Evangelistic campaign in Sierra Leone

Bear Valley Bible Institute Sierra Leone

(An Extension of the)

Bear Valley Bible Institute of Denver, Colorado, USA

ACTIVITY OPERATION REPORT FOR AUGUST, 2024

Full Time and the Extended Program

We want to begin this write up by giving praise to God who has granted us another opportunity to have scaled through the rainy month of August 2024. We are glad to meet you again in proxy. Though we stay far away from one another, yet we are closer in spirit. The month of August was a fruitful one for us in that our academic activities continued without any hindrance; the school as well conducted an evangelistic campaign and successfully planted a new congregation; our alumni and the evangelistic teams continued to be very busy on the field, even under the rains. May you continue to read patiently as we share more details! And we shall do this under the following subheadings:  

ACADEMIC UPDATE

It was in our July report that we informed you that our students (full time and extended) had returned from break and were ready to continue their programs. As usual, they were very committed to their studies and all our spiritual activities. The third quarter for the full time students which started in July continued and was expected to end by the end of September 2024. On the other hand, the extended students continued with few courses remaining to complete 2 years so that it would remain 2 more years.

EVANGELISTIC CAMPAIGN AT DARU

In line with the mode of operation of the school, aside from daily lectures, routine evangelism campaigns are conducted twice in a quarter with the aim of either strengthening, restoring or planting a new congregation. It was in light of this fact that the school conducted the evangelism campaign in Daru Town to establish a new congregation. Daru is 50 miles away from Kenema where the school is. Just like many other towns in Sierra Leone, Daru is a very big town with a very large Muslim dominated population. The school administration met and discussed the possibility of saving those many people in Daru that are in need of Christ. A conclusion was reached and the campaign was embarked upon. Prior to the campaign, there was no Church of Christ in the town. Before the campaign, several visits were made since we did not know anybody from there. However, the Gospel must be preached everywhere. Fortunately, we established a friendly relationship with one denominational pastor, Blackie and his daughter, Isata Blackie who would later become our host for the campaign.  

Eventually, on August 20 to 25, a campaign was launched at Daru. During our six days stay there, so many good things happened, ranging from the conversion of souls, extending to the engagement of some denominational pastors that was arranged by our friend, Blackie, and the institution of the first scriptural worship in the New London community in Daru. At the end of the campaign, seven (7) souls became obedient to the faith. Our friends, Isata and her father Blackie and some denominational members till date worship with us but they are not yet baptized. There is more potential for more conversions as we continue to follow them up. The school has added Daru mission into her activities; the students and staff alike will be building those new Christians up until they can stand on their own.

CONVERSIONS RESULTING FROM STUDENTS’ AND STAFF WEEKEND EVANGELISM

As you know, our activities are not only limited in the classroom. So before August ended, Three (3) souls became saved.  

CONVERSIONS RESULTING FROM ALUMNI EFFORT

Our graduates are also very busy on the field in carrying out the great commission. In fact some of them are making a lot of impact in their local congregations and on the mission field. All of them combined, they converted seven (7) souls and restored five (5) brethren in August.

CONVERSIONS RESULTING FROM THE EVANGELISTIC TEAMS EFFORTS

You are already aware of the active works of the evangelistic teams across the country. Therefore, their efforts resulted toFifteen (15) conversions and four (4) restorations. Apart from those being saved, the teams kept on strengthening and nurturing the various congregations that they are in touch with. They are moving back and forth to the local congregations being established in order to nurture and build them up in the most holy faith. They have a lot of evangelistic activities that they have planned for the future. Please keep those brethren in your prayers so that they could continue the good work that they are doing for the Lord.

A STUDENT’S BIOGRAPHY: Adonis Tamba Amara

Brother Amara is one of our very committed students who come from Buedu, Kailahun District of Eastern Sierra Leone. He is a Kissi by tribe. He was born in 2003 to non-Christian parents (Mr. Tamba Teekay and Mrs. Sia Teekay). Brother Amara was one the earliest converts at the Buedu Village congregation when the school launched a campaign there in 2021. After that campaign, a congregation was established (though there was a congregation there before but it died off for lack of a committed preacher) where Brother Amara now worships. Because of the burning desire to serve the Lord and to build others up, one of our graduates, Nsimdoh Ngegbah, after his graduation in October 2021, decided to relocate to Buedu. Through his efforts and God’s help, Brother Amara was mentored and desired to enroll at the training school in Kenema. At the school, he is outstanding academically, evangelistically and morally. We are glad to have a student like Amara. We seek to have more Amaras. There is no doubt that Amara will do a lot for the Lord. Please keep him in your prayers as a young man to continue to be focused on the Lord and His work. Brother Amara’s picture will be attached to this report.

CONCLUSION

We are hoping that the Lord will grant us another opportunity to be alive to read the September report again. Till then, may the Lord keep us and be with us all!

 Thank you.

Your brother,

Peter Sahr Makundu,

Director,

Sierra Leone Bear Valley Bible Institute

Evangelism in Sierra Leone producing great results

ACTIVITY OPERATION REPORT FOR JUNE, 2024

Full Time and the Extended Programs

 INTRODUCTION

We bring you greetings from Kenema, Eastern Sierra Leone. It is always good to hear that we are all prospering in good health and that souls are being converted on a daily basis.  In June, our students continued to take their classes, and all other activities outside the classroom continued. Here are the details:

 SHORT BREAKS

You were informed in our May report that our full time students progressed to their second quarter of their first year which was to end by mid-June, 2024. Indeed, the Lord led them successfully and the quarter came to an end, and they were sent on break till July 1, 2024. Meanwhile, our part time students, who completed their fourth quarter at the end of May 2024, also went on a week break.   

CONVERSIONS RESULTING FROM STUDENTS’ AND STAFF WEEKEND EVANGELISM

As the school exists to train evangelists, every member of our family is focused on bringing men to Christ. That is why every week after classes from Mondays to early Fridays, at the evening of Fridays to Sundays, we get involved in evangelism. There is a schedule prepared for this activity and it is truly helping to bring people to Christ, strengthen some weak congregations, and nurture some new ones. Therefore, before June ended, three (3) souls became saved.  

CONVERSIONS RESULTING FROM ALUMNI EFFORT

Our graduates are also very busy on the field in carrying out the great commission. They are involved in carrying out the Lord’s mandate in their various localities. So as a result, seven (7) souls were converted.

CONVERSIONS RESULTING FROM THE EVANGELISTIC TEAMS EFFORTS

You are already aware of the active works of the evangelistic teams across the country. Therefore, their efforts resulted to Twenty six (26) conversions. Apart from those being saved, the teams kept on strengthening and nurturing the various congregations that they are in touch with.

THANKSGIVING

It was in the month of May that we requested for your prayers for our Dean of Students; Joseph Missailie Jr., who lost his son and his wife had some complications; our school Director, Peter Makundu whose mother went through surgery twice; our Academic Dean, Michael Triyoh, whose wife suffered from a skin disease, and our School Lectureship and Agricultural coordinator, David Thoronka who slipped, fell and fractured his left hand. We are glad to report to you that your prayers have been working well; all the brethren mentioned are improving well now. In fact, some have been completely healed. May the Lord be praised for His goodness! Thank you too, brethren for your faithful prayers.  

CONCLUSION

We are hoping that the Lord will grant us another opportunity to be alive to read the July report again. Till then, may the Lord keep us and be with us all!

Graduation and Evangelism in Cambodia

Dear Brethren in Jesus Christ

Grace and Peace be multiplied unto you all from God our Father and His beloved son, Jesus Christ. We give honor and glory to God who has given us this rare opportunity to work in His Kingdom. Thank you for taking the time to read this report and look at these recent photos.

Graduation

Congratulations to our six incredible students who have completed their Bible classes! Their dedication, hard work, and commitment to studying the word of God are truly inspiring. May this knowledge guide them and strengthen their faith as they continue their spiritual journey. And also they can bring the gospel to the lost souls in the world.  We are so proud of each one of our students.​  The graduates started working in the areas where they come from, such as their hometowns. Please pray to God our Father for their first mission after graduation.

Application Week

We continue to go out preach and take our students every week to the city, villages and other areas.  Darat and I lead the students in sharing the words of God in the new town named RunTahek. Every Sunday, about 25 to 30 people come to study God’s word with us. We are so proud of what our students have learned from in their experience with evangelism.

Some of our students also go out preaching every Saturday and Sunday to other areas including three villages such as Ta Kamm, Sam Buor,  and Kouk Khnang villages.

Children’s Camp

Children’s camp in Siem Reap Cambodia was attended by IBISR’s students, staff, and members of the church of Christ in Siem Reap. In that camp, we had 500 kids and adults! The children are very joyful to study about God’s creation and plan of salvation. They enjoy studying, singing, playing, and eating together.

Thanks

We are very happy and thankful that Brother Wes has traveled so far to visit and encourage us in Cambodia.  We also thank all of you for your love, prayers, and support of us in Cambodia.

Prayer

Please pray for our plan to send out our students who just finished their classes to go out and preach God’s word. And please remember my nephew (Tong) who is very sick with leukemia.

Servants of Christ.

Piseth Rin and Darat Run.

Co-Directors IBISR.

Many conversions in Sierra Leone

ACTIVITY OPERATION REPORT FOR JULY, 2024

Full Time and the Extended Programs 

INTRODUCTION

We are at that time of the year where it rains almost every time in Sierra Leone, yet our work of reconciling men to Christ and the training of men to be actively engaged in this work never ceases. In July 2024, we resumed our classes and souls were converted. We received more than 300 cartons of evangelistic tracts from Mission printing. We had the Assistant International Director; Brother Mark Reynolds visit us and taught a class. Our Director, Peter Makundu,, who is also assisting our Regional Coordinator, Brother Steve to coordinate other schools in Liberia and Guinea, visited and held a meeting with the Gueckedou, Guinea administration. For more information on the highlights above, we encourage you to keep on reading as we guide you through under the following heading:

RESUMPTION OF CLASSES AND STUDENTS UPDATE

You were informed in our June report that our full time students were sent on break till July 1, 2024. Therefore, by July 1, all of them except one resumed classes. Currently, we have thirteen (13) students in our full time program.  Moreover, our part time students, who went on a week break, also resumed their classes. In our full time program, we have eleven (11) students currently.

CONVERSIONS RESULTING FROM STUDENTS’ AND STAFF WEEKEND EVANGELISM

As the school exists to train evangelists, every member of our family is focused on bringing men to Christ. That is why every week after classes from Mondays to early Fridays, at the evening of Fridays to Sundays, we get involved in evangelism. There is a schedule prepared for this activity and it is truly helping to bring people to Christ, strengthen some weak congregations, and nurture some new ones. Therefore, before July ended, four (4) souls became saved.  

