Commitment To The Physical And Spiritual Needs Of Nepal...

Greetings from Kathmandu:

Thursday morning we had a breakfast meeting at my apartment. There were 2 ladies and 7 men present. Tomorrow [Saturday] will be 14 weeks since the first earthquake. The headlines and even the publicity have almost ended. The problems have hardly lessened. Our perspectives have progressed from urgency, fueled by inexperienced panic, to a much more mature and realistic acceptance, giving fuel to the diligent commitment set before us.  

Our commitment is focused upon two areas:  

A.  Earthquake ........ Physical and Temporary [however long that may be].
B.  Spiritual ............. Souls and Eternal

Our next mission outing and campaign will be a 10 day excursion back to the mountain area of Dhading and Rasuwa [Aug. 25 - Sept. 3]. We plan to have 20+ Christian men and women from the Kathmandu Valley be part of this campaign.

Earthquake ...... Physical:   

250 bundles of metal sheeting for Rasuwa District.
500 bundles of metal sheeting for Dhading District.
Food and blankets also.
Work sessions to clear debris and to prepare for re-building after the monsoon.

Spiritual ........... Eternal:     

Bible classes.   August 28-29         
AM ...... Everyone together
PM ....... Men's classes and Ladies' Classes

On Monday, August 17 we will take 400 Children's Bible Story books to three villages by helicopter. Those congregations will distribute them throughout the mountain villages. The adults don't know the stories or the important messages of the Old Testament stories. They will also publicize and give personal invitations to the villages to partake in the SPIRITUAL healing and strengthening of the Bible classes to be conducted in Syaprubesi. There will be two trucks loaded with PHYSICAL relief and aid items. The trucks will take the items as close to each village as possible.  

The ladies will have two Old Testament Stories and one New Testament Parable each afternoon.   

The fears and the sorrows generated from these earthquakes underscore how this life is so temporary and the need to be ready for eternity. The present pain and grief pale in comparison to an eternity in hell. The promise and hope of heaven can bring joy and peace in the present misfortune. We will do what we can about the pain and grief of the PHYSICAL misfortune, while we also minister to the SPIRITUAL joy and peace waiting as we endure the cross we bear on earth.

This campaign will be expensive. The 750 bundles of metal sheeting and two trucks will be about $45,000.00.  The money will be used for the very purpose that it was donated and sent.  We assure you this is wise use of time and money .......... Physically/Temporary and Spiritually/Eternally. Gajendra leaves in the morning for two weeks in east Nepal and bordering India. The purposes are [a] to deliver Bibles, song books, and Children's Bible stories, [b] to teach and encourage, and [c] to make more plans for his marriage early next year. We will send you updates on our financial situation when he returns. 

Thank you and God bless you,
Jerry

You Have Stayed Long Enough At This Mountain...

"You have stayed long enough at this mountain" -Deut 1:6-8

When it was time for the Israelites to leave the comfort of Mount Horeb, God told them to leave and possess the land that was promised to them. Before they left, Moses reminded them of what they needed to do once God gave the land to them. They were to be faithful to God, influence their neighbors, and not get possessed by them. 

Last week on July 24th, IBISR had our 2015 graduation. A total of 11 students finished a rigorous 3 year program! I am excited for these young leaders and the work that they've set out to do for Him. They have stayed at the Bible school long enough. It is time for them to put what they've learn to practice and serve God faithfully, to be the example in their word and especially in their action, to be the light and influence to their friends and families, to possess souls for Christ and not get possessed by the world and it's allure. These are the men and women that will play a major part in transforming Cambodia from the inside out. 

Our ladies, Khemrey, Phally, Makara, Socheat, Duong, and Ratana, will all serve the children of Hannah's Hope, teaching them godly principles with godly love and nourishment. Our men: Vannak will stay in Siem Reap helping the church and be on staff with the Bible school. Tuk will serve God in his home village of Sambu planting and growing a church there. He already has 4 members there while he was studying in school. He will be the local church's (Siem Reap) first ever sponsored graduate. We are excited about that! Sovanara and Sopheak will serve God together on the Ship of Life, ministering to the poor villagers along the Mekong River proving healthcare to them at the same time sharing the good news of Jesus Christ with them. Pros will continue to serve God at Kompong Kleang providing safe water and most importantly Living water to the people there. 

We thank you for your prayers and support and ask that you continue to remember us as we serve him faithfully here in our part of the world.

Phanat

To see Phanat’s post with a picture of the graduates listed below, please click here.

2015 International Bible Institute of Siem Reap Graduates
Sopheak, Tuk, Duong, Socheat, Makara, Khemery, Phally, Ratana, Sovanara, Pros, and Vannak

Preparing For Final Exams And Mission Trip...

Calvary greetings dearest in the Lord,

The blessings of the Lord are upon His chosen generation. The world is evolving, so to Christianity, but positively. Our country is facing a political crisis, most especially in the Northern part. Please commit this section into the hands of God so that it will not inconvenience our mission work the end of this month.

Evangelism is our mission and our mission is Evangelism. Six of our students were out on mission work this weekend all in our newly created assembly in Mujuka for two days. The men in black spent time to dedicate their morning and evening sections for two days with door to door evangelism and visitation. Blessed are those that preach the gospel of peace, at this moment people are displeased. 

The church in Mbanga is praying for the students as they prepare for their second semester exams and second mission trip to various destinations, even though there are only a few of them. The instructors are putting up all their best to see that knowledge is being transferred with great success.

The school is preparing to welcome minister Gallis from Texas for two weeks of short-courses.

Our sincere salutation from our young assembly that we believe you will one day come and see for yourself how the work is going on. 

Ititi

Graduation Is The Highlight Of The Week...

