Tim Foster
Author's posts
Jan 28
January 2016
Construction at Toukoura, Chad
Plans are underway for our 2016 Congo Bible Camp in Bukavu, DR Congo. Pray with us as we search for a new venue that would be better able to meet our growing needs. Aaron and Kristi Kuglin will be returning with us, exploring opportunities for full-time work with the deaf in Burundi. Pray with them that God will show them His will for them.
In Chad, work continues steadily on our new property in Toukoura. Our director and staff are excited about the two-room building that is nearing completion. Pray that God will continue to supply our needs as we expand the facility to serve the deaf in N’Djamena.
In Him,
Tim Foster
Dec 29
December, 2015
Dear Prayer Partners,
Although we had tickets in hand, we didn’t receive our Nigerian visas in time to go to CMD Nigeria’s 55th anniversary in Ibadan and Lagos last weekend. We are sad that we missed the celebration and fellowship, but trust God’s decision in this matter. Praise God with us for the excellent testimonies of His faithfulness over these many decades, and for the excellent turnout.
God has shown His faithfulness in other areas: We now have the funds on hand to proceed with drilling a well at our new property in Chad. Pray with us that this will be sufficient to stem the squatting. And in Bukavu (DR Congo), we are seeing excellent progress with our new school and staffing. We still have a few important hurdles, so we still covet your prayers.
In Him,
Tim Foster
Nov 23
November, 2015
Dear Prayer Partners,
We’re still working towards raising funds to help secure the new 5-acre land grant for our school in Chad, so any gifts in this area are greatly appreciated. We’re hoping to have enough funds on hand by Christmas time to dig a well for the new school property.
I’ll be leaving for Nigeria in a few weeks to celebrate our center’s 55th anniversary. I’ll also be bringing a number of desperately needed theology books, DVDs, a projector and computer accessories. Some will be for our Nigerian center, and some for our Chad center. These items are quite expensive in Africa, so I hope to be able to take quite a bit. Please pray with us that these goods will arrive safely and intact.
In Him,
Tim Foster
Oct 30
Fall, 2015
For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour my Spirit upon your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants. (Isa 44:3)
As we continue to work within our limited resources to meet the spiritual and educational needs of the deaf, we find ourselves at a unique juncture in the history of deaf education in Chad (Central Africa). Several years ago, we received a sizable land grant from a local chieftain. The five-acre parcel of land is located in Toukoura, a few miles south of N’Djamena, the country’s capital. Our dream is to construct a new mission compound that would replace our aged and overcrowded facility currently located in a mud-brick community on the outskirts of N’Djamena. The new plan calls for primary and secondary school buildings, dorms, a chapel, a cafeteria, a carpentry shop, a tailoring shop, a multi-purpose building and more. These new buildings are desperately needed. Our current facility is overcrowded and many deaf children in N’Djamena are unable to enroll. However, as with most land grants in sub-Sahara Africa, it came with one major caveat: use it, or lose it. Local efforts to raise funds for this ambitious project have met with little success, and we now find ourselves faced with the very real possibility of losing this precious opportunity.
Two additional events have transpired over the past couple of years that make the situation more pressing.
Water Well at our existing school in N’Djamena, Chad
- A new university is preparing to break ground almost right next door, turning the area into a magnet for higher education. It would be hard to imagine a better location for our school for the deaf.
- Squatters have begun to build on our property. The laws in Chad are such that we must either build our facility around their buildings or purchase their buildings. We will need to alter our plans to accommodate their squatting, and do something now to block any future squatters from building on our land.
Right now, the best way to prevent further squatting is to install at least one permanent building or structure. Ideally, if we can install a well and pump, we can arrange for nearby villagers to operate the pump for their agricultural needs until we can begin construction. The villagers would benefit from the initial use of the well, and in the process, would guard the property from future squatters.
