December update

Dear friends,

We send you greetings in the Name of Jesus our Lord.

Thank you for praying for all the events in November. The graduation went well with 116 students graduating from the various programmes offered by the Seminary. Many will go into, or return to, pastoral work while some wish to teach the Bible in Religious Knowledge courses taught in primary and secondary schools. A few graduates also studied missions. Thank the Lord for all these graduates and pray for them as they take the next step in their lives.

Debbie and I were at the ACTS (Africa Christian TextbookS) celebration. That work was started by Sid Garland 20 years ago and has met a need by providing sound theological books for people to buy. The event was well attended and we met many Mission Africa people there as well as Paul Todd who is with SIM. (Paul brought some items we needed from the UK. He is always willing to bring things out for us which is just great.)

We still have a few meetings this week. Debbie will be at the ACTS Board meeting tomorrow (Friday) and is its secretary. Debbie has also been elected to represent the SIM missionaries engaged in theological education at the SIM Area Council also meeting on Friday but since she cannot attend this meeting. I am also on the Area Council as an area representative so I will be at that one (D.V.).

This week is the last week of classes and the exams are to be given next week. After that, it will be back to the marking. We have literally stacks of marking to do so the break from teaching will not be a break from work. We have also been assigned the task of supervising an MA student each. We have supervised students writing theses at the undergraduate level before but this is a step up from that and will involve more work. These students have to present their proposals at the end of January so they need to get started. Pray for us in this new, additional task.

Our local church divides its members into zonal groups and our group (A) is taking three services at the church scheduled for 6, 7 and 8th December. They have asked me to speak at two of those meetings so please pray for me as I prepare those messages.

We have not been thinking much about Christmas yet since we have been so busy. We will probably spend Christmas here but get away for a couple of days in middle of December. It is a good time of year to remember God's matchless gift to us: His Son (2 Cor. 9:15).

Thanks again for your prayer support.

In Christ,

David and Debbie Colvin