'For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. 36 I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’ Matthew 25: 35-36

As we come to the end of the year, on behalf of Valley of Truth Learning Centre, I take this time to appreciate our sponsors (White Grandma, Aunty Debora, Susan and other friends who have been holding up our hands when we were almost  hanging them down, wiping away our sorrowful tears   and above all standing in prayers with us  for the vision of this school to come to pass.

First, I take this opportunity to thank you all for your many support  to us.  When the school kids were without school uniform. You clothed them and they are now very smart and admirable. When the  kids  were going without Feeding Programme,  you decided to be  providing us with food. A  time came when the cost of food   doubled  , you denied yourself many things and doubled the money for feeding programme.  Our school rooms were damaged excessively and needed repair, you supported us fully  and gave the school a new look.  The school furniture were almost breaking off, you gave it a new look also and made our kids comfortable. Our teachers had difficult time  in teaching without  teaching/learning materials, you provide and furnished the school with many  text books and other. We did not have good security for our school items like books, pieces of chalk, colours, pencils, you  gave  them protection by enabling  buy a wooden cabinet(lockable)

Secondly on behalf of the teachers once again I want to appreciate the gift that we were  given in August.   It really brought a big change in their lives, on their bodies and in their hearts. That was a big and mighty surprise to them.  We are always assured of the school rent and feeding programme for the school.

Lastly receive many greeting s  and   appreciations from  kids and teachers.  They have wished you well. May the Almighty God  bless you richly in your going out and coming in, may He also bless the work of your hands, let Him always order your foot-steps.  May He expand your territories.

You remain to be remembered in our hearts always . Amen

Pastor Nixon.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ!

“Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain.

Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain.”

(Psalm 127:1)

Thanks to the Lord for ushering us into another new academic year after a 2 month summer break for the students. We thank Him for His love and protection. Thanks to each of you for your prayers, encouragements and support of our ministry.

The academic year 2010-2011 began well! The orientation week (September 27 to October 1) focused on all three parts of our motto: Biblical Piety, Academic Excellence, and Compassion for people. We devoted the first day to prayer and fasting. Then we explained to the new class of students the meaning and the importance of these three directional values for how we live and work together.  They are now well under way in their first semester that will run until February 21, 2011.

New students joined the campus community. God was faithful in sending 20 new students to B.E.S.T. from five different countries in francophone Africa: Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of Congo, and Senegal. Adama from Senegal and his family came with the determination to get the right training for serving people in their country with its Muslim majority population. Continue to pray for us in this new school year. Pray for God’s guidance and for financial provision for this ministry as we look to graduation day on, July 30, 2011.

New project initiatives. We intend to carry out the following projects this academic year:

Small business entrepreneurship: We are introducing a Christian economic development program as a way of responding to the tremendous challenge of poverty in Africa.  Ms. Ellen Monkemeier arrives in December to oversee this program.

English Language Institute: The English Language Institute, responding to the great interest of people to learn English, will serve as a laboratory for students in the economic development program.

Masters track in Marriage and Family: Last month B.E.S.T. launched a marriage and family concentration in Practical Theology. This program will take advantage of the expertise of one of our faculty members in this area and equip graduates to respond to critical family needs in our African context.

New concentration in Biblical Studies: At the doctoral level we plan to launch a new concentration in Biblical Studies, both Old and New Testaments, next year. Students in the current Systematic Theology concentration will begin defending their theses in 2011.

Curriculum review: Beginning this month we are conducting a survey concerning the relevance of B.E.S.T.’s programs for the African context.  A team composed of pastors, students, alumni, deacons, lay people (men and women) and business people are carrying out this survey.

Students in urgent need of scholarship assistance: We have some new students who are in great need of financial support. Their sending churches contribute as much as they can, covering their transportation to B.E.S.T.  These students need about $1,200 for tuition, $400 for books, and $1,000 for lodging.

Visit of the General Secretary: The newly appointed General Secretary of the Association of Evangelicals of Africa (AEA), the association that founded B.E.S.T., will visit the school on November 10. This will be the first visit by a General Secretary of AEA since B.E.S.T. opened its doors in 1977.

Please pray for:

-  The adjustment of new students and their families to life and work at B.E.S.T.

-  The financial needs of both faculty and students

-  The successful implementation of new project initiatives at both masters and

doctoral levels

May the Lord bless you,

NUPANGA W

President of B.E.S.T.

Gifts from the USA may be sent to BEST via Mtelo Ministries

P.O. Box 871144 Canton, MI  48187 and marked for “BEST student scholarships.”

These gifts are forwarded in total to the school to apply to completing the students’ training, along with their church’s contribution, and to sending them back to serve in their home country.

