Category: Update

March 2016

Dear Prayer Partners,
In a few more days we head out to set up for our annual Congo Bible Conference. We were hoping for a different venue, but the Lord has other plans, so we’ll be back at the same one we’ve used for the past few years. Pray that safety and health concerns will not be an issue.

Continue to pray for the number of young men in the eastern DR Congo region who have stepped out in faith to start schools and churches for the deaf. Several of them are working in impoverished areas and have to work hard to resist the urge to return to the big cities where employment options are better. Our conference is a great source of encouragement for them, but their work is not easy.

Your prayers are coveted.

In Him,

Tim Foster

February 2016

Dear Prayer Partners,

Although we had some promising options for a new venue for our Congo Bible Camp, one didn’t materialize and the other ended up being too costly. Unless something changes in the next week or so, we’ll be back at our usual place. Pray for the general welfare of the attendees as we meet next month. A number of them got sick (myself included), and have expressed concerns. Pray also for the new partners who will be traveling with us from US to Africa for the first time. Aaron and Kristi Kuglin are bringing their 5-yr old daughter, and the Lindquists have a young friend from their church who is interested in deaf mission work.

The construction project with our school’s expansion in Chad has come to a standstill as funds have been depleted. Pray for more funds so we can finish the building by adding windows and doors for security.

In Him,

Tim Foster

January 2016

Construction at Toukoura, Chad

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 theĀ  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

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

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

October, 2015

Water For ChadDear 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

September, 2015

Dear Friends,

Akilimali

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

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

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

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