Tim Foster

Author's posts

April, 2017

Dear Prayer Partners,

We’re excited to announce that John Linus, an aspiring Nigerian deaf pastor, is the 2017 recipient of the Andrew Foster Memorial Scholarship Fund. In August, he begins his college and Bible training at SouthWest Collegiate Institute for the Deaf in Big Spring, Texas. The fund was started by Jim Walterhouse and Danny Campbell, faculty members at SWCID. After his studies, Linus will return to Nigeria to help lead the deaf churches. We thank God for this wonderful scholarship and pray that God will use Brother Linus to serve Him well. For more information about the fund, please visit http://afmsf.cmdeaf.org. Pray that we can raise the funds for his travel needs.

Lord willing, our annual Congo Bible Conference will be joined by newcomers Cliff and Sherri Bodiford, both of whom are deaf. Cliff is an elder at New Life Deaf Fellowship, in Fort Worth, TX, and has a passion for deaf missions. Pray that God will meet their financial needs for this upcoming trip.

In Him,

Tim Foster
Director

March, 2017

Dear Prayer Partners,

We’re saddened to hear of the unexpected death of Madam Machozi in Bukavu, DR Congo. She has been instrumental in securing the facilities we’ve used for our annual Congo Bible Camp. Pray for her family as they adjust to this sudden loss. At this point, our plans for our 2017 summer camp are a bit uncertain.

In Chad, our teacher Deborah continues to recover from her motorcycle accident, and now has about 70% use of her right arm. It’s slow progress, but much better than the amputation that the doctors originally recommended. Continue to pray for her full recovery.

In Him,

Tim Foster

A Video Introduction to CMD

We’ve prepared a brief video to introduce you to CMD, our history, and the work we do, and some of the challenges ahead of us in our near future. 

To download the files to your computer, right-click and select “Save link as…”

Introduction to CMD – SD (44M)

Introduction to CMD – HD (98M)

God bless!

Tim Foster
Director

February, 2017

Dear Prayer Partners,

Jim Walterhouse, a deaf pastor in Texas, has put together a scholarship fund to help bring deaf Africans to the USA for college and Bible training, and then send them back to impact the African churches. They have asked us to be involved with the project and have named it the Andrew Foster Memorial Scholarship Fund. We praise God that so far, they have raised $75,000 towards this project. Learn more at http://afmsf.cmdeaf.org.

Reconstructed classrooms in N’Djamena nearing completion.

In Chad, reconstruction of storm-damaged buildings is nearing completion, and Agnes Beosso, our director’s wife, is the proud owner of a new wheelchair and crutches, thanks to the love and support of CMD’s friends in the USA. We thank God that your love has impacted their lives for His glory. 

In Him,

Tim Foster

January, 2017

Dear Prayer Partners,
We are extremely grateful for the love and support of our friends who rushed to the aid of Agnes Besso, wife of our director in Chad. Her need for a wheelchair and crutches has been abundantly met by the generosity of God’s people. We await further word regarding Deborah, a teacher who was facing amputation.

Our Congo Bible Camp will meet in July instead of the usual Easter. Visa requirements have changed drastically in the past months, so we covet your prayers as we begin our plans.

In Him,

Tim Foster

December, 2016

Dear Prayer Partners,

Praise God for some financial assistance to purchase a wheelchair for Agnes, the wife of the director of our Chad school. It’s not enough to pay for the wheelchair she needs, but it’s a great start. Pray also for continued wisdom as they seek out medical remedies to avert an amputation for Deborah, one of the teachers.

The Democratic Republic of Congo continues to be in turmoil as president Kabila refuses to step down at the end of his 2nd and final term. We support 3 schools for the deaf in Kivu, the least stable region. Pray for peace.

In Him,

Tim Foster

Winter 2016

As Christmas draws near, our hearts and minds are turned once again to reflect on the Son whom God has sent into the world to be born of a virgin. We celebrate not only the gift of His Son, but the gift of abundant and eternal life received by those who believe in His Son to save us from our sins. This is the Good News of the Gospel for which we labor among the deaf in Africa.

Nigeria

Nigerian dorms nearing completion

Some months ago, United Parcel Service gave a generous $24,000 USD donation towards our new school construction just outside of Ibadan, Nigeria. Under the leadership of director Emmanuel Ilabor, the women’s dorm is now 70% complete, with about $15,000 USD remaining to finish the doors, windows, plumbing, electrical, plaster and paint. Pray with us that the 500-student facility will be finished quickly so that we can move our school out of our over-crowded facility into this spacious 39-acre property.

At the main center in Ibadan, our ~200 deaf students continue to experience healthy interactions with various schools. It’s eye opening for hearing students on a field trip to the center to see so many active deaf students.  And a number of our recent graduates have been accepted at the University of Ibadan and the Federal College of Special Education. We’re excited for the graduates and praying for a smooth transition as they prepare for adult life.

