A Bible school was started in Mozambique in 1998. That institute became known as InForTeM (Theological Training Institute in Mozambique) After almost 25 years, that institute is now registered before Mozambican law as a Mozambican training institute. That presents opportunities and is cause for gratitude.
Formation work in Mozambique began after a request from Trans World Radio. One of their employees , Rev Avelino Mutilima, broadcast a daily message of hope over the radio during the civil war (1976-1992). This was followed by a lot of people and little churches had sprung up all over Zambezia province. The pastors had hardly had any training. When Trans World Radio discovered this, contact was made with mission, and asked if mission would help form a training institute.
That work: a Bible school in Mocuba, called EBOM, and a course according to the TEE method in five places at the same time, was incorporated into InForTeM. Because registration was through mission, it could not be a Mozambican educational institution, but only church formation work. This had implications for the accreditation of the courses. After the repatriation of the first Dutch worker for the project, Rev Jan van 't Spijker, work started on the Mozambican registration. Finally, in early January, news arrived from the capital Maputo that the registration as an educational institution was complete. Though under a different name, it is also a new phase in the existence of the Bible School and the decentralised course. For the first time, full accreditation can be worked on, so that students with the diploma can also go further in Mozambique. The institute's new name is AMITEM, which in Dutch stands for Zendingsvereniging voor de Promotie van de Theologie in Mozambique.
Rev Alberto Nahoma wrote: In achieving this, we say: Eben Haëzer - so far the Lord has helped us.
