The Church Is Maturing In Siem Reap, Cambodia...

Greetings brothers and sisters in Christ, 

I hope you are doing well on your end of the world. As for the work of Jesus Christ in this part of the world, things are progressing according to our plan. The International Bible Institute of Siem Reap continues to train and develop men and women of God for service in His kingdom and the local church is maturing quickly as a result of it. 

Just to let you know how we are maturing, the local church in Siem Reap is supporting our local preacher $50 per month. They are also supplying $125 per month for the rice for the students at IBISR. They also support a graduate $40 per month for his evangelistic efforts. They also chip in $20 per month for fellowship meal once a month. That's $235 per month that the local church uses for the kingdom's sake on a consistent basis where the average income is $125.50. 

We have about 65 that meets and 43 of them are Hannah's Hope children! That leaves about 22 adults, half are students, and about 6 families that meet in Siem Reap. These numbers may not seem all that impressive to you guys in the states but any missionary knows that this type of consistent giving and signs of autonomy is a huge deal! It took 8 years of studying and living out God's word for them to be where they are now. They remind me of the church in Macedonia where they first gave themselves to God and that's why they are able to give more than what they are able to (2 Cor 8:1-5). 

Not only do they give of their money, but they give of their time as well. It's not uncommon to see the students and staff of IBISR at Hannah's Hope mentoring and caring for the children there on their own free will. On the weekends they go out to the villages and either help the local preacher there or the local villagers there with their farming. 

All of this is made possible by the systematic teachings/curriculum of IBISR and the examples demonstrated by the local leaders. As a missionary, it's so good to be able to leave the country for quite some time and come back and everything is as if I'd never left! Now that we've developed leaders who can stand on their own and know what it means to be a faithful steward of God, I can focus on my personal evangelism and start the process all over again, except this time, I won’t be doing it alone. The leaders will join me in this process to multiply and expand God's kingdom (2 Tim 2:2). 

What an awesome feeling it is to grow in God's word and kingdom together. We pray that you are growing where you are and spreading the life changing message of Christ in your part of the world! We ask that you keep us in your prayers for this new year and that you continue to support this good work! God bless.

Phanat

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

Campaigns In Ghana Face Challenges In Restorations...

November Report
With the New Testament as our guide in missions and church planting, the mission of the apostle Paul in the book of Acts could hardly be overlooked in the church’s mission efforts in the 21st century. Paul’s example of going back over to churches planted to strengthen them provides a model for our mission efforts today.

Follow-Up Campaign - Amanfrom
Considering the great influx of people in this new settlement area, although there is no trace of typical syncretism here, the need to establish the faith of the young church just started here, could not be overlooked. However, Pentecostalism is always flourishing nearly in every corner of this country, and there is great need to guard our faith against it. Therefore, we thought it was necessary to organize a quick follow-up at Amanfrom to strengthen the faith of the young church here. What is more, residents in this community are always ready to receive any new teaching without scrutiny or opposition whatsoever.

[SIBS] students working together in the company of some older preachers around here embarked on a week’s follow-up campaign. We studied the gospel with people from house to house which approach has always proved to be very effective in winning souls for Christ. In this campaign, several people here were reached with the gospel of Christ.  

Hard Restorations
As we went round from house to house, distributing tracts, and conducting personal studies with people, we often came in contact with some members of the church who have moved from the city to relocate here, but are unable to attend church regularly or at all at their former place of worship, oftentimes due to traveling the distance back and forth. It’s unfortunate, attempts to restore some of these lingering brethren back to the church has not been successful. However, we are still persistent, hoping they might respond sometime. What is even encouraging is that students from [SIBS] will continue to work with the young congregation, which has so much vast potential for growth. 

Thanks for your Prayers
Kindly continue to keep us and the work continually in your thoughts and prayers. Please, pray also for our nation and the nations around us concerning the raging upheavals to be brought under control.

December Report
To God be the glory for the great things He has done! Barely two years ago, was the Bear Valley Bible School extension program started here at Dobro, near Accra. Although preparations to begin the school were quite in haste, God has seen us through the maiden two-year program, and for that we are so grateful.

First Batch of Students Pass Out
Although the course started with twelve students, eventually eleven of them were able to stay through the duration. During the two-year period, the students were taken through courses covering the entire Bible, research methodology, and practical ministry among others. Students were introduced to and involved in church planting during campaign weeks, and some of them served in nearby congregations during weekends and on the Lord’s Day. What is also interesting is that about two-thirds of this group have already found congregations to work with in various parts of the country, including the northern region.

Since plans for graduation of this group were still afoot, we decided to see them off in the meantime with a special service for them and their families while we conclude plans for their graduation.

Next Batch – 2016/2017 Group
With a good bit of announcements, we are thankful to have ten students who responded to attend the next class of 2016/2017. Some potential brethren we came across who expressed an interest to enroll could not do so because it is impossible to quit their secular jobs and enroll on a full-time basis.

The next group of students to start classes in January include three Liberian brethren and six nationals. Among the nationals is a 61 year old lady, Mawreen Simpson, a staunch Methodist and retiree from the Civil Service. Mawreen seems to be outstanding not just because of her quest to study, which caused her to join the immediate past group midway into the course, but especially because of her absorbing interest which has compelled her to enroll afresh in the entire two-year program.  

We are still hoping and praying that there would be some additional ones getting enrolled.

We hope we will continue to be in your thoughts and prayers.

Seth Osae-Larbi
Southern Institute of Biblical Studies –[BVBI]

Farming And Evangelism Impacts The Work Of The Church...

Farming 
January brought about several great things on the farm. At the beginning of the month we expanded the cow barn to make room for the upcoming calves. We finished just in time for our first calf, Ruby, to arrive.

Normally, beans are left to dry on the stalks here before they are harvested. This January we had an unusual amount of rain. Many of the beans were ready and dried, but some we had to harvest anyway and leave out to dry. Around our area, most farms lost their entire bean crop this year due to the excessive rain.

Thanks be to God, we were able to harvest a large bean crop with only a small loss. There are enough beans to feed ACSOP for many months.

We also started the process of adding 10 more double dig raised beds. These are being planted with several different things the school needs (onions, boga-greens, potatoes).