Two of our churches in Nigeria have undergone extensive expansions this past year. In the city of Yola (in the eastern state of Adamwa), God has led some German friends to assist with the construction of a beautiful chapel and elementary school for the deaf. Mrs. Ruth Ulea, a graduate of our CMD schools, is heading up the facility. Pray for wisdom and safekeeping, as the region is just south of hostile Boko-Haram territory. The second deaf church planted in Lagos in the ‘70s is now nearing completion on a 2-story expansion. We’re grateful to the local deaf association for their tireless work in raising the funds for the completion, and look forward to the grand opening in February.

Pray that the Lord will continue to guide the deaf in Nigeria through these many transitions. Pray also that they will be protected from the travesty of “prosperity Gospel”, a twisted version of the Good News which is particularly rampant in Nigeria, and rapidly being exported from Nigeria to other African nations.

Democratic Republic of Congo

Since his inauguration in 2001, D.R. Congo’s President Joseph Kabila has exerted what some would call a near-dictatorial rule over this resource-rich but economically impoverished country. Protests and riots were sparked in September when he announced he would not step down after his term limits expire on December 19th. Pray for our students and faculty in Bukavu, Fizi, Likasi and Uvira during this election season.  Cities like Bukavu and Uvira have very weak (and corrupt) governments, and our teachers and staff there are bracing for rampant violence after the elections.

Praise God with us that our school in Uvira has seen rapid growth over the past year. Under Director Pililo Amani’s guidance, enrollment has jumped up to 75 students and 12 faculty members. A tailoring class has been in the works for several years now, and has finally gotten off the ground after a new classroom was completed. A few years ago, we expanded the school so as to offer secondary classes. We’re now seeing those efforts bear fruit: Lord willing, our first crop of secondary students will be graduating this spring! Pray for these students as they continue to prepare for state exams in June.

Pray in particular for the deaf church that collaborates with our Uvira school. They are in dire need of help with the leadership. The lone pastoral leader, Adolphe, has his hands full dividing time between the church in Uvira and his ill grandmother in Goma, some 15 hours north.

Chad

Temporary repairs at our Chad school

Director Yves Beosso reports that their property has sustained quite a bit of damage this past rain season. One of the administrative buildings had some extensive damage, and the temporary repairs have degraded to a point to where the building is no longer safe for daily use. They have a dire need for about $900 USD to make permanent repairs to the building.

You may recall that brother Beosso’s wife, Agnes, suffered a stroke in 2009, the same year that my mother, Berta Foster, also suffered a stroke. Although Agnes’ stroke was not as severe, her health has now deteriorated to the point that she is in dire need of a wheelchair. Unfortunately, the cheapest wheelchair we’ve been able to find is still over $280 – three month’s wages! Pray with us that we’ll be able to quickly raise this money and help alleviate the hardships of this godly woman.

Home

Excellent news: Faith’s daughter, Alessandra, recently gave birth to Lila, Berta’s first great-grandchild. She’s definitely a cutie, and her parents could not be more proud! 

Lord willing, our 16-year old son Daniel will be making his first trip with us to Africa in July, 2017. Due to school and finances, he has not been able to accompany us on past trips. He’s heard us tell wild stories of Gospel work in Africa, but now will get to experience life in the Congo first hand. Pray that our plans will go smoothly, and that he’ll gain a fresh and exciting vision for the work of God in a radically different cultural context.

In Him,

Tim Foster

Shopping on Amazon Prime

If you shop at Amazon, you can now do so in such a way that Amazon will donate to Christian Mission for the Deaf. Your purchase price will not change.

Click here to continue to Amazon’s site:

November, 2016

Dear Prayer Partners,

The national teacher’s strike continues to affect our teachers in Chad. Many parents cannot afford the increased costs, and are not sending their children to school. Some generous American donors have helped with their salaries, but the long-term resolution is still a long way off. Pray for guidance as we seek to find a wheelchair for Director Yves Beosso’s wife. Pray also for Deborah, a teacher who broke her arm in a motorcycle accident. The doctors are recommending amputating to manage blood loss.

In Nigeria, our campus chaplain Victor Ajayi is looking for better resources to help train his Bible students. We’re trying to get new DVDs for him and his class.

In Him,

Tim Foster

 

October, 2016

Dear Prayer Partners,

Director Yves Beosso reports that the widespread university protests and rioting in Chad has resulted in a national strike, and the government is now withholding teacher salaries. For a normal public school, the teachers could still make do with tuition fees. But since parents rarely pay tuition for deaf children, our teachers have to get by with only our financial support. As a result, the families of our faculty are now going hungry. Pray for an end to the violence, and that their government salaries will be restored soon.

Pray also for our Bukavu school, as we are in dire need of an assistant teacher.

In Him,

Tim Foster