Two decades ago, God formed an amazing, productive, and inspiring relationship between WEI and Rhema Christian Academy in Uruk Otong, Nigeria.
A brilliant young preacher by the name of Aniefiok Akpan had just purchased land that had belonged to his great grandfather, a tribal chief who wore the title of “His Royal Highness” and who cast spells as a witch doctor. He also offered human sacrifices to the local gods at the Juju shrine on his property.
There were no buildings on the land, so Aniefiok and his lovely wife Etang rented a large circus-style tent and launched Rhema Christian Academy with K through 12 grades, using WEI materials for teaching English and the Bible to the older students. High school students were being baptized into Christ nearly every week.
Then the Nigerian government shut down the school saying the facilities were inadequate. Undaunted, Aniefiok continued teaching and baptizing WEI students, and they formed the nucleus of the Campus Church of Christ.
By the grace of God, a building was erected in 2015-16 and Rhema Christian Academy was born again. High school students again studied the WEI courses, and most of them obeyed the gospel. The Campus church continued to grow rapidly, and the foundation was laid for a larger building designed to house the high school, a science laboratory, a library, and an auditorium in which the church would meet for worship.
The Nigerian Ministry of Education permitted the RCA to keep its high school on condition that the new building would be completed by their next inspection in September 2024. It appeared that RCA would again lose its high school and lose the spiritual fruit it bears.
Fortunately, God had other plans for saving the high school. Aniefiok wrote, “The fight to keep our high school and sustain our mission work in Uruk Otong has started. In a recent wire from the Bethlehem church [Aniefiok’s sponsoring church in Watertown, Tennessee], two families, James and Janice Kelley and Lola Crouch, made a huge one-time donation of $1,000 each to our mission.
With the $1,000 donated by the Kelleys, Aniefiok purchased some of the most important Science Lab equipment. With the $1,000 donated by Lola, he purchased building materials for completing the construction of a six-room classroom building that Lola and her late husband, David, started building three years ago.
Temporary portable partitions will be placed between the classrooms so that the building can be turned into one huge room to give the church and other large groups of people (workshops, WEI Youth Conferences, etc.) a place to meet. It will also provide the mandatory space for agents of the Ministry of Education to administer tests to high school graduating seniors.
Until the high school/church building can be completed, God has made it possible for the high school students at Rhema Christin Academy to study WEI lessons via the Internet. Most of these students will become Christians, and many of them will lead their parents and siblings to Christ. On the other hand, the junior high students are studying WEI lessons that are printed on the RISO Printing Machine that Jim and Virginia McPeak donated to the school several years ago.
Have you considered including WEI in your will?
By naming WEI in your estate, you will accomplish two important things:
1. You will lay up treasures in heaven; and,
2. You will help others get to heaven, too.
The theme of their Fishers of Men Workshop March 31 was, “Making Disciples Who Make Disciples.” Aniefiok writes, “Since then, our campus church has recorded 14 baptisms and two restorations.”
“We have adopted three evangelistic tools for our gospel campaign within and outside of the Uruk Otong community. The tools are (1) Rhema Christian Academy, (2) World English Institute, and (3) Grassroots Football Initiative (GFI).”
With a stroke of genius, Aniefiok used the popularity of football (soccer) to draw young people to Christ. Last year, he and his staff organized a football tournament on the RCA campus and invited preteens in the area to participate. Boys and girls from RCA and thirteen surrounding villages formed four teams that competed for the trophy.
The first of eight matches was played on November 10, 2023. The eighth and final match was played on December 1, the first day of a three-day WEI Youth Conference. That night, 300 players, parents, and fans attended the conference. On the second night, an overflow crowd of 700 attended—a record for any event in Uruk Otong. During and after the conference, forty people were baptized into Christ.
Teams for 2024 are currently being formed, and all players in the tournament are enrolling in WEI. As many as 1,000 people are expected to attend this year’s WEI Youth Conference in December.
Becky Rose, an enthusiastic Internet teacher at the Metro congregation in Gresham, Oregon, is ecstatic over the baptism of three students in Ethiopia.