CONVERSIONS RESULTING FROM ALUMNI EFFORT

Our graduates are also very busy on the field in carrying out the great commission. They are involved in carrying out the Lord’s mandate in their various localities. So as a result, five (5) souls were converted.

CONVERSIONS RESULTING FROM THE EVANGELISTIC TEAMS EFFORTS

You are already aware of the active works of the evangelistic teams across the country. Therefore, their efforts resulted to Fourteen (14) conversions. Apart from those being saved, the teams kept on strengthening and nurturing the various congregations that they are in touch with.

GRATITUDE FOR EVANGELISTIC TRACTS AND PREACHERS’ BOXES

We are always appreciative of what you are doing for the Lord in Sierra Leone through your support, prayers, and guidance. Just like May 2023, in July 2024, we received three hundred and sixty cartons of Evangelistic Tracts and 40 Preachers’ Boxes, from Mission Printing. Those materials will greatly aid our evangelistic efforts and the school administration; we will share the materials with other preachers and congregations who are zealously promoting evangelism in this country. We are happily saying a big thank you to you all. Thank you for all the funds you sent to get those materials to us. Our students and evangelistic teams have gotten more tracts for field work. We are grateful to Brother Richard Renfro.

BOTHER MARK REYNOLDS VISITS US FOR THE FIRST TIME

The first time that I heard Brother Reynolds name was in October, 2021 when I had just joined the Bear Valley family. During that time, our coordinator, Steve Ashcraft and I were discussing the possibility of inviting our brother for our graduation lectureship. But the Lord delayed his coming until July 16, this year when our dear brother touched down the Lungi Airport and visited us. Just like Brothers Keith and Steve, what a lovely, committed and a hard working brother to be around! His coming was very impactful and rewarding. During his visit, he taught our full time students, How We Got the Bible; he also had a class with our part time students on Marriage and Family Life. Brother Mark’s thorough knowledge of the Bible made those courses look simple and easier, and yet in a real sense they can be difficult courses. Our students (and staff together) learned a lot from our brother. After his time in the classroom, Brother Mark held a very successful meeting with the staff. After that again, he taught a lesson at the leaders and preachers lectureship that was organized for the congregations at the country capital, Freetown. He taught, “Understanding the Difference between Doctrine and Opinion.” You could see how our brother was so busy during the 9 days that he spent with us! Well, we desired that he spent more time with us to impact us the more, but the work demands that he left behind in the USA encouraged us to bid farewell to him.  Brother Mark brought a good number of eye glasses for our brethren who have some eye problems. We acknowledge his generosity and the God Lord will bless him. All those who donated those glasses to us are duly appreciated. We had a great fellowship indeed. We appreciate his coming and we are hopeful that he keeps on visiting us.

CONCLUSION

We are hoping that the Lord will grant us another opportunity to be alive to read the August report again. Till then, may the Lord keep us and be with us all!

Peter Sahr Makundu,

Director,

Sierra Leone Bear Valley Bible Institute

Beautiful fellowship in Cambodia

Dear Brethren in Jesus Christ,

I am very grateful to bring warm greetings and updates on the Preachers Training School work in Siem Reap Cambodia. It is always wonderful to hear that you and your family are doing well by the grace of God.

We give honor and glory to God who has given us this rare opportunity to work in His Kingdom. We want to thank you for taking the time to read this report and look at these recent photos.

IBISR’s Academy:

Nowadays we continue to train our students in the subjects of (preachers and their work) as well (family and marriage).  Darat Run and I (Piseth Rin) are the teachers of those classes. Our students were very happy and satisfied with their studies in those subjects.

 Application week:

Since our students have finished some courses related to spreading the gospel to the world, every week, Darat and I lead the students in sharing the words of God in the new town named RunTahek. Every Sunday, about 25 to 30 people come to study God’s word with us. We are so proud of what our students have learned from direct evangelism.

Some of our students also go out preaching every Saturday and Sunday. They went down to the three villages such as Ta Kamm, Sam Buor,  and Kouk Khnang villages.

 Bible Chapel class on Zoom:

We are so grateful to our coordinator name Wes Autrey and his wife Teri Autrey for sharing valuable God’s words in both female and male classes through virtual meetings every Friday.

Monthly fellowship meal:

Making this special fellowship meal happens because we want to show our relationship as lovers of God to one another. This shows us how our church has been growing, and our current Christian members can observe how the life of Jesus's followers love sharing. We always do this meeting once a month. This encourages us to enjoy fellowship with each other and the world can see how Christians spend time with one another.

A weekly Lady Class:

Since the ladies have a rotated turn in directing the children every Sunday morning, the ladies prefer to devote more time to practicing and training on how to instruct the youngsters and the other ladies as well as give all the ladies to take turns to lecture in the lady group. They mostly have this guidance every Sunday evening at Hannah’s Home Children’s Home. This activity has benefited them a lot in establishing their fearless and gaining from each other ladies on how to instruct the youngsters and the female group.

Prayer:

Without your prayers and care, we can’t do these things. We ask you to pray for many lost souls who need the gospel. And remember our students who went down to preach the gospel to the villages as well.  

Servants of Christ.

Piseth Rin and Darat Run.

Co-Directors IBISR.

Souls Converted by Students and Staff in Sierra Leone

INTRODUCTION

We have come again with exciting news regarding the spread of the Gospel and the training of men to spread the Gospel more! We are appreciative to God to have come your way again with our April 2024 report, our committed readers, partners, and supporters. We know that the successes that we are recording here all come from the prayers and the financial support you are giving us and we do not take that for granted. Our team here (the staff, students, graduates and evangelistic teams) are also not relenting in pursuing the cause of Christ. That is why in April 2024, our students excelled in their academics, evangelistic campaigns and lectureships were conducted, fifty four (54) souls were converted, and our Agricultural farm yielded some good fruits.

THE STUDENTS CONTINUED WITH THEIR ACADEMICS

Our students (full time and part time) continued their classes and were very committed to their studies. Our full-time students progressed to their second quarter of their first year while our part-time students continued with their fourth quarter, which is anticipated to end by May. Apart from academics, you have always been informed from our reports (and for those who have visited us from firsthand knowledge) that our students are always going on the evangelistic field to demonstrate practically the skills they are learning in the classroom. To this cause, they have truly been committed and we truly covet your prayers for them.  

THE SCHOOL CONDUCTED AN EVANGELISM CAMPAIGN AND CONVERTED 31 SOULS

Truly, the harvest is plentiful but the laborers are very few! This is very true with the situation of the Churches of Christ in Sierra Leone. Souls are thirsty to hear the word, but there are not many committed brethren. So when you find few that truly love the Lord, they need to be prayed for and encouraged. By March of 2023, we sent you a report that we conducted an evangelistic campaign at Segbwema with six souls converted which led to the establishment of a local congregation. And you were also informed that we were going to nurture that congregation through our External Mission Program. You were given the description of the typical setting of Segbwema, how it is dominated by Muslims (though few denominations are there) but that there were many prospects there. Based on how we have been engaging this community with the Gospel since last year, we decided to launch a Gospel campaign there. Before the campaign, something interesting happened. We found a denomination, bearing the name “Church of Christ” but practicing error (instruments, tithe and everything that is erroneous) and started studying with her members. By December of 2023, many of her members were converted (though we did not report this, but our coordinator, Steve Ashcraft knows about it and he and brother Francis Musa, a long time Sierra Leonean Missionary to Guinea, even gave us some good guidance. Brother Mike Udam and his wife, upon their visit in December last year, were also taken to these new Christians for exhortation and encouragement). Therefore we brought those who accepted the truth together with our previous members and they made up a congregation. We have been going to build this congregation up consistently. In fact, one of our last year graduates, Epaphras A. Missailie has been assigned to this congregation as her preacher. Not only Missailie, but the school is involved with the congregation because many are people who are just coming from error, therefore they need a more mature and sound teacher to uphold them with the doctrine of Christ.  So it was an attempt to strengthen this congregation that we took a campaign there from April 10 to 15. During this time, evangelism was done vigorously and as the result, thirty one (31) souls were converted. This congregation, with the addition of the 31 brethren, has a big challenge of a place of worship. And as you will be praying for them, please remember to include that also in your prayers.

EVANGELISTIC SEMINARS AND CONVERSION OF SOULS BY THE EVANGELISTIC TEAMS AND ALUMNI

You are already aware of the active works of the evangelistic teams across the country. So training seminars were held in Freetown, Kenema, Kpayeh, and Kono Most of these programs actually go along with evangelism and not just sitting down in a church building to receive lectures. Therefore, as a result of the combined efforts of the teams and alumni, twenty three (23) souls were converted.

FOOD PRODUCTION THROUGH AGRICULTURAL PROGRAM

It was in February this year that we informed you that we received good and educational training from Healing Hands International through Dr. Udofia. We immediately went ahead to apply the skills we learnt and this has yielded us some good benefits. We are even very optimistic that it would help us greatly as we continue to embark on Agriculture as a school in order to augment your cherished finances you send to us to feed our students and staff. In April, we had an encouraging harvest of cucumbers, corn, beans and lettuce. This is truly good as preachers so that we can also be trained on how to find food for our families. We are on the Operation Feed Bear Valley Family, hence we will continue to pursue this cause.

CONCLUSION

As you went through this report, it was evident that the Lord is promoting His work here through the instrumentality of people like you. We are also making our efforts here. Therefore, we continue to be grateful to God and to you. We look forward again to updating you in our May report.

Peter Sahr Makundu

Director, Sierra Leone Bear Valley Bible Institute

Many conversions in Sierra Leone

Bear Valley Bible Institute Sierra Leone

ACTIVITY OPERATION REPORT FOR MARCH, 2024

Full Time and the Extended Programs

INTRODUCTION

As we march through the month of March, we want to begin this report by honoring God for His providential care. As a family (staff and the students of KBVBI), we keep on recognizing  you, our dear brethren, supporters, partners and readers for your continual demonstration of the love that you have for God thus seeking to save the lost through training.

