Great Workshop in Nigeria

Beloved in Christ Jesus .

Greetings from the students and staff of BVBIN & SWSE-IBADAN and fellow WBSFUW in the Western States of Nigeria.

23RD ANNUAL LEADERSHIP SEMINAR: The 23rd Annual Leadership Seminar took place from February 4 to 6, 2025, at Chad Wagner’s Open Hall in Butu-London, Butubutu Village, Ibadan, Oyo State. The event was attended by 157 adults from nine states across Nigeria.

Brethren began arriving at BVBIN & SWSE-IBADAN on Sunday evening, and by 4:00 PM on Monday, the attendance had reached 66. Our guest speaker, Bro. Chad Wagner, joined us from Tuesday afternoon until Thursday evening to address key issues concerning the growth of the Lord’s Church in Nigeria, particularly in the western states.

A total of eleven gospel ministers participated in the seminar. The theme for this year’s gathering was "The Implementation of Ministerial Counseling in the Work of the Local Church."

Additionally, we were able to freely distribute:

1,670 copies of VOTI Volume 121

2,000 copies of the small Mission Printing songbook

15,000 copies of newly printed local tracts to the congregations represented.

END OF 2ND SEMESTER CLASSES AND UPCOMING SCHEDULE :The second semester officially conclude on February 7, 2025, after thirteen (13) weeks of classes. The third semester will last six (6) weeks, beginning on March 08, 2025, and ending on April 18, 2025.

Currently:

Year 1 students are engaged in vocational studies.

Year 2 students are on a preaching trip, ministering in congregations across the Western States of Nigeria.

Following the third semester, students will embark on their vocational studies and preaching trips as part of their practical ministerial training.

We appreciate your prayers and support as we continue to build up the Lord’s Church in Nigeria.

OUR TEAM WAS ATTACKED BY ARMED ROBBERS ON FEBRUARY 13,2025: Our WBS Team led by Bro. Eniafe Kayode was attacked by Armed Robbers on Thursday morning of February 13  in Osengere, Oyo State. The incident occurred at 6:30 am as they were en route to two private colleges in Ibadan for a World Bible School correspondence course enrollment during the colleges' Thursday morning devotion.

Unfortunately, the mission was disrupted, and one of our motorcycles was stolen. Bro. Eniafe Kayode was also physically assaulted before the robbers escaped with his motorcycle.

GREAT WORKSHOP 2025 HELD IN UKPAGADA, OGOJA, CROSS RIVER STATE, FROM FEBRUARY 18-22

We, the Ibadan team (Makinde Ebens, Eniafe Kayode, Oladokun Samuel, Amos Olusegun, and Adedoyin Rotimi), left Ibadan, Oyo State, at 4:12 pm on Monday to spend the night in a hotel near Sagamu Toll Gate, Ogun State.

On Tuesday morning, we joined the Lagos team at 7:12 am, and we arrived in Ukpagada, Ogoja, by 9:25 pm.

This year’s workshop focused on *Doing The Work (of Evangelism) Well*. The guest speaker, Bro. Chad Wagner, and the workshop director, Bro. Michael Udam, welcomed all the participants to the Ukpagada community in Ogoja, Cross River State, on Wednesday morning.

Some of the resource people included: Bro. Chad Wagner, Bro. Mike Udam, Bro. Samuel Okon, Bro. Tubobelem West, Bro. Usim Solomon, Bro. Joe Obinna, Bro. Mike Cochrane, Bro. Biodun Owolabi, among others.

The lectures were held daily between 9:00 am and 8:00 pm.

Day 2 of the workshop was dedicated to house-to-house evangelism within Ogoja town.

The program officially ended on Friday evening .

This year’s workshop was attended by over 800 participants from more than 20 states in Nigeria, with eleven attendees from Cameroon and Liberia.

Four thousand (4,000) copies of VOTI Volume 121, two thousand (2,000) copies of the small Mission Printing songbook, and many other materials, along with the Bible, were freely distributed during the three days of spiritual fellowship by the director of the program, Bro. Michael Udam.

 Bro. Chad Wagner declared the seminar closed at 5:18 pm on Friday.

Lord willing, next year’s workshop will be held in Benin City, Edo State.

REPORT OF FOUR-WEEK STUDENTS' PREACHING TRIP/VOCATIONAL STUDIES : The BVBIN & SWSE-Ibadan students embarked on a four-week preaching trip/vocational studies from February 7, with an expected return date of March 10, ahead of the 3rd Semester classes.

The trip has yielded fruitful results, with: 13 conversions and 26 restorations.

Notably, on February 16, the students serving in Butu-London and its environs witnessed five souls added to the kingdom after the morning worship. The students from the Northern part (Kebbi and Benue States) have demonstrated remarkable commitment to soul-winning.

Interestingly, most of our conversions in January and February 2025 in Butu-London and its environs have been from the Northern region, while the restorations have been among Yoruba-speaking brethren.

To God be the glory and honor! We also extend our heartfelt appreciation to all partners and supporters.

ABOUT A STUDENT:

Bro. Itie-Ubong Okon Udo is one of our present year two students. He is from Ikot Ubam Ukwok, Ini L.G.A, Akwa-Ibom State. Born on February 3 ,2006. Converted in February 14, 2021 at The Church of Christ, Odoro Ukwok, Ini Local Government Area of Akwa-Ibom State.

Admitted into the Ministerial Department of BVBIN & SWSE-IBADAN in August 2023.

His mission of coming here is to be well equipped with the Word of God so as to be able to defend the faith and sound evangelist in the future.

He is presently studying fashion designer as his vocational studies.

Conclusion: We are very much grateful to you all for your moral and financial assistance towards the growth of the Lord's Church in the world most especially in Nigeria. May the Lord continue to blessing our work together in Jesus Christ name, amen.

I remain yours in His Grace and Love as a servant ,

Makinde Ebenezer Olufemi 

The Chief Servant of BVBIN & SWSE-IBADAN and WBSFUW 

Students Preaching in Trinidad

Greetings from Trinidad

During the month of February the TSOP students worked at a nearby congregation. They conducted services each Sunday. Additionally, they attended a full roster of classes.

One of them submitted the following report of their activities at the congregation.

TSOP Class of 2024 has been charged with a mission to assist the congregation of Williamsville. So far, we have been there almost every Sunday for worship, and leading in worship for five (5) weeks beginning from February the 2nd. Brother Chad Glean was put in charge of this effort, and he opened with an encouraging and inspirational sermon. After this, we decided to have a theme, the acronym F.A.M.I.L.Y. The “F” stands for faith. Our speaker for the second week was Bro. Anthony, who preached on Hebrews 11, and after worship, we were invited for a delectable lunch by Brother Denver, Sister Nicole, and their family. In the third week Bro. Micah preached on James 2, and in the fourth week, the group worshiped with the congregation at Rancho while Brother Timotheus accompanied Bro. Dominic to Williamsville. We did not go the week after that because of camp. In the fifth week, with the “A” in “F.A.M.I.L.Y.” being “accepting,” Brother Timotheus preached and brought along as visitors four (4) of his secondary school classmates. So far, our work has been quite enjoyable, the brethren have been encouraging, and we hope to continue in our mission being guided by God.

