Category: Update

Please keep our Uvira (DR Congo) school in your prayers. Director Pililo reports that they are currently experiencing hardships due to political unrest and disruptions to their funds.  Teachers are having to work on reduced salaries, and many students are having to get by without school supplies. 

In Likasi (also in the DR Congo), Director Mwamba reports that he is currently operating with 9 staff members instead of the usual 12. Pray that these positions will be filled quickly.

In Him,

Tim Foster 

Dear Prayer Partners,

Yves Beosso, the director of our Chad school, has announced the secondary graduation of his oldest son. He is now looking to enroll in a Nigerian Bible college in the next few months (Aba Bible Theological Seminary or Igbaja Theological Seminary). They recently returned from visiting the schools, but along the way, ran into several days of delays and obfuscations in their border crossings. During their absence, Yves’ wife and daughter were quite ill. Praise God for their restored health, and that Yves and his son returned safe and sound.

Construction continues at the Nigerian school. Director Emmanuel Ilabor is exploring funding options with several agencies. Pray that God will grant continued favor as the school continues its growth.

In Him,

Tim Foster
Director

September, 2017

Dear Prayer Partners,

During our recent Congo Bible Camp, we had the pleasure of meeting Bartholomew and Miriam Toto, a Congolese couple living in Bukavu. They had just returned from a 7-year mission with YWAM in Uganda. Upon returning to Bukavu, the Lord laid on their heart a desire to work with the deaf churches in the area, providing vocational training and teaching them to pursue self-employment options. Most of the Toto’s life lessons were hard learned by “tent-making” while on the mission field in Uganda. We’re thrilled to be collaborating with them, helping them explore marketing options for their wares here in the USA. Pray that God will grant them success in this endeavor.

Shukuru Hertier, a graduate from our Uvira school, has shown himself to be a remarkably faithful young man in the way he has directed the school he opened two years ago. Enrollment is up drastically this year, so pray for wisdom as he manages resources with a shoe-string budget.

In Him,

Tim Foster
Director

Dear Prayer Partners,

John Linus is a deaf Nigerian we are trying to get to the USA for Bible school. We had run into complications with his visa, resulting in missing the fall 2017 semester. He recently received his visa. Meanwhile, in Chad, director Yves Besso’s oldest son has just graduated from secondary school. Yves is looking to get his son into Bible school in Nigeria before he continues his education in the medical field. 

Pray for wisdom as Emmanuel Ilabor (director of our Nigerian school) and Jim Walterhouse (founder of the Andrew Foster Memorial Scholarship Fund) begin preparing Linus’ trip to the USA, and for the Beosso family as they seek financial support for their son’s Bible training.

In Him,

Tim Foster
Director

Dear Prayer Partners,

After red tape delays, we finally received our visas and were able to arrive in the Congo in time for our annual Congo Bible Camp. . We had a little over 100 leaders from 15 different deaf churches studying the book of Ephesians. It’s bittersweet to hear so many say “Thank you for providing such excellent deep teaching”, only to be followed by “we don’t get this kind of teaching at our church.” Pray that as these church leaders grow in their faith, they will continue to lead their congregations in solid teaching “so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.” Eph 4:14.

As a result of kidney failure, my brother John is now adjusting to life on dialysis 3 times a week. Keep him in your prayers as his doctors explore options for a permanent remedy.

In Him,

Tim Foster
Director

Dear Prayer Partners

The visa process for our trip to the DR Congo this year has been fraught with red tape and delays. We leave on July 11, Lord willing, and the Congolese missionary family we partner with (Tom and Kathy Lindquist) are leaving a week before we do. If we don’t get our passports and visas in time, it will be very expensive to reschedule everything. Pray for a quick resolution to the process.

John, my older brother, has been a faithful CMD office staffer since 1988. Last week, I took him into the hospital for what turned out to be appendicitis. While in the emergency room, he had a seizure and his heart and breathing stopped. He was resuscitated in short order, but due to complications in the appendectomy, he’s still in the hospital. He’s feeling much better, and will soon be released. Keep him in your prayers.

In Him,

Tim Foster
Director

Dear Prayer Partners,

The Congolese government has dramatically changed the visa preparation process, adding layers of bureaucracy and cost. Pray that these issues will be resolved quickly so we can depart on time. Unfortunately, Cliff and Sherri Bodiford are not able to join us this year for our Congo Bible Camp. They’re eager to go next year, so pray that the Lord will work that out.

As construction on our new Nigerian campus continues to take shape, ambitious plans to establish a university are being set forward by some deaf alumni. Clement Abonyi is working with our director, Emmanuel Ilabor, to bring this vision to reality. Pray with us that God’s wisdom and glory will prevail on this ambitious project.

In Him,

Tim Foster
Director

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

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

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