Yves Beosso of N'Djamena, Chad reports of the blessings at their 4th annual Bible camp with 18 saved from among fifty-two participants. He with his wife and two little children have moved from a one room home to a rent house with more rooms. They are using some of the rooms for church meetings, office, tailoring and carpentry classes, and a shop to sell the products. The house is a common mudhouse with some old walls in need of repairs, which some deaf men have volunteered to fix. We praise the Lord for Yves and Agnes' love for the Lord, and their desire to do more for the deaf spiritually and in other ways.

Things are not so well in the deaf church in Moundou, Chad. It has been without a shepherd, since Basile Tirmadingar, who revived it, has faced problems and is backsliding. May the Lord deal with and restore him, or send someone better suited to serve the deaf in Moundou.

Democratic Republic of Congo: In July Kamonyo Botanyi, who lives in Kisangani in the north, sent an e-mail from Goma in the east, where he purchased some building materials for the school in Kisangani. Just shortly after his arrival he heard about the soldier rebels coming into Kisangani to destroy and kill. People of his own tribe, from the territory in the east, were among the targeted. While waiting for the situation in Kisangani to improve, he travelled to Kampala in the neighboring country of Uganda. We were able to send funds through his business friend there. He received them alright, for that we thank the Lord. But we've received no more news from him after he left Uganda for Goma and Kisangani early August. Kisangani is in the middle of the large forest, so in troublesome times, Kisangani is more cut off from the world, with what little modern communications (postal, phone, e-mailing) they have breaking down. We pray that he, his staff and his students are still doing well, and that no one is killed. Some other areas in the country are also experiencing political uprisings, and the people are tired of these. Our other schools in that country are still functioning. Pray for the country and for all our schools. .

Victor, a deaf Christian leader in Nigeria has arrived at Wheaton College recently, as a recipient of a scholarship from the Billy Graham Association. We are sponsoring Behiguim, a young deaf man in N'Djamena, Chad who has started his studies at a local Bible institute. Both men might be the first deaf students at those schools respectively, and they therefore need prayers that they understand what is being taught. We think that Victor may find an interpreter who could help him. As for Behiguim, there is most likely no one, but may the Lord lead some students willing to write notes for him or even to learn the signs to interpret for him.

Campus Crusade has found a foundation willing to partially pay for sub-titling the JESUS film into french. The deaf in French-speaking Africa would benefit from this. CMD and a mission in North Africa have been asked to help with the cost of producing the sub-titling (captions) for the deaf. Please pray about this.

After helping us in our office for eight months, Deborah Lein left for Kabompo, Zambia mid June. She is teaching Religion Education at a high school for hearing children, where a missionary couple had been working and is now on a furlough in Canada for one year. She is praying about what to do after one year, hoping to work among the deaf in that area or in Botswana. Meanwhile, she has found a deaf man locally. He got his education from a deaf school in East Zambia, and is going to a Seventh Day Adventist church. He is hooked on marijuana and has some behavioral and social problems. Pray for wisdom and patience for Deborah, and that her witnessing to him will bear fruit.

We are delighted to have Mary Watson back with us. She returned at the end of August. She has been working with deaf children in the Gospel Deaf School in Suva, Fiji for almost a year. She asked the Lord whether to stay in Fiji or return to Detroit. When she learned that the refund for her return ticket would be only $100, she felt it would be better to use the ticket to return home for a short furlough. She enjoyed her work in Fiji, and because of the need for her at the school, she would like to go back there as soon as the Lord provides her replacement in our mission office here. Please pray with us about that. Interested persons should kindly contact us at CMD in Detroit.

I was in Germany for three weeks in June/July. After being ill with pneumonia, my mother passed away two days before her 94th birthday. Although Buddhist, she liked many of Jesus' teachings but could not believe in the old testament, inherited sins and God's grace. People have freedom to choose; it is indeed very sad when they reject God's Gift. I hope that my mother did accept Jesus as her Savior, maybe in her last hours, and I have prayed that the Lord would send someone to tell us that. Thank you again and God bless you all who have touched me with your comforting words, letters, cards and practical help.

Thank you for remembering us and our work in your prayers. The Lord continue to bless you.

In Him yours, 

Berta Foster
Administrative Secretary
Christian Mission for the Deaf

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