Dear Friends.
Greetings to you in the Name of Jesus our Lord.
Thank you for praying for the various meetings in February. They all went well. In March I (David) have been asked to preach at the Seminary's Church on Sunday 24th so pray for that service also. Thanks.
We are now almost half-way through the semester. During the one-week break the Seminary conducts more entrance exams and interviews. This involves most of the faculty members, including us. Normally about 100 people come during the break to write the exams, etc. Then the Admissions Committee has to meet and determine who should be offered admission into the various programmes of study. We also have some marking to complete and would like to do some of that in the break. So it is not a really a break for the members of the faculty. The students should get a break, though, and ask us to pray for them as many still owe fees and will use the time to contact donors in the hope that they can complete the payment of their fees when they return.
It is getting hotter. March is our 'hot season'. The temperature in the shade was 38C this afternoon and the humidity has been up and down in recent days. As we near the start of the rainy season, the humidity will increase which, in conjunction with the heat, tends to sap one's energy and makes it hard for students (and teachers) to concentrate. This is especially true during the afternoon classes. Your prayers for stamina would be appreciated.
Some of you may have heard about terrorist groups kidnapping expatriates in the North-East of the country. We pray for the safe release of those kidnapped, that this practice would end, and that peace and security would soon return to the region. Please join us in prayer for these things.
Overall, things are going well at the Seminary. The new members of staff are settling into the work well and getting involved in the various committees. We thank the Lord some funds have come in to help renovate some of the student dorms and staff housing. A recent gift will be used to roof one section of the new married students' dorm. Debbie and I have just purchased a new generator to replace one we had that has worn out. When we returned to Kagoro in August the electricity supply was on about 30% of the time but is has worsened over the months. We have to run a generator most evenings. It gets dark here around 6:30 pm all through the year. We were able to purchase the new generator through a gift we received for this purpose and we thank the Lord for this provision.
We enjoy teaching here. It is great to see the students learning the Word of God as they prepare for more effective ministry (2 Tim. 3:16-17). Thank you for helping to make this possible. Both of the pastors at Fada Gospel Church, where we worship, are graduates of the Seminary and it is encouraging to see them actively in the ministry.
Yours in our Lord,
David and Debbie Colvin
Tuesday 26 February 2013
Sunday 3 February 2013
January update
Dear friends,
Happy New Year in arrears as they say here. We pray your year has started well.
Thank you for your prayers for us. We are thankful that our region is enjoying a time of peace. Join us in praying for this to be extended to the rest of the country, especially the north-east.
The series of meetings at the church in Kafanchan went well as did David's preaching on Christmas Day. The pastor of that church, Rev Luka Nboi, was our student and has since been transferred to be the pastor of our local church! Please pray for him and his family as they adjust to a new phase of ministry.
We were able to complete our marking during the Christmas break. Our growing team of missionaries joined together at the Shelly's home on Christmas Day for lots of good food and fellowship. The SIM Spiritual Life conference was an encouragement. We were inspired by Jim Plueddemann's messages based on Psalm 84: 5-7 as he led us in thinking about what it means to live as pilgrims. May we all go from strength to strength as we follow the Lord daily no matter how bumpy the path (Ps 84:7).
My (Debbie) journey into the new semester has been a stressful one. I have been given two new courses to teach and one which I haven't taught for eight years!This is as a result of staff changes and changes in the curriculum. It is certainly an opportunity to learn more about 1 and 2 Corinthians and Christian Ethics as well as update my understanding of the Old Testament Historical books. The classes are not big, which is a help. Please pray I would have a good understanding of the material and be able to communicate it clearly. Thankfully, David has taught the Corinthians course and I can use his notes.
David is happy to be teaching two courses which he has taught before, Hermeneutics and Third World Theologies. He is still kept very busy with the work in the Registry. Praise the Lord for the 310 students who have registered for the new semester and pray for the Lord to meet their need for school fees.
Six new faculty have joined the team as some staff who were on contract have come to the end of their time here. The newly appointed Deputy Provost was elected to be the Chairman of a local District Church Council although he will still come a teach a course. We have need of a new Deputy Provost and the Provost needs much wisdom in making this choice. Please pray for a good adjustment for the new teachers. We thank the Lord for bringing them and for a good time of transition for Dee Grimes who has come from Jos to serve at the Seminary.
Our good friend, Dr Paul Todd, will arrive in Jos on Monday for a few weeks of ministry with ACTS (Africa Christian Textbooks). We are looking forward to seeing him again.
In February, I will travel to Miango for a board meeting on the 8th and David is preaching at a local church on the 24th where one of our former students is pastor. One of our former students is launching a book he has written about the involvement of the Boys Brigade and SIM in evangelism and church planting. He has asked David to do the book review at the event on the 9th. There are always other meetings to attend and speak at in the Seminary. The weather is getting warmer and we need the Lord's help to keep going.
Thank you again for your fellowship in this ministry.
Debbie and David
Happy New Year in arrears as they say here. We pray your year has started well.
Thank you for your prayers for us. We are thankful that our region is enjoying a time of peace. Join us in praying for this to be extended to the rest of the country, especially the north-east.
The series of meetings at the church in Kafanchan went well as did David's preaching on Christmas Day. The pastor of that church, Rev Luka Nboi, was our student and has since been transferred to be the pastor of our local church! Please pray for him and his family as they adjust to a new phase of ministry.
We were able to complete our marking during the Christmas break. Our growing team of missionaries joined together at the Shelly's home on Christmas Day for lots of good food and fellowship. The SIM Spiritual Life conference was an encouragement. We were inspired by Jim Plueddemann's messages based on Psalm 84: 5-7 as he led us in thinking about what it means to live as pilgrims. May we all go from strength to strength as we follow the Lord daily no matter how bumpy the path (Ps 84:7).
My (Debbie) journey into the new semester has been a stressful one. I have been given two new courses to teach and one which I haven't taught for eight years!This is as a result of staff changes and changes in the curriculum. It is certainly an opportunity to learn more about 1 and 2 Corinthians and Christian Ethics as well as update my understanding of the Old Testament Historical books. The classes are not big, which is a help. Please pray I would have a good understanding of the material and be able to communicate it clearly. Thankfully, David has taught the Corinthians course and I can use his notes.
David is happy to be teaching two courses which he has taught before, Hermeneutics and Third World Theologies. He is still kept very busy with the work in the Registry. Praise the Lord for the 310 students who have registered for the new semester and pray for the Lord to meet their need for school fees.
Six new faculty have joined the team as some staff who were on contract have come to the end of their time here. The newly appointed Deputy Provost was elected to be the Chairman of a local District Church Council although he will still come a teach a course. We have need of a new Deputy Provost and the Provost needs much wisdom in making this choice. Please pray for a good adjustment for the new teachers. We thank the Lord for bringing them and for a good time of transition for Dee Grimes who has come from Jos to serve at the Seminary.
Our good friend, Dr Paul Todd, will arrive in Jos on Monday for a few weeks of ministry with ACTS (Africa Christian Textbooks). We are looking forward to seeing him again.
In February, I will travel to Miango for a board meeting on the 8th and David is preaching at a local church on the 24th where one of our former students is pastor. One of our former students is launching a book he has written about the involvement of the Boys Brigade and SIM in evangelism and church planting. He has asked David to do the book review at the event on the 9th. There are always other meetings to attend and speak at in the Seminary. The weather is getting warmer and we need the Lord's help to keep going.
Thank you again for your fellowship in this ministry.
Debbie and David
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