barriers need to be eliminated. It also means WCS needs to deliver Christian education in new ways. They do this through partnerships and by working through indigenous organizations. Ministry leaders work to identify the key visionaries and Christian leaders within each community to empower them so that they can carry the work forward.
How does WCS measure success? They track progress toward their vision by watching the number of people with access to Christian education, by watching and encouraging staffers toward their teacher/leadership continuing education target, and by monitoring the cost of operations versus the money sent to the field. If you can help sponsor a student or help with a school, click here.
