Bits and Bytes with the Bagleys

~ Bits & Bytes for Bagley Backers - November 2010 ~
Wesleyan Bible Colleges in Africa The Wesleyan Church in Africa operates six Bible colleges located in Sierra Leone, Liberia, Congo, Zambia, Swaziland, and Mozambique. These colleges serve as the cornerstone of the church's efforts to equip men and women for ministry in the church. This past month we had the privilege to attend the annual graduations at Emmanuel Wesleyan Bible College in Swaziland and Xai Xai Bible College in Mozambique. The role of the Bible colleges in the development of the African church is more critical than ever. With the rapid growth of the church in Africa currently being experienced the need for well-trained theologically-sound leaders is greater than ever. Even though great things are being accomplished, our schools face very significant challenges. Consider the following: This past month 9 students graduated from Xai Xai Bible College and 8 from Emmanuel Wesleyan Bible College. In the past seven years over 100 students have graduated from Xai Xai Bible College and are actively serving in ministry. Pilgrim Wesleyan Bible College (Zambia) has a record enrollment of 32 this year. (Recent PWBC graduate Evariste Mazeaza and his family from Congo are in the photo at the top of this newsletter.) Faculte Wesleyenne de Theologie (Congo) has no classrooms or library, but meets in a church and has two faculty members with earned doctorates in theology. They have an enrollment of 11 students. The facilities of Gbendembu Wesleyan Bible College (Sierra Leone) were heavily damaged in the civil war and are in the process of being rebuilt by the church. The Wesleyan Bible College of Liberia is working to build a multi-story building in Monrovia to house its classrooms, offices and library. Faculty at over half of the colleges failed to receive their salary at some point this past year because of budgetary shortfalls. All of the colleges are under African leadership, though there are GP missionaries at three schools (PWBC, EWBC, and Xai Xai). In This Issue Wesleyan Bible Colleges in Africa Growth Continues in Mozambique Prayer Requests Praise Points Our Event Calendar Support Team Forward to a Friend Our Event Calendar Nov. 21 -- Truro, NS - Central Nova Wesleyan Church Nov. 28 -- Maple Ridge, NB - Maple Ridge Wesleyan Church Dec. 5 -- Fort Fairfield, ME - Community Wesleyan Church Jan. 4-7 -- Jacksonville, FL - The Gathering Jan. 7-8 -- Jacksonville, FL - Leadership Council Jan. 16 (PM) -- Pickens, SC - Pickens View Wesleyan Church Jan. 23 -- Hillsborough, NC - Hillsborough Wesleyan Church Jan. 29-30 -- Painted Post, NY - Victory Highway Wesleyan Church Feb. 3 -- Departure for South Africa Support Team We are very grateful for all who have made a commitment to become part of our regular prayer and/or financial support team. If you haven't done so, you can join the team by clicking the link below. Thanks! Forward to a Friend You can help us by forwarding "Bits & Bytes" to friends who will be interested in the work of Global Partners in Africa. Just click on the link below. Friends who receive the email will also be given an opportunity to sign up to receive it in the future. Forward this message to a friend An easy to print version of this email can be found here. Growth Continues in Mozambique At the Xai Xai Bible College graduation Mozambique National Superintendent Graca Nhathelo made an impassioned plea to the graduates to back up their theological training with holy living as they assume their posts of ministry. "Your education means nothing, if the truth is not demonstrated in the way you live," he told them. Rev. Nhathelo also spoke briefly of the continued growth of the church in Mozambique. The national board had set a goal of planting the Wesleyan Church in all ten provinces of Mozambique and made plans to do so. Five years ago they sent two young missionary church planters to Nampula province and in those five years have planted 33 churches. (GP missionaries, Jim & Karen Pickett, were sent to assist the Mozambican church in this outreach.) Long range plans included ministry to Niasa province, but it happened much sooner than planned. Several converts in Nampula were young men from Niasa who had come to Nampula looking for work. Following their conversion they returned home and this past month Rev. Nhatehlo and missionary Orai Lehman visited six churches the young converts have planted in their home province. In Matthew 16:16, Jesus said, "I will build my church . . . " and He is continuing to do so in Mozambique. Graca Nhathelo makes a point at graduation and later chats with Bob. Prayer Requests Please help us pray for the following needs: Pray for the recent graduates from our colleges that God will help them as they transition into ministry roles and that their ministry will bear much fruit. Please pray that God will give Rev. Graca Nhathelo and the national board of Mozambique strength and wisdom as they give leadership to the rapidly growing church in their country. Please pray for the staff of our Bible colleges as they look for ways to enable our schools to be financially stable and that they will have courage to take initiative to address pressing issues. We will be in North America for three months before we head back to Africa. Please pray that God will help us to make the connections we need to make during this time and that He will help us find the remaining amount of faith promises we need before we are deployed. All our missionary staff at Zimba Mission Hospital in Zambia are scheduled to come home for home ministries in the coming year. Pray for God's help in provision as we look for ways to cover the bases in their absence. Praise Points Thank you for praying that our daughter Tracy would find employment. She is now working at Walmart, and although it is not her ideal job, she is receiving a pay check again. Tickets have been purchased for us to return to Africa in February and our schedule for our time on the field is already getting filled up. Praise God for faithful and sacrificial supporters whose giving has helped make our deployment a reality. Praise God for a dedicated team of Africans and missionaries working sacrificially at our African Bible colleges. Their ministry is multiplied many times over as their students go out into their places of ministry.
Bob & Brenda Bagley | rbagley112@gmail.com