Personally, Anna and I bought two dairy goats. We raised dairy goats in the states and wanted to start on a small scale to see if they are successful here. We will add them to what is taught to the preaching students. If they are successful they will be a great tool for families who want to provide milk and profit for their families but do not have the room or money for a large dairy cow (their names are Moses and Zipporah).

Evangelism
January started the new curriculum Anna and Samantha are teaching to the children at Kisongo Kanisa la Kristo. They are learning the major Bible characters, in order (starting with Genesis), and the line of Jesus. It took a few weeks but now the children understand and are so excited to learn a new character every week. The kids can tell you what happens in EVERY chapter of Genesis beginning with chapter 1 through chapter 26 (they begin with chapters 27-36 on Sunday). They can also tell you that Mwanzo (Genesis) was written by Musa (Moses) and they can name the line of Jesus (Adam, Seth, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob/Israel – this is where they have gotten so far). 

After two weeks Anna left Samantha with the children’s class and she is now teaching the women in the Church. Many of them do not know the material being taught to the children so she is working on three areas 1) The Bible characters of the OT and how they relate to the NT, 2) What children of different ages should know about each story, and 3) What we as adults should know and learn from each story. So far she has had around 30 women each Sunday morning.

In March, when Samantha leaves, there are already 3 teachers who are willing to take over the class who currently help Samantha on Sunday mornings. Anna hopes that her class will help and encourage more women in the Church feel confident to teach the children.

For several months now, Samantha has been working on organizing the library for the students at Andrew Connally School of Preaching. The Dewey decimal system was too complicated to keep up with and so she and Anna (along with Cy Stafford) came up with a system by colors. The books are now divided up into categories by color (i.e.  Sermons-light green, Resources-pink, History-orange) and then those categories are divided up into sections that are identified on those labels. Each color and category is explained by a laminated poster (in the matching color) on the walls of the library.

Justin is preaching at White Rose Kanisa la Kristo for the next three months. The Church is focusing its evangelism efforts in this area and the local preacher has asked Justin to do a series of lessons. He is also doing a series of lessons for the youth that meet at the Kisongo Church on Saturday’s on the role of youth in the Church according to the 1st and 2nd books of Timothy.

We have one last (BIG) announcement. After lots of prayer, speaking with our friends and family, and writing our supporting elders, Anna and I have decided after our one year commitment ends this fall, to recommit for three more years (fall of 2019). There are lots of plans to expand the farming project and we have agreed to stay on board and help see it through. We are thrilled to be a part of this work here in Arusha, Tanzania. Please keep us in your prayers. We will be traveling back to America this fall to raise funds. If you would like to help us please email us at themaynardsfarm@gmail.com. If your congregation would like us to come and present our work, let us know and we will arrange that.

Please continue to keep Cy Stafford in your prayers. He had some major setbacks this month but the Lord heard our cries and prayers and he has begun to slowly improve. He has a long way to go but we are thanking God for the small improvements. Please continue to pray for him.

The Maynard’s

God's Laborers Continue To Work In The Vineyard To Bear Fruit...

Greetings Fellow Servants,

We praise God continually from whom all blessings flow. God's laborers continue to work the vineyards and fruit is being yielded.

Justin and Anna Maynard share this report about our growing farm project:

This month the farm has really grown. We extended our cow house to make room for new babies. We were able to get it finished just in time and it was ready the day our first calf, Ruby, was born. We should have two more calves due in the coming months. Personally, we added two goats (male and female) to our project. We raised dairy goats in the States and we want to see how successful they are here. We will add this element to what we teach the preaching students. If successful, dairy goats would be great for those needing to provide milk for themselves and their families but don’t have enough room or finances available for a cow. Also we have been in the process of adding 10 new beds to our already existing 20 small beds and 1 acre worth of double dig raised beds. Finally we are thankful that we were able to harvest beans this week. The short rains here have still not stopped. Many of our surrounding farms lost all they had to excess rain. The Lord blessed us with a good crop of beans that we were able to harvest right before the rains destroyed most of the bean crops in the Kisango area.  

The Maynard’s have been doing a tremendous work with us and have been a Godsend during this chaotic time.  

Gary Fallis is currently in Arusha teaching a short course at ACSOP. Anita Davidson will be coming soon to do some work also. Also my family and I (Daniel and Tiffany Gaines and children) will be returning to Tanzania on Monday. Please keep these travels and efforts in your prayers.

As you know, we've been requesting prayers on behalf of our brother, Cy Stafford. As of writing, he is still in very serious condition and fighting for his life. Please be relentless in your prayers on his behalf. 

Your partnership in the work in Tanzania is very greatly appreciated. It is amazing what can be accomplished when God's people work together for His glory around the globe.  

Till all have heard...

Daniel Gaines for Cy Stafford

Faithful Men Growing The Kingdom In Tanzania...

“And what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also”  2 Timothy 2:2 (ESV). This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance; whenever we commit the gospel to the faithful amazing things will be accomplished. The following is just a summary of what these few faithful men (graduates from ACSOP) have done in the Kingdom this last month.

Yusuph Mdaki wrote, “I had an opportunity to spread 500 tracts and various books; God has opened the door for two (2) souls to obey the gospel.”

Sylvester Bahati wrote, “The number of souls which I have taught and baptized last year and the beginning of this year have reached sixteen.  Twenty-seven unfaithful members have been restored too.”

Koimere Ngarasaa wrote, “This month I had ten (10) Bible classes and out of them 5 souls obeyed the gospel.”

These are but few who are laboring in the kingdom day and night. All these and many other good things are going on in the kingdom because of the Lord’s servants who love Him like you. Thank you so much for your prayers and support as you sacrifice for the Kingdoms’s sake. May the Lord bless you beyond measure.

Please do not forget to stop and pray for our dear brother and fellow laborer in the Kingdom, Cy. Our brother is very sick, our crying to the Lord will make the difference, so please keep on begging Him.

Again, thank you so much for all that you do and mean in His Kingdom.

Your servant in Him,

Charles Mwanga Director
Andrew Connally School of Preaching
Arusha, Tanzania

The Restoration Of A Brother And Sister In Cameroon Encourages All...

