Fishing for men in Arusha

“And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of me.”

As the Lord was about to begin His ministry, He saw it fitting to train up men who will take His course far beyond imagination, He knew that those people being well trained for three years, will have great impact to the world for many generations to come. This is what we also have been blessed with. He has called us to be “fishers of Men” and bring many to Him everyday. Not only bringing but also training them up to be able to teach as many as they can meet.

The Lord has honored us (Andrew Connally School of Preaching) with another opportunity this year of training faithful men from three countries: Tanzania, Kenya and South Sudan (we are also expecting some from Ethiopia to join us soon). 28 congregations represented and the total of 36 students. Truly, God is so good.

We have started our classes this past Monday, please keep both the instructors, staffs and students in you prayers as we begin this journey of “Making them Fishers of Men.”

We also thank our Almighty God for giving us such good, selfless and generous donors like you, we thank you so much for your prayers and support. All these could have not been possible if it could have not been through your support to the Lord’s work here in Tanzania. Many souls will be in heaven one day because you decide to share. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

May the Lord continue to bless you all every day.

Your servant in His Kingdom, 

Till all have heard

Charles H. Mwanga

Director,

Andrew Connally School of Preaching

P.O. Box 14041, 

Arusha – Tanzania

+255-754-917-481

Classes resume in Ukraine

It is very cold in Ukraine and the students all wear coats and hats IN the classroom, but that doesn't dampen their spirits. Things continue to go very well in Ukraine and you will enjoy this update from Director, Denis Sopelnik. Click HERE.

A plan for the year in Sierra Leone

BEAR VALLEY BIBLE INSTITUTE KENEMA, SIERRA LEONE
                                           
The Bear valley Bible Institute Sierra Leone greets you all in the name of our lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We want to appreciate all those who in diverse ways supported the work here in our country. We say  thank you once again to our Regional Coordinator and Keith whose visits in sierra Leone were a blessing in disguised by bringing the gospel  closer to our doors through Bear Valley Bible Institute. 

THIS YEAR'S PROGRAM
The first year program has ended with lots of events undertaken last year. We have started another new year with evangelism campaigns, lectureship, personal visits,  house to house, restoration and cooperative evangelism with churches of Christ in Kenema. We also agreed to send student preachers on a routine basis each month to the churches in our area. We hope with these strategies as a preacher's training school will help us achieve better results for this year. 

ACTION PLAN FOR THIS YEAR.
We have engaged on a mass evangelism campaign on every Saturday within Kenema township at a place call Dauda Town on church survey for the possibility of  church planting in that community. We are planning a three day lectureship and public preaching campaign at the end of this month on that venue before going for our election  break. We also intend to take Kenema urban and rural as our new JERUSALEM. (ACTS 1:8)  this year.

CONVERSION FOR JANUARY
The students ministry at campus have converted four souls for the month of January 2018.
Bro.  Emmanuel F. Focko was  preacher for that service. He captivated the hearts of these converts through an inspired message preached on the theme “ who is a christian”?

Bro. Focko is born some 25 years ago in a small village call Yaladu near Koindu.

He has lost both parents and was staying all by himself. But due to his heart burning desire to do God's work he was picked up by his leaders in his congregation and was recommended for biblical training in the Bear Valley Bible School. He was nurtured and baptized under the church of Christ Koindu in 2009

This brother is a church planter and has planted one congregations in his community before coming to school. He is single and ready to work for the lord if given the support after completing school. He is a pleasant person to work with. 
The photo below shows Bro, Emmanuel F. Focko holding a bible with a young congregation as the shepherd of that congregation.

PHOTOCOPIER
One of our main constrains was the printing and coping of teaching materials for students.
But with  the purchase of a canon copier through the help of our sponsors we can now boast of having teaching materials on all the modules for our students. We thank our sponsors for such a wonderful gift to our school.

Your brother,

Ishmael Bangura

Director, BVBI-SL

A new program in Zimbabwe

INTRODUCTION

It is another year! 2018 has brought with it expectations of better things in our effort to do our part in Kingdom. BVBIZ looks back and cherishes the lessons learnt in 2017 whilst growing out of the things we did not do well. In January, continued to advance our as highlighted hereunder.

CLASSES RESUME

Classes resumed on the 15th of January 2018. All students came back. This will be their final term with us. We wish the students and the teachers and enjoyable term.

