November 2009 Newsletter

Maputo Bible and Theological Seminary

I believe that this seminary can make a tremendous impact on the lives of church leaders, churches and Mozambique. In September I became the director of a new seminary in Maputo. Exciting things are taking place and I want to share with you a few of the details and vision of the ministry.

The vision of the seminary is to prepare Christian leaders to meet the needs of the churches of Mozambique and to enable these leaders to plant new churches throughout the country. I feel privileged to be a part of this ministry and look forward to seeing what God will do in the years to come.

First of all, the seminary is a 4 year bachelor’s degree program. Presently it is not accredited as the process takes several years and we are just starting the long journey. The seminary seeks to be accredited by the Accrediting Council for Theological Education in Africa (ACTEA).

While many present church leaders have not even completed high school because of the turmoil during the years of war for independence followed by a civil war, we see this as an opportunity to minister to church leaders. A normal seminary requires a high school graduation level for enrollment but we will be accepting those with a minimum of 7th grade education level. During the first two years of seminary, the students will have general education tutors to help them pass their secondary school exams (the equivalent of a GED in America). In the mornings these students will have their Bible classes and then in the afternoon they will work on their high school diploma. They will be considered certificate level students at the seminary during this time but upon completion of their general education, their Bible classes will be credited to allow them to be “officially” enrolled as 3rd year students in the seminary.

Another difficulty that Mozambique churches face is poverty and unemployment. With few exceptions church leaders must work to provide their income while trying to minister to the church as well. The church members themselves are struggling to survive and therefore the offerings cannot support salaries for church leaders. Here is yet another opportunity for ministry for the seminary.

During the 3rd and 4th years of morning Bible classes, the students will be enrolled in local vocational schools in the afternoons or evenings to learn a trade. With a certificate in a given profession, the seminary students will be employable in a growing market as the economy of Mozambique is rapidly increasing for trained and skilled laborers.

There are several other theological seminaries in the Maputo area but ours is unique in these approaches to meet the real needs of present and future church leaders. These are truly exciting times.

Please pray for God to send us His laborers for the harvest – pray for the students who will be enrolling in the seminary in the coming weeks and months.

Thank You for Your Prayers at the Loss of Don’s Dad

On September 20 my dad passed away. Dad was 81 years old and had suffered during the past decade with emphysema and diabetes among other ailments. I was able to talk with my dad briefly on the Saturday before his death and tell him I loved him. Upon receiving news from my sister that dad had died, I quickly made arrangements to fly back to the USA for the funeral.

The funeral was a celebration in many ways. Dad’s suffering in this world was over and as a Christian eternal life awaits him. Although we will miss him during the remaining time we have to live on earth, I know that we will meet again in heaven. That is a peace that passes understanding for most people but for my family it is an assurance based on the promises of a loving God.

My dad was able to visit Africa for a few months in 1997, and as he told anyone and everyone, it was one of the greatest highlights of his life. This was his first time overseas at 69 years of age. He was so excited that he forgot to collect his luggage at customs before he met me. We had to convince security to let us back in the terminal to go back to luggage claim. From South Africa we were able to take dad to Zimbabwe, Zambia and finally to Mozambique. Dad was like a little kid reliving his childhood as many places we visited had not yet caught up with the times. Dad found a kid in our neighborhood playing with a bicycle rim and pushing it down the road with a stick and it brought back so many memories of his childhood that he borrowed the stick and wheel and ran down the dirt road pushing it along to everyone’s delight.

Every village and church we went to, he was honored as a special guest because of his age and by just being my dad. He was even asked to destroy some witchcraft items at one seminar when the people were convicted by the preaching of God’s Word. With tears streaming down his face, he proudly announced that he was honored to destroy the items to the glory of God. One of the items was a steel rod that could not be burned so dad said he would try to bend it in half. But we were all shocked when it snapped in two pieces (which the Africans took to be a sign from God of complete destruction of the power of Satan over their lives).

I could go on and on with fond memories of not only dad’s visit, but of his influence in my life and the lives of our family. I miss my dad but I wouldn’t have asked God to intervene in his passing away. For many years, whenever we were back in the States, my dad and I would say our “good-byes” knowing that he (or I) could die at any time. We had an understanding and assurance that we would most certainly meet again. Maybe not on this earth, but we would meet again. Preparing others to have the same hope is what we live for.

Thank you for your prayers. Please keep my mom and siblings in your prayers as there will be days and special times when dad will be greatly missed.

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, we are reminded that we have so much to be thankful for. Topping out our list is the abounding grace of our Lord followed by our family both physical and spiritual. We want to express our sincere gratitude for your continued partnership with us in ministry. With His Love, Don and Aleta