Prayer points from the Gillham Family in Namibia

Simon writes: we really value your prayers and would love for your to be praying about the following things.

• Give thanks for the start of the year and for the students that God has brought to NETS. We have had three new students pull out at the last minute which is disappointing, but God has been very generous in drawing 9 new first year students to NETS. We now have 29 full-time students (up from 24 this time last year) and about 15 active part-time students in the residential programs.

• Praise God for the two new staff who were employed at the end of last year and began work in January. Basilius Kasera is a bright young Namibian who has been heading up of small, low level Bible school in the north-east of Namibia and is joining us as a junior lecturer. Pastor Paul Makai is a Zambian man in his early 60s who has come with 25 years experience of training pastors in Africa. They are both fitting in really well and already making a great contribution to NETS.

• Continue to pray for our staffing situation.
o We are interviewing to fill our receptionist position this week.
o We need to find an administrative co-ordinator to take up this important job by the end of April (and we haven’t any money to pay them!)
o In the second half of this year the Acting Principal, Josh Hooker, will return to the UK for 6 months. When he comes back to Namibia we will be leaving for the next 6 months. This means that we really need to find another senior lecturer to cover this 12 month period. (There is no money to pay this person either)

• Continue to pray for the NETS accreditation process. We have received lots of positive informal feedback, but no official response. A report should’ve been completed and sent to us by the end of December, and we then must write a response to that report and present our case to a Board meeting. Please pray for greater efficiency on the part of the government officials and greater patience for us at NETS.

• Pray for me (Simon) as I lead a delegation to the Ministry of Home Affairs to negotiate the granting of a number of work permit renewals. Many foreigners are being denied entry for work purposes or being forced to leave Namibia at present.

• Give thanks that Margie and I are enjoying teaching so much at NETS. Margie’s English class this year is double to size of last year’s class and she has gathered many wonderful new resources to help her. I am teaching Biblical Theology, Preaching and Church History.

• Give thanks that Maddie and Noah are settled well into school again and that they are enjoying friendships and learning. This is a wonderful answer to prayer!

• Give thanks that God is so richly blessing our marriage and family. Margie and I just celebrated our 17th wedding anniversary and were struck by how lovingly God has cared for us in our closest relationships.

I am really sorry that this has appeared as a list without much colour or character. We will do our best to do a ‘proper job’ very soon.

Thank you again for your wonderful support in prayer. God bless,


Simon Gillham
NAMIBIA EVANGELICAL THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY