Scheduled Activities In Takoradi, Ghana Prepare Students For Work...

Dear Brethren,

As indicated in our last report, school reopened on the 19th of January 2015. All the students reported back to school on time and classes also began immediately. As has also been reported to you briefly, we have had an additional student. His name is Joseph K. Badu. Originally he was with the central church in Takoradi, but came into contact with one of our past students who has established a new congregation near Takoradi. Joseph placed his membership with this new congregation and our past student, Simon, recommended to him to attend this school to have a formal training to enable him use his great potential to enhance the work in the Lord’s church. He is gradually adapting to the environment, his colleagues, students, and also to classroom work, which by God’s grace has been going on successfully. 

Program for the Term
Besides our normal classroom work, we plan the following programs within the term:

1.    Campaign For Christ

We usually have two campaigns each year. The first is due to assisting an existing congregation and as has been reported to you. We agreed that this upcoming campaign be used to assist the congregation at Effiakuma. Funds for the campaign have already been provided by Howe and we have acknowledged receipt of it. This campaign is starting on Monday, the 16th of February and ends on Friday, the 20th of February. Some past students of the school expressed interest in joining us and we have agreed to that.

2.    Arrival of Todd Clippard and Scott Ellis

This already known trip was scheduled for last year but was suspended. Brother Todd has written to confirm that Lord’s willing, they are arriving in Ghana March 17th through the 20th to begin the agricultural project. The school continues with its preparation towards their arrival.

3.    Graduation 

The school’s 13th graduation which was also postponed last year has now been fixed for Saturday, 18th of April, 2015. Twenty students, two from the graduate courses are expected to graduate on that day.

Baptisms
During the period under review, there were four baptisms by and in connection with the work of the school.

Transportation Petrol (Items 209)
We are aware that the amount quoted here for transportation petrol this time is on the high side. We want to explain that this amount spent on transportation included transporting our students to attend the funeral of a past student who passed on. We reported about this passing in the last report.

Support for the School
Brother Ebenezer Amable, also a past student who will be in the group of the next graduation, and who was recently recruited to assist as an instructor, has offered to assist the school with a monthly support of GHC 20, beginning January, 2015. His first contribution of GHC 20 is acknowledged in the financial report.

Thank you all and may God’s blessings be upon you all.

Charles

Third Quarter Of Classes In Nigeria Back In Session...

Dear fellow soldiers of Christ,

Greetings from students and staff of the Southwest School of Evangelism (SWSE), Ibadan & Lagos satellite campus.

The SWSE, Ibadan campus commenced third semester classes today (Friday). I (brother Mak) will be teaching Doctrine 1 & 2, Christian Home, World Religions, Book of James and Practical. Brother Kayode Solomon Eniafe (brother Kay) will be teaching The Life of Christ - 3, 1st Corinthians, and OT History -2. Brother Abiola Joseph Olusoji will be teaching on Christian Evidences and Hermeneutics - 2. Brother Isaac Olaniyan will be teaching on 1 & 2 Peter & Jude, along with the Gospel of John and 1, 2, 3 John. Brother Abraham Idu Yeje (our campus minister) we be teaching on OT Prophet - Minor.

On Saturday of last week, we joined the Egbeda congregation in Ibadan for door-to-door evangelism.

On Sunday at the Onikokoro / Gbongudu congregation, Ibadan, I taught on Millennialism (Rev. 20:1-7), while one of the SWSE - 1 students, named Emmanuel Okpachui, admonished the church on “Prepare to Serve” (John 2:1-13). We were 55 in attendance with a total collection of N3,500=.

At the Egbeda congregation, brother Kay taught on “How God is Speaking to Man Today” from Heb. 1:1-3. Brother Adedoyin Sola Rotimi, one of our year 2 students taught at Jago congregation on “Working for God” (Matt. 20:1-16).

Brother Matthew Adeyemi, one of my co-WBSFUW in the West informed me of the conversion of three people at the Igbesa congregation, Ogun state in the last two weeks (Okonkow Thompson, John Hope, Patrick Ogor).

At the SWSE Ibadan main campus, brother Abraham Idu Yeje admonished the students and staff on “Seek The Right Way” on Monday during the morning devotion, brother Abiola Joseph Olusoji on Tuesday spoke on “Spiritual Growth” (1 Peter 2), Brother Kayode Eniafe on Wednesday morning devotion spoke on the “Faith of Our Fathers” (Heb. 11), and I taught on “How To Live A  Meaningful Life” (1 Peter 3:8-11) in Wednesday chapel (5:00 pm - 6:00 pm). Brother Victor Edet, one of the students, admonished us on “Wait & See” (Exodus 14:13ff) during Thursday morning’s devotion.

Beloved, the electoral body in Nigeria has finally danced to the voice of our Federal Government in postponing the general elections that were supposed to start this Saturday until March 28 for security reasons! Please, keep on praying for us in Nigeria so that the Federal Government will succeed in winning war in the North-East against the insurgency.

Thanks for your love and concern. May the Lord of blessing continue to bless all our joint efforts in Christ’s name, Amen.

Sincerely His & yours,

Makinde Ebenezer Olufemi
(Director of Studies)
Southwest School of Evangelism (SWSE), Ibadan & Lagos campus,
Nigeria, West Africa

Togo Chariot Yields Fruit, 46 Obey The Gospel...

Hanyigba Congregation Adds Six (6) Souls 
Jean Akli preaches for the Hanyigba Church of near Kpalime. Jean is also on the committee that oversees the Togo Chariot. Jean is a very dynamic preacher and has led several to Christ in the Kpalime area. During a recent campaign, six souls were added to the Hanyigba church of Christ. 

Zomayi Church of Christ had Two (2) Additions to their Number 
Asuka preaches for the Zomayi Church of Christ. He is seen here baptizing these two men . 

Bible Study Results in Twenty-Eight (28) Baptisms
David is a student at CBS in Kpalime. In some of my reports I mentioned that he had about five denominational churches he planted a couple of years ago. A few months after he had enrolled, he was baptized and became part of the Lord’s body. He was so excited with his new found faith that he immediately started preaching with the view to converting the congregations he once preached for. This was a big challenge, but with God on his side, he was able to win several of them to Church of Christ. In order to encourage him, a family in the USA provided funding for a church building. Recently David took some preachers and students to Tchabome and Alikope where he had congregations. After the Bible studies, seventeen (17) members at Tchabome and eleven (11) at Alikope were baptized. 

200 Attend 2014 Bible Camp 
Fourteen congregations in the Kpalime with their preachers converged at EYOH from December 23-26 to study the Bible and discuss pertinent issues affecting the growth of the area churches. In all 14 congregations, numbering about 200 attended the Bible Camp. God blessed the camp with one baptism. 

Jean Preaching at Dawn
Jean wakes up each morning to preach at Dawn between 5 am – 6 am to to the community he lives in. He was seen preaching from a sisters’s hair salon. Jean was also seen on a motor bike conveying the equipment to the venue where he was to preach. 

Campaign Revives Acetone Church with Ten (10) Baptisms
The Avetonu congregation had suffered a lot of setbacks since its inception. Two of its preachers died. Many of its members left the village and for a period only a handful could meet. Recently, Job, one of our former students, decided to take over the work and revive the dying church. A campaign was organized with the Chariot and the team of preachers and students. God blessed their efforts with ten (10) baptisms and several were also restored. Now the church is revived and the excitement is back. 

The good news is that two of the converts carried the good news to two villages, Agbave and Tsevi. A daughter of a denominational preacher was baptized and now the father and mother are being studied with, and hopefully they will be converted, too. God is great! 

CBS is Bereaved 
Abraham was one of the 2011 graduates of CBS. After the graduation, he went back to his village to preach for a small congregation and also continued with his farming activities. Abraham did not have any support to cater for himself. He became sick and the family reported to CBS. We tried to do our best in trying to offer some assistance, since he did not have any support, but the sickness became severe and Abraham passed on to be with the Lord. He was only 38 years. May his soul rest in peace. 

First Quarter Courses at CBS
January 7 - April 19, 2015

1) Biblical doctrine
2) Christian Evidences
3) Apocalypses
4) Romans
5) 1 & 2 Timothy and Titus
6) Minor Prophets
7) Major cults
8) Ezekiel and Daniel
9) Bible geography and History
10) Ethics of the preacher 

Worlanyo Bor to Join Teaching Staff at CBS
Worlanyo Bor, until recently, was a missionary in Bangui - Central African Republic. He and his family fled Bangui to escape the massacre that was going on. He now resides in Hohoe, Volta Region. He is familiar with CBS and, therefore, expressed interest in joining the teaching staff. Worlanyo is bi-lingual, but prefers working in a Francophone country. We look forward to having him in Kpalime in April. 

Chariot Continues to Make Impact 
Since the coming in of the Chariot, our evangelism activities have increased and the rate of conversions have also increased. 

Our activities in 2015 will take us to the following towns: 

1) Gbalave
2) Kpadape
3) Klomayondi
4) Yeviepe *Yorkele
5) Nyive
6) Tove
7) Agou
8) Amuzukope
9) Alikpodzi
10) Adzanu
11) Gle koji
12) Keve
13) Keve
14) Noepe
15) Akepe
16) Sanguera
17) Tabligbo
18) Lome and surrounding towns
19) Lamakara in the Northern Togo. 

We are planning some trips to towns near the Ghana / Togo border. 

Nyiveme Congregation Continues to Grow 
I had the opportunity to worship with the Nyiveme church of Christ. Cephas taught the Bible class on the topic, “The Receptive Heart,” and I preached the sermon using the “Beatitudes” in Matt. 5:10-12 and Luke 6:22-23. The topic was “Rejected, but Rejoicing.” 

Class in Session at CBS
Attah was one of our best recent graduates. He came to the school as a Catholic, but was converted before his graduation. He suffered a lot of persecution from the Catholic Church, but was resolved not to look back. At a point in time, the wife left him because she claimed there was no future in the husband. In all these, Attah continued to work as a teaching assistance at CBS. Later, the wife returned and was baptized and is now member of the Nyivemeh Church and one of the women leaders. I remember when I interviewed her about her sudden change, she responded, “ I did not know my husband had found something good.” 

Preaching Tulasi and Wife Outdoor with their Child 
One of our traditions in the church is to present a new born baby to the Lord after the worship service, to seek the Lord’s blessing upon child and parents. Kwaku Tulasi is a graduate of CBS and preaches for the Yorkele church of Christ near Kpalime. Cephas, the principal of CBS, was there to perform the ceremony. Usually, the ceremony is followed with a reception during which the congregation enjoys a local dish provided by the family. Some members also make a presentation of gift items to the little baby. 

Report by Willie Gley

Evangelist In Need Of Prayers And Medical Assistance...

Going into the world (Matt. 28:18-19) requires faithful men, who are not only going to reach lost souls, but also to commit what they know and have learned to faithful men who will teach others also (2 Tim. 2:2). Though he is a very poor guy, this can be said of our good brother and dear friend, Koimere Ngarasaa. Koimere is one of our graduates who labors day and night for the cause of Christ. He began teaching and preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ when he was in secondary school (High School in America). While he was a student, he was able to start a congregation at his school. He served as a preacher/ teacher converting his fellow students, teachers, and citizens of the surrounding community. After he finished his secondary education, Koimere joined the Andrew Connally School of Preaching in 2013 and graduated on November 28, 2014. Koimere is now serving as a full-time minister at the Monduli Juu Church of Christ. He is among many good brothers who are not ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ (Rom. 1:16) and are exhibiting Christ’s love for the lost and His Church.

One of the saddest things is that, Koimere has a health problem. He was discovered with a growing thyroid panel. His throat is swelling everyday. This disease has hindered his work performance in the Kingdom. He consulted several doctors because of his problem, and the only solution to the problem is surgery. Due to the fact that he is poor and does not have any support, he failed to pay the amount required by the hospital. He is supposed to pay $850. I know the Lord will intervene in his situation through your prayers and support, so that this soldier of the Lord may return back to the camp for further battle with the devil.

If you have any questions or would like to make a donation, then please contact brother Cy Stafford for more information. Please pray for the Monduli Juu congregation so that they can stay strong during this time when their minister is suffering.

Thank you so much for all that you mean and do in the Lord’s Kingdom both in America and Africa.

Your servant in His Kingdom,

Charles Heberth Mwanga
Assistant Director,
Andrew Connally School of Preaching
An extension of Bear Valley Bible Institute
Arusha – Tanzania

On The Road Telling The Story Of God's Great Love...

Greetings Fellow Servants,

We rejoice knowing we are part of God’s family. We serve the living God Who is able. We partner with you in the greatest cause known to man, a cause that brings salvation to mankind. Thank you for praying and supporting us in Tanzania. 

We are on the road again, telling the story of God’s great love. We have been to Northport, AL visiting good friends and supporters. We will worship with our church family at Piedmont Road in Atlanta, GA this morning where our brother Neil Richey serves as minister of the gospel. On Monday I will fly out to Denver to meet with the extension school workers. Next week I have a meeting in Jackson, MS and then to Nashville, TN for a couple of appointments. I would really appreciate your prayers as I travel and report on God’s amazing work in East Africa. 

A report from our brother Charles Heberth: 

“Koimere Ngarasaa. Koimere is one of our graduates who labors day and night for the cause of Christ. He began teaching and preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ when he was in secondary school (High School in America). While he was a student, he was able to start a congregation at his school. He served as a preacher/ teacher converting his fellow students, teachers, and citizens of  the surrounding community. After he  finished his secondary education, Koimere joined the Andrew Connally School of Preaching in  2013, and  graduated on November, 28, 2014. Koimere is now serving as a full - time minister at the Monduli Juu Church of Christ. He is among many good brothers who are not ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ (Rom. 1:16), and are exhibiting Christ’s love for the lost and His Church.

One of the saddest things is that, Koimere has a health problem. He was discovered with a growing thyroid panel. His throat is swelling everyday. This disease has hindered his work performance in the Kingdom. He consulted several doctors because of his problem, and the only solution to the problem is surgery. Due to the fact that he is poor and does not have any support, he failed to pay the amount required by the hospital. He is supposed to pay $850. I know the Lord will intervene in his situation through your prayers and support so that this soldier of the Lord may return back to the camp for further battle with the devil.”

If you are like me, we can often take for granted our health and prosperity. We can be thankful we serve the “Great Physician” and with your prayers and support, our brother Koimere will regain his much needed health and be able to continue with the work of the Lord, seeking and saving the lost. 

We solicit your prayers on behalf of our brother Cotton Box, Gene Davis, as well as, Sean and Anita Hochdorf. We also ask for your prayers on behalf of the 28 returning students at the Andrew Connally School of Preaching.

We close with thanksgivings for each of you, for your prayers, support, and partnership in the gospel of our Lord. 

In Him,
Cy, Stephanie & Granny

New Year, New Job At ACSOP, Tanzania...

A whole new group of challenges and opportunities were awaiting me upon my return to Tanzania. I have accepted the responsibility of serving as director of the Andrew Connally School of Preaching. This is an exciting new role for me to fill on this mission team. As I direct the school, my focus will be on preparing my Assistant Directors for a time when missionaries are no longer actively involved in the day-to-day operations of the school. Although American support will always be needed, our goal is to be able to turn the administration over to our African brothers. 

A fresh new crop of preaching students is ready to undertake the challenge of training to be gospel preachers. We are expecting 16 students in this year’s intake. I’m looking forward to watching these men grow in the coming months. 

In this new year our family is also shifting more of our focus towards the newest church plant, the Njiro Chini congregation. With most of the campaigns this year focused on this area, it makes sense to have a missionary present on the ground. We still love Ilkiurei and will continue to keep tabs on them as they mature and grow. 

This should be a great year of service to our Lord! 

Tiffany’s Thoughts: 
Hi Ho! Hi Ho! It’s Back to Work We Go! 

Furlough was amazing! I received a badly needed lift in spirits and am now ready to get back to work with vigor. The Saturday after returning I resumed teaching at the monthly Preacher’s Wives Class at the Arusha Bible School. Jane Massawe and Ludovica Ahimidiwe also taught classes and it was truly a day of blessings and encouragement for all of us. 

Sunday morning we worshipped with the Njiro Chini church and I taught children’s Bible class (held in the living room of the member currently hosting worship.) It was fun to be back in the swing of things and watch the children enjoy the lesson, songs, and activities. 

Meet sweet Abigail. Abigail is 4 years old. Last year she attended VBS at Njiro Chini Kanisa la Kristo. While her parents worship with the Roman Catholics, Abby walks alone to worship. Isaiah 11:6 “A child shall lead them...” Never underestimate the power of educating children in Christ. For 8 months Abby has worshipped here and her parents are noticing and asking questions. 

Student Spotlight 
Martin Tluway comes to us from the Karatu district where he operates a secondary school. His goal is to use the training that he receives at ACSOP to better teach his students about Jesus, and to plant a new congregation of the Lord’s church in his village. 

Daniel Gaines

To see the report with pictures, please click here.

Two New Schools In The Extension Program...

Two new schools are set to begin classes in the next few months. Approval was recently given by the Bear Valley elders after learning of the potential in each location. The first school is set to open up in Mbanga, Cameroon. Mbanga is located in the French speaking section of Cameroon and the director of the program, brother Ititi, is a graduate from the Cameroon Bible Institute of Wotutu. We know the training he received at CBIW was a strong foundation for the continued evangelistic fervor needed to expand training and outreach into other sections of this country.

The second school is located on the opposite side of Africa in the country of Malawi. We are excited to partner with the school in Mzuzu, Malawi, located in the northern section of the country. Finalization of the details for the program in Mzuzu are nearly complete. We know the direction of this program will also follow the mission of reaching out with the gospel to those without Christ.

The potential of these two schools adds approximately 35-40 new students to the overall extension program. We ask you to pray with us as we get these two schools launched in the coming months. We also ask you to pray for us as we look at additional locations to extend the program of training preachers in other countries around the world. With God, we know all things are possible and your prayers make a difference.

PRAYERS OF THANKS: A few weeks back, we asked everyone to pray for Kim Kasarjian because initial reports indicated the possibility of leukemia. After a bone marrow biopsy last Tuesday, the Kasarjian’s received word that Kim does not have leukemia. We thank our God for answering prayers and we thank each of you for praying on behalf of Kim and her family. We serve an awesome God.

Now on to this week’s incredible reports...

Coordinator Updates
Reports from the coordinators are now located on the website, under Staff Reports. The address is http://www.wetrainpreachers.com/extension-schools/

The latest report from Howell Ferguson can be read here.

Extension Reports 

New Students At CBIW Grow From Weekend Evangelism: The weekend outreach in Cameroon is helping students grow to understand the nature of evangelism and the need to share the gospel.

Evangelistic Campaign And SIBS Programs In Ghana Draw Attention: The staff and students at the new school in Nsawam-Dobro, Ghana are drawing attention to the work.

Amidst The Turmoil Of War, Students Study In Ukraine: The situation in Ukraine worsens, but students continue to study and make a difference in reaching out with the gospel.

WBS And Southwest School Of Evangelism Students Make A Difference: The staff and students at SWSE continue to work with World Bible School students.

Souls Are Reached And A New Congregation Is Planted In India: The efforts of the Bible College and church in Visakhapatnam are extensive and this report shares the nature of work.

Baptism, Graduation, And Preparation For Beta Class In Paraguay: The Alpha class of students graduated this weekend and students for the Beta class are growing in number.

Recent Programs In Uganda Provide Benefit To The Work: The work is challenging everywhere, but recent efforts in Uganda show the benefit to the Lord’s kingdom.

The Year Is Off To A Great Start In Tanzania: With reports of baptisms, returning students, Master’s classes, and so much more, we can see why the year is starting well in Arusha.

Focus On A New Congregation In Arusha Yields Fruit: Safari for Souls continues to demonstrate the blessings of God as work in a new congregation yields fruit.

The Gaines’ Family Returns To The Work At ACSOP, Tanzania: After a recent furlough from the work in Tanzania, the Gaines’ family has returned and in full swing with the work.

Final Thoughts 
As we close another week of reports from each of the schools above, we thank our God for the incredible way He continues to bless this work. Reading through the reports is exciting and encouraging. We also thank you for the tool you are in the hands of the Almighty God, providing for the needs of this program. We look forward to reporting more next week.

God bless
Bob

Baptism, Graduation, And Preparation For Beta Class In Paraguay...

We are currently in a time of transition. As you receive this, Andrea and I have now been in the mission field for five years, which was our original commitment to the work. We are so thankful and feel abundantly blessed to have been able to serve here in Asuncion. We also feel blessed to have this new opportunity before us and we look forward to the next couple of years of continuing the work in Paraguay. We hope you find this month’s mission report encouraging. Thank you and God bless! - Troy and Andrea

BAPTISM!
Javier Arce obeyed the Gospel call this past month after having studied with brother Ike Yegros for a few months. Javier is a close friend of our sister in Christ, Odila, who invited him and his family to come visit. We rejoice with the angels in heaven that another soul has been added to the kingdom of God.

DEVELOPMENTS AT AVE. SACRAMENTO CHURCH OF CHRIST
Our Vision 2020 Meeting was a great success! We had about 20 men come over to the house one afternoon and discuss where we were five years ago, where we are now, and where we want to be five years from today. It was rather emotional to look back and see how some things that were once just dreams are now a reality. It gives us more hope and courage to strive forward! There will be another meeting next month to continue the discussions.

We are excited to have the Trent Kennedy Family making plans to come to Paraguay and work with the church here for three months! Trent will be teaching classes in the Bible Academy while he is here. He and his wife, Lisa, will also be teaching English using the Bible and offering a family class for parents. They plan to arrive on May 15th. Please pray for this effort!

DEVELOPMENTS AT ÑEMBY CHURCH OF CHRIST
Evangelist and missionary to Ñemby, Eliezer Perez, returned to his home in Panama for furlough and to visit his family. He plans to return to Paraguay in early February. He will continue his work in Ñemby, but will also begin working full time as a professor with the Asuncion Bible Academy in March.

The ABA students spent a week in Ñemby making new contacts, visiting and doing maintenance projects on the church building.`

ASUNCION BIBLE ACADEMY
“Beta Class 2015-17” is currently forming. Several have submitted their applications and gone through the admissions interview process. There are still some considering. Classes start March 2!

GRADUATION is upon us! The diplomas have been printed, the cap and gowns are reserved, and the decorations are getting ready to be put into place. We are so excited to see this project bearing fruit for the Lord’s glory! We are also thrilled to have brother Luis Camacho joining us for the upcoming activities. Please say a prayer for these graduates and their future endeavors.

