Update on Strategic Project #1
Investing in Trainable Church Leaders
October 10, 2007

Our campaign to sponsor students for the 2007-08 school year has begun in earnest with a goal of enlisting AT LEAST 60 churches, individuals, missions groups, Bible study groups, Sunday school classes and businesses to sponsor at least one student for the upcoming school year. Each sponsorship costs $500 and helps cover some of the expenses of educating a student at ABI. This past year it cost $3700 to educate each student. This covers expenses of food, electricity, books, building maintenance and staff support to keep our school running. Students come up with $700 and we come up with the other $3000. We depend on people like you to come through for us so that these students can go forward with their training which equips them for many years of Christian ministry.

When you sponsor a student, we will make sure the student knows your name and stays in contact with you during his or her time at the school. You will learn about the particular student and hear about his church ministry and progress in school. We want you to think of this student as a part of your own family or church family, even if he never comes to visit you personally.

Every bold step of faith requires the first person or group to step forward and say, "Count on us." The first group to step forward with this project has been the Esther Sunday School class of Calvary Baptist Church in Scottsboro, Alabama. Thank you, ladies, for your heart to help our students! Pat Lacks, you are super!

Since the Esther class stepped out on faith this winter, we have had other churches join us in sponsoring students: Bynum Baptist Church of Bynum, Alabama, Eureka Bible Church, Eureka, Illinois, First Baptist Church, Hopland, California, Liberty Baptist Church of Duncanville, Alabama. We would also like to thank the International Mission Board of the SBC for their generous support in sponsoring students this year. So far, we have found funding for 35 student sponsorships, which brings us to almost 60% of our annual goal. Thank you everyone!

Now that we are this far along in meeting our goal, will you or your Sunday School class or church be one of the remaining 25 student sponsors who will commit for the 2007-08 school year? We are counting on you! Send your gift today to the International Mission Board, c/o Central-Eastern Europe office, PO Box 6767, Richmond, VA 23230. Please include a note that lets them know the project is for Albania, Strategic project #1, "Investing in Trainable Leaders." They will make sure the gift is credited to us for this specific project and not diverted to something else.

If you would like to know about our school or how to sponsor a student, feel free to contact us at jlbrad_62@hotmail.com or ibsh@icc-al.org.