Volume: 3 • Issue 1 • January 2003                        

Highlights (and Lowlights) of 2002

The high point of 2002 came in July when God provided Dr. Desmond Rose as president, followed by the acceptance of CCBI as an affiliate of South African Theological Seminary. These two moves obviously were planned by God’s wisdom even before the needs became known, and especially in His answer to fervent prayer.

Graduations were celebrated in Trinidad and Kenya for 17 students in addition to individual programs completed in Uganda, Belize, Guyana and Tennessee. Most divisions have National Directors with e-mail and functioning libraries.

Bad news has been serious illnesses of Professors Jabini, Ridley and Allen, but God has answered prayers in His unexpected ways. There have been no face-to-face seminars with CCBI teachers anywhere in almost two years, but we praise God that one or two instructors are now praying about going to Kenya for classes and April 2003 graduation.

Monthly income has varied from a dismal low of around $1,000 to an acceptable high of about $2,500, coming regularly from about eighteen individuals and churches plus tuition fees from CCBI divisions. From this monthly income CCBI is obligated to provide financial support for the president, president-emeritus, Springfield office manager; stipends for qualified National Directors; postage, textbooks, office supplies and upkeep expenses. Instructors usually pay their own postage to return graded courses.

A brilliant area shines clearly throughout the past year, that being the colorful, eye-catching monthly newsletters prepared with professional artistry by Margaret Ridley. Accenting text sent by CCBI leaders, Margaret has used photos, scanned graphics, maps, fonts and personal techniques to produce a newsletter that truly glorifies God in presenting CCBI to public attention. She also has supplied personally designed note cards for CCBI donors, encouragers and national directors.

Students themselves have beamed “as lights in the world” in their Ministry Project reports during the year, with ministries ranging from HIV/AIDS, village development, crusades and street children to intimate prayer, marriage, crisis and death row counseling. More awesome ministry stories appear elsewhere in this newsletter.

CCBI is now squarely in the middle of our “Decade of Excellence” - He’s still workin’ on us!

News from Dr. Jabini

Academic vice president Frank Jabini has had an extremely productive year in his work both with Bible translations and with CCBI students. He is actively involved in translation teams for French Guiana and Carib Amerindian, and the October completion and production of 10,000 copies of the New Testament in Sranan Tongo.

Jabini started 16 CCBI students in a Dutch Masters degree program, arranging for classes to be taught by professors who volunteered their own expenses to fly to Suriname from Netherlands, Belgium, and Curacao, and some local teachers. Despite a difficult economic situation, CCBI joins Dr. Jabini in utmost gratitude to God for these professors and their churches who have sacrificed their time, skill and finances in order to make this program possible. These classes will continue into 2003 with international instructors already committed, and Jabini teaching between visits.

As if this were not enough for one year, Dr. Jabini also investigated and initiated dialogue which led to CCBI affiliation with South African Theological Seminary, and he developed a new certificate program for CCBI. It is no wonder his health has suffered from stress-related symptoms. CCBI is deeply grateful to Frank Jabini for his truly sacrificial ministry of education in the Word of God.

Ministry Projects

Pastor Edmund Evelyn of Guyana was permitted to pray for a grievously ill Muslim neighbor lady who had received no help from many doctors. She complained that she prayed night and day to her ‘god’ but got no help. She said under excruciating pains that if his God could help her she would accept prayers from him. Pastor Evelyn prayed audibly, “Jesus, prove to the Muslims that you are Lord and God by healing her!” Seeing no visible improvement, he left with a promise to return. However on his followup visit the lady’s son told him she was better and is now able to do her daily work. Praise God! Let him describe another incident.

“I was keeping a thanksgiving service in an open sloop by the river. The entire week was extremely inclement, and heavy rain clouds began to drizzle just before I was to preach. The people were about to scatter and seek shelter, but I told them to agree with me in prayer. In the presence of all I prayed, ‘Jesus prove to these people that you are God by stopping this rain.’ As I opened my Bible to preach the rain stopped during the entire service and until all reached their homes. Then it fell the entire night for two or three days. This caused many people to believe more in the Lord.”

Roses to South Africa

Dr. and Mrs. Desmond Rose and four children returned during the holidays to their South African homeland for the first time in seventeen years. Family reunions topped the agenda, but Dr. Rose also had an appointment for CCBI with South African Theological Seminary (SATS) in Praetoria, in preparation for collaboration procedures to begin.