Dear Friends & Family,
We’ve been celebrating God’s faithfulness to us; and are grateful for all your prayers and support. Praise God for the graduation of the Discipleship Training School (DTS), the end of the school year, 21 days of prayer & fasting at La Bergerie Church, and for a good car!
Margaret took the day-long journey from Koundoul to Sarh on a big bus with one of the ladies from church, and Celestin’s 5-year-old niece who had never been further than Etena (the village next to Koundoul). It was so good to meet Celestin in Sarh, who came to collect us in the car with one of the YWAM staff.
The students and staff held the DTS graduation in Sarh so that many people could attend. They shared great testimonies during the ceremony of how God had worked in their lives, increasing their confidence and ability to share the good news of Jesus. Four students graduated, with another who joined the outreach, having completed her theory part of the DTS last year. (She was pregnant at the time; her husband has already completed a DTS). As the graduates return to their home churches, we pray they continue to grow in their relationship with the Father, and become effective messengers of the gospel. We have already commissioned the two students sent from La Bergerie Evangelique des Nations church, to plant a church in another area of Koundoul. One young man has stayed on at the base as staff. Another will be volunteering to help with the building work which needs to be done at the YWAM base.
The base, called ‘Village des Nations,’ is just outside Sarh. The water pump is broken and so are the toilets, which impacts living conditions and hospitality, a foundational value of YWAM. Pure, sweet water used to be pumped into a water tank on a tower, ready to supply a tap. The electric pump at the bottom of the borehole was repaired but not put back because there is no effective power supply. To pump water into the water tower we need to install a new generator, or convert to solar power which would be expensive.
The staff living at the base need a water supply as soon as possible, so we plan to convert the pump to a dual hand & electric pump. This would allow us to draw water by hand at any time. We need 500,000cfa (about £700) to install a hand pump in the current borehole, and access the clean water we so urgently need. When the materials are bought, the work would only take a day or so to complete. Would you pray with us for the finance needed? Please give if the Lord so leads.
The base covers 16 acres of land and is almost surrounded by the river. The DTS students prepared the land to plant crops, to provide food for future schools. Any surplus could be sold giving income for the base to support training and missions. After a couple of rains to soften the ground, the guard and two YWAM staff are ploughing (using hired oxen) and sowing seed. We pray the rain continues to come in the right quantity at the right time for the seeds to germinate and grow. Chad has a basic agricultural economy.
We are planning and preparing the 3-month Bible Core Course to start on 28th September at the base. Margaret will lead this school; and travel to Sarh at the beginning of September to prepare. Praying for more staff and teachers. We would like to open the first 2 weeks of the school as a seminar for local pastors, particularly to introduce them to inductive Bible study, and ignite their passion for the Bible.
We are preparing to run four Discipleship Training Schools next year. There are several candidates, including three from Kabarandi, a village south of Sarh. The DTS outreach went there to do evangelism and support the small church. There is no mobile phone signal in that area, and Celestin had on his heart to do a follow-up visit. This was made possible in the car, although not an easy drive through the bush. He went with one of the young people from Sarh who knows the way.
After the graduation Celestin was invited to speak to a group of young people who had come from Moundou to Sarh for a camp. So we stayed at the base for another week before driving back to Koundoul. We visited the middle of Africa – marked by a white pillar just outside of Sarh. The DTS had been there during the lecture phase to intercede for the continent of Africa.
The car has been such a blessing, and Celestin is improving his driving skills! Roads are busy and so dangerous in Chad, especially going into N’Djamena. We praise God for his grace and protection so far! It’s hard to imagine that Margaret used to go shopping on the back of a motorbike taxi! People tend to go in the direction they want, regardless of other people or livestock on the road.
La Bergerie school in Koundoul is now on Summer holidays. All the students who took exams this year passed with good results– praise God!
Koundoul has developed significantly over the last year with many people building new houses. The primary school must move off the land on which we built temporary classrooms because the owner is ready to develop her land. She obliged us to pay rent which has been a burden on school finances. There is land for sale behind the health centre which is large enough and suitable for the primary school, which we would buy if possible. The land which was originally bought for the school is in a flood zone so we would prefer to build the church there rather than the primary school. The church is currently on Celestin’s family land next to our house and will eventually have to move. (The secondary school is on our own land).
The health centre has not been functioning because of limited resources, both financial and in personnel. There are several trained nurses in church but they are doing other things. There is another nurse from the town who is interested in working there. We pray for God’s plan to be worked out.
Margaret has got involved in helping with English classes held 3 times a week. There are 6 regular students who are all keen to learn English, but are at different levels. School staff are running computing classes also – and typing dialogues for the English class to use!
‘We know that all things work together for good for those who love God,
who are called according to his purpose.’Romans 8: 28, NRSV
Prayer Points:
- Thank God for his love for us. He knows all things and guides us safely in his way.
- Praise God that Margaret renewed her visa to stay in Chad for another year! It took about a week going
- to and from N’Djamena, getting paperwork and having photograph and fingerprints taken!
- Pray for 500,000cfa (£700) needed to install a hand pump to have water at the YWAM Sarh base.
- Pray for the farming work at the base: for good planting and a good crop which can be invested into
- the base, and evangelism and training.
- Pray for La Bergerie School and God’s plan for the future. Pray for finances to finish paying the
- teachers this year, and to build new permanent classrooms, on land behind the health centre if that is
- God’s will. Pray the Health Centre will function according to God’s plan.
- Continue to pray for our safety and the security situation in Chad.
- Praise God that we’ve paid for the car! We still need to renew the paperwork for the car this week.
- Please pray with us for an increase in our regular financial support. We need more to keep the car running in good condition. We need a new battery for our solar power system so we can have electricity. The previous battery overcharged and exploded.
- Praise God Mum’s house is sold and the new owner has moved in! Pray for Mum who is having investigations into swallowing problems.