Pray for these young men as they continue to be of service to the surrounding communities.

Saving Souls in Malawi

Hello everyone!

It was a very long holiday but now we are busy again. We started our classes this year on the 3rd of February. We are excited to see new students in the campus and their zeal has already proved the real reason why they are here!

Evangelism 

It is always amazing to hear from the former students and the work they are doing in their home congregations. This time we have had news from Tikuferanji Chonde, David Sichinga and also not forgetting Saliwa Nkosi. These men have reported 18 baptisms in this month of February and also 3 souls restored! 

Prayer Request!

We would like to ask the brethren to pray for our country,  we have had a long period without rains and the hunger is likely to hit Malawi this year onwards. Because of this we have missed some students who were supposed to come but the late coming of rains has made them fail.

We are also having elections in September, this year, pray for peace among our politicians because without peace in the land gospel cannot be preached. We need free and fair elections.  So God help us!

We are always thankful to BV international and the togetherness with the Hillcrest Christian family for the support.  God keep on blessing you all!

Eternity Is Forever keep thinking about souls!

Your brothers in Christ, 

Ephron and Clergynton

Progress in Nigeria

REPORT OF THE NIGERIAN INSTITUTE OF ARTS AND THEOLOGICAL STUDIES/ BEAR VALLEY BIBLE INSTITUTE – NIGERIA

NTIGHA- ONITCHA NGWA

FEBRUARY 2025

INTRODUCTION

The month of February has come and gone. We are grateful to God Almighty for his abundant grace and mercy. We are also thankful to the great Bear Valley family for their constant support. The burden of rebuilding the school is heavy both on material resources and human resources. However, it is the case that with God all things are possible. When gratitude is expressed, it is not to be taken as mere words of expression. We really mean it. We will make sure that monies provided for the running of the school will be religiously applied. The truth is, there is work to be done and there is work on every hand.

Classes

Year 1 Class

The following are the teachers and their courses.

1.     Teachers: Mr. Orji Onyeanulam: Life of Christ and Acts of the Apostles.

2.     Teacher: Mr. Nwokemba O. Meshack: Literature in English 1 and Igbo Language.

3.     Teacher: Mr. Anayo Ohama: Christian Evidence and Denominational Doctrines/Godhead.

4.     Teacher: Mr. Innocent Nwandiche: How We Got Bible and Hermeneutics.

5.     Teacher: Mr. Michael Okogbua: Pentateuch and General Epistle

6.     Teacher: Mr. Blessing N. Esiaba: English 1 and Practicum

7.     Teacher: Mr. Akokwu B. O.: Homiletics and Church Planting

8.     Teacher: Mr. Chiwendu Onyema: Research Writing (Methodology) and Prison Epistle.

Year 2 Class

1.     Teachers: Mr. Orji Onyeanulam: O. T. History and World Comparative Religion

2.     Teacher: Mr. Nwokemba O. Meshack: Literature in English II and Igbo Language 2

3.     Teacher: Mr. Anayo Ohama: Hermeneutics and Ministerial Counselling.

4.     Teacher: Mr. Innocent Nwandiche: Scheme of Redemption and English II.

5.     Teacher: Mr. Michael Okogbua: O. T. Wisdom Literature and Systematic Theology

6.     Teacher: Mr. Blessing N. Esiaba: Practicum

7.     Teacher: Mr. Bernard O. Akokwu: Major Prophets and The N. T. Church

8.     Teacher: Mr. Chiwendu Onyema: Research Writing (Long Essay) and Personal Evangelism.

From the foregoing, as gleaned from the timetable for next month’s examination. The above courses were taught. There was no space to accommodate the course on Godhead as an independent course. The course is merged with Denominational Doctrines. There is the existence of English, Literature in English, Practicum and Igbo language and so on.

HOSTEL

The student hostel needs careful attention. The hostel has capacity but would need tiling, window work, plastering and painting of some parts. There is a need to gather the iron bed frames and fix them and direct the students on how to use them properly. Cleanliness is next to godliness. The foregoing idea must be instilled in the students.

 EVANGELISM

The nature of student evangelism as I have observed it is different. They usually go weekends and preach on Sunday mornings in either their home congregation or somewhere else. Moreover, the students are invited by different congregations on invitation. Sometimes, they are invited during class days. Thus, for the month of February the report is as exemplified by one of the students’ reports.

“In the following programmes, events and meetings, aside from normal routine, I participated fully during every church service. On Sunday, second of February, 2025. I handled sermons using the topic “WORK CHOP” text was 2 Thess 3:10 at Nenu church of Christ, a topic that thrilled hundreds of people and moved over 98% into positive action. Moreover, on the 16th of February, I presented a sober reflecting mild speech on the topic “purify thy heart” during Lord’s Supper.”

This is the way and manner of the evangelism for now. We hope that this will change in the near future. Subsequently, the students will embark on weekend evangelism. They will go to one village and establish studies. This will continue through the semester. It is believed that this method would help the students improve in their ability to conduct studies and manage prospects relationships. Door-to-door evangelism is key.

PROGRAMMES IN THE SCHOOL

GRADUATION / LECTURESHIP

The 12th and 13th of February saw the influx of many brethren into NIATS. The theme of the lectureship was, “Repositioning the Church for the Contemporary Challenges.” Series of paper presentations were made and brethren were duly edified. The 14th of February was the culmination of the programme. About 16 students graduated. It was a great reunion as many brethren trooped in for the first time in a long time. It is hoped that next year will be even better.

NAITS SISTERS’ LECTURESHIP

The sisters from the congregations around Southeastern Nigeria and beyond usually have their annual lectureship every 27 to 1st of March. Theme of the lectureship was “Our Potential, Our Divine Purpose.” The lectureship was well attended and the record was about a thousand in attendance. On Friday, the 28th of February, we had about 8 baptisms while on the 1st of March we had 19 baptisms. There were a total of 27 baptisms. It was a rewarding experience and the participants were excited about the new looks of NIATS and hope to see more improvement the next time they visit.

PART-TIME TEACHERS

It is interesting that the director of the school lives on campus. The presence of the Director and the Dean of Students have further added security to the students and serves as an encouragement to them.

STATISTICS FOR THE YEAR SO FAR

1.  Number of Students: Sixteen (16) Year 1 (10) Year 2- six (6)

2.  Number of Graduates: sixteen.

3.  Number of Campaigns: None.

4.  Number of Baptisms: 27 baptisms.

5.  Number of any New Churches Planted: None.

6.  Number of any Churches Restored: None.

7.  Number of Teachers: Eight (8)

8.  Number of Restorations: None.

CONCLUSION

The journey is still long but there is hope. Next week is the week of examination, we pray that God will be with the students all the way. Gratitude goes to the international director of Bear Valley Bible Institute, Keith Kasarjian for all the support. The Assistant international Director, Chad Wagner and all the Bear Valley Family for the partnership and awesome support. Until all have heard!

Multi-Tasking in Malawi

Multi-Tasking at its Peak

It’s not a good idea to do African construction projects while directing a preaching school, and we have done everything possible to avoid it.  However, when a family came along whose influence would be needed on campus and who prayerfully could fill our shoes some day, we compromised and have been in overdrive for the past seven months.