Contacts / Bible Studies / Activities
We are happy to have two new interns who have arrived in Paraguay to work with the church for the next year! They are, Pablo Yuri and Italo Rocha. They were both trained in the AME Brazil program and plan to primarily help with the youth group in different areas and projects. We hope they have much success with their plans and look forward to working with them!

Bible Studies
I had a great study with Alan Suarez, the 12-year-old son of our sister in Christ, Eulalia. He wants to be baptized, but after our study it became clear that he doesn’t quite understand the purpose of baptism just yet, or what salvation is exactly. So, we plan to continue studying with him as he grows closer to entering that “age of accountability.”

We had a very interesting evangelistic study at Delci Enciso’s house this past month. Unfortunately, the lady who had come to the study insisted that she doesn’t need to study the Bible because God speaks directly to her. Even though I clearly explained that that isn’t possible according to Hebrews 1:1-2, she maintains that she has visions and receives direct revelation from God. I have to admit, that one was a first for me!

I have been helping one of our families try to heal some issues that have come through some recent marriage troubles. We have been reading “The Love Dare” together and doing the various tasks together to help them recover the zeal that was once very strong in their marriage. So far, there have been positive results, so it is going well. (PS: the book is a great tool for marriage counseling, but beware of the erroneous doctrinal slant regarding salvation).

English students – Andrea’s new students are doing well with their studies. Please keep Alison, Sonya, and Nelly in your prayers!

The Academy students are in full swing teaching classes, preaching, and actively involved in ministry. It is truly a wonderful sight to see such spiritual growth in action!

Coming Up Soon:

February
Karen Bennett from the Central Ave church of Christ in Valdosta, GA, is coming to visit and speak at the Annual Ladies Retreat.

Another Men’s Planning Retreat to discuss the desired direction of the church in Paraguay for the next five years. We are calling it “Vision 2020.”

Graduation for the Asuncion Bible Academy will be held on Saturday, February 7th, 2015!

A South America vacation to Guarapuava, Brazil.

March - A new class of students will begin their studies at the Asuncion Bible Academy on March 2, 2015.

April - Andrea and I will be returning to the USA for our annual furlough/reporting trip.

May - The Trent Kennedy family arrives in Paraguay.

July - Palm Beach Lakes church of Christ campaign. Margaret Street church of Christ campaign.

Activities/developments:
Surprise Birthday Party! - Okay, as close to a surprise as one can get by flying into town from South America outside of our normal schedule, inviting all the family down from all over the country to convene in one place, and all while trying to organize the event without the “surprisee” suspecting it. Still, Andrea and her family were able to pull off a surprise 85th birthday party for her mom, Joyce Parker. She was happy, Andrea was happy, the family was happy, so everybody is happy! But most importantly, Joyce knows just how much she is deeply loved by her family.

Our fellow worker in the kingdom and brother in Christ, Jorge Vera, lost his mother this past month. She had been battling various illnesses for the past several years and he had been responsible for taking care of her for a very long time. He is obviously sad for the loss, but his heart grieves even more that she never accepted the Gospel invitation, even though he proclaimed it to her many times. Please pray for Jorge and his family.

Personal study:

I have been reading (or, still reading):

“The Chronological Life of Christ” by Mark E. Moore
“New Testament Survey” by Merrill C. Tenney
“El Desafio del Amor” by Alex and Stephen Kendrick

Preaching/teaching opportunities:
I preached one Sunday at Avenida Sacramento on the topic of “What Separates Us from Other Religious Groups?”

From several resources on the subject, I have developed and have been teaching a series on “Spiritual Development” in Spanish. In the first lessons, we have been focusing on the first key element, which is learning about the will of God and that it is only possible through His revealed word. The following elements are: “The Community of Faith,” “Our Inner Life.” and “Ministry.”

Discovering Paraguay: “Kurusú Ara” Celebration
May 3rd is the celebration of “Kurusú Ara,” or “Día de la Cruz” in Spanish (Day of the Cross). “Kurusu” means cross and “ára” means day in Guaraní. During Kurusu Ára a special cross is used, usually one with historical or sentimental value to the community. The cross is placed in a dome shaped shrine made of laurel leaves which is then decorated with chipas, (cheese bread) in the form of rings as well as animals are hung from the branches creating a sort of Christmas tree. Once the ceremony and songs honoring the “kurusu jegua” (decorated cross) are completed these chipas are handed out to attendees.

The Day of the Cross is celebrated in Catholic communities worldwide but, as always, Guaraní culture contributed it ́s own special twist to this religious tradition in Paraguay. According to Margarita Miro Ibara, author of “Alimentación y Religiosidad Paraguaya, Chipa – Pan Sagrado,” Paraguay ́s Kurusu Ára festivities are an example of religious syncretism that occurred between Catholic beliefs and those of the Guaraní culture. She attributes the natural elements – the leafy shrine and animal shaped chipas – as paying homage to the Kurupí, a mythological Guaraní deity representing fertility in both humans and nature. “Kurupí” is still very much present within the Paraguayan culture. (Reprinted from discoveringparaguay.com). For more information on all things Paraguay, visit this informative website: http://discoveringparaguay.com. 

Troy and Andrea Spradlin

To see Troy’s report with pictures, please click here.

The Gaines' Family Returns To The Work At ACSOP, Tanzania...

Hello again friends! It has been awhile since our last post, so let me catch you up on what's been going on. I'm happy to report that we had a very successful furlough trip, both from a work and personal standpoint. God continues to bless His servants and His work.

Let's start with the work. We drove for about 2,000 miles as we visited with more than a dozen congregations of the Lord's church. That was a lot of time on the road, but we are excited about the work that we get to do. It is a pleasure to share with our partners in the US some of the good things that they are helping to make possible. I think that it is encouraging to people to know that the Lord's kingdom is indeed thriving and growing.

We were also taking that opportunity to let people know about some special needs that the work here has. The Lord's people responded, and it gives me great pleasure to report that around $30,000 was donated to buy Swahili Bibles, print tracts, and sponsor preaching students. Together with the efforts of team members all of our furlough fund-raising goals were met. Thank you for your immense generosity and kindness of heart!

Most of the visits that I made were to churches, but I also had the privilege of being invited to speak to the students of Foundation Christian Academy. This was Abby's school when we lived in Bowling Green, and they made us feel very loved and welcome. Abby spent the rest of the day at school reconnecting with old friends and teachers.  

Children learning about missions is an important "side-benefit" of missionary reporting. I had young people at several congregations approach me after my presentation expressing interest in becoming missionaries one day. If just one of them follows up on that dream, then that alone would make this a worthwhile furlough. 

On a personal level, it was so refreshing to spend some time in America and to see friends and family. We saw all of our immediate family, and kept holiday traditions. We ate American food until it made us sick (that happened pretty fast actually). We were reminded of the immense support system that we have behind us. The kids even got to experience a little snow. We NEVER see that in Africa!  

At last it was time to go home. We packed up our 10 suitcases and 5 carry-ons, using every single pound that the airlines would allow. That sounds like a lot, but there were still so many things that we WANTED to bring back that simply wouldn't fit in our baggage allowance. We had to make some tough choices about what did or didn't make the cut.  

Traveling with small children is not for the faint of heart. Our family getting through the airport is like something straight out of a comedy movie. Then two very long flights are a tremendous strain on a kid's ability to sit semi-quietly, and on a parent's ability to remain sane and calm. Add to that a long car ride, dealing with customs, border control, and multiple police checkpoints. But with God's help we all made it through the trip.