One of the exciting opportunities when traveling to the various extension locations is to participate in graduation ceremonies. Last Friday evening, the International Bible Institute of Siem Reap hosted their third graduation. Eleven students graced the stage to receive their certificate as family and friends honored them for their accomplishments. The joy and excitement shared in this event is a small glimpse into the reasons extension training is making a difference around the world. A full report will be shared in the weeks ahead from the director of the program at IBISR.

Over the next two months, several other locations will host graduation ceremonies for students who are completing their studies. The Southwest School of Evangelism in Ibadan, Nigeria will host graduation later in August and the Center for Biblical Studies in Kpalime, Togo will host their graduation ceremony the first week in September. Other locations are nearing this great event also and we ask you to pray for the graduates, their work in the kingdom, and for the incoming students who begin their journey.

Speaking of a new journey: As we approach August, a new group of students in Denver prepare for their first day of class next week. The anticipation of that first day of class is thrilling for incoming students. They are filled with wonder as to what the courses will be like and what they will learn over the next two years in preparation for preaching the gospel. The road ahead for them seems like an eternity as they begin, but the next two years will go by incredibly fast. Please remember to pray for these men and their families.

Now on to this week’s incredible reports...

Coordinator Updates
Reports from the coordinators are now located on the website, under Staff Reports. The address is http://www.wetrainpreachers.com/extension-schools/

Extension Reports 

Weekend Evangelism In Batoke, Cameroon Sees 7 Energetic Souls Added: The reports from Cameroon are encouraging as their weekend evangelism is growing the kingdom.

In The Midst Of Sadness In Cameroon, Joy Is Found In The Lord: Brother Ititi shares information about the recent passing of one of the students, brother Albert Naoussi.

Outreach Near Chimala, Tanzania Produces Fruit For The Kingdom: During the month of July, students at Chimala Bible Institute were sharing the gospel and God gave the increase.

The Kingdom Expands More And More Here In Tanzania: The work in Arusha is exciting as it reaches out into areas of Kenya and northern Tanzania.

Serving Where Conversions Are The Norm, Not The Exception: The report from Cy Stafford is exciting as he shares news about God blessing the proclamation of the gospel.

Final Thoughts 
The joy of seeing the gospel spread throughout the world is due to the compassion and generosity of each of you. Thank you for allow us the opportunity to partner with you and the great men and women in each location. The work being accomplished is building the kingdom of our Lord and glorifying His holy name. Thank you for helping make it all possible.

God bless
Bob

Outreach Near Chimala, Tanzania Produces Fruit For The Kingdom...

During the month of June, the Chimala Bible Institute held several seminars at its Southwest Tanzania campus. We had three seminars, a women’s, a youth and a preacher’s seminar, and all had successful results. There were several non-Christian visitors as well. In fact, during the youth seminar, there were 11 baptisms. During the women’s seminar, there were 2 baptisms. For the preacher’s seminar, we had a guest speaker teaching about converting Muslims.

Also, the CBI staff and students went door knocking in five different village locations. These door knockings resulted in a combined total of 12 baptisms. 

Finally, out work on the radio program is reaping great results. Just in the last month, we have 9 baptisms which are a direct result of the radio program. In the words of Xavier Ngullo, one of our CBI teachers, “the radio program, having been received with curiosity by those who hear of the church for the first time on the radio program, is showing promising results as of this and last month alone we have received calls from all over Mbozi, people are asking us to go to them, they want to hear from us directly. And we in effort of satisfying their curiosity and helping them to know Jesus more have gone around and sent to them messengers where we could not go due to time and financial limits.” Please pray for this continued work.

May the Lord continue to bless the work.

Chad Wagner

In The Midst Of Sadness In Cameroon, Joy Is Found In The Lord...

Greetings dearest in the Lord. It was a sad week in BVBIC-Mbanga, but in everything we still give thanks to the Lord. Brother Albert Naoussi fell seriously sick in Mbouda during the first semester holidays and was discovered in his house by the preacher of that congregation who happily was going to visit his brother and student who just came back from school. Instead, he met him in a coma because there was no one to help him at home. Neighbors testified that they heard him praying all night and they knew that he was around because that was his custom. That same day I beckoned on brother Bernard to visit him and he went to see the situation, but met him a bit relieved then gave the report to school which gave us the courage to be praying for him. He was brought back to school by his son to spend some time with his fellow brothers until he was able to walk alone. One week later the son took him to Douala after the matriculation ceremony in which he died on the Sunday the 19th of July 2015 in Douala.

The school played a great role of assistance while on his sick bed. We sent money during this time and even when he was with us. He was taken to the hospital by the school in more than one occasion.

God is great. We appreciate you for your continued prayers, kind participation both spiritually and financially to see that this burial passed on well by His grace. I was given the opportunity to present a sermon before burial and I talk about the “The Second Coming of Jesus Christ” using ACT 24:14-15 “Laying On The Just and the Unjust.” I travel to Douala with brother Philip, a student, and brother Dafta, an instructor at the school, and to the village with Dantoudji, a student, and brother Bernard, an instructor. We successfully buried him in the Lord yesterday in the presence of some brothers and sisters from Douala, Mbanga, Mbouda, Nbangate and Bafoussam.

The work in Mbanga is going on well and also our new congregation in Mujuka Peage that has some crisis right now because the land lady does not want the church to hold services in her house, and even the students should not sleep there. But for the students, they now go and come back everyday during the weekend and go and worship outside because the Presbyterians are still using the school compound. The brother told us about it and this will last till October. We are praying for that mission to be a great one and want to send all the students there this weekend including my self. Evangelism is our Mission and our Mission is Evangelism.