Becky says, “I started studying with Eyob Tena Beanyam in September of 2023. He started telling his friends about WEI, and they joined in to study (Samson Getachew, Nardos Yilma, Tesfaye Tuji, Selam Kasahun, and Erus Lema).
“Once he [Eyob] got to the lessons on baptism, he decided he needed to go to Addis Adaba to be baptized. However because of political unrest in Ethiopia and the high occurrence of kidnappings of travelers, he wasn’t able to get there.
“As the lessons went on, he realized that being baptized was more important than where it was done. With the help of WEI staff, I was able to find a connection in Dirq Dawa, which is much closer to where Eyob lives.
“Last week, Eyob and his friends Tesfaye Tuji and Tesaye’s wife, Salamawit Kasahun (students of Murray Stewart) went to Dira Dawa and were baptized by Belay Kebede Areri, preacher of the church of Christ there. What joy fills my heart!
“Brother Stewart is encouraging them to start a congregation in their town and reach out to more people there. He is also encouraging us to help them do that.
“Everyone had a part–from your wonderful lessons, to those who helped me find the name of [someone} Eyob could contact, to the teachers who accepted his friends [as students], to the preacher who followed through, and most of all, the Spirit who worked within the students to guide them to truth. What joy this brings, God is good!”
Wouldn’t you like to lead someone to Christ? Chances are you can. Become a WEI Internet teacher by logging on to our web site and signing up at www.worldenglishinstitute.org/register/teacher.
Approximately one-third of the people who enroll in WEI live in Islamic nations. Unfortunately, most drop out before they finish the course. Why?
One of the biggest roadblocks to their learning is their Islamic concept of Jesus. They have been taught that Jesus was a prophet of God but not the Son of God. The idea that God sired a son by Mary is repugnant to them. They are thinking in physical terms, not in spiritual terms.
Darrell Wallace, WEI Director of Teacher Recruitment and Training, sent the following document to his Muslem students to help them understand that the phrase “son of” can mean different things. Darrell’s tips to his students might also serve as tips to teachers of Muslim students.
Darrell writes, “This is the message I sent to all of my Muslim students who have a conscientious objection to Jesus being the Son of God. The goal is to get them past a stumbling block that prevents them from listening to Jesus.”
“To help explain this phrase, ‘Son of God,’ please read the following explanation. The Holy Bible uses the phrase ‘son of’ in different ways.
“It can be used to describe someone’s character. If we walk in the footsteps of Abraham, we can rightly be called ‘sons of Abraham.’ The Bible also speaks of some men as ‘sons of Satan.’
“We are ‘children of God,’ not through sexual reproduction, but because God is our Creator. We are made in his likeness through the creation of Adam and Eve. God feeds us. He loves us as a loving father loves his children, and he is responsible for us [our well-being].
“Someone may also be called a ‘son’ through adoption. Moses was an adopted son of the Egyptian king’s daughter.
“Another use or the phrase ‘son of’ is by biological natural birth to a mother and father through the process of natural reproduction.
“When the Holy Spirit uses the phrase ‘Son of God,’ this is to be understood, first, as a title of great honor. It does not refer to [anything] biological or physical. God is Spirit and does not have children as humans do. This was a title that was promised to the promised Shepherd King.
“It is also worth noting that the phrase ‘Son of God’ suggests a spiritual relationship with God unlike anyone else’s. This expresses uniqueness, and the one given this title is very special.
“I sincerely hope this helps clear up any confusion. There is a great misunderstanding about the phrase, ‘Son of God.’”
Arthur Tatara had planned to make a mission trip into interior Papua New Guinea in June, but there was so much political unrest there that he had to postpone his trip until peace is restored.
In the city of Lae, however, Arthur continues his outreach ministry at a public high school and at Melanesian Bible College using WEI materials in his Bible classes.
Arthur writes, “I have an opportunity to share the gospel with students for 40 minutes every Thursday. I have been doing this for six years and continuing. It is difficult to change a child who grew up in a denomination. However, I am patient in preaching and praying that one day they will accept the message. I am there every Thursday to help them discover the truth and the church for which Christ died as they learn and grow to choose for themselves.
“The Bible college students come from different provinces in Papua New Guinea, and I am proud to be one of their instructors.”
