Explore: Pivoting to embrace a new normal

By Nevil Carrington

The coronavirus struck Explore like a thunderstorm, and little did we know the impact it would have. All project plans for the year were cancelled, as these all involved travel and contact with potential facilitators. Our existing facilitators were also taken off-guard and it took a while till everybody found their feet again. Groups began meeting through Zoom or WhatsApp and students began to think about exams. This led to the next crisis – how do we hold exams? We hastily drew up an indemnity form and instructed facilitators to provide us with e-mail addresses for somebody responsible in the home of each student. The process worked and we had 166 students write exams in the middle of the storm.

Explore will be going online before we return to the office and we are well down the path in developing an Explore web-page, which contains an automated enrolment system. In addition, students who have steady Internet access will enter the Explore classroom where they will obtain all their Explore notes and will be able to write their exams in a multiple-choice system with immediate feedback. The virus has given us some breathing space to prepare for all these changes including a revised Explore brand to be launched shortly.

GWC has been financially impacted by the Global economic downturn due to the current COVID-19 pandemic.

Please consider donating to the GWC Emergency COVID-19 Fund so we can keep training and sending out more messengers of the Gospel to be salt and light to the African continent and beyond.
Please contact Alison Lee at alee@gwc.ac.za or go to www.gwc.ac.za and click on COVID-19 emergency fund under donations to find more information.

GWC’s legacy and bequest programme is named Seeds for Hope. The ‘seeds’ represent the gospel message planted by our alumni as they communicate the gospel throughout Africa and across the world. The ‘Hope’ refers to the gift of eternal life that all are guaranteed, through acceptance of Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour. Giving to GWC through your Will or Living Trust enables us to continue to equip Bible teachers and preachers to faithfully share the gospel. To learn more about how to leave a donation to GWC in your Will please contact Alison Lee at alee@gwc.ac.za or go to www.gwc.ac.za and click on Seeds for Hope under donations to find more information.