Since we returned from furlough in July, Dale has been back in construction while traveling to interview students, painting and preparing everything for their arrival, and then starting a new school year with very few teachers at first.  He makes the juggling act look easy although it takes its toll on him.

A Time and a Place for Everything

Being first-time directors of the men’s and women’s programs respectively, first-time teachers testing out the new curriculum, first-time hosts of guest teachers while we were also still teaching, and with every event (i.e. marriage class, puppet show, etc.) being created as we went along, there wasn’t time for setting up organizational systems.  We just had to get a job done and move to the next one.

Only after the first class graduated and we began teaching repeat classes could the door open to take on some of the much-needed administrative jobs of sorting, filing, consolidating, and organizing.  With the students on break for two weeks, Leann tackled the resource room.  

This part of the room contains office supplies, notebooks and pens the students are provided at the beginning of each class. Some tubs contain spiral-bound books printed onsite which can now be given as supplementary materials to the curriculum Bear Valley has supplied for the men’s program.  Each tub is labeled with the name of a class the school offers for ease of reference and use.  

We will continue to outfit this room with everything needed for the women’s program as well.  Smaller tubs will be purchased for each class so that the school will have a printed set of notes and handouts as well as any visual aids previously used to teach those classes. 

Take a Deep Breath

Many things can happen when the students leave on break so much so that life here isn’t expected the next day.  When Malawians pray, they often thank God for giving them that new day because they know there are others who have not lived to see it.

Even though sometimes we don’t even realize it, we are internally holding our breath that everyone will be able to return and continue with the program.  Once the last student arrives, we feel the tension we were holding (if we had not already) as we release it and can finally take a deep breath.  Thanks for your prayers as the students traveled, and we thank God for their safe return.  

The women are studying “Make Me a Servant” for eight weeks.  The men have a new class every week.  Last month they dove into the Old Testament books of Exodus and Deuteronomy as well as the New Testament books:  Mark and I Corinthians.

Practical studies in Vidyanagar, India

Reporting Letter for the month of February-2025

March 5th,2025

Dear brothers in Christ greetings to you in the name of Jesus Christ. We thank you for your prayers and all your efforts for the establishment of Bear Valley Bible Institute in Vidyanagar, Andhra Pradesh-state , India.  Our BVBI-extension centre is committed to equipping preachers and church leaders in rural areas with sound biblical knowledge and practical ministry skills. Our Bible school initiatives in villages focus on training local evangelists, strengthening churches and spreading first century Christianity. We have given admission for the untrained preachers who are already in the field.  BVBI-classes are much useful for their field work.  These are following activities they are doing in the rural congregations.

Home Bible studies:- Home Bible study is essential in the rural areas where churches and trained preachers are scarce .It strengthens faith, building community and encourages involvement in God’s word. By fostering discipleship and evangelism, it helps sustain Christian growth and provides moral guidance. Ultimately , it ensures that even remote areas have access to spiritual nourishment and biblical teachings.

Besides home Bible studies they conduct children classes, youth meetings, street gospel meetings, personal Bible studies. Each student adopted 10 villages and continually visiting two villages per day. They attend for the week end bible training and growing in the knowledge of NT teaching.

We thank you very much for this BVBI-extensional centre which you have established at Vidyanagar, Andhra Pradesh-state, India.

Thanking you.

Yours brother in Christ.

B.Vijaya Kumar, director of Extension Centre.

Visiting teachers in Uganda

Greetings in the mighty name of our Lord Jesus Christ who according to his will has blessed us to have another chance of still living. 

I bring you the joy of students at Bear valley Uganda and the entire staff.

The month of February ended well while everyone was in good health, from the students to teachers and to all the support staff with only the daughters of our administrator having malaria but our God is so good they are now fine.

The school recorded achievements beginning from having our short course teachers who came and did a great job teaching students. 

Brother Jerry was able to arrive on 8th and taught until the end of the week. He was able to board on 15th leaving for Zimbabwe. Thank you brother for having withstood all the heat that is here these days, may the Almighty bless you and your efforts.

On the same date of brother Jerry leaving, we were able to welcome two other brothers who had also come for the same issue of teaching, brother David and brother Garry. We thank you for your time here and all the sharing we had with you and all the students.

We are happy to report that Bear Valley Uganda is having an e-library now. with the help of brother Steven through his guidance on how to install it, brother David worked hard to see that we have this functioning. This is a very nice and tremendous tool that is going to uplift the standards of our students.

Thank you so much and we pray that may the will of God continue to be on you as you continue supporting this work of training preachers.

be blessed

until all have heard,

Raymond

Graduation nears in Visakhapatnam, India

Dear brethren in Christ, 

Greetings to you all from Visakhapatnam. We are all doing good by the mercies of our God and His son Jesus in Christ. We pray that everything is going well at your end. We appreciate your prayers towards us. Preaching school at Visakhapatam is continuing to do well as it has been since the beginning. We are grateful to God for blessing us to continue the same mission with the vision to establish the New Testament churches in Southern India by producing some affective evangelists. 

In regard to our common mission, we tend to have the same spirit among our faculty members. Every year, faculty and staff members meet for a one full day meeting. A meeting proposed to discuss several things regarding the school year as well as the upcoming events. First of all, we all had discussed about the present burning doctrinal issues around. We all agreed that New Testament is the ultimate authority in any matters of faith and doctrine. So our discussion on this topic has concluded with a sole agreement on strictly following the New Testament pattern for any issues. 

Also the discussion about the remaining subjects to be taught, students record to be kept, electronic teaching system and training classes have been discussed. We have also discussed about the upcoming Graduation ceremony as well as the Leadership workshop at Bikkavolu Bible College; this is scheduled for 17.18th of April. We have purchased a couple of Interactive Touch Screen Televisions to use for the teaching purpose, in fact i have brought two Laptops given by Bear Valley to use them for Library purposes. We have had a network established where we are keeping the laptop server and the interactive touch screen TV in the same network to drag the information on the screen while teaching. We had a training session to help the teaching staff about the mechanics of this setup, I will share more in the next report. I want to thank brother Keith as well as Mark for making this possible. 

The importance of a full-time school and required improvements have been discussed. Also at the end of the meeting, Current religious difficulties in our country were also mentioned in the prayer.

Prayer request: one of our Graduates brother Rajesh had paralysis stroke and is undergoing treatment, kindly pray. He is a great Christian, bold enough to straighten their biblical errors. We sure need your prayers for their family as well. The first picture shows him laying on the bed when brother Nageswarao and other faculty members visited. 

Dear brethren, we appreciate your prayers, we do thank you very much for your help and support, please convey our gratitude to the Elders at Bear Valley Church of Christ. We do thank the brethren at Lake Houston, Strickland Church of Christ as well as Farmersville. we are always mindful of our dear beloved brethren, Jerry and Paula Bates. 

In Christ, 

John Dean Muppidi

Visakha Valley Bible College

Studies continue in Tirupati, India

Reporting Letter for the Month of February-2025

Date; March 5th,2025.