“We are now in the third block of our study [at Melanesian Bible College] in which I am teaching the Life of Christ, and it aligns with the [WEI] materials on Living for Jesus. The study of Living for Jesus will last for six weeks. I recommended that the students use the materials after completing the course with me. I am hoping and praying that they will use the material and knowledge to grow the Lord’s church in their province when they return home.”
W.E.I. NEEDS YOUR ASSISTANCE!
More and more national preachers around the world are using WEI courses in their local outreach ministries. National preachers are our most efficient and productive partners in world evangelism. Your donations for printing and mailing these materials are appreciated
June Anderson has thousands of WEI students in her files, and she keeps claiming more. She says, “I truly care about my students, and I think they know it. I tell them that I not only want to teach them English; I also want them to know God and what he wants of us.
“My student [in Yaounde, Cameroon,] Abdon Le Roy Nkada knew I cared for him. In one email, he said he would like to know more about God and about baptism. That is always one of the happiest emails I can get. I asked him some questions and went to work finding someone in his area who would go and talk with him.”
June asked Jan Towell if she had a contact person in Cameroon, and Jan thought of our longtime WEI teacher, Oben Anthony, and contacted hm. Oben replied, “I’m not in Yaounde, but I will call and connect him with a brother in Yaounde.”
Later, Oben wrote, “I chatted with Abdon Le Roy, and I connected hm with a faithful brother and gospel preacher, brother Joshua Banye.”
On the following Sunday, Oben wrote, “To the glory of God Almighty, Abdon Le Roy was baptized this evening. He is the one in blue.”
WEI short-term missions in Romania began in mid-June and continue through mid-February. Eleven teachers traveled to Romania to teach in the cities of Oradea, Arad, and Cluj. Canadian WEI teachers, Eno and Nadine Damo taught for two weeks in Cluj and very much enjoyed their time teaching students and working with Romanian evangelists, Dragos and Sorina.
Six teachers are teaching in Oradea working with evangelists Vasile and Anca Iuhos. Paula Taylor, Felicia Vaughn, and Beth Coalson served on the first team. Elder Mark Kelley along with Matt and Morgan Cavender on the second team. Danah Nelson and Charles Summers, along with Ala Kajdo of Lushnje, Albania taught students in Arad. Joshua Dykes, an American missionary, is planning to locate long-term in Arad to evangelize and minister to the small church there.
Approximately 600 hours of Bible studies using WEI materials have been taught. Much seed has been sown, and God will give the increase in his perfect time. We are grateful to all these teachers for sacrificing their time and money to share the Word of God and their faith with these WEI students.
An Invitation: We invite you to, please, consider including WEI in your 2024 church budget and join us in a concerted effort to lead the whole world to Christ
“How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?” – Romans 10:14
“Although introducing English students to the gospel is the number one priority of a WEI short-term ministry, there are other incredibly important benefits that result from these efforts.
“First, Encouragement from the WEI teachers to the local congregation. Meeting and growing to love brothers and sisters from other countries reminds them that they are part of a world-wide fellowship. Second, for WEI teachers, it’s a great reminder that we, in America, are only a small portion of God’s family.
“If you have considered participating in a short-term mission, I urge you to do so. You will be a blessing to others, and YOU will be blessed.”
Edwin Vicente, Director of the WEI Learning Center in Tuguegarap City in northeastern Luzon Island reports that he is now teaching twenty-four WEI students and has received permission from parents to baptize two of them.
Our awesome God never ceases to amaze us. In 2022, WEI exploded with a record number of 170,851individuals registering on our website. We read and studied the Bible with 66,259 students. In 2021, we had studied with 48,504 students. God blessed us with an increase of 17,755 students. We were so excited!
In 2023, the explosion continued. 208,379 individuals registered on our website, and we studied with 73,116 students. God’s incredible evangelistic tool reaches out daily into every country of the world to open the hearts of people who have no religion or who follow a major world religion. This allows our wonderful teachers to teach them the saving gospel of Jesus Christ. God is great all the time.
In 2024, we are still on fire. 138,403 individuals have registered thus far. 7,000 are becoming new students each month.