PART TIME PROGRAM

The much publicised part time program roared into life on the 5th of January. This means that we will now be having both fulltime and part time students. The total number of part time students is 17. Lessons are done during weekend (Saturdays and Sundays after service). These do not go on break and their studies take 6 more months to complete. The target had been to have at least 20 students. The composition of these include;

·         Men serving as preachers in congregations but had not received formal training

·         Preacher’s wives who had not received formal training

·         Those who cannot leave their employment to come full time on ground

EVANGELISM

Students were active during the holiday in various congregations. BVBIZ would like to thank the following congregations that invited our students for holiday preaching;

·         Tongogara church of Christ (sponsored by Mufakose church of Christ)

·         Borrowdale church of Christ

·         Kambuzuma church of Christ

These efforts have so far resulted in 10 baptisms.

GRADUATION DATE AND PREACHER PLACEMENT

The proposed graduation date for our current class is the 2nd of June 2018. Details regarding this ceremony shall be furnished as time progresses. This first batch of students will be ready to work anywhere (in existing congregations or starting new ones) starting in June 2018. If there is a congregation in need of a preacher (either married or single) please contact the school.

CONCLUSION

We thank God for what he has been able to do through BVBIZ in January. Our appreciation continues to go to our sponsors for their unwavering support and to many others for their moral and spiritual support. May God continue to bless every one of you. To God be the glory!

Mathew Muchingam

Director, BVBI-Z

Prayers requested in Cameroon

Dearest in Christ,

      Greetings from your brothers and sisters who are in Wotutu Cameroon. We are on and we give thanks to God for the light of the day. Things are moving on well in Wotutu. Politically, other parts of our nations are living in fear and doubt. Many are doubting the unknown. We spend time praying because we know God placed our leaders in authority. If they are not working in accordance to His will, then He will decide what to do.

In BVBIC-Wotutu all is well except for the fact that some students and staff are sick. I was also sick but I keep going with my work. Students have gone down to see the doctor in Limbe if things are above our nurse here. Our nurse, sister Senge is so knowledgeable in her field. Only the worse cases can make her need to make referral of a student to see a doctor.

Keep my father in your prayers. He is getting much better. As of yesterday, after fighting with very high white blood cells because he was having an infection, God is helping him get better through the medicines being administer to him.

Our students are okay and are doing their best to gather knowledge as they study. They are in the first quarter now in their second year. They are preparing for their exams by the end of this month which will transition them into field work, but that will only be after they take the short course, II Corinthians, in March.

We were in the west coast of Cameroon for the west coast mission. We are looking on the possibility to establish a new congregation in Idenau which is the chief town of the west coast of Cameroon. Keep this in your prayers.

APPRECIATIONS

I will now and will always thank you for your prayers and your help. If not of your inputs, it would not have been easy to do what we are doing. God bless you and replenish and supply more for you.

Do your best to share our reports with others.

Elangwe and family

By His grace director BVBIC-Wotutu

 EVANGELISM IS OUR MISSION AND OUR MISSION IS EVANGELISM.2TIM2:2 2TIM4:2

Mark Reynolds goes to SE Asia

Trip Report for Cambodia and Myanmar

January 14-31, 2018

Norman Light (an elder and close friend for many years) and I arrived in Siem Reap, Cambodia the evening of January 16. We began teaching the next morning. I taught The Preacher and His Work each morning from 8:30-12:00, and Norman taught the book of 2 Corinthians each afternoon from 1:00-3:00. We also enjoyed a time of singing and preaching each evening.

On Saturday, January 20, the local brethren had organized a lectureship using Norman and me along with several Cambodian brethren. Although we could not understand the brethren when they preached, we could certainly tell they were well prepared and that their lessons were well organized by viewing the PowerPoint presentations they had made, the handouts they used, and their outlines they wrote on the white board. The students did well on their exams and took exceptional notes. Their genuineness and desire to learn was easily noticed. Three very capable men, Phanat, Darat and Piseth, lead the school. They will hold their graduation ceremony later this year.

Myanmar

We left Cambodia on January 24 and arrived in Yangon, Myanmar that evening. We were greeted at the airport by Philip Van Biak Lian, the director of the school of preaching and Winsome the secretary for the school. We enjoyed dinner at the hotel and discussed the plans for the week. I taught Old Testament 1 to the students four hours each day, and Norman taught the account from Jacob to Joseph’s death in great detail two hours each day. Since these students (eight men and one woman) are from various parts of Myanmar where different dialects are spoken, the common language among them is English. We enjoyed getting to teach in our native tongue. 