Dearest in Christ,

Greetings from Wotutu. We do hope this report finds you doing well. We are better, but continue to pray for some who are not sound in health here.

Last week in BVBIC-Wotutu was great. Students continue to experience growth and gaining more maturity. The staff continue to put in more efforts to fully equip the students, as many invest more hours above the normal six hours to help other students meet up with the available materials.

One of our students, Tita Henri, went on house to house evangelism. It was great, as many of them exposed the truth to searching hearts in that community.

Brother Edube stood in front of a business center sharing the truth. Many in that community will admire our students in their unique dressing of coat, black over black.

Join us and the host of heaven to celebrate another great success in the kingdom of God. God blessed the Likomba village work with souls and we also met a brother who was baptized since 1975 and has not been worshipping because there was no congregation in this community. We praise God that today in Likomba village a new congregation is established with 20 souls worshipping, excluding me and the students. Keep this work in your prayers as we nurture them to grow to maturity. We shall continue to send our students on a weekly basis to organize worship and to do house to house evangelism.

There were tears and joy in the hearts of brother Nanje and his wife when they entered into the parlor of a brother to worship again since 1975. Much appreciation goes to God and all who are making this possible through the school to make all these outreaches possible.

Plans
We are making more plans and invitations to different communities to come and help. The field really is ripe and there are very, very few laborers.

Appreciations
God bless you. Thank you for your prayers, support, and deep concern for the work here.

Do your best to share with others this report.

Elangwe and family
By His grace director BVBIC-Wotutu

Souls Added To The Kingdom...

UPDATE: We ask for your continued prayers on behalf of Cy Stafford. The following was provided yesterday from Stephanie: Cy has an upper GI bleed that doctors cannot locate. He is not doing well and they are re-intubating him. He has some kind of infection and they are not sure where it is or what it is - they have given him the strongest antibiotic they have to try and combat it. Please remember Cy and Stephanie during this difficult time.

Students continue to make their way through the quarter in Denver. Recently, Robert Olgesby and Robert Taylor, with the Waterview congregation, visited Bear Valley for a ministry seminar to prepare students for the various challenges faced in ministry. These men visit every year and provide excellent training to assist students in understanding a powerful approach to ministry.

News from various extension locations encourages all who read regarding the power of God, as He continually gives the increase. Each report shares the joy of souls added to the kingdom and others restored. These students not only learn the depths of God’s word while in school, they also receive practical experience by participating in weekend evangelism. Reading through the reports received this week indicates the growth occurring with these men.

The direction for the months ahead promises continued progress through in-depth studies of the Bible and practical application for serving in the kingdom. Continue to pray for the efforts of Bear Valley, both in Denver and all the extension locations around the world.

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 Jerry Bates can be read by clicking here. 

Extension Reports

Adverse Circumstances Do Not Prevent The Gospel From Spreading: Reading the report from Wotutu, Cameroon indicates some of the difficulties staff and students face in evangelism.

Plans To Establish A New Congregation In 2016: As students work in the classroom, they actively pursue planting the Lord’s church in new locations near Mbanga, Cameroon.

Healing Hands International Update On The Work In Nigeria: While students learn God’s word and practice preaching, HHI helps students learn how to sustain themselves in ministry.

Preparing Students With Practical Preaching Experience In Nigeria: Students in Nigeria get involved in homiletics exercises to increase their ability to preach the gospel.

The Activities In Togo Continue To Show Growth: Within the classroom and the practical evangelistic efforts of students in Togo demonstrates the growth occurring.

New Class Begins The Journey At The Chimala Bible Institute: The Chimala Bible Institute is set to begin studies for a new class of students and the enthusiasm is contagious.

The Work Of Students Over The Christmas Break Bears Fruit: Once students returned to classes in Kenya, news of their outreach is encouraging as God gave the increase.

Relief Efforts Continue In Nepal Eight Months After The Earthquake: This week’s report shares updated information concerning the results of relief efforts in Nepal.

Master’s Classes Begin And The Undergrad Students Return To ACSOP: Students are active in Arusha, Tanzania as graduates grow in education and undergrads move forward in their studies.

Final Thoughts
As you read the final thoughts for this week’s report, please know how thankful we are for all you do to make this program successful. We are aware of how vital every encourager, teacher, director, coordinator, and supporter is to the program. There is much work that goes unnoticed and unrecognized. Please know we appreciate each one of you. You are a blessing in every way to the program.

God bless
Bob

Master's Classes Begin And The Undergrad Students Return To ACSOP...

It’s my hope that this report finds you doing wonderful things for the glory of our Lord in His wonderful kingdom. The first Master’s program class for this first part of the year will start on Monday. We thank Garry Fallis for making the trip to come and teach Church Planting and Christian Education to these men. The next Master’s classes will be in August.

The second-year students return in the coming two weeks and the new first-year students make their first journey to the ACSOP at the same time. We look forward to the beginning of another school year. Much preparation on the part of all the staff and instructors has gone into this event.

I am thankful to be working with a group of people who are dedicated to the spreading of the Gospel through teaching native preachers. In this group Cy Stafford, Daniel Gaines, and Justin Maynard are the American missionaries that teach in the school. The Africans are I, Desdery Massawe, Ahimidiwe Kimaro, Charles Heberth, Godfrey Mngoma, and Josephat. 

With God’s help and direction through His Word we look forward to great things in this year. Our teaching schedules in the first quarter will be as follows for the second year; I will be teaching Greek I, Daniel Gaines will teach Church History, Charles Hebert will teach Old Testament 3b (Study of Wisdom Literature: Psalms - Song of Songs), Godfrey Mngoma will teach Life of Christ 3 (The ministry of Jesus), and Josephat Massawe will teach Inter-testamental Period. 

On the other hand, to the first year class I will teach How We Got the Bible, Godfrey Mngoma will teachOld Testament, Desdery Massawe will teach Cost of discipleship, Charles Heberth will teach Writing Skills & English, andBernard Kulanga, who is our part time teacher, will teach Personal Evangelism.

Per now brother Cy is missing in the list as it is well known that he has been sick for more than a month now. He has been admitted to the hospital for a serious treatment on fighting leukemia. In our previous reports many prayer requests have been made for him and God has heard because as we speak today his health is improving. Glory is to God for hearing our prayers. Amen.   

