O N W A R D M O R A V I A N M I S S I O N S P U B L I S H E D B Y T H E M I S S I O N S O C I E T Y, S O U T H E R N P R O V I N C E

Size: px

Start display at page:

Download "O N W A R D M O R A V I A N M I S S I O N S P U B L I S H E D B Y T H E M I S S I O N S O C I E T Y, S O U T H E R N P R O V I N C E"

Sara McDonald
5 years ago
Views:

O N W A R D M O R A V I A N M I S S I O N S P U B L I S H E D B Y T H E M I S S I O N S O C I E T Y, S O U T H E R N P R O V I N C E J U L Y / A U G U S T 2 0 1 4 V O L U M E X X X I V I S S U E 6

1 O N W A R D M O R A V I A N M I S S I O N S P U B L I S H E D B Y T H E M I S S I O N S O C I E T Y, S O U T H E R N P R O V I N C E J U L Y / A U G U S T V O L U M E X X X I V I S S U E 6 BELONG-BELIEVE-BECOME Do we require non-believers to first believe before they belong to our community, or can we provide an environment where anyone can belong as part of the process of coming to believe? Our Sarajevo team initiated the Belong-Believe-Become approach working with Muslim students. This year our Zagreb team modified the strategy for Croatian students. We asked this key question: What can we invite non-believing students to do with us? Since most of our movement action involves evangelism and discipleship, non-believers can easily be left on the sidelines until they believe and begin to grow in faith. Recognizing that we already teach some great programs in university classes and that we also have lots of experience in mentoring students, our staff developed a plan for inviting non-believers to participate in mentorship with us whether they have believed yet or not. Through a lecture series in the Fall on study skills college students received the opportunity to meet several times with a staff person to guide them in making a personal development plan. Students who accepted our staff as mentors then received the further opportunity to be trained as mentors for high school students. This is n-1 the idea that everyone can help out someone else who is one stage behind them in life. Twenty-three college students attended two Saturdays of mentorship training. At that point no high schools had opened their doors to us. As the need arose God provided. Just in time two high schools agreed for our staff to teach a 6 week study skills course in which high school students would be given the opportunity to meet with a college student mentor. What will God do with this? We don t know! God leads the way. Two of the college girls Anita is mentoring asked if they could talk to their high school mentees about God just as Anita had with them. Anita said, Sure!, even though she has no idea what they will actually say. The main thing is that these girls are beginning to belong to a movement that is not all about them. It is about finding God as we give to others. And I can guarantee that Anita will keep seeking ways to help her girls come to know Jesus! In March my colleague Nolan Sharp and I submitted papers to the University of Zagreb College of Philosophy for a symposium on Literature in the Bible. My paper focuses on the divinity of Jesus and call to believe from John 1:1-18. Nolan s paper discusses Jesus trial and crucifixion in John 18-20, showing that Jesus is the one who has authority to lay down his life and take it up again. Two university professors reviewed our papers. Nolan and I received similar s from the organizing professor. Your paper has passed peer reviews and with great marks! Having no idea how our direct presentation of the words of Scripture would be treated in the College of Philosophy, we praise the Lord for making a way! Now we wait again until October. If all goes as planned our papers will be published in a Croatian journal, we will read our papers at a symposium of professors and finally, we will lecture about our topic in a public high school. Michael and Brenda Brent and Family

June 1st is significant for a few reasons first, it is A s birthday! Second, it is International Children s Day. Our new teammates R. and S.