In all we enjoyed five days in the classroom, a gospel meeting on Saturday, and two worship services on Sunday where Norman and I both spoke. The church meets in the homes of members each Lord’s Day. Their worship, especially their singing, was very uplifting. The school is brand new, but is way ahead of schedule as far as their organization, quality of students, and foundation. There are some wonderful brethren who have been working in Myanmar for many years without whom this work would not be possible. We stand on their shoulders! 

A good start in Chimala

Chimala Bible Institute and School of Preaching is off to a great start this year.

On January 15 the Chimala Bible Institute (CBI) and School of Preaching began its new year with 32 students.  As the last year was closing, we thought our student body would be down this year due to a lack of funding, but at the last moment prayers were answered and a generous donation made it possible for us to have the 32 students. 

Our breakdown this year is:  12 in the first year students in the English program (BVBI), 10 first year students in the Swahili program, and 10 returning second year students in the Swahili program.  Three of our English students are Congo refugees, and we are thankful that after all of the government paperwork they were allowed to come. 

Some of our English students are also from last year’s graduating Swahili class.  This year we have also had a slight change in our teaching staff with Remmy Mfaume coming on staff to direct the English program.  We have even made a change in the Swahili program to where the Swahili students are in class all day just like the English students.  At this writing we are into our third week of studies with a great group of men and women. I am excited to be able to work with them not only in training them to preach and effectively study God’s word, but also as we go out into the villages each week.

The projects we began last year, we will be continuing this year.  These projects that are meant to help train the students in a trade they can use when they graduate and got back home, as well as provide food for the students.  We learned many things last year and thus will be making some changes in the program, and planning on adding some additional projects to the agenda.  Just a few days ago we got some pictures of the students working in the garden cleaning, preparing, and planting some new vegetables.  We also have over an acre of corn that was planted while the students were on break which is coming along very nicely and we look forward to it helping cut down some of our food costs.

I do not have a full record of what all occurred during the students November to January break, but I do have a report on what the 2017 graduates have done since their graduation on November 3 up to January 3, 2018.  The report shows that they have had a total number of 77 baptisms, 30 people restored, and one dead church revived.  This is a report of their work for just two months!  Think what they will be able to do in one year.  Many of these men came from the Mwanza area which is in the northwestern part of Tanzania and by bus 23 hours away.  God has promised if we will just spread the word it will not return void, and the efforts of these graduates prove that fact.

Richard Rogers.

My visit to Nigeria and Togo

As Director of Extensions, it is both my duty and joy to visit as many Bear Valley extensions as I am able, in a year. It was my pleasure to recently be able to visit the Bear Valley extensions in Ibadan, Nigeria and Kpalime, Togo. I was met in Lagos, Nigeria by local Director Amkinde Ebens, as well as Bear Valley team members, Steven Ashcraft and Chad Wagner.

The school near Ibadan, Nigeria currently has a total of 40 students. In addition to the classroom work, where they are learning the bible in depth, they also have a new chicken project, as well as a vocational training program. I am thankful for Makinde and his team, who do such a good job with the school.

From Nigeria I traveled with Steven to Accra, Ghana to obtain my Togolese visa and the next day we drove to Kpalime, Togo with Director Willie Gley. We went directly to the school where they were all anxiously awaiting the graduation, which would be the following day. 

At the graduation, not only did we witness the success of the graduates, but we were also introduced to the incoming class of 19 students. We are excited and hopeful about the potential of these men. Please continue to pray for them and for us.

God bless,

Keith Kasarjian

Director of Extension Studies

38 baptisms in Liberia

Hello Brethren,

We bring you greetings from the students and staffs in Liberia- Bear Valley Bible Institute, hoping all is well with you and your families in the Lord's name.

STUDENTS RETURNED

After a month break (Vacation), our students returned to the campus on the 17th of January in a very high spirit appreciating the school for the level of education imparted to them because their performances and contributions back to their local congregations have help the congregations greatly.