Respected beloved brother Keith Kasarjian, our international director, our coordinator Mr. Mark Reynolds and all the prayer partners. Greetings to you in the name of Jesus Christ. We pray that this reporting letter finds you well. We express our gratitude and thanks to you for your prayers and  encouragement . We humbly submit our reporting letter for the month of February-2025.

Classroom work: - This quarter we taught: The book of Matthew, New testament  Christianity, The Importance of Blood, Repentance,  Study on Pentateuch, and Abiding in Hope. We also adopted a few topics from World Video Bible School Material. We are thankful to our coordinator (BVBI) for presenting projector and WVBS video devices for our BVBI-Tirupati extension  centre. These are very much useful to learn several subjects.

Assignment work:- All the students are cooperating well in writing their assignments . We collect the note books and evaluate from time to time.

Bible Seminar:- In the month of February 7th and 8th we have conducted a two day seminar. The theme for the seminar was “The Parables of Jesus Christ. We have invited local preachers, active members in the local churches, BVBI-students and  teachers . The seminar went on successfully. The study material  for the seminars was prepared by Dr. Damon Vincent. We appreciate his guidelines for the grand success of the seminar. BVBI-students were involved actively and learned several good things on how to organize the lectureship meetings.

Gospel  Campaignings:- In the month of February we conducted gospel campaigning at Vemuguntapallem-village on 23RD evening. The village people were able to attended the meeting and requested monthly campaigning.  This is my birthplace , personally I was very happy to conduct camp in this village.

Bible Quiz:- In the month of February 22nd we conducted Bible quiz to BVBI students from the Book of Matthew. We divided students into 5 groups and conducted the quiz. It was very interesting and helped a lot in  learning  the word of God.

Thanking you.

Yours brother and sister in Christ.

Vijay&Swarupa, my children Timothy and Tabitha from India.

Kisumu, Kenya

Dear brethren,

Today marks the end of our second quarter of the first year of seventh class students at Kenya school of Preaching- Kisumu. We have a break till we resume classes from April 14th to June 6th, 2025. We are thankful that the students are going to have opportunities to meet again with their family and church members and be able to serve them even  better as they increase in Biblical knowledge. It is our prayer that the Almighty Lord be with them and give them journey mercies. 

We give thanks to our able regular local teachers, Charles and Phabian, who had taken the last six weeks to see that these courses are taught: Introduction to Hermeneutics, Life of Christ 2 (The Gospel According Mathew), and English Skills 2. We also appreciate our short course instructor Dr. Michael Reese, who had earlier in January, this year, taught 2 courses,  the Godhead and Christian Evidences.

May the Almighty God continue to keep and uphold them in their effort to impart Bible knowledge to the students.

Thanks to each and everyone who receives this report and endeavors to support the school and the work going on here.

May the Lord bless you abundantly

Your servant Elias Omollo.

Students Evangelize in Takoradi, Ghana

OPERATIONAL REPORT JANUARY, 2025

1.     CLASSROOM WORK

We thank God for a new year and an opportunity to still serve Him in His vineyard. We say a happy new year to you all and we are most grateful to God for all of you and your continuous partnership in this great work.

As indicated in last month’s report, the men who came to the school for training two years ago have successfully completed their studies and are now waiting patiently for their graduation. A new academic journey has begun for our new students. Their two years’ studies began on 20th January 2025, when school officially resumed. 

Currently, we have eight (8) full time students and we are still expecting others to join them.

Classes are already in session; the new students are studying the first term batch of courses. These courses include; Hermeneutics-1, Homiletics-1, Christian Evidences, Life of Christ-1 and Old Testament-1. 

Two of the part-time students completed their studies this month but the rest are still in school. The last set of second year third term courses were completed in the first three weeks of the month. New courses were also started in the last two weeks of the month. On Fridays, Joshua Aidoo teaches them hermeneutics, and on Saturdays, they are studying life of Christ 1 and Christian evidences. The Saturday class is divided into two sections; morning and afternoon.

A new student joined the class on the last day of the month. 

2.     PERSONAL EVANGELISM AND BAPTISM

The gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ is still being spread by our students. Our students are preaching the gospel through social and traditional media.

New School in Mozambique Celebrates a Successful Beginning

Introduction

Instituto Biblico Bear Valley Mozambique is a new school in Chimoio Mozambique in Southern Africa. Excitement has been part of us with the mere idea of having a school in this part of Africa. We give glory to God for the efforts and collective input with the likes of Keith Kasarjian, Mathew Muchingami, Theophilus Tanhera, Owen Tirivaviri Marange and many others. Eventually Mozambique has first of its kind a Bible School. The new school is located in Chimoio in the Manica Province of Mozambique. It is an extended school model that has weekend classes. The staff complement is currently five.

The school has since been in progress since the fourth of January 2025 with nineteen students. To date they have done and finished two courses with one in progress. We welcome new relations to date with possible others to come.   

1.0 Mozambique

Mozambique is an underdeveloped third world country on the Indian Ocean coast in the east of the Southern African region. It stretches from the southern part of Tanzania and borders with the southern part of Malawi and southeast of Zambia, the Eastern part of Zimbabwe and also borders with South Africa and Kingdom of Eswatini on its south. The country has ten provinces with a total population of 33 million people. It is one of the two Portuguese speaking countries in Southern Africa. The other one being Angola. These two countries were former colonies of Portugal. All the other countries that it borders with are English speaking, making it an Island in the Southern region. While all of the countries that it borders with have several native languages they use, Mozambique’s many vernacular languages were destroyed by the Portuguese colonial system. Even some that its populations shared with other bordering tribes making it truly an Island.

Both Portuguese colonies attained their independence from the Portuguese colonial rule in the mid-seventies. However, the liberation movements that took over leadership in both former Portuguese colonies enjoyed less than a decade of peace in their countries. These countries were soon torn into pieces by civil strife that haunted them for two decades. These wars impoverished the big part of the populations and ripped important institutions like the schools to the ground. To date both countries have very low literacy rates as a result of these wars. Their health institutions standards are low and need a lot to be desired. The infrastructure needs a lot of attention just like many other African countries. Sanitation is at its worst as the nation failed to recover from the Portuguese sabotage after the liberation war.

The conditions and state above made Mozambique really a solitary child. The church has been there for a while but lacks the vibrant spirit and growth. A good example is the Province of Manica which borders with Manicaland in Zimbabwe with the highest number of churches. Its first recorded church was established by Campion Mugweni of Zimbabwe with his team in 1989. Yet, for over three decades there are only five congregations in a Province with a population of around 9million. Trained preachers who are serving do not go beyond ten in the whole country. The Manica Province in particular has two known preachers from Mutare School of Preaching in Zimbabwe and only one of them is still faithful and serving.

History has it that attempts have been made by different groups to start preacher training schools but none of these attempts left traces of their existence. One is said to have been built in Maputo but thought to have been sold with a circulating story that the rebels grabbed it during the civil war. There are also other groups that have made other attempts but have no traces of ever having trained preachers. We hope there will be future breakthrough with others.

We have every reason to say thank you YHWH the Most High God for this breakthrough. In the same vein we continue to ask for prayers from the brethren that we may complete what has been started in us by God. This tender shoot starts at a harsh period with other trying conditions such as the recent post-election violence that rocked other parts of the country and destroyed many lives.

