Dear friends,
We send you greetings in the Name of Christ Jesus.
Thank you for your prayers for us here at Kagoro. The teaching is going well as are the other meetings we take from time to time. This month Debbie is leading staff prayers on 10th and 12th and speaking at a youth meeting on 23rd. I am giving a talk to the students in the education department on 17th and am the guest speaker at the wedding of one of our former students on 21st.
The baccalaureate service is scheduled for the evening of 27th and the graduation service for 10:00 am on the 28th November (D.V.). Please continue to pray for the preparations for these and for the events themselves that the Lord will be honoured as the 103 graduates celebrate the completion of their studies.
Our climate here changed almost overnight last week from heavy rain and humidity one day to hot, dry and a bit dusty the next. We had one more short rain through the week but think that is it until March/April next year.
Thanking you again for your help.
In Christ,
David and Debbie
Tuesday, 10 November 2009
Tuesday, 13 October 2009
Update for October
Dear friends,
Greetings from Kagoro. David and I arrived safely on Friday and are thankful to the Lord for a safe journey. Our hearts are full of praise to the Lord for the special time of holiday in Northern Ireland. The family celebrations went well. We thank the Lord for giving David's parents sixty years together. We also had an advance birthday celebration for my dad who reaches a landmark in November. Our three weeks were a welcome gift which allowed us precious moments with family and many friends. It also meant we got to enjoy lots of delicious food which is unavailable here but maybe that's just as well. As well as the great food, the weather was warmer than expected. When we went to the nearest town to shop the temperature was 29 degrees centigrade.
We have been so conscious of your prayers as we worked through the experience of the robbery. Our time in the UK has certainly helped our recovery. Before we left the police gave us armed night guards for two weeks and we now have two night watchmen (students) patrolling the missionary compound instead of only one. While we were away a stronger door was put in the kitchen. We would value prayers as we take measures to play our part in strengthening security. Praise the Lord that the gang leader was caught the Sunday after the robbery. He is a young man from the local area who is now in police custody in the state capital. This is an answer to prayer as few criminals are apprehended so quickly. Please pray that the young men responsible would repent and be brought to justice. We have no other information as the police are still investigating the case.
In the midst of our struggles the Lord has graciously encouraged us through His people.
It was a great honour to be visited by the local chief who is the traditional leader of the community and a committed Christian. He came with three vehicles, a police guard and colourful entourage. The District Head (a member of our church), along with some village heads, came to the morning service at the Seminary and presented us with some locally made craftwork to take as a gift to David's parents for their anniversary. We had many visitors.
A friend kindly sent money to replace the stolen items and others have encouraged us with gifts, e-mails, hospitality and giving their time to see us.
God's word has also been a source of great encouragement. Psalms 27:1 and 28:6-7 have been a real help.
The remaining weeks of the semester will be particularly demanding as we need to do a lot of extra classes. We weren't fit to do all we had planned before travelling because of the robbery. David will be busy finalizing the list of those who are qualified to graduate. He also has an SIM meeting in Jos on the 16th Oct and will be speaking at the evening service in the Seminary on the 25th. It's David's turn to speak at staff prayers at the end of the month. I will be occupied with teaching, marking papers and making sure food is on the table!
Thank you being among those who continue to encourage us through your faithful prayers and concern for our needs.
Yours in Christ,
Debbie and David
P.S. Some people have been asking about our phone numbers. We have been able to get the following number back from the company: +2347069258996 (where the +234 is the country code).
Greetings from Kagoro. David and I arrived safely on Friday and are thankful to the Lord for a safe journey. Our hearts are full of praise to the Lord for the special time of holiday in Northern Ireland. The family celebrations went well. We thank the Lord for giving David's parents sixty years together. We also had an advance birthday celebration for my dad who reaches a landmark in November. Our three weeks were a welcome gift which allowed us precious moments with family and many friends. It also meant we got to enjoy lots of delicious food which is unavailable here but maybe that's just as well. As well as the great food, the weather was warmer than expected. When we went to the nearest town to shop the temperature was 29 degrees centigrade.
We have been so conscious of your prayers as we worked through the experience of the robbery. Our time in the UK has certainly helped our recovery. Before we left the police gave us armed night guards for two weeks and we now have two night watchmen (students) patrolling the missionary compound instead of only one. While we were away a stronger door was put in the kitchen. We would value prayers as we take measures to play our part in strengthening security. Praise the Lord that the gang leader was caught the Sunday after the robbery. He is a young man from the local area who is now in police custody in the state capital. This is an answer to prayer as few criminals are apprehended so quickly. Please pray that the young men responsible would repent and be brought to justice. We have no other information as the police are still investigating the case.