CAMPAIGN

Our first activity of the year 2018 was a campaign to a town called Tearyegbaplay. A year a ago we took up a very challenging gospel campaign to a very poor and faraway Town called Tearyegbaplay and baptized 26 souls and started a New Church (The Church of Christ) in that community. Meanwhile, our first worship in the town was carried out under a big tree because there was not big room in the whole town to host the church that Sunday morning of about 86 in attendance. It was so very sad leaving this new church with out a worship place almost at the beginning of the rainy season and without hope of ever having a worship place all by themselves knowing their poor conditions.

My Team returned and posted an appealed for help to give these brethren a worship place and by God's special grace, Brother Greg Grounds and Brother Steven Ashcraft help raised the money and now they have a worship place with the help of my campaign team. We were also blessed to have 12 baptisms on this mission.

MOTORBIKE

The school now also has another motorbike added on the one we already have before making it two bikes. Brother Steven Ashcraft help raised this additional funds for this bike. These motorbikes help the students go out of the campus during the weekends to faraway towns and villages to help encouraged weak congregations in teaching, preaching and evangelism as part of their practical training in the school. These efforts are helping many congregations in restoring members, strengthening weak brethren and exposing the Lord's church in those communities .Many thanks to brethren for this help.

STUDENT PROFILE

T. Joel Weah is a student of the Bear Valley Bible Institute- Liberia, born June 12, 1971 in Harper Maryland County, in the south eastern part of Liberia. Brother Joel is married with (7) seven children and they all are christian worshiping with the Harper church of christ with a membership of about(40) forty persons. He is a high school graduate with little knowledge in operating computer. Brother Weah is a very dedicated student, hard working and the matter of fact, he is our best student in the school and in practical teaching and preaching. He desires to further his education in the scriptures to enable him serve the school and the world.

APPRECIATION

Many thanks and appreciation to you for all your sacrifices that are making it possible for the Lord's work in this part of the world to go on. May God richly bless you.

In Him,

Robert P. Dahn, Jr.

Director- BVBI-L

Classes and campaigns in Myanmar

Dear brethren,

Greetings in Jesus's name. I hope and pray that this mail finds you well. 

By God's grace and through your help, we could have our classes from January 8-19 and 25-30. Students participated at Pyay seminar with brother Daniel Hamm from January 20-23. Our classes went very well I keep all the record of attendance and grades. It was so good to meet brother Mark and and sit at his feet. He is such a wonderful teacher. 

From February 1-14, with three BV students and two other co-workers, we are going to some other parts in Myanmar to do some field work of evangelism and to encourage our brethren in those little  congregations. We really covet your prayer. 

Thank you very much for all you do and praise God for His love and grace which bind us together for this great work.

Humbly
Philip Van Biak Lian

Plans for improvement in Tamale, Ghana

Bear Valley Bible Institute, Tamale, Ghana

Back to School:

The school has re-opened and all the students reported back after they have gone on a break to see their families and the congregations while they also harvested their food crops on their farms.

Classes are ongoing and every activity is busy going on as it is expected. The students are very busy with their academic work and on the more serious note the instructors are taking their instructional time into consideration making sure that the teaching and learning meet the expectation.

Administrative Activities:

The management team is seriously working as usual within their means to make sure that all the Churches of Christ in the Northern Ghana come on board to raise the image of the school. With this plan, a regular visitation program is made. It is planned that our past students are visited and discuss the progress of the work. We are also putting more good plans in place to secure the integrity of the school. In this plan too the students as well as the past students are advised and encouraged to always live as the disciples of Jesus.

Repair works/needs:

There are some repair and replacement works to be done. Some doors need to be replaced. The toilets walls need to be plastered and painted and all the water closets need to be replaced. We also need water storage tank so we can have enough water all the time.   

Your borther,

Alex Jabado

Semester break in Nigeria

Beloved in Christ Jesus, 

Greetings from Nigeria most especially from BVBIN and SWSE, Ibadan and fellow WBSFUW .

We end all our second semester classes and tests this afternoon in our main campus at Butubutu village, Ibadan. Our 25 year one students will now continue their vocational training in Ibadan, Lagos and Asejire -Osun State for the next two weeks, while the 15 year two students returned to their congregations to continue their services to the Lord. 

Lord willing, third semester classes will commence on February 12,2018 because of Bro. Bill Pennell 's visit to our campus in Butubutu village on February 19 & 20,2018.

WEEKEND CAMPAIGNS :Our weekend campaigns of January 19-20 at Egbeda town and Butubutu village results into conversion of three souls, two young girls at Butubutu village and a young boy at Egbeda town of Egbeda Local Government Area of Oyo State. TO GOD BE THE GLORY AND HONOR !

