Praise and worship led by Harry Camp is scheduled to begin at 7:00 CDT Friday evening, setting the tone for an international array of speakers and musicians to follow during the weekend. Although overnight reservations are now filled for hotel and guest house there are still plenty of bunk beds available in the dormitory and cabins at no cost; all are invited to bring your own bedding and come. Meals must be reserved by Monday, October 9 at 423-628-2568 or ccbi@highland.net, with the first meal being breakfast on Saturday.

International Update
God has been blessing beautifully in the various divisions of CCB International despite a few circumstances that the enemy meant to be discouraging.

*Trinidad - Many students are finishing their associate (entry level) work and are moving without a break into the bachelor level as they major in Bible Studies, Counseling, Pastoral Studies, Christian Education and Missions. National Director Kathleen James is capably managing Trinidad and Tobago's large student body and organizing a division on Antigua, as well as giving administrative help to the struggling St. Lucia division. Meanwhile she is working on her own doctorate in Biblical Studies!

*Belize - Five long-time students are completing their programs, while three newer recruits are eagerly drinking up courses like thirsty camels. Director Jeff Nickell, who has a regular evangelistic and vocational ministry with the Belize prison, is in the midst of a building project which will relocate the CCBI office. One of his best new CCBI students is living proof of Jeff's effective ex-prisoner rehabilitation program.

*St. Vincent - A Master degree student who works in the national Ministry of Education is helping CCBI to be officially recognized by the government. Everything seems to move frustratingly slowly on this Caribbean island but it seems the pendulum for CCBI students has begun to pick up speed.

*St. Lucia - After a lovely launching of the reorganized division and graduation of one student in April, with Mrs. Kathleen James and Dr. Lee Miller there to represent CCBI administration, Director Brenda Edwin has reported a personal crisis which severely interfered with her plans for effective operation of St. Lucia division. Despite some alarming developments in her business Sis. Brenda has managed to recruit four new enrollees and maintain her determination to provide services for the students. Please pause to request prayer for this courageous Christian lady, that she would know God's direction at this time.

*Suriname - This is actually three divisions in one, with English courses being done by correspondence through N.D. Raymond Ramdhari, and residence courses being conducted in Sranan-tongo and Dutch by Provost Frank Jabini. This is CCBI's only non-English division, with Wycliffe team worker Jabini being highly qualified to juggle the language challenges. The Suriname guilder continues to plummet in value, now being 2600 to one US dollar.

*Guyana - Only a flicker of the CCBI torch remains to kindle hopes for a National Director who will relight the flame of Christian education in this impoverished South American coastal nation. Please do pray for the few frustrated, isolated, beautiful Christians who have remained to tough it out in Guyana.

*Grenada - Assistant Director Norris Cox has been doing a great job of getting the word out about the college, with Director Carol Ullman doing her usual impeccable job of record-keeping. Over half a dozen recruits are now in some stage of the enrollment process.

*Kenya - Students must persevere through formidable obstacles to their progress in studying. Drought, poverty, malnourishment; unreliable communication, transportation, water and electricity; plus overcrowded homes and unemployment seem to have instilled a stubborn determination to overcome and triumph in the pursuit of Christian education. A second graduating class for the year 2000 is shaping up for November.

*Zambia and Uganda - Although not official divisions of CCBI, these East African nations are well represented with outstanding Bible scholars in independent studies. A recent Master of Ministries graduate is ready to go forward with an advanced Master of Religious Education degree, meanwhile helping his colleagues to begin their programs.

Extreme VBS in Haiti
Dr. Cindy Walker and six teachers from the Cookeville area saw Christ triumph over the powers of evil in Haiti as they, along with many native helpers, organized and carried out Vacation Bible School one unforgettable week in August. More than 600 children participated in Bible study, music, crafts, games, counseling and evangelism and at least 100 made professions of faith.

Children and workers spent five days and nights in the compound, enjoying the luxury of adequate and nutritious food and clean water along with the love of God demonstrated by Christians who dared to venture way out of their comfort zones. CCBI salutes our Dean of Faculty Dr. Walker and those who contributed to this awesome project.

Discipleship Project
A brand new student in Grenada exemplifies CCBI's emphasis on Christians in different denominations encouraging each other. Upon another church's invitation, this man has used his CCBI textbook to teach discipleship to new semi-literate converts. John Roberts reports, "The Lord made the lessons real and many lives were changed with testimonies given of those changes. I have given these converts a sound foundation for growth and development. The new believers have grown in their faith, understanding and application of the word and in stepping out in witnessing. I learned to depend on the power of the Holy Spirit to successfully complete this project."