We are on pace to exceed our goal of teaching 84,000 in 2024. To God be the glory! We need more teachers. Register as a WEI teacher today [by signing up at] www.worldenglishinstitute.org. Help lead a precious soul to Christ!
We also have a financial need. We advertise daily via Google in every country of the world. Due to the incredible number of registrations in 2024, our Google advertising account has depleted to less than $22,000. WEI needs to raise $36,500 to help recruit 42,000 students between now and the end of the year. We need this financial assistance to continue to reach the lost with the Good News as our Lord commanded.
Please give prayerful consideration to becoming a co-worker with WEI so that, together, we can sow the seed of the word of God all around the world.
Please donate online at by clicking on www.worldenglishisntitute.net/donate/ Or make a check out to World English Institute and mail it to WEI,
1525 NW Division Street
Gresham, OR 97030
All the time, God is great!
Ida Partlow, faithful follower of Jesus, WEI teacher for more than thirty years, short-term missionary in in Tirana, Albania and Phnom Penh, Cambodia, aggressive evangelist by nature, beloved by family, friends, and WEI students around the world, has gone home to be with her Lord whom she has served throughout her adult life.
Ida was a blood relative of our Bob Towell who moved from this land of the dying to the land of the living on March 12th. We cannot but wonder if Bob and Ida are hugging each other now and celebrating their victory in Jesus.
Not long ago, shortly after Ida learned that she had pancreatic cancer, our daughter Debbie and her husband Dan went to visit her at the rehab center. Ida was teaching one of her nurses a Bible lesson and had asked Debbie to bring her a set of WEI materials so that the nurse could study them after she was gone.
Ida was an evangelist to the end, and she will have many stars in her crown. Her family and friends are grieving, but not as those who have no hope. May the God of comfort be with her loved ones.
To us, death means loss. To God it is homecoming day. “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his faithful servants” (Psalm 116:15).
W.E.I. THANKS ALL OF YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT!
The contributions and donations you provide allow WEI to continue to reach people in all nations with the word of God.
Honorariums and Memorials
For all the students around the world
seeking the love of God
Walt, Teresa
In Honor of & gratitude to Jim Bradshaw
Anonymous
In Honor of our daughters
Gough, Sean & April
In Honor of Jan Towell
Towell, Delbert & Helen
In Memory of Homer Benson
Benson, Norma
In Memory of David L. Brown
Brown, Judy
In Memory of David Crouch
Crouch, Lola
In Memory of Joe W. Downey
Smither, Ken & Jean
In Memory of Art Edwards
Downey, Nancy
England, Tom & Pat
McClellan, Bruce & Brenda
Spencer, Dan
In Memory of Jim & Jean Endy
Towell, Josephine
In Memory of Carolyn Sue France
Edwards, Bonnie
In Memory of Robert Henry
McClellan, Bruce & Brenda
In Memory of James Herring
Edwards, Bonnie
In Memory of Julie Hinds
Hinds, Paul
In Memory of Les Jewell
Gallaher, Roy & Carolyn
In Memory of Leon & Dottie Jordan
McClellan, Bruce & Brenda
Spencer, Dan
In Memory of Jimmy Kiles
Adams, John & Ginger
Huff, David & Laura
In Memory of Jo Ann Long
McClellan, Bruce & Brenda
In Memory of Sharon McGlasson
McGlasson, MichaelIn Memory of Sherry Morris
Adam, Neil & Norma
Rodgers, Eric & Angela
In Memory of Larry Raburn
Raburn, Shirley
In Memory of Marilyn Skinner
Biszmaier, Bill & Mary
In Memory of Margaret Tindell
Adams, John & Ginger
Arrick, Loyce
Edwards, Bonnie
Gallaher, Roy & Carolyn
Hafer, Jim & Lisa
Hill, Jeff & family
McClellan, Bruce & Brenda
Smith, Monte & Family
Somerville, Shirley
Walt, Teresa
White, Diane
In Memory of Bob Towell
Crouch, Lola
Gillson, Tom & Kathy
Ogren, Al & Dale
Towell, Delbert & Helen
Towell, Josephine
In Memory of Sandy Watts
Biszmaier, Bill & Mary
