Chad, Africa

After more than a year of planning, purchasing, packing, and waiting, the container with supplies for our translation center has finally arrived! The entire process has been an immense amount of work, but we are thankful that God has brought these needed items over the thousands of miles from Findlay, Ohio to Sarh, Chad, Africa. The container did NOT tip over this time and everything seems to have arrived in very good condition. We ended up paying more than we would have liked in customs charges, but in the end it was still within reason.

Thank you to everyone who helped with all the packing and preparations! We are anxious to put these supplies into service as they will help people get God's Word in their own language. We recently had the privilege of hosting a major training session for all of our translators. Sixteen of our key personnel traveled from their villages to benefit from this training. The two-week session was conducted by translation consultants from Bibles International and our national consultant, Ouya Bongo. It was exciting to see Pastor Ouya back in Chad and at work. God answered your prayers in allowing him to successfully complete his training in the US and return to the translation ministry in Chad. This training session was an important step as it has been several years since some of our translators have had updated training. It is exciting to look at the future of the translation ministry. We have a Chadian consultant and translators who are ready to use their new skills to advance the ministry, supplies have arrived, and we have begun a major construction project. All of this leads us to believe that God is at work and that He really wants His Chadian people to have His Word in their hands. Thanks for praying!

Work has finally begun on the new Chad Translation Center! Volunteers, including several women, from local churches came and cleared off the site by hand. We also held a “ground breaking” ceremony with representatives from BI, church and community leaders, and local government representatives. Ground breaking in Chad is a little different from what we are used to – instead of shoveling dirt aside, we “laid the first stone." While this ceremony was only symbolic, it does mean that the project is ready to start in a REAL way. As of now, we have sufficient funds to dig the well for this facility. Please continue to pray for the needed funding. Financial gifts that are designated for the Chad Translation Center can be sent to Bibles International,

609 36th Street SE

Grand Rapids, MI 49548.