2 Page 2 UPDATE FROM MAGI LAND Wow What a day we had yesterday! Typically we share about our month from first to last, but just for some variety, we ll move backwards this time and start with yesterday, June 1st! June 1st is significant for a few reasons first, it is A s birthday! Second, it is International Children s Day. Our new teammates R. and S. came up from the big city to visit us, and yesterday morning R. and I drove up to the mountains to meet the mayor of another town that he might work in. They are trying to establish a national park there, and that fits R s experience and gifting. The mayor was very agreeable, and was excited about the potential of R s help. After we returned from that adventure, we headed out to an International Children s Day event hosted by N s (a local believer) new humanitarian aid organization. N. invited every pre-school in town and there were probably close to 2,000 people in attendance. It was huge. He spoke about his new organization, the mayor spoke, the children gave performances, and I even gave a little speech in Magi. I was nervous speaking in my second language, but the Lord helped me! I told them, Jesus tells us that we cannot enter the Kingdom of God unless we become like little children, so we certainly have something to learn from these kids. As we work to teach them and raise them, let us also seek to learn from them. Meanwhile, C. and S. had been working hard all day preparing for the big birthday party for A. and B. (their son who was born on the same day!) and hosting a large group of neighbor women that decided to visit! Finally, we were able to host the other families in town for the big birthday bash Mickey and Minnie style. It was a full day! Grace and peace to you, Missionaries in Asia Prayers and Praise on page 8 MARX FAMILY UPDATE God is so generous and caring, and through you He has blessed our ministry for more than 40 years! As we look to the future, we don t know what is in store for us, but He does; so we re taking it one year at a time as we ask for His clear direction regarding retirement. We love our work with Mission Aviation Fellowship, and there s lots to do. Thank you for standing with us. You are vital to our ministry! The recent acquisitions of new Kodiak STOL aircraft #9 and #10 by MAF are close to being ready for their trans- Pacific ferry flights to Indonesia. With summer approaching, the weather is more conducive to the long over-water leg to Hawaii and then on to Micronesia and finally the large Indonesian island of Papua. Much preparation, and prayer, goes into such ferry flights, as operating margins are reduced and endurance becomes vital, both for the pilots and aircraft. Special large fuel tanks are installed in the cabin to extend the range of the Kodiak up to 14 hours before having to refuel. Our faithful God has supplied financially for the purchase of these specialized planes, and MAF is excitedly anticipating their arrival on the field, to serve the physical and spiritual needs of remote and isolated peoples. Just recently we in MAF s parts purchasing received an urgent request for five structural fuselage parts, to make repairs to one of MAF s 14 passenger Cessna Caravans operating in Papua, where our son Brian along with his family are based. Cessna was able to expedite the parts to our Nampa center where they are being prepared for safe shipping on to Indonesia. We trust our purchasing link in the supply chain will help keep MAF s aircraft fleet, and Brian flying in response to the many requests for air service on this large eastern island of Indonesia. Great news on the home front! Our youngest daughter, Cristi, recently gave birth to a baby boy named Finnley. It seems just a few years ago she was learning to ride her bike in the hangar yard at our flight base in Shell, Ecuador. Her husband, Anthony, is a very caring and helpful dad. We re so thankful for this joyful addition to our family, grandchild number six! Because He is faithful and true, Steve and Ann Marx P.O. Box 47, Nampa, Idaho smarx@maf.org

Page 3 Greek IV Clemson I see a generation rising up to take their place, with selfless faith Hosanna, Hillsong United From May 5-16, I was with 800+ college students from across NC, SC and VA at

3 Page 3 Greek IV Clemson I see a generation rising up to take their place, with selfless faith Hosanna, Hillsong United From May 5-16, I was with 800+ college students from across NC, SC and VA at Rockbridge, InterVarsity s annual summer camp. For one of those weeks, I got to spend time with next year s Clemson Greek IV Leadership Team and a few other Clemson students. During the week we celebrated the many ways God has been at work this year. Here are a few highlights: 500+ students attended at least one Greek IV event 200 students regularly involved in our ministry 4 new fraternity/sorority Bible studies (18 total) 2 full-time Greek IV interns trained in ministry: 1 staying at Clemson and 1 headed to UVA At least 30 students made first-time or re-commitments to follow Jesus praise God! While we praise God for everything He has done, I am inspired by the bold faith of our student-leaders to keep praying for more. Here are a few things they prayed for at Rockbridge: a student-led Bible study in every fraternity and sorority at Clemson, more outreach to the NPHC (predominantly African-American) students on campus, and many more students lives to be transformed by Jesus. One such student we are praying for is Matt, a fraternity guy who came to Rockbridge who is not a Christian. During a time of sharing at the end of the week, Matt said, I ve watched you all this week and I see the relationship with Christ that you all have. I want that too I just need to let go of some things first. Praise God that Matt found a community in Greek IV where he can experience the love of God and belong before he believes. Please pray with us that Matt will let go of whatever necessary to trust Jesus with his life. Looking ahead to , in order to reach more students like Matt, establish new fraternity and sorority Bible studies and help bridge the racial divide on campus with a more multiethnic community, I am praying and working hard this summer to raise a total ministry budget of $75,200 to help bring these dreams to reality. This includes about $15,000 of new support for next year, which could break down to: 5 new partners at $100/month or $1,200/year 10 new partners at $50/month or $600/year 10 new partners at $25/month or $300/year Would you prayerfully consider beginning to give or increasing your giving at one of these levels? Also, would you please consider connecting me with other individuals or churches that may want to partner with us? Of course, anything you can do to help will be a blessing. If you would like to make a tax-deductible contribution, please make checks payable to InterVarsity with my name or Clemson Greek IV in the memo line. You can also give online at by simply following the links to Donate, or click on the orange "Donate" link to the right. As always, if you have any questions or want to talk more, please don t hesitate to contact me. I would love to hear from you. I may also be in touch with you this summer about getting together if I am in your area. Finally, if you will please let me know of your giving intentions this year, that will help me keep track of my budget and know who is praying for us again this year. Thanks again! Grace & Peace, Dusty and Christin Harrison and Family I see a near revival stirring as we pray and seek. We re on our knees Hillsong