In March, we went on a short 2 weeks break (full time program only) and resumed classes again; souls were converted, evangelistic training seminars were conducted; and the graduates kept on working harder on the field.  Here is more information on the highlighted activities:

RESUMPTION OF CLASSES AND CONVERSIONS BY STUDENTS

At the end of February 2024, we informed you that our full-time students went on a break for two weeks. They were told to record all their activities with their respective congregations, so that upon resumption, they would turn in to the administration. They went on break indeed and resumed classes on March 15, 2024. Our students come from the various congregations and parts of Sierra Leone including, Kono, Tonkolili, Kenema, Kailahun, etc. Therefore during the break, they were greatly involved in evangelistic and congregational work. As a result, 10 souls were converted and some congregations were strengthened. Apart from the souls converted during the break, 3 others were converted by the staff in the month of March. This is especially important to the school administration because we do not want to train and graduate pulpit ministers who love to see themselves as administrators only and would be fighting for positions in local congregations. Rather, we want to train preachers and evangelists who see the growth of local congregations as the bedrock to intense evangelism. Our part-time students continued their classes and are also involved in evangelistic activities. We desire your prayers for all our students to continue to be committed to the course of Christ.

EVANGELISTIC SEMINARS AND CONVERSION OF SOULS BY THE EVANGELISTIC TEAMS

You are already aware of the active works of the evangelistic teams across the country. So training seminars were held in Freetown and Bo and before the end of the program for the stipulated period, 7 souls were converted and the evangelistic team members were strengthened again with more skills to continue promoting God’s evangelistic mission. Apart from the seminars at the above places, the Koindu team also cooperated with the brethren in Nongoa, Republic of Guinea and conducted an evangelistic campaign which led to the strengthening of the Nongoa Church of Christ and the conversions of 4 souls.

ALUMNI UPDATE

As we keep on informing you that our existence as a school is to train evangelists who would find interest in field work. With that background, you have been reading through our reports of the works of some of our graduates. For the past months that we didn’t share their update with you, they have been working tirelessly. Many of them are leading local congregations, are part of the evangelistic teams and are very recognized in the churches of Christ in Sierra Leone for their contributions. They have been able to convert 22 souls and restored 3 fallen congregations and 10 backslidden brethren. They are to be prayed for and also appreciated for their tireless efforts. 

CONCLUSION

As we marched through the end of March with fruitful activities, we anticipated that April would be more fruitful. Thank you for patiently reading through while noting all the details. May we get your response, suggestions and ideas on how we can improve as a school. We look forward to meeting in April 2024 again, if the Lord tarries to come!

A guest teacher in Sierra Leone

ACTIVITY OPERATION REPORT FOR DECEMBER, 2023

Full Time and the Extended Programs 

INTRODUCTION

It always feels good to end a great year with appreciation and gratitude. Indeed the year 2023 was a great and a successful year for the KBVBI family. December ended the year with a leadership seminar at the school campus, with our new students (in the full time program) and our extended students continuing their classes, with new souls being added to the Church, and massive evangelistic efforts being doubled across the country. The wife (Patience) of the school Director gave birth to a baby girl. Beloved brethren, we encourage to keep on reading for more information on the highlighted activities.  

LECTURESHIP

On December 17, a one full day leadership seminar was held at the school campus. This seminar was held in order to continue to teach and train leaders within Kenema for better service in the Lord’s vineyard. All our students also attended and benefited from the seminar greatly. We had the school director, Brother Peter Sahr Makundu as one of the speakers and our visiting lecturer, Mike Udam from Nigeria. All the Church leaders who were present appreciated the school for such an instructive program.

ACADEMIC ACTIVITIES

Brother Mike Udam, one of the regular and knowledgeable instructors from Nigeria visited and taught our full time students “Personal Evangelism.” Our students in both programs continued their classes. On December 20, the school went on a Festive break and was scheduled to resume classes on January 6, 2024.

EVANGELISTIC EFFORTS AND CONVERSION OF SOULS

During the month of December, the school continued with her evangelistic efforts, and 8 souls were converted as a result. Apart from that, the evangelistic teams that have been set up throughout the country have been making a lot of efforts. With their persistent efforts, one new congregation was planted at Kono and another restored at Mende Buima. May God be glorified for the increase. Please continue to pray for those congregations to be sustained as we map out plans for that.

SUMMARY OF 2023 YEAR

1.     Number of Present Full Time Students ---21

2.     Number of Current Part Time Students--13

3.     Number of Graduates 2023----------------- 17

4.     Number of Campaigns 2023----------------- 4

5.     Number of Lectureships---------------------  4

6.     Number of Baptisms--------------------------195

7.     Number of Christians Restored------------ 30

8.     Number of Congregations Restored------- 2

9.     Number of Congregations Planted--------- 2

AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION: Samuel Tamba Fayia

Samuel T. Fayia is one of our new students in the full time program who was born in 1987 in Buedu town, Kissi Tongi Chiefdom, Kailahun District, Eastern Sierra Leone. His parents, Mr. and Mrs. Fayia Borbor are late and were non-Christians before their demise. Tamba is the second child of the five children of the Borbors. He grew up in Pentecostalism and became obedient to the faith in 2012 in Guinea through the preaching of one of Philip Sakilla, one of the converts of Brother Francis Musa. Three months later, he left Guinea for his home town, Buedu, Sierra Leone. Upon his arrival, he couldn’t trace the Lord’s church there since there was none in existence then, hence resolved to return back to the denomination where he was converted. In 2022, KBVBI decided to direct her campaign to Buedu town. Around that time, Brother Samuel was restored back to the Church. Since then he has been so much committed to worshipping the Lord, helping others to love God and has been involved in some evangelistic activities, teaching, and handling some other Church activities. There was no doubt that Brother Tamba wanted to be enrolled in the school at that time but there was no space anymore for him. So he kept being patient and committed to the Church activities till now that he is being enrolled. He is going to do a lot for the Lord. This has been proven over the years in his contribution to the Lord’s Church at Buedu. We are excited to have a student like Tamba in our institution. We pray that his zeal continues.

THANKS GIVING FOR THE GIFT OF A CHILD

You would remember that on December 2022, Brother Peter Sahr Makundu tied a knot to Sister Patience. Therefore, through God’s providence, Sister Patience gave birth to a baby girl on December 26, 2023. Your prayers have been very helpful, so please keep on pleading on our behalves. We thank God for the gift.

CONCLUSION

If 2023 has been successful for us, then there are higher hopes that 2024 is going to be more successful. We pray that the Lord keeps us all to witness what will unfold in 2024. Thank you, our patient readers!

Graduation in Sierra Leone

ACTIVITY OPERATION REPORT FOR NOVEMBER, 2023

Full Time and the Extended Programs

INTRODUCTION

As we said in the conclusion of our October 2023 report, we were anticipating to share with you the November 2023 report of what is going on here at KBVBI. And now we can thankfully write and appreciate God because He has kept us alive and strong to share with you the good news of what is happening here. We hope that you would be very patient to go through this report and as you do that, we pray that the good Lord will be with you always as He has been with us.   The following activities took place in November 2023: a lectureship and the graduation programs were held the new class began, one of the instructors got married, the Bear Valley International Director visited the school for the first time, and souls were converted. Beloved brethren, we encourage to keep on reading for more information on the highlighted activities.  

LECTURESHIP AND THE GRADUATION CEREMONY

In the report for September 2023, we informed you that our 3rd graduation and the 2nd Biennial Lectureship were scheduled to be held from November 16-18, 2023. And by the grace of God, the program came and passed successfully. The lectureship was held on the first two days (16th and 17th November, 2023), and the theme for the lectureship was, “In Times Like These….” Under this theme, various topics were handled by various speakers. We were blessed by seasoned speakers both in Sierra Leone here and other parts of the world. Three of our external speakers included Brother Keith Kasarjian (The International Director) Arthur David and Brother Borton Pyee Jr., all from Monrovia, Liberia.  The program brought together many attendees from various congregations of Churches of Christ in Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia. Some of the Alumni were present and took active part in all the activities. We invited some non-Christians too and they came. One of them got converted after the whole program. Brother Dave Arthur together with his wife, Sister Enora Arthur and the team of 4 more that he brought from Monrovia. Sister Anora took ladies class and it was insightful.  The symposium was held and many issues were handled. 

The lectureship was followed by a football match between the Bear Valley staff and the graduating students. The match ended 1:1. We believe that if our International Director, Brother Keith had played, maybe the staff should have won. While the match was going on, spectators came and some of the brethren who were not playing were engaged in sharing tracts and preaching to them individually. We thank God that a social occasion like that could as well be used to share the Gospel with the perishing souls. After the whole lectureship and the other activities, on the 18th November, the graduation exercise was held. As we informed you in our October report, twenty (20) students were enrolled in 2021 for the program. However, in the course of time, three (3) couldn’t continue. Therefore, the school graduated seventeen (17) preachers and evangelists. Brother Keith Kasarjian charged them and were sent out to turn the world upside down with the Gospel. We thank God for the successful program.

THE NEW CLASS BEGINS

In our October 2023 report, we informed you that on October 6, 2023, an entrance exam and an interview were conducted for a new set of students in the full time program. After going through the due process, all of them were admitted and were told to go home and prepare to start classes on November 6, 2023. Therefore on November 6, 2023, seventeen (17) of them came and started classes. We are yet to see the 6 more students. The administration continues to check on them to see what is still holding them back. Though some of them said they are still looking for money to buy some of the things that they would be using in the school like the school attire, shoes, etc. There are even other brethren that are indicating interests to be enrolled, therefore, we are hopeful that the number will increase. Please keep on praying for them and for us also.

THE ACADEMIC DEAN’S MARRIAGE

One of our instructors, Michael Sahr Triyoh who also functions as our Dean got married on November 11, 2023 to his sweetheart, Edith Trioh. We know that we requested for your prayers for the success of that marriage and truly the Lord answered those prayers. Thank you all for your concerns. Thank you to our coordinator who was also very supportive in the process. Please keep on pray for the Triyohs as they have come together to form a godly family.

BOTHER KEITH KASARJIAN VISITS THE SCHOOL FOR THE FIRST TIME

There have been plans for the International Director of Bear Valley Schools worldwide to visit the Sierra Leone Bear Valley Bible Institute, but because of other demands and engagements, he was not able to until on November 16, 2023 when he landed here. His coming was very impactful and rewarding. During his visit, he taught a Bible lesson at our lectureship and also charged the graduates. He met and encouraged the new students; he also watched them use the E-Library that was set up by our hard working coordinator, Steve Ashcraft. Moreover, he held meetings with Bear Valley staff from Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea. He was as well encouraged by what he saw happening in the school and appreciated the coordinator and the staff here. We had a great fellowship indeed. We appreciate his coming and we are hopeful that he keeps on visiting us.

CONVERSION OF SOULS

As evangelism continues, souls are being won to Christ on a daily basis. We are grateful to God that He was able to add twelve (12) souls to the Church in this month of November. Please brethren, let us keep on praying for them as we have always done.