Life in a foreign field is exciting and rewarding, but it can also be very draining and wearisome. I don't think that I ever felt shocked at the culture, but there were times leading up to furlough when I was pretty tired of it. Don't get me wrong, I love Tanzania, but we all needed a break. Furlough provided that much needed mental break for the whole family. It is difficult to understand how badly this is needed if you haven't lived in a culture very foreign to your own. I know I didn't fully understand.  

Since we've been back, we have a refreshed ability to appreciate the wonderful things about where we live. It's actually kind of odd how comfortingly familiar our surrounds are to us now. There was an unexpected feeling of relief and ease when we finally made it back to our home away from home. And we've experienced joy at seeing some of our good Tanzanian friends again. Now we're ready to hit the ground running and get back in the trenches. The fields are white, let's go harvest!

Daniel Gaines

The Year Is Off To A Great Start In Tanzania...

Greetings Fellow Servants, 

We thank our God for His abundant mercy, grace, and love. We thank our God for your fellowship in the gospel, prayers, and support of His good work in Tanzania. We are thankful to be a small part of God’s eternal purpose with hope and great expectations for the home prepared for us by our Lord. 

Our year is off to a great start. Each year more and more fellow labors join us in the greatest work that can be done, the seeking and saving of the lost. We began the year with the Tanzania Christian camp, where fourteen souls were added to the Kingdom. The team from Northport, AL conducted three campaigns resulting in eighteen souls obeying the gospel and one new place of worship being built. Our brother Gary Fallis taught two Master’s classes to nine faithful evangelists and our second year students have arrived along with our new English stream of students. Yes, the Lord is good and the year has begun. 

Sean and Anita made it home safely and are to see the doctor on Tuesday of this week. Please remember them in your prayers. I, too, made it home and have really enjoyed being back with family and holding our latest grandson, Remington, for the first time. Thank you all for your prayers for safe travels. God is good and prayers were answered. 

As of this writing, I have fourteen appointments lined up with a few dates still open. I love telling the story of God’s great love and work in Tanzania, so if you or your congregation are interested, just let me know and we will do our best to make a date. 

Update: I want to thank everyone who has helped with our travel needs. We still lack $1,800 to cover our airfare. Also, we now only lack $6,000 on the “Gospel Chariot” for the ACSOP. We cannot wait to get the transportation needed that our student body might get into the field and gain the experience they desire and need. 

Thank you all for helping us, help them, help themselves. 

We pray you have a great week in service to our God and to our fellow man. We pray God blesses each of us with an open door to reach some lost soul. Always remember, God loves you!

In Him, 
Cy, Stephanie and Granny

Focus On A New Congregation In Arusha Yields Fruit...

We should not be ashamed of the Gospel because it is the power of God unto salvation. The church in the Arusha area is now making an effort at taking their spiritual maturity to the next level. Area evangelists, coupled with the help of the missionary team, are fulfilling a rotational schedule teaching on various spiritual disciplines.

Last Sunday, I had the privilege to visit the Ilkiurei church of Christ and teach on the subject: Prayer for the purpose of godliness. Ilkiurei is a new congregation that was started as a result of one of our Safari for Souls campaigns. Prior to my teaching on the discipline of prayer, they had been taught the introductory lesson: Spiritual discipline for the purpose of godliness. It appeared that everyone in attendance gave their complete attention to the things being taught. The questions that followed the lesson verified their sincere interest in the subject. There are a total of thirteen lessons that will be delivered on a rotational basis to all the congregations in the Arusha and Kilimanjaro areas. Please pray that the disciplines being taught will be learned and adopted by the brethren here.

This year we have turned our attention to the new congregation at NjiroChini. The Safari for Souls campaigns will be focusing on this new congregation for the next two years before moving toward the next new church plant. A number of local evangelists are sharing the responsibility of spending several hours each Saturday evangelizing the area. Last Saturday we reached many homes, including some backsliders from last year’s campaign. Although this church is only one year old it has sown much seed and has great potential for growth. During our outing we were also able to visit a lady who has not been attending worship because her husband forbids her from so doing. The husband is an elder at a Pentecostal Church and has been trying to force her to attend with him so he does not lose his position. He brought twenty old men from his church to speak with his wife, but the woman defended what she knew was the truth. Finally, the husband said to her you must stay at home rather than to go to your new church. Then because she feared being divorced, and as you may know that African ladies don’t have a voice in the house, she is silently staying at home without going to the church. Please, your many prayers will make the difference. We know God will hear our prayers. Recently her daughter, who faithfully attends worship, said “it is better for her to be chased away from home than to quit the Lord’s church”. 

We would like send our thanks for taking your time to read and be a part of these efforts. Thank you for all the good you do for the kingdom.

In His service

AhimidiweKimaro
Assistant Director, Andrew Connally School of Preaching
A Bear Valley Bible Institute International extension school
Arusha, Tanzania

Recent Programs In Uganda Provide Benefit To The Work...

Dear brethren,

We greet you in the name of our precious Lord Jesus Christ hoping that you are all doing well. We do very much appreciate what you are doing in supporting us here in Uganda. During the beginning of the month of January, some students of the Uganda School of Evangelism were still in their homes. From the 8th of January 2015, youth from the churches of Christ in Busia and Namayingo District had a Youth Seminar which was hosted by the Genguluho church of Christ. The seminar ended on the 10th in the afternoon. Youth went back to the homes on Sunday the 11th after worship. A total of 150 youth attended. From 12 years to 30 years - 110, and those from 6 years to 10 years were about 40. We had about 10 teachers. I was assigned to teach the youth about “Entrepreneurship in Biblical Perspective.” Twelve youth came from Mbale, Uganda’s Eastern Region headquarter making this seminar to be considered as for the whole Region. Next year, in January, this seminar will be hosted in Mbale that is about 81 km from Lake Victoria Port of Majanji.

Ladies Program
The Ladies Program resumed on the 19th of January 2015, with 14 ladies from Kenya and Uganda. The following ladies came from Nairobi churches of Christ (1) Elizabeth Bange (2) Anne Karenge (3) Susan Makabira (4) Zipora Moses. From Lumakanda Church of Christ in Kakamega county in Western Kenya: Linet Ongiya Ambaka, she is the wife of Peter Ambaka one of our instructors. From Bar-Ober Church of Christ were: (1) Peres Achieng (2)Beatrice Akinyi (3)  Mildred  Atieno. From Tingolo Church of Christ: (1) Concepta Muruka (2) Veronica  Muruka. From Uganda: Nandwa Church of Christ: (1) Caroline Wanyama. Bwoya church of Christ: (1)Nabwire Everline (2) Nakitto Zaina.  Genguluho Church of Christ: (1) Nasanga Oliver. 

Nakitto  Zaina who has been a Muslim was baptized  by Francis Barasa into Christ for the remission of her sins. Barasa is one of our students in English speaking class.

Our short course started on the 12th January for one week. We taught “Hermeneutics” and the teachers this time were Emmanuael Mawa and Christopher  Ouma. On the 19th of January, after the short course, was when the ladies came in for another one week course. Our students from Congo missed the short-course, hoping that they will be coming during the long course, but to our surprise none came back. From what we are hearing from some people from Congo, they are saying that the support they were getting  was not enough to send to their families back home. Let us hope that they might change their heart and come to school. 

Three students from Kenya have also not reported. These are Silas Onyango, Benard Kioko, and Micheal Otieno. They told us that they will be coming, but as of now, they are still looking for school fees for their children. One student from Uganda has not reported. He has not told us the reason why, but from what we are hearing, he has gone to dig for gold. He was called Godfrey Byamungu. Last month, gold was discovered in their village and everybody in that village is in the gold business. I will inform with more details in my next report. We have two more students from Kenya who have come and one from Uganda.