In the midst of our struggles the Lord has graciously encouraged us through His people.
It was a great honour to be visited by the local chief who is the traditional leader of the community and a committed Christian. He came with three vehicles, a police guard and colourful entourage. The District Head (a member of our church), along with some village heads, came to the morning service at the Seminary and presented us with some locally made craftwork to take as a gift to David's parents for their anniversary. We had many visitors.
A friend kindly sent money to replace the stolen items and others have encouraged us with gifts, e-mails, hospitality and giving their time to see us.
God's word has also been a source of great encouragement. Psalms 27:1 and 28:6-7 have been a real help.
The remaining weeks of the semester will be particularly demanding as we need to do a lot of extra classes. We weren't fit to do all we had planned before travelling because of the robbery. David will be busy finalizing the list of those who are qualified to graduate. He also has an SIM meeting in Jos on the 16th Oct and will be speaking at the evening service in the Seminary on the 25th. It's David's turn to speak at staff prayers at the end of the month. I will be occupied with teaching, marking papers and making sure food is on the table!
Thank you being among those who continue to encourage us through your faithful prayers and concern for our needs.
Yours in Christ,
Debbie and David
P.S. Some people have been asking about our phone numbers. We have been able to get the following number back from the company: +2347069258996 (where the +234 is the country code).
Monday, 31 August 2009
September update
Dear friends,
We send you greetings in the Name of our Lord.
Armed robbery
As you know from an earlier email, thieves broke into our home at 3 am on Wednesday. We were wakened by the noise of them trying to force open the metal door into the kitchen. I was able to set off the alarm but that didn’t deter them. After breaking in they took cash, our notebook computer and our mobile phones. Although the experience left us shaken, we thank the Lord they didn’t threaten or harm us in any physical way and didn’t take everything they could have stolen. They were armed since they let off a couple of rounds while leaving to keep people from pursuing them. Thankfully, we had a reasonably recent backup of our computer files but I had to spend some time changing passwords and sending out emails so they could not benefit from identity theft. Although there were only two people who entered our home, we found out there were others outside keeping anyone from interfering with their plan. Pray for the salvation of these men and that they will be caught. The police are following up a lead. As the Lord would have it, we have both been going through the book of Job in our morning devotions. Two things which struck us before the robbery were: (1) God does not often tell His people what will happen them in advance and (2) Chuck Swindol advised his readers to hold onto things lightly since we came into this world with no possession and we will leave without any material possessions. How true.
UK Trip
We are going to be in the UK for three weeks to celebrate my parents’ 60th wedding anniversary and have a break while there. Although this is during the semester, we intend to make up the missing classes both now and after we return. We had this trip planned long ago and it is timely. It will be good to meet family and friends again.
Seminary news
We have had over 300 students register for study this semester. We thank the Lord that this is more than normal but it does mean some of our classes are large! Our Provost will be stepping down from that position at the end of the year so pray for a suitable replacement.
Thank you for your prayers.
In Christ,
David and Debbie
We send you greetings in the Name of our Lord.
Armed robbery
As you know from an earlier email, thieves broke into our home at 3 am on Wednesday. We were wakened by the noise of them trying to force open the metal door into the kitchen. I was able to set off the alarm but that didn’t deter them. After breaking in they took cash, our notebook computer and our mobile phones. Although the experience left us shaken, we thank the Lord they didn’t threaten or harm us in any physical way and didn’t take everything they could have stolen. They were armed since they let off a couple of rounds while leaving to keep people from pursuing them. Thankfully, we had a reasonably recent backup of our computer files but I had to spend some time changing passwords and sending out emails so they could not benefit from identity theft. Although there were only two people who entered our home, we found out there were others outside keeping anyone from interfering with their plan. Pray for the salvation of these men and that they will be caught. The police are following up a lead. As the Lord would have it, we have both been going through the book of Job in our morning devotions. Two things which struck us before the robbery were: (1) God does not often tell His people what will happen them in advance and (2) Chuck Swindol advised his readers to hold onto things lightly since we came into this world with no possession and we will leave without any material possessions. How true.
UK Trip
We are going to be in the UK for three weeks to celebrate my parents’ 60th wedding anniversary and have a break while there. Although this is during the semester, we intend to make up the missing classes both now and after we return. We had this trip planned long ago and it is timely. It will be good to meet family and friends again.
Seminary news
We have had over 300 students register for study this semester. We thank the Lord that this is more than normal but it does mean some of our classes are large! Our Provost will be stepping down from that position at the end of the year so pray for a suitable replacement.
Thank you for your prayers.
In Christ,
David and Debbie
Friday, 31 July 2009
Prayer letter, August 09
Dear Friends,
We send you greetings in the Name of our Lord Jesus.
