Tim Foster

Although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Philippians 2:7-8

As we approach the end of the year, we’re both humbled and excited when we reflect on how God has used you to help shape more deaf Africans into the image of our Savior.

Burundi Camp
Our 2018 Congo Bible Camp took place in Bujumbura, Burundi, at the Ephphatha school for the Deaf. It was a good opportunity to reach out to deaf leaders who aren’t usually able to travel to our camp when we meet in the Congo. In addition to many of our usual Congolese and Rwandan attendees, we had five different Burundian cities participate, as well as a small group of pastors and evangelists who traveled 2 days from Lubumbashi (DR Congo) to make it to the camp. The theme of the week was “God’s Plan of Redemption from the Beginning”, and we taught from Genesis 1-11, showing how God’s redemptive plan throughout history connects with the rest of the Bible. Although our conferences are mainly geared towards church leaders, we had a few Muslims in attendance, and were thrilled to see one Muslim young lady come to Christ! Pray for Ramla as she begins her discipleship under the pastoral care of Israël Mungumwema. Lord willing, our 2019 camp will continue in Genesis, looking at Abraham, the Father of Our Faith.

University Scholarships
A few months ago we launched a university scholarship program to enable our teachers in Chad and the Congo to enroll in local universities. Participants are required to raise 20% of their own funds, and maintain high grades while continuing their teaching duties at school. So far, six candidates have signed up for the program. Although they are doing well, they face special challenges because the universities are not equipped to handle deaf students. Pray that they will handle the additional workload with grace.

Nigeria
Earlier this year, the Nigerian government seized our 30-acre property, located just outside of Ibadan,

New well in Nigeria

with the intention of using it for their own purposes. Although the property is still under construction, our staff immediately moved to appeal the decision, and was able to bring public attention to the situation. Losing this property would have been a huge blow to the growth of deaf education in Nigeria, so we praise God that the government rescinded its decision and returned ownership of the property back to CMDN.

Democratic Republic of Congo
We praise God for increased enrollment at our Bukavu school. We’ve added Fabien Morisho to the staff. He’s a friend of ours from Goma, and a gifted deaf teacher with a passion for Christ and deaf education. With limited funds and no long-term support, he felt led to travel to Bukavu because he heard the deaf church there had education and spiritual needs. The timing was perfect, as we had just begun looking for a deaf person to add to our school’s faculty. Now his teacher’s salary enables him to teach children at the school and minister to the deaf adults at the church. The downside to this is that the cost of living continues to increase in Bukavu. Our school is feeling the pinch, and several of our co-workers are finding it difficult to make ends meet. Pray for us to have wisdom as we devise ways for our school to navigate the hurdles of increased rent, increased food costs, etc.

Uvira Secondary School

Historically, our Uvira school has concentrated on primary education, but this year, we’re thankful that enrollment of secondary students is at an all-time high. Pray for director Pililo as he and his staff continue to train up the next generation of deaf leaders.

A growing concern for our Congolese schools is the lack of electricity. Many homes and small businesses in the Kivu province can’t afford to be connected to the city’s unreliable electric grid. Instead, people with minimal electrical needs go to ‘charging kiosks’, where for about $1.00, they can charge up laptops, tablets and phones. As solar equipment continues to become more and more affordable, homeowners are installing mini solar powered systems. The initial costs for such systems can be as low as $400, with no recurring costs, minimal maintenance, and better reliability when compared to city electricity. Pray for wisdom as we continue to explore these options for our three schools in the Kivu province.
Pray for peace as national elections are now underway in the DR Congo this Christmas season.

Chad
Earlier this summer, because of your loving support, we were able to add a water well to the ongoing

Toukoura (Chad) Farm

construction at our Toukoura property, allowing one of our staff families establish a small farm there. In the mean time, ongoing repairs are needed at the N’Djamena property, near the country’s capital, and God has graciously allowed Clement Abonyi, a Nigerian friend living in the USA, to help us with his fund-raising efforts. Director Yves reports that repairs and construction are now underway. Praise God for His faithfulness!

In Him,

Tim Foster
Director

Berta Foster
1937-2018

For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another. My heart faints within me! – Job 19:25-27

It’s been a very busy spring, and with summer already upon us, things are promising to be even busier.

Home
After many faithful years of serving the Lord in Africa and in the USA, my mother stepped into her eternal reward on January 27, 2018.