As always, we love and appreciate each and every one of you. We thank you for your prayers, encouragement, and support. May God bless you for your sacrifices. Amen.  

In Christ,

Losotwa Michael,
Dean of Academics, Andrew Connally School of Preaching
A Bear Valley Bible Institute International extension school
Arusha, TZ

Relief Efforts Continue In Nepal Eight Months After The Earthquake...

To our many friends who have helped those in need in Nepal:

Christmas Day marked the eight-month anniversary of the 7.8 magnitude earthquake that struck Nepal on the 25th of April. Nearly 9,000 people lost their lives, countless thousands were injured, and hundreds of thousands of families lost their homes. The needs facing the people of this beleaguered country today are nearly as great as they were eight months ago. Assistance has been given – yes – but it has for the most part been emergency in nature and short-term in scope. It has not addressed permanent rebuilding of lives.

The most urgent problems were for emergency relief. That was made more pressing with the upcoming monsoon season June 15-Sept. 15. It was made more complicated because we had to evaluate the damage and develop a plan to meet the greatest needs of the most people. Initially our efforts were focused on emergency relief of food, clothing, blankets, and weather protection.

September 15 to December was a window of opportunity between the monsoon and winter. Improved shelter for the homeless was desperately needed before winter. It was also the time of early preparation for the rebuilding phase that would have to wait until February/March. Early preparation included tearing down dangerous buildings, saving anything/everything that could be used again, clearing the ground for foundations, and collecting local building materials such as rocks and beams. 

The following is the opening paragraph on The Himalayan Times editorial page from December 30: “It has been about eight months now after the deadly earthquake of April 25 and several strong aftershocks aftermath. Yet relief has yet to reach many of the earthquake victims. They still are living in makeshift shelters. They had suffered in the rainy season and things are getting from bad to worse in the chilly winter without warm clothing. That it is taking so long to provide the urgently needed relief to the victims is something the government and concerned agencies should be ashamed about. Without adequate food, shelter and drinking water the elderly and children in particular are suffering immensely and also lactating mothers. The funds provided by friendly countries are yet to reach those for whom they were meant for. Foul play is also suspected as there is no record of how they are being used.”

What we have been able to do would not have been possible without you … groups as well as individuals. Together we have accomplished much. Together we have eased the pain and brought sunshine to lives in living conditions that Americans would not want to experience even before the earthquake. Poverty is ugly. Poverty plus tragedy will break your heart.

We have learned much. Our planning and execution has improved greatly. 

1.    Know where the needs are the greatest and what they are.  

2.    Set realistic priorities.

3.    Make wise use of your time and resources [hard goods and money].

4.    Distribute the relief items, including money, as per your priorities, and then have enough oversight to see that they are used as planned.

Together we have lessened the pain and suffering of thousands. The goal before us now is to provide means for these people to rebuild their lives so they can once again become self-sufficient members of their communities.

Muscle Shoals, AL became a center for some fund raising. Their primary goal was to provide some relief for every Christian family in need. With the help of leaders in many local areas, they classified the needs into [a] moderate, or [b] great. Mike Brooks came to Nepal in October to work with our central committee and the local leaders to distribute about $175,000. Families with the greatest needs were given $450. Families with lesser needs were given $225. 

Plans are underway to assist those living in remote villages construct homes using wood from the nearby forests together with materials salvaged from the homes that were destroyed. The cost per home is $2,000. Children of Kathmandu, a Montana based organization, has been helping educate and support poor children in Nepal for 18 years. They have provided money to rebuild 80 homes in the high mountain areas. $10,000 has been delivered for loggers to begin cutting and preparing wood. Winter will delay much of the building.

We see a pattern that is well known to those who have helped in other disaster areas [floods, tsunamis, earthquakes, famine, etc.]. The total amount of money already spent seems very large. However, the sums distributed to each family are very small considering the needs. 

What does the future look like? We have about $200,000 on hand, including $150,000 from Children of Kathmandu. We expect about $100,000 more over the next four months. That means we can assist with building about 150 homes. There are over 600 families that need assistance with rebuilding homes.

At the present time we can make no plans or commitments beyond that time. In the coming months we will continue to provide food and clothing as needed but our primary efforts will now be focused on raising funds for building permanent homes. We are committed to follow the four-point pattern listed earlier in order to meet the greatest needs of the most people.  

Three groups left Kathmandu on Friday, January 1 to deliver 1,000 blankets plus $400 for each area to buy some warm clothing. This is a tremendous help, and at the same time it leaves so much undone. The challenge is great.

Obviously we could not have accomplished the things done in the past, or continue to help those in need in the future, without your assistance. If someone had told us on April 26th that over half-a-million dollars would be available for this disaster, we would have had trouble believing them. At that time we could never have imagined the extent of the damage or the magnitude of the needs. We thank God and also thank every one of you for your love and gracious outpouring of generosity.  

We will continue to pray to God while we continue to serve others using whatever resources we have available. This is truly an example of humility, compassion and fellowship that stretches around the world to provide a common good to those who desperately need help.

Parsuram Sunchuri        psunchuri@yahoo.com

Gajendra Deshar        gajengra_deshar@yahoo.com

Jerry Golphenee        jrgx21958@gmail.com

The Work Of Students Over The Christmas Break Bears Fruit...

Dear brethren,

We at Bear Valley Bible Institute Kenya send greetings to you. We trust you are off to a great start of 2016. We are doing well and thank God for keeping us sound, safe, and healthy.

We are always in one accord with other faithfuls all over in praying for our teacher, mentor, friend, and Lord's servant, Cy Stafford. We trust God with Cy's health and know God will heal and strengthen him for His work. 

All the 20 students are back for the second quarter second year. Elias is teaching the book of Isaiah and Hermeneutics II, while I am teaching Greek II and Bible Geography. The students are very enthusiastic about the quarter and we look forward to a great class. During this quarter we are expecting Dr. Denny Petrillo and Dr. Michael Reese to make a trip to Kenya and teach short courses on Ezekiel, Daniel, and Education Program of the Church respectively during the month of February-March.