The Intake

Another excitement proceeds from the size of intake we started with. We had 19 students to start with in the school. Seventeen of these are men while two are females and wives to two of the male students. Our students are from Manica town, Messica, and Chimoio. Messica has the highest number of students. Many of the student commute coming to school. Many of them are employed in different government departments that include education, health, and other departments. Two are heads in circular schools. Three are teachers and another is an administrative clerk in school and a nurse. The others are employed and self-employed in different sectors.  Many of them that are married have been coming with their wives to classes and the school has been planning their separate lessons in the near future.

The Staff

The current staff complement stands at five with the Director – Owen Tirivaviri Marange and three part-time lecturers; Theophilus Tanhera, Owen Simone Ruraca and Tatenda Tizora and Mrs Ruraca who is handling some other works and keeping our records. The three, Owen Tirivaviri Marange, Theophilus Tanhera and Tatenda Tizora are from Zimbabwe. Owen Simone Ruraca and Eunice his wife are preachers in Messica in Mozambique. All of the staff are graduates from Mutare School of Preaching in Mutare, Zimbabwe. Owen Tirivaviri Marange is finishing on his Master of Science in Peace Leadership and Governance with Zimbabwe Open University. He is also a preacher at Hillview Church of Christ in Mutare Zimbabwe. Theophilus Tanhera is yet to embark of his Doctorate in New Testament studies with a University in South Africa. He is a deacon at Hillside Church of Christ in Dangamvura, Mutare, Zimbabwe. Owen Simone Ruraca and Tatenda Tizora are pursuing their Honors in Biblical Studies.

The school in Progress

The school had its orientation on the fourth of January. We had a big turn up with other many potential students in the future. This event was also graced by elders from Manica congregation, leaders from Messica and others from Mutare in Zimbabwe. One of the figures present was an elder and preacher who is the founder of the work in the Manica Province of Mozambique – Campion Mugweni.

To date the students are on their third course on their curriculum. They all have been participating in different worship activities at their respective congregations, and we are yet to design forms they will use so that we can formalize the data.  

The school has also started a vegetable garden in the compound. This is a project which is meant to assist the school financially and create visibility within the community. According to the baseline survey by brother Tizora, the type of vegetable we started with is easy to maintain and on demand in the local communities. The students will be responsible for the maintenance of this garden. We look forward to introducing more projects that will teach life skills and a variety income generating activities. 

6.0 The Visitor from Bear Valley in Denver

We were happy having a visitor from Bear Valley Bible Institute in Denver. Keith Kasajian is Director of International Studies. We received him on the 28th of January at the Zimbabwean Robert Mugabe Airport. We travelled by road to Chimoio past Mutare. We want to thank the LORD for the safe passage mixed with challenges and learning experiences. We arrived at the school in Chimoio the same day at dusk. Keith met the staff and students with some other church members. The following day he had an opportunity to visit the MSOP campus and meet the staff and students there. In the afternoon of the 29th of January he was in Harare to meet Howard Suwari and Gideon Madyira who both Bear Valley staff members. Keith left for South Africa on the 30th.

7.0 Relations

We call upon different church-oriented organizations to come on board and be part of the efforts of producing preachers in Mozambique. To date we have the PACT missionaries as one of our new partners. The PACT missionaries have donated an incubator to the school. We celebrate this move and look forward to its use toward to the development of the school in many ways. Of significance in our needs is the move toward staff development which is our currently our priority number one on hierarchy of needs.

Conclusion

There is a lot of excitement on both the students and the staff at Instituto Biblico Bear Valley in Mozambique. The school started in January 2025 with an intake of 19 students and four teaching staff and one non-teaching staff. We were happy to receive Keith Karsajian in the month of January. PACT missionaries have joined hands with us by donating an incubator meant to generate additional income for other needs in the school.

Updates from Port au Prince, Haiti

The violence in Haiti continues to tear the country apart. Over the last two years, more

than 12,000 people have died due to gang violence. Thousands more have been injured

or kidnapped. The gangs have burned businesses, attacked police stations, destroyed

hospitals, and schools have been closed. Thousands of people have abandoned their

homes and communities to seek safety. For many, the daily mission is to find enough

food and water for the day. The country of Haiti needs your prayers.

With the violence raging in Haiti, many have asked, “How is the school theology doing,

and how is the church?” In many areas, the church must meet in smaller groups, in

homes, and at various times to provide safety from the gangs. The threats make it very

difficult for the Christians, but they continue. The church continues to grow as the

Christians reach out to the lost. Pray for the church in Haiti.

IST (the International School of Theology) continues to train preachers and teachers to

proclaim Christ’s message. Unable to meet on IST’s campus, the school moved to the

Santo area. The move worked great for a while, but they had to move again due to

increased gang activity. We have rented a building where it is safe to meet, although, at

times, it is difficult for students or teachers to reach. The gangs will set up roadblocks

preventing anyone from passing through. Despite the problems, the classes continue,

and the church continues to grow. In 2024, we had 191 souls baptized into the body of

Christ and three new congregations planted. God opens the doors because God is in

control. I am able to be in regular contact with the directors of the school weekly. Pray

for our students and teachers as they continue working in God’s great kingdom.

The students and faculty also help provide food and medicine when they can. One way

of reaching the lost is to help them in a difficult time. Even the helping of others must be

handled quietly. If the gangs find that someone is providing food, that person becomes a

target. When they go to deliver the food and medicine, they literally put their lives in

danger, but they do it. Pray for their safety.

We know the time will come when the violence stops, businesses reopen, children

return to school, and IST can move back on the campus grounds. The attitude of the

directors, teachers, and students is, “Even in difficult times, the work must continue, the

lost must be reached, and God’s will must be done. If we don’t, who will?” Pray that

they will continue to have the attitude that they have.

Larry Waymire

BVBI in Accra, Ghana, Celebrates a Graduation and a Fruitful Month

Overview

February was a productive month for the Southern Institute of Biblical Studies, marked by five significant long courses, a campaign to attract new students, radio preaching, visitation, and a Graduation and Matriculation ceremony. These initiatives are aimed at enhancing our academic offerings and expanding our student body.

Classroom Activities   

Throughout January, our class sessions focused on several key areas:

Church History: Students engaged in a comprehensive review of the early church, exploring significant events and figures that shaped Christianity. 

Information and Communication Technology (ICT): This course covered the integration of technology in modern ministry. Students learned about digital tools for outreach and engagement.

Pastoral Epistles: A deep dive into the letters of Paul to Timothy and Titus, focusing on leadership, church organization, and pastoral care.

Major Prophets: The class studied the messages and themes of major prophets, including Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, emphasizing their relevance in contemporary society.

Greek: The students started their study of Koine Greek, focusing on the learning and writing of the alphabets.

Every afternoon is a session where students are given fifteen (15) minutes and are assessed on their preaching skills.

Radio Program 

Our radio program continues to be a vital outreach tool for BVBI, allowing us to connect with the community and share the Gospel.

Weekly Broadcasts: our topic for the month is still on the church of the Bible, specifically on the New Testament Worship. The church of the Bible has been selected again for the month of February because listeners are asking many questions.

Audience Engagement: We saw an increase in listener interactions, with many reaching out via phone calls and social media, and to share how the program has impacted their lives.

