October 2020 Report
We are delighted with everything the eternal has done in the month. It has preserved us from any harm and especially from the pandemic (COVID 19). Twice a month, our school is visited by health workers in order to check if we have hand washing facilities, if the students put on the masks, if 1m distance is respected in order to avoid the spread of the pandemic. At the very beginning of the disease, we were afraid, but now we have courage because no patient with COVID 19 is found in Kpalime.
On the whole all the activities of the school (BVBI) and Saturday's classes went well. The activities of the agricultural project continue with the school.
Evangelization:
The end of the training is approaching and our future evangelists must do a lot of house-to-house experiences with the study and distribution of Bible treatises.
Courses:
Currently here are the courses that students are studying.
1. Number & Deuteronomy (continued): Rodrigue
2. Esdras to Esther (continued): AKLI
3. The Evangelist's Manual: Cephas
4. Psalms (2 part): Cephas
5. Ezekiel (continued): ATTAH
6. Revision on Church Development: AKOVI
7. Geography and Biblical History (continued): AKALO
Computer course:
In the past it was difficult for evangelists to use the computer. With this introductory computer program, our students are able to search the internet and enter their sermons and also make reports. Computer classes are 2 hours every Thursday evening. First, they are introduced to work and become familiar with: Word (office), excel, internet. They started at the beginning with the PCTAP program, i.e. put their finger on the alphabets on the keyboard. Currently they are learning how to open their email account, and how to search on the net. With the help of the computer, they prepare their sermons and Bible studies and make copies for themselves, in exchange for the simple papers they used to write by hand. They keep the sermons and lectures in the computer. If possible, they want to have a computer after school for use in ministry. This will be a way to prepare and store sermons and studies, as well as use it for correspondence courses.
Visit to the churches:
The means of transportation during this period COVID 19, motorcycles have been very helpful for students to visit places of worship to teach and encourage members who are afraid to hear the name of COVID 19. Students APEWOKE Koku a brave gatherer of souls, he often and always invited people to church that is every Sunday a couple or 2, 3 visitors cite his name as the one who invited them after a study or a treaty he gave them. He is engaged without children, he wished to make the wedding after the graduation. When an assembly how by decreasing in number he is solicited to help the growth. If there is a prize given for the one who gathers more souls it is him. He was a deacon of the denominational church called "AGAKPE".
Baptisms:
Always the lord adds a soul to his church every month, but this October, there are 3 baptized. The 3 are baptized by AKATA students who go out to study with those they make appointments with on weekends. DEDIXA Koffi, ETSE Koudzou and KPELEVI, organized an evangelization with the church sisters in the village all Saturday from 1 to 4:30 pm. The village has more than 11 denominations. Often a question always comes up when we evangelize: which church is not "the church of Christ? Since for most people there is confusion about the church of Christ.
Special Needs and Challenges:
Our school is growing; the number of graduates is increasing every two years. We need to start thinking differently about the future of our school. I would like the school to have its own land i.e. a land purchased in the name of BVBI, or in the name of GABRIEL CHURCH OF CHRIST and that all the papers be signed by the elders of GABRIEL CHURCH OF CHRIST. This will reduce the rental costs and build the school's classrooms, housing for foreigners (GABRIEL CHURCH OF CHRIST elders, BVBI managers) and other people. In case of infidelity on the part of the local (Togolese) officials towards the non-respect of the doctrine, GABRIEL CHURCH OF CHRIST has the authorization to confiscate everything, to do what it wants, because it is property. The school must have a bus for multiple services. Note: For this promotion and in the future, I would like to wish that the wives of the students before graduation come to receive instruction on the work of their husbands and the work of a preacher's wife. It is very important because the wife of a preacher must contribute a lot in the development of the church.
Saturday classes:
Saturday class students are like a nursery that a gardener sets up to help him in the garden. These classes are very beneficial to the Bear Valley Institute. Of course not everyone will be able to reach the BVBI School; this studies help in the conversion of denominations and prepare them for mature Christians. Older men through classes are prepared to serve leaders, teachers and future elders in the churches of Christ in Togo.