Buka, Vinaka from Fiji. (feel free to copy and send this email to any and everyone you know for their consideration)

Kathy and I wish to thank you for your faithfulness in your support and (we know) your prayers since last year. We have been here for ten months now and know for a fact that the proposed CIBS-Fiji is indeed a very much needed tool for the furtherance of the Lord's kingdom here in the South Pacific. In my February report I wrote the following:

Proposed Christian Institute of Biblical Studies here in Fiji
We are still praying for the needs of the proposed Christian Institute of Biblical Studies here in Fiji. We are still working toward securing property and building facilities.

For many years now we have talked about the need for a Basic English-Speaking Bible School in the Oceania region. These discussions have been with the brethren in Fiji, the Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea and Vanuatu. It is recognized that there is a Pidgin English Bible school in PNG and a very good English school in Tauranga, New Zealand but the consensus is that the English level is too difficult for most island English speakers. The cultural stress has been extreme for some of those coming from a more temperate climate and the more mature Christians with families are handicapped from attending the school in New Zealand due to higher costs. So here is the proposal: we would like to have a Basic English-Speaking Bible school in the temperate zone of the Island region; we would like to have an intake of 10-15 students per year with a total enrollment of 25 boarding students; we would like to build the facilities to accommodate these students and at least three teachers and their families.

We have talked with a contractor who will build a 2 bedroom house for $12,200 and a 3 bedroom house for $16,700. Another contractor submitted a bid of $72,000 to build the classroom office block, staff housing (1 x 2bd, 1 x 3 bd) and student housing (1 x 2 bd duplex). So with land to cost up to $30,000 (27 acres) and building costs we are in the neighborhood of a minimum of $100,000. Realistically we need $150,000. Please continue to pray earnestly for this need. The sooner we can get the land and facilities in place the sooner we can get to teaching and training full-time the workers who will indeed take the gospel to the ends of the Oceania region. (Every month we delay the more it will cost with prices rising and the exchange rate on the American dollar going down!)

One of the main reasons this school is so important is that we need to be training local Christians in their own cultural settings to evangelize their own people language groups.

Our primary mission for being here in Fiji is the establishment of the Proposed "Christian Institute of Biblical Studies". We did not come here to do the work of evangelizing Fiji which is in the capable hands of the local Fiji brethren. (Though we will do our part in the great commission of "as you go, teach.....") We came here to help equip them to do a better job and to encourage them to continue in the faith. Because of that we didn't come with the thought in mind of having to learn either Hindi or Fijian to accomplish our mission. (I am almost 60 years old and my memory chips are maxed out for languages!) English is one of the official languages in Fiji and we speak that to a large degree. So what we have to do is get this school up and going so we can get about the job we are here to do otherwise we are just existing here. Just existing does not make Tobey or Kathy happy!
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As you know we have not been getting any closer financially to our goal of a located Bible training school here in Fiji. Being here almost a year has verified that the school is very much needed if the Lord's church is to make any headway here in the South Pacific. We have been laying the ground work looking for land and building contractors. Therefore after talking with our local co-workers here in Fiji we think we need to come back there and do something about raising funds. Our house rent is from the 5th of the month and in May the weather is getting warmer there in the USA. The Fiji government gave us a three year visa to get this school operational which gives us two more years. If we get it operational then they will give us extensions on our visas.

We would like to ask you to continue your prayers for our work and especially our travels from May 6th to mid September. We will leave the bond with the government which means our visas will stay valid. If people who are supporting us now will continue we will have enough to travel with there in the USA. We would hope that we could also raise some additional personal support while there as well.

I have contacted a travel agent and it will be $1,805 USD per ticket. They have a flight out of here May 6th late.

We know everyone is talking recession but we are fully convinced that God is still in control of the universe, I heard birds singing this morning. (I'm not sure they were not laughing at my golf game!)

PRAYER REQUESTS
Please pray and consider the following needs we still have: (feel free to copy and send this email to any and everyone you know for their consideration)

1. Personal support: we have about $2900 monthly. The budget we have proposed we need an additional $600 plus $800 monthly for work fund expenses. We have been able to cope up until now on what we are getting but will need to get additional funds especially as we get more involved in the work here.

2. "The Christian Institute of Biblical Studies - Fiji"
>Immediate funds of $50,000 to buy land and build basic facilities (URGENT!)
>Additional funds to update facilities: classroom, office, student & faculty housing $75,000-$125,000
>Monthly funds of $3,600 for 5 years or until the school can be self supporting from planted cash crops

If 83 adults purposed their "upcoming economic stimulus payment" (further known as UESP) to CIBS-FIJI we could buy the land and build basic facilities. If 293 adults purposed their UESP to CIBS-Fiji that would provide the funds we need to buy the land and build all the facilities to get the school started. Anything over and above would be applied to the running expenses of the school until we can secure the needed monthly support.

So what do you think? Is it possible that the Lord is providing the funds through this unexpected avenue so that His work can go ahead with the teaching of workers here in the South Pacific. For those who have said they think that this type of school is an answer to the training of foreign workers and would like to help the school but are financially strapped at the moment here is an opportunity for you to purpose those funds. What say ye? You can help - Will you help?

Funds can be send to our sponsor:

Mt Hope church of Christ
2830 Mt Hope Road
Webb City MO 64870
or you can contact my son about helping <j13huff@yahoo.com>

We would ask that you help us in securing speaking engagements with congregations and people who we can talk with about help toward this financial need for the school here in Fiji. Either you can contact them or give us a contact name and number which we can call to set up appointments to talk with them!

Again thank you and God bless you for your support and prayers and we look forward to seeing your personally when we get back and report on what God is doing and can do through his servants here in Fiji.

In Christian Service and because of the Cross of Jesus Christ

Tobey & Kathy
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Dr Tobey & Kathy Huff
PO Box 4615
Lautoka, Fiji Islands

Home (679) 664-5808
Mobile (679) 938-2808
web Site: http://cibs-fiji.fiji.com/CIBS-Fiji/Index.html