The Call issue 6 - autumn 2017

From child soldier to a life in mission A remarkable story of survival from South Sudan

Five issues facing pioneers The 2016 year in review Special centre spread feature

FROM SHAME TO SHALOM Pat Blanchard shares how the Shalom Centre for people with disabilities in Peru got its start (See page 11) T HE CALL IN ACTIO N

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CHURCHMISSIO NSO CI E TY.ORG

THE CALL - AUTUMN 2017

ISSUE 6 | AUTUMN 2017

The Call

The call in action

Welcome to The Call, produced quarterly

by Church Mission Society.

The Call is a platform for global voices in mission. In these pages you will get to know people from around the world who are joining in God’s mission in a variety of ways. By sharing their stories, insights and reflections, our goal is to give you hope that God is still at work in our world and to inspire you to put your own mission call into action, if not with Church Mission Society then with someone – but preferably with Church Mission Society.

In this edition

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MISSION NEWS

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FROM CHILD SOLDIER...

07

WORLD VIEWS

24

THE OFFICE CALLING

FROM SHAME TO SHALOM

27

MISSION ISSUES

THE YEAR IN REVIEW

31

11 15

What God is doing through your prayerful support

Eyewitness reports of God at work in Uganda, Southeast Asia and Ipswich

An interview with Pat Blanchard, leader of the Shalom Centre in Lima

Was it a ‘sweet’ 2016 for Church Mission Society?

...to a life in mission. A remarkable story from South Sudan

The call in action behind the scenes, behind a desk

Five issues facing mission pioneers today

HOW TO...

...pioneer mission on a new housing estate, according to Ali Boulton

... and much more churchmissionsociety.org 2

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WELCOME

MISSION

MYTH-BUSTING PHILIP MOUNSTEPHEN EXECUTIVE LEADER

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Church Mission Society Watlington Road, Oxford, OX4 6BZ T: +44 (0)1865 787400 E: info@churchmissionsociety.org churchmissionsociety.org

/churchmissionsociety @cmsmission

If you have any comments about The Call, please contact the editor: the.call@churchmissionsociety.org

Church Mission Society is a mission community acknowledged by the Church of England Registered Company No.6985330 and Registered Charity No.1131655 (England & Wales) and SC047163 (Scotland). Also part of CMS: The South American Mission Society, Registered Company No 65048 and Registered Charity No. 221328 (England & Wales); The Church Mission Society Trust, Registered Charity number 1131655-1 (previously 220297).

Registered and principal offices of all above entities: Watlington Road, Oxford, OX4 6BZ.

hat do we mean by ‘mission’? Of course the word means many different things to many different people. That’s one reason why we’re running our current Mission Is campaign. We want to provoke a conversation about what mission is – and what it isn’t.

The truth is that there are many myths about mission that need to be busted. We’re all familiar with the image of the white western missionary as a cultural imperialist in the service of empire – and undoubtedly there is truth in the image. Earlier this year, however, I met a historian (who was not, as far as I know, a Christian, so had no particular pro-mission axe to grind) who said that the academic pendulum has swung back more towards the centre. He said there is now a recognition that missionaries stood in the way of the machinery of empire as often as they served its agenda.

There are three recent events in particular I’ve experienced that challenge some other mission myths.

I spent a fascinating afternoon facilitating a meeting of people leading non-English speaking Anglican worshipping communities in London. Of course there have been congregations in London worshipping in languages other than English for decades, if not centuries, but until recently that’s been a rare phenomenon for the Church of England. But now there are Anglican congregations springing up all over the place worshipping in a multiplicity

of different languages, be that Gujarati, Ukrainian or Japanese, to name but three.

It’s a myth that the Church of England can only worship in English. We in Church Mission Society know that, of course, with our history of being a midwife to all kinds of indigenous churches speaking all kinds of languages.

But I delight that the Church of England is waking up to the fact.

Indeed, it’s core to our Anglican understanding that worship should only be offered in a language the people understand. In the words of Pedro Casaldaliga, “The eternal Word speaks only dialect.” Mission must always be expressed in the local language. But in today’s world the meaning of ‘local’ has changed. It’s not just about place.

It’s about culture and community too.

Here’s another myth I’ve seen busted in recent days. Or rather, here are two myths in one. One of those myths states that mission is more about proclamation than presence. And the other myth is its reverse: that mission is more about presence than proclamation.

We’ve seen both busted through the church’s response to the tragic Grenfell Tower fire in London.

While local and national governments were chastised for their apparent lack of response, the church’s response was outstanding. We saw practical help being offered, church leaders acting as advocates for the voiceless and marginalised, and services were held and the good news of Jesus was shared with compassion and sympathy. All that happened because the church was already there, embedded in the community. If you’re not present

THE CALL - AUTUMN 2017

how can you proclaim? And if you are present why would you not want to share good news?

And the third myth I heard busted was the idea that the historic Protestant missionary enterprise was an unbroken series of successes. This came across very clearly in a lecture given

by Professor Alec Ryrie as part of the Mission Theology in the Anglican Communion project of which CMS is a co-sponsor. Alec’s theory is that this story is in fact a ‘double story’: “One is a story of missionaries and their churches: a story of great efforts and uncertain rewards and of promising beginnings cut short. The other is a largely hidden story of quiet indigenisation and growth which is difficult for us to trace.”

Of course the two are related.

The ‘failure’ of much missionary enterprise led remarkably to the growth of indigenous churches that are now of huge significance for global mission.

What conclusion can we draw from these three busted myths?

All mission is local, to be expressed in local language. Mission must involve both presence and proclamation. In mission apparent failure can lead to great fruit.

And none of that should surprise us. Isn’t that just what we see in Jesus? Jesus’ ministry was local, expressed in the form, language and culture of first century Palestine. It was only a global mission because first it was local. Jesus’ mission certainly involved both presence and proclamation. And Jesus’ mission, ending in apparent failure, led to the greatest possible fruit.

And where he walked, may we faithfully follow.

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MISSION NEWS Learning community launched in London for non-English speaking churches In an appropriate celebration of Pentecost, Church Mission Society launched a learning community on 6 June 2017 at Christ Church Kensington, to support the more than 20 nonEnglish speaking Anglican congregations that have grown up recently in and around London.

New congregations now exist serving Arabic, Turkish, Japanese, Spanish, Hindi, Gujarati, Ukrainian and Russian speaking believers in the capital.

The initiative, which is the brainchild of Philip Mounstephen, executive leader of CMS, will

Releasing the gifts of the global church: international church leaders in London

Evangelistic effort quiets riots At Easter – challenged by ongoing social issues involving Wichi young people drinking and doing drugs – a group of Wichi Christian women in Barrio Obrero in Juarez, northern Argentina, joined together with local youth leaders to plan an evangelistic campaign aimed at young people.

These women are members of AMARE, the Argentine branch of the Mothers’ Union – which Shelley Stokes helps coordinate, along with fellow mission partner Catherine Le Tissier.

Shelley explained: “In preparation for this Easter outreach, the women prayed regularly and baked bread to sell to raise funds.”

Before the event, tensions in the community escalated with large groups

looting and vandalising local homes and shops, provoking angry reaction from local criollos (settlers). Wichi and criollo factions from elsewhere joined the fray and riot police were called in to deal with hundreds of angry people.

Shelley continued: “At the Anglican church two blocks away, they wondered if they should postpone their evangelistic campaign, but the women stood firm and they held the campaign, inviting the local young people to hear about a better way to live. Many came and responded, and more joined them at the follow-up sessions. Two months later, there are still riot police patrolling, but there have not been any major incidents since the campaign! Give thanks for the young people in Barrio Obrero who responded to the evangelistic campaign and pray for good follow-up teaching for them.”

Above: Women on a mission: some of the women of AMARE in northern Argentina

A “miracle day” in South Sudan

Graduation celebrations at Chaima Christian Institute in Maridi

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Despite ongoing turmoil in South Sudan, this past spring around 100 students in Maridi diocese collected certificates or diplomas during Chaima Christian Institute’s third graduation ceremony.

“It was wonderful,” said Lynn Treneary, who teaches English at Chaima. “All the graduates, staff, council and even the state minister of education all dressed up in robes and marched from the secondary school next door before taking their seats with the guests in the outdoor setting. It was a great big outdoor church service with prayers, praise and celebrations. It was a hugely encouraging day for all of us and the work people put in was impressive and it paid off.” Chaima staff called it “a miracle day”.

Chaima Christian Institute Maridi is the diocesan training college. It offers courses in theology, professional pursuits and vocational training. There is a special focus on training young people and women.

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provide a context for leaders from the respective congregations to pray and learn together. Philip said: “More than 300 languages are spoken across London every day: our goal is to enable the Church of England increasingly to reflect the diverse nature of our capital city so that everyone is able to hear the good news of Jesus in their own language.” Philip’s own experience of leading an English-speaking church in Paris helped motivate the launch of this new community.

The initiative is being supported by both Bishop Ric Thorpe, who has responsibility for church planting in London, and Girma Bishaw, leader of the Ethiopian Fellowship Church in London. In the longer term CMS hopes this model can be reproduced in other urban centres across the UK where many non-English speaking congregations have emerged.

Noelle – a first!

A young woman in DR Congo who received life-changing palliative care has managed to give birth to a healthy baby girl. Francesca Elloway, medical adviser and palliative care pioneer in the diocese of Aru, explained: “Normally when we think of palliative care, our thoughts veer towards death, so I thought I’d share about our ‘first palliative care baby’! A while back I asked for prayer for a woman, AP, who needed palliative care. She had a distended abdomen due to ascites (fluid in the abdomen) which we were able to treat, giving her a flat stomach again.

“The icing on the cake was that her husband, who had abandoned her when she got sick, came back home. She soon had a distended abdomen again…but this time from pregnancy. On Christmas Day last year she delivered a healthy little girl called Noelle. Recently she came to see us, bringing her baby. It was just so lovely to see AP looking so well and happy. Of course, she is not cured but she is stable; please pray that she remains stable so she can see her little girl grow up.”

MISSION NEWS Staff join in South Downs journey

Reconciliation and renewal in Rwanda An ex-prisoner who killed his neighbour’s family members is forgiven by the family – they now live in harmony. A man is reconciled to his wife after many days of disputes. Villagers from different denominations as well as non-Christians begin meeting together to discuss their issues and find peaceful ways forward.

These are just some of the stories that have been shared recently by local partner Elson Mageza, who coordinates the department of evangelism's activities in the Anglican Church of Rwanda, Byumba diocese. The diocese holds 15-week reconciliation workshops, drawing on the Bible and local sociotherapists’ expertise. The work has been commended by local district officials.

Elson also leads the Byumba Bible School, from which 27 students will graduate this year. All will be leading congregations.

Elson commented: “The students have said things like, ‘I am now ready to go and equip more disciples’ and ‘I am now bold enough to share the word of God without fear....’”

Sharing testimonies of transformation

Elson said, “When I hear such words I feel like the promises of God are being fulfilled and I know that I am not labouring in vain.

This has been a great encouragement to me and my family, to know that what we are doing is also a transforming work that God gave to us. And we feel committed more than ever to preach the gospel up to the end of our lives.”

Elson is jointly supported by Church Mission Society and CMS-Africa. You can read more about him and other local partners on page 22.

On Saturday 13 May 2017, 12 members of the Church Mission Society family, including nine staff members, met under sunny skies in the South Downs to walk between 10 and 30km and raise vital funds for mission.

Huge thanks to Thomas Mitchell, Joanna McCree, Gareth Esau, Lydia Boodell, Paul and Su Read, Heather Ramsey, Danni Parker, Grace, Rev David Green, Mary Shepherd and Hannah Caroe, who raised a combined total of almost £2,500 to help people put their call into action with CMS. When asked why she personally wanted to take part in this sponsored challenge, Heather Ramsey, CMS church relations team manager, said, “Our work at CMS means supporting a lot of people who are very committed to what they do, which means building for the kingdom of God.” Former mission partner David

New mental health unit in Uganda

A decade of mission in Malaga In May 2017 Felipe and Sarah Yanez and their two sons, Sam and Aaron, completed and celebrated 10 years of mission in Spain.

“It is has been an amazing, God-given opportunity to share God’s love with so many people in and around Malaga,” they said, adding, “Working in transcultural mission is always a learning curve – grappling to understand the culture, experiencing God’s divine power, dealing with disappointments, celebrating breakthroughs. And through it all, we have learned so much about ourselves and our need to depend on God. We want to express our sincere gratitude to you

Left: The Yanezes arrive in Malaga, 2007 Right: The Yanez family in Malaga today

all, for the wonderful gift of your prayers, encouragement and financial support.”