Dearest in the Lord, together we are going to make French Cameroon a place for the dueling of Christ and even the surrounding countries like T chad, Gabon, Congo, Central Africa, while not Mozambique. By His grace, I strongly believe that. Let us keep on praying and working in the Lord. 

Ititi

The Kingdom Expands More And More Here In Tanzania...

To God be the Glory. We found much favor with the love of God as we were traveling to different places in the country. As it was stated in earlier reports, our entire mission of this trip was based on visiting and encouraging our graduate students for their evangelistic efforts. We have been able to link the school of preaching with so many congregations this time and as a result, many local congregations have shown a desire to send more students to the preaching school here in Arusha. 

In some places we were able to do a little of evangelism with our students. This gave us an opportunity to meet with the ongoing Bible classes that are conducted by our students while they are at home. We were able to meet both graduate and current students of ACSOP. Through this program we found out that our students are engaging in local ministries while they are on break. Along with other activities of distributing books, Bible tracts, cd’s of Bible lessons and teaching from time to time in homes of Christians, we have been able recruit new students. In Iringa, two brothers have shown a desire to come and learn the word of God so they can become servants in the Kingdom. Let us continue praying for them as they prepare to come next year.

On our way back we had a chance to stop at Chimala (Mbeya) where we met three older men (Isaac Chando, Edwin Tusekelege and Lenkosi Mkwama, who is one of the elders of the Chimala church of Christ). These brothers have blessed us with a short story of how the true gospel came into the borders of Tanzania in the early 50’s. They told a story of brother Andrew Connally (the first missionary in Tanzania) and how the Arusha congregation was planted through the efforts of these three men. It was 1970 when these brothers came to Arusha and evangelized the area. Their effort resulted in three baptisms by 1974 when they decided to go back home (Mbeya). In 1976, Brother Isaac Chando along with others decided to come back and work as a full time minister of the congregation. Through the support of brothers from US they were able to buy land and construct a church building for worship. Another missionary (brother Cy Stafford) moved to Arusha from Chimala in the late 90’s, along with other local evangelists. The Lord has been able to accomplish much for the Kingdom through them. As we speak today, the Arusha Church of Christ and the TZ2000 effort have been able to plant more than 50 congregations in East Africa with more that 1000 faithful Christians who worship the Lord on Sunday.

May the Lord God bless each one of you who labor each day for the Kingdom and let the wisdom of His love increase each day for you. 

In Him,

Godfrey Mngoma
Dean of Students, Andrew Connally School of Preaching
An Extension School of the Bear Valley Bible Institute - International
Arusha, Tanzania

Serving Where Conversions Are The Norm, Not The Exception...

Greetings Fellow Servants; 

We hope and pray this short report finds you and your families doing well, blessed in all the right ways. We, here in Tanzania are doing well, busy, joyful and thankful. 

It has been a very busy week. Here are but a few examples of the good our God is doing in East Africa through His faithful:

Maurice Gasper reports: “We continue with our follow up from the campaign efforts by our brothers and sisters from IN and AL. We have handed out more than 5,000 Bible tracts, signed up dozens of correspondence courses, and have established over 80 home Bible studies. Three souls have obeyed the saving message of the gospel to His glory. We thank all who have brought the light of the gospel to these dying people.” 

Jacob Omolo reports: “We thank God for the newly established congregation here at Bondo, Kenya. Souls are hearing and souls are obeying the Word of God through the faithful preaching of the gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen!”

David Bayi reports: “We thank God for the “Spiritual Disciplines” seminar. Our numbers are growing with 92 present for worship this day. Two souls were restored through this wonderful effort. We praise Him and we thank Him for His abundant love”. 

Today was another great day in the Kingdom here at the Kisongo congregation. Both last week and this week, souls gave their lives to the Lord. It is such a blessing and privilege to serve where conversions are the norm, not the exception. To witness the power of the gospel working in and through the lives of so many is refreshing to say the least. 

Many remember; “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God.” But, all to often many forget the rest of the verse; “that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” (1 Peter 2:9) It is true, “The most powerful ongoing Christian witness has always been the speaking of God’s Word by one who is living God’s Word,” (Donald S. Whitney). All the good deeds in the world will never save a soul. Until that person meets Jesus through the reading, teaching or preaching of the gospel, they will remain in darkness. Let us stand up, speak up, and measure up to our personal responsibilities before it is eternally to late!

Let our light so shine in the coming week, that some lost soul might know Jesus, His love, and the power of the gospel in their life. 

Prayers requested: Daniel Gaines will fly out tonight, myself tomorrow night. We have been away from our families way to long and are eagerly anticipating our reunion with our loved ones. Until all have heard…

In Him,
Cy, Stephanie & Granny

Weekend Evangelism In Batoke, Cameroon Sees 7 Energetic Souls Added...

Dearest in Christ,

Greetings from your brothers and sisters here in Cameroon. We pray our warm greetings meet you in good health and sound faith. The rainy season is still on and we are doing our best in the midst of bad weather.

Last week went on well in BVBIC-Wotutu. Our instructors continue to struggle even through rain to make sure our schedules in school move on smoothly. Their commitment is a great lesson for our students to keep in their hearts even after they leave school.

Students were out for weekend evangelism in four different locations with Batoke having mass evangelism, as students were there to do house-to-house evangelism.

As I write this report, those who went out for weekend evangelism have made their way back to school.

Because of the bad weather conditions, students are advised to put on a pullover to keep warm, even as they sit in class with white pullovers the school prescribed.

Mass evangelism went to the village of Batoke. It was great, as many were able to be touched with the pure gospel. The work is taking a different dimension now as our students go there on a weekly basis to continue nurturing.

House-to-house evangelism was our business and the Lord was with us to reach out and make known the name of the Lord to the community.