Land at the School
I tried to follow up on this land. There were some forms which were missing and I will need to buy them and fill them, after which the sub county Land board will come and see the land and then resume from there to Mbale.

Change of Names at the Bank
When we went to the Bank to change the account name, they asked me money for “Search” but later they wanted us to give them form nine which we did not have. This form nine is only given to the firm that have been sending returns to the registrar  of Companies which we haven’t been doing since the 2009 when we registered “CHURCH OF CHRIST-UGANDA SCHOOL OF PREACHING LTD.”  

Last week, I was in Kampala at the registrar’s office. They told me that I have to buy  three return forms for every year at a cost of 1,000 shillings per form, that is 15 forms. When I go back they will need 50,000/= for each year, that is 250,000/=. What I heard was that the year we failed to submit our returns, there will a penalty of 200,000 per year. This I am not yet sure, because I have not taken back the form. The way I go through these forms I might need some help from an advocate who will also need some money. I will be up dating you. I wish you the best in your daily work.

Yours
Francis and Margaret Wechesa

To see Francis’ report with pictures, please click here.

Souls Are Reached And A New Congregation Is Planted In India...

Dear Brethren in Christ,

Greetings to you all in the precious name of Lord Jesus Christ our Savior. We have been thoroughly blessed. We thank you all so much for your prayers and thoughts. It has been a wonderful opportunity to train up our young men to be preachers in the ripest mission field of India. We are thankful to the brethren at Lake Houston for their continued trust and confidence in the Preaching School work in Visakhapatnam, grateful for their continued support.  

Gospel Meetings & Establishing New congregation: We are humbled with the great response through holding gospel meetings in a couple of places where we were able to establish new congregations. It is reported by our students that brother K. Raju Babu & K. Suresh have started holding Bible studies in their villages. V. Simhadri, with the help of his family, established a congregation. Being trained as an efficient preacher and the education provided helped them understand the mission work very practically. This resulted in sound and zealous preachers. We are thrilled with the great outcome of these students, we are very anxious to see them finishing their school and heading back to expand their wings for reaching out with good news. We are thankful to the brethren for helping us with the preacher training school, indeed this has given a great chance of learning and also putting into practice what they learned in the school.

Gospel Tracts Printing: Literature helped us reach out to many with the true gospel. We thank the brethren at Lake Houston for helping us buy the Gospel Tool Duplicator. By using this we are printing Gospel tracts. Some times pamphlets have the information about the gospel meetings that would be conducted. 

Students Attend Youth Conference: The theme of the conference is  “Remember your creator in your Youth.” They not only enjoyed the fellowship, but also learned 16 different lessons concerning the youth and challenges they encounter in their lives. Being young people of themselves, they have been taught about living a life pleasing to God in the choices they make, by the way they look, talk and make friendships. This also gave a great opportunity to meet brother Russell Bell who is a graduate of Bear Valley. It has been a long time since he visited the School in Visakha. He was looking for an opportunity to meet all the students. However, during this Youth Conference we were privileged to have our students greeted by him.

Christian Counseling and Leadership Seminar: We are truly blessed to see our students attending the Christian Counseling and Leadership Seminar. Currently in India, Christian Counseling is not being taught so much as it is needed. Under the recent technological changes, modernism and materialism is being thought and practiced in the Indian society. Under these circumstances preachers need some education to help with those who are battling with anger, pain, stress, sorrow, confusion etc. This seminar has helped the students understand the basic information about counseling and how a preacher can do counseling with the help of the Master Book - the Bible. Leadership concepts are also well planted in their minds during the same time, encouraging the preachers to be leaders and strive for developing leaders in their congregations.

Threat for Christians: Prayer Request
Brethren, Christianity by large is threatened by the raging Hindu movement in our country, India. Since the ruling party is Hindu supported, also our nationals are predominantly Hindus, these two things are bring a threat to Christians and Christian Institutions and also charitable organizations which are being supported by Christians. 

Communist ideology of the government in economics on the other side is tightening the financial freedom of the common man. Even though there is no persecution directly in a large number, their indirect moves with a long term plan to eliminate Christianity in India is very scary. Trust me it is the whole idea, they are working from the ground root level. Recently, one Hindu organization made a commitment is start a Hindu Operated School in every village of our country and wants to accomplish this task by 2017.  Some radical groups have vowed to clean out Christianity by 2021. This is not the only one….several ways are working at jet speed against Christianity and its Institutions.  We request you to kindly pray. We firmly believe God is in control, our Lord is going to open more doors of opportunity to reach out during this persecution time. Glory to His almighty name…..to God be the glory.

Ref: I have attached a copy of the report about the recent persecutions in India.

http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/hindu-outfit-plans-to-finish-islam-christianity-by-2021/

Finally, we thank you all brethren for your prayers and encouragement to train our men to reach out and spread the Good News, to rescue our people from everlasting destruction. Please convey our greetings and gratitude to the brethren that are so concerned and praying for this marvelous Lord’s work. Please share this reports as you have the opportunity, thank you all.

In Christ and His service.
Samuel Raju, Director
John Dean M.

WBS And Southwest School Of Evangelism Students Make A Difference...

Dear fellow soldier of Christ,

Greetings from Nigeria. The WBS seminar on February 2,2 015 was attended by twenty-five WBS students and 40 friends and brethren.

Brother Ezekiek Okorougo, the host minister and one of the SWSE instructors on the Lagos campus, phoned me yesterday evening that the seminar resulted in two conversions of two ladies after our departure to Air-Port in Ikeja, Lagos with brother Doug M. Wheeler.

Beloved, we are very thankful to you all for your dedication to the cause of Christ! May the Lord of blessing continue to bless all your endeavors in Jesus Christ name, amen.

I will be back to the Southwest School of Evangelism (SWSE) main campus in Butubutu village in preparation for our 3rd semester of classes that, by God's grace will commence on February 9, 2015 with 25 students.

Thanks for your partnership. Be blessed for ever.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Makinde Ebenezer Olufemi 
Director of Studies
Southwest School of Evangelism (SWSE), Ibadan & Lagos campus, Nigeria

Amidst The Turmoil Of War, Students Study In Ukraine...

Hello dear brothers and sisters,

The War in Donbas and in the Minds of People 
As you know, the military actions in Eastern Ukraine are getting more intensive each day. Military opposition goes all along the frontline, and it seems that this war is not going to end anytime soon. The Russian army takes down their insignia and by thousands enter through the border, which is not under Ukrainian control anymore. They stand to protect the illegal republics. Many towns in Lugansk and Donetsk are destroyed. People leave these dead places looking for an opportunity to move to peaceful areas. The Ukrainian government can’t provide housing and cover living expenses for all refugees. Generally speaking, Ukraine is going through a very difficult period in their lives. It’s a month now that Gorlovka has been under daily shelling. Many people forgot the sight of the daylight. Being afraid for their lives, people don’t leave the cellars. We ask you to pray for our country, for the long awaited peace, for the governments of Ukraine and Russia, and for the preachers who continue serving the Lord on the occupied territories. 

Bear Valley Bible Institute in Ukraine
On January 12, the classes resumed after the winter break. The first-year students had such courses: 1-2 Samuel (taught by Eugene Tebel) and Joshua, Judges and Ruth (taught by Alexander Rodnayev). The second-year students had Homiletics II (taught by Alexander Rodichev), World Religions (taught by Albert Bagdasaryan) and Romans (taught by Andrew Zhuravlyov). We continue having classes with Dan Owen on Wednesdays; many students are looking forward to those classes. We have ordered textbooks for the school from Eastern European Mission, and they have sent us all the needed materials. We have also received some books from the  Shevchenkivska Church of Christ in Kiev. We are gradually expanding our library. 

