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God Is at Work in Ethiopia

In early November, Art Hitt and I joined John Ed Clark, Behailu Abebe, and others in Ethiopia for two of the most memorable weeks of our lives.

On Saturday, the day after we arrived, approximately twenty WEI students met us at the church building in Addis Ababa and spent most of the afternoon studying the Bible with us. Art scheduled personal studies with them—studies that would last two weeks while John Ed and I were out traveling around the country preaching and teaching.

Churches of Christ are flourishing in Ethiopia. Even though communism has dominated the nation until recently, there are

Demere Interprets for Dick in Awasa

On November 11, we celebrated the grand opening of a new WEI Computer Learning Center in Awasa. It was a momentous occasion. Television cameras were there, and the ceremony was telecast throughout the nation the next day.

A high ranking government official spoke first. Then, Behailu, John Ed, and I took our turns. Before I got up to speak, Behailu said, “Remember: sixty-four million people will be watching you.”
One of the highlights of the trip was preaching to 500 people at Jajura on Tuesday morning November 18. Some of the people had come by horseback, and some had ridden mules. Most, however, had come by foot. Some had arisen during the night and had walked for six hours to get there.

We returned to Addis Ababa on Wednesday, November 19, just in time to see Art Hitt baptize Firehiwot into Christ.

On Thursday, two more of Art’s WEI students were buried with Christ in baptism. What a way to end our missionary journey!

Art Hitt Baptizes Firehiwot into Christ

Welcome, Tom and Angie!
For some time now, we have been looking for someone to take my place when I get too old or sick to direct WEI. After praying for guidance, Bill Morgan and I came to the conclusion that Tom Langley was the man.

We had seen Tom at work in Albania. We had listened to him speak at mission conferences. We both concluded that Tom had the leadership skills, the world vision, and the personal qualities needed to lead WEI to new heights.

Tom met with us in Tirana in March 2001 and responded positively to our proposal. He met with the Metro elders in January 2002, and they were favorably impressed. Tom agreed to find a sponsoring congregation, raise his own support and working fund, and work with WEI as Executive Vice President beginning January 1, 2004 when he and Angie completed their mission in Oradea, Romania.

Now, things have come together. The Langleys have returned to America. The church in Maryville, Tennessee is now Tom’s sponsoring congregation. And Tom Langley is working with WEI full time. Praise God!

Angie, Tom, Bianca, and Brianna Langley

As you read Tom’s comments, you will detect his humble spirit and heart for missions. Please welcome the man whom God has chosen to lead this outreach ministry a few years down the line.

Tom writes the following:
“It is an understatement to say that Angie and I are eager and excited to begin this new phase in our life and ministry.

“We were first introduced to WEI in 1992 while working as missionaries in Bucharest, Romania. Angie was studying with an atheist student who brought his WEI materials to class with him one day. They began reading the WEI material and Bible together. After several weeks of study, he became a believer and was soon baptized.

“This basic story has been repeated thousands of times over the last decade. Angie was so impressed with the material that she persuaded me to read it. We were immediately drawn to the simplicity, logic, and biblical content of the WEI materials.

“Over the last twelve years, we have taught WEI to hundreds of students, led teams of WEI short-term missions, hosted WEI short-term missions as resident missionaries in Romania, and taught WEI through correspondence.

“We are looking forward to establishing stateside local outreach, English as a Second Language (ESL) programs.

“We feel blessed by God to have this wonderful opportunity to promote and expand the WEI ministry here in America and all over the world. WEI is truly an international missions ministry reaching out to the lost of all nations with God’s word.

“As citizens of the most powerful country in the world, with the most popular language in the world, we have a unique opportunity in history to attract people to God’s word through the language of our heart.

“With great opportunities come great responsibilities. May God grant us the wisdom and courage to accept these responsibilities and meet the challenge of fulfilling the great commission of our Lord Jesus Christ. As brother Dick Ady has stated many times, “WEI belongs to God, and to Him be the glory.”

“Please keep us in your prayers as we move forward with this new and exciting missions ministry.” ---Tom Langley

You can contact Tom at his new office at the Maryville Church of Christ, 611 Sherwood Drive, P.O. Box 5293, Maryville, TN 37802-5293, telephone number 865/9830-0370. Tom’s email address is tabblangley@yahoo.com
You can also contact him at the church’s email address: marycoc@aol.com

Church Growth in Elbasan
Pete Hodge, missionary in Elbasan, Albania, writes: “We want to share with you news of the immersion into Christ of Denisa Leshi today, 14th December. Denisa is twelve years old and a student of Dulcie’s for some time.

“We are so impressed with Denisa, who was so determined to become a child of God that she did not hesitate to enter the water even though we were unable to heat the water for her.”
We might add that the water in Elbasan is cold in December. Denisa has certainly demonstrated her faith.