Young men in the community were amazed with the amount of truth exposed by our students. As the Lord continues to add young and vibrant people into His body, it gives the church a future.

Our students were standing on the line like soldiers ready with the word, which is more than the mostly deadly bomb. They were ready and courageous to dismantle the works of the evil one in high places. Keep them in your prayers.

Many thanks to those who made it possible for the van to be here. The van was able to carry above 17 persons to Batoke community. God blessed and replenished the source in His Son’s name.

Children in the Wotutu congregation continue to study the Bible away from the adult class. We are happy to see our children growing with the truth. This gives us a strong future for the church. As our children study, the future of the church is assured.

Sister Rosine obeyed the gospel in Batoke. Keep her in your prayers as she was happy to worship the New Testament design today for her first time.

Brother Peters obeyed the gospel and God added 7 precious energetic souls into His kingdom in Batoke. We are sure of their growth as our students will be there on a weekly basis to nurture.

Getting to some villages during this period is not easy. It takes time and hard work to get to some destinations, but we praise God that He will always take us and bring us back safe and sound.

Getting Bibles into the hands of new converts who are ready to study more is our pleasure. The demand for Bibles comes to my office on a daily basis. Please, if you can donate more Bibles, they go into the hands of our converts and will help them teach others. As they grow in the Lord it is awesome.

Plans
Our Idenau mission is on, as we did a feasibility study of that coastal border town with Nigeria. It will be great for the church of Christ to be established there. It will help many who are in that community.

Appreciations
God bless you. We are thankful for all that you are doing. Thank you for your prayers, thoughts, and support for the work going on here.

Brightland Christian Academy and Brightland Christian orphanage continue to make impact on the lives of children in the Wotutu area and Cameroon. God bless you and keep you strong as you share this report with others.

Elangwe and family
By His grace director BVBIC-Wotutu

Much To Be Thankful For And Much To Pray About...

With only two weeks left before the new quarter of studies begins in Denver, students are arriving from all over the country. The staff and congregation at Bear Valley are excited about the new class of students beginning their program of study, a journey that will take them through the next two years. There will be highs and lows and they will face numerous challenges, so we ask you to pray for each of these men as they prepare to preach the gospel.

Other exciting news pours in from around the world as students prepare to graduate in several locations. Students in Cambodia will graduate this Friday evening and a new class of students is already arriving to begin their studies in just a few weeks. The Southwest School of Evangelism will also host a graduation of their students next month in Nigeria. Others continue their studies in God’s word and the progress can be read below.

The devastation in Nepal is also a pressing need. Jerry Golphenee and Gajendra Deshar provide updated information on their efforts to help in the relief needs of the brethren and people of Nepal.

Now on to this week’s incredible reports...

Coordinator Updates
Reports from the coordinators are now located on the website, under Staff Reports. The address is http://www.wetrainpreachers.com/extension-schools/

Extension Reports 

Rain May Darken The Skies In Cameroon, But The Evangelistic Spirit Shines: Regardless of the challenges brought on by the weather, evangelism continues to see souls added to the church.

Praying For The Family Of Noassi Albert In Mbanga, Cameroon: One of the students at the new school in Mbanga passed away last week. Please remember his family in prayer.

Five Day Trip Brings Updated Reports From Nepal: The news of devastation in Nepal continues to indicate the need for aid and assistance. Read more in this week’s update.

Graduation Brings Joy To Christians In The Northern Sector Of Ghana: The recent graduation in Tamale was an exciting event for the church in the northern parts of Ghana.

The Good News Just Keeps Getting Better In Tanzania: Reports from the work in Arusha, Tanzania continue to demonstrate the power of preacher training as the gospel spreads.

Recent Trip To Kenya Produces Fruit For The Kingdom: As staff from ACSOP travel to encourage various graduates, the results are producing fruit for the Lord’s church.

ACSOP Planning For A Bright Future In Preacher Training: The foundational planning stages are laid for the future development of the program of study in Arusha.

A Plan For Sustainability In The Work Of Preacher Training: One of the great needs in the program is sustainability and it is exciting to see this coming together at ACSOP.

Final Thoughts 
As we close again this week, we want each of you to know how important you are to this program. Without you, the Bear Valley Bible Institute would not exist. Without your love and compassion for the development of the Lord’s kingdom, thousands of people would not be Christians today. Thank you for the blessing you are to all who participate in and benefit from preacher training.

God bless
Bob

Praying For The Family Of Noassi Albert In Mbanga, Cameroon...

In every situation we still give thanks to God. We had a busy week with the students and the local preachers in Cameroon hoping to create a link with the world’s greatest family, the church. We are pulling on well. Four out of the seven went out for evangelism last weekend and all came back successfully today, by His grace, even though the francophone are very difficult to convert, but we keep on working for the Lord.

Our young congregation in Muyuka worshiped this weekend for their fourth time, but persecution has started already as we where pushed outside by the land-lady, but nevertheless we still worshiped the great God.

Hebrews 9:27, as it is written, brother Noassi Albert, the aged student in BVBIC-Mbanga, is no more. He died yesterday at midnight. The corpse will be removed on Friday the 24th of July 2015 in Douala.

Ititi

Rain May Darken The Skies In Cameroon, But The Evangelistic Spirit Shines...

Dearest in Christ,

Greetings from Cameroon this rainy day. We do hope you are doing well in all that you do. We praise God we are getting back to normal as concerns our health. Many continue to get sick here because of the weather conditions. For the past two weeks rain has not stopped.

Life in BVBIC-Wotutu is making impacts to those who are connected to that big family. Our students are getting more focused as they see the field ripe and laborers are still few. They have gained consciousness that the prayer of the Lord for the Father to send more laborers and the prayers of many Christians is directly being fulfilled in their lives as they accepted the call to preach. Keep praying for them daily for your prayers are helping in many ways.