The economic crisis in Spain has left many people in debt, unable to make ends meet, with few job opportunities and little hope. Malaga is a melting pot of nations, with many immigrants from North and SubSaharan Africa and South America. Felipe supports the work of a food bank in Malaga and is involved in Bible studies, informal discipleship and teaching English courses.

Sarah runs the clothing bank and charity shop at the ABC, a Christian food bank, and is on the management team for the charity.

People struggling with mental health issues can now find hope and treatment at Kisiizi Hospital in Uganda. Ann Moore, a longserving nurse in the special care baby unit, said, “In May we had the grand opening of our new mental health unit, called the Ahumuza Centre. The building of this centre was through Jamie’s Fund, which was set up following the death of a little boy who had visited Kisiizi with his parents.

“The opening day was a mix of joy and sadness. Joy as we celebrated the

Green (Kenya) said he wanted to do the walk “to say thank you to the Lord for the good health I still enjoy and the many ways in which serving as a mission partner overseas has been so rewarding.”

Mary Shepherd, walking to support her church’s link mission partner Heather Johnstone in Tanzania, said, "I'll be thinking of Heather and the people she works with and all the work of CMS in Tanzania and elsewhere.”

Many participants are keen to walk again next year.

To join them, contact Hannah on 01865 787521 or at challenges@ churchmissionsociety.org

opening of the centre; sadness as we remembered Jamie. Joy as we celebrated the fact that mentally ill people can now come for treatment but sadness at the way such people are still treated within the community, with some brought either tied up or in shackles. Some of the staff performed a drama depicting the humiliation and rejection these people suffer, and how the Ahumuza Centre is bringing a newfound acceptance and hope. It was very moving to see the guest speaker, the permanent secretary, in tears during her speech. I was excited to see the police helicopter land. The police are very interested in the care of mentally ill people and have asked for some training.”

Kisiizi Hospital staff use drama to depict the difference hope makes for people struggling with mental illness

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MISSION NEWS Mission is…on the cards: UK’s firstever mission card game is getting a great response The UK’s first-ever missionthemed card game, designed to provide a fun way to get groups of people thinking and talking about mission, was launched this summer and the reaction has been encouraging. The Church Times said in its review: “Church Mission Society card game comes up trumps” and stories about “Gaming for God” and “Dealing people in on mission” have appeared via various Christian media outlets.

People who have played the game so far have called it “fun and creative”, “thought-provoking”, “a conversation starter for sure” and “actually rather competitive!”

Mission Is…The Big Question? is part of CMS’s major new Mission Is campaign, which was launched at festivals over the summer. At festival stands, people were encouraged to share their perceptions of mission by completing an interactive six-question survey.

Hundreds of Christians across the country have taken part in the Mission Is survey, which can also be completed online at churchmissionsociety.org/mi The card game helps people go a bit further in discovering what mission means for them. It was created for small groups of all ages.

Players are encouraged to use the cards they are dealt to construct statements about mission which can vary from “Mission is + justice + for prisoners” to “Mission is + making + cake + for my neighbour”.

The decks include “word cards” and “action cards” – the latter of which help to keep things interesting – and at times a bit boisterous. Once

Increasingly popular pioneer course celebrates biggest graduation group yet On 11 July Church Mission Society hosted the biggest ever graduation ceremony for its Pioneer Mission Leadership Training programme, with 24 students receiving Durham University awards signifying the completion of their studies in theology, ministry and mission.

The Bishop of Reading, the Rt Rev Andrew Proud, officiated at the ceremony. He said, “Pioneer leaders have an exciting, pivotal role to play in helping us communicate the love of God to an often confused, hurting and divided world. The growth of the CMS Pioneer Mission Leadership Training programme shows how many people are choosing a pioneer route to ordination and stands as real testament to the quality of CMS’s training programme.”

The eclectic group included some being ordained into the Church of England as deacons or admitted

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to the order of lay worker as CMS pioneers. Graduates included Janice Hamilton, who is currently involved in a community regeneration project in Sedbury, Gloucestershire, Libby Hawkness-Smith, who coordinates Journey On, a network of groups for people with learning differences such as autism and Claire Elwood, who is involved in Tea and Toast, a late-night outreach to club-hopping students in Nottingham’s city centre.

Course leader Jonny Baker said: “Mission pioneers are giving the church a glimpse of the future, where mission will not be delivered solely by large para-church organisations, but increasingly through agile, innovative and creative pioneers, witnessing love in action.”

The Pioneer Mission Leadership Training programme was established in 2010.

NEWS IN BRIEF

a player makes a “Mission is…” statement, the group gets to vote on whether it is in fact mission.

Mission Is campaign coordinator Thomas Fowler said, “As we prompt people to consider the question of what ‘mission is’ we ultimately hope people will be inspired to see God’s mission as their mission, and get involved.”

To order a free pack of Mission Is…The Big Question cards or for more information about the Mission Is campaign, go to churchmissionsociety.org/missionis

Mission through music in Ipswich More than 30 people – including some refugees from the Middle East – recently attended a concert in Ipswich, which was organised by Michael Green (see page 8) on his first weekend back to work after a time of sick leave.

“I have never done anything like this before in my life and it’s been a lot of work,” said Michael. The concert featured predominantly Arabic music, some of it Christian. “It was even publicised by the local mosque and someone arranged for professional Syrian musicians to attend and play.”

On the day of the concert, which was held at St Matthew’s Church, 34 people turned up, including some refugees from Syria, Iran and Iraq. “None of the refugees were Christian,” said Michael.

He added: “People loved the music! Someone, a westerner, came who had never been in church before. Because of the concert’s success I’ve been asked to organise another in the diocese.”

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Mark Berry and Philip Mounstephen (CMS community mission mobiliser and executive leader, respectively) have co-authored a new Grove book called The Forgotten Factor: placing community at the heart of mission.

This study offers an approach to mission that places community at its heart, helping local churches to better express their missional calling. Part of the mission and evangelism series, it can be ordered from www.grovebooks.co.uk After 20 years’ work, former mission partner Bob Lunt published and presented a new Wichi-Spanish language dictionary at the University of Salta library on 4 May 2017. Also there to present the dictionary were mission partner Bishop Nick Drayson, mission associate Chris Wallis and local partner Demostenes Toribio.

Congratulations to Lizzie and Simon Guillebaud, mission associates in Burundi who have been awarded an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours 2017 for their services to development in Burundi. Simon directs Great Lakes Outreach, whose purpose is to empower and equip strategic leaders and ministries to transform Burundi and beyond.

Anti-FGM (female genital mutilation) activist Ann-Marie Wilson was featured in an article on the popular website buzzfeed.com called Here’s What You Need to Know About the Global Fight to End Female Genital Mutilation.

The article profiled nine campaigners working to end FGM around the world.

A newly refurbished cultural centre has opened to serve immigrant North Africans in a city in southern Europe (location withheld). From CMS people in mission involved in the project: “Our team has been working towards this for some time and we are all excited to open our doors! We will offer language classes, homework clubs, friendship and good coffee. As well as meeting a very real need for North Africans living locally, it will become a place for the missionaries we train to grow in their experience of building relationships with those from the Muslim faith, in ways that build bridges and demonstrate the love of Jesus.”

In response to severe flooding in Sri Lanka this summer, CMS’s strategic partner LEADS (a Christian development charity) helped more than 5,000 families, providing access to water, temporary shelter, hygiene packs, water pumps and bedding.

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Looking back,

LOOKING FORWARD As we begin a new term of overseas service, we have lots of anticipation about what God is going to do.

But before we leap forward we need to reflect back.

R Uganda

By David and Heather Sharland in Arua

eflecting on the past before looking forward carries tremendous power. If we do not look back we run the risk of repeating mistakes or getting caught into routines that could – or should – be improved. The purpose of reflection is never for us to get stuck in the past, and just talk about “the good old days when everything was perfect”; rather it is meant for thankfulness and to see evidence of God’s faithfulness.

Sometimes it is easy to forget what the Lord has done.

Young girls being encouraged to read the Bible in Arua

On our first Sunday back here in the cathedral, after the consecration of our new bishop, we met a dear friend of ours, Fred Taban. We were excited to see each other again and to share stories of what has happened over the past 15 years. Fred is from Kajo Keji, South Sudan. He was a student at Bishop Allison Theological College (BATC) when it was based in Arua, where we had the privilege of teaching development studies.

After graduating, he returned to his diocese in South Sudan. Shortly afterwards he approached us and asked for a small grant for training Sunday school teachers. The Lord nudged us to give. Fred remembered this and thanked us for giving, and what a thrill it was to hear the outcome of the training!

Six of the young men who received that training are now ordained pastors in the church, 10 are still teaching Sunday school and some are active members of the Mothers' Union and leading women’s ministry in their parishes. We thank Jesus that we listened to his voice to give. Unfortunately the diocese is currently in exile in Moyo, one of the areas that we visit.

On reflecting with Fred about the other students we taught at BATC, it is amazing how God has used each one for his glory. Three of them are now bishops and leading the church during very difficult times in South Sudan. One of them, Seme

Nigo, spent many hours in our home when he was studying – asking questions, borrowing books and wanting to know more about the Lord and how to serve.

His diocese, Panyana, is now in exile in Koboko which is just north of Arua. He is living in very humble conditions and many of the Christians are scattered, some living in Congo, others in different camps across West Nile. In Bidi Bidi camp, the largest refugee settlement in the world, they have a church called Panyana, named after their diocese. He has asked us to visit him and his family and to encourage the Christians in exile.

After looking back, we have so much to look forward to. We were thrilled to be back in Arua in time to attend the consecration and enthronement of the Rt Rev Collins Andaku as the seventh bishop of Madi and West Nile diocese. It was a colourful and joyful occasion, with lots of singing and dancing and praising Jesus – over six hours of service and celebration with over 5,000 people gathered.

Bishop Collins has taken 1 John 4:7 as his theme verse: “Let us love one another." In his charge the bishop said: “We shall take the love of Christ to the needy, rural poor and refugees among us, through evangelism, discipleship, intercessory prayer and teaching ministry. Christ, his word and prayer will be central in our mission.” We look forward to being part of the diocese, one that sees mission as the very centre of the church.

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WORLD VIEWS

“I’ve been on sick leave… but God hasn’t” The last year has been my worst period of epilepsy ever – it’s been horrific.

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By Michael Green in Ipswich

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’m glad to say I feel much better now.

Since my drug regime changed, there have been two significant differences in my life. One is that the number of tonic clonic or ‘big’ seizures I’ve had has dramatically decreased. At my worst point, I was having a tonic clonic seizure every seven to 10 days, and most of the seizures were landing me in A&E. At one point I broke my nose and another fall resulted in a broken wrist. My spiritual and emotional state has also markedly improved since my drug regime change. I feel more like myself.

The people around me have been amazing.

I have a great line manager who cares for me and some of the clergy here in Ipswich

have been very pastoral. I am also part of a WhatsApp online group of ministers in Ipswich, and they have been supportive, picking me up and dropping me off at hospital, etc. Some people from supporting churches have also helped me with shopping and errands. I have also been really blessed by my housemates; most of them are not Christian but they have done shopping for me, accompanied me to doctors and sat and talked to me while waiting for ambulances to turn up to take me to hospital. For those who have not seen a seizure, it can be shocking and upsetting, so I am in awe of how lovely and kind people have been.

Even though I have been on sick leave, nobody told God. He has really used this period for his purposes. My illness has actually strengthened my links with people and communities in a way that I could have never imagined. To give you one example, a British-born Muslim-background friend of mine was so concerned about my health that he moved into my house to look after me. As he did so, he started questioning me daily about my faith and asked me to get him a Bible in simple English, which I did. I couldn’t have imagined this happening.

I have noticed that God uses brokenness to further his kingdom; this has been evident through my illness.

One person commenting on this described me as a ‘prickly pear’ – in order

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to get the goodness out of the prickly pear you have to break it – and this person was saying this is what God has done with me.

I have had seizures in a local Kurdish cafe.

Now that people there know my situation, really strong relationships have formed.

People who frequent other cafes that I used to visit regularly have been asking me where I’ve been. They are all imbued with a Middle Eastern culture that is big on community and care.