During the December break, the students were busy and reported 18 baptisms, 4 restorations, and one church planted. Help us rejoice with the angels for the souls that put on Christ. We received good news from local congregations where the students went back to serve during the break and it is a great encouragement to us. While the students were busy in the Kingdom, Elias and I also joined different congregation during December and led in gospel campaigns and evangelism which were very fruitful; 9 souls obeyed the Lord.

We pray funds will be available to enable us to organize gospel campaigns this year where all the students should take part before graduation August 27. We still plea for help to have the school removed from the environment it is at now which is not conducive for learning. It should be relocated to help accomplish other programs of the school. Keep us in prayer.

We appreciate the great work and sacrifices being made for this work to continue bringing good; do not grow weary.

Blessings to you all.

Charles Ogutu,
Director 

New Class Begins The Journey At The Chimala Bible Institute...

We thank God for His good graces as we launch 2016 with 30 students. We have seven returning English program students and twenty-three new Swahili students. We have students from all over Tanzania, including Dar es Salaam and Mwanza, the two largest cities in Tanzania. It is vital that we continue to plant and encourage churches in the larger cities of Tanzania for continued long-term growth of the church.

We are also thankful that we held a seminar with Philip Palmer, the East African representative for World Bible School. He has come to introduce World Bible School’s “God Bless East Africa” program. This program will emphasize signing up Secondary School students on the WBS studies. Similar programs have been very successful in Zimbabwe and other countries which WBS would like to duplicate in Tanzania. Brother Palmer’s seminar at Chimala was to train preachers and church leaders on the program so that it can spread throughout Tanzania.  

We are also thankful for our pulpit program where we try to make sure that as many pulpits are filled in our area with a second year student. We want to help as many congregations as we can who have trouble keeping a preacher. We send out our students each Sunday to edify the brethren. 

Finally, we are thankful for the generous contributions toward our facilities. For years, we have experienced major issues with our roof leaking and destroying the classroom ceilings. Also, the window screens were very old and brittle and provided no protection to the mosquito. Through those generous donations, we have been able to renovate our classrooms, windows, painting, our dormitory with new painting, etc.  

Chad Wagner

The Activities In Togo Continue To Show Growth...

250 Attend 3rd Kloto Annual Bible Camp
It was quite a wonderful way to end the year as members of twenty congregations, numbering 250, converged at YOH near Kpalime for the 3rd Annual Bible Camp. 

The theme for this year’s camp was “The Christian Family.” However, I was assigned to speak on “Understanding Church Discipline” with an emphasis on disfellowship. A couple of preachers were also assigned topics that related to the Theme. 

Other activities during the camp included: Prayer and fasting, singing, Bible quiz, games, and short plays by children. There was a question and answer period after each lecture. We had separate classes for adult, youth, and children. The camp started on the December 24th and ended on the 28th with a worship service. 

185 Attend “Watch Night” Service 
Each year on December 31st we meet as a church to usher in the new year. It is always a joyous occasion to come together to thank God for seeing us through another year. The service started at 9:00 pm and ended at 2:00 am on January 1st. Ten congregations were represented at this service. Activities included: Singing, prayers, messages of encouragement, testimonies, etc. 

There were ten congregations in and around Kpalime with a total number of 185 present. Our place of worship was over crowded to the extent that several had to sit outside. We had good fellowship and were all edified and encouraged to enter the new year. 

First Sunday Worship Service 
The first Sunday of each year is always a good day to attend a worship service. This is the time to make resolutions and thank God for ushering one into a new year. This year’s worship in Kpalime was just that. I had the opportunity to teach the Bible class and Daniel, a recent graduate, brought the New Year message. 

Nyiveme Church of Christ Out Grows Its Place Of Worship 
The Nyiveme Church of Christ is the largest in the Kpalime area. It presently uses the class room of BVBI-Togo. The growth of the church is becoming a concern for the leadership, but what can we do? Our plan is to raise funds to purchase land and start a church building project. 

Seven Baptized In Kpalime Campaign At Kpodzi 
In December, the major campaign of the chariot team was held in a suburb of Kpalime called Kpodzi. As usual, the activities included: open air preaching, house to house Bible studies, tract distribution, and film show. At the end of it all, seven souls were brought to Christ. Bear Valley Bible Institute is benefiting from these activities of the Chariot by getting the students involved in practical evangelism. The churches in the Kpalime area are growing because of the Chariot, BVBI-Togo, and Radio program. 

World Radio Sponsored Program 
Another tool of evangelism is our weekly radio program on Radio Planet. Each Sunday evening between 6:00 – 7:00 pm the Church of Christ is heard all over Kpalime. Pierre Attah, an instructor with BVBI-Togo and secretary of the school, is the main speaker. He is assisted by preacher Asuka. Some of the students are often taken to the station to observe radio presentation. 

ZionTo FM station recently called some of our men to preach once a week at a small fee on their network. We want to take advantage of this opportunity. 

BVBI-Togo Engages In Vegetable Production
We are seriously pursuing our vegetable production project at BVBI-Togo. Pictures indicate promising results from the drip irrigation workshop organized by Healing Hands International in October last year. The crops were doing well, but water is big challenge. The students had to bring six 20 liter containers of water, always from Kpalime, to water the crops. We decided to secure farm land near a river to facilitate the project. We have started clearing the land. We already bought wire to fence around the property. 

Preachers From Kloto
Almost all the men who gathered at Kloto were trained at CBS, now BVBI-Togo. A couple of the preachers were not around at the time a picture was taken. I always thank God for how far he has brought the school. My biggest worry is that almost all these men are working without support. The one cup movement is beginning to approach some of these men with nice packages of support, motor bikes, and a rented place. Brethren, this is frightening. We need to do something quickly to keep these men preaching the pure gospel of Christ. The temptation is great, but I keep encouraging them to hang on. We spent so much to train these men. What can you do? How many preachers can you support between $50-$100 each month? Contact me if you can. 

Motor Bikes For BVBI-Togo
Two motor bikes were provided by two brethren in the USA. These bikes make the students mobile. They are used to visit prospects and bring some who are physically challenged to church. The bikes are used during our campaigns, also to visit the sick and prospects. 

Each bike now costs $1,000.00. This amount includes the cost of the bike and registration with a number plate. Would you be interested in purchasing one bike for BVBI-Togo? 

