The historic school year ended with the numbers 13, 2, and 5 as graduation was held on the last week of October and a special ceremony was held on the 8th of November. We had our first Master of Biblical Studies graduating class with 13 graduates. Their teachers, both Denton Landon and myself, were there to give the 13 students their long coveted Masters degree. Over three years ago, the Director and Coordinator decided that all our CBI teachers should work on their Masters degrees. With Denton Landon and Jerry Bates traveling to Tanzania to teach these students, along with myself, in a three-year period we studied with and worked with these dedicated men to equip them for this milestone. Not only were the CBI faculty involved in this work, but also we now have 4 faculty members of the Mizuzu School of Preaching in Malawi as well as other Tanzanian and Malawian teachers and preachers trained.
The two graduates in our bachelors program who graduated are also historic in their education. These two men finished the Swahili two-year program and decided to continue for another two years to receive the bachelor’s degree. They both have decided to enroll in the new Masters class that starts this coming March.
Five graduated from the Swahili program. All five have returned to their villages to preach Christ as they were trained to do.
Next years numbers include 11 Swahili students enrolled as well as seven English students. A new intake of Masters students will begin in March with already 8 to 10 showing a strong interest in coming to school at CBI.
As far as evangelism is concerned, the weekend preaching and teaching trips, along with the summer campaigns and the evangelistic work done at the primary and secondary school, because of the work of our students, we have over 188 baptisms this year.
Garry L. Hill
Coordinator/Instructor
Director: Chimala Bible Institute