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WEI Center Opens in Nigeria
Thanks to the church in Gladstone, Oregon, a new WEI Study Center has opened
in Abak, Nigeria. The Gladstone church has contributed a $1,000 startup fund
and is covering the operating costs of the center.
Thanks, also, to the Bethlehem church of
Christ in Watertown, Tennessee, the new study center will be staffed by
Aniefiok and Etang Akpan. Aniefiok is sponsored and supported by the
Bethlehem congregation while he serves as Principal of Rhema Academy as well
as a respected church leader.
In addition to office space, the new study center has a large room where
students will study English and the Bible and where Aniefiok will plant a
new congregation—with the blessing of other preachers in the community.
Plans call for Etang to work at the WEI
center all day enrolling new students and grading lessons. Aniefiok will
teach at Rhema Academy each morning and work at the WEI center in the
afternoon.
The Akpans have recruited a team of volunteers to help introduce WEI to
congregations throughout Nigeria. They anticipate that thousands of
Nigerians will be baptized into Christ as a result of this outreach
ministry.
Aniefiok writes, “It is so amazing, so
satisfying, and so wonderful that we are now blessed with an opportunity to
make disciples of Christ and a great opportunity to train able and effective
workers who will work with us in the Lord’s vineyard. With World English
Institute, we reach souls with the gospel, and with NationsUniversity, we
train those who are willing to prepare for effective Christian service.”
Aniefiok Baptizes Three of His Students
New
Births in Tirana
Ellen Walker reports that three people have recently been baptized in
Tirana, Albania.
Everybody wondered, “Who will be the first to be baptized in the new
building”? They thought of several Albanians, but God is full of surprises.
As it turned out, the first person to use
the new baptistery was a young American man working with the Peace Corps in
Kukës, a small city about 100 kilometers northeast of Tirana. He had been
dating a Christian girl in the States, and she had taught him about God.
When he found the Tirana Church of Christ on the Internet, he made the long,
five-hour trip over crooked mountain roads in order to be obey his Lord in
baptism.
Ellen writes, “Also, during the campaign, we added a new sister to our
number. Diana Blaka studied with Michael Matthews, Bev Hines, and Mom. She
was baptized into Christ on August 10th.
“The last baptism that I want to tell you about is definitely the highlight.
Shirli Samara is the daughter of Artan and Beki Samara. She is the first of
our children that are growing up in the church [in Tirana] to ask to be
baptized.
Artan Samara Baptizes His Daughter,
Shirli
“It was a tearful occasion. Her father
stood before us and told how Shirli came to him and said she wanted to make
things right with God before they left on vacation the next day.
“As she buried her face in her daddy’s chest hiding her tears of joy, Artan
tearfully told us that this was the happiest day of his life. It was a
wonderful day for us all.”
Harvest Time in Lushnja
Tom Bonner reports that WEI students Sonila Rrapi and Lidjona Çela are now
members of the family of God in Lushnja. Sonila was baptized September 16,
and Lidjona was immersed in the Adriatic Sea on October 14. Praise God.
Good News from Durrës
Alfred Zike reports, “We had a very happy day today, September 23. Sofi
Qafoku was baptized for the remission of her sins in the water of the
Adriatic Sea. She confessed her faith in Jesus before many witnesses and
committed herself to Him, being baptized in His name.”
Çimi Kafexhiu writes, “Recently, we received another sister in Christ,
praise God! On August 24th, Lindita Zeqiri was baptized. Praise God for her
decision and her faith in Christ.”
Çimi Baptizes Lindita Zeqiri
New Christians in Liberia
John Travis, a Liberian brother who taught and baptized numerous WEI and WBS
students at a Liberian refugee camp in Ghana, is now back home in Liberia,
serving the Lord. John’s recent reports are filled with excitement over the
fruitful harvest that God is producing there. For example, John tells about
a WEI student named Abigail Parker.
John Travis Baptizes Abigail Parker in Liberia
John writes: “Sister Abigail has been a
student and regular visitor to nearly all our activities and church programs
since 2003 while we were in Ghana. She completed all the basic WEI lessons
before returning to Liberia in June 2006. On Sunday, the 6th of May, 2007,
she said, “I have searched, and today, I can now serve God with peace now
that I am convinced.”
John writes, “Many thanks to WEI for
keeping her close up to this time.”
Fruitful Harvest in Nairobi
Nkurunziza Jean De La Paix continues to teach and baptize WEI students in
Nairobi, Kenya. Jean works with Ted and Martha Ogle, missionaries who have
worked in Nairobi since 1965. “Jean” is French for “John.”
The three men who work with the Ogles are Peter, Andrew, and John. Peter
works with WBS, Andrew with NationsUniversity, and Jean with WEI
.In September, Jean reported that he had
baptized David Wafula, a guard at the place where the Ogles are living. In
another email, Jean sent pictures of the baptism of Andrew Nyansera Obare.
Knurunziza Baptizes Andrew Nyansera Obare
In October, Jean reported the baptism of
Jacob Marando Mogore, a twenty-five-year-old man who has been visiting the
church and studying the word of God with Jean and others.
New Books on Christian
Evidences
Three new WEI books on Christian Evidences are now being printed: Evidence
of God in the Universe, Evidence of Christ in History, and Evidence that the
Bible Is Trustworthy. Book One draws heavily on modern scientific
discoveries of intelligent design in nature. Books Two and Three draw on
evidence from ancient manuscripts and archaeology.