Berta became deaf at the age of 4 through measles. She met Andrew Foster in 1960 at an international conference for deaf educators in Germany. She was fascinated by his mission work among the deaf in Nigeria, and soon thereafter dedicated her life to Christ. They married in 1961 and had five children. Through Christian Mission for the Deaf, God used Andrew and Berta to pioneer work in deaf evangelism and education, opening over 30 schools for the deaf and dozens of churches for the deaf throughout central and west Africa. After Andrew’s untimely death in 1987, Berta served as the administrator of CMD until a stroke in 2009 led to her early retirement. I, Tim Foster, was appointed by the CMD board to step in as director. Since then, we’ve pressed on with the original vision of CMD, paying closer attention to improving doctrinal clarity and depth, especially among the young pastors and evangelists we interact with. These past nine years have been an exciting time of exhilaration and frustration, but we know that we serve a Sovereign God who is completely trustworthy. It is He who calls all men everywhere to worship Him in spirit and truth, and we are thankful to continue in that calling.

This past spring, God has blessed us by adding Clifford Bodiford, a deaf Texan, to our board of directors.

Sherri & Cliff Bodiford
Cliff is CMD’s newest board member

Although he was raised with an intellectual awareness of Christ, it wasn’t until he was in his 30s that Cliff came to realize the true depth of his sin and his need for Christ to save him from the consequences of his sin. Since then, Cliff has been faithfully serving at New Life Deaf Fellowship, in Fort Worth, Texas, for the past 21 years, and now serves as an elder. We’re thrilled to have a man with his passion for deaf ministry on our board. Pray for him and his wife, Sherrie, as they’ll both be traveling with us to Africa for the first time in July.

Lord willing, in just a few weeks, our 17-year old son Daniel will also be making his first trip with us to Africa. Due to school schedules and family finances, he has not been able to accompany us on past trips. He’s looking forward to getting a fresh and exciting perspective for the work of God in a radically different cultural context.

Nigeria
Thank you for your continued prayers for John Linus, the young Nigerian pastor-in-training who is currently studying in Texas. The adjustment to life in Texas was more difficult than he expected, and there were a number of times that he wanted to quit and go home. But by the grace of God, he was able to endure the first semester and is now eager to continue his education. Pray that his time in the US will continue to be fruitful, and that he will not fall to the many temptations that are readily available in the US.

Democratic Republic of Congo
We’re pleased to announce the formal adoption of a new school in Baraka, in the eastern province of Fizi.

New fence for a new school in Baraka

The school was started three years ago by Shukuru Hertier, a personal friend of mine and a graduate from our Uvira school. Up until 2018, we had been collaborating with him on non-monetary projects, and monitoring his patient faithfulness as he worked to build up the school and pastor the new deaf believers. It’s not uncommon for us to encounter young deaf men with a great initial zeal for starting a deaf school, but rarely do we find someone with both good doctrine and endurance. Unlike several other deaf young men we’ve interacted with over the past decade, Shukuru did not abandon the school or run to foreign donors when he lacked resources. Instead, he turned to prayer and dependence on God, accepting his difficult circumstances, while committing himself to God’s hands to do as He wills. God provided by touching the hearts of a few parents, both in the USA and in Fizi, to contribute to his pauper’s budget. It wasn’t until a week ago, several months after we formally adopted his school, that Shukuru quietly informed me that his first three years were extremely difficult, and how his family members frequently provided food and housing so he could live. I was impressed with his love for God and the deaf. Now that we have formally adopted his school, he’s brought on 2 additional staff members, and with his increased, albeit modest, salary he’s able to live on his own. Pray that God will continue to bless him for his faithfulness to Him. Pray also for his fiance, Riziki Charline, as they plan their dowry, wedding and ministry life together.

Our Bukavu school is now completing its second year of operation. Due to space concerns at our former location, Director Nanza had to relocate the school to a Baptist church just outside of the city. While Bukavu has a large deaf population, many of them have a very low education, and few are interested in coming to our school. Some of them have indicated a resistance to the director because he is older and hearing. Most deaf schools in Africa have a hearing director and staff, so the resentment is peculiar. Pray with us for wisdom as we look to add deaf teachers who are more knowledgeable about deaf life in Bukavu, and able to more effectively minister to the deaf there.

Chad
Construction has resumed at the new Toukoura property just outside of N’Djamena, the country’s capital. The property is now able to house a family, and one of the staff families is moving there this month and starting a small farm. We’ve sent some funds so they can install a well pump this month.

Director Beosso’s motorcycle has long outlived its usefulness. Praise God with us that we’ve been able to assist him with the purchase of a new motorcycle this month.

In Him,

Tim Foster