Praise
Praise the Lord with us for all His help in the past few months. Once the semester ended, David was able to concentrate more on his studies and completed his dissertation. Thank you for praying him through this process. We each taught an exhausting three week intensive module for the part-time students, managed to finish our marking and then enjoyed a few days rest in Jos in May and in July which has helped to recover our strength.
Challenges
More challenges are ahead as we prepare for the new semester beginning 17th August. Two new staff members have been appointed and it’s likely that there will be more staff changes by the end of the year. Please pray for the new staff as they adjust to their roles and for the rest of us as we adjust to a new dynamic.
Both David and I have been given new courses to teach. I will teach Old Testament Introduction and David will teach Acts and Pauline Epistles. Preparation for these and our regular courses will keep us busy.
David is back in the Registrar’s office and is happy that his predecessor left everything up to date. Pray for strength and wisdom for David as he is once again fully involved in administration.
Parents’ anniversary
Praise the Lord for David’s parents who will celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary in September. We plan to be with the family for that special event and will spend three weeks’ leave in NI. Pray for us as we have extra classes to compensate for those we will miss and also that we have special times with our families during our break.
Thank you for your involvement in this ministry through your prayers and financial support. Second Timothy 2:21 is the denomination’s theme for the year. Let’s pray we will be useful to God as we live for Him.
Thanks for your prayers.
Debbie and David Colvin
SIM-UK, Wetheringsett Manor, Wetheringsett, Stowmarket, Suffolk IP14 5QX
SIM-UK Irish Office, Unit 1, Ravenhill Business Park, Ravenhill Road, Belfast BT6 8AW
We send you greetings in the Name of our Lord Jesus.
Praise
Praise the Lord with us for all His help in the past few months. Once the semester ended, David was able to concentrate more on his studies and completed his dissertation. Thank you for praying him through this process. We each taught an exhausting three week intensive module for the part-time students, managed to finish our marking and then enjoyed a few days rest in Jos in May and in July which has helped to recover our strength.
Challenges
More challenges are ahead as we prepare for the new semester beginning 17th August. Two new staff members have been appointed and it’s likely that there will be more staff changes by the end of the year. Please pray for the new staff as they adjust to their roles and for the rest of us as we adjust to a new dynamic.
Both David and I have been given new courses to teach. I will teach Old Testament Introduction and David will teach Acts and Pauline Epistles. Preparation for these and our regular courses will keep us busy.
David is back in the Registrar’s office and is happy that his predecessor left everything up to date. Pray for strength and wisdom for David as he is once again fully involved in administration.
Parents’ anniversary
Praise the Lord for David’s parents who will celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary in September. We plan to be with the family for that special event and will spend three weeks’ leave in NI. Pray for us as we have extra classes to compensate for those we will miss and also that we have special times with our families during our break.
Thank you for your involvement in this ministry through your prayers and financial support. Second Timothy 2:21 is the denomination’s theme for the year. Let’s pray we will be useful to God as we live for Him.
Thanks for your prayers.
Debbie and David Colvin
SIM-UK, Wetheringsett Manor, Wetheringsett, Stowmarket, Suffolk IP14 5QX
SIM-UK Irish Office, Unit 1, Ravenhill Business Park, Ravenhill Road, Belfast BT6 8AW
Wednesday, 1 July 2009
Update for July
Dear friends,
Greetings from Kagoro.
Many thanks for your prayers for the programme in Kaduna. We praise the Lord for safety in travel and help for David as he preached twice on Sunday. We had good times of fellowship with our friends there as well as the chance to see some of our former students who are pastoring in that part of the city. On our way back we were able to call with another former student who is serving as an associate pastor in a town about forty minutes from Kaduna. It's an encouragement to see these young men engaged in ministry and we feel privileged to have had some input into their development. Thank you for your part in this process as you continue to pray for us.
We are so thankful that David has finished his dissertation and sent off the final copy. Thank you for your faithfulness in prayer during this time of study. While this brings great relief to David, more responsibilities await as on the twentieth of July he will be back in the Registrar's office. The teacher who took over when we left in 2007 has been granted study leave to do his Ph.D. Please pray that there would be a good handover and that David would also work well with a different secretary. David also has a lot of marking to complete after spending so much time working on his dissertation.
The first week of our intensive teaching module went well although it's more tiring. Having classes on the same subject each day sharpens our focus and means we move at a faster pace. Many of the students are serving as pastors while they study part-time. We will finish our teaching on 10th July and have a bit of time to do the marking before the new semester begins in mid- August.
There have been a number of changes in key administrative positions in the seminary. Please pray for us and the other staff as we adjust to these changes.