At the end of January, a new student (Yuriy) joined our program. He is from Boyarka, Kiev region. He has already started attending our classes. His wife Katya and his 1-year-old son Matvey (Matthew) will join him in the middle of February. Yuriy seems to be a nice, good Christian, husband and father. He is very interested in studying God’s word and wishes to serve the Lord together with his family in the future. Now we are busy looking for an apartment for his family to rent. It’s not easy to find a good one, since there are very few options in real estate market in winter. However, we’ve got some options to consider. 

Now Denton Landon and I teach the classes. We are grateful to Denton Landon for his ministry in Ukraine and willingness to help BVBIU. We are also expecting the arrival of Ralph Williams and his wife. God bless them on their way here. 

The Institute Church of Christ 
We continue having youth group meetings on Tuesdays, Bible classes on Thursdays and services on Sundays. Also we have added to our schedule home group Bible classes on Mondays. Many people started liking this idea of meeting at homes and studying the Bible together. These classes also aim for inviting the unbelievers. We try to plan ahead all our ministries and all who are responsible for them, and Bogdan Chigvintsev helps me with that. Occasionally people come in and inquire about the church and Bible classes for kids. 

Some are curious. They are used to perceiving the church as a building with steeples and crosses. And when you try to explain the true meaning of the word, it creates a culture shock for them. 

We plan to have another event for the kids on Saturday. Usually we watch an animated movie with a Christian idea in it, and then we have Bible class and games. We understand that we can make contacts with parents through their kids. We have some experience with such events and have made some contacts. 

We are urging you, again, to pray for Ukraine, for peace in our country, and for the people stricken with this grief. 

Thank you for supporting the Bible institute and my family. All BVBIU students and staff send you their greetings and thank you for your care for us. 

Your brother and co-worker,
Dennis Sopelnik

To see Dennis' report with pictures, please click here.

Evangelistic Campaign And SIBS Programs In Ghana Draw Attention...

The first year of [SIBS] came to an end successfully and peacefully, as school closed for the Christmas holidays. All eleven students were in perfect condition health wise. There was also good coordination among instructors, which contributed to effective classroom learning

SIBS Programs
News of our new school continues to spread around. Interestingly, a couple of brethren called around this time about our training program. They actually wanted to find out more about the specific program being offered, particularly whether our course is all full-time or also part-time. These enquiries are also due to the fact that, some of the brethren expressing interest in the school, work during the day-time for their livelihood.  Accordingly, some are of the view that we may have to come up with an innovative program that will be beneficial to the majority of the brethren. The view is receiving attention.

Evangelism Campaign – Dobro
An evangelism campaign which was carried out in the main township of Dobro was quite successful. During the last week before holidays, there was a massive distribution of tracts, which was followed by house-to-house study and teaching of the gospel. About a third of the town was covered, as several homes and public places were visited to distribute tracts and conduct personal Bible studies. As usual, while this was new and strange to some people, others also keenly paid some attention. Eventually, the campaign was fruitful with the baptism of five people, including an ex-soldier and his wife, who gladly embraced the gospel. The couple have not only been unusually happy following their obedience to the gospel, but are equally happy to learn the “gospel” is in the Bible.

Although the church at Dobro has until now been meeting regularly at the premises of [SIBS], we have all decided to relocate the church in the middle of the town at Dobro, where it could be accessible to all who attend from all quarters. Besides the weekend student congregational visits in the area, we intend to involve students at [SIBS] in a quarterly church planting or follow-up campaigns to either start a new congregation or to strengthen an existing young congregation that need some assistance.

Seth Larbi

New Students At CBIW Grow From Weekend Evangelism...

Dearest in Christ,

Greetings from Cameroon. We do hope this reports finds you all in good health. We thank God for all that He is doing to us as we train men to preach and also preach to save souls.

Last week in CBIW and the Wotutu congregation went on well. We saw God doing great things in our lives and the life of the ministries under our care.

We thank God for His great care over us as I and some students went out for weekend evangelism to 9 different locations. As I write this report, we all made it back safe, even though not sound in my own case. I need to see the doctor because my trip took me through a very dusty road and I have lots of sand in my eyes now.

I road on a motor bike going to my trip. I was going to visit 10 congregations along the road within three days. The area is called Upper Meme division unit of the churches of Christ. The unit has more than 50 villages, but only 10 among them have the church of Christ, and among these 10, no one is strong enough to help the dying ones, so the survey and visit exposed a lot to me. It made me shed tears. Isaiah 6:5 oh the field is ripe, but laborers are not there. These congregations died because there was no one who kept after the establishment to grow the church and raise leaders. Please pray for this mission.

The task is challenging to get to some locations for weekend evangelism. Students were soaked with dust as they went out to reach souls. Keep praying for them as they see the details about mission work in Cameroon, as CBIW exposes them to areas of work.

While in the villages, we preached and shared tracts. One community has many literate people who appreciated the tracts to know more about God. Many thanks to Mission Printing for the tracts sent to us and all those our God used to get those tracts to us. It is reaching those who really need it.

People were eager to read the Bible. One catholic community lives by the threat that the catholic leaders will tell people not to read the Bible because it can give them serious mental problems. They were eager to ask questions if reading the Bible will not harm them. What a God we serve.

Along the way, I was supposed to stop by to visit our only graduate along the road. It was a time to see someone who came into preaching school blank and after two years we see him handle and nurture a congregation. Keep evangelist Oliver Anthony in your prayers as he is the lone preacher among these 10 congregations. What can he do? More laborers are needed, motivation is needed, preaching tools are needed like horn speakers, amplifier, generator, and even a second hand motor bike to explore this area.

It is always my pleasure to be part of house-to-house evangelism. It makes me see how many are religious fanatics. One young man was eager to know more about God, but he does not even have a Bible to check later from the tracts. I am blessed to be the one to point inside the Bible what God wants people to see. This weekend, God blessed our efforts with 4 baptisms and many restorations. Keep praying for the work to continue to grow, so that lives will be transformed. To God be the glory and honor. We could not get the baptismal pictures because of a lack of cameras in all of our locations this weekend  

I tried to reach some fallen-away Christians who came to be part of my visit to encourage them to come back to the Lord. Who will teach them now and motivate them to be committed to the work of the church? The means of transportation from one place to another to help these congregations is a big problem. Where will my help come from?

I had a good time with evangelist Oliver Anthony, a Beta batch graduate from CBIW. He is reviving the Dikome Balue congregation, while he is also struggling to reach out to other congregations. Will he cope with the nature of the road distance and age?

I met an old preacher, Itoe Henri, in his village. He is doing well in evangelizing the area, but he fell from a cocoa tree as he was struggling to do some job there and now he needs medical attention. The fall dislocated his spinal cord along his waist. Please, with tears I write this because the brother will struggle to give out tracts and come back home in the evening. He will not be able to sleep because of the pain and there is no pain killer. There is no one to help him see the doctor. His small congregation’s Sunday offering will be around 180 frs, not up to half a dollar.

This is youth week in Cameroon. Brightland Christian Academy is going to be part of the Choral singing. While other schools will be using drums to sing, the kids of Brightland Christian Academy will use vocal as they are being thought in school. This school continues to create an impact in the lives of these little children. If more is done to develop Brightland, the community will not be the same. “It is better to train children than to repair adults.” Come be part of the transformation process in BCA. The kids study Bible during morning chapel and pray before classes, during lunch break, and during closing.