Report by:
H.Willie Gley 

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

Preparing Students With Practical Preaching Experience In Nigeria...

Beloved in Christ Jesus,

Greetings from Nigeria. We thank you all for your partnership and support in all ways.

The evenings of January 18-22 were set aside for practical Homiletics by both year one and two students of the Bible Institute. Our year one students spoke on subject-based sermons, while the year two students centered on textual sermons. The thirty-six students of SWSE /BVBIN will be sitting for their second semester examinations Monday January 25-29, 2016.

The successful students in the year one class will graduate with a SWSE Diploma, while those from year two will graduate with the BVBI International certificate in August 2016.

Beloved brother Rapheal Adeyehun, a graduate of SWSE Ibadan and one of the WBSFUW in Ondo state, reported the conversion of another three souls as the result of WBS seminar of January 7 where brother Doug Wheeler was the guest speaker. Brother Matthew Adeyemi, another WBSFUW in Ogun / Ondo state, reported the conversion of another soul at the Odosida congregation of Ondo state.

Also, the mass evangelism conducted by students and staff of our Bible Institute with the Onikokoro / Gbongudu congregation - Ibadan on January 23 resulted in the conversion of a young lady of fifteen years old named Sarah Audu. To God be the glory! 

Brother Makinde Emmanuel, a graduate of BVBIN taught on “Keys to a Hapy Life in Year 2016” at the Onikokoro / Gbongudu congregation in Ibadan on January 17, while brother Destiny Elijah, one of our year-two students taught today on “How to Live for God Successfully in Year 2016.” He centered his teaching on Abraham and Paul, the apostle.

I taught on “The Secrets of a Victorious Life” from January 18-22 during our morning devotion at Doug Wheeler's event center SWSE/BVBIN Butubutu campus - Ibadan.

Brethren, our kiddies academy is in progress. We just finished the first step of our registration with the Ministry of Education and, Lord willing, the second step begins in April 2016.

Brethren, we are glad to have people like you in partnership with us! May the Lord of blessing continue to bless our work together in Jesus Christ’s name.

I remain yours in His grace, as a servant,
Makinde Ebenser ( Minister)

Healing Hands International Update On The Work In Nigeria...

Healing Hands International conducted yet another very successful agricultural workshop for Bear Valley Bible Institute in Ibadan, Nigeria between January 12th and 13th, 2016. The workshop was one of the most widely represented of our recent past workshops. Participants came from Lagos, Oyo, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Ebonyi, Abia, and Akwa – Ibom States of Nigeria. The majority of participants arrived on Monday, January 11th and stayed throughout the period of the workshop.

Several congregations were represented by their preachers and members, while others were farmers and agricultural officers. We provided training in sustainable agricultural practices including composting, raised bed construction/soil preparations, mulching, drip irrigation system, planting methods, and basic garden management techniques. We also provided an opportunity for participants to ask questions in general agricultural best practices including animal husbandry and fish farming.

About one hundred and one (101) people participated in the two-day workshop and were very thankful to everyone involved in making the workshop possible. Again, the BVBI-Nigeria director and his team did an outstanding job of coordinating the event, which partly contributed to the great success.

Certificates were presented to the participants at the end of the workshop. All the participants promised to return home and implement the new farming techniques and teach others as well. The only outstanding challenge is the availability of drip irrigation kits. We can ship it from Nairobi, if necessary.

Ebenezer

Plans To Establish A New Congregation In 2016...

Dearest in the Lord,

Holy is the way of the righteous ones as we are. Special greetings from my family. We are still on the move to keep fit the Lord’s work and souls are still being added into His Holy Kingdom.

The Church and the School in Mbanga are praying for the arrival of brother Todd and David when they come February 27th, by His grace. We are happy all the students came back to school with good health, but for Dantouji and Philip. They are strong for the work of evangelism and their studies in Mbanga. 

Plans to continue the opening of a new congregation in Sancho and to restore the congregation in Njombe is our priority as we begin 2016, and this will include the instructors and students with some members in near by assemblies for 5 days of evangelism and public preaching in these localities. As for our congregational level, we are planning to host the preacher’s wife forum by May or June. The last quarter of the first year will close her doors after the campaign in March, so that our students can begin preparation for their final year courses come April, and this will include project writing or memoire on their various topics that shall be approved with a close supervisor to guide through his work before they defend.

A new congregation was established in the northern part of Cameroon by one of the students during the last campaign and right now about 16 of them are worshiping in that young assembly and are still requesting him to come for a visit just like the cry of the Macedonian church calling on Paul to come for their aid. God blesses the people every day by adding them into His Kingdom. A lot is still to be done through His power. May the schools and the Bear Valley assembly live long.  

Ititi

Adverse Circumstances Do Not Prevent The Gospel From Spreading...

Dearest in Christ,

Greetings from this part of the globe. I do hope you are doing great and God’s blessings are upon you all. We are doing great, but most people are struggling with health problems these few days, such as malaria. We pray all goes well with them.

Last week in BVBIC-Aotutu was great as usual. Our students continue to dig deep into the word of God as they prepare themselves for full-time ministry come the end of this year 2016, as they will graduate from school.

The local government of the area gave a letter to my office concerning the youth day celebration, which involves the school. Our Bible college is the only higher eduction institute in the area, so they wanted our participation for the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the independence of our great nation Cameroon. We usually spend time during the celebration to share the good news to students and state officials. We shall do the same this time around, as we shall share hundreds of mission printing tracts.

This weekend was also great in evangelism, as our students traveled far and near to reach out to many souls with the message of the old rugged cross. We went to two virgin lands for the planting and nurturing of the seeds. Wow! We give glory to God; it was great.

We were blessed again by our van taking us to Likomba village around Tiko, as we had the vision to establish a new congregation is this very big village. The village is populated with a lot of people working in the banana plantation. Keep the work in your prayers.