GRATITUDE AND APPRECIATION

The entire one body family of Bear Valley Bible Institute Kenema Sierra Leone continues to express her deepest appreciation to her supporters, sponsors and all our well-wishers for your financial and the spiritual support you continue to demonstrate toward her. We remember very well that a year ago, we were asked to submit our prayer requests so you could pray for us. Your involvement in the work here is truly acknowledged. Brethren, we are really appreciative. May the Lord bless and uphold you and may your works follow you. May God bless all of you!

CONCLUSION

In summation, we pray that the Lord keeps us all to witness what will unfold in the last month of the year, December. Thank you, our patient readers!

Peter Sahr Makundu,

Director,

Sierra Leone Bear Valley Bible Institute

More souls saved in Sierra Leone

ACTIVITY OPERATION REPORT FOR SEPTEMBER, 2023

Full Time and the Extended Programs

INTRODUCTION                               

We bring you greetings again from the Bear Valley Bible Institute Kenema. As our 3rd Graduation exercise comes closer, we become busier day by day. We have been enjoying God’s favour in our efforts to train men and women to proclaim Christ in this Muslim-dominated country. Evangelistically, the school has been so engaged. Our students have been helping many congregations to also nurture them to maturity. Please keep on reading for the details of this report.

ACADEMIC ACTIVITIES

As we write this report, our students in all the two programs are committed to their studies. Classes went on successfully and all our staff are also intact. We are grateful to God.

EVANGELISTIC EFFORTS AND THE CONVERSIONS

As we have always informed you, the school’s existence here primarily is for bringing souls to Christ, therefore, everyone in the school here understands this. And with our conviction, we have been cooperating with local congregations to evangelize the entire Sierra Leone and other countries like Guinea and Liberia. In this effort, for the past September, 14 souls were converted. Apart from this, 3 new congregations were established at Dangbaidu, Sandemande, and Kpalahun and a local congregation at Kangama was strengthened.

 APPRECIATION FOR THE DIGITAL LIBRARY

It was in August of this year that our coordinator, Steve Ashcraft, for the first time set up a digital Library for us. This library has been so helpful and useful to us, the staff and the students alike. Moreover, through the support of our Bear Valley Family in the USA, we got additional computers that are working very effectively; we want to appreciate you all, dear brethren for your love for the souls here.

CONCLUSION

We continue to appreciate your partnership in all aspects. May the Lord keep us till we could meet to share the good news of another report!

Peter Sahr Makundu,

Director,

The Bear Valley Bible Institute, Kenema Sierra Leone

Good things in Sierra Leone

Bear Valley - Kenema, Sierra Leone

ACTIVITY OPERATION REPORT FOR JULY, 2023

Full Time and the Extended Programs

INTRODUCTION                               

We are here again with the exciting news of the spread of the Gospel in Sierra Leone through the impact of the Kenema Bear Valley Bible Institute. As mentioned in our previous report, we are in a challenging period to share the Gospel as it rains almost every time. But the good news is that the good work of the Lord continues.  In the month of July, our full time and extended students continued their classes, souls were converted, and an evangelistic campaign was conducted. Below are the details of the highlighted activities.

ACADEMIC ACTIVITIES

On July 1, our full time students resumed their classes and joined the extended students. All of them resumed and brought exciting reports from their various congregations. Please we continue to covet your prayers for our students as they will soon, by the special grace of God complete their studies here, so that they will continue to serve the Lord in many parts of Sierra Leone. Our staff are committed to their work so much that they give their very best in taking the students through the courses. Apart from being active in the classroom, they are so much engaged in our evangelistic vision. Please continue to pray for them.

EVANGELISTIC CAMPAIGN AT GIEHUN

The school directed her one week evangelistic campaign at Giehun town. Giehun is a town in Kailahun District that is occupied by mostly Muslims. It covers 92 miles away from Kenema where the school is. Our decision to direct the campaign to Giehun sprang up from the love of the many souls there who are perishing on a daily basis. Moreover, we have a small congregation there that needed to be strengthened, hence decided to go there. As stated above, in the midst of a bunch of unbelievers, especially fanatic Muslims, the Lord’s church was established in Giehun. This congregation was established by the brethren in Kailahun town (Kailahun is the District head quarter town) together with Brother Jonathan Joseph, a native of Bonthe Island, far in the northern part of the country. He migrated to the Kailahun District and settled in Giehun. He has been making requests to come over and help with the evangelistic efforts. We finally stormed the Giehun community from July 25 to July 30.  We were joined by brethren from the host congregation and also those from Kailahun, led by their evangelistic team leader, Alfred Tengbeh. For the 6 days we spent there, 6 souls were converted and 4 brethren were restored. We have included Giehun as part of our mission territory where our students and staff will be going to help nurture that young congregation and to continue to evangelize the area. We will not rest until, “All have heard.”

THE DIRECTOR’S VISIT TO BEAR VALLEY IN LIBERIA

In an effort to continue to enhance team work and fellowship, the Bear Valley Bible Institute in Ganta in Liberia sent an invitation for me to go and teach their students a course, The Book of Revelation. Through the prayers and support of our coordinator, Brother Steve Ashcraft, the staff in Ganta, and the Bear Valley family in Kenema here, I was able to make the trip there and returned back safely. It was a lovely and wonderful experience with our students in that country. Apart from the lecture which I was originally scheduled for, I was also involved administratively in some discussions for the smooth running of that school in Ganta. God indeed is to be glorified for everything!  

A STUDENT’S AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION: Jacob Jusu

Jacob James is one of our soon-to-graduate students who is doing very well academically and evangelistically. He was born on May 5, 1999 to Mr. and Mrs. Sahr James, in Dia Village, Kissi Kama Chiefdom, Kailahun District, Eastern Region of Sierra Leone.  Jacob comes from a polygamous home. Religiously, he grew up as a member of a denomination where he met his parents. But on one beautiful day in September of 2019, Brother Jacob was confronted with the true Gospel by one of our first graduates, Victor Sahr Moroe, who is now the preacher at the local congregation in Kangama town. Through the power of the Gospel, Brother Jacob was converted to the Lord’s church in Dia. Upon his conversion, he began to express zeal in the things of God, and soon he began to be taught on how to lead the Lord’s Supper, giving, etc. He showed good Christian qualities over time and finally in 2021, he immediately expressed a desire to be enrolled at the Bear Valley in Kenema. From his influence and through God’s favour, we already have two other prospective students from his congregation that shall be coming for our entrance examination soon, Lord willing. We are very hopeful that Jacob is going to be a vessel unto honour after his graduation as he continues to show that while with us here.

CONCLUSION

Thank you dear brethren for patiently going through this report. We continue to appreciate your partnership in all aspects. May the Lord keep us till we could meet to share the good news of another report!

Students Gaining Experience in Sierra Leone

ACTIVITY OPERATION REPORT FOR JUNE, 2023

Full Time and the Extended Programs

INTRODUCTION                               

It is the time of the year in Sierra Leone that it rains almost every day. However, the Gospel is to be preached “in season and out of season.” Politically, our country has gone through general elections and we pray that everything gets back to normality so we could continue with the good work of the Lord (though the work has not stopped). The family of the KBVBI sends you greetings and hopes that this report finds you doing well. In the month of June, our extended program continued, our full time students went on a break, and our evangelistic efforts continue. As we give you more details, we please encourage you to keep on reading.   

ACADEMIC ACTIVITIES

While our full time students went on a month long break (June 1-30), the extended students continued with their classes. While students sometimes have holidays, our staff hardly go on holiday. There is much to do.  Please continue to pray for all of us for strength to continue in the ministry.

ASSIGNMENT OF STUDENTS TO SOME CONGREGATIONS TO SERVE AS PREACHERS OVER THE BREAK

In an effort to gain more experience with leading local congregations and strengthening them, some students were sent to lead local congregations outside their localities. The administration has been assigning them to local congregations, but this is the first time they spent one full month at the assigned congregations. The assigned congregations were Swegbwema C of C, Panguma C of C, Borma III, Hangha, Rokel C of C, and Shengema. For the period they stayed with the local congregations, 8 souls were converted combined. To God be the glory! This is a great sacrifice for the Lord on their paths as they were expected to stay till resumption. This helps bolster the congregations and creates an avenue for more conversions.

EVANGELISTIC TEAM REPORT

KOINDU TEAM CONDUCTS A TRAINING SEMINAR

The Koindu Team continues to remain focused on its evangelistic activities. From the 1st – 6th June, 2023, the team conducted an Evangelism Seminar to strengthen the new congregation. Some of the topics covered in this training were: (1) What must I do to be saved? (2) After baptism, what next? (3) Restoring the New Testament church (4) The Work of every Christian. This seminar adds more strength to the congregation. In fact, the new congregation is gradually producing young men who will be able to continue nurturing and edifying the members. The congregation has over the past months been worshipping in the Town court Barry; because of the inconvenience of the place, the church members are planning on building their own booth to be worshipping there. Even though this is a farming season for most people in villages, yet the new congregation continues to grow numerically and spiritually.

FREETOWN TEAM CONTINUES TO STRENGTHEN THE NEW CONGREGATION

The team continues to strengthen and nurture the new congregation that was established in May.  To further equip this new congregation with sound teaching/doctrine of the New Testament church, the Team has scheduled a six days Evangelistic Training Seminar to be conducted from the 11th – 16th July, 2023. This seminar will incorporate the other sister congregations in the Western Area of Freetown and some denominations with the aim of converting them to the church of Christ.

MAGBURAKA TEAM CONDUCTS CONGREGATIONAL SEMINAR

Though has not established a congregation yet, the Magburaka team in the far northern region, led by our graduate, Dodoo Larkoh, conducted an internal seminar for the congregations around the city in order to encourage more brethren to be more involved in the big vision of God to bring more souls to the saving grace of Jesus Christ. This two-day seminar was attended by some of the staff from the school and the Magburaka brethren. The presence of the staff makes more brethren to be zealous for the work of God. We are very thankful to God to be in His service.

CONCLUSION

Thank you dear brethren for patiently going through this report. We continue to appreciate your partnership in all aspects. May the Lord keep us till we meet to share the good news of another report!

