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February 2017 Newsletter

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Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body
you were called to peace. And be thankful. (Colossians 3:15)

Dear Friends and Family,

Greetings! As we give this month’s update we do so with hearts full of thanks for the many ways in which God has blessed us and the privilege it is to serve Him at the Bible Institute and other ministries. We are so thankful for your partnership in this ministry. I wish I was able to share all of the ways that we see God at work. Just this afternoon for example, I spent time with a graduating student who would like to pursue further studies in Christian Education while teaching in a rural African setting. I do hope that this month’s newsletter gives a few small glimpses of how your faithful prayers and gifts are being used in powerful ways.

Update from the Bible Institute
We’re now three weeks into the new semester at the Bible Institute. It’s been an eventful month. As I mentioned last month, I’ve been working on a new IT system for the college. Registration week was a big test, as all of our residential students returned, our distance students also started, and our Christian Leadership Program also began in eleven locations across the region. But the registration went off without a hitch, and all of our students are now registered in the new system. My hope is that the new system will help our administrative staff to work more efficiently. I’ve already had feedback that the new system has saved them days of work, and even that using it is “fun”!

At the same time we completed our response to the Council on Higher Education (CHE) regarding our application for accreditation in South Africa (accreditation means that our academic programmes will be recognized within South Africa by the government and other educational institutions). After weeks of intensive work we sent a stack of detailed reports to the CHE. We must now wait to hear if our application will be approved.

Update from Home
We’ve finally made the shift into our new home. It’s a 90 year old house in Fish Hoek, just two streets from the main road and within walking distance of the Bible Institute. It’s taken most of the past week to try to get our house sorted. At one point this morning there were four different groups of people in the house working on different things at the same time. There’s still lots to do – I’m sitting in a lawn chair in the middle of the otherwise empty living room as I write – but we have most of the big things sorted out. But we are so thankful to have our own place after a year on the road.

Kristina and the girls have started volunteering at iThemba school. Kristina also gave her testimony at the first meeting of the Bible Institute’s women’s fellowship this week. I heard reports from several people that they really appreciated what she shared. The girls have been very disciplined in continuing to study despite the many disruptions they have faced.

Prayer Requests

  • Praise for our new house
  • Pray for the students at the Bible Institute as they continue their studies and prepare for ministry
  • Pray that the Bible Institute application for accreditation will be approved
  • Pray that God will open the way for my fellowship group to go to Zambia for a week of ministry
  • Pray for Kristina as she works hard to turn our house into a home, as she ministers at iThemba school, and also as she relates to the BI students who affectionately call her “Mama Churchill”!
  • Pray for Anna, Sarah, and Katie as they continue their studies and build new relationships, and especially for Sarah as she prepares for baptism
  • Praise that John has found a job! Pray for John and Rebecca’s upcoming July wedding

Blessings in Christ,

Tim & Kristina Churchill