Your brother,

Makinde Ebens

Direcotor

School back in session in Wotutu

Dearest in Christ,

We bring to you the best of greetings for 2018. We are pleased to know that you are in 2018 safe and sound with a sounding blessing that God is preparing for His children. We are doing great here in the church and our dream to evangelize our communities, even though politically our country is in trouble. But, we are not worried about that because we are not politicians but preachers of the gospel. We spend time to pray for those in authority in our country so that we can enjoy better peace as we go about our dreams.

All our students are back in class from mission work as from the 8th of December. They had a wonderful time with congregations and made great encouragements and God blessed the work with 29 souls and 8 restored members.  A new congregation was established in the village of Mbalangi. We sent one student home named Abeya John to go and rectify his marital situation. We have given him some time to do that. If that is not done, then he will be dismissed from school.

We are back in class after mission work and vacation. We are on with our intensive studies. This quarter we have the following courses to teach the students as we prepare them for full time ministry by the end of this year. Old Testament 4, Church History, Inter-testamental period, World Religion, Greek, Church Music, and some others like Agriculture, Languages, and English and French towards evenings.

As usual, the instructors will have a friendly meeting at the beginning of the quarter. We sat as friends to discuss the work in front of us. We pray and encourage one another. It is always great to have people around you who share your dreams which mostly concern the growth of the church.

PLANS

We have double invitation to be in many locations this month and the months to come. A sister in Northwest heard about our evangelistic efforts and our zeal. She is inviting us to come to her village and establish a new congregation from the 22nd  through the 28th. Another congregation is inviting us to be in Batoke for lectureship.

APPRECIATIONS

God bless you as we have just started again in 2018. Thanks very much for your prayers. Thanks for your support in all kinds of ways. We pray that you continue to do what you are doing for this work. Thanks for the partnership. We are ready to partner again with you. God bless you as we think souls and go for souls.

Elangwe and family

By His grace director BVBIC-wotutu

EVANGELISM IS OUR MISSION AND OUR MISSION IS EVANGELISM. 2TIM2:2 ;2TIM4:2

Successful campaigns in Nigeria

Beloved in Christ Jesus, 
Greetings and appreciation for your continuous support and love for the Lord 's work in Africa most especially in Nigeria. 

The school authority divided the students and instructors into four groups for the end of the years programs. The groups leaders are :Bro. Makinde Ebens, Bro. Kayode Eniafe, Bro. Abiola Joseph Olusoji and Bro. Isaac Olaniyan while the year two students most especially those of them serving as an evangelist of a congregations such as Bro. Emmanuel Godwin  ,Bro. Obey Rimamsikwe, Bro. John Serimam, Bro. Ukori Godwin Johnson, Bro. Akilapa Samuel Timileyin, Bro. Samuel Peter Ortserga, Bro. Samuel Ogunleye and Bro. Anana Abasiama Effiong. 

My group are with Ikorodu Congregation,Lagos on December 16 where I served as one of the guest speakers during the SWSE -Ikorodu campus second annual Bible Lectureship where I spoke on How to prevent the Lord 's church in becoming lukewarm. 

The Lectureship in Ikorodu Congregation was attended by over 300 brethren from 15 congregations in Lagos State and 500 VOTI volume 94 and Mission Printing booklets were freely distributed to all participants. 

Makinde Ebens, Director 

Time being used wisely in Tamale

BEAR VALLEY BIBLE INSTITUTE, TAMALE, GHANA

December Report 2017.

Break:

We have ended the third term classes successfully and the students have gone home and they will be back to school God’s willing on the 15th of January 2018. They are to use this break to see their families, congregations, and also harvest their crops on their farms.

Administrative Activities:

Administratively, we are doing everything possible to keep the school on its feet to have the bright future as an Institution which is so dear to the heart of God. It is our prayer that we will be able to accomplish this mission to the glory of the Lord Jesus.

Invitation to Tatale:

As it has been the sole aim of the management team to bring on board all the Churches of Christ in the Northern Ghana in the school, we are being communicating with the Churches daily in all we do here in the school and now they have come to appreciate our work. Most especially they appreciate brother Steven’s effort to support the growth of the Northern Churches. Also, the action of our past students in the preaching field is enough evidence that the school stands for the growth of the Church of Christ in the North.

