March 2025 Report
Bear Valley Bible Institute – Kara, Togo (North)
Since February 24, 2025, a new Bible training school has officially opened in northern Togo: The Bear Valley Bible Institute – Kara TG. At its launch, the school welcomed 17 students, including one from Niger. Due to relocation preparations, several others joined a bit later, bringing the current total to 17 students, coming from Niger and Burkina Faso.
Two additional candidates were preparing to travel to Kara but had to delay their arrival because their wives gave birth the day before departure. Very soon, the full target number of 20 students will be reached.
Courses for the First Quarter
Four instructors are teaching this quarter:
· ATOKI Nicodème
· KPELEVI M.
· BEDJELSI Fidèle
· NYEMANTA Céphas
Subjects currently being taught:
1. Survey of the Old Testament – ATOKI Nicodème
2. French Language – KPELEVI M.
3. God’s Plan for Salvation – BEDJELSI Fidèle
4. Homiletics I – BEDJELSI Fidèle
5. Singing in Worship – NYEMANTA Céphas
6. The Holy Spirit of God – NYEMANTA Céphas
Evangelism
One of the main goals of every Christian is to share the Good News of Jesus Christ. With that in mind, the school immediately established a practical evangelism program. Every Friday, students go out for door-to-door evangelism, starting within the neighborhood where the school is located.
Special Evangelism Courses
To better equip students for this mission, special courses are included, such as:
· Let the Bible Speak
· The Good News
These classes are designed to prepare each student to evangelize effectively and to plant or establish new congregations during and after their training.
However, a shortage of biblical tracts (printed evangelism materials) has been noted during their fieldwork. Teachers will coordinate student evangelism efforts every Friday, accompanied by local evangelists, and seminars will be held to enhance the students’ practical ministry skills.
The Students
Most of the students are married and fathers. Those coming from outside the country have experienced some health issues due to the climate change. Notably, three students are over 50 years old, reflecting a wide range of ages and life experiences in this first cohort.
Challenges and Future Plans
A special program of evangelism, conversion, and teaching on denominational doctrines is currently being developed. The goal is to reach the entire population of Togo, especially in the northern regions, with the message of Christ.
Denominational Program:
Some of these students take part in early morning street preaching; they are already well equipped for evangelism. They are ready to reach the lost—those who do not know Christ and those who are in error. Every morning, from 7:30 to 7:55 AM, each person takes turns leading a devotion. Both students and teachers participate in these moments and highlight the areas that need improvement.
The linguistic accents of TEMBO Hebbo from Niger and TRAORE Souda Ahmed from Burkina Faso reflect their background. Both were Muslims before being converted through the denominational distance learning program. Little by little, the brothers are awakening to the errors of denominationalism, which this program helps to expose.
Please pray for the Bear Valley Bible Institute in Kara, that it may rise to meet the challenges in French-speaking West Africa. The institute is becoming increasingly international through its activities in the subregion. Students from the DRC, Gabon, and Mali are already preparing for the next training session. May all those who contribute to the advancement of the Lord’s work in the world be encouraged—your labor will not be in vain.