Plans
We have a mass campaign with both graduates and current students of CBIW in Menji next month. Keep praying for open doors.

Appreciations
Thank you for being part of this work. If not for you we doubt what would happen to this work. God bless you and keep you strong as you serve Him during your time on earth.

Do your best to share this report with others.

Elangwe and family
By His grace director CBIW

Mission's Day In Greenbrier Is Powerful...

Mission’s Day: The first Sunday of February each year is the annual Mission’s Day for the Greenbrier Church of Christ. The focus for this congregation is in the area of mission work they currently support. They also take up a special collection to assist these endeavors with additional support. We are always thankful to share in this wonderful day and enjoy the fellowship of a beautiful congregation that has been involved in Bear Valley’s work for many years.

Not only does this congregation help support two staff members in the extension program, but also another staff member for the school in Denver. Additionally, they are involved with the work in Ghana, West Africa, along with numerous other works around the world. Greenbrier provides a great example for others when considering that nearly 30% of their budget each year supports missions. Thank you!

Classes in Denver continue to advance students through the quarter with their studies in various subjects. Their preparation for work in the kingdom encourages us to prioritize the nature of our efforts for the Lord. The work of students in the extension program also continues to demonstrate the dedication of men who desire to serve in the Lord’s church. Several reports below indicate the maturing of students in areas of Christian giving and the depth of their efforts in reaching out to others with the gospel.

PRAYER REQUEST: Please continue to pray for Kim Kasarjian. The Kasarjian’s should know final results from Kim’s tests this week. Initial reports from her blood work last Tuesday were positive, as her blood levels were good. At some point, she had the West Nile virus, but final details of your bone marrow biopsy will be in this week. Thank you for your prayers.

Now on to this week’s reports...

Coordinator Updates
Reports from the coordinators are now located on the website, under Staff Reports. The address is http://www.wetrainpreachers.com/extension-schools/

The latest report from Donnie Bates can be read here.

Extension Reports 

Growth, Zeal, And Determination Are Seen In Cameroon: Students of the Gamma class are demonstrating the right attitude and focus for their development over the next two-years.

Highlighting The Giving Example Of Students In Cambodia: Students at the International Bible Institute of Siem Reap provide a great example of the giving spirit of Christianity.

Great Workshop 2015 and Guest Speakers Featured In Nigeria: A recent lectureship near Ibadan, Nigeria featured guest speakers from the U.S. and souls were added to the church.

The Greatest Work Of All Times, Seeking And Saving The Lost: Reports from graduates of the Andrew Connally School of Preaching indicate God’s increase to their efforts in the kingdom.

Final Thoughts 
Thank you all for supplying every need within the work of this program. The school in Denver, and each location where we are privileged to share in the work of training preachers, are blessed by your generosity, time, ability, prayers, and encouragement. Our prayers are for God’s continued blessings on you as we labor together for the greatest cause.

God bless
Bob

The Greatest Work Of All Times, Seeking And Saving The Lost...

Greetings Fellow Servants; 

It is with great joy that we thank you for partnering with us in the greatest work of all times, the seeking and saving of the lost. God continues to answer your prayers on behalf of all who labor in the church here in Tanzania and throughout East Africa. We thank you from the depths of our soul. 

The sweetest words every told…”Hello brother, six souls have obeyed this noon at Ushirombo town congregation. Have a good Sunday.” - (Yusuph Mdaki) Also, from our brother Michael Losotwa; “Pray for him, as he begins his journey to heaven, he is Mr. Emmanuel.” I absolutely love being a part of God’s mandate to “seek and save the lost of this world.” What a joy and privilege to be in the family of God, doing God’s will and having friends and supporters like you making it all possible. 

Just when I thought it could not get any better, it did. I received a note via Bob Turner asking about our fund raising for the ACSOP school van we need. Our goal is $24,000 and as of this writing we have received $12,000. When I shared this information with Bob, he later replied to me that an anonymous donor is willing to match up to $6,000 for this project. 

Have you ever been to Tanzania? Another such place in the world? Do you remember the challenges of safe and reliable transportation? Then you can understand, to a degree, our need for this vehicle. The van will be a tool to help us take the student body out each weekend to do personal evangelism. The van will also be used to travel during the breaks to the home villages of our students to hold gospel meetings. 

We want our student body to see and know the importance of personal evangelism. We want to lead, as a faculty, by example. We believe it is “God’s desire that all people be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth.” (1 Tim. 2:4) So, we beg of you, help us reach the $6,000 balance, to be matched, that we might do God’s will more effectively. No donation is to small!

Please remember Sean and Anita as they return to the States for their medical needs. We will all fly out together tomorrow night and arrive in the States on Tuesday, if the Lord wills. We also ask that you continue to remember Stephanie’s mom, Granny, in your prayers. She once again has developed lung issues. One last prayer request, Keith Kasarjian’s wife, Kim, is awaiting some test results from a bone morrow test she had last week. Please pray that the mighty hand of God be with her and the family and that the absolutely best news possible is forthcoming from the doctors. 

We cannot thank you enough for all you have done and continue to do, making this work possible. God is in control and His work here in Tanzania is growing and growing and growing.

Until all have heard…

In Him,
Cy 

Great Workshop 2015 And Guest Speakers Featured In Nigeria...

Dear fellow soldiers of Christ,

Greetings from Nigeria. This year’s Great Workshop 2015 that was held at the campus of the WNCC, Abeokuta, Ogun state was attended by over 300 WBSFUW from West, East, and Northern part of Nigeria.

Registration began on January 27 by brother Doug Wheeler and the real lecture day was Wednesday and Friday. Thursday’s evangelism resulted in a convert.

Brother Ron Pottberg, brother Trent Wheeler, and the organizer, brother Doug Wheeler, did their best to make this year’s workshop another success. I spoke on “The Work of an Evangelist” with other sessions from ministers such as brother Monday John Akpakpan, brother Sylvester Imogoh, and brother Biodun Owolabi, the chief host.

The three-day program came to an end with the distribution of nine thousand five hundred copies of VOTI volumes 78, 80, 81 & 82 to all participants with tracts writing by brother Sylvester Imogoh and Bibles from brother Doug pack in black bag.

On Saturday evening, I drove brother Doug and brother Sylvester and his wife to a one-day WBS seminar at Egbeda town in Egbeda Local Government of Oyo state, where brother Doug taught on “Identification Marks of the New Testament Church” and concluded with a “Step unto Salvation,” while I and brother Kayode Eniafe served as interpreters. A young man was converted as a result the of that seminar.

On Sunday, February 1, 2015 at the Onikokoro / Gbongudu congregation, Ibadan, I served as the moderator and interpreter while brother Doug taught on “The Way of Salvation,” and brother Sylvester Imogoh admonished  the church from Matthew 7:7.  We were 62 in attendance with a total collection of N7315.

On the evening of February 1, brother Doug taught on “How to be Saved and Remain Saved” at the Oke-Ofa Atipe congregation in Ibadan main town, while I served as his interpreter. Attendance was 55 with the conversion of two young ladies.

Lord willing, brother Doug, brother Sylvester, and I will be speaking at a one-day WBS seminar in Iyana Ipaja, Lagos state between 4:00 pm and 6:00 pm before he (brother Doug) flew out of our great country, Nigeria to the USA. Please keep on praying for his (brother Doug) safe arrival.

Thank you for your love and care for the lost souls Africa. May the Lord of blessing continue to bless all our joint effort in Christ name, Amen.

Your co-laborer in Christ 's vineyard,

Makinde Ebenezer Olufemi 
Founder & Director of Studies
Southwest School of Evangelism (SWSE), Ibadan & Lagos, Nigeria, West Africa