Bear Valley Bible Institute
Ekwendeni – Malawi
August, 2021 Report
Introduction
When we study in the Epistles of Paul to Timothy, we learn about the charges that Timothy received from Paul. These charges are of great importance to every evangelist today! We, the Bear Valley Bible Institute in Malawi are committed to teaching men to be faithful preachers of the “Health Doctrine” – Sound teaching. Therefore, it is our work too to follow the same pattern of Paul’s charges to Timothy – 2 Timothy 2:2; 2 Timothy 4:2. We are always ready when people are ready to hear even when they are not ready to hear, but the gospel shall always be preached. We have recently come from a preaching campaign to the area called “Thandeka”. Interestingly Thandeka is a name of a person and this same person was ordained as a senior chief and called the area by his name Thandeka (Thandeka area). He has about 11 chiefs who report to him. This man and his wife (now the deceased) have been members of the Church of Christ since the 1970s. They have been walking at a distance of about 7km to worship. Now when the wife of Brother Thandeka died, Christians went in large numbers to bury our faithful sister in Christ.
Now when the eleven junior chiefs saw the love the Christians showed to Brother Thandeka, they asked if they could organize the preaching campaign to plant a congregation in the area. So, they wrote us (BV) a letter asking us to help them organize it and allow our school to go with the students. God is able and has shown kindness to this area. As we speak, after the campaign for four days, 19 souls have been saved and a new baby is born – Church established!
Teaching and Preaching!
Teaching is the work we are doing, since this semester started in August after a break, 3 courses have been done. Now the students are having a long course in Major Prophets. As indicated in the introduction, 19 souls were baptized in the last week of August, but also we had 2 more souls restored. This means the new congregation has started with 21 people. Praise God! We still got lots of promises from many people who are willing to be added to the Lord’s church, but they want to see the progress of the church since it's new, they said. But if the Lord may come today they don’t have an excuse we told them.
Construction
We are very excited that the construction work has started well, the foundation has been put down. This is phase one. Phase 2 is the super structure which will begin soon the Lord willing.
Water Brings Joy!
There is great joy at the school construction site as the villagers express their joy after seeing water being drilled by the Healing Hands International! A lady in her late 70s said she came to the area in 1983, since then the water she knew was for drinking and domestic purposes was from the river and wells where even animals drank from. She said the waterborne diseases will be history because they suffered a lot with lots of sickness after using the dirty water. She sang a song praising God for the water in the area. At school, the gardening work which will produce food for the students in the near future is simplified. And also the work of construction will be faster than how we thought it would be because they were drawing water from quite a distance.
We are thankful to Bear Valley Bible Institute International and all who help in supporting this great work with a great reward hereafter! God bless your families as we still need your help and involvement. Many souls are still not saved! Eternity Is Forever, Think Souls!
Yours fellow soldiers for Christ,
Ephron and Clergynton