Peter Sahr Makundu,

Director,

KBVBIa

More conversions in Sierra Leone

ACTIVITY OPERATION REPORT FOR APRIL, 2023

Full Time and the Extended Programs

INTRODUCTION                               

It is true that life goes along with challenges and it was those challenges (sicknesses) that made us not to have sent our April report till now. However, in the midst of all, God has been at the center. If not an overstatement, then we will say that the month of April 2023 has been the most successful month for us since the establishment of Bear Valley in Sierra Leone. The month of April captures the conversion of so many souls, evangelistic seminars, campaigns, appointment of a preacher, and the continuation of academic activities. Please may you keep on reading for the details of the highlighted activities we do this under the following subheadings:

ACADEMIC ACTIVITIES

Academically, our 18 full time students continued their classes successfully. On the other hand, the second semester of the first year of our extended students came to an end at the end of March. Therefore, they were given a two-week break from the 1st to the 8th April, 2023. They resumed their third semester on the 15th April, 2023. Please keep on praying for our students as they have committed their lives to studying in order to minister for the Lord.

EVANGELISTIC CAMPAIGN AT PANGUMA

In our January report, early this year, we informed you that we established a local congregation at Panguma, a predominantly Muslim territory. And that 5 Muslims were converted which made up the 13 converts during our one week campaign. Moreover, we informed you that there are still more people there that will come to the Lord if another campaign is being directed there. So in April (17-23), we went for another campaign at Panguma. During this one extensive work, 9 souls became obedient to the faith. We even pray for more people to come to Christ in Panguma as we send our students and staff there week in and out.

ALUMNI EFFORTS AND THE SCHOOL’S WEEKEND EVANGELISM

As you know, our graduates are busy working in the field. They are serving as preachers and evangelists in some congregations in Sierra Leone. In the month of April, our graduates from the various parts of Sierra Leone converted a total number of 12 souls and restored 15 brethren.  They continue to share their challenges with us such as financial constraints, lack of mobility, etc. If the Lord blesses anyone and wants to support some of them that have totally given themselves to the ministry, it would be greatly appreciated. Again, as you know, our students and staff are always sent on the field to practicalize what is being taught in the classroom. Thus for April, from our weekend evangelism, 8 souls were converted.

 EVANGELISTIC SEMINARS AND MASSIVE CONVERSION OF SOULS

Since the existence of the school is to purely impact local congregations and to bring many people to Christ, we organized evangelistic seminars in Kenema, Kailahun, and Koindu. These seminars were purely conducted in order to motivate brethren to be more involved in the work of evangelism. Again, these seminars were geared toward empowering our evangelistic team members with better skills on evangelism. The seminars took place from April 27-30, and they carried training and door-to-door evangelism engagements. In order to augment our efforts, our coordinator brother Steve, who is so evangelistic offered us some financial aid. Moreover, he had some of our brethren from Nigeria (Eric Okomado, Ikenna Princewill, Chidi John, Blessing Onoura, and Osita Onoura) who came and joined us to do this marvelous work. The work was so successful that we had 47 converts in all of the places that the seminars were conducted. This is amazing, isn’t it?

So for the month of April, when we combine the total number of converts from the school weekend evangelism and campaign, alumni efforts, evangelistic seminars, it sums up to 76 and 15 restorations, apart from the evangelistic teams efforts which take the next section. Please brethren, let us continue to pray for all of these souls so that they can remain true to their calling.

As you know, apart from the evangelism that is done by the school exclusively, we have also set up evangelistic teams. For the month of April, the Evangelism Teams were able to carry on the following activities:

KOINDU TEAM

As reported earlier in the month of March, the Koindu Team was not able to conduct its first Gospel Campaign due to the painful demise of its leader, Emmanuel Focko. However, a new leader has now been appointed and by God’s grace, the Koindu Team has now successfully conducted their first Evangelistic Gospel Campaign in Yengema Community from the 11th -16th April 2023. During this campaign, the Team members led by Brother Omoru Sahr Focko converted nine souls which marked the establishment of a new congregation. Since then, the team continues to conduct weekly evangelism to nurture these new converts and add more souls to the church. The team usually goes on Saturday to conduct evangelism and worship on Sunday. The Team is grateful to the School Administration for supporting the work by providing the PA system. However, the Team continues to plead with the School Coordinator Steven Ashcraft to also help in providing Motor Bike to aid the work in terms of mobility to be regularly visiting the new converts, mission trips, and effective gospel campaigns.

KAILAHUN TEAM

The Kailahun Team continues to be actively involved in evangelism. As reported earlier, they conducted their first Gospel Campaign at the Kossiala Community. Also, they conducted their first Gospel Seminar at Kossiala from the 26th – 30th April, 2023. At this spiritual exercise, nine souls were added to the church. Michael Sahr Triyoh taught on “Understanding the New Testament Church” while the team Leader Brother Alfred B.N. Tengbeh taught on “How can one be added to the New Testament Church.” On the 30th of April, the number of congregants was 62. This new congregation has eighteen converts altogether (8 males and 10 females). The team continues to nurture and strengthen this new congregation by conducting daily weekly evangelism and worshipping with them on every first day of the week. The team continues to appreciate Brother Steven Ashcraft for his financial support and most importantly, for providing the team with a PA system. This PA system was effectively used during this seminar and will be effectively used during the subsequent campaigns and seminars. In fact, the availability of the PA system has encouraged us to continue to work for the Lord since we were desperately in need of it. May God continue to bless you richly with our dearly beloved brother Steve. However, we are still not without challenges in terms of mobility. We pray that may God bless you in no time for you to provide us with at least a new Motor Bike to ease mobility cost. Also, as the new congregation continues to grow, we are facing challenges in terms of worship structure. However, we are putting plans together to see that we erect a structure by early next year. Your support in whatever little way it may be will be greatly appreciated.

KENEMA TEAM

The Kenema Team, headed by Brother James Borniea also continues to carry out its Evangelistic activities. Since the establishment of the new congregation at Hanga, they have continued nurturing and strengthening it by daily Wednesday Bible Study and weekly evangelism. They usually go to Hanga on Saturdays for evangelism and worship with them on Sundays.  Even though Hanga is a completely Muslim dominated community, yet the Lord has called out some from among them to be added to the church. The school administration together with the team members has observed that another massive Evangelism Gospel Seminar Campaign should be held in Hanga to strengthen the new congregation.  The team is grateful to the school coordinator for providing them with the PA system to aid the work.

FREETOWN TEAM

The School Administration has now been able to have a formidable team in Freetown headed by Brother David Thoronka. Having a Team in Freetown has been a challenge. As it is common with metropolitan cities, many people there are always busy. However, there are always those that are committed to the cause of Christ. The Freetown team comprises six members. The team is scheduled to launch its first Gospel Campaign from the 23th -28th May, 2023 at Songo Town. The Theme of their first campaign is: “Launch Out into the Deep” (Luke 5:4)

KONO TEAM

The Kono Team also continues to carry out its evangelistic activities. As reported earlier, their first gospel campaign was launched at Kuyor where they started a new congregation. They continue to be involved in weekly evangelism, visitation, and restoration. In April, the Team converted four souls. The team is grateful to the school coordinator for providing a PA system to aid the work. The PA system will be used effectively for the work of evangelism. The team is still not able to provide pictorial evidence since none of the team members has any smartphone. However, the field work continues to be done.    

BO AND MAGBURAKA TEAMS

As for the Bo and Magburaka teams, their activities will be reported as we continue in this year. They did not conduct any evangelistic campaign so that they could establish congregations like the other teams, but they were also able to engage in personal and door-to-door evangelism. They are also working harder.

APPOINTMENT OF A PREACHER

Sometimes ago, we informed you that the influence of the school in the affairs of the local congregations all over Sierra Leone is worth noting. Since God wants the Church of His Son to be led in a manner prescribed by Him in His holy writ, we encouraged one of the local congregations here in Kenema, Kamanda Street Church of Christ to take this concern seriously. The congregation appointed Brother Benjamin Tamba Thomas, one of our students in the extended program and our computer instructor as their preacher. The event was officiated by some of our staff and it ended very successfully. May we put Brother Benjamin in our prayers so that we will always have the grace to carry out the Master’s mandate.

CONCLUSION

Thank you dear brethren for patiently going through this report. We continue to appreciate your partnership in all aspects. May the Lord keep us till we could meet to share the good news of another report.

 Thank you very much.

Peter Sahr Makundu

For the KBVBI SIERRA LEONE

Evangelism is the priority in Sierra Leone

ACTIVITY OPERATION REPORT FOR MARCH, 2023

Full Time and the Extended Programs

 INTRODUCTION                              

There is nothing in this world that is worth celebrating like when the Gospel is being preached and people respond to it by embracing Christ. That is why we are not ashamed to share the Gospel because it is the power of God to salvation. The family of Kenema Bear Valley Bible Institute is excitedly reporting to you the activities that transpired over the past month of March. Many good things happened during the month of March, 2023. For instance, evangelistic campaigns were conducted, souls were converted and 4 congregations were established, the academic activities continued favorably, the school acquired an evangelistic Bus, etc. However, it is true that life goes along with challenges. It is with this understanding that we lost one of our committed staff, Emmanuel Focko to death. But for the details of the above activities, you are being encouraged to keep on reading as we do this under the following subheadings:

RESUMPTION OF CLASSES

In the February report, we informed you that we were in our final year, and that the first quarter of the final year came to an end at the end of February for our full-time students. Therefore, our students were on a short break till the 5th March, 2023 when they resumed classes for their second quarter. All our 19 students in the full-time program resumed except one (Ephinatus A.S Conteh) who lost his mother at Tonkolili, the Northern part of Sierra Leone, and traveled there for the burial but couldn’t return. The school has been making so many attempts to get to him but to no avail yet. Meanwhile, all the 18 students resumed and continued with their classes.

EVANGELISTIC CAMPAIGNS AND ESTABLISHMENT OF CONGREGATIONS

As usual, the school directed her one week evangelistic campaign at Segbwema town. Segwema is one of those many towns in Sierra Leone that is dominated by staunch and fanatic Muslims who do not even see beyond beliefs. The town has many people that are so lost. It is located in the eastern part of Sierra Leone. Some time ago, some missionaries from Indiana, USA through the Pricilla Street Church of Christ in Freetown attempted to establish a congregation in Segbwema but could not succeed. So we decided to also carry the Gospel to those lost souls there. For the one week we spent there (March 20-26), six souls were converted. We started congregational worship there on the 26th March with an attendance of 31. We will by the special grace of God through personal evangelism and mission work nurture this congregation and many will come to Christ.

As you know, apart from the evangelism that is done by the school exclusively, we have also set up evangelistic teams. And we told you all that we target this year. Please read below what the Lord did evangelistically for the month of March. For the month of March, the Evangelism Teams were able to carry on the following activities.

