We used to sing the song “Roll the Gospel Chariot” in VBS. I was able to preach on the Gospel Chariot this last Saturday. It is a huge truck that travels around to villages so we can spread the gospel. It was at the small village of Nsonyaga. The lesson we preached was from our first combined Church History class last quarter at CBI. It emphasized the Restoration plea to be Bible Christians only. There was a large crowd, and Kara Wells, who was taping the service, said there were at least 50 “children in attendance. We always take the opportunity to speak where we can and emphasize the training of preachers at CBI.
Classes are going well and since we are here only four weeks in this quarter, we are using Wednesday as the catch up day to get the necessary hours taught. The classes we are teaching are Kings, Chronicles, Numbers and Deuteronomy. We are all excited about Remmy, one of our long time Swahili teachers, because he is teaching his first English class on the Minor Prophets. We want all of our teachers to be able to teach in both departments. Therefore, they are all enrolled in the BVBID Master’s program here at Chimala.
Silence, our only absent student, returned this week. He had major surgery over the summer. Returning, he reported 10 baptisms at the congregation in which he has worked. This week, four of our teachers are with the Gospel Chariot. This fall our students will be involved in many weekend campaigns giving them practical experience in preaching and evangelism.
This Sunday I went to preach at Itamboleo with Menard, Don and Sue Laugston. Don is here at the mission and will be teaching our students better ways to grow crops and raise livestock. This will allow them to better support themselves when they return home. Itamboleo is one of the many small churches in the region that needs help, and I go there to represent CBI and see about the feasibility of our students going there to help.
We have at the mission several Irish medical students. We have been spending some time with them to hopefully plant the seeds of the gospel. Their love for people was evident when we returned from Mbeya last Thursday. There was a large crowd outside the hospital and we asked what was happening. There had been a terrible bus wreck. When the students heard this, they immediately jumped out of the Land Cruiser and ran into the hospital to help. About 10 pm that evening two came by to report on the injured. We desire and encourage these Irish students to interact with our students so they can learn of the work of CBI.
Speaking of evangelism opportunities, Kara Wells has been spending time at the Primary and Secondary schools. There are numerous baptisms here because many of the students are not from Christian homes. Ezekiel Harrison, one of our CBI instructors, is teaching “Bible Knowledge” every day for the children. Also, our students at CBI study with the primary and secondary students. They teach the children the gospel on a weekly basis.
Please remember our work in your prayers. We will be traveling to the States for the Denver faculty retreat, and then we will come back to teach for the final quarter in September. Upon our return, we will spend the weekends traveling to recruit students in Dar-es Salem Dudoma, Milawili and Mbeya. We have many who have already shown interest in enrolling in school here. We need your help in supporting these students.
Garry L. Hill: Director
Chimala Bible Institute