Our students and I were on house to house evangelism in Likomba village. We were impressed with the people’s receptivity. There is a signal that this work will blossom. Keep it in your prayers. The other work was in Mbiaka village, after Koba, in an environment that only a motor bike can take people there. Some of our students joined some of our graduates, like evangelist Enow Elvis and evangelist Namana Martin. The Lord blessed the work with 4 precious souls. The chief gave his house so that they should start worshipping there. Today was the first day that members of this community could witness the worship of the New Testament church. Please, we solicit your prayers for the growth of this work, as we established congregations. Our responsibilities are getting increased and our challenges are multiplied because we must send our students every week to make sure worship in being conducted to the new converts, as we nurture them to grow. We love to do this and we thank God for the privilege.

Everywhere in these communities people were attracted by our students black suits. Many thought they were lawyers or barristers. We told them we are evangelists and defenders of the truth. We are being insulted and persecuted for the gospel sake.

I was part of it. With my joy, I love to follow my students around so that they can see my passion for souls and commitment for the development and growth of the church of Christ. I was amazed as many people of all ages abandoned what they were doing to listen and asked reasonable questions. Keep praying for the work. We can see a good future.

This morning I gave out the last copies of the Bible from my office. More and more new converts are in need of Bibles. Keep praying for us to have more as we empower them with the tool which no man made weapon can destroy to those who take the words into their hearts.

Plans
1) Our annual Bible lectureship is coming up in November. Please, always remember this in your prayers alongside our matriculation and graduation ceremony.

2) We shall continue driving down to Likomba village every weekend to nurture and help the young congregation grow.

3) We shall have the second student wive’s class beginning February 19th. Keep the student’s wives in your prayers as they travel to Wotutu for the second edition of the program aimed at equipping them alongside their husbands as they prepare for ministry.

Appreciations
God bless you. Thank you for all that you do to make things happen here. Your prayers and support are the wheels that keep this work going. I doubt if you were not there what would have been made of this work.

God bless you and keep you safe. We can see the bad weather conditions that threaten life over where you are. We pray and pray for your safety throughout this season.

Do your bestto share this news with others.

Elangwe and family
By His grace Director BVBIC-Wotutu

Returning Students Prepare For Preaching The Gospel...

UPDATE: Last week we asked you to pray on behalf of our beloved brother, Cy Stafford, his wife, Stephanie, and their family. While the progress is not as far along as everyone would like, Cy is progressing. Everyone is encouraged by the latest reports. Please continue to pray for Cy, as he has a long way to go still.

Students returned to the classroom last week. For the incoming freshmen there is always the overwhelming feeling of the workload they must complete in eight weeks. At the beginning there is a mixture of feelings, “I can get this done,” and then the weeks begin to clip by so quickly the feelings evolve into a panic, “How will I ever get this done?” The roller coaster continues over the next two years, but the end result is worth their efforts to achieve.

The work in the extension program continues to advance the cause of training preachers on a global basis. Word is spreading throughout various countries with the hope of many who desire to train to preach the gospel. Hardly a day goes by where an email is not received with someone seeking a way to get involved in training to preach. Some are willing to travel across borders into neighboring countries for an opportunity to enroll in the extension schools.

Reports this week continue to demonstrate the greatness of the work. Students spend time in the classroom learning and each weekend they participate in practical exercises of taking what they learn into the communities where they live. The results of these activities were clearly indicated in the year-end information shared last week. This week continues to share news of the same nature. God gives the increase as the gospel is proclaimed.

2016 will introduce the Bear Valley Bible Institute to several new locations. Please pray about the two new schools that begin next month. Also, pray for the potential locations that prepare for the opportunity to begin training men to preach later this year. We are excited with the possibilities and ask each of you to join us in praying about these locations.

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/

Extension Reports

Children And Adults All Grow Through The Word Preached In Cameroon: The work of staff and students in preacher training, along with teaching, children protects the future of the church.

Healing Hands International Assists The Work In Nigeria: Ibadan receives help from HHI in developing a better understanding of agricultural assistance for staff and students.

Remarkable Activities In Tamale Make A Difference In The North: A women’s fellowship activity, along with learning drip irrigation techniques, provide growth for the church.

Year-End Results In Haiti Indicate The Gospel At Work: Reporting on the events of 2015, the International School of Theology in Port au Prince shares the ways God blessed the work.

Moving Into The New Year Plans For Undergraduate And Graduate Work: As ACSOP moves into 2016, students in both the bachelors and masters program prepares for new coursework.

A Children’s Seminar Strengthens The Development Of The Church: The church in Arusha, Tanzania uses a children’s seminar to reach out and make a difference.

Final Thoughts
Speaking on behalf of the entire staff of the Bear Valley Bible Institute International, “thank you.” We appreciate your love for the work and willingness to support the program in every way needed. Your generosity encourages all of us and inspires the future of the work. The year ahead will be one of the best because our God continues to bless our efforts.

God bless
Bob

A Children's Seminar Strengthens The Development Of The Church...

Happy New Year to our friends and family. 2016 has started with a bang and we are so happy to be able to tell you about the Children’s Seminar held over the weekend. These seminars have been a blessing both to us and the communities. Jane and Desdery get calls every month from communities asking us to come to them! We are thankful for all of your prayers and support.  Without them, these seminars would not be possible.

This month we traveled to a small community an hour and a half away called Mtu Mbo. The preacher there, Julian Gasper, is surrounded by the Maasai community and has helped establish several Maasai congregations. Due to this, he invited all of these congregations and they were slowly bussed in that morning. If you do not know about the Maasai, I encourage you to look into the culture. They are one of the few tribes that has still not assimilated into the modern culture.

Due to the congregations having to be bussed in, we got off to a late start. However, by 11:00 we had 110 children and 55 women! This was a huge blessing to us. We started the morning with children’s songs and none of the children had ever learned any. So, we had the privilege of teaching them “Yesu upendo kuzunguka Nyuma” (Jesus love is a bubbling over), “Nina furaha furaha ndani ya moyo” (I’ve got the Joy, Joy, in my heart), and “Mwanga Wangu wa Kristo” (This Christian Light of Mine). 

When it was time for classes the children learned quickly and were eager to participate. Many did not know that God had created the world and even fewer new He created it in 6 days (and rested on the 7th). Samantha had one child who knew all of the New Testament books but the majority did not know any in the Old or New Testaments. 