These books will soon be available at the
Gresham office.
Bob & Jan Towell
Thanks to all who have volunteered to
teach with WEI’s Internet Program. By the time you read this report, eleven
new volunteers will be teaching via the Internet. That will bring the
Internet staff to 40.
There are now two methods of teaching via the Internet: (1) teaching by
email, and (2) teaching via the new web site. Teaching on the web site is as
easy as teaching by email, and it removes the burden of keeping and backing
up student records.
During years 2002 through 2006, WEI’s
Internet Program grew slowly from 2.7 to 4.4 registrations per day. In 2007,
WEI began advertising with Google. From January through July 2007, an
anonymous donor spent $100 per month for the Google ad, and the registration
rate increased to 10 per day. With this success, the amount spent on the ad
was increased to $200 in August, and the registration rate increased to 15
per day.
In September, ads were placed in an English magazine in Myanmar and in an
Arabic newspaper in Amman, Jordan. The registration rate in September
reached a high of 35 per day with an average for the month of 30 per day.
This kept us working 15 hours a day, recording students and assigning
teachers
.
Now, Jonathan Towell and Colby Blaisdale have finished Version 2 of the new
web site which automatically records students and sends them WEI’s
Introductory Lesson. This eases our work load.
The future growth of this Internet ministry is almost unlimited. In order to
reach our goal of 500 new Bible studies per month in 2008, we need $900 a
month for Google ads and 60 additional Internet teachers. “Arise, the Master
calls for you, the harvest days are here.”
If you wish to contribute to WEI’s Internet Program, please make your checks
out to WEI/Internet and send them to the Gresham office. Please don’t divert
money from your regular contribution to WEI to the Internet Program. WEI’s
print, postal mail, short-term missions, and ESL programs depend on the
continuing support of regular donors.
---Bob and Jan
Tom, Angela, Brianna, & Bianca Langley
God continues to bless WEI with growth
opportunities. Almost weekly, we receive new requests for WEI short-term
mission teams to go and teach in countries all over the world. I have
recently communicated with missionaries and evangelists from countries in
Europe, Southeast Asia, Central America, and Africa who would like to host
WEI teachers at their locations. Our challenge is finding teachers willing
to commit for 2 to 6 weeks and teach at these various sites. We now have
sites that are requesting teachers outside of the usual summer month
campaigns. We thank God for all these wonderful opportunities, and we pray
for guidance in finding teachers to fulfill these short-term mission
requests.
We also have several exciting plans in the works from now through 2008.
Angie and I will be working on writing a WEI children’s curriculum that can
be used at mission sites and as a supplement in the school systems. While
serving as missionaries in Romania, we recognized the benefit of combining
an English grammar course with a Bible course for children. In many
countries of the world, children begin learning English as early as the
second grade, and Bible instruction is encouraged in the public schools. In
most countries of the world, parents are normally very eager for their
children to receive free English grammar instruction. What a wonderful way
to introduce families to mission site churches.
Angie and I are so thankful for this work and the many of you who support
this “Great Commission” ministry. As we draw to the close of another
fruitful year, we must again rethink our efforts to maintain this ministry
financially. These new plans to reach the lost of the world all require
money. Fundraising is a necessary part of what we do, and you make the task
both rewarding and meaningful. We are humbled by your generosity and your
love for lost souls. Please continue to remember us in your prayers and your
giving. Thank you so much for partnering with us as together we work to get
into all the world. We love you. ---Tom and Angie
Dick & Maudine Ady
Who would have dreamed in 1989, when WEI
came into existence, that God would use it to teach people about Christ in
190 nations? In 1989, only high tech experts and government agencies were
using the Internet. Today, people in 162 nations are learning about Christ
through the WEI Internet ministry. It is breath-taking to watch the Lord
work.
If all goes well, this is the last WEI Update you will receive in black and
white. Beginning in January, Lord willing, we will start printing a
quarterly newsletter in color on slick paper. We have found a way to produce
an attractive newsletter at a reasonable cost. We hope you like it.
In the future, you will have the option of receiving the Update by regular
mail or as an email attachment. By emailing the newsletter to those who
prefer to receive it that way, we will be able to cut costs and communicate
with more people for less.
Thanks to Paul Tannahill, we have produced a video that can be viewed on the
Internet or on CD. We invite you to log on to our new web site at www.weimedia.org/ (non working
at this time) and watch our
first experimental video. If he can raise his own support, Paul would like
to work with WEI full time
.
Exciting things are happening in the Middle East. People are being born
again in the heart of Islam. We have dozens of pictures of people in the
water, but we can’t print them for obvious reasons. Please pray for the
safety of these new Christians.
The year 2007 is fast coming to an end. Thanksgiving is upon us, and the
Christmas holiday season is not far behind. As Maudine and I count our
blessings, our hearts are filled with thanksgiving. God has blessed us with
family, friends, and fellow-workers, and we are grateful.
At the same time, WEI is under constant stress to make ends meet
financially. Thank you for supporting us in this work. We love and
appreciate you more than words can say, and we pray that God will raise up
more people like you who will make large year-end gifts and lay up treasures
in heaven.
---Dick and Maudine
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