“How can they hear without a preacher? This question is a strong drive for us to reach out. After weeks of sickness and bed rest prescribed to me by my lovely wife, who is not a medical doctor, the gospel calling can still get us up from our beds to go. A soul is out there that needs our word for his or her rescue from darkness. I was able to go with Bibles and communion cups to attend a preacher meeting where about 16 congregations benefited from a box of 1000 communion cups. The news of another ocean container of tracts was applauded with great joy and a prayer was offered to our God for blessings upon Mission Printing and all the volunteers. God alone will reward them for their aid to help sink the gospel to the hearts of many here in Wotutu.

We praise God for the arrival of the Bible school van, which is also used in most rainy days to get Christians who live far away from the church hall and in other villages and some disable people to church, like today. If not for this van I doubt how many of such people would have had the means to make it to church. God’s blessings be upon all those who put their efforts together to make this happen. Many thanks STC, we love you all.

The Wotutu congregation was blessed with a new born baby call Makenzi. I named the baby after this child whom we want this African child to grow up like, full with the love of the Lord. Keep sister Rachael’s family in your prayers for them to bring up this child in the love of the Lord and His church.

Our leaders continue to gain grounds. One of the leaders in the Wotutu congregation, brother Chi, offered lunch to our students last Thursday. It was great for our students to also benefit from the love shown to their predecessors in the Bible college.

There is a lot of questioning in Wotutu where the village clock is not working for the past one week. Our early morning program, “Back to the Bible,” was termed by the villagers that the Church of Christ is the Village Clock, but persecution sets in and some denominational leaders are angry that we preach against their practices and they team up to plot against us with the eventual stop of the program. We wrote to some authorities and we are praying and waiting for their reply, but I comforted the entire congregation that when one door closes the Lord is able to open another door. Keep lifting up our desire to use the PA system to drive the word of God to many when their minds are still empty. But we still evangelized through door to door and it is always our pleasure to point the truth to a prospect who will become a suspect and later the gospel will transform the suspect to a convert to the glory of God.

Sister Ikera Rebecca obeyed the gospel. Keep her in your prayers as she is eager to learn more about God. The heavy rain cannot stop us from doing God’s will as the van can take us closer to the river. What a big blessing we have here. Our God is too good to us.

Sister Rebecca Ikera and 2 more souls were added to the Kingdom, as our students spent weekend in 13 locations. The heavy rain can only disturb, but it cannot stop us from going to where the gospel calls. Many congregations continue to enjoy revival from sound, seasoned messages from our students every week. Keep praying for them. We go to rob from the strong man’s house because we know the one what wins souls is wise.

Plans
Our west coast of Cameroon new work is coming closer, as this weekend we shall have a mass evangelism in Batoke village that will give us a stepping stone to penetrate the west coast areas.

Appreciations
We are full with joy because of what the Lord is using you to make happen here. If not of you we doubt how this work would have been. Thank you, thank you from the bottom of our hearts. We say thank you for being there for us. Your prayers, thoughts, and financially support are highly appreciated by many here. Do your best to share our news with others.

Elangwe and family
By His grace Director BVBIC-Wotutu

The Good News Just Keeps Getting Better In Tanzania...

Greetings Fellow Servants;

Words fail me in saying thank God and thank you. This past week Stephanie and I received some “good news,” very unexpected. We were facing some personal challenges and the challenge was met in a most unexpected way. We were reminded of God’s love, grace, and mercy. We were reminded of the love of the brotherhood. We were reminded of the privilege it is to be working with the amazing Bear Valley team/family. Thank you all for your prayers and continued support of God’s mission work here in Tanzania. Stephanie and I both feel wholy inadequate, but grateful to be able to serve were we are. 

Good News from the Kisongo congregation: Lilian was baptized into Christ! 

Good News from the Bukoba congregation: One soul added to the church!

Good News from the Lulembela congregation: Two precious souls obey the gospel! 

Good New from the Mbozi congregation: God adds four more souls to His Kingdom!

The Good news of the gospel continues to spread throughout Tanzania and God continues to give the increase. It is a joy and a privilege to be here doing God’s will knowing our labors are not in vain. It is a joy and a privilege knowing you are praying and supporting the Tanzania mission team in all the right ways, making possible the hearing of God’s word. 

Please remember our brother Sean as he prepares to fly out tomorrow night. It has been a very fruitful visit as we plan the work of the ACSOP and the future of the Lord’s work here in East Africa. 

Please remember Daniel as he plans to leave next Sunday. His family longs to see him and he them. Please keep JoJo in your prayers as he continues with his medical tests to hopefully determine the cause of his seizures. 

One last prayer request: if God wills, I, too, will be leaving on the 27th of this month. It has been a challenge not having Stephanie here, but we thank God for all the prayers and support we have received from our church family.  

Remember, God loves you and so do we. Serve Him faithfully and our fellow man daily, knowing souls matter. 

Update: We are grateful for the support in securing the land for the church at Babati. God’s saints continue in their generosity, glorifying Him in all the right ways. 

In Him,
Cy, Stephane and Granny

ACSOP Planning For A Bright Future In Preacher Training...

ACSOP Staff Scatter Across East Africa
For the past ten days, and continuing through the upcoming week, the Andrew Connally School of Preaching faculty have traveled several hundred miles, over roads that you can't imagine, to visit with numerous ACSOP Alumni. Their goal? To encourage our graduates in their kingdom work, spend some time evangelizing with them, preaching to the brethren with whom they labor and to recruit new students for the 2016 school year. In addition to this noble cause they are taking time to visit with several of the elder brethren to document the rich history of the church in East Africa. Please see Charles Heberth’s report above with more details.