KENEMA TEAM

The Kenema Team conducted their first gospel campaign from the 14th to the 19th of March, 2023 at Hanga community. During these six days of intensive campaign, 12 souls were converted and by the grace of God, a new congregation is now established in that community. The new congregation had its first worship on the 19th March, 2023 with 28 congregants. The team members together with the staff are now nurturing the new congregation. Continuous daily visits, Wednesday Bible Study, and weekly evangelism are done by the team members daily to better equip the new believers. The team is confident that the new congregation at Hanga has much potential for growth not only spiritually but numerically.  However, the team is still facing some challenges such as mobility, sitting accommodation for the congregants and lack of worship structure. The church is currently worshipping at a rented place owned by a Muslim. We trust God that mechanisms will be put together to erect our own worship hall.

KAILAHUN TEAM

The Kailahun Team has also effectively kick started their massive gospel campaign. The main team members currently are Alfred B.N. Tengbeh, Johnathan Joseph, Borborbelay Tengbeh, Michael Focko, and Mariam Fomba. However, during this first gospel Campaign, they were able to encourage some church members to join them in the work. The Kailahun Team conducted their first campaign from the 20th-26th March 2023 at Kossiala community. During these seven days, they were able to do door-to-door and open air preaching within the Kossiala community and the surrounding villages including Jaama, and Fullawahun. The campaign was accompanied by a film show and intensive preaching. By the special grace of God 9 souls were added to the church leading to the establishing of a new congregation. The new congregation has much potential for growth both spiritually and numerically. The team continues to nurture the new congregation and hope to convert more souls. The team has also planed of conducting a training Bible Seminar with the new congregation from 25th – 30th April, 2023, while having plans for May’s campaign at another locality.

KONO TEAM

The Evangelistic Team in Kono has also been working harder. For the month of March, the team conducted an evangelistic campaign through which a new congregation was established at Kuyor. The campaign took place from March 20-26, 2023.  During this period, 6 souls were converted. As we have been saying, Sierra Leone is highly dominated by Muslims, so to preach the Gospel here is very challenging. However, we are thankful for those that the Lord is adding to His Church. The team is currently making a follow-up to those prospects they preached to during the campaign.

KOINDU TEAM

The Koindu team is also alive and working hard. However, the team was hindered by the death of its vibrant Leader Emmanuel Focko. The death of Emmanuel Focko is a big blow to the team. However, a new team leader has been appointed. The team has scheduled to have its first gospel campaign on the 11th -16th April, 2023. With further encouragement and exhortation, the team members will work hard in the ministry of reconciliation.

BO, FREETOWN, AND MAGBURAKA TEAMS

As for the Bo, Magburaka and Freetown teams, their activities will be reported as we continue in this year. They did not conduct any evangelistic campaign so that they could establish congregations like the other teams, but they were also been able to engage in personal and door-to-door evangelism. They are also working harder.

APPRECIATION FOR THE SCHOOL BUS AND THE EVANGELISTIC SUPPORT

One of my Bible teachers once stated that “The reward for hard work is more work.” I believe this statement to be true especially when I apply it to the ministry work. When one wants to sincerely work for the Lord, He creates more opportunities to be more involved in the work. There is a strong conviction in us here that the provision of the school bus for us last month is a continual indication that more work will be done. The Lord saw the pains we used to go through in seeking for a bus when we want to go for our campaigns and He saw the dire need we had of a bus, hence provided one for us through our supporters. With the daily increase of prices in Sierra Leone currently, we are joyfully writing to let you know that we have been able to acquire a Mercedes Benz Manual Sprinter that has a capacity of 18 persons. We continue to appreciate everyone that has been supporting the Lord’s work here; your generosity is duly acknowledged and the Lord knows that. May you be blessed abundantly in all aspects.

EMMANUEL FOCKO’S DEATH

It was in our last February report that we informed you of the critical illness of one of our committed staff, church leader, and one of the evangelistic team leaders, Emmanuel Focko. You were informed that he was diagnosed of hepatitis B and Liver Cirrhosis. Sadly, on March 1, Emmanuel passed on to be with the Lord. Upon hearing the news of Emmanuel’s demise, the brethren in Guinea including Brother Francis Musa and the Bear Valley administration sympathized with us. At that time, our coordinator, Brother Steve was also here with us and showed much concerns and support. Bear Valley also wrote us through our compassionate African Director, Brother Keith.  We plead with you to keep on praying for the two surviving sons of Emmanuel and the congregation (Weima Church of Christ) where he was serving as a preacher.

CONCLUSION

We thank you so much for taking your time to read our report. Your prayers for the work here are so badly needed at this crucial time when many people do not care about God anymore. Thank you for your financial supports also, for they are really acknowledged.

Sierra Leone school baptizes 9 during campaign

ACTIVITY OPERATION REPORT FOR FEBRUARY, 2023

Full Time and the Extended Programs

 INTRODUCTION                              

We bring you salutation from Kenema, Eastern Sierra Leone. We are thankful to God for keeping all of us alive till now to share in the report of the work of the ministry here in Sierra Leone. As we informed you in our January report, the year 2023 has started favorably for us here at KBVBI. The month of February was not an exception. In February, our fifth quarter for the full-time students ended, souls were converted, the evangelistic teams continued their good work of evangelism, our coordinator, Steve Ashcraft visited and taught a class, and one of our committed and young staff, Emmanuel Focko became critically sick.  As we go further, please we employ you to keep on reading for the details of the above activities.

END OF FIFTH QUARTER

It continues to excite us as our students are doing well academically, evangelistically as well as morally. On the academic background, we are in our final year. The first quarter of the final year came to an end at the end of February. In that quarter, 8 courses were covered; these courses included: Life of Christ IV: The Gospel of John, Old Testament IV: Major Prophets, Church History, Pastoral Epistles, Historical Bible Geography, Intertestmental Period, Computer Studies V, and Basic English Grammar V.  All of these courses were handled by local teachers (5) and international or foreign teachers (2)

CONVERSION OF SOULS

The Gospel needs to be preached now more than ever as the world is turning into something else. Because of this need, the KBVBI were evangelistically engaged in the month of February. Therefore for the month of February, our evangelism resulted in 9 converts.

THE VISIT OF BROTHER STEVE ASHCRAFT

Just like Paul who could guide some local congregations when he was not present with them but through his writings and messages, our coordinator, Steve Ashcraft has been hugely involved in the work here. In fact he spends hours sometimes holding meetings with us online. So on the 7th February 2023, we were privileged once again to have him here in person.  He spent a week teaching the full time students Historical Bible Geography. This class was so educative, informative and transformative that some staff also attended. Brother Steve is so much appreciated for his encouragement and mastery of the subject matter.  He also met with the part-time students for the first time since their admission on January 15, 2022. He encouraged them to remain true and committed to their studies especially as the studies are meant to equip them to evangelize Sierra Leone. Brother Steve’s love and passion for evangelism is worth coveting and commending! If I look at his age (I am currently half of his age) and I see the zeal he portrays for evangelism, I am challenged and motivated to do more and to be more involved in the work of evangelism. During his time with us, we spent hours strategizing for effective evangelization of the entire Sierra Leone, apart from the effort of the school. We are very grateful for having such a coordinator who is not only concerned with administration but also evangelism. With him as our coordinator, I know through God’s help we will do a lot in the next few years as you shall be reading our reports. We are so deeply grateful to Bear Valley through Brother Keith for all they are doing for the lost souls here.  

EVANGELISTIC TEAMS EFFORTS

We have been informing you that through Brother Steve’s help and brilliant ideas,  evangelistic teams have been formed in various parts of Sierra Leone in order “to turn Sierra Leone upside down for the Lord.” Those teams have been working really hard as it is really a huge task to turn people to Christ in this Islamic-dominated territory. The targets of those teams are: to win more souls unto Christ, to establish and sustain at least 25 congregations this year, to restore dying congregations, to strengthen members in various congregations, to train church leaders to be effective in leading the newly established local congregations and the existing ones, to organize lectureships that will be aimed at teaching the members to grow in faith so that they can at all times contend earnestly for the faith as there are so much false teachings that have permeated our society. As the year unfolds, will be getting the exciting reports of this great evangelistic movement by the special grace of God. We appreciate all those that are supporting this evangelistic teams' vision and dream.

EMMANUEL FOCKO’S CRITICAL SICKNESS

In our June 2022 report, we gave a profile and the works of Emmanuel Focko vividly. He is one of our trusted and committed staff, one of the evangelistic team leaders, the preacher of the Lord’s Church at Weima which he established upon graduation, and an Alumni of KBVBI. Emmanuel had hepatitis B long ago but he never knew. So in late January, his stomach started projecting and his eyes were turning yellow. With these symptoms, he was taken to the hospital in early February. After conducting the tests, the doctor alerted us that Emmanuel has hepatitis B and Liver Cirrhosis, and that he be transferred to Freetown for better medication. Some brethren here contributed money and some of his family members assisted also. But there was still more need for more money to assist in his treatment. Fortunately Brother Steve was still here with us, so he assisted with some funds for his treatment.

CONCLUSION

We thank you so much for taking your time to read our report. Your prayers for the work here are so badly needed at this crucial time when many people do not care about God anymore. Thank you for your financial support also, for they are really acknowledged.

Sierra Leone students and staff "turn their world upside down" with the gospel

Bear Valley Bible Institute Sierra Leone

ACTIVITY OPERATION REPORT FOR JANUARY, 2023

Full Time and the Extended Programs

 INTRODUCTION                    

Happy New Year to you all our brethren and avid readers! This is the beginning of 2023 and we have greater hopes that it is going to be a more fruitful year as far as God’s work is concerned. We are so excited with the way 2023 has started with us. In January, a new congregation was planted through our campaign efforts, souls were converted and restored by our evangelistic teams, and our academic activities continued.  For more details on the above activities, please we encourage you to keep on reading.

RESUMPTION OF CLASSES

Clearly, in our December report, we informed you that our full time students were to go on a 2 weeks festival break from the 22nd December, and were expected to resume on the 5th January, 2023. Moreover, the extended students were also expected to resume on the 7th January, 2023. Therefore, we are thankful to God that all our students resumed and continued fervently with all the activities of the school.