Campaign for New Students

As most of the students are through with their course, February was dedicated to campaigning for new students:

Visitation letters: Letters have been sent to churches, requesting their approval to campaign in their churches.

Scholarship Opportunities: We promoted scholarship programs available for incoming students, incentivizing applications and providing financial support for those in need.

The campaign was fruitful and three students have been admitted.

Planned Visitation and church strengthening 

Looking ahead, we have several planned visitation initiatives to strengthen our community ties and outreach efforts:

Scheduled Visits: we have visited the Fotobi congregation in the Eastern Region of Ghana on the 9th February. Since we gave a prior notice, the brethren welcomed us warmly and gave us a topic on stewardship to discuss with them

We also visited the Medie Ketewaa congregation on the 16th February 2025. The church was happy to welcome us and gave us a topic on church growth to boost attendance and their giving.

Our presence motivated them and as a result, increasing church attendance. This is being done to strengthen and edify the local congregations established by the school to grow and assist in evangelism.

Graduation

15th February marks the 7th Graduation and 8th Matriculation ceremony of the school. Invitations were extended to the churches requesting their presence to celebrate the brethren who have completed their courses

Diploma: Eight (8) men who have completed the disciplines leading to obtaining a diploma in Biblical studies were honored with certificates

Bachelor’s degree: Seven (7) men who, through hard work and continuous effort, were certified with a Bachelor's Degree in Biblical studies

Master’s Degree: Eight (8) men who passed the four years courses leading to obtaining a Master's in Biblical studies were also certified.

Awards: Aside from the certificate, awards were presented to the students who have necessary requirements and exhibited the following traits throughout their stay on campus

Evangelistic, promising, well-behaved, best in Academics, and overall Best student.

Matriculation: On that same day, men who had the desire to pursue all the courses in the school were officially inaugurated as students.

Conclusion 

February 2025 has been a fruitful month for the Bear Valley Bible Institute, with successful outreach initiatives and preparations for the new year. We are excited about the impact of our radio program, the progress made in the response to our campaign for new students, the upcoming planned visitations, and a successful Graduation and Matriculation ceremony. As we move forward, we remain committed to our mission of equipping leaders for service in the Kingdom of God.

We remain grateful to our partners, alumni, and friends, prayers, encouragement, and financial contributions

May the Lord bless our endeavors as we strive to fulfil our mission.

By E.O. Larbi

Students in Sanniquellie, Liberia continue Evangelizing at home during Year End Break

Operation Report For January 2025

SCHOOL RESUMED AFTER YEAR END BREAK

Our students returned back to school on the 12th of January, 2025 after a successful Year end vacation (Christmas and New Year). Regular classes started on January 14, 2025 under a careful supervision. We are saying successful because of the many good work they were able to do back home at their congregations during the period of the vacation. Leaders of some congregations called to recognize and appreciate their meaningful contributions helping with evangelism works and edification during their stay.

Since our return from the year end vacation, everyone is in high spirits to play their own role very well to enable us complete the 1st year 4th quarter. Students are playing their roles very well, and the instructors are also playing theirs as well.

Before the season break, the school administration expelled a student from the school for disorderly conduct after several warnings to have him repented but to no avail.

 As part of our tradition after vacation, students are required to write on their vacations activities:

1.     Where they spent their vacation

2.     Their roles in the Church

3.     The results of their work and contacts of the preachers or church leaders they worked with.

Meanwhile, reports received are all encouraging. They were involved in preaching and teaching at their various congregations, and deeply involved in house to house evangelism and personal works. We confirmed those information by placing phone calls to leaders of their various congregations. We are proud of the practical work out of the classroom done by our students. Please pray that these men continue to grow in the work of our Lord.

Short Course (Galatians)

On January 18, 2025 Bro. Calvin Jusu Johnson was invited by the School Administration to conduct a week’s Class, teaching one of the Short Courses (The book of Galatians). He ably ended the Couse Successfully on January 24, 2025 and has since returned back to Monrovia.

4th QUARTER COURSES AND INSTRUCTORS

Our 4th quarter continued after the break with the follow courses and assigned instructors.

1.                 Personal Evangelism --------------------------------- Thomas Jimmy

2.                 1, 2 Peter & Jude  ------------------------------------- Fester Lee

3.                 New Testament Worship ----------------------------- Fester Lee

4.                 1&2 Thessalonians ----------------------------------- Joel Weah

5.                 Leadership -------------------------------------------- Joel Weah

6.                 Short Course (The Book Of Galatians) ----------- Calvin Jusu Johnson

7.                 Agriculture -------------------------------------------- Samuel B. K. Jabaty

8.                 English------------------------------------------------- Marcus Joel Wehye

9.                 Computer---------------------------------------------- Augustine Quoigbay

Children Sunday School Female Teachers Training Program

One January 27, 2025 we graciously received in Liberia Bro. Steven Ashcraft and his wife Sis. Karen Ashcraft in preparation for a seminar aiming at training Female Children Sunday School teachers from forty congregations in Liberia, to be conducted in two areas. Beginning January 31 to February 1, 2025 in Sanniquellie City, Nimba County, at the Sanniquellie Central Church Of Christ, for sixty (60) participants from thirty (30) congregations, two persons each per congregation. And February 7-8, 2025 in Monrovia, Paynesville City at the GSA Road Church of Christ for twenty (20) participants from ten (10) congregations, two per congregation.

CONCLUSION:

Without your love for God and your constant support, we wouldn't have come thus far with this huge task given us. Please accept our heartfelt gratitude for your spiritual and financial assistance. We are eternally grateful to each and every one of you. To God be the glory, praise and honor belong to Him always.

With The Love We Share In Christ;

Thanks

Students in Lome, Togo Continue their Studies

Good morning.

I’m Evangelist MENSAH Akovi Espérance from Lome, the Directory of BEAR VALLEY Lome.
We thank you sincerely for all your efforts towards us in Togo, especially in Lome, according to your support for our Bible school. May God bless you.

Here are the details of my report of the last quarter of 2024, from September to December.

Students:

1. ADJABLI KOSSI MENSAH

2. DIMON JOSUE ESPEDY

3. KAVI KOFFI GILBERT

4. GNAGNIKO KOKOUVI

5. KALO KODJO

6. MINTCHI ROGER

7. N’SOUVI KOSSI

8. ATILA  KOAMI

9. ADAM FOUSSENI

10. KPALMA KOSSI

Teachers:

1. MENSAH Akovi Espérance: Directory

2. KOUDJODJI Kokouvi Pascal: Coordonator

3. EMALA Germain: Teacher/ resp Evangelism

4. ADJAHO Kokou: Teacher/ resp Evangelism

I want to inform that in our school in Lome, we have three quarters of four months in the year. And by every quarter we have 5 lessons to teach. In that quarter (September to December 2024) which is the first for the beginning of our school. There are 10 students and the studies are in the night from 6 PM to 9 PM from Monday to Thursday every week.

We have done one public evangelism  in Lome in that quarter. But we are sure that in this year 2025, we are going to do better done the last year.

Thank you sincerely my brother.