One particular thing that I would love to mention is when I went to stay for over two weeks at the National Centre for Epilepsy in Chalfont. It was a difficult experience. My brain waves were monitored for four and a half days. I did a lot of thinking about why things had got so bad: “What’s happened to me, why am I here?” But I noticed that a lot of people were coming up and talking to me, including practically all the patients and some staff.

They felt they could confide in me. On my last day, an Israeli national from Romania who was on staff said: “If the hospital transport doesn’t turn up by the time I finish my shift, I will drive you home.” And he meant it! And there was an atheist in hospital who I clicked with. As I left the hospital I was in tears, as I realised how much God had done for me and through me and how he had put me in this place for 15 days for a reason. In the midst of a difficult situation, God used it for his glory.

I would love prayer for continued, increased protection over my health. I am not completely well yet. Pray also that God will continue to use me for his kingdom and thank him for what he has done so far through me.

Pray also for wisdom, patience and stability as I go back to work.

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Stones and biscuits Jesus said to his disciples: “Take nothing for your journey. Do not take a staff or food or money. Do not even take two coats.”

W Southeast Asia By a couple in Southeast Asia who must remain anonymous

hile it isn’t exactly true that we have come here empty-handed, it does feel in many ways that we have come with “nothing”. We have never felt more vulnerable than during our first few weeks in Southeast Asia and both of us have had to do something that we avoided doing while living in Britain – ask for help. The house we have rented was not only completely empty but also in need of serious work. It took us nearly a month to figure out how to pay an electricity bill, find drinking water, find out who can come and collect our rubbish and when….

We have found ourselves asking for help again and again and again. We have been so blessed and humbled by the hospitality, graciousness and patience of people who have helped us.

A lot of expats and westerners have made the choice of living more centrally, often in apartment buildings. However, we wanted to feel part of a community and decided to rent a very small house in the heart of our local township. Nearly every day, we walk down the road to buy fresh vegetables and fruit at the daily market. People smile at our children, often grab their hands, kiss their cheeks and ask for a cuddle. As we walk through the

stalls, we can hear people whispering. We are pretty sure that the news of a foreign couple moving into the area has travelled fast. In the evening, we also go for walks and we have already been able to meet and talk with a few of our neighbours. On our first walk, we ran into a Buddhist monk who invited us to visit his monastery.

However, as welcoming as people can be, we have realised that our journey towards acceptance is going to take a while. One afternoon, I was playing with the boys on our patio when two teenagers stopped to stare at us. After what felt like a rather long and very uncomfortable moment, they threw a stone at us, ran away, then came back to throw another one and then another one that landed right in front of our sons. They even came back in the evening. We felt hurt and unsafe without knowing what to do, as we did not want the situation to escalate nor did we want to leave things unspoken. Such an incident, we were told by other missionaries, is very unusual here. We asked a friend for advice and he introduced us to the head of our little neighbourhood.

To cut a long story short, one of the boys came back and my husband followed him

home and called the village’s head.

The boy denied any wrongdoing but did not return. We gave both the boy and the village leader a tin of biscuits as a sign of goodwill and peace and we trust that we followed the unspoken cultural rules for dealing with such matters. The incident was a reminder that we have come to live in a country that has long been suffering. Society was repressed for so many decades and despite the establishment of a civil government, sometimes feelings of frustration and envy translate into acts of violence.

Therefore, as we continue with our daily walks and as we begin to learn the language, we hope not only to become accepted, but also to find ways of reflecting the love of Jesus in our neighbourhood.

We are writing this on Good Friday, the day the disciples and Mary found themselves at the foot of the cross, grieving, feeling lost and abandoned. Similarly, as we are at the dawn of our life and ministry in this country facing so many unknowns, we have never longed more for Jesus to come back and tell us not to be afraid because everything is going to be okay.

HOLY LAND VISIT

15–25 MAY 2018

A unique study tour that's not just about the past, but about the present – the people of the land, the way they live and the challenges they face today. Led by Tanas Alqassis, Church Mission Society regional manager for Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. Visit significant sites, meet people of peace.

For more information visit: churchmissionsociety.org/holyland18 THE CALL - AUTUMN 2017

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CARD GAME

COVER STORY Andres has been with Shalom since its inception, almost 15 years ago.

FROM SHAME TO

An interview with Pat Blanchard in Lima, Peru. Pat leads the Shalom rehabilitation centre and the church that has grown from it, which is Photo: ????????????????? comprised of people with and without disabilities. In a city in which people with disabilities face challenges such as stigma and shame, the centre ???????????????????????? is ???????????????????????? an oasis of creativity and inclusion where all are made welcome. ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ??????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????

THE CALL - AUTUMN 2017

11

COVER STORY

FROM SHAME TO SHALOM

BY JO MITCHELL, FREELANCE WRITER CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR LIFE BEFORE YOU MOVED TO PERU? WHAT TOOK YOU THERE? I come from Bournemouth. From the age of six I’ve known God’s presence in my life. Initially, I trained as a teacher and specialised in crafts and textiles, which helped lay a foundation for practical mission opportunities as a craft consultant in Latin America.

Living in multicultural west London and visiting India further opened my world to mission and three years of studying at the London School of Theology added substance to my faith. My background is in development and I followed the call to Peru in 2000 to help improve the sustainability of local projects, develop their fundraising and encourage church community action within the parishes of Lima and Arequipa.

I felt there was something big to do and when I first went out, I knew it was going to be for the long term.

WHAT WERE YOUR PLANS WHEN YOU FIRST WENT TO LIMA – AND WHAT HAPPENED? I spent six years working with social projects in the diocese, administrating schools, medical work and other community initiatives.

But a 14-year-old boy called Austin changed everything. Beatriz Magowan, a retired health visitor friend, came to stay and went visiting in my parish with Rev David Gonzales. They met Austin, who had cerebral palsy, and was sat out on the street tied to a wooden chair. When they spoke with his parents they learned that he had no wheelchair and could no longer be carried as he was too big. We started investigating and found Corazones Unidos (United Hearts), an organisation linked with Joni Eareckson Tada, which brings reconditioned wheelchairs into Lima and distributes them. Austin got his first wheelchair and that‘s how Shalom began.

I started meeting informally with children with disabilities and their families who gathered for prayer and support initially at Jesus El Nazareno church, where I was based. We added physical therapy sessions in a garage lent by a group member and then occupational and language therapy, plus practical workshops and an early-

Name: Pat Blanchard Location: Lima, Peru My call: To serve, share and live each day alongside God‘s community in Peru My role: Deacon in the Anglican diocese of Peru with responsibility for the Shalom church; director of Shalom Rehabilitation Centre for children and adults with disabilities

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CHURCH MISSIO N SO CIETY

stimulation class. A new church family grew naturally out of these gatherings.

Now Shalom is a specialist rehabilitation centre for 100 people – mainly children – and their families. Peruvian staff provide physical, speech, occupational and art therapy, physiotherapy and psychological support. Links with other agencies enable

“Working with people with disabilities was not something I came to Lima to do, but God has made it something I love.”

life is very difficult. There’s a shortage of wheelchairs and mobility aids, little concept of access and few proper pavements. I learned this for myself when I broke my foot a couple of years ago and badly sprained the other. I had firsthand experience of how soul-destroying it is to be sitting in a wheelchair with people trying to carry you over potholes or up inaccessible stairs.

Lack of information or support is another real challenge. Many children don’t get properly diagnosed and, when they do, their families rarely receive much explanation or advice on living with the disability. Medical professionals can often be dismissive of children with disabilities, assuming they have little future to speak of.

WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES SHALOM MAKE?

therapy to happen in the community with people who aren’t mobile enough to make it to the centre. This was really not something I planned, and everything I know I’ve learned on the job. Working with people with disabilities was not something I came to Lima to do, but God has made it something I love.

WHAT IS LIFE LIKE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES IN PERU?

Above: Shalom offers speech, occupational and art therapy as well as physiotherapy and psychological support

Disability rates are high because of poor care before, during or after birth.

Many children are left with brain damage after developing high fevers and receiving inadequate medical attention.

People with disabilities face many challenges, not least exclusion and shame.

You tend not to see people with disabilities out – they’re hidden away. Many people seem to believe that a person’s disability is the consequence of something they or their family have done wrong.

Even when they do try to get out,

By God’s grace, Shalom helps meet people’s needs on so many levels, from physical therapy that relaxes their tight muscles and relieves discomfort to muchneeded conversation with someone who cares. Children have opportunities to play, learn, paint, dance and sing; otherwise isolated parents receive love, support and vital information about their child’s disability. People come together to learn about the all-embracing love of God, to study the Bible and worship together, whatever their level of ability or disability.

We help those without a diagnosis to access medical tests to secure the certification needed to obtain appropriate medical care. I also work closely with disability networks and the local government to help young people access workshops and employment possibilities.

Shalom represents a great challenge: that we love our neighbour as ourselves – with sincere love and without prejudice or shame – and that we accept our differences. We need to remember that

THE CALL - AUTUMN 2017

we are all children of God, and how important it is to love each other so that all society learns this quality of respect and acceptance.

WHICH CAME FIRST, THE PROJECT OR THE CHURCH? It’s been unusual but organic. The church has grown from the community we built, meeting together, advocating for each other, being as deliberately and lovingly inclusive as we can.

Members of the church family invite their neighbours, friends and people from the street, assisting with transport when necessary. Our young people’s group, which includes those with and without disabilities, takes part in diocesan-level events with other youth groups, showing what inclusion looks like to the wider community. We aim to be as creative and accessible as we can and have a focus on using signing, movement and audio and visual aids in our worship and liturgy.

We love to throw parties. There’s real joy in joining celebrations that relate to both the project and church together. There is often lots of cake, laughter and singing. I’m also keen that we’re outward-focused: we seek to be a blessing to our neighbours by, for example, cleaning the streets.

WHAT CHALLENGES DO YOU FACE? Many. Our new building is over three storeys high, but it has taken so much effort to get a functioning lift. The first builder we contracted abandoned the work and took the money, and the lawyer who was supposed to recover it disappeared.

We finally have a working lift and don’t need to carry people up flights of stairs for therapy any more. We made good use of it recently when we gathered on the rooftop terrace to dedicate the newly-adapted building.

Continues next page >>

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FROM SHAME TO SHALOM

Left: Drawing of Shalom by the sister of Adrian, who has cerebral palsy; shows the family bringing Adrian to Shalom in his wheelchair Middle: Day of the Disabled street parade Right: Josselyn, being held and loved

Life can also be so fragile here. Poverty is rife, medical care is often poor and people are vulnerable. A local man called Rigolberto had an accident a few years ago that meant he was no longer able to walk. He was forced to spend most of his time alone. We got to know him and used to collect him in his wheelchair, bring him to events at church and give him physical therapy at home, but he died recently from a heart attack in hospital, while being treated for infected bed sores. When I saw so many people turn out for his funeral, I felt so sad that they hadn’t been there for him while he was alive.

Life is difficult. My response is to celebrate, to do the fun things now and not put off until tomorrow what we can do today. Let’s paint, let’s dance, let’s go out, let’s do something together because you never know what’s going to happen tomorrow.

WHAT GIVES YOU JOY IN YOUR WORK? Seeing people happy. Seeing people find a way through the barriers and obstacles with God‘s love and acceptance of each other. I want people to have fun and to know that God loves them. I wish God would come and heal them all. But Joni Eareckson Tada said that she’d rather be in her wheelchair knowing God than on her feet without him, and one mum once told me, "I know God has not healed my child but I don‘t think I would have known faith without that challenge in my life.” I think that‘s it. We are physical beings but we're

also spiritual beings. Life comes and life goes and if you can share life in Christ with people when they're alive, then you know that one day they‘re going to be free and able to do all the things they can’t now.

CAN YOU INTRODUCE US TO SOME OF THE PEOPLE AT SHALOM? Josselyn is part of the Shalom family; she has cerebral palsy. She indicated with a smile and her large expressive eyes that she would like to be baptised, and so we celebrated both her 12th birthday and her baptism with cake, balloons and her first holy communion. Her excitement radiates from the photos we took of her that day.

Felicita is a highly committed and active member of the community. She uses a wheelchair, due to polio she contracted in childhood. Most of the people who come to church at Shalom were initially invited along

by Felicita. She comes to the centre most afternoons to share and chat with people waiting in the reception area and she visits people in their homes, pushed by her brother, who himself has learning difficulties.