The rains have not been as heavy as usual for this time of year but when they come we are glad of the drop in temperature. We feel cold when it's 22 degrees centigrade!
I was teaching Jeremiah last week and was challenged by his commitment to the message he was given in spite of the opposition he faced. Pray that we would all love the word of God as passionately as Jeremiah (Jer 20:9).
Yours in Christ,
Debbie and David
Greetings from Kagoro.
Many thanks for your prayers for the programme in Kaduna. We praise the Lord for safety in travel and help for David as he preached twice on Sunday. We had good times of fellowship with our friends there as well as the chance to see some of our former students who are pastoring in that part of the city. On our way back we were able to call with another former student who is serving as an associate pastor in a town about forty minutes from Kaduna. It's an encouragement to see these young men engaged in ministry and we feel privileged to have had some input into their development. Thank you for your part in this process as you continue to pray for us.
We are so thankful that David has finished his dissertation and sent off the final copy. Thank you for your faithfulness in prayer during this time of study. While this brings great relief to David, more responsibilities await as on the twentieth of July he will be back in the Registrar's office. The teacher who took over when we left in 2007 has been granted study leave to do his Ph.D. Please pray that there would be a good handover and that David would also work well with a different secretary. David also has a lot of marking to complete after spending so much time working on his dissertation.
The first week of our intensive teaching module went well although it's more tiring. Having classes on the same subject each day sharpens our focus and means we move at a faster pace. Many of the students are serving as pastors while they study part-time. We will finish our teaching on 10th July and have a bit of time to do the marking before the new semester begins in mid- August.
There have been a number of changes in key administrative positions in the seminary. Please pray for us and the other staff as we adjust to these changes.
The rains have not been as heavy as usual for this time of year but when they come we are glad of the drop in temperature. We feel cold when it's 22 degrees centigrade!
I was teaching Jeremiah last week and was challenged by his commitment to the message he was given in spite of the opposition he faced. Pray that we would all love the word of God as passionately as Jeremiah (Jer 20:9).
Yours in Christ,
Debbie and David
Monday, 1 June 2009
June update
Dear friends,
We send you greetings in the Name of our Saviour.
Thanks for praying about my dissertation. I have done some more work on the main chapters and sent them to the advisor by email. Pray I get feedback on those soon since I would like to submit the final version this month. While I have been working on that, Debbie has been tackling the stack of assignments and exams she needs to mark. My column of papers to mark has had to wait but I hope to reduce it a bit this month.
Debbie and I are travelling to Kaduna city on Saturday. I will be speaking at a church there twice on Sunday 7th and would value your prayers for these opportunities for ministry.
The Summer Programme coordinator has asked us to teach in the second module this year. We will be teaching one course each: Prophetic books for Debbie and Hermeneutics for me. The modules are intense since we will teach the same course content in three weeks as we would normally teach over fifteen weeks in a regular semester. That will keep us busy from 22nd June to 10th July and for some time after that marking the written assignments and exams.
Thank you for praying about the seminars in May. Quite a number of lecturers from the seminary at Jos came and some Bible teachers from local theological colleges were also present. A paper on the 'hidden curriculum' was especially interesting. As teachers we communicate more than the course content by our approach, attitudes and so on. It is a reminder that as Christians it is not only what we say but also how we say it and what we do that communicates our beliefs to other people. Pray that Christ will be communicated in this way also (Philemon 6).
In Christ,
David and Debbie
We send you greetings in the Name of our Saviour.
Thanks for praying about my dissertation. I have done some more work on the main chapters and sent them to the advisor by email. Pray I get feedback on those soon since I would like to submit the final version this month. While I have been working on that, Debbie has been tackling the stack of assignments and exams she needs to mark. My column of papers to mark has had to wait but I hope to reduce it a bit this month.
Debbie and I are travelling to Kaduna city on Saturday. I will be speaking at a church there twice on Sunday 7th and would value your prayers for these opportunities for ministry.
The Summer Programme coordinator has asked us to teach in the second module this year. We will be teaching one course each: Prophetic books for Debbie and Hermeneutics for me. The modules are intense since we will teach the same course content in three weeks as we would normally teach over fifteen weeks in a regular semester. That will keep us busy from 22nd June to 10th July and for some time after that marking the written assignments and exams.
Thank you for praying about the seminars in May. Quite a number of lecturers from the seminary at Jos came and some Bible teachers from local theological colleges were also present. A paper on the 'hidden curriculum' was especially interesting. As teachers we communicate more than the course content by our approach, attitudes and so on. It is a reminder that as Christians it is not only what we say but also how we say it and what we do that communicates our beliefs to other people. Pray that Christ will be communicated in this way also (Philemon 6).
In Christ,
David and Debbie
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