Missionaries Plan For The Bright Future
One of the great privileges of this trip has been to sit down with Cy Stafford and Daniel Gaines to discuss future plans for the ACSOP. We have been very blessed that the school is now almost completely run by local brethren and running fairly smooth at that. While we are thrilled at the tremendous progress of ACSOP we also recognize the importance of advancing the school to an even higher plane. Hence, Cy took us to a quiet location and we spent the day planning for the next phase in the development of the ACSOP. Obviously, we are still in the formative stage of planning. When everything comes together we will gladly share our hopes and dreams with you. Until then, pray that we have the wisdom to plan well, dream big and trust our Father.

A Fun Birthday Gathering
Well, it turns out that Cy and Daniel have birthday's that are just a few days apart (although Cy is the old crusty). There is a new restaurant in Arusha called Spurs. It is owned by a South African and he has locations in a number of places throughout the continent. I'm not sure if the owner made a trip to the southwest or was captivated by tv westerns but the place is decorated with a western flair. It is a comical setting to say the least. The icing on the comical cake however is the way they celebrate birthday's with their guests. Not wanting to miss a chance at embarrassing both Daniel and Cy, I just happened to capture the whole ordeal on video. Take a look and don't hesitate at giving both of them a hard time.

Concluding Remarks
Speaking of Daniel and Cy, please remember both of them in your prayers. Daniel's young son, JoJo, has been suffering with unexplained seizures. His wife Tiffany is stateside with the children arranging all the necessary tests, etc. Daniel will be traveling back next week to be present for all the tests. Cy and Stephanie are in need of your prayers as well. Stephanie is gladly taking care of her aging mother and can't be away from her for very long. Cy is spending a lot of time in Tanzania to make sure the work continues as needed. Please keep them in your prayers as the are separated for long periods of time.
Spending time with our brethren and with Daniel and Cy has been a real joy. I love them all and am glad that we are able to work together for the cause of Christ.

Thank you for all YOU do for the kingdom. All of the aforementioned plans and activities are possible because you support this work. You are appreciated more than you can imagine.
Until next time, take care and God bless.

Yours in Christ,
Sean & Anita

A Plan For Sustainability In The Work Of Preacher Training...

As we look toward the future of this great work, we want to do all that we can to increase the sustainability of the work. We are increasingly handing over more and more responsibilities to the local brethren and actively working to reduce their dependency on the missionaries. As a part of that, we are also working to cut costs at the school and increase the amount that it can support itself.  

Towards that end, we are improving and expanding the farming/gardening project at the school. We spent a portion of last week hosting and meeting with some interested parties from the US that are going to help us with this by supplying funding and expertise. The future in this area is very promising.  

Expanding our food production will help the school in two ways. First, it reduces the cost of feeding the students and staff. Secondly, whatever can be produced above the school's food-needs can be sold to further offset expenses. In other words, once the operation is in full-swing, it will both sustain itself and contribute to the fiscal health of the school.

One area of food production is livestock. Currently, the school has a medium-sized chicken house supporting a little over 100 broilers. We would like to drastically expand that to include as many as 1,000 layers and 1,000 broilers. We are also exploring the possibility of adding pigs to the project. They would be highly profitable in the market here. Plus that would give us a place for the prodigal to work until they repent. (Just kidding!) We could also marginally increase our cattle stock, but our grounds cannot support more than a few more cows.  

The other area of production is garden crops. This is the most immediate area of focus. Our guys have been building these raised, drip-irrigation beds. Netting is placed around crops like tomatoes that are particularly vulnerable to pests. At this point, we have about 25 of these beds prepared, but we having funding now to go ahead and cover a full acre. 

Another great advantage of this project is the training that it provides to the students. The Lord's church is growing so rapidly in East Africa, that we cannot graduate guys fast enough to keep up with the tremendous demand for trained evangelists. However, most of these needs are at very small congregations that cannot afford to support a man full-time. As our students learn these gardening methods, they gain a skill that will allow them to feed their families while they are serving at a local congregation.  

As you can see, these efforts represent a positive step forward in the area of self-sustainability of both the school and the students entering the work force. Join with me in praying for God's continued blessings on these efforts.

Josiah Update: He continues to have episodes periodically, and we are anxiously awaiting his next round of testing on August 3. Thanks to some very kind friends, I am going to have the opportunity to make a short visit to the US soon. I will arrive just in time for Levi's birthday (my youngest son). I will be able to be there for Josiah's hospital stay. As a bonus, I will have the opportunity to attend Polishing the Pulpit before rushing back to teach my 3rd quarter class at ACSOP. It will have been a full 2 months since I have seen my wife and kids, so I am very eager and appreciative of the opportunity to visit.

By the way, if I was not able to get to your congregation on my last furlough, and you would like for me to visit with you next month, then please contact me and I will be glad to try to work you into the schedule. 

Daniel Gaines

To see Daniel’s report with pictures, please click here.

Recent Trip To Kenya Produces Fruit For The Kingdom...

“And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.” (2 Timothy 2:2). This statement is true and worthy of all acceptance. This has been the Andrew Connally School of Preaching motto. We believe that through teaching these men, the Lord and His Church are going to be glorified. The statement has been true, both in the time past and even now. This week we (Charles and Ahimidiwe) were able to travel all the way to Kenya at the Kitale area.There we visited the Mukunga congregation, and were able to meet six of our graduates. These men are diligently working and laboring in the vineyard day and night. They were able to establish three congregations by the time they got out of school. God is being praised by men like Fredrick Bwile, Pius Bwile, Kennedy Ng’etich, Juma Omay, Pius Ng’etich and Abraham Tanui,who is currently in the first year at ACSOP. We were privileged to work with them for a week, and through that effort the Lord added seven (7) more souls to His Kingdom. Please pray for them as they are starting their spiritual journey to heaven. We were able also to establish more than 20 studies, which will keep them busy for the rest of the year. 