EVANGELISTIC CAMPAIGN AND THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A LOCAL CONGREGATION

The need to save souls in our contemporary times is so evident and pertinent as if it has never been before. One of the reasons is that many people are lost in sin to the point that if one doesn’t preach to them, they are heading for destruction. We know (KBVBI) that it is for this reason that the Bear Valley Bible Institute International benevolently brought the opportunity to us here in Sierra Leone to further carry the message of salvation to those dying souls. In light of this, the school administration, in the month of January, directed its campaign efforts to Panguma town. Panguma is one of those towns inhabited by the majority Muslims (As it is the case with the whole of the Sierra Leonean society). On the minority level, religiously speaking, the town has a good number of denominations. With this background, we decided to take the true Gospel there as many are lost. The team that went for the campaign was composed of the staff, the full time and extended students and some members of the evangelistic teams that we have organized through the help of our dearly beloved coordinator, Steve Ashcraft. For the past one week (6th -12th February, 2023) we spent there, the Lord opened the heart of 13 people, among whom were Muslims (5). Since it is a new environment entirely, we faced some challenges of accommodation and others. But with God being on our side, and with all long suffering and perseverance, we were able to start a new congregation there. The zeal that is seen in those new converts is something that is worth commending! They confessed that they had never heard the preaching of the true Gospel as they were taught; all they knew about Christianity was on a denominational basis. There are many in that town that have the potentiality of turning to Christ; our external mission has immediately been extended to them. As of now, they are worshipping in a rented town’s building Let us please continue to remember them in our prayers so that they can remain true to their calling, especially as they are being surrounded by Muslims and denominations. As usual, our regular weekend evangelism also yielded fruits so that 4 souls were converted within the month of January. So all together, for the month of January, 17 souls were converted.

EVANGELISTIC TEAMS REPORT

You will remember that in our November 2022 report, we informed you that through our coordinator’s brilliant ideas and support, we have organized evangelistic teams to various parts of Sierra Leone which include Freetown, Bo, Magburaka, Kailahun, Koindu, Kenema, and Kono. These teams have been working harder to carry the Gospel to the lost souls and in helping to restore erring brethren and dying congregations. This great evangelistic movement and the effort of the school is going to turn Sierra Leone upside down for the Lord in the very near future. We are very grateful again to Brother Steve for this brilliant idea. Sierra Leone is a Muslim-dominated country, as you know, therefore to convert people here is a very great challenge. It requires dedicated men and concerted effort. With the efforts of these men, 10 souls were converted, one congregation (Grafton in Freetown) and 22 brethren were restored in January. Some of the teams lack android phones for pictorial evidence. However, though it is a challenge as there are others like transportation and movement, yet the work continues. The target for these teams this year is to establish congregations, retain them, restore dying congregations and backsliding brethren and equip local congregations. Please brethren, let us remember these servants of the Lord in our prayers.

STUDENT AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION: Peter Tamba Focko

Peter was born on May 2, 1998, to Mr. and Mrs. James Tamba Fock.  He hails and lives in Kusedu Village, Kundu Section, Kailahun District. His family members are all members of the Lord’s Church except his mother whom he has been preaching to personally. Brother Peter worships with Kusedu Church of Christ where he serves as the song leader. He was added to the Lord’s Church in 2018. Since then, he has been actively involved in the activities of the Church. At the congregational level, he has proven to be a very evangelistic and truth-loving brother. Peter has been yearning for so long to be a preacher of the Gospel. Therefore, his enrollment into the Bear Valley program here is an answer to his prayer. In the school here, he is studious and committed to his studies. He is expected to graduate in November this year, Lord willing and go to the field to win souls for the Lord. At the end of this report, Peter’s picture will be attached.

 CONCLUSION

We want to continually be grateful to you all for reading through, praying for us, supporting us financially and for guiding us with ideas. 2023 is indeed promising; we look forward to making more impacts as it unfolds as the Gospel will continue to be preached until “All have heard.”

Nine souls added to the Lord in Sierra Leone

Bear Valley Bible Institute Sierra Leone
ACTIVITY OPERATION REPORT FOR DECEMBER, 2022

Full Time and the Extended Programs

 INTRODUCTION                    

Wow! So just like that 2022 came to an end? Well, the good news is that when we analyzed all the activities we undertook at KBVBI in 2022, and we couldn’t think of anything else but to express our gratitude to God Almighty who made everything possible. In addition, we continue to mention and register our appreciation to our beloved brethren who are directly or indirectly supporting our work here. We are so thrilled to bring you this end of year report for the month of December 2022. We are even hopeful that more will be done for the Lord in 2023.  In December, classes continued, a Bible Lectureship was held, our students went on a 2 weeks festival break, some souls were converted while some erring brethren were restored, and the marriage ceremony of one of the staff was conducted. For more details on the above activities, we encourage you to keep on reading.

CONTINUATION OF ACADEMICS AND THE VISIT OF A NIGERIAN STAFF

In the month of December, our students (full time and extended) continued with their classes. We were also privileged to host Brother Emmanuel Abiodun Adegoroye, one of the Bear Valley instructors at Abuja center, Nigeria. He taught our full-time students for 9 days (5th-9th and 12th-15th December, 2022). He handled the course, “Intertestamental Period.” Brother Emmanuel’s vast experience and knowledge (he taught Greek and leadership classes at the School of Biblical Studies, Jos: An Affiliate of the University of Jos, Nigeria for 18 years and presently preaches at Kado Church of Christ in Abuja) helped to shape the understanding of our students so much.  We are grateful for all the sacrifices he made to come over and impact our students.

A SHORT FESTIVAL BREAK

Our full-time students were given a 2-week festival break (22nd December-5thJanuary, 2023). Moreover, the extended students were expected to resume on the 7th January, 2023. We are thankful to God for the committed students He has given us; every one of them is always eager to resume back to school. We continue to covet your prayers for them to remain steadfast and diligent.

CONVERSION OF SOULS AND RESTORATION

As the Gospel continues to spread, more souls are waiting to respond to it. Therefore, for the past December, the Lord added 9 souls to His church here and 2 brethren were restored. We plead with you to continue to pray for these new babies in Christ.

BIBLE LECTURESHIP

On the 16th December, 2022 a Bible seminar was held at the Bear Valley campus. This seminar was organized by the school in an effort to continue to teach local congregations the importance of embracing the effective practice of leadership in local congregational levels. Great leadership lessons were taught and we were once again blessed with the effort of Brother Emmanuel Adegoroye who was one of the speakers. Seventy church leaders and brethren from various congregations attended the program. The attendance got affected because it rained heavily here on that day and some who had planned to attend couldn’t come. However, we remain grateful for those who came.

THE MARRIAGE CEREMONY OF PETER SAHR MAKUNDU

You would recall that in one of our recent reports, we invited you for the wedding of the Director of the school, Brother Peter Sahr Makundu which was scheduled to be held on the 2nd and 3rd December, 2022. By the Lord’s will, the wedding successfully came to pass; Brother Peter got married to sister Patience Admire Makundu who worships at one of the congregations here in Kenema, Kamanda Street Church of Christ. The Makundus wish to thank God Almighty who, in His providential care made everything happen. We are grateful also to the whole Bear Valley family for your contributions to the success of this marriage. Brother Steve Ashcraft is being acknowledged also for supporting us prayerfully and financially.

STUDENT AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION: Patrick Mani Manga

Patrick Manga is one of our committed and serious minded students. He was born on September 23rd, 1998, to Mr. and Mrs. Momoh Bockarie.  He hails and lives in Koidu city, the headquarter of the Kono District in Eastern Sierra Leone. Brother Patrick worships with the Ndomaina Street Church of Christ in Koidu, a congregation where his father serves as a preacher.  He was added to the Lord’s Church in 2018. Since then, he has been actively involved in the activities of the church. At the congregational level, he has proven to be a very evangelistic and truth-loving brother. Upon his conversion, he was enrolled into the WBS Correspondence Course and completed successfully. After this, Patrick longed to further his studies in the Bible, hence the opportunity to enroll at Bear Valley emerged. At the school, Brother Patrick, together with the other four students from Koidu made a request to the Kenema Bear Valley administration for the campaign to be taken to their territory. And this request was granted last year in August.  Not only that, Patrick serves as the secretary for the current congregation that was established at the Bear Valley Campus in 2021. At the end of this report, Patrick’s picture will be attached.

MOTORCYCLE ACCIDENT

We want to also inform you of some of the challenges we are facing in doing this work of the Lord; one of those numerous challenges is road accidents. On the 5th and 9th December, 2022, two of our staff- Academic Dean (Michael S. Triyoh) and the Students’ Dean (Joseph Missailie Jr) were involved in terrible motorcycle accidents. This happened while the both of them were going for congregational visitations as it is part of our programs to be involved in external missions. Michael’s left eye was so badly hit that he needed to undergo surgery while Joseph’s hands were also bruised. However, they are responding to treatments and we plead with you that you join us to pray for their complete rehabilitation.

CONCLUSION

December 2022 as the closure of the year 2022 was not a bad month for us at all. We remain grateful to God for all that was achieved for the Master. Moreover, we continue to appreciate you and pray also for you daily, our dearly beloved brethren. We look forward to meeting in the New Year, Lord willing.

Sierra Leone schools organize evangelism teams

Bear Valley Bible Institute Sierra Leone

ACTIVITY OPERATION REPORT FOR NOVEMBER, 2022

Full-Time and the Extended Programs

 INTRODUCTION                     

We are delighted again as the family of the Kenema Bear Valley Bible Institute, Sierra Leone to come your way with our November report, our dearly beloved brethren. We are hopeful that God has been taking care of you all, just as He has been doing for us here. This is another opportunity we have to share with you our exciting and successful October report. In November, our full-time program resumed its classes. Brother Steve Ashcraft held a meeting with our proposed evangelistic team leaders and ten souls were converted and four brethren were restored to their usefulness before the Lord. For more details on the above activities, please we encourage you to keep on reading. 

RESUMPTION OF CLASSES (Full-Time Program)

In our October report, we informed you that our 19 full-time students completed their first-year session and were going on a month's break to resume on November 19. Through God’s providence, all of them resumed and joined the extended students to continue steadfastly with all the activities of the school, be it academic or evangelistic. We thank you all for your prayers and your financial aid brethren. 

CONVERSION OF SOULS THROUGH ALUMNI EFFORTS AND THE SCHOOL’S WEEKEND EVANGELISM ACTIVITY

The task of saving souls is a task that is not limited to only an individual; it is every Christian’s duty. It is on this note that we want to commend our graduates over the years who are actively involved in the ministry work in their various communities. Just as we informed you in our previous reports, our graduates are constantly in touch with us and we visit them to see the work they are doing. Not only that, they send us reports from time to time which we put together to share with you. Therefore, for the past November, their evangelistic efforts resulted in 7 souls, coupled with the school’s weekend evangelistic program that resulted in 3 conversions and 4 restorations. So in brief, 10 souls were converted and 4 brethren were restored in November. Please we plead with you to continue to pray for these new babies in Christ. 

