Community Training, Water Storage, and a Baby

Due to the generous support of many donors and the support of Peace Gospel International, Kolpele's orphanage and ministry in Chad is flourishing. Over the past 3 years he has seen the ministry grow from a single orphanage & church in N'Djamena to at least 6 separate churches, several businesses, water wells and an expanded orphanage.  There are always challenges and harsh realities to overcome but this update highlights some of the recent triumphs. 

- Through generous donations, Kolpele has been building a 10,000 L (2500 gal) water tower within the orphanage in N'Djamena. The tower will be supplied with water from the source well drilled by PGI in 2010, however, they are still in need of a generator and pump to fill the tower.

This tower will supply water to the entire community and will be especially important in the next few months. Chad (and all of Eastern Africa) are currently in a major drought - despite being the rainy season, there has been little to no rain in the area. The drought is expected to produce a famine in the region in coming months. Please pray for rain for all of eastern Africa.

- Kolpele's wife Rebekkah is due with their next child in August/September. Another elder's wife is also pregnant (Abraham) so Kolpele hired a girl to help around the orphanage managing children and cooking/cleaning. This girl is a 21 year old girl who was a street child for several years before Kolpele found her. Now she is a key member of the church and raises a small income. She was hired in the spring.

- The computer lab is being finished in the second compound in N'Djamena. The lab will be completed once money can be raised for the few remaining computer screens. The three students sent to college in Douala, Cameroon have returned to N'Djamena for vacation and are teaching the children how to use the computers. Once the college students go back to school, the hope is that the children will know enough computing basics to teach others and to grow proficient. For the first time, these kids will have the availability of technology to compete at an international level!

- The seamstress training program has produced several competent seamstresses. These women, many of them widows, are making clothing and generating income for their families. Kolpele has also trained a member of the congregation as pastor who is now evangelizing around the country and setting up churches. His wife and children were provided with one of the sewing machines by Kolpele and she makes money for the whole family. Previously the family was sustained entirely through the generosity of others.

- The goat farm that was relocated outside of N'Djamena in Spring 2011 has been much more successful than it was in N'Djamena. Kolpele remarked "you wouldn't believe it if you saw it" - the goats are fat and reproducing. A mother goat gave birth to 2 kids a few weeks ago and the congregation celebrated the birth. Currently there are 2-3 shepards in charge of goat wellfare and security.

- The Land Rover that was donated last year has continued to transform Kolpele's work and is "a major blessing". No longer does the ophanage/church worry about charcoal, animals or travelling around the country. Kolpele now has 5 churches setup in the south in addition to the central orphanage/compounds in N'Djamena. Kolpele calls it "manna from Heaven". It has redefined the ministry.

April/May Update

I haven’t had a chance to talk with Kolpele in the last few months so instead he sent me a note describing the state of the orphanage & various projects. His words describe the ministry better than I can:

“Dear All,

 Reaching some places in our country with the gospel, is not an easy job. This month of April 2011 will stay forever in my mind. We were able to bring the gospel to a village situated 22 km in the forest in the region of Gamba. We were helped in this by the new car given to us by PGI. We were also supported financially by John & his wife. This support helped us to buy some items like Bible study for kids, put gas in the vehicle and to support the missionaries who came from different regions for the leaders seminary. We were able also to feed ourselves in the field for four days, Rebecca was led to assist some people that have accepted the Lord and have nothing to clothe themselves. Attached are pictures showing these things; Rebecca is sharing gospel with young ladies; we are clearing a place for a new church in the bush in Toulao.
 