Ricardo recently celebrated receiving his official disability registration, which means he can now apply for work. He was part of the team that just rebuilt the home of Lourdes, a widow at Shalom and we had the joy of baptising him at the end of April.

Shalom is a Hebrew word meaning peace, harmony, wholeness, completeness, prosperity, welfare and tranquility and can be used idiomatically to mean both hello and goodbye.

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CHURCH MISSIO N SO CIETY

HERE’S A BIG QUESTION TO CLOSE WITH: WHAT, IN YOUR VIEW, IS MISSION? What isn’t mission? It’s how we live our lives – it must come out through what we do wherever we are. There‘s a world out there, there are people who need to know how much God loves them.

PRAY

1

Pray for the appointment of a person with specialist knowledge to lead the technical side of Shalom’s work and for more administrative support.

2

Pray for recovery for people affected by recent flooding and heavy rains which killed over 100 people and made 700,000 homeless in Peru.

SWEET

ANNUAL REVIEW

The Church Mission Society 2016/17 Annual Review Following are 16 of our favourite mission highlights from the 2016 financial year. Thank you for your prayerful support, which made all these headlines happen.

“…thanks be to God…who manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of him in every place.”

2 Corinthians 2:14a THE CALL - AUTUMN 2017

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NEW PEOPLE IN NEW PLACES Church Mission Society people in mission broke new ground for CMS in Gambella, Honduras, Guatemala, Cambodia and another Asian country we can’t name for security reasons.

These intrepid men and women are providing theological education among refugees, ministering to children living on the streets, caring for children with disabilities and standing in solidarity with the local church.

01

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SETTING CHURCHES FREE

More than 60 churches across the UK particip the Partnership for Missional Church process year journey that helps groups of churches dis what God is doing in their local community – an

FREE.IN.DEED SUCCEEDS

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The Olympic and Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil provided the Church Mission Society team in leadership at Christ Church many chances to carry a torch for the gospel, including family fun days at the church and a hospitality outreach.

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A joint community project between Church Mission Society and Hull Youth for Christ was given a long-term boost with the purchase of a former vicarage to serve as a permanent mission house. Anna and Chris Hembury, who have worked with CMS in Hull for 18 years, said: “The community was named Matt’s House, a reference to the vicarage’s former connection with the now-closed St Matthew’s Church, and to Jesus’ radical choice of dining at the home of Matthew, the tax collector. Hospitality and inclusion of those on the margins are the hallmarks of this community.”

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Here are

NEW MISSION HOUSE IN HULL

o 16

RECORD-BREAKING PIONEER ENROLMENT

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Th eC

2016 saw a record number of students enrol in our Pioneer Mission Leadership Training course. A total of 28 students began training as mission pioneers, pioneer ordinands and lay pioneers – a significant increase on previous years. Course leader Jonny Baker called this “a wonderful endorsement, not only of the quality of our training but of the effectiveness of pioneering mission.” Also, our first pioneer distance learning hub, the St Cedd Centre for Pioneer Mission, was established in Romford as a joint initiative between CMS and the Diocese of Chelmsford. The pilot year intake included 14 students.

M

NEW PEACE CENTRE ADDRESSES CONFLICT IN CONGO

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A centre to promote peace and reconciliation among young people began being built in Bunia, DR Congo, a country that has been plagued by conflict. The initiative is being spearheaded by CMS local partner Bisoke Balikenga, national coordinator of the youth department for the Anglican Church of Congo. At least 100 young women who have suffered violence are being taught practical life skills to help them recover and rebuild their lives.

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fav r u fo

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LOVING OUR MUSLIM NEIGHBOURS We took a closer look at how God is working among Muslim people through our people in mission in the Middle East, Africa, Asia and the UK. “We are called to step out in love,” said Tanas Alqassis (regional manager for Europe, the Middle East and North Africa) in a candid interview. “When witnessing to Muslim people it’s not about how wrong their faith is; it’s about conveying the beauty of ours. If I can share how my faith affects my life and what Jesus has done for me, they will listen. You don’t have to be an expert evangelist to reach people; you just need to be a disciple.”

In summer 2016 we lau who were willing to ta Through festivals, eve we engaged with 1,700 be set free into their callin

SWEET

OLYMPIC OPPORTUNITY

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CHURCH MISSIO N SO CIETY

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pated in s, a threescover nd join in.

KERALA CELEBRATIONS

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joined the CMS community, bringing us closer to the 3,000 mark.

CMS members commit to praying for mission, learning from mission and participating in mission – together.

aunched a campaign to find 1,000 people ake a further step in God’s mission. ents and print and online publications, 0 people who indicated they wanted to ng.

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12 NVIL

WELCOME TO

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Journal of Th

In November 2016, the bicentenary of the arrival of the first CMS missionaries in Kerala, South India, was marked in the most appropriate way – by the commissioning of 210 new missionaries by the vibrant and thriving Church of South India.

Tens of thousands of people joined in further celebrations, including bishops, moderators and other dignitaries.

ANVIL ARRIVES

CMS became the home and publisher of Anvil: a journal of theology and mission. churchmissionsociety.org/anvil

vil society.org/an

churchmission

DEVONPORT IN DETAIL

hts lig

from 2016

We spent three days with Ruth Sayers in Plymouth and met some of the people who make use of the work club where she serves, helping people access employment advice and training. We also spent time in the combination church/public library/cafe. Ruth told us: “Coming here after years in mission in the Middle East has made me think about what mission really is. It’s about walking alongside the community. I often just sit and listen.

We’re not here to judge. We accept people as they are and love them.”

11

SCHOOLS RISE ON SITE OF SUFFERING After years of terror from the Lord’s Resistance Army, people in Gulu, northern Uganda saw two new primary schools constructed. Garry Ion, a building consultant who played a key role in developing these schools, said, “I have visited and prayed for these communities for 15+ years, first getting to know them during displacement when communities often lived in protected camps as villages had been destroyed. Despite unimaginable hardships the community is optimistic about the future.

What a privilege it is to be involved with this community.”

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MORE THAN 50 NEW MEMBERS

7 1 / 6 1 0 2 vi e w

LOVE IN ACTION IN NORTHERN ARGENTINA In a few short years, AMARE, the Argentine branch of the Mothers’ Union, has grown from 50 members to more than 800 women committed to “love in action”. "We are seeing a shift from them being the receivers, the poor, the oppressed, to seeing themselves as women with something to give,” said mission partner Catherine Le Tissier who has worked alongside Shelley Stokes, another mission partner, and a leadership team comprised of Wichi, Toba and Criolla women to see AMARE become the fast-growing, empowered movement it is today.

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NEPAL: ONE YEAR ON

A year after the devastating 2015 earthquakes, CMS local partners in Nepal were still istributing food, re-building homes and providing spiritual support for traumatised people. Said one local partner: “Many used to think that Christians only gave out Bibles or tried to convert people, but when Christians arrived with food and clothing and shelter, they saw things differently. People from other faiths have softer hearts toward Christians…. The government and community developed trust in Christian NGOs and churches due to their effectiveness and efficiency.

In some cases our missionaries were able to get to places no other NGO or organisation could reach. And the people know we are here for the long term.”

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THE CALL - AUTUMN 2017

CMS GETS A “FACELIFT”

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In June we unveiled our new look and feel, our “rebrand” – which included a new logo, new strapline (the call in action), new website and new flagship newspaper publication, The Call.

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ANNUAL REVIEW Income and expenditure highlights

1 February 2016 to 31 January 2017

NOW FOR SOME ‘SWEET’

Total incom e£ 7.6

STATISTICS

Mission partners:

141 in 32 countries

Local partners:

63 in 28 countries

Mission associates:

132

Short-termers:

20

Pioneer Mission Leadership Training students (Oxford):

97

Pioneer hub students:

14

Encounter trip participants:

21

n llio mi

PEOPLE IN MISSION 2016/17

CHURCHES £1.9M

INDIVIDUALS £2.3M

TOTAL INCOME £7.6M INVESTMENTS £0.8M

LEGACIES £1.8M

TRUSTS £0.3M

OTHER INCOME £0.1M

Projects financially supported: 69

CMS INCOME:

TRADING £0.2M

CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES £0.2M

CMS EXPENDITURE:

Church giving: £1.9m Individual giving: £2.3m Legacies: £1.8m Trusts: £0.3m Charitable activity income: £0.2m Trading income: £0.2m Investment income: £0.8m Other income: £0.1m Income total: £7.6m

Expenditure on raising funds: People in mission: Mission education: Mission grants:

Local partners: Enabling mission networks: Church and community mission: Expenditure total:

£0.8m £4m £0.7m £0.5m £0.5m £0.3m £0.7m £7.5m

NB: Support costs (finance, HR, facilities, ICT and governance) are included within these figures.

They are allocated to each activity based on time spent on each area of work.

THANK YOU E: T O N 18

This annual review contains highlights of CMS’s financial summary.

You can obtain a free copy of our audited Report and Accounts for 2016/2017 by contacting the CMS office.

CHURCH MISSIO N SO CIETY

WHEN CULTURES COMMUNITY CONVERGE NEWS

COMMUNITY EVENTS

THE CALL IN ACTION

15 SEPTEMBER. York & District Church Mission Society association fundraiser.

9am - 4pm, St Crux, York. Come and help serve visitors and residents of York. Contact: Miranda Smith: 01904 424322 or Jean Mackay: 01904 412971

3-5 NOVEMBER. Africa Conference. The Hayes, Swanwick, Derbyshire. Main speakers: Jonathan Lamb, CEO Keswick Ministries and Dennis Tongoi, head of CMS-Africa. See enclosed flyer or churchmissionsociety.org/ ac2017

16 SEPTEMBER. CMS Yorkshire: Together in Mission Day: a day of discovery of mission in action in Hull. 10.30am - 3pm. Venue: The Deep (in the education centre), Tower Street, Hull HU9 1TU. Speaker: Rev Elkanah Thomas from Hull’s twin city of Freetown, Sierra Leone.

Other speakers: Rev Trisha Wick (formerly with CMS in South Sudan, now a pioneer in Hull, Anna and Chris Hembury (CMS in Hull), Mark Berry of CMS. Plus music from Freetown.

Drinks available, packed lunch suggested.

Contact Allen Bagshawe: 01482 702220 or allen@bagshawe.karoo.co.uk

7 NOVEMBER. Pioneer Conversations Day at CMS in Oxford. Theme: Mission is…

Contact Helen Harwood: helen.harwood@ churchmissionsociety.org

7 OCTOBER. York & District CMS association autumn event. Christ Church, Stockton Lane, York YO31 1JG. An afternoon for CMS supporters, beginning with a soup lunch at 12.30pm.

16 OCTOBER. A gathering for fellowship and prayer in Norwich. 10.45am - 1pm, House of Prayer at St Edmund's Church Fishergate, Norwich NR3 1SE. Bring your own lunch, drinks provided. Contact Louise Wright: 01508 536940 or louise@wriyahoo.co.uk 19 OCTOBER. Hot-pot supper in Northamptonshire for CMS members and friends. Guest speaker Victoria Summers, CMS regional personnel officer for Africa. 6.45 for 7pm. St Mary's Church Rushden. Booking essential. Contact Edna Wadsworth: 01933 35723 or edna.wadsworth@ntlworld.com 20 OCTOBER. Meal and talk for CMS members and friends in Knaresborough.

7pm. The Hub Hall, St John's Church, Knaresborough. Two-course meal followed by a talk by Jenny Green, mission partner in Bradford, formerly in Uganda. Contact Tim Cundy: 01423 569135 or tim.ruth.cundy@ ntlworld.com

11 NOVEMBER. Pioneer Conversations Day at St Cedd Centre for Pioneer Mission in Romford, Essex. Contact Andrea Campanale: andrea.campanale@churchmissionsociety.org 13-15 NOVEMBER. Partnership for World Mission Conference. Theme: Beyond Our Borders: churches under pressure.

The Hayes Conference Centre, Swanwick.

Speakers include: Rt Rev Irfan Jamil, Bishop of Lahore, Dr Elaine Storkey. Contact: partnershipworldmission@gmail.com

Debora and Levi Santana, with Nicolas and Olivia, have departed to Goiania in Brazil. In a city where hundreds live on the street, addicted to crack cocaine, they will work alongside the most marginalised and needy in society, meeting human needs and sharing the gospel of Jesus.