We traveled this afternoon to Kisumu town, where we will be meeting with the KSOP staff. We are planning on doing evangelism on Saturday, Sunday and Monday morning. Please pray for success in reaching the lost souls that we are going to meet. Here at Kisumu we are going to meet Charles Ogutu, Elisa Omollo and David Wasonga, who are also graduates of ACSOP and faculty members of KSOP. 

Monday afternoon we will be going to Homa Bay, where brothers Bernad Kagaga, McVeroon Kagaga and Elias Omollo are preaching and ministering. While being there we will be doing evangelism from Tuesday through Wednesday and be on our way back home on Thursday morning. These are but a few men who are laboring in the Kingdom, and through their effort hundreds of souls will one day be in Heaven. 

All these and many more have been made possible through your prayers and support. May the Lord bless you abundantly as you continue to serve Him through your contributions. 

Please pray for us as we travel around Kenya evangelizing and recruiting students for our up coming class in February. 

Your servant in His Vineyard, 

Charles Heberth,
Assistant Director
Andrew Connally School of Preaching
P. O. Box 14041
Arusha- Tanzania

Five Day Trip Brings Updated Reports From Nepal...

Gajendra returned Monday from a five-day trip to the high mountains to the north. You can read his report and see the pictures that should all be part of this package. He and the two men that went with him [helicopter both ways] gained a great deal of information that is valuable now and even more needed for making wise future plans. They also delivered disaster relief materials. The spiritual needs of the people were not forgotten.  Gajendra humbly says “encourage them,” which is certainly true, but it includes daily Bible studies and evening devotionals.  

As I write this note Gajendra, Parsuram, and Surya are in south Nepal. They left in two trucks loaded with the following materials for 11 villages in Makawanpur, Chitwan, and Tanahun districts. They will deliver ……………

400 Blankets            440 Mosquito Nets
10 Tarpaulin               210 Bibles                        
220 Song Books        180 Children Bible Story Books

They will deliver all the materials to church leaders in the various areas on their way out of Kathmandu. As they return they will visit the villages and have Bible classes, and certainly lots of “encouragement.” 

This will be a 12-day mission. Much of the terrain is difficult and muddy because of the monsoon rains. Some ladies, including teen-young adults, from Kathmandu will join them for the last four days [Friday-Monday] for encouragement, Lady’s Bible classes, and Children’s Bible classes. 

A number of villages are reporting that their worship services are being attended by neighbors who have shared in receiving the relief materials provide by donors in the USA and delivered by the Church of Christ in Kathmandu. Spiritual fruit will be the result of our joint effort and labor of love.

Jerry

Gajendra’s report is below.

Dear respected brothers in Christ,

Greetings to you all in the precious name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. May the grace of God, love and peace always be with you.

I (Gajendra Deshar), brother Mencha Tamang (Christian leader from last 20 years) and Jitu Tamang (young man living at Kathmandu from Dhading district) recently visited Dhading district of Linjo, Pouru and Labdung villages on the 8th -13th of July 2015. It takes one day by bus and another two days mountain trials walking to reach Tipling village from Kathmandu. Our intention was to take some food materials and blankets with us to distribute our brethren. We were thinking about going by local transportation, but we have to fly by helicopter due to damage to the land, mudslides, cracks in the land, and for time saving.

We spent five days of our time with three different local congregations. There are 547 houses in Tipling Village Development committee of Dhading district where we have 3 different congregations at Linjo, Pouru, Essip, Fayang and Labdung villages. There are 167 Christian families in those villages. All of their houses were damaged. All of their houses look good from an outer appearance. Government officer and engineer verified that people can't live in their houses. All people are living in the tarpaulin tent. We have provided 1,200 kg. of salt and cooking oil and 1,800 kg. of rice on the month of June. This time we have taken 300 blankets, 200 kg. of cooking oil, and 100 kg. salt with us. We did morning and evening Bible studies with our Christian brethren. In the day time we discussed with our leaders regarding distribution of relief materials and future plan.

All of them are living in a tarpaulin tents. 60 people shifted from Linjo to Dhading bensi.  23 families shifted from Essip and Fayang to Pouro village. They have to build new houses after the monsoon. They are going to build houses in the same location. Few stones, metal sheets and woods will be usable. They have good water resources for drinking. They are using wood for their cooking. Some of their cooking vessels, pots, and kettles were damaged. 150 sheep and goats, 40 cows and 10 yaks died in our Christian communities. They have wheat, barley, corn, potatoes, and beans for crops. All schools are closed due to monsoon holidays. All school buildings are destroyed. Children don't have stationery and most of the people don't have clothes to wear. I saw they were wearing the same dress for five days. They have huge mud slides, damaged and cracked land. Villages told me that the government officer will give sample for the new house in the month of August.

Once again thank you for your love, support, and spiritual encouragement. May God bless you all.

Brothers in Christ,

Gajendra Deshar  gajendra_deshar@yahoo.com
Nepal Center for Biblical Study
P.O.Box 25999
Kathmandu, Nepal

Graduation Brings Joy To Christians In The Northern Sector Of Ghana...

Tamale Institute of Biblical Studies has been going through a lot of activities for the past several weeks. These activities have brought some joy among the entire Christians in the Northern Sector of Ghana.

The main activity was the graduation of the third batch of students. Out of the fifteen students who were admitted for the 2-year Certificate in Biblical Studies, ten were able to complete the program. Therefore, by the grace of the Almighty God, ten young and energetic men have been added to the preaching fraternity. It is our prayer and hope that these men would further extend the boundary of the Kingdom of Christ.