Page 4 JUQUILA MEDICAL CLINIC COMPLETED The rainy season has come and cooled things off here, but that also means more potholes in the city and muddy back roads going to the village.

Paco is a fellow missionary who got married on Sunday to a woman from here in Oaxaca City named Ofelia. They had a great ceremony and are on their honeymoon at the beach as I write this.

It has been a lot of preparation but the weeding went great and all of their guests arrived. We are so happy for them and are looking forward to watching their marriage grow.

4 Page 4 JUQUILA MEDICAL CLINIC COMPLETED The rainy season has come and cooled things off here, but that also means more potholes in the city and muddy back roads going to the village. Thankfully our new truck handles the road conditions nicely. We are in town for a few days to buy medicine for the clinic and for our good friend Paco's wedding. Paco is a fellow missionary who got married on Sunday to a woman from here in Oaxaca City named Ofelia. They had a great ceremony and are on their honeymoon at the beach as I write this. This has been a prayer answered for Paco and Ofelia to find someone to marry and live out their lives together, both had been alone for a long time. It has been a lot of preparation but the weeding went great and all of their guests arrived. We are so happy for them and are looking forward to watching their marriage grow. Back in Juquila things are going great. The clinic is officially 100% done and Eunice and the patients enjoy the well lit, and dry clinic. Also, the garden my friend and I have planted is starting to produce some vegetables. We are doing some experiments to try and keep some plants drier than other because of the large amount of rain. Also, we are trying home remedies for bugs and ants. Our broccoli has been eaten by some worms but other than that everything else is growing great. We are trying to do everything organic and on as small a budget as possible. Some other men from the village have expressed interest in our garden and said they are willing to help us get a government funded greenhouse. Right now we are small scale but I told them in the future that may be a possibility. My friends Chico and Tadeo are now working on a highway project a few hours outside of town and only come home two days a week. This has made our Bible study time difficult since they come home Saturday night and leave Monday morning a five a.m. I am talking to some other guys who are interested as well to read the Bible. Even though things have slowed down with Chico and Tadeo, new opportunities are showing up. Please pray for our safe travels to and from the village. We have been invited to do a day long clinic in a nearby village, so that is coming to fruition, thanks for your prayers. Also, Ian is crawling now and is quite a handful. We are looking into getting someone to watch him for a few hours in the morning, so pray for someone good and honest to watch him. Also, we are still trying to go to the mission conference in Malta, but time is running out for fundraising to buy plane tickets. The conference is the end of September, but we need to buy tickets in the next few weeks. We think this is a great chance to share with others around the world what is going on in Southern Mexico. Thank you and be sure to check out new pictures on Facebook at Indigenous Mission Today. Blessings, Phil, Eunice and Ian pbrmissions@gmail.com Friedberg Moravian Church, 2178 Friedberg Church Road Winston-Salem, NC Facebook: Indigenous Mission Today

Page 5 ALASKA BIBLE SEMINARY The Provincial and Seminary Boards recognized a need in the Alaskan Province for more trained Pastors and Christian leaders.