Stephen Hatch has returned to Kilimatinde, Tanzania, where he previously served for two years. He will teach at the local secondary school, St John’s Seminary.

2-4 MARCH 2018. Southern CMS residential conference. Theme: God's Creation - our Mission. High Leigh Conference Centre, Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire. Main speaker: Dave Bookless, CMS mission partner working with A Rocha International. Contact Jane Fulford: 01189 695039 or jane.fulford@ btinternet.com

MOVING ON:

10-18 APRIL 2018. Study visit to Egypt.

Explore Egypt, from ancient times to current events. Contact Tanas Alqassis: tanas. alqassis@churchmissionsociety.org 15-25 MAY. Holy Land Study Tour. Join our sixth annual journey to Israel/Palestine. See advert on page 9.

KEEP UP TO DATE WITH CMS EVENTS AT churchmissionsociety.org/events

DECEMBER 2016 Geoff Cleaver (Nigeria) Anne Ellison (Kenya) JANUARY 2017 Helen Anderson (Uganda) Dorothy Miller (Argentina)

MARCH 2017 Joan Constable (India) Cecilia Willet (Nigeria)

NOVEMBER 2016 Peter Bewes (Uganda and Tanzania)

Catriona and Stephen Bennett, with Hannah, have begun service at Gahini Hospital, Rwanda.

Stephen is a surgeon and Catriona is an anaesthetist and they hope to use their medical skills to share God’s love with people in Rwanda.

NEW SHORT-TERMERS:

FEBRUARY 2017 Michael Grace (Uganda) Elizabeth Mary Carver (Uganda) Rt Rev Douglas Milmine (Chile and Paraguay) Roger Bowen (Burundi) Beryl Gilbert (Argentina) Caroline Gilmour-White (Paraguay) Rev Canon Caroline Evans (Nepal)

SEPTEMBER 2016 Hugh Creighton Thomas (Lebanon and Iran)

NEW MISSION PARTNERS

29 JANUARY – 2 FEBRUARY 2018. Bible in Context pioneer module with John Drane.

Contact Helen Harwood: helen.harwood@ churchmissionsociety.org

DEATHS OF PEOPLE IN MISSION AUGUST 2015 Leonard James Collings-Wells (Nigeria)

PEOPLE IN MISSION CHANGES

Andree Babel (Rwanda) Pamela Mall (Pakistan) Ada Barker (Peru) Rt Rev Keith N Sutton (Uganda) APRIL 2017 Ann Lipson (Kenya) Richard Bailey (Argentina) Rev Mandy Dees (Nigeria and Sierra Leone) JUNE 2017 Rosemary Stephens (Nigeria) Jenny Ottewell (Uganda)

THE CALL - SUMMER 2017 THE CALL - AUTUMN 2017

Irene and Malcolm Crawford (Tanzania), Lucy Hefford (Uganda), Dave and Debra Chislett (Nepal) Sara Afshari has ended service as a mission partner after 15 years. For most of this time she served with Sat-7, which broadcasts Christian television programmes to the Arabic-speaking world. Sara extended Sat-7’s ministry by setting up Sat7-PARS, which broadcasts in Farsi.

Latterly she has been studying for a PhD in media, culture and religion in order to develop her future ministry.

CHURCH MISSION SOCIETY STAFF CHANGES SINCE MAY 2017 WELCOME: James Butler, MA lecturer (August); Sarah Clarke, pioneer undergraduate programmes coordinator/lecturer (August), Maria Riding, freelance writer (August)

FAREWELL: Faith Wilson, CMS House supervisor, departed in early July. Later in July we said goodbye to Andy Freeman, pioneer mission student support officer and to Mary Caler, key relationships assistant. At the end of July we said farewell to Graham Kings, mission theologian in the Anglican Communion. Marie Laure Verdier Shin finished in her role as regional personnel officer in the international mission team in early summer.

CHANGES: Linda Gleeson nee Sammons has taken on a new role as CMS House supervisor after serving as church and community mission team administrator.

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FEATURE STORY Photo: Former child soldier John Malow Bedit

FROM CHILD SOLDIER TO A LIFE IN MISSION J

ohn Malow Bedit was kidnapped at age 11, given his first AK-47 a week later and forced to serve as a child soldier in a brutal and bloody conflict. Three years ago he graduated from the University of Juba. Now, as a CMSAfrica local partner, he is working with the Fellowship of Christian University Students in South Sudan to help Christian students and leaders work together towards the goal of rebuilding South Sudan. Here, he tells his story.

I was born in Unity State, South Sudan, and an age assessment has assigned me a date of birth of 1 January 1987. I grew up with my mother and sisters in a timber and grass hut, helping to look after our cows and cultivate the land from a young age as my older brother had left for the city the year that I was born. I was three when I was first told about Jesus, and six when I was baptised by a Catholic priest on Christmas Day. Five years later I was kidnapped at gunpoint by soldiers who tied my hands behind my back with rope and forced me to walk the long journey to their camp. After one week’s training I and the other children with me were given new AK-47s.

The training was harsh and intensive; we were drilled in the full heat of the day, some of us without uniform or boots. We had no choice

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but to follow orders and were closely monitored to prevent escape. One day our camp came under heavy attack and there were many casualties, including the attackers’ operational commander, who I saw shot in the head by a rocket.

ESCAPE AND IMPRISONMENT Despite the horror, I believed that God could protect me and I repeatedly prayed for a chance to escape. An opportunity came on a visit to the family of the general I was serving as bodyguard.

Leaving behind my rifle and comrades I ran and travelled by foot for nine hours to reach my family. There were many tears at our reunion, but I could not stay so I walked for a further 12 hours to a place of safety where I could be anonymous. Just a few months later, however, I was recognised, recaptured, beaten and imprisoned at a nearby military base.

The general gave instructions that all food and water should be withheld from me. I was crying in my cell and calling out for water. In a quiet moment, I heard one of the officers shout, “That window is not locked with a padlock!” and another answer him: “The boy inside is small. He can’t reach the window.” I believe this was God’s way of helping me get free. I waited until night

CHURCH MISSIO N SO CIETY

Above left: John (centre) with friends and co-workers Above middle: John at his graduation Above right: A drawing by a child in South Sudan, depicting when rebels burnt down the family's house; the family fled on motorbike.

Photo courtesy Ruth Radley.

and then jumped out of the window and over a fence while the men slept deeply under their mosquito nets.

For the next week I hid until my brother got some money to me and then made my way to Khartoum, where I knew no one. But God sustained me. When I arrived I only had money for one more meal and knew little Arabic, but I found work as a cleaner in an Arab house.

They paid me a monthly wage and gave me breakfast and lunch each day. My first wages went on clothes, but school was my priority and I enrolled in evening English classes. I also joined the Episcopal Church of Sudan and began preaching the good news that had saved me.

A LOVE OF LEARNING Using the money I saved each week I put myself through primary and then secondary school, before gaining a place at the University of Juba, where I graduated with a BSc in statistics in 2014. I am so thankful to God who has been my father through all this time and who is true to his word: “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you” (Psalm 32:8).

When I look back on my life I can see how much I have learned about the importance of self-control and discipline, self-confidence, independence, courage and patience. To anyone reading this who has also suffered trauma, I want to say, trust in all situations that God cares for you and that every person who comes to know the Lord Jesus Christ is called for a mission. Seek to find what God’s mission for your life is.

THE TASK OF REBUILDING My goal now is to help people discover God’s glorious vision of the comprehensive transformation of individual lives, communities and nations, described by Jesus as the kingdom of God. I work as a CMS-Africa local coordinator and serve with the Fellowship of Christian University Students in South Sudan, an inter-denominational fellowship of Christian students in South Sudanese

universities and higher education as well as professional graduates who profess the gospel of Jesus Christ. We are committed to mentoring in all four areas of human development: physical, intellectual, spiritual and social, with the aim of helping Christian students and leaders to recognise that it is our duty to work together for the common goal of rebuilding South Sudan.

One of many ways in which I do this is by helping to run the Financial Freedom for Families course, a course designed by CMS-Africa. Life in South Sudan is often consumed by the struggle to secure daily basic essentials. Levels of financial literacy are low and stress is high. This course teaches participants what the Bible says about making, spending, storing, loving and giving money. It shows people how to steward their financial resources well while growing in their understanding of the gospel and the freedom it offers.

“After one week’s training I and the other children with me were given new AK-47s. We had no choice but to follow orders and were closely monitored to prevent escape.”

A WAY FORWARD Despite all the recent turmoil, I have hope for my country. Before the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, no one would have dreamed that South Sudan would one day have independence. But it’s happened. In the same way, though things in the country seem bleak now with ongoing conflict, violence, inflation and food shortages, I know change will come; no matter how long it may take, it will come.

“For God has revealed his grace for the salvation of the whole human race. That grace instructs us to give up ungodly living and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in this world, as we wait for the blessed Day we hope for, when the glory of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ will appear. He gave himself for us, to rescue us from all wickedness and to make us a pure people who belong to him alone and are eager to do good" (Titus 2:11-14, Good News Bible).

Edited by Jo Mitchell, freelance writer

THE CALL - AUTUMN 2017

PRAY

1

Pray for the release and restoration of child soldiers and for an end to their recruitment.

2

Pray for the establishing of peace and the rule of law in South Sudan.

3

Pray for persecuted Christians in the region.

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MEET OUR LOCAL PARTNERS

MEET OUR AFRICAN LOCAL PA DISCOVER HOW THEY ARE TRANSFORMING LOCAL AFRICAN

We hope you were inspired by John Malow Bedit's story (p 20-21). In addition to John, Church Mission Society is privileged to walk alongside the following African people in mission. To help support global mission through local leaders, go to churchmissionsociety.org/localpartners

Davis Manana

John Malow Bedit

Davis is director of Bungokho Rural Development Centre (BRDC) in Mbale, eastern Uganda – a Church Army Africa initiative. Davis, a captain in Church 1 Army Africa, describes BRDC as a place where God is at work and people are being helped to help themselves. BRDC reaches out to the local community through transformational programmes. The centre offers vocational training, outreach programmes, a nursery school and a demonstration farm.

John serves with Fellowship of Christian University Students in South Sudan (FOCUS SS), an inter-denominational movement 15 of Christian students in South Sudanese universities and higher education as well as professional graduates who profess the gospel of Jesus Christ. FOCUS SS concentrates on mentoring, not just in spiritual matters but in all four areas of human development: physical, intellectual, spiritual and social. One of the aims is to help Christian students and leaders realise it is their duty to work together for towards the common goal of rebuilding South Sudan.

Richard Rukundo Richard is assistant provincial education coordinator/ children’s programmes coordinator for the Church of 2 Uganda. Before his appointment in 2012 he worked with the Kampala diocese in children’s ministry for 10 years.

Richard’s desire is to see Christian witness among children, to equip children’s workers and to develop strategies for discipleship.

Bisoke Balikenga 3

Based in Bunia, Bisoke is the provincial youth coordinator for the Anglican Church of Congo. He is passionate about peacebuilding in the local community and discipling young people. He is the longest standing CMS local mission partner in Africa.

Jeff Sikabwe As a Samaritan Strategy trainer for DR Congo and Congo Brazzaville, Jeff trains church leaders in holistic social transformation. Originally from eastern DRC, he’s now based in Kinshasa with his family – having lived as a refugee in 4 Kenya for nearly 13 years. In Kenya, he connected with Samaritan Strategy Africa (SSA) and attended a Vision Conference. He discovered that “faith in Jesus Christ should translate to fundamental transformation of individuals, families, communities and indeed entire nations.”

As a CMS-Africa champion, Jeff works closely with CMS-Africa, SSA and Harvest Foundation.

Felix and Tabitha Masinde 5

Felix and Tabitha are engaged in outreach and mission work in Kenya.

Jean Bosco Tshiswaka Jean Bosco is programme coordinator of Kimbilio in Lubumbashi, Katanga diocese, DR Congo. Kimbilio was 7 set up by former CMS mission partner Ian Harvey to provide for the basic needs of street boys and girls and to reunite them with their families when possible.

Jackson Wanga

Paul Kibona 6

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Paul is a team leader for Samaritan Strategy training, based in Tanzania.

He oversees a team of 22 trainers, training church leaders in holistic social transformation. Samaritan Strategy Tanzania is an autonomous mission agency under a local board led by Canon Johnson Chinyongole.