Having received the invitation to attend the Annual Northern Bible Camp to speak to the congregation about the school and to also support the camp with our preaching equipment was so wonderful. The school supported the program with equipment both day and night for four days and enough time was given to speak at length about the school. Francis Ayine, Jabado Alex, and Niipaak Laar were there to talk to the brethren how it is important for everybody support to build the school. Many brethren were touched in their heart and a brother from Kuntumbiyili promised to give yams to feed the students and fulfilled his promise the following day. The school stands a chance of having a good future if we continue to teach the congregations the importance of having the Bible school at our door step instead of going to the South to attend the same such Bible school.

Repair Works/Needs

There are some repair and replacement works to be done. Some doors need to be replaced. The toilets walls need to be plastered and paint and all the water closets need to be replaced. We also need a water storage tank so we can have water all the time.

School Farm

We will continue to do some farm on the property like we did last year where we had a good harvested of corn. This year depending on the weather, we may do some yam or groundnut or both. In future we will need a flowing bore hole to do some farming whenever we want to.

Continue to pray with and for us. God bless you and We Wish You a Happy New Year.

Alex Jabado

Many activities in Arusha

ACSOP DECEMBER 2017 Report.

GRADUATION:

I greet you all in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. It’s my hope that everyone is doing well in the Lord’s work. Now, I would like to share with you a short report concerning graduation this year. It is a good time that God has given us to see another group of students starting a new page in the big task given by our Lord, Jesus Christ – that is to go and preach the Gospel without forgetting the task of teaching all: “This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success.Joshua 1:8 

The School had two different levels of graduates. We had fifteen from the bachelors program From Kenya we had: The Tanzania 2000 Mission has two sisters schools, which were also involved in this graduation. They are the Arusha Bible School and the Kilimanjaro Bible School. The Arusha Bible School under the administration of brother Desdery Massawe, had five students who graduated with a certificate.  In this case we witnessed Twenty students graduating, ready to serve our Lord. This was great privilege in the kingdom.

It’s my great hope that these men have all the skills needed to reach lost souls. This has been realized by the performance in the class and outside in the field while they were still students. These ACSOP students were involved in the Arusha campaign, and outreach in deferent congregations.

Youth  Camps.

In this year God provided us with two youth camps. Future preachers Training Camp and Tanzania Christian Camp. First camp FPTC we had sixty – one youth trained as preachers. It should be remembered that this camp is another tool we have to train preachers apart from ACSOP. One of the camper was baptized in this camp.

Second camp had one hundred and fifty campers, with eighteen adult chancellors and teachers. God provided ten baptisms in this camp. We thank God for this opportunity to serve His.  

First we thank God and our Lord Jesus for these wonderful events. Likewise we want to thank our brother Neal Pollard, for encouraging us ,  and also for being our keynote speaker in the graduation. Also ACSOP thanks all brothers and sisters who are not sleeping  in order to look for ways that they can fund the school so it can operate. Again these all would not be done without your efforts, also ACSOP faculty and the best missionary team we have. God is blessing the church abundantly on this side because of your efforts. Please continue to pray for us as we serve Him together.

In His service,

Ahimidiwe Kimaro

Director, Andrew Connally School of Preaching

A Bear Valley Bible Institute International extension school

Arusha, Tanzania

Graduation in Accra

SOUTHERN INSTITUTE OF BIBLICAL STUDIES (SIBS), ACCRA

DECEMBER, 2017

APPRECIATION

The students are happy so also our instructors. Their praise to the Lord is that our God is mighty, good and loving kindness Who protects and provides our needs all times. We had never lacked either closed door to our prayer in request and thanks given. May His name be GLORIFY!

Our supplication to the Lord is that you shall never lack in times of need. May the Lord restore in abundance all your endeavors to put the school into good shape, seeking that the work is done and the truth is told.

COMPLETION OF SCHOOL AND GRATITUDE – 2nd Batch

18th December, 2017, as written on the upper corner of the Formica board by the students of SIBS, Accra, “7 Days More” has come to pass.

The students are greatly happy for the completion of their Diploma in Biblical Studies. With much temptation and struggles in their two-year stay on campus, the fruit of their lips is that “we thank you for your love, free tuition, accommodation, feeding, study materials, internet, and above all instructing them in the way of God through encouragement and exhortation.