5 Page 5 ALASKA BIBLE SEMINARY The Provincial and Seminary Boards recognized a need in the Alaskan Province for more trained Pastors and Christian leaders. God has blessed the Province with increased interest in seminary attendance and the seminary board moved to address the educational needs by increasing the program offerings of the seminary. We have been blessed by these developments but recognized that our current facility would not adequately serve our needs moving forward. By the providence and grace of God, provincial. leadership was introduced to Samaritans Purse leadership and God led us to this point. I am humbled and privileged to share an announcement with you that will have a significant impact on the Alaska Moravian Church and specifically the Alaska Bible Seminary. After much prayer and planning, Samaritans Purse and the Alaska Province have agreed to partner together in a building project to further God s work here in Alaska. Together we will build a new women s/couple s dorm, a multi-purpose building and renovate the current seminary building into a men s dorm. The new dorm will house up to eight female students and provide four couples suites. The men s dorm will house twelve men. The multipurpose building will house the Provincial offices, seminary classrooms (3), library, small group meeting room, conference meeting room/cafeteria and a commercial kitchen. As we move forward together in this effort there will be many opportunities for all to be involved and join us in this partnership. As plans develop I will keep you informed and share opportunities for you to be actively involved. Prayer has been the focus of this project from the beginning and I would ask that you keep this project and the people involved in your prayers. In Christ s Service, Ed Dehnert, Dean Alaska Bible Seminary 2013 Seminary Construction Team

The 2014 Cross Cultural Project Campus Outreach Charlotte Training Packets It s hard to believe we are already halfway through week 4, which means we re also halfway through the summer!

6 The 2014 Cross Cultural Project Campus Outreach Charlotte Training Packets It s hard to believe we are already halfway through week 4, which means we re also halfway through the summer! This week has provided it s fair share of both excitement and opportunity for personal growth. As a team, we ve had the opportunity to study 1 Thessalonians together as a large group in our weekly Theme Training, a discussion based teaching time, and in discipleship small groups. The focus of this week was centered on idols. We talked about what an idol is, and how, though we are all created to worship God, we naturally tend towards worship of other things like control, comfort, approval, or power. We discussed the specific ways that our fixation with these things actually inhibits our ability to see and worship God rightly, and how damaging this is for our spiritual wellbeing. The content felt weighty but very constructive and gave us a lot to continue to chew on in the coming days. Tomorrow in our discipleship groups we will have the opportunity to continue to process and operate as sounding boards for one another as we think through ways we can identify and uproot idols in our own hearts.. We ve also had the opportunity to partake in weekly Theology Training. Each Friday morning, we ve walked through a different component of the gospel and the significance that has for us as followers of Christ. The focus of this past week was Jesus Death. We broke into groups to study different passages of scripture that address topics like redemption, justification, and reconciliation. Through this exercise, we were able to unpack what these words and concepts really mean and how they affect the way we view and commune with God. For example, the fact that we are justified we discovered means we no longer have to be ashamed of our sin and can have confidence as we come before our heavenly Father. These formal training times have both helped fuel discussion in more informal settings about what we are learning out of God s word and have also been invaluable in helping to inform and orient our posture of ministry toward God and His glory. Spotlight on Church We ve been worshipping as a team at Melville Union Church, the Campus Outreach partner church that happens to be right around the corner from our guest house. Sundays begin with morning worship followed by a low key lunch, and some time to rest and refuel back at the house. Around 5pm we head back to church for an hour of student led prayer with the UJ Bunting student leaders, followed by evening worship. One of the most unique parts of our worship experience has been the opportunity to sing in different languages. South Africa has 11 national languages and we ve gotten to sample a bit of each. One of our team s favorite songs is Malibongwe which thranslates as Praise the Lord and has been adopted into our own team s worship times. Sunday nights after church allows us the opportunity for an extended family time. This includes worship (led by our very own Nate, Morgan, and Jimmie), and encouragement time, when we have the opportunity to highlight specific ways we ve seen God at work in one another s lives throughout the week. We ve been thankful for the culture of encouragement these times have helped to foster that has carried well beyond Sunday. Phil and Ashley Sineath Wingate Campus Outreach Ministries