Jackson works with One Youth Ministry (OYM), part of CMSAfrica’s youth ministry, based in Kenya. OYM works against disease, famine, illiteracy, poverty and injustice across East 8 Africa. One of its main areas of work is training young people using the CMS-Africa 3D model. 3D stands for discover, develop and deploy.

CHURCH MISSIO N SO CIETY

/// CLASSIFIEDS

RTNERS COMMUNITIES

Bishop James Hassan Bishop James serves as leader of the diocese of Kadugli, in the Nuba Mountains in Sudan. This is a challenging place where there has been much 14 conflict. His desire is to encourage Christians in their faith and be a strong witness to Christ’s healing power.

PUT YOUR CALL INTO ACTION SOME CURRENT MISSION OPPORTUNITIES: 1

International Nepal Fellowship is looking for a rehabilitation doctor.

Green Pastures Hospital in Pokhara requires an individual to help cultivate its services as the hospital develops into a centre of excellence for disability rehabilitation.

2

Elson Mageza Elson has worked as a priest for 14 years in Byumba diocese in Rwanda and is now director of Byumba Bible School, where dozens of grassroots 13 church leaders have been equipped to share Jesus in their communities in the aftermath of genocide. He is also acting diocesan secretary. “I am grateful for the support that the local partner programme gives us to maintain the training of the workers in God’s field,” says Elson.

Manasseh Tuyizere Mannaseh Tuyizere is the diocesan secretary in the diocese of Kigali, Rwanda. Previously he headed their youth department. He dreams of seeing the 12 Rwandan youth, who represent 65 per cent of the population, transformed through the love of Christ in order to unite and serve each other despite their differences. And he desires to build the capacity of church leaders in the diocese.

Rachel Karanja A CMS-Africa champion, Rachel is based in Nairobi and her ministry promotes business as mission in the areas of environmental 11 conservation and energy saving technologies such as solar lamps, biogas digesters and recycled plastics.

Wairimu Kamau Wairimu is mobilisation director with a mission sending agency in Nairobi, working in collaboration with the Pioneers 10 organisation. She oversees the recruitment, preparation, appointment and care of people in mission from the African church within Africa and beyond. She is currently studying for a PhD in community development.

Duncan Olumbe Duncan is executive director for Mission Together Africa (MTA). He co-founded MTA in 2005 as an indigenous mission organisation in 9 Kenya which connects and resources emerging missions in Africa. Duncan has spent the last 18 years in student ministry and mission mobilisation, reflection and training. A current focus is preparing African churches and people for mission.

ASIA

AFRICA

The Kepplewray Centre, working in partnership with the Bethesda Project, Burundi, is looking for an individual or couple for the role of development and project manager.

Founded on a commitment to work with both disabled and non-disabled people, both organisations share a similar vision.

This role requires the ability to work with a variety of people: those with disabilities, young people, bishops, business leaders and public figures. The right candidate(s) will be dynamic, flexible and innovative.

3

JORDAN

The Annoor Sanatorium for Chest Diseases (ASCD) is looking for an administrative assistant.

The individual needs to be personable and professional in their conduct as well as skilled in administration.

4

LATIN AMERICA

The Church in Lima, Peru is connecting with the local community in a number of ways. Through the Shalom Centre, alongside long-term CMS mission partner Pat Blanchard (see this edition's lead story), there are opportunities to work with disabled children and their families.

With other CMS mission partners there are opportunities for youth and children’s work in under-served urban areas.

TO ENQUIRE FURTHER ABOUT ANY OF THESE ROLES, please contact vocational recruitment officer Isaac Frisby: 01865 787416 or isaac.frisby@churchmissionsociety.org

FINANCE UPDATE

BY CHARLIE WALKER, DIRECTOR OF FINANCE AND CORPORATE SERVICES We are so grateful here at Church Mission Society for all the donations that we receive. Behind each gift there is a story: a young person who has been inspired to fundraise, someone who has spontaneously responded to a story on our website or to an article in The Call or to a talk at a church, or someone who has faithfully given to the work of CMS over many years. Our finance team loves to hear these stories. So before I give you a brief update on the 2017 figures so far, I want to say a huge thank you to our supporters, not just for the gifts, but also for sharing the stories behind the gifts and for inspiring us through your willingness to respond to God’s call.

At the end of June 2017, our total giving from churches, individuals and trusts was

THE CALL - AUTUMN 2017

at £1.7m which was ahead of last year and marginally ahead of this year’s budget. We thank God for this. Beneath that headline figure, we then concentrate on our ‘general fund’ budget (one part of the overall budget). This general fund is crucial to CMS; it is the financial ‘engine room’ for our work both now and in the future. General fund income is down on budget as of the end of June to the tune of £50,000. Although this is currently being offset by underspends elsewhere, we are working very hard to turn this around and would certainly value your prayers for this.

In other significant news, I can report that our triennial pension scheme valuation has now been signed off. The deficit on the scheme remains very high at over £8m, but we have agreed a recovery plan with our pensions board to plug this hole over a number of years. Please do continue to pray for the board as they seek to eliminate the deficit while providing excellent service to members of the scheme.

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OFFICE CALLING

BY JANET QUARRY

R

eaders of The Call have asked us to feature more Church Mission Society office-based staff who are putting their call into action.

Meet Jo Anthony, regional personnel officer for Latin America, who was recently interviewed by Janet Quarry, executive assistant to the executive leader.

Jo Anthony could work anywhere. She is articulate in both English and Spanish, highly competent and has an MSc in globalisation and Latin American development. Why then has she settled in East Oxford to work in what might seem like a pretty small office? She says she feels called to “facilitate others to go in mission to Latin America” – but what brought her to this place?

Jo’s parents lived in Spain when she was a child so it seemed obvious to study Spanish at school. When the opportunity came to travel during her university year abroad in 2000 she fancied something further afield and agreed to lead an Oasis team of three young people to work with local churches and in the shanty towns of Lima, Peru. The dynamic faith of her co-explorers and the commitment of the Christians with whom they worked caused Jo to look again at her own

walk with God. For the first time in her life she had to rely totally on God and not on her own gifts and skills – and he didn’t let her down.

One lady called Noemi who lived in a shanty town made a particular impression. When the team went to visit her they found a house constructed from sticks and plastic, with the usual tin roof. Water was stored in plastic buckets and flies covered every surface.

However, Noemi’s faith was exemplary. She earned a pittance selling chicken feet kebabs at the end of her road but spent a portion of her income making sure she and her three children got to church every week.

Encounters like these made Jo want to work with a mission agency, supporting those who want to

partner Cristina Vargas takes people to the hospital because otherwise they wouldn’t have access to the treatment they need. Some mission partners are incredibly creative. They see a need and just branch out to do something about it, such as making sure disabled people get therapy. How could I not want to help such people?”

Doesn’t working in an office get a bit boring though? “Not yet,” says Jo. “It can be challenging, yes, but boring? Nope!”

So why doesn’t she go back to work in Latin America herself? “I wondered if God was calling me to do that,” she admits. “So at one point earlier in my life I went for a year and a half to Argentina and then Nicaragua with Latin Link. I asked God to show me if this was where he wanted me. I came to realise during this time that God was saying no.” Jo says God was calling her to help others go overseas rather than be there herself. She’s determined to help others to be the best they can be and to do their roles as well as they possibly can.

As a key part of the CMS international mission team, “I make sure mission partners for Latin America are ready to go, that they have the training they require, the facilities they need to live overseas and the resources to ensure their re-entry to the UK is as smooth as possible.”

Jo’s role often requires her to visit Latin America to encourage people in mission.

Even though she is mostly based in the Oxford office, part of Jo’s heart will always be in Latin America itself.

After returning to the UK from her initial trip to Peru in 2000, Jo continued to occasionally write to Noemi and a few years later was able to visit her once more. Noemi showed her a tin of precious keepsakes. In it were some pictures of her family, a necklace belonging to her mother and three Christmas cards Jo had sent to her. These women, though they came from rather different backgrounds, had a great impact on one another.

A reminder that the smallest things we do can have a huge impact in the kingdom of God – even selling chicken feet kebabs.

THE OFFICE CALLING On chicken-feet kebabs and choosing an office job

make a difference in Latin America. Before doing her masters degree, Jo became a youth trustee of SAMS (South American Mission Society) and during a summer break, she offered to “do some filing” in the local SAMS office. Eventually she started working at SAMS, helping young people get ready to travel to Latin America. When SAMS integrated with Church Mission Society in 2010, Jo applied for the job of Latin America personnel officer.

She says her job satisfaction is really high: “People are doing extraordinary things! CMS has mission partners working in difficult or even dangerous places. In Northern Argentina many indigenous people have no rights and no voice.

It’s often the case that local people can’t get medical care because they don’t understand the system, so local

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CHURCH MISSIO N SO CIETY

GO

If you are interested in being in mission in Latin America, you can contact Jo: jo.anthony@ churchmissionsociety.org If you are interested in working in the CMS office, current openings are listed at churchmissionsociety.org/jobs

WHEN CULTURES MISSION REFLECTION CONVERGE Name: Awais Mughal Location: Leeds, UK My call: To share the good news of God’s kingdom and work for social justice, especially for the vulnerable and marginalised, and the empowerment of women

My role: Working with asylum seekers and refugees, helping them improve their English language skills in order to integrate better with their new environment. Also working in interfaith and intercultural understanding, especially with women from different faith backgrounds.

Mission means… always learning

BY AWAIS MUGHAL IN LEEDS

M

ission invites us to practise patience, humility, perseverance, and learning and living out the Word of God. As it is written in Proverbs 3:5-6: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him and he will make your paths straight.” Part of humility is being willing to learn and to share what we have learned with others. I have experienced this working in mission in both Pakistan and in Leeds.

PRACTISING IN PAKISTAN I first lived my call to mission with Church Mission Society in Pakistan – a predominantly Muslim country where the presence of Christians can be likened to small mustard seeds. I accepted this call to give myself a chance to practise what the Bible says: “The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practise these things and the God of peace will be with you” (Philippians 4:9). I was no stranger to Pakistan, having been born and raised there, but this was still not an easy call. Nor did it mean there weren’t things I had to learn. The work of a mission partner in Pakistan is challenging and at times dangerous.

I quickly realised that mission is about learning from challenges and the biggest challenge for me was to support people who were marginalised because they want to follow Christ. Unfortunately, to share the word of the Lord openly with others was considered an offence. I felt anxiety among Christians due to potential political repercussions.

My experience in Pakistan taught me the importance of raising awareness of the love of Jesus and his message of hope for rejected ones. I realised

that in the UK we take our freedom of expression for granted.

SHARING LEARNING DESPITE DIFFICULTIES While in Pakistan, I once approached the principals of two schools where I wanted to promote community cohesion among Christian and Muslim students. I hoped to engage them in a constructive dialogue by sharing the common religious values from their respective faiths – such as peace and justice – and encourage them to apply this to all humanity. This invitation was received with anxiety and fear. However, with the grace of our Lord, I was able to overcome their initial resistance and delivered a couple of workshops which were well received. I must have done something right as there were no complaints from the students’ parents.

I also had an opportunity to share learning with groups of Christian women at a grassroots level.

Female leadership in the church there is very limited.

I observed that the majority of women in the groups weren’t educated enough to read and understand the Bible, yet their passion to learn the Word of God was awe-inspiring. In order to support their thirst to understand the Word of God, I encouraged interactive Bible studies rather than simply listening quietly to their religious leaders. There is an Asian expression that a mother’s lap is the first school of a child, therefore the religious foundation of new generations is grounded in these women’s knowledge and understanding of faith.

LEARNING TOGETHER IN LEEDS And so I have learned that mission is about perpetually learning together. I moved to Leeds last year with my husband Dominic, who became the vicar of St James Church in Seacroft. Seacroft is a mostly white area, therefore the congregation is

THE CALL - AUTUMN 2017

not very multicultural. The Bible encourages us to celebrate diversity (see Colossians for example) and learning about different cultures is a way forward. I work with various women’s groups in Seacroft in a humble effort to share some cultural traditions so people can understand each other and learn about Christians living in other parts of the world.

My work with Harehills English Language Project supports asylum seekers and immigrants to enhance their language skills, giving me an opportunity to practise the verse: “Let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action” (1 John 3:18). On the surface, this project is about transferring language skills but beneath that it is about creating a friendly space to laugh and smile.

What I learned in Pakistan can definitely be applied in this UK context.

