BEAR VALLEY BIBLE INSTITUTE, TAMALE GHANA
MARCH REPORT 2019
Glory be to God for the successful operation of yet another two year studies for our beloved brothers who have dedicated themselves to the course of His work in the northern Ghana. We enthusiastically rejoiced with them for the perfect love and grace of God He bestowed on us through His son Jesus to witness yet another completion.
We are at this time want to express our appreciation for your perpetual prayer and support, we cannot reckon or enumerate the indisputable works you have done in Africa, either can we recompense your kind or cash but what we do have is that May God who has dominion over all things remunerate you for your faithfulness.
STUDENTS BACK TO SCHOOL
Our 6th butch of students were able to finish the remaining four courses for their two year studies in school. Brothers Albert Malir treated the book of Revelation in the first week with students, James Legend treated English four with students, Francis Ayine treated 1st & 2nd Thessalonians with students and Adjei Mensah treated marriage and home and all tests and exams conducted respectively. Hence, they have finished their two- year school.
CLOSING CEREMONY
Cleaning up exercise took place on Saturday the 30th March, 2019 and farewell service held on 31st March, 2019. It was a ceremony done to usher them into the world of preaching what they been taught and done during the two years of being in school. The students have since departed and have all reached home safely to carry on with their farming activities alongside the preaching work until the graduation day
NEW SCHOOL YEAR
Next butch of students being sixth {6th} will have reported to school on 7th of April, 2019 and classes in progress. Over twenty students supposed to have reported for next academic year 2019, but thirteen have reported so far. There are more assurances from most of the students, until one week after reporting we may not be able to give a precise number.
DOCUMENTATION OF THE LAND
We visited THE lands commission with the coordinator Kojo Beenyi Acquah to check on school / church land documentation process. The document was given to us to send to court for court registration and their seal as part of documentation. We did, sent it back to lands commission, and they assured us that the document would be completed shortly. They however, told us to get the Tax clearance certificate ready.
May the unconditional love of Christ richly dwell among us all now and forever.
CONTINUES VISITATION AND CAMPAIGN FOR STUDENTS
We embarked on our first visitation and campaign for students for the incoming academic year in the Upper East, Upper West and some part of the Northern Region on the 4th of March to the 10th of March, 2019. Our journey was through Bolga, to Navrongo, Sandema, Tumu, to Heing, Wa, Ponyentang, Nyoli, Through to Bole, Damongo, Back to Tamale.
The journey was embarked by James Bisong Legend and Jacob Awintoya, a past student of the school who now preaches for the Sunbrungu congregation in the Upper East Region. It was a very inspiring journey that gave us the opportunity to meet several preachers in these locations above.
I left Tamale around two pm on the 4th (Monday) of March, 2019 to meet Preacher Jacob in Bolga. I arrived at Bolga at exactly 4:12pm. We rested and drew our plan for action.
We had a very busy day on the 5th, Our first call was to Preacher Rodger Ayila, of the Bolga Central, who happens to be a board member for the school. We had a brief meeting with him and he promised to advertise the school to his congregation. We went to Sunbrungu congregation which happens to be Jacob’s local congregation where we interacted with some youth and also booked an appointment to meet them on the following day which is one of their weekly meeting days.
From Sunbrungu, we passed through Navrongo to Sandema where we visited Elijah, one of the passed students of the first butch. We met him with some leaders of the Sandema congregation and had fruitful discussions with them. They took four forms and promised to also persuade some youth who are in the church leadership and have the desire of working for the Lord to take up that responsibility. They also advised us to make it a point to visit them time to time as other Bible schools have been coming to them; they also urged us to participate in their Bible Camps. Brother Elijah also led us to other congregations around Sandema locality. There are four congregation; Sandema town, Wiaga Central, Farinsa, and Sinisi congregations, with only one trained preacher in the person of Elijah.
From Sandema, we came back to Navrongo where we met the Navrongo preacher, Brother Peter, a health worker. Brother Peter was very zealous to come to the Bible College but, was constrained by his work as a married man with a child. Brother Peter wished for a weekend course even if it’s going to be in Tamale, he could come. It was there some contacts were made to other congregations like, Paga and other places and we had seventeen people who came to meet us and were ready for a weekend course. Since when we left Navrongo, Brother Peter kept calling on us on the possibilities of the weekend course for Navrongo or the Upper East Region. Some six forms were also given to them as we ended our activities for the day. We came back to lodge at Bolga.
On the 6th morning, we visited Tongo congregation as we have informed their preacher, Rockson to prepare to meet us. Brother Rockson also happens to be a product of the school. We met him with some of his leaders and youth and told them our mission and they also welcomed the idea and promised to pass the information to other congregations nearby. They have six congregations around Tongo locality with only Brother Rockson as the only trained preacher. They also took two forms. From Tongo on the same 6th, we contacted Isaac Ayamga from Shirigu and also went back to Sunbrungu in the evening and met with their congregation, where Jacob spoke extensively with them and also encouraged them to take up the opportunity. We had three people who were willing to come but said; the time was very limited for them to prepare themselves in terms of caring for their family whiles in school. However, we gave some four forms to them. We therefore brought our meeting to end and we lodged to Bolgatanga again.
On the 7th of March 2019, the Navrongo brethren called on us to meet them before moving on to Upper West Region as we scheduled to move to Upper West. We met them briefly to have another successful discussion on the possibility of a weekend classes for them. This time, there were brethren from Paga, who also put in their voice. From there, we moved to Tumu straight, which is about 124kilometers, about 77miles, on a very bad road. We stopped at some villages anyway, enquiring of the possibilities of the Church around, to no avail. We got to Tumu late in the evening, where we met Preacher Anthony Antunwini, preacher for Tumu congregation, who is also a Board member of. We passed the night there, where he gave us information about a seminar coming on where the Upper West preachers and leaders were to attend on the 9th of March, 2019. We added that to our program.
We left Tumu on the 8th of March, 2019 for Wa. We got to Wa around 11am. We decided to go to neighboring communities where there are Churches, whiles putting Wa town congregation on a hold because of the leadership seminar coming up on the 9th. We went to the University of Development Studies congregation around Bamaaho, where we met some brothers and had a discussion with them, they had no train preacher. From there, we moved to Ponyentang and had successful discussion with them and they needed four trained preachers, one for them and the rest for other communities around them that they have established congregations. Preacher Albert Akoa Adjei, who happens to be an old preacher around that area, who was part of the meeting. He is the only preacher helping all these churches around that area, They took six forms from us.
From there, we went to Nyoli and had another successful meeting with them, proceeded to Gyidabor and Kolmasah as well. All these congregations don’t have preachers and promised to encourage young men who have the interest to take up the opportunity. From there, we lodged at Tuna. We had fuel shortage at this stage and called on our able Coordinator (Kojo), who was quick to come in to help us through our administrator (Albert).
On the 9th, our major program went towards the preachers Seminar at Wa. We left Tuna around 5am to go and participate on that program to make good use of it. It was well attended, the Auditorium full to capacity. Two of our board members were present (Preacher Anthony Atunmini and Thomas Donzie). The program started around 8:48am. We were given the opportunity to meet with the preachers at noon around 1pm to discuss our agenda with them. They were happy after our presentation and asked some few questions, which we did answered. 22 forms were taken by some of the preachers who pledged to announce to their congregants. That ended our program for the day.
On the 10th of March, being the first day of the week, we went to worship with the Bole congregation, where preacher Ali is the preacher. We left there around 11:18am, and drove straight to Tamale around 3pm.