Category: Update

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

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

September 2016

Dear Prayer Partners,

Director Yves Beosso reports that the leadership training was a great success. Thanks for your prayers. He and an associate are now in South Africa at the 2016 DeafNET Africa Conference, presenting a paper on deaf education. Pray that their presentation will will highlight God’s faithfulness.

Pray for us as we look to add a new teacher for our school in Bukavu (DR Congo). We have an excellent candidate picked out, but need to work a few logistics regarding his accommodations and salary.

In Him,

Tim Foster

August 2016

Dear Prayer Partners,

Please keep our board member, Marjorie Crumley, in your prayers. She fell and broke her hip and will be undergoing surgery and physical therapy.

Pray also for our Chad church leaders as they begin their leadership training this month. Pray that all our schools and churches will be benefited by the spiritual training their delegates will receive.

In Nigeria, the Deaf Annual Christian Leadership Conference voted in their new round of national leaders for the work among the deaf. Pray that God will guide them in their various roles.

In Him,

Tim Foster

July 2016

Dear Prayer Partners,

Construction at our campus in Nigeria has been greatly helped by a $22,587 donation from the UPS (United Parcel Service) office in Lagos. Praise God for this wonderful blessing!

Our school in N’Djamena, Chad will host its third annual leaders training workshop in September. The theme will be “Mobilizing the Church”, focusing on the Gospel integration of church, individual involvement and the community. Director Yves Beosso is planning for about 30 deaf church leaders from several provinces across Chad. Pray that the participants will have a safe journey and a rewarding conference.

In Him,

Tim Foster

June 2016

Dear Prayer Partners,

Our Chad director, Yves Beosso, reports that twelve of his students have graduated from Primary 6th. Those that tested well will continue on to Secondary school, while the rest will enter vocational training. In Nigeria, we have deaf graduates from the Secondary school who will apply for college education in the USA. Pray that God will grant them success in their endeavors.

In Bukavu, DRCongo, our recently re-opened school is in need of an assistant teacher. Pray that we can find the right person for the job.

In Him,

Tim Foster

May 2016

Dear Prayer Partners,

Please be in prayer for Yves Beosso and our school in N’Djamena, Chad. Recent storms have done some damage to the school property, and repairs are underway. We also sustained damage at the new construction site in Toukoura, just outside of N’Djamena. Funds are limited, so the repairs are slow in coming. Pray also that we will receive funds to complete the construction that was started back in January.

We have several Nigerian deaf graduates awaiting the results of their SAT scores. If their scores are high enough, they may be able to continue their education in the USA, and perhaps join other deaf Nigerians at SouthWest Collegiate Institute for the Deaf, in Big Spring, Texas. Pray that these students will do well academically, and more importantly, that the cultural change will not damage their spiritual foundations.

In Him,

Tim Foster

April 2016

Dear Prayer Partners,

We’re thankful for your prayers as our Congo Bible Camp was a sweet success. About 85 people were in attendance, 1/3 of whom were church leaders. We covered the book of 2 Peter from start to finish, stressing the importance of clear Biblical teaching. In our church leadership classes, we taught a brief introduction to church history and martyrdom in the Church; what it means to pray “in Jesus’ Name”; and the history of heresies attacking sound doctrine through the ages. Much of the material was completely new to the church leaders, and help to provide some clarity to various long-standing questions.

Director Yves Beosso (from our school in Chad) was able to join us again. In addition to helping teach 2 Peter, he also taught classes on baptism and marriage. We appreciated his ability to take the truths of Scripture and teach them in a way that dovetails with cultural particulars that Africans would appreciate.

In Him,

Tim Foster