What are the connections between Ambrose University College and FACTEB, the Boma Seminary?
There are quite a few as you can tell from the following list:
- Common Heritage
- Common Purpose
- Common Faculty
- Extreme Makeover Project - Ambrose Seminary Missions Committee
- Ambrose Internship Project at FACTEB - Friends of Boma
- Ambrose Librarian working with FACTEB to assess library
Common Heritage
Ambrose University College and Faculte de Theologie Evangelique de Boma (FACTEB), also known as the Boma Seminary, are both deeply connected with Christian and Missionary Alliance. While Ambrose is the official school of the C&MA denomination in Canada, FACTEB is the official school of the Alliance in the Democratic Republic of Congo
Common Purpose
Both schools train men and women in a Christian educational enviroment to be leaders in a world needing restoration.
Common Faculty
Dr. Mabiala Kenzo serves as the Professor of Theology at Ambrose Seminary and the Rector, equivalent to President, of FACTEB.That sounds like a very long commute. Dr. Kenzo is able to do this because of the creative arrangement with Ambrose which allows him to spend part of the year teaching at Ambrose and part of the year leading and teaching at FACTEB.
In addition, other faculty members from Ambrose have supported FACTEB through visits and lectures including Dr. Charles Cook and Dr. Kyle Jantzen.
Extreme Makeover
In 2007, the Missions Committee of the Ambrose Seminary decided to fund raise in order to help their colleagues at FACTEB - another seminary located in the Democratic Republic of Congo in a city called Boma.The project was focused on helping renovate the Single Men's residence - although renovate seems too light a term. The project was more like an Extreme Makeover.
The first phase of the work is done and deemed an amazing success.Watch the following video to get a sense of the impact that the students at Ambrose Seminary have made.
Friends of Boma
In 2006, Ambrose Seminary approved a creative internship approach that saw then Master of Divinity student Wayne Regehr lead a group called Friends of Boma on a visit to the DR Congo and FACTEB. What started as a assignment for the Ambrose program has turned into along term relationship and link between Ambrose and FACTEB.
Through the Friends of Boma program, which is now part of ReGen Community, support for scholarships of seminary students, student residences, and a preschool is taking place.
Library Assessment
In June of 2009, Ambrose Librarian Sandy Ayer will travel to Boma to provide an assessment of the FACTEB library. Sandy's knowledge of the requirements of theological libraries will mesh with his counterparts in Boma to improve the resources for FACTEB students and faculty. To read more about this program, click here.
If you would like to find out more information about these connections between Ambrose and FACTEB, please explore our site or contact us with your questions.
To Donate
If you wish to support these connections, there are two easy ways to do so:
1. Write a cheque to ReGen Community Development Foundation, in the amount you wish to donate. Send it to the following address:
Regen Community Development Foundation
PO Box 958
Cochrane, AB
T4C 1B1
2. Use CanadaHelps to donate securely online using a credit card. If you use this option, there are a few things to remember.
- With Canada Helps you can arrange for monthly donations.
- CanadaHelps is a registered charity that processes secure, online donations on behalf of Canada’s 80,000+ registered charitable organizations.
- Within minutes of making a donation, you will receive an official electronic tax receipt emailed to you.
- If you donate via CanadaHelps, your credit cards will be charged by CanadaHelps and not ReGen Community.
- Canada helps protects your privacy - check out their security and privacy policy here.
- If you have other questions about CanadaHelps, check out their FAQ here.
