December 2009 Zimpeto Bible School Update
"The last four months have been very exciting. We have initiated a new bible school recruiting program which will help us identify and bring in new students, and have started discipleship training programs in local churches. We believe that this will better prepare and provide for the students who come to study at our bible school. We believe that many more believers will be equipped and blessed because of this program, and that churches will be strengthened. Many people (who for one reason or another would never be able to leave their homes to come to be with us for the more intense training and equipping period) can learn about the foundations of the Christian life through this initiative. While this kind of training is something more easily taken for granted in the western world, we have come to understand that the majority of pastors in Mozambique have never had any formal biblical training, and so you can better sense what a wonderful asset this is to body of Christ in this impoverished nation.
"We were able to join a team of pastors (all former Zimpeto Bible School students) that went to the Xai-Xai area to do a seminar for church leaders, and introduce them to the discipleship program. We had opportunity to both teach and impart to this group of leaders.
[Sandra teaching at a seminar for church leaders who assist in bible school recruitment]
"Last term, Pastor Fernando (one of our former bible school graduates) launched the opening of a small children's centre at his home. We were so thrilled to see the fulfillment of the dream that God had given him while at the bible school. We encourage the students each time they come, to seek God for the dreams and destiny that He has for them. What a thrill it is to see those dreams come to pass! Pictured below (along with John and the two pastors) is one of the fifteen children who are being taken care of by Pastor Fernando and Dinis, another one of our former students. These are both amazing men of God and it is a wonderful honour to have had a part in their training and equipping through the Zimpeto Bible School.
[Pastor Fernando (with hat); one of the boys living at the new centre; John and Dinas - another of our former bible school students.]
"We recently celebrated the graduation ceremony of our senior class of students. Many of these men have come from great distances and left family members and churches in order to come and finish their training with us.
[Graduation celebration of the senior class in front of the Zimpeto Bible School]
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[The graduates dance and worship God, rejoicing as they go!]
"It is an incredible blessing to have the financial support of Iris Ministries Canada to provide for the operational costs of the Zimpeto Bible School. Because of your generosity, these young men and women now have an opportunity to study and prepare for ministry (most could not afford to do so on their own). We thank you so very much for caring and supporting the work of this ministry!"