The students appreciate the staff, especially brothers Keith Kasarjian and  Steven Ashcraft; the school directors, brothers Seth Osae Larbi and Emmanuel Odeng Larbi; the instructors, brothers Kojo Acquah Beenyi,  Yaw Amoo-Gyimah, Kwabena Gyan-Mante, Jonathan Obeng Agyeapong; the cook, sister Christiana Adziaka and the Administration for being with us in spirit and in love.

We are grateful for the presents, visit, and donation from the brethren.

THE FAREWEL MESSAGE BY THE STAFF

On Thursday, 14th December, 2017, was the last day for a visit to the students for their departure. Having stood up on behave of the staff, Brother Seth Osae Larbi, gave the students a farewell message.

His message was about our preparation for the field work and not just a mere completion but to fulfill our mission on this earth as preachers of the gospel.

Having done with the message he blessed us and with word of prayer. With a hand shake we salute each other.

PRESENTATION:

Brother Emmanuel Odeng Larbi presented Willmington’s Bible Handbook and Ministering Ethics to each student being what he has for our further study and research work.

TERMLY CAMPAIGN

This was our 4th campaign held on 4th – 10th December, 2017 at the township of Obeyeyie, Amasaman-Accra. In unify body: the current students, some of the past students and other preachers propagate the gospel for a week.

Minor challenges: Muslims and other traditional faith believers have dominated the area, yet with the help of God we had in all 8 converts, 7 new Christians and an old member who has just arrived in the town. Out of this effort we establish the church in this area with many of our contacts promising to come back. We were much grateful to the Lord for the wonderful things He has done.

NEW SCHOOL YEAR

The new year for the school, being our third batch of students is beginning on January 22, 2018. We have so far interviewed fourteen students and hopefully all would come to school come January 22.

As we beginning our new year, we wish you Happy New Year, praying that much good will be done and accomplished.

Summer break in Fiji

PROGRESS UPDATE: 

Bible Institute at Raiwaqa, Fiji

SUMMER BREAK

The school is currently in their summer break.  Seasons are reversed south of the equator.  In the words of one of the Fijian ladies to my wife, on a particularly hot day, “If is so hot, it feels like Christmas!” 

Our students are enjoying their summer break.  They have been staying very busy.  Movono has been able do some work in his plantation.  He also continues to preach for the Delaidamanu Church of Christ and teach a weekly Bible class.  

Some of our students were asked to speak on the Aliesa Lectureship.  This workshop was held on the island of Upolu in the neighboring country of Samoa, a little over 700 miles from Suva, Fiji (as the crow flies).  Three of our students (Emosi, Vili, and Va) and one of our teachers (Jason) along with four other members of the Raiwaqa Church of Christ flew to Samoa for the workshop which was held December 29 to 31, 2017.   The Theme of this Lectureship was “Being Approved By God” taken from 2 Timothy 2:15.  Emosi, Vili, and Jason taught classes during the workshop.  Sister Va taught the ladies’ classes.  

At this same time, Peter Lee, another one of our students, traveled by ferry to the northern island of Vanua Levu, Fiji.  He and his wife Moira worked with the Buca Church of Christ in Savusavu.  They passed out tracks in the city during the week and Peter preached for the church on Sunday.  

Lency, our first international student from the Solomon Islands, flew back to Honiara, Solomon Islands.  He then traveled to his home island (four days by boat) to spend time with his family.  During his stay, he is conducting Bible studies with his relatives and friends.  He sent the following text to my son, Jason:

"Hi brother,

l'm still in the village, here in my village they are all members of aglican church.  Only few individuals are from different religious groups. My family and I, we are all fine.  At the moment what I'm doing I'm easily teaching some of my relatives to understand the new testament church and the faith that we have in Christ.

Thanks,

Bro.Lency."  

LIBRARY UPDATE:

I flew to Denver to pick up 7 boxes of books, from Bear Valley Bible Institute at Denver to jumpstart our library.  These books along with another 7 boxes donated by John McCain, (Jason’s father-in-law) and 3 boxes donated by Tony and Cathy Duncan (from Cathy’s late father’s personal library) are being prepared for shipment to Fiji.

In addition to these books, we have had three more laptops and one desktop donated for our computer lab.  These resources will be invaluable tools for our students to use in completing their class assignments.