Clearing Land for Church

It is so amazing to talk about some things. The first time that we brought the gospel to our village(Rebecca and I), we were threatened as foolish people. But today, we thank God for what he is doing to our village. Today, with your support (PGI and others), people have come to believe in what they originally considered as a foolish thing. Most people stop to drink (at the water well) and are able to take charge of themselves. They witnessed the reality of the gospel. The gospel can deliver people from the boundaries of the devil and bring people together. We have been able to eat on the same table and share the same food with white men. In the past some did it during their travels to Chad (Nathan, Ronnie, Chad), and it continues today with John. Last time when we shared our villages with these men, they couldn't believe what has happened (improvements). Some asked me to print the pictures to show to their families. I am proud to print it for them. That's the true gospel. May God bless you all in Jesus.” - Kolpele May 2011 (Edited for clarity)



Rebecca Teaching



 With that said, here are some additional details of the ongoing work:



Building New Compound



- Kolpele is building a new compound in N’Djamena. This compound will contain a restaurant (cafeteria), a computer café, a shop, and extra rooms that can be rented out for supplemental income. The computers will be used to train the orphans & other street children since computer use is a luxury in Chad. This will go a long way in educating the youth. The cafeteria will supply food to the kids and neighbors as well.



- In May Kolpele jumped on an opportunity to purchase several items at low cost. These included an additional solar panel; the current solar panel capacity is limited and this new panel will allow the orphanage to run simultaneous fans, lights, and a small refrigerator which was also purchased. Its hard to imagine living in such a hot climate without a way to keep food fresh - the fridge will be a major blessing. The sale also included several computers and other items for the new compound.

Missions in Distant Villages

- The Land Rover that Kolpele received last year is still making a major impact on his work. In April it was used to help transport missionaries around N’Djamena who attended seminary training. Incidentally, Kolpele & Rebecca continue to train missionaries in N’Djamena who then travel the country spreading the gospel.

- In April there was a heat wave in Chad. Since air conditioning is non-existent, this poses serious health concerns; in fact there are many deaths every year attributed to heat and dehydration. Kolpele was burdened by the extreme heat and shortly after emailing out a prayer request it rained! This was a huge blessing to keep temperatures down.

Its important to remember that this work impacts orphans directly.



Francis

- Francis is an orphan that was taken in by Kolpele several years ago. Thanks to the orphanage, he has had food, shelter, clean water, and his basic needs met. In school Francis is now at the top of his class and is succeeding in the orphanage.

Lawa

- Lawa is an orphan that Kolpele brought into the orphanage in 2008. His father was killed during the rebel attack on N’Djamena in 2008 and his mother abandoned him and moved to Koundoul. Lawa is now the age of a “bread winner” (16 years old) and is being sent to Fianga (in southern Chad) to train as a mechanic. Following the year training, he will get a job as a mechanic.

Training

More exciting news from Chad...

- Three members of Kolpele’s congregation have left for Douala where they are attending university. This is a major blessing since most Chadians do not have the opportunity for secondary education. Martin, Kolpele’s brother, is studying English; Felix, one of the older orphans Kolpele brought in, is studying technology; and Ernest is studying History. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers. Kolpele selflessly gave his laptop to the students for university since it was a requirement, so we are working on getting another laptop for Kolpele, hopefully by May.

New Land at Gongong

- Kolpele has purchased a new plot of land in Gongong located in the south of Chad in Fianga. While he was there, Kolpele baptized 7 people and narrowly escaped being bitten by a snake in the river.

- There have been some problems building a church at Tikem because of local politics (the township chief won’t allow building the church in the original spot). Still, there have been successes in the sewing program with several seamstresses being trained by a tailor. 1 additional sewing machine has been brought in bringing the total to 2.

Seamstress Training in Tikem

- A gathering is being planned for all the church plans in the region of Illi including Fianga, Tikem, Iri, and Manbalam on May 1st.

As always, please keep Kolpele, his family, the orphans and the ministry in your thoughts and prayers. If you wish to assist this cause, check out Peace Gospel International or donate to the project directly with the link on the right.

More updates from the field in Chad...