Overall, in mission I think it is important to remember that Christ came for all. Mission invites people from all walks of life to explore God’s love and his presence in our lives. This includes people in the business world, politicians, leaders, rich and poor, people from different faiths and especially those who have moved away from God. In order to honour Christ as the ruler of all cultures we are called to learn how faith in him is professed in more than one way. This includes learning the history of faith, listening to religious leaders, reflecting on our everyday life experiences, seeing God in others, learning from the experience of the young and older generations and of course, putting into practice lessons learned from a small and persecuted church.

I recently came across the new logo of the diocese of Leeds which reads,“Loving, Living and Learning”. For me to love God, the world and one another requires constant learning and this attitude is fundamental while maintaining the practice of the other two values of loving and living.

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MISSION SPIRITUALITY

A SERIES EXPLORING THE STORY OF JONAH AS A RESOURCE FOR NURTURING A SPIRITUALITY FOR MISSION

IN THE BELLY OF THE FISH WITH JONAH Part 5: WHAT WILL YOU DO WITH YOUR ANGER?

BY IAN ADAMS, MISSION SPIRITUALITY ADVISER FOR CHURCH MISSION SOCIETY

We should note that God’s question seems to be a genuine one.

And our answer may be that it is absolutely right to be angry about something.

And the Lord said, “Is it right for you to be angry?”

In this, the last of our series reflecting on the story of Jonah, we find a sullen Jonah glowering over the city of Nineveh from under his shelter.

As is often in his story, we sense that Jonah is so close to doing the good thing, but something is preventing him from choosing this option.

Instead, he broods on what has happened.

Angry at God showing mercy to the repentant but – to his mind – undeserving people of Nineveh, he allows his disappointment to build to the point where he is almost unrecognisable from the Jonah who prayed in the belly of the big fish.

Jonah’s anger has changed him. Which prompts a question.

It can be tempting, with Jonah, to fume on the sidelines.

To sit in the shelter of a bush and to allow our sense of who we are to be shaped by that bush, by the sun, or by a worm.

But there is another option.

To work for justice and for healing, while allowing our righteous anger, in God’s grace, to be transformed – not seeping into our spirit nor transmitted or unloaded or projected onto others, but bringing good to the world.

What do we do with our anger?

This is a key question in any attempt to become a good human being.

As people aspiring to follow Jesus the Christ and in his name to participate in the healing of all things we have a particular interest in addressing this question.

This is a costly path, as is any attempt to live in the spirit of Jesus, who emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness.

And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death – even death on a cross1 and in so doing transformed all our anger and pain.

To work out how to hunger for the putting right of whatever is wrong, and at the same time to live with mercy – to hold in tension these apparent opposites – is the tough but vital task facing us.

In the commitment to transformation of our anger we may also discover the capacity to allow the unseen story to unfold.

For the story is always bigger than us.

And we will always be left with questions.

In his case, Jonah allows his anger with the world, and with God, to shape him. We sense him becoming the anger that he feels.

He keeps the dialogue with God going, but his tone is now one of self-pity: “And now, O Lord, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live.”

Interestingly, God’s response is to ask a question.

And the Lord said, “Is it right for you to be angry?”

Twice Jonah takes this route, allowing his anger to turn into self-pity.

Twice God asks the question: “Is it right for you to be angry?”

So, faced with injustice in the world – and there is so much of that around – what will we do with our anger?

26

But then the issue is what we will do with our anger.

How may we allow that anger to find voice and to work for good?

How can we avoid that anger (mis)shaping us in the process?

But we can leave them in the grace of the God who Jonah, even through his anger, recognised to be gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love.

So Jonah’s story now unfolds unseen by us.

And we have to be content with an unresolved ending.

Good practice perhaps, as we seek in the spirit of Jesus, to allow our anger to be transformed, and to bring transformation.

We cannot dictate what will happen.

To participate in the freedom of God’s mission is to allow God to shape the outcome.

God of grace, help me, I pray, to know what to do with my anger – so transform me, and transform the world.

1 Philippians 2:7-8

CHURCH MISSIO N SO CIETY

MISSION ISSUES

BY PAUL BRADBURY, PIONEER HUB COORDINATOR

Hopefully this definition can be debated and developed to enable a common understanding of what it means to be a pioneer.

A

2 BEING AFFIRMED

s an ordained pioneer for the past eight years, I’m not short of opinions about the experience of pioneers in the church today, and listening to other pioneers has helped me form a bigger picture of some key issues they are facing. No doubt there are others. What do you think?

The affirmation of pioneers has come a long way since the Church of England Mission Shaped Ministry report (and reports in other denominations) with the emergence of vocational pathways such as ordained pioneer ministry. However, pioneers still feel they are fighting for recognition of the distinctiveness of their call and the freedom and space it requires. They are often treated like those playing something

1 BEING UNDERSTOOD

Despite the wide usage of the term ‘pioneer minister’ there is still inconsistency in the way it is understood. Some would argue that all ministers should be pioneer ministers, lessening the term’s distinctiveness. There is also a conflation of the p-word with language used to describe fresh expressions of church, church planting, chaplaincy or community activism – just about anything that is on the edge of the standard congregational model.

The Church of England’s working definition of pioneers says: “Pioneers are people, called by God, who are the first to see and creatively respond to the Holy Spirit’s initiatives with those outside the church; gathering others around them as they seek to establish new contextual Christian community.”

I like this definition. No doubt it has its fans and its detractors. But it seems to get a lot right. Pioneers innovate in new contexts, so are often first in that sense. They have a prophetic ability not just to see, but also to act out the emerging shape of ministry in a new context. They are intentional shapers of ecclesial community.

church planting, mission-shaped ministry, etc.

Support is closely related to being understood.

Support is perhaps best actualised by facilitating peer support alongside supervision from an experienced pioneer. It is not good enough simply to find an experienced local vicar, or assume a church leader will provide all the support a lay pioneer needs.

4 BEING FUNDED

Naturally, issues of money continue to loom large.

What can pioneers hope for in terms of funding?

I believe that we must find ways of investing significantly in the kind of church that is needed to engage with a post-Christian culture. How do we know what that looks like? We don’t. But we do see people coming forward with a vocation that is shaped toward creating that church. These are people we need to invest in. Does that mean paying every pioneer full-time? Actually, probably not. We might better invest in pioneers by investing in those who can create the environment for these pioneers to thrive in. Meanwhile pioneers themselves will be shaping the future church in another way too – by experimenting and innovating ways of sustaining themselves and the new churches they lead. A new paradigm of funding ministry needs to be discovered and pioneers may well be the people to do it.

FIVE ISSUES FACING PIONEERS TODAY

interesting in the wings, while the ‘real’ music is being played on stage. Many are persuaded to come back on stage. Others are quietly forgotten.

What pioneers would really value is being respected and listened to by senior staff and decision-makers, and listened to in a way that says, “We believe in what you are doing, we want to understand it better and know we need to learn from it.”

Lay pioneers in particular need affirmation.

Around 50 per cent of fresh expressions of church are led by lay pioneers. We need to listen to these leaders and ask them in what ways they would value support, training, affirmation – it probably requires a whole new paradigm of support rather than an adaptation of what already exists for more traditional lay ministries.

5 BEING TRUSTED

Pioneers, though growing in number, are still the odd ones out at the party. They are sometimes the ‘other’, different, a bit weird, sympathetically misunderstood. With misunderstanding can come distrust. Pioneers can be seen as mavericks, rebels, dissidents. Particularly in reference to the institution of church, pioneers are sometimes regarded with suspicion or anxiety – "are they really committed to the structures?" If pioneers wanted to leave, they would have done so long ago.

So pioneers need to be trusted – and with trust comes patience.

Pioneer ministry takes time, it involves risk and therefore failure as well as success. The fruit of pioneer ministry will sometimes struggle to be recognised by the institution, at least at first, but with support and trust these new expressions of ecclesial life will find their place, and we will all be richer for it.

RESPOND

3 BEING SUPPORTED

Paul Bradbury is the author of Stepping into Grace: moving beyond ambition to contemplative mission.

Published by the Bible Reading Fellowship, 2016.

Which brings us on to being supported.

It is encouraging to see dioceses, regions and synods creating new posts to support pioneers.

However, pioneering is often lumped into a general field of fresh expressions of church,

THE CALL - AUTUMN 2017

Have something to say on this issue?

Email the.call@ churchmissionsociety.org and share your opinion.

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PIONEER FEATURE

FOR WOMEN BEYOND THE WALLS

D

id you know that you don’t have to travel to Oxford to be part of Church Mission Society’s Pioneer Mission Leadership Training course? Meet Belinda Ngugi, part of the pilot year student group at the St Cedd Centre for Pioneer Mission, a local learning hub that opened in Autumn 2016 as a joint initiative between Church Mission Society and Chelmsford Diocese to train pioneers closer to home.

HOW DID YOU REALISE PIONEERING WAS FOR YOU? I feel greatly attracted to ministering to people outside the walls of the church. I grew up in Australia with no knowledge of the church; my family and friends were all non-Christian and no one had ever shared with me about Jesus. However, in 2004, I was introduced to a large charismatic church in Perth where I came to know Christ, was baptised and started to grow in my faith.

Being a large church, there were many opportunities to serve in different ministry areas, including international mission and community outreach. Through years of serving in these areas, I gained more of an understanding of my personality, and how God wanted me to utilise the gifts that he has equipped me with.

My initial outreach was in local prisons and homes for vulnerable women and children in Thailand, Kenya, Mozambique and Bangladesh to name a few places, where I joined other missionaries and churches in sharing the love of God. When I moved to the UK five years ago and settled in Newham, I discovered and connected with a local group of women with whom I attended antenatal training, which then helped me to access local playgroups and eventually provided me the opportunity to work as a volunteer with a local children’s trust.

Through my engagement with the local community, I have met and made friends with women from different parts of the world. I have listened attentively to their life stories and helped them wherever I could practically and spiritually.

Understanding my skills, gifts and experiences has gone a long way towards helping me realise that I feel called into pioneer ministry.

CAN YOU TELL US A BIT MORE ABOUT YOUR CURRENT MISSION PROJECT? I engage with many women in Newham from varied backgrounds and cultures who have found themselves in situations that were unplanned: living in sheltered or temporary housing, experiencing mental health issues, domestic violence, selfharm and isolation to name a few. Through these relationships, I am laying a strong foundation for a larger community of women to come together

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regularly. At the moment I am still discerning the shape this will take. Currently, these relationships have become a great source of encouragement for the women and I envision this will grow as they courageously focus on their future and experience a loving supportive place to realise their position and purpose in Christ.

WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO TAKE A RISK AND JOIN THE PILOT YEAR OF THE ST CEDD CENTRE? I initially attended St Cedd’s six-week Lent course on pioneer mission and thoroughly enjoyed the teaching. When the full course was offered later, it felt right for me to apply. I was attracted to the training as it was recognised within the Church of England and, on completion, I’d be authorised by the bishop of Chelmsford and commissioned to minister in my local community.

I also liked St Cedd’s approach to training as it’s an apprenticeship style model with creative and written assessments for each module and therefore it appealed to my style of learning. Plus I could fit the monthly teaching time into my busy schedule.

WHAT’S IT LIKE TO STUDY AT THE ST CEDD CENTRE? HAS IT HELPED YOU IN YOUR LOCAL MISSION PROJECT? The centre is based at the Church of the Good Shepherd, Collier Row in Romford. The course takes place over 18 months and is divided into six study modules, each involving two monthly teaching sessions on a Saturday taught by Church Mission Society. There are currently 14 students; each of us is part of a learning group led by a pioneer leader.

The groups meet between each of the teaching days; this provides us with reflective learning and a time for sharing ideas and gaining insight for our own specific projects.

We have just finished four out of our six teaching modules; we have looked at pioneer mission, mission spirituality, church in mission and reading the Bible.

The last two modules have increased my understanding of the Bible as a story of mission and have helped to focus my reading of the Bible through a missional lens. This has been very purposeful to my project and it has helped me to be more spiritually equipped and has also challenged my views and preconceptions of different scriptures and cultures within my community.

I gained an enormous amount of information and understanding of my community through completing my assignment in the pioneer mission module. It’s been very helpful to understand the context and culture of my neighbourhood where I’m working. It’s assisted me in listening and discerning where God is and what he’s doing in my community – enabling me to join him where he’s working.