Gifts from Africa and Europe may be sent to BEST via Ecobank:

For details on how to send funds from your country, please ask BEST for the most recent bank routing information at the email address: fatebfriends@fateb.net

May our God bless All the people who have gifted to us including Susan and you.  Let the work of your hands be blessed.  All that you touch let it be blessed forever.  Let Him be with you in your going out and coming in.  We shall continue praying for you.  You remain to be treasured in our hearts.

Kwaheri for now

Pastor Nixon

David sends thanks for all the support he has received and would like to remind everybody about his book Stewardship: Transforming Africa through Excellence in Stewardship. Make a donation to Mtelo Ministries in any amount and you will receive a copy of his book as a gift of our appreciation.

Next, Mtelo is looking into assistance with water drilling at the site.  Check back for more details or write to info@mteloministries.org

We are beginning a new feature profiling students and faculty at BEST.

This month we would like to tell you about one of our graduating students, Fidele Yougouda his wife Rachel, and their family. Fidele and Rachel came to BEST several years ago from Maroua, Cameroon having been sent by the church in which he was one of the pastors. Fidele is receiving his Master’s degree in Missiology this year and Rachel has graduated from the women’s school.

Upon graduation in July, Fidele and Rachel will return to their home city of Maroua where Fidele will resume his duties as pastor, teach in the Bible Institute and the school of Theology. However, their heart is to evangelize the Muslims in Maroua-“the heart of Islam in Cameroon” as Fidele puts it.

Fidele and Rachel will be evangelizing the Muslim members of their families, their neighbors, the Fulani in their area, as well as Muslim students at the University of Maroua using tools like the Jesus Film, Bible study, friendship evangelism, and the Magdelena film which is geared toward Muslim women.

Fidele and Rachel approach their ministry as a team effort. In both the Fulani and Muslim cultures, men share with men and women share with women. Therefore, Fidele will be sharing with the men and Rachel will be sharing with the women. They have already begun this phase of their ministry in Bangui as Fidele is ministering to some of the Muslim men there and Rachel is holding a weekly Bible study with a Muslim woman in Bangui. Support of BEST through scholarships and operational financial support is critical to the training of quality individuals like Fidele and Rachel to further the Gospel of Jesus Christ in Francophone Africa.

Love and our heartfelt thanks,
John and Marilyn

(from the MteloCAR June newsletter)

In our last newsletter, we brought up the possibility that, due to several long term donors being forced to curtail or eliminate their financial support of BEST, a number of seminary personnel would need to be released. As you could see from Dr. Nupanga’s letter which you received earlier, thus far 12 people have been released. While these reductions in force are difficult and emotionally wrenching they were necessary to insure the continued viability of the seminary. The price of leadership often times involve making difficult decisions. Dr. Nupanga is a leader and we are extremely fortunate that God has brought a leader and visionary like Dr. Nupanga to lead the seminary.

One of the visions and a long term goal that Dr. Nupanga has is to work toward making BEST as self-supporting as possible. This will obviously take time, however let us tell you about a first step in this process and how you can help.

Dr. Nupanga has the vision of establishing an English Language Learning Centre on the grounds of BEST. This will meet an educational need in Bangui since English is the global language of business and will be offered for a fee to the residents of Bangui who desire to learn English. The plan is that the Centre will be managed by an African, who will also be the primary instructor. Eventually, additional instructors from the West and Africa will be utilized on an as needed basis to teach in the Centre. Revenue that exceeds operating expenses of the Centre will be used toward funding the operation of the seminary.

The start up cost of this Centre will be in the neighborhood of $30,000. This includes furniture, computers, electrical work required, fans, a window air conditioner for the “computer lab”, and a curriculum. The furniture will be made on site by the craftsmen working in the woodshop, and the electrical work will be done by local electricians who have worked at BEST in the past. More than likely the computers will be purchased in France and shipped to BEST.

If you would be interested in helping to finance this endeavor, you may do so in several ways. One way is a lump sum cash donation made payable to Mtelo Ministries. Another way is that you may purchase one or more chairs at $20.00 each (a total of 64 are needed); purchase one or more tables at $85.00 each (32 are needed); purchase one or more computers at approximately $1500 each (12 are needed); fans at $100 each (4 are needed); and a window air conditioner at $650 (as you can tell, some items are pretty expensive in CAR!). Finally, we are also in need of $2,000 for electrical work, and about $2,000 for the curriculum. The remaining $3,000, if needed, will be used for classroom supplies and the initial payments of the Centre’s manager and instructor.

You can donate securely via credit card with the Mtelo Ministries donation button. Alternately, checks may be made payable to Mtelo Ministries and sent to Mtelo at P.O. Box 871144, Canton, MI 48187. However you choose to donate, please include a note of what equipment you would like to “buy” (you can also donate to the scholarship fund). We are hoping to open the Centre late summer or early fall of 2009. Thank you for your prayers and your sacrificial giving. May the Lord bless you richly as you continue to partner with our brothers and sisters in Africa.

Love and our heartfelt thanks,
John and Marilyn

(from the MteloCAR June newsletter)