May God bless you very much for your efforts towards us in Togo.
Your brother Espérance from Bear Valley Lome

Updates from Ukraine

Report for the Biblical Institute BVBIU

Monthly Summary: January and February

1. Teaching and Courses

• In the past month, we were blessed to have Michael Underwood teach a course on The Prison Epistles of Apostle Paul.

• Dmitry Galyuk teach a course on 1–2 Timothy and Titus.

• Currently, Oleg Fafonov is teaching a course on 1–2 Peter and Jude.

• We are deeply grateful to our brothers from both the American and Ukrainian sides for their dedication and hard work in teaching and supporting the Institute.

2. Student Engagement and Promotion

• We continue to actively plan and develop our social media presence to reach and attract more students.

• A Greek language course is being conducted once a week.

• We are also hosting webinars on various topics — at this stage, we are focusing on Managing Finances Wisely.

• To further promote the Institute, we are preparing new posters and plan to distribute them to several churches.

3. Future Plans and Events

• We look forward to welcoming Terry Harman to Ukraine, which we believe will be a great encouragement and support to our work.

• Next month, under the auspices of the Institute, the Uzhhorod Church of Christ is planning to hold a Women’s Seminar.

   Also, a computer was purchased for the needs of the institute, and we are planning to create a website for the institute in the near future.

4. Local Ministry

• Here in Germany, God has also blessed me with the opportunity to minister locally. We currently have more than 10 people gathering at our home for Bible study, and we continually pray that the Lord will bless this work and bring forth fruit.

5. Situation in Ukraine

• We remain steadfast in prayer and trust in God’s sovereignty over the situation in Ukraine.

• The war continues, and while recent news reports mention peace talks between the administrations of President Trump and President Putin, Ukraine has not yet been invited to participate.

• Despite these challenges, we firmly believe that everything is in God’s hands. Though events may seem uncertain, we hold onto faith and pray earnestly for the war to end and for peace to be restored.

We deeply appreciate your ongoing prayers and support. May the Lord continue to guide and strengthen all of us in His work.

Blessings,

Sopelnyk Denys

Students in South Sudan work with 5 Nearby Congregations

Greetings brothers, 

I hope you're doing well.

The school is moving well, we were affected by heatwave from last two weeks, but we pray it will be normal.  

Courses 

We are now at quarter 2, having 1 long course and 1 short course.

Students Performance 

The students are going on well, though the English is a big challenge to a few, but the teachers are trying their best help them with listening, writing and speaking.

Teachers

We have the same teachers no new teacher assigned, only next month is were we expect a teacher who graduated from biblical school in Ethiopia.

Evangelism 

Each Sunday we sent out 10 students to help 5 congregations that are here in Bor, and with the feedback from congregation leaders, they really appreciate our school and students for the messages they deliver.

Students Health 

With the help of First Aid medicine that is in our store, we solved some minor cases of headaches, fever, and other. Students are all now doing well.

With that May God bless us all to continue do his work!

Have a blessed day!

Your brother in Christ 

Jacob Ajak - 

South Sudan School of Preaching -BVIBI

Sign language added to curriculum in Zimbabwe

FEBRUARY 2025 NARRATIVE REPORT

INTRODUCTION

February 2025 was a month with a difference. A month that saw BVBIZ adding more building blocks in the training of God’s vessels in view of the tasks that awaited them. Instructors, in ensuring that students receive the best and relevant content, take meticulous care in the process. This report details progress made in classes, in construction, on projects, at board level, student profiles and other notable activities.   

1.0 CURRICULUM PROGRESS

To date, a few subjects have already been done and completed. These include Ethics, Entrepreneurship, Sign language and broiler production training. The following is the list of subjects being taught this term including their instructors.

Entrepreneurship Skills Development                                 S. Chiunga

Broiler Production (workshop)                                            S. Chiunga

Greek I                                                                                 K. Madyira

1 & 2 Corinthians                                                                 I. Mutichu

Denominational Doctrines                                               M.Muchingami

1 & 2 Thessalonians                                                             D. Estep

Wisdom Literature                                                               I.Mutichu

Christian Evaluation of Contemporary Ethics                     I.Mutichu

Sign Language                                                                      C.Muzambi

Peter and Jude                                                                      H.Suwar

2.0 YOUTH TRANSIT PROGRAM

The youth transit program that the school hosted from the 7th of January ended on the 7th of February. The following main issues were at the centre of the program; moral development, career guidance, entrepreneurship skills development and doctrinal aptitude development. Core modules included the New Testament church and its worship, Christian Ethics, Denominational Doctrines, Study skills, Career Guidance and Entrepreneurship Skills Development. The youths were being prepared for life in college or university. Since the church loses a number of young people at this stage, it is hoped that this program will assist the youths to remain faithful and be agents of change to their mates. The attendees received certificates of attendance to the program.

3.0 SIGN LANGUAGE

BVBIZ has made several inroads in its attempt to produce highly competent graduates who will be able to communicate God’s word to everyone at any level. One strategy was the inclusion of Sign Language and Theology of Disability as subjects to the curriculum. Method Moyo (a 2022 graduate, working as a chaplain at Cure Zimbabwe Children’s Hospital in Bulawayo and preaching at Bellevue Church of Christ in Bulawayo) teaches theology of Disability. Charles Muzambi, a 2021 graduate advanced in Sign Language though he is working with Warren Park congregation in Harare. The teaching of sign language is a partnership between Rutendo Foundation and BVBIZ. This partnership has enabled every student to receive the necessary training in this area. The current class did its first level of training in February. The second level shall commence early next year. The parallel class will undergo the same training as well. After the first level training, one student, Takudzwa Chitura was moved to say the following;

 Steps towards Inclusivity: Bear Valley Bible Institute Zimbabwe's Ground breaking Initiative

In a remarkable stride towards inclusivity, sign language has been added as a course for preachers-in-training at Bear Valley Bible Institute Zimbabwe, an emerging church of Christ preacher training college in the heart of Zimbabwe's Midlands province, marking a significant step towards inclusivity. This innovative initiative, which attempts to close the gap in the church's outreach to the deaf and other minority groups and make the gospel accessible to all. The school started teaching sign language 5 years ago.

According to John 3:16, the Bible tells us that "God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." This verse emphasizes how God's love and salvation are available to everyone. Communication hurdles have, however, frequently impeded the church's capacity to reach everyone, especially those with physical impairments. One important step in removing these obstacles is the addition of sign language instruction to the curriculum at Bear Valley Bible Institute Zimbabwe.

The students' progress in this new course has been greatly aided by Minister Muzambi, the sign language instructor. In turn, the students have demonstrated their dedication to inclusive ministry by exhibiting amazing acceptance and eagerness in learning the language.

The impact of this project on the church's outreach to the deaf and hard-of-hearing people is extensive. The institute is giving preachers the tools they need to share the gospel with a previously unreached population by teaching them sign language. "So, how can they call on the one they have not believed in?" wrote the apostle Paul. Furthermore, how can they have faith in someone they have not heard of and how are they able to hear if no one is preaching to them? (Romans 10:14). Bear Valley Bible Institute Zimbabwe is just getting started on its path to diversity with the introduction of sign language. Other such actions that could be included are:

1. Accessibility: Making sure that those with disabilities may physically access church facilities.

2. Inclusive worship: Including components of inclusive worship, like communion tables that are wheelchair accessible and audio descriptions for worshippers who are blind or visually impaired.