While Anna and Samantha were teaching the children’s classes, Justin and Desdery were
teaching the Gospel to a large crowd of the parents who had gathered. Everything Justin said had to be translated to Kiswahili by Desdery and then another man translated what Desdery said to Maasai. Both a man and a woman responded to the Gospel of Jesus Christ and put the Lord on in Baptism that day. We are grateful to have these opportunities. 

After lunch Anna held a seminar for the women. Similar to Justin’s study, Jane translated what Anna said into Kiswahili and then another lady translated that into Maasai. It was a new experience. Anna was able to talk to the women about the importance of teaching children. How they need to see what you are teaching them to fully understand. When Anna used the example of Noah’s ark – the Maasai women responded verbally with understanding. None of them had seen the ocean, so their children sure enough had not, and none of them had seen a boat. In fact, the word boat the translator did not know. One of the oldest Maasai women in the crowd translated the word. It was a word many of the women had never heard. Anna then explained that for the children to truly understand that amount of water and a boat we need to help them “see” it in their minds. She explained how you can gradually talk about water rising. First, it is higher than their heads, then higher than their houses, then it rises above the trees, and finally is higher than the twiga (giraffes). You could see their understanding as they began to nod their heads. Anna encouraged them to draw a boat in the dirt and show tell the children that it is a house that could float on the water. 

With every culture comes good and bad. The Maasai are very set in their ways and it is difficult to show them that while some of the things they do are okay, some are wrong. It takes a lot of studying with them to show them that drinking cows blood is not okay (cows are sacred to the Maasai, having multiple wives is not what God wants (the Maasai have many, many wives), and that many of their traditions are harmful. We came face to face with that on Saturday when one of the young girls (around 7) wore a Maasai ring. This mean her dowry had been paid for, cows had been exchanged, and she was someone’s bride. Two other little girls had a single shaved stripe down each side of their head. This indicates that they have been circumcised (genital mutilation). And many of the children had circular scars on their faces indicating that at some point they were sick and the pain was inflicted on them to “heal” them. These things are difficult to see but we know that the Gospel is powerful. It may take time but these are things that can change. 

If you would like to help us financially with next month’s seminar please send a check to: 

Make the checks payable to Horton’s Chapel COC Horton Chapel Church of Christ
925 Union Ridge Road
PO BOX 1100
Belton, KY 42324

PLEASE PUT FOR THE MAYNARDS – AFRICA (And include what you want it for i.e. Children’s Seminar) 

Please continue to remember us in your prayers as well as our brother in Christ and friend, Cy Stafford. The Tanzanian’s are brokenhearted over the news of Cy (as are we) and we pray God heals him and returns him to the work here.

The Maynard Family

Moving Into The New Year Plans For Undergraduate And Graduate Work...

I would like to greet you all in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Happy New Year. This is another good year that God has given to us. Although, as we all know the condition of our brother Cy, we feel like someone who is working with one hand when Cy is not around. We made a very good team working together, but I believe God knows the necessity of his position in the team, so he will restore him soon to the work. Please remember him always in you prayers.

Moreover the ACSOP is fixing to receive masters students on January 25th and brother Gary Fallis will teach both courses: “Christian Education” and “Church Planting.” As you may know, Gary Fallis has been a great teacher of the Bible for many years with great experience. I believe that students will get great knowledge from this brother. Let us please pray for him as his planning to travel to Africa. 

Also coming very soon, on February 8th, the regular quarter will start. At this point, 24 students have completed their required registration applications. We hope to get a few more because they are working on their documents required to complete their registration.

Also, please read the following short report from brother Ibrahim Mrutu at the Kisongo Church to see what God has done from August last year.

“I thank God for His blessings that He grants us day by day. Also we appreciate your prayers of help, since August to this month, till now ten (10) souls have been added to Christ, and those we were able to restore to Christ are seven (7). I would like to thank you for joining this efforts by your prayers. 

“In this month by the help of our Lord Jesus our sister Edithar Joseph was baptized. Now she is doing fine in the new convert’s Bible class. 

“Also I have nine (9) active Bible classes. This work is not easy: helping new converts, restoring the back sliders, and keeping new studies, but by the help ofyour prayers all things will be possible. Kisongo church is growing day by day because of your prayers.”

Thank you all for your prayers, may God bless you all.

Please continue to remember Cy in your prayers, also brother Daniel Gaines as he plans to come back to Africa without forgetting brother Gary Fallis.

In His service,

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

Year-End Results In Haiti Indicate The Gospel At Work...

We serve a great God!

The blessings which God bestows upon us is far more than we can comprehend. There are blessings that come every day, unexpected and undeserved. One of our greatest blessings is being able to work in the kingdom of God and to have you as a part of our work. Your kindness, love, thoughtfulness, prayers and financial support are what makes our work possible. Thank you!

We pray that 2015 was a great year for you and that 2016 will be even better. What was accomplished by our students...

1. Baptisms: 252
2. Restorations: 150
3. Sermons Preached: 588
4. Bible Studies Taught: 615
5. Campaigns: 24
6. Some of the students have started a prison ministry. They have distributed over 500 copies of a six lesson study through World Bible School. These lessons are in French.
7. There are eleven congregations represented in the school.
8. Two of our students are now elders at the Santo congregation.
9. Our secretary is now married.  
10. Olia, our cleaning lady and her husband at a baby boy.
11. One of our directors, Widlord Thomas is now married.
12. We had 13 different men to travel to Haiti and teach at IST.
13. We had three Elders/Preachers conferences.
14. We had three groups of ladies to teach a series of lessons for the student’s wives and other ladies, average attendance 30.

Your Help Is Needed
As the school grows, so do the expenses. Your helpis urgently needed as we expand our program. We plan to move to the new property in April and will start a new chapter in our work.   We are asking you to consider a monthly support and if that is not possible, please consider a generous one-time donation.  

The cost of the property, the cost of repairs and the construction that needs to take 

place is very important. Every dollar that is given goes 100% toward the work. A Financial statement can be provided upon request for all of our contributors. Thank you for considering this work. Without your help it would not happen.

Contact Information:

Larry Waymire
lwaymire@gmail.com
Mobil:  731.798.0136
Office:  731.968.6688

All Contributions Should be sent to:

Broad St. Church of Christ
Caribbean Ministries
131 N. Broad Street
Lexington, TN 38351
Larry and Carol Waymire

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