We are thankful to God for the privilege that is ours to train men to preach and provide leadership for churches of Christ in Ghana. Everyday has its own excitement as the students engage the teachers in very lively discussion of Scriptures and issues.
Our third quarter of school for the academic year began with classes January 10, 2011. Mid-term exams for these courses were conducted February 1-5 and the final exams, March 8-11. Short courses scheduled for the end of the quarter were: Christian Evidences and Prison Epistles. We did not get any teachers from Bear Valley to teach the courses. We requested for and were given the syllabus and lesson materials. These were late in coming and so instead of March 14- 25, we started March 21 and ended April 1, 2011. This means we will start our next quarter’s classes on April 9, as originally scheduled.
We will have to make some adjustment to keep some posted dates in place. Matthew Ackah taught the Prison Epistles to 26 students and I did Christian Evidences to 20 students who had not already taken the course.
During this quarter, the school (students and instructors) made two trips. One, to attend the yearly Restoration Workshop at Bunso in the Easter Region, January 20-23, and two, to attend the funeral of the late Nelson Forkuor in Kumasi, February 2, 2011. Brother Nelson is counted among the pioneer preachers of the church in Ghana. He died on March 2, 2011. He sent the gospel to the Brong Ahafo Region. He was my classmate at the Ghana Bible College, and Vice Principal when later I Taught at the College in 1979-1982. He was one of four men with whom the Ghana Bible College was revived in 1968. The other three are Emmanuel Acheampong, who labored in Takoradi and its environs till his death, Cosmos Amoako who labored mostly in the Ashanti Region, and I who took the gospel to Accra and the Eastern region.
We are on a two-week recess and will begin classes for the Fourth Quarter on April 18, 2010.
The Master’s Program will be held.
Our vacation after the fourth quarter will be longer, and, funds permitting, we shall embark on a three-week campaign to start a new church and to work with two existing churches. This will provide our students the opportunity to practice what they have been taught in the classroom. The last time we took the students on a campaign was some four years ago when we went to Yeji for one week.
Our enrollment drive has just begun. We have sent out word for new students. With school not in session now all teachers will be speaking to various congregations to enroll students. Our target for the next school year is 20 students. Presently we have 5 committed to attend.
Brother Charles and I have had two fruitful and insightful meetings with our coordinator, Steven Ashcraft. He has made us understand Bear Valley’s requirements and documentation/records system like no one else had. Our lacks have not been deliberate. We bought a filing cabinet a year ago, and it is he who has explained to us what goes into it. We are grateful.
We thank all who have had a hand in getting us thus far – the Howe congregation and partner churches, Bear Valley for giving us the opportunity to upgrade, and the teachers who have come our way. We pray the Lord will give you all the increase to continue to partner with us to train the needed laborers the Lord seeks for His vineyard.
In sincere appreciation,
Daniel K Ampadu-Asiamah