TEXTBOOK UPDATE:

Normally, Jason and I have been writing and printing our own textbooks. Because of the technical nature of the subjects, Jason and I felt it important to use some commercially published books from our upcoming classes on Greek and Bible Geography.  Due to the generosity of several congregations and interested individuals we were able to purchase 20 copies each of Basic Greek in 30 Minutes a Day, by James Found The Basics of Biblical Greek, by William D. Mounce, and The History and Geography of the Bible, by Bob and Sandra Waldron

Rocco Pierce, Director

An outstanding year in Liberia

Dear Brethren,

The month of December started very well both in and out of the classroom. Our fourteen (14) full time students are doing very well and are all in high spirit moving to the finish line. They all say hello.

Campaign

The school took up a campaign in a town called Garr Boosue to help a struggling and dying church and by God's special grace, the church has been restored and 12 souls were baptized and added to the Lord.

Agriculture Practical Farm

Our agriculture practicals continued to bring forth fruits. 98 watermelons were harvested and sold to help transport the students to the year end minister's network lectureship program in Weala, Bong County.

VACATION

The students and are now on vacationand will be coming back to school on the 14th of January 2018. We are hearing lots of good news from their ministers and church leaders about their evangelistic efforts in their church.

With your support, we were able to have seven (7) successful campaigns this year(2017). Four (4) of those campaigns were our normal academic campaigns for the school supported by Bear Valley, and the remaining three (3) campaigns were supported by the additional funds sent to us through brother Steven Aschraft. All of these seven campaigns efforts resulted in the follow:

1. 115 baptisms

2. 4 new congregations planted

3. 2 dying congregations restored

4. 43 falling christians restored.

APPRECIATIONS

We want to take this time to extend our sincere thanks and appreciations to you for all your sacrifices that are making it possible for the Lord's work here to go on. May God richly bless you.

Your Brother For Jesus Sake;

Robert P. Dahn, Jr.

Director- BVBI-L

Wonderful in Wotutu

Dearest in Christ,

Greetings from this part of the globe. We wish you the best for the season. We do hope all is well with you and the work. It was great to work with you closely this year of 2017 and we look forward to another blissful year ahead of us in 2018.

I am writing to share my annual report and how God has used us to accomplished great things in His vineyard here in Wotutu, Cameroon. Thanks for all your prayers and support. God bless you and keep you strong as we prepare to do more by His grace next year.

 Elder Randy, one of the overseeing elders in STC, along with his wife Robin, were in Cameroon to teach the students and their wives. He taught the students “1 Corinthians” while she was busy teaching the students wives “Holy Women of God.” They were great classes and were enjoyed by all.

Hinder-land mission took the stage after the short courses. Our destination was for 9 hinterland villages including my village where there are no passable roads. We trekked hours upon hours under a beautiful rain forest. It was hard, but our thoughts of souls motivated us to move on no matter the difficulties.

Our students are out to 19 different villages to preach, teach, and nurture congregations. They went out with new Bibles to give to previous converts. They went with the greatest weapon we have so as to dismantle hearts that are stubborn with the words of God. While in different villages, we shared the word of God and shared reading glasses to both Christians and unbelievers. It was a blessing to see some old people select glasses that would help them to see clearly again. To God be the glory.

We were engaged in preaching house to house and also from one market squares to another. Many paid attention and listened to the truth. You can see some of our graduates. It was awesome for some of our graduates whom we visited to welcome us in their area of work and share with us passions and visions about the work in their respective areas. WE ARE NOT ALONE AND WE SHALL NEVER BE ALONE WAS REITERATED AGAIN, bringing back that team work spirit to work together and developed the kingdom of God.

Brother David Ballard was the first white man to be in Mbiaka village. That is my home town. The children were really amazed to see him but they were not scared because they knew that some humans have that color as they watch that on TV and movies. They saw him live as a man that loves children. He was friendly with them and shook their hands. It was fun.

God bless you. Thank you for your sacrifice towards this success. God alone will reward you and replenish from anywhere you took resources to help make us be able to do the work smoothly. Thanks very much. Words cannot quantify our sincere gratitude to your efforts.

Do your best to greet families, church families, and neighbors around you. We lift up our eyes to heaven pleading for heaven to give us grace again to be partners in His work come 2018. We have dreams that will help us do more for the kingdom. God bless you as you continue to be a source of blessings to many.

Elangwe and family

By His grace director BVBIC-Wotutu

EVANGELISM IS OUR MISSION AND OUR MISSION IS EVANGELISM.2TIM2:2 2TIM4:2