After Les and Carol settled into their new home in Chad, seven years ago, Carol surveyed their new neighborhood. It was predominantly Muslim, and Carol wondered how she could reach them for Christ. Les’s ministry was already determined: he would disciple men and preach and teach to build up local churches—all critical needs in this African nation. But what would Carol do? 

Soon a young woman named Fatima came to her porch. When Fatima learned that Les and Carol were American, she exclaimed, “We need English here so bad. Would you teach us?” Carol dismissed the idea, believing she wasn’t qualified, but every day, new kids and young adults came into the yard asking Carol to teach them English. Carol prayed, “Lord, what do you want me to do?”

She started with a test run of an English club on her front porch. About 75 young adults came. When Carol saw that most were Muslims, she hesitated on her original plan of starting with prayer, but by the end of the club, a Muslim young man said, “Aren’t you a Christian? We thought you would pray beforehand.” From the beginning, the Lord’s blessing has been on Carol’s English ministry. The kids have grown to love her, and they call her “Mom.” As an MK who grew up in Chad, Carol finds it easy to love them right back. [Carol is the daughter of the late BMM missionaries Earl and Shirley Dannenberg.]

Today, Carol’s front porch club has expanded into the Sarh English Training Center led by Carol, Les, and several Chadians teachers. They hold English clubs and classes from Monday through Saturday at a property that the Carews are currently raising funds to purchase. Between 200 and 400 students attend weekly. Among African nations, Chad ranks lowest in literacy—26.8 percent. Young Chadians hunger to learn English because it opens doors to education and employment opportunities. The demand for Carol’s Bible-based classes is magnetic even among Chadians from all religious backgrounds: Muslim, Catholic, Charismatic, animistic, nominal Christian, and nonreligious. Chadian culture is strongly oriented around tribal loyalties, but when the students come to the ESL campus, everyone is one big family, something the students relish. 

The attendees’ interest continues to astound Les and Carol. They come wanting to learn English, but they have just as many questions about Christianity. Once, several young men asked to visit during Carol’s meeting. They asked questions about American life: Did they have vehicles, running water, heat, or food whenever they wanted to eat? They said, “Mom, we don’t understand why you would come back to dirty Chad.” It was Carol’s perfect lead-in to share the plan of salvation: “I came because I love you. More than that, Somebody else loves you even more ….”

Les is known to the students as “Pastor,” and he disciples the young men who want to learn about God and the Bible. Daniel was one such man. Through Les’s help, he solidified his understanding of doctrine and was baptized. He later earned degrees in Bible and in agriculture. He hopes to use both as platforms to reach Chadians for Christ. Basile came to the Carews wanting to better learn how to teach English. He had no church background but was saved and is now in his fourth year of Bible school. Les and Carol are mentoring him to one day take over the ESL ministry. 

Two Muslim brothers, Youssouf and Osman (pseudonyms), received Christ through “Mom” and “Pastor.” The cost can be high for Muslims who commit their lives to the Lord. Youssouf was forced to flee to another country because of family threats, and Osman may come under similar fire. Carol sometimes says to her students, “Life in America is good, but it has many problems. I want the best for you, and it’s not America. I can give you a way to go someplace else that’s much better.” 

That better way, the way of salvation, is worth it for these brothers and for many others from the Carews’ ministry. The harvest is astonishingly ripe in Chad, Africa, with endless opportunities for ESL and clubs. By reaching youth, the gospel is multiplied and the church is strengthened in Chad. One young man discipled through the Carews told Carol, “Mom I need to help people come to my church.” He duplicated Carol’s Bible club, and his church is now growing through it.

Please pray for continued opened doors to reach Chadians. To learn more about serving in these and other ministries in Chad, contact us at info@bmm.org or call 440-826-3930.