Wonderful time with the women in the women’s school at FATEB yesterday. I may have shared a recipe or two with them to make but they continually teach me how to cook over a charcoal oven and to improvise using what I have. They are such a joy to be around. There are 40 women in the school under the direction of Marcelline. Gertrude teaches the cooking class. We made a cabbage soup. one day and egg salad sandwiches another day. Bon Appetit!

Cooking over a charcoal oven.

The teen girl program started last Monday night. These girls are beautiful, inside and out. Our message was on being a daughter of the King and what that means. Then they made a craft that says” daughter of the King” (“fille du Roi” in French) for their doorknobs and then the greatly anticipated moment when they were able to choose their yarn and knitting needles. I would not be able to do this without my friend and translator, Yolande, to whom I am deeply grateful. Each week we have a time of singing and praying, devotional time and then the girls make a craft to remind them of the devotions. It is fun to see their creativity and personalities and to watch them growing into young ladies. One of the young ladies has been coming for many years. Her dad teaches here at FATEB so they have lived on campus for many years. The others girls come and go as their fathers and mothers complete their degree. It is always sad to return and they are gone but it is wonderful to get to know new girls. On Valentine’s Day we talked about God’s unconditional love for them. The night the girls made necklaces and bracelets the lesson was on God giving us a “Clean Slate”. Our last night our topic was “We Need Each Other” and the girls had to help each other braiding their embroidery floss to make a pendant.

Mtelo Ministries renovated six of the duplexes that are used as rentals. These rentals help to provide an income stream for FATEB. Improvements include painting, tearing up old concrete floors and pouring new concrete floors, new tile on the sink counter tops and backsplash.

The children’s program began a week ago Monday, with the help of my amazing translator, David Mowa. Without him, this would be impossible. He loves these children! We sing, pray, memorize a Bible verse from the lesson, Bible story time, we then play a modified game of hangman (without the drawing of a hangman) for the older children (using words from the lesson), and then the much-loved time of coloring. Yesterday’s devotion was on salvation and the memory verse was Isaiah 1:18. We meet three times a week and each time the children color a picture from the Bible story and lesson.

FACULTE DE THEOLOGIE EVANGELIQUE DE BANGUI called B.E.S.T. in English, abbreviation for BANGUI EVANGELICAL SCHOOL OF THEOLOGY       Dear friends,   Warm greetings from our colleagues in Bangui .  We have some sobering news to share with you today that directly impacts FATEB.   Ten days ago the highly respected New England Journal of Medicine published an article called, “Africa in the path of COVID-19.” Its authors wrote, “Africa has so far been largely spared the kind of impact that has thrown China, the United States, and Europe into chaos.”  But, “the numbers from Africa are like the early drops of rain before the clouds open up. Despite the slow arrival of COVID-19, a storm is building, and the 1.2 billion people living in Africa are at tremendous risk.”   Central African Republic is now experiencing what these scientists predicted.  The rate of infections is picking up speed.  In the past few days it went from one case to eight to twenty two and yesterday to fifty known cases.    These numbers are, so far, insignificant compared to the devastation wrought by COVID-19 in other parts of the world.  But, because of the fragile health of so many people in C.A.R., combined with a weak health system of the country, the epidemic could explode very quickly with devastating consequences.   For the past two weeks the country has already been under a partial lock-down.  Schools, including FATEB, churches, and businesses have been closed.  However, more stringent confinement measures may be necessary to slow the spread of this deadly virus.   FATEB’s general manager, Dr. Paul Mpindi writes, “At FATEB we are confronted with the practical but hard reality of personnel salaries. The school is closed to the theology students and to the more than 3,000 children and youth in the general education programs.  Our facilities and guest rooms may not be rented out. How can we continue to pay salaries when all sources of local income have dried up?”   President Dr. Nupanga, with the General Manager, writes, “We have decided to reduce the salaries of the leadership by 50%, 40%, and 30% according to seniority. We have also laid off non-essential workers and reduced most of our daily expenses except for water and electricity.   “Given the seriousness of the situation, we wonder if you could consider making a gift to help us cover the cost of salaries for seminary teachers and for water and electricity for our employees.   “We know that COVID-19 is having a negative impact on the world’s economy, but your small sacrificial gift will go a long way here at the seminary where a single dollar does a lot.   “Thank you for praying and supporting us during these trying times.  Persevering through this pandemic is hard on us all. But we thank God for the way you and others have sustained this institution of Christian education and leadership training for the past 43 years.  You have also greatly encouraged the men and women who have taught and mentored and served its students as well.   Many blessings!   Rev. Dr Nupanga Weanzana, PhD   President FATEB/C.A.R.     If you wish to assist FATEB through this difficult time of the COVID-19 pandemic, you may make a gift to FATEB through its IRS approved fiscal agent below: www.mteloministries.org for “FATEB COVID-19 assistance” Or, you may send a check made out to Mtelo Ministries. Memo: “FATEB COVID-19 assistance” Address: Mtelo Ministries, 302 W. 5th St. Suite 210, San Pedro, CA 90731

Dear brothers and sisters,

God has been faithful to us according to His promise. In the Great Commission Jesus said to His disciples:“And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20)

In spite of many challenges that we were facing, we are very thankful to the Lord because under His guidance we came to the end of the academic year 2018-2019 without any great difficulties.

We are also very thankful to all of you who are supporting FATEB in different ways. We appreciate your contributions,and we would like to assure you that you are making a big impactfor the advancement of the Kingdom of God in Francophone Africa.

The closing ceremonies on both the campus in Yaoundé, Cameroon and the campus in Bangui, Central African Republic took place at the end of July. In both places hundreds of people gathered to celebrate those who completed their training at FATEB. We are happy because FATEB is sending back to the churches and to other ministries 26 men and women who graduated this year: 1 in the Ph.D. program, 7 with Masters degrees in Theology, 5 with Masters degrees in Christian Leadership and Management, 13 with Bachelor of Theology degrees, 4 with Diplomas from the Women’s School, and 2 with Certificates in pastoral studies. They are returning to churches from a variety of Protestant denominations.

We have been blessed to see the Women’s School making progress in practical training. The instruction these ladies received in sewing enabled many to excel. One of the women made academic garb for her husband who graduated in Bachelors program.

The 2018-2019 school year was also a blessing because the financial support from some of you made possible the installation of solar energy in the academic building with its library and faculty offices and in the administration building as well. This may not sound very important to people living in other countries, but in our context where electricity is turned off for hours every day, this is an enormous relief from anxieties and pressure.

Our library is also growing. We received about 1,800 academic books as gift from a New Testament professor who recently passed away. We are thankful to his family for this precious gift to both faculty members and students.

We also thank God for pastor Andre Fegouto, FATEB’s new Director of Administration, and for Marie Angele Kosseke, Chief Financial Officer, who joined the team last year. Their contributions are greatly improving the management of FATEB.

We continue to work on our Strategic Plan in partnership with the Vital Sustainability Initiative project. We hope that by the end of September 2019, the plan will be completed. We look forward to your continued partnership in implementing this Strategic Plan.

Churches in Bangui are supporting FATEB. During the 2018-2019school year our students and staff went to various churches to speak about FATEB. We are grateful for their special offerings to help support FATEB financially.

The political situation in the country is improving, although very slowly. Government and rebel groups signed a peace agreement seven months ago. A recent report from United Nations representatives in the country said that there has bee na decrease in the violation of human rights since the signature of the agreement.

Our pre-school, primary and secondary schools continue to attract people from the city. We lack the space needed to enroll all those who wish to take advantage of these opportunities for the basic education that is so important.

There is a continuing need to assist studentsto pay for their school expenses. For many of them, the churches that send them are not able to cover the cost of their training. With your help, part of their school fees and part of housing for students who are living on campus being underwritten. We thank you on their behalf.

On August 4th, our only van was involved in an accident. The driver was injured, but he is recovering well. However, the accident has left FATEB without any means of transportation apart from public vehicles. We need another van to help us carry out our work of moving staff, students, visitors, and handling health emergencies here in the capital city.

Prayer requests for the following:-

-Peace, reconciliation and healing in both countries -CAR and Cameroon.

-Completion and launching of the Strategic Plan in October 2019.

-Provision for operational costs and scholarship assistance.

-Preparations for the 2019-2020academic year.

-The urgent need of a new van.

We appreciate your prayers. To contribute financially to FATEB or one of its projects, support can be given through Mtelo Ministries online at www.mteloministries.org or by check mailed to Mtelo Ministries, c/o Berg and Associates, 302 W. 5th Street Suite 210 San Pedro, CA 90731.

For more information about FATEB please visit our website www.fateb.net.

May the Lord bless you.

Nupanga W.