BROTHER STEVE’S MEETING WITH THE EVANGELISTIC TEAM LEADERS

We continue to be very thankful to God for having a brother like Steve in the church. His love for the dying sinners and the lost souls is worth commending. For some months he has been sharing the vision he has with us; this vision is to maximize our efforts in converting more souls, establishing and sustaining more congregations, and strengthening more congregations that are on the verge of dying as a result of many factors, etc. Since it is for this reason that we are also involved in the work of the ministry, we quickly embraced his vision, and we quickly put the vision into action. We began to organize evangelistic teams in various places in Sierra Leone. It was the leaders of those various teams that Steve had a meeting with at the Bear Valley campus on November 2. The meeting was a very successful one especially as all the attendees were very grateful to Steve and every Christian that is supporting the work of God in Sierra Leone. It was echoed during the meeting that many successes will be recorded with the efforts of these teams in 2023 by the special grace of God. During the meeting, we had representatives from Freetown, Bo, Kono, Kenema, Kailahun, and Koindu.  

CONCLUSION

In every aspect, we are very grateful to God for making us useful in His vineyard. Moreover, we continue to appreciate you and pray also for you daily, our dearly beloved brethren. Till we meet again in December, Lord willing, may you remain blessed in the Lord.

Sierra Leone students conduct campaign

ACTIVITY OPERATION REPORT FOR OCTOBER, 2022

Full-Time and the Extended Programs

 INTRODUCTION                     

The family of the Kenema Bear Valley Bible Institute, Sierra Leone brings you greetings. We are hopeful that God has been taking care of you all, just as He has been doing for us here. This is another opportunity we have to share with you our exciting and successful October report.  In October, our full-time students completed year one and went on a month's break. Our extended program continued. We also held one Bible Lectureship at the school campus. Moreover, our coordinator, Brother Steve Ashcraft visited us; three souls were converted, and we attended the Bear Valley graduation in the Republic of Guinea.

END OF YEAR ONE (Full-Time Program)

Our full-time students successfully ended their first year by completing all the fourth quarter courses on October 25, 2022. In that quarter, eight (8) courses were covered: Old Testament 3: Wisdom Literature, Life of Christ 3 (Luke), New Testament Church 2 (Worship), Homiletics 2, 2 Corinthians, Personal Evangelism 2,  Computer Studies 4, and Basic English Grammar 4. All the courses were completely taught and our staff was committed to their tasks. As you know, while our full-time students went on break, our extended students continued with their classes. You can see that our staff barely have time here to rest.

WEEKEND EVANGELISM AND CONVERSION OF SOULS

As we informed you before, our students (full-time), some members of the churches of Christ in Kenema, and some staff go for evangelism every weekend and the month of October was no exception. The month of October was not so fruitful for us with respect to conversions because we recorded only three baptisms. However, we are grateful to the Lord for the three souls He added to His Church. 

LECTURESHIP       

As far as we remember, we requested your prayers in our September report regarding the lectureship that had been scheduled to take place on 7th to 9th October, 2022. We thank you for your prayers; the lectureship was successfully held and many people attended the program. The caption for the lectureship was, “FACTORS AFFECTING MARRIAGE AMONG CHRISTIANS IN CHURCHES OF CHRIST IN KENEMA DISTRICT.” The rationale behind this topic is that a home is a very important unit that contributes greatly toward the growth of every local congregation. If Christian homes are not built on the foundation of Jesus Christ, then there is no way we can have a church that pleases God.  

OUR COORDINATOR’S (Steve Ashcraft) VISIT

We are very thankful to God for the visit of our dear brother, Steve Ashcraft, from the U.S.A. Brother Steve had some health challenges prior to his visitation; we prayed and even though he had not completely recovered, he came down to Africa. We were so encouraged by his arrival. Upon his visitation, he benevolently encouraged our students to remain focused and dedicated to the cause of Christ and their studies. Not only that, but he also shared some gifts with our students and staff. Moreover, he held a very successful meeting with the staff of KBVBI. Brother Steve indeed is a lover of God and a leader to follow. This is so because he is very committed to the work of God. We are very privileged to have him as our coordinator. 

THE BEAR VALLEY GRADUATION AT GUINEA

Our administration was invited to the Gueckedou, Guinea graduation exercise which took place from the 28th-29th of October 2022. Nine of us as staff attended the program, and in the end, it was very successful. We are very grateful for the privilege to serve through Bear Valley.

CONCLUSION

As we are all serving our Master, may He say to us on the last day, “Well done my humble servants…”  

13 more baptisms in Sierra Leone

Bear Valley Bible Institute Sierra Leone

(An Extension of the)

Bear Valley Bible Institute of Denver, Colorado, USA

ACTIVITY OPERATION REPORT FOR SEPTEMBER, 2022

Full Time and the Extended Programs 

INTRODUCTION                    

Greetings to you beloved in the Lord! On behalf of the administration and the students of the Kenema Bear Valley Bible Institute Sierra Leone, I want to open this write up by giving thanks and acknowledgement to God Almighty for His love that He continues to bestow upon us. We are grateful to Him for this opportunity again to share with you the continuous outcome of the work that is going on in Sierra Leone here. The month of September served as another remarkable month for us; it was so because some exciting activities took place here. Some of these activities included an evangelistic campaign, conversion of souls and the restorations of some brethren, lectureship, and the continuation of academic activities. Please may you keep on reading for the details as they are arranged under the following subheadings:

EVANGELISTIC CAMPAIGN, CONVERSION OF SOULS AND RESTORATION OF BRETHREN

The motive of Bear Valley worldwide, that is, to take the gospel to every soul “Until all have heard” and are saved is really commendable. It is God’s desire truly that no one should perish but come to repentance (2 Peter 3.9), and it was in light of this that we embarked on another successful evangelistic campaign in September. This time around, we directed our campaign to Pujehun, the southern part of Sierra Leone. Pujehun is 102 Miles away from Kenema. It is the headquarter town of Pujehun District. We decided to go to Pujehun because the brethren at the congregation there requested that we go there to help strengthen the congregation and help to evangelize the area. The Pujehun congregation was established in 2009 through the WBS correspondence which is handled by Brother Jacob Sesay till date. When the congregation was established, there was no preacher that would lead those converts. They made a request to Brother Jacob to be going there to be teaching them, but he informed them that he is unable to do that, but that he would seek for someone to send there. He sought for one Liberian brother, Martin Gashua (around 73 years now), who resides at Bandajuma around the territory of Pujehun. Brother Martin has been the preacher there since then till now. Since the time that the congregation was established till now, they have a membership of 12 brethren, who do not even all come regularly. During the one week spent, we engaged the congregation and held a meeting. They told us a lot of factors that have been contributing to poor growth of the Lord’s Church there. These factors range from ineffective leadership, lack of interest in evangelism, lack of effective preacher who is committed to the work that can motivate others, lack of sound biblical teachers, etc. With all of these, we decided to encourage one brother among them who stays in Pujehun there, Brother Vincent, who is a graduate of the 21st Century Global Mission, to be serving as an assistant preacher to Brother Martin who stays somehow far. Brother Vincent accepted but also alerted us that he is a Bike Rider, therefore, his effectiveness in the work of the Church is questionable. However, we told the congregation that since it is the Lord’s desire that His church functions effectively everywhere, we would include them on our external mission list so that our staff and the students would be going there. Having said all of these, I want to let you understand dear reader that Pujehun is a very fertile town for the Gospel to be received. The people of Pujehun just need someone to teach them and they are ready to accept the truth. So for the one week we spent there, 10 souls were converted and 4 brethren who left the congregation long ago were restored. We believed that we could do more but for almost 3 days, we could not preach because it was raining. But God is to be praised for those He added to the congregation at Pujehun. During our regular weekly evangelism outreaches, 3 souls were converted. Please may we pray for those new converts and for the Church at Pujehun. We want to emphatically let you know our supporters that evangelistic campaigns and our weekend evangelism outreaches are very rewarding; do not hesitate to send in whatever financial support you have. All will be and has been used for all the intended purposes.

RESUMPTION OF THE SECOND SEMESTER FOR THE EXTENDED PROGRAM

You will recall that in our August report, we informed you that the first semester year one for the extended program came to an end and that they were expected to resume on September 3, 2022 for the continuation of their studies. Indeed, all the 15 students resumed except one, Adamson Brima who did not come back again because of family responsibilities. So right now, we have 14 students in the extended program all together. We are grateful for all our students, especially in relation to their commitment to their studies and the work of the Lord.

LECTURESHIP

In the month of September, we held a very successful and timely lectureship which was themed, “UNDERSTANDING THE NEED FOR EFFECTIVE BIBLICAL LEADERSHIP IN A LOCAL CHURCH.” The purpose of this lectureship was to begin to teach the brethren in the local congregations in Kenema about the organization of the Lord’s Church, and what impacts that has on the growth of individual Christians and the congregations as a whole. The lectureship was attended by 188 brethren from the four local congregations in Kenema, even though we had one of our speakers from Freetown. Presently, there is no congregation in Kenema with all complete Biblically organized leadership, though some of the congregations here have spent many years in existence. Therefore, it is the desire of the KBVBI to continue to teach the brethren so that in a short while, men will rise up who have met the biblical qualifications and are ready to serve with humility to be elders and deacons in local congregations here. This challenge of ineffective leadership is not only limited to Kenema; many congregations in Sierra Leone also follow suit.

THE DIRECTOR’S MARRIAGE INVITATION

In order to continue to be more effective in the work of God, Brother Peter Sahr Makundu has decided to seek for a helper in the person of sister Patience Boima. We have decided to spend life together and raise up a Christian family. The marriage is scheduled to take place on the 2nd and the 3rd December, 2022, at Kenema here. On this note, we are specially inviting all of you; we require your prayers, guidance and financial support in whatever way. We remain grateful to all the brethren who have been counselling us. We anticipate your coming and may the peace of God be with all of us till that time.

STUDENT’S BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION: Eric Fayia Turay

Eric Turay is one of our committed and serious minded students. He worships with the Komendeh Church of Christ. Komendeh is about 8 miles away from Koindu, eastern Sierra Leone. He serves as the assistant preacher at his congregation. Brother Eric was born on January 9, 1986. He was added to the Lord’s Church in 2009. Since then, he has been actively involved in the activities of the Church. Brother Eric is a very humble brother who loves to serve with passion. He personally sought for the opportunity to be enrolled at the KBVBI so he could learn more skills to lead God’s church and bring many to Christ. At the end of this report, Brother Eric’s picture will be attached.

CONCLUSION

It is indeed exciting and fulfilling to be found useful in God’s vineyard. And to you brethren, the lives you are changing in Sierra Leone here through your prayers, financial support, guidance and direction, are all duly acknowledged, and may the Lord bless you richly.