The Dondi Project DVD Study Guide

DVD Study Guide

Voices in the Ruins: The Dondi School Project

This guide also accompanies the YouTube clip “The Dondi Project, Angola” (5 min.; March 31, 2010

147 views The Men's Ministries Network of the United Church is raising funds to help rebuild the Lutamo school in Dondi, Angola with the Evangelical Congregational Church in Angola. To learn more and become involved: http://dondiproject.com/

Please contact The Rev. Lloyd Paul for the full-length DVD (21 min).

CONTEXT

The Dondi Project is a response to a call for support from our partner the Evangelical Congregational Church in Angola (IECA). IECA is working to rebuild a desperately-needed school in Angola. The Men’s Ministries Network of The United Church of Canada is committed to raising $1 million through men’s groups and congregations across Canada.

Voices in the Ruins was filmed in July 2009, and is a co-operative effort of the IECA and The United Church of Canada.

Scriptural context: Luke 10:25–37

OBJECTIVES

• To promote awareness and direct engagement in the project undertaken by the Men’s Ministries Network of the United Church to support the rebuilding of the Lutamo School in Dondi, central Angola.
• To ask congregations to donate to the Dondi Project, to help our Angolan partners achieve their dream.
• To encourage United Church men to use this project as the starting point for creating a congregational group and for joining the Men’s Ministries Network.
• To help participants learn about Angola and about our long-term partnership with the IECA.
• To reflect on who our neighbours are, and on our responses to calls for assistance.

PREPARATION AND SUPPLIES

(For leaders/facilitators)
• To prepare to lead the discussion, reflect on your faith tradition and its relationship to caring for poor and neglected people in the world.
• What does your faith say about justice and care for others? Jot down relevant Bible passages. Read Luke 10:25–37.
• Bring a map of Africa (download one from the Internet or use an atlas) so people can locate Angola.
• Order free materials from the Men’s Ministries Network. (See the contact details on the back page.)
• The 2010 DVD Minutes for Mission (sent to every pastoral charge in the April 2010 Infopac) includes a 5-min. Dondi story. The clip is also on YouTube.
• Organize equipment for showing the DVD: a DVD player or a computer that plays DVDs, a projector, a screen, and speakers.
• Prepare the meeting space for easy viewing of the video.
• Gather flip chart, paper, markers, and pencils to record ideas.
• Optional: provide snacks and drinks/name tags.

WELCOME AND OPENING (5 min.)

• Welcome participants. Open the session with a personal prayer or ask participants to gather for a moment of silence.
• Introduce the Dondi Project as the focus of this study group.
• Read Luke 10:25–37.

INTRODUCTIONS (2–10 min.)

Ask people to introduce themselves and to say why they have come.
DONDI VIDEO (10–35 min.)

Introduce the video.

• The Evangelical Congregational Church in Angola (IECA) has been our partner for over a hundred years
• Men of the United Church are invited to help rebuild a school that we helped build originally. Show a map of Angola and the Huambo Province. The estimated cost of rebuilding is $1 million.
• The school was destroyed in a 27-year civil war.
• Education in rural areas is lagging behind that in the cities. For Angolans to lift themselves out of the past, they recognize they need educated people.
• Watch the video. (5 min. or 21 min., depending on which version you show)

GROUP DISCUSSION (30 min.)

Rearrange the seating for small-group discussions. Provide flip charts, markers, paper, and pencils. Ask one person to be the leader/scribe in each group. The leader /scribe will ask the following questions and record the answers.

• What is this video about? What is its meaning?
(2–3 answers)
• What scenes and people do you recall from the film? (An answer from each person)
• What sounds do you remember? What dialogue do you recall? (3–4 answers)
• Where did you notice emotions being expressed in the video? (3–4 answers)
• What did you find most touching? (2–3 answers)
• What surprised you? (1 answer)
• How does the Bible passage we read resonate with this story?
• Do you have questions about the project?
• Do we (as individuals/as a group) want to help the Dondi Project reach its goal?
• What immediate financial commitment can we make?

• What further financial commitment can we make through other fundraising efforts?
• What groups in the congregation might like to join us—youth, the UCW, Sunday school?

ACTION PLAN (10 min.)

Decide who will be responsible for following up on the top 3 actions. This may be an individual for each or a small task force of volunteers. Allow time to be set for a follow up meeting date to be set and a time for the task force to report back to the group/congregation as appropriate.

IDEAS FOR FURTHER INVOLVEMENT

• Walkathon to raise funds for the Dondi Project
• Drumming events with a screening of the DVD
• Multi-generational dinner events with a screening of the DVD and a discussion (as above)
• Participate in a National Drumathon: Oct. 1–2, 2010

CONTACT

The Rev. Lloyd Paul, Men’s Ministries Network
Mail: The United Church of Canada, 3250 Bloor St. West, Suite 300, Toronto, ON M8X 2Y4
Toll-Free: 1-800-268-3781 ext. 4046
E-mail: lpaul@united-church.ca
Visit: http://dondiproject.com/ and http://www.united-church.ca/

Here is a PDF version of Dondi  DVD Study Guide

© 2010 The United Church of Canada/L’Église Unie du Canada. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial No Derivatives (by-nc-nd) Licence. To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.5/ca. Any copy must include this notice.