- Kolpele’s wife Rebekah is as integral to the ministry as Kolpele is. She prepares 3 meals a day, clothes and teaches the orphans, cleans the compound, manages money, and runs the household – these responsibilities are only magnified while Kolpele is at work half the year. I have had the pleasure to meet her on 3 of my trips to Chad and she embodies a Proverbs 31 woman. With that said, Kolpele has been blessed to hire support for Rebekah to help cook and clean, freeing up valuable time for Rebekah.



Rebekah Preparing a Meal



- Tikem, the location of one of Kopele’s church plants, has also started training seamstresses. Not only are widows being trained but also some men who will become tailors. As with the seamstress training in N’Djamena, this will provide a valuable skill set for the Chadians in the area to make money and improve the local economies. Kolpele is planning on building a full church where courses will be held, but for now training will be held in a hangar.

Kolpele at Work

As always, please keep Kolpele, his family, the orphans and the ministry in your thoughts and prayers. If you wish to assist this cause, check out Peace Gospel International or donate to the project directly with the link on the right.

PGI Ebay donations

If you or someone you know is an eBay user/seller, then Peace Gospel International has a great donation program for you! By using the link below, sellers can donate anywhere from 10% - 100% of their listings to Peace Gospel. Also, anyone who uses eBay (as a buyer, for example) can choose to add a donation to Peace Gospel during checkout. Happy shopping!

http://ebay.peacegospel.org/

Coffee Supporting Chad Orphanage

Are you a coffee drinker, or live with one? For some time now Peace Gospel International (who supports the Chadian orphanage) has been partnered with 963Coffee, a Christian-owned and operated coffee roaster specializing in making their fair trade coffees available as a fundraising tool. (Name comes from Ps. 96:3, "Tell of his glory among the nations." -- they are very missions-minded).

Some really cool facts about PGI's partnership with them: When you order a bag of coffee through the link below...

1) they donate $4 to Peace Gospel (per bag!)

2) the bag of coffee has a large sticker on the back explaining our ministry (so it's a great gift idea if you want to help spread awareness of Peace Gospel)

3) struggling farmers get a fair trade for the beans

4) you get a delicious gourmet coffee (available in several roasts-- my favorites are South Seas Dark Roast & Cinnamon Creme Brulee)

Just use this link: http://coffee.peacegospel.org/

January 2011 update

Rather than trying to stitch together one coherent post, here is an update of the many stories Kolpele has been sharing with me this month.

Christmas 2010 Celebration

- Kolpele led a large gathering with all the church plants around the country for a Christmas celebration. Over 200 people assembled to sing, worship, feast, and listen to Kolpele’s preaching.

- We have seen many ups and downs in the small businesses in Chad. Last year I wrote about the government of Chad restricting livestock within the city of N’Djamena. That news came at a crucial time in the building of the goat farm, with most of the complex completed. Still, we pursued this goat farm with the initial purchase of 100 goats. Illness, theft, and vandalism brought this number down to under 40. More stringent government restrictions were enacted in late 2010 requiring no livestock in the city so Kolpele has decided to move the goat farm outside of the city limits. 2 shepherds are being employed and the goats are thriving in the new area.

New Bikes for Missionaries

- Four bicycles have been purchased for missionaries in Walia, Tikem, Iri, Gongong. These bikes help the missionaries move around their respective regions and carry supplies to the local churches.

- Over the past several weeks Kolpele has been upgrading the orphanage in N’Djamena by adding rooms, installing roofs and strengthening the infrastructure. This allows for more orphans to stay in the orphanage. In conjunction with these improvements, several bunk beds have been purchased. Previously, orphans slept on mattresses on the floor – each bed contained multiple children. Bunk beds have allowed each child his/her own space and keeps them from sleeping on the dirt floors. Bunk beds also provide a convenient place to hang mosquito nets that are necessary in protecting against malaria.

New Bunk Beds

- Kolpele has been able to purchase land in the area of Walia which will eventually be used as another church plant.

As always, please keep Kolpele, his family, the orphans and the ministry in your thoughts and prayers. If you wish to assist this cause, check out Peace Gospel International or donate to the project directly with the link on the right.