7 PRAY EVERY DAY JULY, Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching. Pray for Annie B. Mission supporting Star Mountain in Ramallah, Palestine. 2. God created them male and female and blessed them. Pray for summer mission teams. 3. God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Pray for the Unity Bishops Conference July 3-11 in Mwanza, Tanzania. 4. You are built together spiritually into a dwelling place for God. Pray for government leaders, our nation, and the many conflicts around the world. 5. True worshipers will worship the father in spirit and truth. Pray for the Adopt-A-Village Program serving orphans in Tanzania. 6. Sunday - God himself gives life to all things. Pray for Glenda and George Tasedan in Labrador. 7. In these last days God has spoken to us by his son. Pray for Celeste Handy serving as a pastor in Warrenton, NC and attending seminary at Duke University in the fall. 8. You shall not defraud your neighbor. Pray for the peace of Israel and the Jewish people. 9. Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power to our God. Pray for the Adopt-A-Child Food Program in the Sierra Leone Moravian church. 10. God is faithful and will not let you be tested beyond your strength. Pray for R and B in the Sudan. 11. The Lord has established his throne in the heavens. Pray for Jill Kolodziej and the Antioch Servants serving this summer. 12. Sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God with gratitude. Pray for the outreach from Western Tanzania to the Sukuma people. 13. Sunday -There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Pray for the advisory board of the Unity Women s Desk. 14. Gossip betrays confidence but a trustworthy person keeps a secret. Pray for K & C serving the Magi People in the Middle East. 15. Strive to seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness. Pray for Phil and Eunice Raiford in Juquilla, Mexico. 16. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened that you may know the hope to which God has called you. Pray for the Likewise Aids Ministry. 17. Christ Jesus is at the right hand of God interceding for us. Pray for camp directors, volunteers, workers, and campers. 18. He is first and last; there is no other God. Pray for Ruth Snyder, Claire Wilson, and others helping women to Change Choices. 19. Who prevented you from obeying the truth? Pray for Dr. Louis and Susan Sutton with World Evangelism for Christ. 20. Sunday - Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. Pray for Justin Rabbach Dir. of Mission Engagement serving at Chetek Camp at Mt. Morris Camp, WI. 21. In the day of trouble I will seek the Lord. Pray for C & V and Family with Bridges International in campus ministry. 22. Power belongs to God and does not come from us. Pray for the outreach from Sierra Leone to Mofindor. 23. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. Pray for the Women s Conference in Western Tanzania. 24. Yield yourself to the Lord and come to his sanctuary. Pray for Michael, Cecilia, and Blessing Tesh and the Ray of Hope Orphanage in Kenya. 25. If you did not do itfor one of the least of these, you did not do it for me. Pray for Steve & Ann Marx with MAF Headquarters in Idaho. 26. Anyone who comes to me I will never drive away. Pray for Drs. Bill and Peggy Hoffman s HIV/AIDS Ministry in Tanzania 27. Sunday -Treasures gained by wickedness do not profit. Pray for Ruth and George Goff in Honduras. 28. God blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it. Pray for Ed Dehnert and Barb Weide at Alaska Bible Seminary 29. Do not oppress the widow, the orphan, the alien, the poor. Pray for Brian & Heather Marx serving with MAF. 30. You must not distort justice, show partiality, nor accept bribes. Pray for Dusty & Christin Harrison with Greek InterVarsity Campus Ministry in Clemson, SC. 31. Mary sat at the Lord's feet and listened first to what he was saying. Pray for Moravians in Malawi suffering from the results of flooding. Contact Helen Gulledge for Prayer Concerns helengulledge1090@gmail.com

Praise and Prayer from Magi Land For a fun visit with K s parents. That the Lord worked everything out perfectly for the work of translating of our stories into another dialect of Magi.

8 Praise and Prayer from Magi Land For a fun visit with K s parents. That the Lord worked everything out perfectly for the work of translating of our stories into another dialect of Magi. That R and K s meeting with the mayor of the city where R may work went as well as we prayed it would! They were all on the same page! For encouragement in language learning and grace to grow! C. and the kids are making an extra focused effort for languagelearning during the month of June. For continued good health for C. and baby girl (due in October). That the local believers would desire to meet regularly again and would take initiative and responsibility. For a new family moving to Valley Town on June 9th to work with B. and D. at the community center. ONWARD 500 S. Church St. Winston-Salem, NC Address Service Requested

Highlights from the January Board of Directors' Meeting

O N W A R D The Newsletter of the Moravian Mission Society, Southern Province February 2017 Volume XXXVII Issue 1 Musings from the Mission Society Highlights from the January Board of Directors' Meeting