President



Dear sister,

We have heavy rainfall in Nepal last week (Still continue) and all the South Nepal is over flooded. More than 100 died, 10,000 houses damaged including 3 small churches and about 20,000 families are on the streets now for shelter. 

We are in the rescue areas now to save lives. People are suffering from the different kinds of water born diseases and little children are dying due to polluted water as the drinking water sources are damaged totally.

We are trying to distribute the water filter, and some relief package.

We are preparing for the relief package, water filter at the same time.

One package costs $25.00 and we planned to save for 200 people in the floods victims areas.

Total cost we planned is: $25 x 200 = $5000.00

We could raise from here                    $1200.00

We are hoping for $3800.00 now. It helps to save people physically together as we volunteering for rescue.

Can you please support us for this good work.

I will update you with the reports and financial calculation after the work done.

Please see the attached photos of floods situation here in Nepal right now.

Thank you for your support for Nepal and its poor people.

Regards,

In January, Mtelo Ministries Board Members, Bob and Kathy Martin travelled to Bangui, Central African Republic to serve at FATEB, a seminary that Mtelo Ministries supports. Bob writes, “We were kept quite busy as God blessed our time at FATEB by allowing us to complete many of the tasks He sent us there to do, as well as giving us a wonderful group of new and old friends surrounding us to make us feel at home”

While they were there they were able to accomplish many projects.

Solar Panels were installed for the library. This allows the students the opportunity to study at night when there isn’t any electricity.

A solar pump was installed in the well to supply water to the Chateau. This installation allows the pump to run all day, filling the chateau with water, while the sun is shining. Before, if the campus was without water, the Chateau would not be able to fill up and the students would not be able to obtain water from the chateau if the water was depleted.

Work at the Leadership Center continues.

Framing for the soffits and ceilings on the second floor

The kitchen space doubled in size and a pass-thru was created between the kitchen and the dining room. A design for the kitchen was completed and approved. Funds from a church were given to outfit the kitchen.

First floor grilles were installed.

Bob writes, ” In my opinion, our presence in Bangui during January and February were quite productive. Thank you for giving Kathy and me the opportunity to represent Mtelo Ministries at FATEB. We were blessed by our time there and I believe that God is moving in Central African Republic and Mtelo Ministries is privileged to be able to come along-side. “

Board Members, Bob and Kathy Martin served at FATEB in January and February 2019. Bob worked on the Leadership Center while Kathy ministered to the women and children. Here is Kathy’s report of her time there.

CHILDREN’S PROGRAM – approximate ages 5 – 11

Presented 6 sessions telling the story of Moses:

                Baby Moses – God Cares for Us

                Moses and the burning Bush – God Talks to Us

God Sends Plagues to Egypt – God Gave Moses Courage

Moses and the Red Sea – God Keeps His Promises

The Ten Commandments – We Must Obey God

The Tabernacle of the Lord – God is Present with Us

We began each session with singing led by our translator, Joel.  Sometimes one of the children would select a song.  There were many hand and body motions accompanying very spirited singing.  The Bible lesson was next and there were always a few questions aimed at the children to see how they would apply the lessons in their lives.  Some of the children have had to make some serious choices regarding whether or not to obey God.  It was encouraging to see them beginning to apply Bible truths in their daily lives.  Approximately 25 children attended each of the six sessions.

TEEN GIRLS PORGRAM – approximate ages 11 – 20 Five sessions were held with the Bible lessons being Women in the Bible:

                Rahab – Joshua 2

                Deborah – Judges 4

Abigail – 1 Samuel 25

                Jehosheba – 2 Kings 11

Woman of Abel – 2 Samuel 20

Each of these women had to take a stand and behave in a courageous manner.  God helped each of these women to be strong and brave. We also began each session with singing.  Joel asked for a volunteer to lead the different songs.  Again, the singing was very spirited. The Bible lesson was next, along with a few questions for the young women to see how they saw God working in the life of the woman in the Bible and in their lives. They too were able to make connections to their lives from the lessons.  A craft was next for these women. One week we made butterflies – papillons to show how we are newly created in Christ.  Another week we made angel earrings.  Other crafts were to stitch a design on felt hearts – showing our hearts were happy with God in us, followed by making Valentine type cards to show their love and gratitude to God.  The final week the women were able to color a sheet from an adult coloring book – an activity they rarely have an opportunity to engage in.  Each session averaged between 20 -25 young women.