The cost for installing a well is around $2,000 USD, and starter buildings would cost between $10,000 and $15,000. Our desire is to raise enough funds to begin the well before year’s end, and begin construction of buildings before spring 2016. It’s an ambitious project, but we feel that this is a unique opportunity to expand the work of educating the deaf in Chad and preparing the next generation of spiritual leaders.
Would you pray with us about how the Lord might use you for this endeavor?
Thank you for standing with us and praying with us in this unique situation.
In Him,
Tim Foster
Director
Christian Mission for the Deaf
Oct 30
October, 2015
Dear Friends,
Several years ago, our Chad school received a 5-acre land grant. This piece of undeveloped property is a welcome relief for our overcrowded school, and is nicely situated near a main road on the outskirts of the country’s capital. However, squatters are making it necessary for us to act now and permanently claim the land by erecting a building and a water well. Pray for wisdom and provision as we raise funds to install a water well and several small buildings.
Brother Emmanuel Ilabor and his staff are nearing completion of the plans for the December anniversary of CMD’s first school in Ibadan, Nigeria. Pray that the conference will be well attended, and an encouragement for all who come. My 2nd oldest brother, John, will be traveling with me. He hasn’t been to Nigeria since 1975, so this will be an interesting trip for him.
In Him,
Tim Foster
Oct 18
Dr. Andrew Foster guest stars in Switched At Birth
This excerpt was taken from ABC’s TV series “Switched At Birth“. The drama is about two girls who were switched at birth, one of whom is deaf.
In Season 2, Episode 1, a student is giving a class report about Dr. Andrew Foster.
Sep 24
September, 2015
Dear Friends,
Akilimali – Lord willing, opening a new school for the deaf in Minova, D.R.Congo
We thank God to see continued growth in the new schools started by graduates of our schools in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
At one new school in Fizi, the young director has his hands full with 40 deaf students. On one of his recent trips to a remot village to look for deaf students, he found two people who were both deaf and blind. We’re heart broken that there are no resources in the region to meet the desperate needs of the deaf and blind.
Lord willing, a new school for the deaf will open soon in Minova (eastern DR Congo). Pray for Akilimali Lushenya, the young man who will head up this new school.
In Him,
Tim Foster
Aug 27
August, 2015
About ten years ago we had to close our school for the deaf in Bukavu (D.R. Congo). This major city of over 400,000 people has not had a good school for the deaf since then. Although there are many deaf there, and although we hold our annual conference there, there have been almost no options for the deaf to get a good education.
Two years ago, we received an offer of assistance from the mayor of Bukavu, but have not been able to move forward due to a lack of qualified leaders. This summer, however, God brought to us a man who used to work with the deaf many years ago. With the blessings and supervision of the local Berean church, he will be setting up a school for the deaf in Bukavu. We’re excited for this opportunity to begin again the work of teaching the deaf and reaching them with the Gospel.
In Him,
Tim Foster
Jul 29
July, 2015
Dear Friends,
We’re pleased to report that construction at our new property in Ibadan, Nigeria is moving along nicely. Director Emmanuel Ilabor reports that the water purification building is complete, making the water well capable of producing drinking water.
Director Pililo Amani reports that the spring storms have done a good bit of damage to our school in Uvira in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Repairs are underway, but this does represent an unexpected setback in the school’s summer budget.
Our school in N’Djamena, Chad has also experienced storm damage. Several mud-brick buildings desperately need to be replaced with concrete buildings, but for now, funds only allow for the mud brick. Pray for wisdom as Director Yves Beosso navigates this challenge.
In Him,
Tim Foster
Jun 27
June, 2015
Please keep our Chad schools and churches in your prayers. Brother Madjibe Taigone was trained by Dr. Foster in 1985 and has faithfully served and trained the deaf all across southern Chad for over 30 years. He died two weeks ago after complications from surgery. He is survived by his wife and nine children.
Brother Emmanuel Ilabor, director of our Nigeria center, returned to the US from Nigeria earlier this month. In a few months he will return to Nigeria to begin preparing for the center’s 55th anniversary.
In Him,
Tim Foster