To this, the Board Directors, Staff and Students wish to express our sincere thanks to our sponsors, coordinator Steven Ashcraft, Bear Valley Bible Institute, all instructors and everyone who has in one way or other contributed to the success of the training.

We also wish to thank all those who spent their time with the Institute on graduation day to grace the occasion. Special thanks go to Kwame Amoah- Denteh (Elder- Bomso Church -Kumasi), Brother Afranie, Brother Eric Adjei , Administrator of Church of Christ Clinic, Seth Larbi (Principal) and all who represented the Southern Institute of Biblical Studies (SIBS), Accra. The greatest appreciation goes to our Christian sisters who prepared food for all who attended the program. May the Almighty God continue to bless our dear sisters for their remarkable activity in the program of the Institution.

Furthermore, family members of graduating student preachers traveled from their hometowns to be part of the memorable day in the lives of their beloved relatives. Also present at the function were members of the two local congregations in Tamale. 

Another group of personalities worth mentioning were all the past students of the Institute. They were in also to see how the present group was to be initiated into the field of preaching.

At the end of the activities, prayer was said asking for the protection, strength, and blessings for the new preachers.

Baah Joseph Okyere

Powerful Reports Demonstrate The Hand Of God...

Summer break for the students in Denver will soon end. As they return to Denver, they will be joined by a new class of students preparing to begin their journey through the program at Bear Valley. Several of these students are in the process of moving to Denver now to find a place to live and rest for a few days before their studies begin. The two years ahead of them will be one of intense study, both in and out of the classroom. Presently, we are looking at fifteen students, and potentially a few more in the new class. Please pray for those who are finishing last minute details to begin July 31st.

As the list of reports indicates below, this was a busy week in the program. The reports below, although there are many, each indicate the powerful hand of God at work. Several locations share news of students returning from campaigns and personal evangelistic work. The outreach results are nothing short of wonderful. News about the number of souls added to the kingdom and those restored to the family is encouraging.

Please continue praying for the work as current schools continue to grow and reach out with the message of Jesus. Pray about the beginning of new schools in several locations. We look forward to sharing news about these schools as they begin classes in the months ahead. We also ask you to pray about the future of this program as potential locations are considered for the establishment of new schools. 

God continues to bless this work and we ask you to share the report with others who will be encouraged by the development of this program.

Now on to this week’s incredible reports...

Coordinator Updates
Reports from the coordinators are now located on the website, under Staff Reports. The address is http://www.wetrainpreachers.com/extension-schools/

The latest report from Steven Ashcraft can be read by clicking here.

Extension Reports 

Students Transported For Weekend Evangelism Share News Of Growth: As students visited eight locations in Cameroon, God gave the increase as the gospel was proclaimed.

The Future Is Bright For French Cameroon: Progress over the last quarter and current development with the new school in Mbanga, Cameroon is encouraging.

A Quarter Behind With The Future In Mind: Knowing the challenges ahead, director of BVBIC-Mbanga, brother Ititi, encourages students to take their studies seriously.

Addressing The Present And Preparing For Winter Relief In Nepal: The latest report from Nepal shares news of the current situation and needs to prepare for a harsh winter ahead.

Seventeen Baptisms And Seven Restorations Makes For A Nice Campaign: Staff and students return from a break in Kenya and the news of God’s hand is exciting to read about.

Southern Institute of Biblical Studies Prepares For IT Training: Among the news of progress in Ghana, SIBS is working to help students prepare for their work after graduation.

Eleven Baptisms Recorded With The WCSOP In Ghana: Several sections of progress are seen at the West Coast School of Preaching, the most significant of which is God’s increase.

Special Workshop And Study On Baptism In Paraguay: After returning from furlough, the news from Paraguay indicates spiritual and numerical growth in the church.

Students In Practice Teaching Prepare For Ministry In Nigeria: All the students at the Southwest School of Evangelism are involved in practicing their learned skills.

Good News Is Key To The News In Tanzania: Reports from local evangelists near Arusha, Tanzania indicate a number of baptisms and sixty new Bible studies.

Final Thoughts 
The only thing needed to conclude a report like this is to say “thank you.” We pray you are encouraged by the development of the work around the world. Souls are saved, the church is built up, and the future of the program is hopeful. We are blessed by God and you are a major part of that blessing. Thank you for making extension training part of your service to the Lord.

God bless
Bob

A Quarter Behind with the Future in Mind

    Calvary greetings. We had a great worship today in Mbanga and in our newly established congregation of the saints in Mujuka. We pray that it will grow into a large congregation.

   The week had its challenges as some of our students were very sick  but are starting to show signs of improvement. Please pray for Michel who was diagnosed with Yellow Fever and for Benjamen who has Malaria. The local doctors know how to treat these diseases but it is not easy for the students to struggle with these challenges and continue their daily study work.

   We published the first semester results this week. It was a good beginning but I am still admonishing them to improve and take their studies more serious even with the many challenges of health and  family difficulties. We know that the coursework and evangelism demands will be more challenging in the future so we are giving them encouragement to press on.

   The grades points are ranging from 4.48 to 1.15 out of a possible 5 points. The top two places are Madjibe Datoudji with a 4.48 and Kalda Michel with a 4.29. Albert, an older student, is struggling with prostate problems and has missed much of the first quarter and is home with his family now. Please pray for him. The student with a 1.15 grade point was removed from the school was encouraged as a brother and given a last month of support to travel home and get things in order for his future work. Please pray for him and his wife that they will remain strong in the Lord.

                                              Thank you for your support of this work,

               Director: Ititi Benedict Nimending         and     Coordinator: David Gene Ballard