WOMEN’S SCHOOL

Marceline, Director of the Women’s School, graciously let me use two sessions of class time to present a Bible story and to do a craft.  The first session I presented the story about Deborah from Judges 4 and the second session, I presented the story of Abigail from 1 Samuel 25. 

The first craft was to make the angel earrings which very much delighted the women.  They were thrilled to have a new set of jewelry.  The second session, the women stitched a design on the felt hearts – again to show how our hearts are happy with God in our lives.  Approximately 25 women attended both sessions.  Gertrude was my happy translator.  She later asked if there was a way the women could purchase craft items used in making the earrings.  There is evidently someplace to purchase the earring backings locally, but other materials are non-existent unless the women come up with some creative materials on their own.

LIFE IN BANUGI

I was blessed to be able to accompany one of the local missionaries on her grocery shopping trips.  Because she had a car, we did not need to use a taxi and could make several stops in different stores on one trip.  Navigating the Super Marche and other permanent-type stores was fairly easy as items have a given price and they give change at the checkout.  Making purchases from the local vendors for produce was trickier because it was on the busy streets and one often negotiated the price and amount of product.  It was fun to see the hustle and bustle and the variety of foods and wares for sale.   Most heart-breaking were the three sibling children who came to our door selling fruit.  We had some emotional interactions and they continue to be in my thoughts and prayers.

When a jackfruit tree branch fell in front of our apartment, one of the neighbors delivered a very large jackfruit to our door.  Lucy, our next-door neighbor, promised me she would show me how to make juice out of the fruit.  Lucy was good to her word and with her apartment floor littered with modern electric appliances, she pureed the jackfruit pulp and about 40 grapefruit to make us 4 liters of delicious juice. One day, Lucy drove me to the market to purchase some produce.  She drove us north of the city to where she used to purchase fish along the river shores.  She also showed me some of the homes damaged during the recent war.  Finally, Lucy took me to the neighborhood where she and her husband used to live.  She told how the rebels knocked down the door to their compound, then knocked down the front door. They terrorized the frightened maid and family friends with two very young children.  Lucy said she prefers staying on campus in a too tiny apartment with her husband because she feels safe on campus.

Many evenings, we would walk with missionary neighbors, Jim and Sarah.  We would travel off the main streets into the back alleys in the nearby neighborhoods.  If we were concerned about erratic electrical power and varying water pressure at our apartments on campus, the people in these neighborhoods had no running water (a community spigot was somewhere nearby) and they probably had no electricity to their makeshift, dirt-floored abodes.  .  We walked across rickety foot bridges which were over ditches which cut through the neighborhoods.  Dust was everywhere in the sweltering weather.  The people were friendly and would call out to us.  We skirted the edges of many a neighborhood soccer game in progress along the wider of the neighborhood streets.

ORPHANS

Our long-time friends Bennet and Jennet run the Hope Orphan Center in Bangui.   We were blessed to be able to spend some time at the orphanage with some of the orphans.  They sang for us and I presented the Baby Moses Bible story about how ‘God Cares for Us.’  We then had the children make butterflies – again to remind them they are new creations through Christ. The orphans range in age from about 5 – 18 or so and there are approximately 70 children who come from their caregivers to attend Bible classes, English classes, computer classes and have their school fees paid through the orphan center.  Some of the older ones are ready to attend university or learn a trade.  Also, some of the older orphans do work at the orphanage such as office work, cooking for the children or doing laundry.

 Earlier in the day, we had traveled with Bennet and our missionary friends, Jim and Sarah, out of the city to the farm Bennet had purchased some years back.  He has about 40 acres of land and is teaching the orphans how to farm.   Some of the children really enjoy this opportunity.  There are fields of cassava, peanuts, pineapples, watermelons, root plants, some teak trees and some banana trees – the rebels in the recent war burned most of the banana trees on the farm, but some are slowly growing back.  Bennet’s vision is to build a school on the site that would serve the villages in a two-mile radius.  Longer term, he would like to be able to move the orphanage out to the farm and have a trade school for the children.  Currently, he needs approximately $26,000 to pay the government for stamps which will show the land belongs to him.  He has already paid the purchase price for the land, but the stamps are necessary to prevent others form taking over the land.

Bennet is a graduate of the seminary and currently also serves as pastor to several churches near the farm and is the lead for the English services which are held on the FATEB campus.

Just wanted to share this exciting news with you about two new professors here at FATEB!