CHURCH MISSIO N SO CIETY

The course has also helped me to appreciate many of my gifts for ministry and how they fit together with my personality, my Christian life experience and my deep-seated heart for the lost.

I have really appreciated taking time out to focus on what I need to know about mission and the fact that I meet with other like-minded people is very encouraging and supportive.

I find the biggest challenge in my pioneering journey is finding the balance between what is of me and what is from God. I am very task-oriented and driven so I need to be very prayerful and discerning in knowing what I can do through God rather than out of my own personal strength. One area is in building relationships; this takes time for trust to grow and sensitivity to people’s experiences of Christ, if they have had one. It’s only been in being sensitive to God’s timing that I’ve seen incredible transformation in people’s lives as they’ve been reconciled into relationship with him.

I would recommend the St Cedd Centre to anyone who wants to explore a vocation in pioneering and reach out to their local community.

HOW CAN WE PRAY FOR YOU? As the community of women continues to grow and develop, please pray for guidance as to what shape the group shall take.

LEARN

The St Cedd Centre for Pioneer Mission provides an environment for the identification, training and support of lay pioneers, who on completion of the Pioneer Mission course are licensed by the bishop of Chelmsford and commissioned to minister in their local communities.

More local pioneer learning hubs are expected to open soon. Find out more at churchmissionsociety.org/ pioneer-hubs

APPEAL FOLLOW-UP

CHOOSING LIFE IN LEBANON At Easter, Church Mission Society supporters gave generously to our appeal for people in mission working among Syrian refugees.

T

hese gifts will go to support people in mission like Phil and Sylvie Good, who are preparing to move to Lebanon to work at Life Center Beirut.

A church, a school, a community hub and an aid centre serving refugees from Syria, Life Center Beirut is a relatively new partner of CMS. Here, Esther from the Life Center shares about their work and the people Phil and Sylvie will serve: Lebanon is the Middle Eastern country most heavily impacted by the Syrian refugee crisis. With an estimated 2.2 million refugees in the country this means that 30 to 40 per cent of the population in Lebanon are now refugees!

Bourj Hammoud, a town just north of Beirut, has long been home to refugees and suffering people groups since Armenian refugees arrived during the Ottoman massacres a century ago. Since then, it has housed refugees during the Iraq conflict, the Lebanon-Israel war and now the Syrian conflict. It also houses domestic workers that come from Africa and Asia. This makes Bourj Hammoud a cultural melting pot, with thousands of people from all backgrounds

and religions packed into a small 2.5 sq km area.

This is where the Life Center is located. A Christian centre, it takes a holistic approach to serving the vulnerable by working with children, providing refugee relief and offering spiritual support through various church programmes.

LIFE’S HARSH REALITIES The community bordering the Life Center, the Naba’a, is a slum neighbourhood made up of deteriorating buildings in neglected, dangerous and often downright inhumane conditions. The rent prices are sky high, sometimes even higher than in upscale parts of town, but it is the only place in the city that allows monthly rentals and also accepts Syrian refugees and other “undesirables". The average rent is more than the typical refugee family makes in a month.

People often assume that the biggest need is in the refugee camps outside the city. They see the primitive conditions. But the truth is that there is relatively little cost for refugees living there. They don’t have

to worry about paying rent. Many NGOs have provided them with humble basic life necessities.

Life in the city, however, is fraught with worry and desperation. “I wish I would have died at the hands of ISIS instead of coming here and living this tortured life,” one mother shared. Her husband had abandoned her, she has no education that would enable to her to work and she has a heart condition that keeps her from doing anything too strenuous. She had no idea how she was going to keep a roof over her family’s head; the stress was tearing her apart. This is typical of families coming to the Life Center.

Above: photos from Amy and David, CMS people in mission in Lebanon, taken during a visit to a Syrian refugee family who live in a small roon in a slum in south Beirut. The mother had just given birth.

YEARNING FOR LIFE People are desperate for help with basic needs but also desperate for peace. One lady sensed a peace when she would pass by the Life Center. She would secretly sit on the steps and talk to the building until she was seen by the staff one day and invited inside to discover what the peace she felt was all

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APPEAL FOLLOW-UP about. She quickly embraced Jesus and soon her whole family did as well.

If you walk the neighbourhood streets, it doesn’t matter if you are Christian and they are not – you will find plenty of people desperate for prayer. “I may smile on the outside but inside I am dying. I need peace,” remarked one man from another faith after he spotted the Life Center pastor.

Many children are forced to work to help support their family. They may be begging on the streets or trying to sell gum or flowers to people in passing cars. Exploitation and abuse of children is common.

Since many are illegal refugees, there is little recourse against the abuser. Sometimes it is even a parent selling their children for money.

The needs are great. Each new family that comes to the Center is often in desperate need of food. The babies frequently wear plastic bags taped to them as nappies. There are medical emergencies and people sleeping on the street.

Below (left): Housing in the Naba’a district of Bourj Hammoud, where rent is skyhigh but it is one of the only places that accepts Syrian refugees Right: Refugee family

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NURTURING NEW LIFE Many children have been out of school for up to five years. Lebanese schools have now opened up to all children, regardless of status, so most children can be enrolled in a school for a few hours a day.

However, many are at risk of failure due to general instability from war and a difficult home life.

The Spring of Life programme at the Life Center helps reach children with homework support and provides them a safe place to spend their time when they are not in school. As the children show improvements in school and in their home life, the parents become more engaged. From there, they may start attending a women’s meeting, prayer services, coffee club, lunch or one of a handful of Alpha course-style meetings tailored specifically to discuss Jesus from the perspective of their religious background.

The Life Center’s diversity is apparent at a typical Sunday church service, when people from various nationalities gather to worship. Most are Syrian refugees and most were once members of another faith.

THE COST OF LIVING If you were to peel back the layers of each attendee’s story, you would hear remarkable things.

You may find a former religious extremist greeting another who used to be from an opposing political or religious group. You may find one who had been tortured sitting alongside one who served on the side of the torturers. Most have stories of miracles, visions of Jesus and supernatural healings, provision that brought them to faith in Jesus.

The cost of following Jesus is high. One family tells of being exposed as “apostates” by the mosque through loudspeakers. Though they may be in Lebanon now, many will still be targeted by threats from family and extremist groups in Syria. To choose Jesus will cost literally everything they have left and ensure no option of returning to Syria. This is hard for those not legally in Lebanon. But the ones here will tell how it is worth it for the peace and love that they have found.

The instability of life means people are uncertain where they may end up – even tomorrow. So the Life Center focuses heavily on discipleship to ensure that new believers have the faith and knowledge to stand on their own and make a difference in the lives of their families and communities.

There is always a need for more resources, most of all believers who can aid, serve and help raise up disciples. Please keep the Life Center and its staff in your prayers.

SUPPORT

Phil and Sylvie Good are preparing to work with the Life Center.

CMS also supports several other people working among Syrian refugees in Lebanon. There’s still time to give to our appeal for this work: churchmissionsociety.org/refugees

CHURCH MISSIO N SO CIETY

Right: Scenes from Swindon, where Ali Boulton answered a pioneering call to mission on a brand new housing estate

LAST WORD

HOW TO...

PIONEER MISSION ON A NEW HOUSING ESTATE

BY ALI BOULTON, PIONEER MISSION ENABLER AT THE SOUTHERN COUNTIES BAPTIST ASSOCIATION

E

ight years ago, my family and I were the very first people to move into a new housing estate in Swindon, in response to a call to the diverse community which has since developed there.

As a former teacher I have always loved working with young people and been keen to share the love of Jesus with people outside the church. At a prayer meeting in 2008, I was asked to pray for this yet-tobe -built housing estate. As I bent my head, I had an overwhelming encounter with God, which left me sure that he was calling me to move there to serve and bless the community, and that God would plant a church.

It felt like home from day one. We were joined by a team of six others and started by preparing welcome baskets for people moving into their new homes.

This was during the credit crunch, when getting a mortgage was difficult so the social housing filled up first. For most people this new house represented a new start as they moved on from previous life circumstances or unsuitable accommodation. As a family we were able to relate to this in many ways as we were also starting a new life.

One of the biggest surprises has been how people have taken us to their hearts. It’s a myth that people are no longer interested in faith – so many have asked me questions and wanted to know more. It’s been a joy to see what God has done in response, including significant breakthroughs in people’s lives and the emergence of a church for the unchurched.

I believe God is wanting to do so much more in estates across the country. For anyone who wants to play a part in this, it’s important to: 1. MOVE IN It’s crucial to journey with people and live alongside them, rather than do things to or for them.

Incarnational living is a deep biblical principle – the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. For many valid reasons it’s not always possible, but the best

way to start is to move in and say "we’re together in this".

2. DO ALL YOU CAN TO BLESS UNCONDITIONALLY When I delivered welcome baskets I introduced myself and explained that I was here to serve people of all faiths and none. Some people told me their life stories, and some just said thank you and closed the door, but I deliberately didn’t ask for anything back. We need to do whatever we can to bless the people we live among. For us, this has meant lots of coffee and conversation, hosting parties and pamper nights, applying for funding on behalf of the community and supporting people who are experiencing crises in their lives. One lesson I’ve learned is that often the people you walk alongside the most can feel the most let down when you can’t be all things to them. All you can do is keep loving and not expect anything in return.

one who asked. Now I just say: “If you ever wanted to come you’d be really welcome.”

5. ENJOY WHAT GOD IS DOING I love seeing people’s lives transformed, watching people who were once isolated making friends and baptising new believers in our garden. There are real challenges in what we’re doing; having an open house, for example, means people turn up at different times of day or night and we have had to learn how to access and partner other agencies who can help and support. But we’re called to join in with what the Holy Spirit is doing and be bearers of God’s image in that place – and it’s such a privilege.

Edited by Jo Mitchell, freelance writer

3. LAY YOUR AGENDA DOWN From the outset I felt it was right to lay down any agenda. Instead, we’ve focused on listening to people and to God, watching to see what the Holy Spirit is doing and joining in. There’s a common misconception that pioneering is about getting a church established as quickly as possible. For the first year, our church was simply a group of people loving and blessing the community. I actually felt God say, "Don’t talk about me." Instead, as we built connections, people started to ask questions. A growing group of unchurched people wanted to meet on a Sunday morning at our house and, now that we’ve outgrown it, in the community centre.

4. SAY NO TO TOO MUCH POWER This is less likely to happen on an established estate, but if you move in early in a new estate you can quite quickly become a person of power. I have been chair of the local school governors and the community association, and decided to step down from the first role when I took on the second. I’m careful about inviting people to things because some might feel obliged to say yes because I’m the

THE CALL - AUTUMN 2017

LEARN

To learn more, purchase Pioneer Ministry in New Housing Areas by Penny Marsh and Ali Boulton at grovebooks.co.uk If you want to join the National New Housing Hub – a cross-denominational network for those engaging in new housing areas, Ali can be contacted via the Southern Counties Baptist Association website: www.scba.org.uk Ali recently spoke at a day conference on estate mission hosted by CMS. To see resources from that day: churchmissionsociety.org/estates 31

A LE LE AV GA E CY

“LEAVING A GIFT TO CMS IN MY WILL IS A VERY SMALL WAY TO SAY THANK YOU TO SOME COURAGEOUS PEOPLE.” Penny Minney

f the o rt a p n e e b e av h in b o R d n a sb Penny and her hu eir h T . rs a ye 0 6 y rl a e n r fo ily m fa Church Mission Society -1990s. id m e th in S M C h it w ia ss u R to mission call took them Now in the UK, Penny and Robin continue to advocate for both global and local mission. And they want to help make sure more of God’s people are equipped to join in God’s mission, now and in the future. So Penny has decided to include CMS in her will, saying: “Once a missionary, always a missionary – it gets into your blood.

CMS has been part of my life since my 20s – it is like family to me.

We are impressed again and again by the courage and enterprise of the CMS mission partners we pray for. Leaving a gift to CMS in my will is a very small way to say thank you to some courageous people.”

We deeply value the confidence that Penny – and hundreds like her – have placed in us over the years. Gifts in wills have sustained our work for generations and are vital for our future as we continue to help God’s people to courageously put their call into action.

GIVE

Will you join Penny and other members of the CMS family and remember us in your will? To play a key part in the future of God’s mission through legacy giving, get in touch with Hannah Caroe at hannah.caroe@ churchmissionsociety.org or call 01865 787521.

Read more of Penny’s story online: churchmissionsociety.org/minney