New Babes in Lushnja
Tom Bonner, missionary in Lushnja, Albania, reports that Altin Koçi, a new Christian in Lushnja, comes to the office almost every day to see if there is anything he can do to help. Tom says, “Last week, he asked if I would come and speak at his high school, and this week, he wanted to talk about starting classes for beginners in English so that more could come to know about Jesus. . . . It is so good to see his involvement and interest.

“When Orieta Llupo decided she wanted to be baptized, she went home and talked with her father about it. He gave his permission, but he also told her she could not be involved with the church because it would take too much time. She and I spent a good bit of time talking about what the Bible has to say about being part of the body, the family of God. I offered to go with her to talk with her father, but she said she wanted to try first to convince him to let her be involved.

“She came back in a couple of days literally beaming. I asked her what her father had said, and she replied, ‘Can’t you tell by looking at my face?’ She was baptized and has missed worship only once—when she was out of town for a wedding.

“One Sunday, I thanked her for being present, and her reply thrilled my soul. She said, “I don’t have any choice. I made a commitment to Jesus.’ Then she added, ‘I want to you to know I’m not trying to impress you with my coming. I want to please Jesus!’
“Does it get any better than this?”

Monita Now Teaching in Cambodia
About a year ago, we ran an article about Monita, a nineteen-year-old WEI student in Cambodia who had been baptized into Christ. We are happy to report that Monita is now teaching a children’s Bible class at the church in Phnom Penh.

Monita in Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Just think, before Monita enrolled in WEI two or three years ago, she was worshiping Buddha. Now, she is worshiping God and serving Jesus Christ.

New Brother in Durrës
In a recent newsletter from Alfred Zike in Durrës, Albania, he shared the following good news: “In November, I was blessed to have classes with a young man on Sunday mornings. His name is Besnik Balliu. He is very friendly and eager to know God and be right with him. He is studying in New York University in Tirana and working at a bakery as well. Nick, (his nickname) came to improve his English and was enrolled in WEI courses here in Durrës.

“Ray Wheeler, who joined with his wife Shelly the WEI team in Durrës in September, was blessed to have Nick as one of his first students. They got very quickly to be good friends.

“One afternoon, when Ray and Nick had finished their class, they invited me to have coffee with them. And I did. We had a good conversation. Ray and Nick asked me if I could have classes with him. So Nick and I agreed to have classes on Sunday morning since Sunday is the only day he has some free time.  After three Sundays, Nick asked to be baptized. So, on November 17, he was baptized for the forgiveness of his sins based on the confession of his faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.”

Spiritual Fruit in Idaho
Rosalie Waymire, who has spent many months teaching WEI students in Tirana, Albania during the past three years, is using WEI at home in Twin Falls, Idaho.

Recently, Rosalie wrote an email letter and attached a picture of a man named Milford. In her letter, she said, “Never let it be said that you can’t teach an old dog new tricks! Three of us (including me when I am here) have been holding classes at two nursing homes for over a year, using WEI.

This man [Milford] is eighty-seven years old and was taught by your [WEI] books. It was very hard for him to let go, but he was baptized last night. Three of us had a hand in it, but God gave the increase. Two more are going to be baptized tonight.”

EMail Students Baptized
Jan Towell received an exciting letter from LaVonne, an email teacher. She had received a call from Larry Perkey in San Antonio, Texas saying that he had baptized LaVonne’s African student, Charles Wilton Jilo that night.

LaVonne said, “This is so exciting to me, as he is the first baptism from my students. So we can see that we just need to do our part in sending the WEI lessons to the student, working with them, and then, if they have a receptive heart, the Lord will provide the increase.”

Jan also asked us to rejoice over the baptism of one of her students in Port au Prince. She says, “One of my students was baptized at the Carrefour Church of Christ on the 23rd of December.”

New Christians in Ghana
On November 14, John Travis wrote, “I am happy to inform you of the baptism this morning of Sister Princess N. Campbell. She is 39. Madam Princess had been a student of WBS and is now a student of WEI.”

The very next day, John wrote to say, “We are thankful to Almighty God for making it possible for the baptism of Rahim Alhassen. He was born March 10, 1981 and was reared by a Muslim father.”

NEW WEI CENTER IN KIEV
Boyd and Nell Williams are setting up a new office in Kiev, Ukraine. Olga Volkova has committed to work as their secretary and local outreach contact person. Boyd and Nell plan to use WEI and WBS materials as well as their own courses.

Boyd writes, “Olga will be placing a WEI ad this week in the Kiev Post and one of the Ukranian papers.”

Please pray for Boyd and Nell as they begin this new work.

Six New Christians in Vlorë
Virgil and Jackie Jackson report that six more people have been baptized in Vlorë during the past three months. God is at work in Vlorë.

Special Needs
· $900 a month that has been lost for the work in Albania and the Gresham office.
· $2,000 a month support for Tom Langley in the Maryville office.

$1,000 a month working fund for Tom Langley as he promotes mission work among American churches and organizes summer mission efforts in Romania and Hungary.

$1,

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