DEARFRIEND adim Kibe was a young Global Mission pioneer working in Kostroma, Russia, where the Kostroma and Volga Rivers merge. His task? To plant a Seventh-day Adventist congregation in this ancient, historic city. Carefully he planned a series of public evangelistic meetings. The first night seven attended. The second night four attended. The third night nobody attended. Not one. On that unforgettable night, Vadim still preached his message. But he preached it to 160 empty chairs. “I imagined that in every chair there was an angel,” he said later, “and that 160 angels were looking at me and crying with me.” I often think of that dedicated young man, standing in the empty hall, preaching his heart out to the angels, tears streaming down his face. “Since through God’s mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart . . .” writes the apostle Paul. “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair. . . . Therefore we do not lose heart. . . . For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all” (2 Corinthians 4:1-17, NIV). After that discouraging night, Vadim didn’t give up. He stuck with his task. He later held another evangelistic series, and finally established an Adventist congregation in that region of Russia. Often we hear wonderful stories about mass baptisms and thousands of new churches. And we praise God for them. But let’s not lose sight of the other side—the Adventist Mission stories that don’t seem to have happy endings. There are many stories of sacrifice, struggle, hardship, and disappointment. But despite these setbacks, God is still doing wonderful things with dedicated people. Thank you for your prayerful support of Global Mission around the world. It is making a difference. In Christ,
Gary Krause Adventist Mission Director
12501 Old Columbia Pike, Silver Spring, MD 20904
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PICTURESTORY reaching
the
unreached
with
hope
2Q O8
HUNGARY
NEW N ZEALAND ND
SRI LANKA
Y
ess than a year ago eight people along with Global Mission pioneer Ho Soon Cheng started a small group Bible study. Today some 25 meet each week in st hhis hi i home overlooking Lake Wakatipu in Queenstown, New Zealand. Qu Through health and cooking workshops, various prophecy seminars, and a Christmas va program Ho Soon and the group have reached pr ed into this resort community’s population in of 23,000. Small group members are also reaching into two neighboring towns. re Last summer the small group held a Vacation Bible School program, which was wildly popular. Community members are eagerly awaiting this summer’s program. Ho Soon even got a local business to sponsor it. The cost of church planting is high. Throughh the financial support of dedicated small group m members community organizations em mbe b rs aand nd com ommu muni nity ty oorgan nizations Ho Soon hopes to continue finding ways to make impact Queenstown ke aann im impa pact oonn Qu Quee eens nsto town wn aand nd see his congregation grow.
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ears of making contacts have paid off in Budapest, Hungary. Earlier this year two churches were planted in this city of 1.7 million people, thanks in part to Global Mission funds. Located in the heart of the city, the Budapest Downtown Church was officially organized as a result of young people making contacts at Sziget Fesztivál, Central Europe’s largest music festival. Over several summers these volunteers ran different outreach programs and made contact with several hundred youth. Over time their group has grown. A second church plant in Budapest’s Kobánya district is the first Adventist church in the area. Both churches are helping fulfill Global Mission’s goal of reaching into the world’s large cities where the Adventist Church has struggled to Capital: tal: BBudapest udap ud apesst find a foothold. Population: 10 million Po
Capital: Wellington
lobal Mission pioneer Rajah works in Sri Lanka’s lush hill country. Several times a week he meets with this group in a small meeting room attached to one corner of his house. This is the second congregation that Rajah has helped to establish over the past four years in Sri Lanka. In this region there are no large halls to host evangelistic meetings. Few people can afford a car. Most people walk or travel by public transportation. It can take hours to get from place to place. Thiss makes mak m akes es public ppub ublilicc and personal witnessing difficult. As a result the Adventist Church has has grown grow gr ownn slowly slow sl owlyy over ove verr thee past past century. cen entuuryy. Then Then ten years ago Global Mission started an initiative to send frontline pioneers to find people where they live. Global Mission’s work of intentionally reaching people where they live is paying off. Over the past decade the number of Adventist congregations in Sri Lanka has grown from 28 to nearly 50. Capital: Colombo
Population: 4.1 million
Population: 20 million Po
Adventist membership: 4,650 Ad
Adventist membership: 11,150
Adventist membership: 3,500 Ad
Adventist to population ratio: 1: 2,150 Ad
Adventist to population ratio: 1: 367
Adventist to population ratio: 1:5,714 Ad
Official Languages: Hungarian Of O
Official Languages: English, Maori, and Sign Language
Official Languages: Sinhalese and Tamil
R Religions: Re Roman Catholic 52%, Calvinist 16%, LLutheran Lu u 3%, Greek Catholic 3%, other 26% Europe Eu u today has the fewest Adventists per ccapita ca a of any continent. Soviet bloc countries, such as Hungary, went from religious su oppression to secular post-modernism in just op a few short years. Nearly half of all Europeans are secular and practice no religion at all. a Please support Global Mission work in TransPl European countries, such as Hungary, by Eu giving to FUND #7300. g
Rel Religions: Anglican 15%, Roman Catholic 12%, Presbyterian byte by te 11%, Methodist 3%, Pentecostal 2%, Baptist 1%, other Christian 9%, other 47% 1% In N New Zealand some 26 percent of people claim cla cl a no religion at all. Global Mission hopes to reach those who are looking for more spirituality. spi sp i Please help spread the love of Christ Chr Ch r by contributing to church planting efforts effo ef fo in the South Pacific countries, such as New Zealand, by supporting Fund #6910. Ne
Re Religions: Buddhist 70%, Muslim 7%, Hindu 7%, Christian 6% and unspecified 10% Ch Glo Global Glo Mission has made a concerted effort over the past 10 years to reach people where ov they the th e live. Thanks in part to your support of Global Glo Gl o Mission the total number of Sri Lankan congregations has grown by nearly twoco thirds.. To support frontline mission work in Southern Asian countries, such as Sri Lanka, support Fund #7100.