3. Training on disability awareness: Educating church leaders and members on disability awareness, support, and etiquette.

4. Community outreach: Forming alliances with nearby groups that assist those with disabilities in order to make sure that the church's outreach initiatives are successful and inclusive.

Bear Valley Bible Institute Zimbabwe's faculty succinctly states that inclusion is not only morally required, but also mandated by the Bible. As ministers of reconciliation, it is our responsibility to dismantle obstacles and construct bridges. BVBIZ is making a big stride in meeting this obligation by offering sign language as a subject.

To sum up, Bear Valley Bible Institute Zimbabwe's decision to offer sign language instruction is a ground-breaking move that serves as a strong model for organizations and churches around the nation. We would be wise to take the institute's lead and make daring efforts to close the divides that divide us as we work to build a more compassionate and inclusive community.

4.0 PROJECTS UPDATE

BVBIZ projects continued well in the month of February. Crops such as tomatoes, cabbages, green paper, maize and covo continued to do fairly well. Butternuts failed to meet our expectations. More cabbages and yellow paper will be grown in early March. Goats, cattle and poultry projects are still ongoing. Incessant rains and ever-changing temperatures slowed poultry projects a bit but the resolve is still ongoing. Harvesting of the tomatoes in the green houses began on the 26th of February. Produce from such projects have been key in lowering the food budget and provide a bit of extra income for the school’s operations.

5.0 CLASSROOM BLOCK PROGRESS

Construction of the classroom block to the seal level began on the 3rd of February and ended on the 6th. Incessant rains then stopped progress on the structure. The inspector passed the level on the 20th and builders were back on site on the 22nd to continue with the work. BVBIZ wishes to thank all those individuals who made a contribution towards this project including Woodland Oaks church of Christ. Current available materials should enable us to reach the roof level only. After this, resources will be needed for window frames, doors, plastering of the interior, floors, ceiling, plumbing and electrical wiring. 

6.0 STUDENT PROFILES

The conventional class has 14 students. There are two couples and eleven single students. The following are their names, congregations and provinces of origin:

7.0 STRATEGIC PLAN WORKSHOP

The 2025-2029 BVBIZ strategic plan is currently being finalised. The 2022-2024 plan ended in December 2024. The strategic plan will act as a blueprint for the school until 2029. After getting inputs from various stakeholders, the second stage was a strategic planning workshop, which took place at the Avondale Church of Christ premises on the 22nd of February 2025. Management, board members, alumni representatives and representatives from the ambassadors’ wing attended the event. Bro. Lavert Zungunde (commonly referred to as the strategist) of SPED Empowerment and Development (Pvt) (Ltd) and a board member, was the facilitator.                

CONCLUSION

We thank God for what He has been able to do for the school in February. We look back and see God’s hand and favour following us. This would not have been possible without your financial, moral and spiritual support.To the partners and sponsors, may God continue to bless you.  We always look to the future with hope that indeed, through these efforts, the gates of hades will not prevail against the church (Mt 16.18).  Classes proceeded well, progress was registered on the projects, progress on the classroom block continued, the formulation of the school’s strategy is in full swing, the board’s progress was registered and the youth transit program ended well. For all these and more, God’s presence was remarkable. To Him, be the glory forever and ever!

Beautiful cooperation in Zambia

February, 2025 

Introduction

The month of February has been declared by world standards as a month of love between the two genders male and female, and especially those in marriages. We at BVBI-Zambia declared it for us to demonstrate our love for God, with the understanding that evangelism does not end with bringing a person to Christ, but, it has to continue with the maturing of that person he/she too begins to bring others to Christ. We had a good experience with our new students as we interacted with the youths and all the members of the Lord’s Church at large. We also have some exciting news as we coordinate with our Alumni in reaching out to various communities throughout Zambia.    

LEADERSHIP MEETING IN LUANSHYA DISTRICT

We had a good start with leadership meeting in Mpongwe district on the copper belt province; in this meeting we had seventeen leaders from 5 congregations. In our meeting we discussed on being one mind as we worship and evangelize, and we also looked at worship atmosphere when we meet it was a good step in a right direction. 

It was agreed that such meetings should be held quarterly so that unscriptural practices may not creep in our midst as we worship God. 

YOUTH MEETING AT BVBI-Zambia

On the other development we organized the meeting for the youths in Luanshya District churches of Christ to make good strategies as we do evangelism. It was a one day workshop and our students and youths from three congregations in Luanshya interacted well on the same. We would like to see them all develop into the great leaders in the church of the Lord. They live in a world where there are many temptations beckoning them to abandon the way of truth and righteousness, but on this day we had a combined prayer so that their  deliberate commitment and the wonderful grace of God can keep them focused on the importance of living a godly life.

 We also had 4 youths from the neighborhood that were attracted with the same meeting at BVBI-Zambia. This meeting presented a good platform for our new students to interact with many youths from churches of Christ in Luanshya district. 

We are planning to take our students in Central province in April this year in order to meet and interact with many youths in the church as we teach and do evangelism for our Lord and savior Jesus Christ.  

SCHOOL PROJECTS UPDATES

Our Institute has acquired a land which is measured 60*100 meters where we expect to build and do extra activities for our students as they learn and acquire skills for life. First we have a field where we have planted maize and soya beans, though the fields are not that big but they have provided a good platform for our students to learn some skills in Agri-business.

We are also making feeds in order to raise sasso or free range chickens of which every student is participating well, we are intending to do more on these projects as we Train preachers here in Zambia. 

WORK WITH OUR ALUMINI

We are so excited to write this report on the work as we coordinate with our former students, we have Joseph and Steven Ngosa who worked together in Baluba and their labor yielded good fruit. We have recorded two (2) Baptisms and 7 restorations, they have continued to do the work and we are expecting good results in the month of March.

We also received Sthembiso Magawa (2022 graduate) who is currently studying Medicine at the University of Zambia and he is in his fourth year. He came when they went on recess for two weeks and used his time at BVBI- Zambia to interact and encourage our current student body during his stay we also recorded one Baptism and 1 restoration.

In Northern province we have 4 of our former students working there in Mporokoso and Mpulungu Districts respectively, in Mporokoso where Ishmael and Mike are preaching we have recorded 5 restorations and 1 baptism and in Mpulungu and Mbala where Reuben Museka and Levy Silungwe have combined forces we recorded 4 Baptisms and 3 restoration, our aim is never to lose contact with our former students as we preach and encourage Christians, please keep on praying for us that we may bring them together for fresher courses most of our students are looking forward to this day for their revival.

Conclusion

We continue to praise Yahweh because of the work you support here, thank you Bear Valley Bible Institute International indeed we are a big family. We are eternally grateful for the partnership that we have with you in the Lord and the financial support that we have continued receiving from Woodland Oaks Church of Christ.

 “I am a fragment of a mirror whose whole design and shape I do not know. Nevertheless, with what I have, I can reflect light into the dark places of the world… and can change some things in some people. Perhaps others may see and do likewise”. God bless all of you for loving God.

In His service,

Cephas and Fred