ISOLATED, BUT NOT IMMOBILIZED NAZARENE CHURCHES RESPOND TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC P. 22
NEIGHBORLY LOVE IN KENTUCKY P. 12
JOY IN KOSOVA GREENHOUSES P. 18
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So God created humankind in His image, in the image of God He created them … Genesis 1:27
NCM
M A G A Z I N E
2020 // ISSUE 1 NCM Magazine aims to tell stories of the church living out Christ's compassion. Our hope is that all of us would hear the call to compassion as a lifestyle.
Following the example of Jesus, Nazarene Compassionate Ministries partners with local congregations around the world to clothe, shelter, feed, heal, educate, and live in solidarity with those who suffer under oppression, injustice, violence, poverty, hunger, and disease. NCM exists in and through the Church of the Nazarene to proclaim the gospel to all people in word and deed. NAZARENE COMPASSIONATE MINISTRIES 17001 Prairie Star Pkwy, Lenexa, KS 66220 (800) 310-6362, info@ncm.org
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Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) of the Bible, copyright 1989 by Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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FEATURES PLANTING TREES AND RESTORATION | P.6 In Nepal, young Nazarenes are creating lasting restoration by planting trees. The new groves will renew a disasterprone land.
SO MUCH COMMUNITY | P.12 A compassionate ministry center in rural Kentucky partners with Work & Witness teams and the local community to create change.
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A LOVE THAT GROWS | P.18 In Kosova, neighbors care for neighbors through greenhouses, which create both food security and economic empowerment.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ISOLATED, BUT NOT IMMOBILIZED | P.22 The COVID-19 pandemic has touched every world region. Read how the Church of the Nazarene is responding in five countries.
DEPARTMENTS CONNECTION POINTS | P.5
GO DEEPER | P.33
VOICES | P.32
SNAPSHOT | P.34
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O PEN IN G N OTES
COMPASSION AS A LIFESTYLE By Nell Becker Sweeden
“You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:14-16
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As I write this from my home, it would be hard to find someone who hasn’t been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. We still don’t know the full effect of the virus, yet we quietly intuit that it will shape generations. There is hope still. Like many generations of the Christian church, I am witness to the body of Christ purposefully acting to combat fear, extend love and help for persons most affected, and discern actively at every turn how to be the hands and feet of Christ. This is our Christian responsibility and call as followers of Jesus, and this is our mission as the Church of the Nazarene. The Nazarene Compassionate Ministries system of support and assistance facilitated through the local church was created for such a time as this. Compassion as a lifestyle becomes a true test of faith in times of suffering. Thus, following Jesus’ teachings and our early church’s faithfulness, compassion as a way of life in this time means: We will not leave our brother or sister in Christ, nor our neighbor, and even our enemy, to suffer alone. Our church’s all-embracing response to the crisis, therefore, must model a church that together rises up to be salt and light, a witness
to the patience and suffering of Jesus and our call to do the same. We are well-placed to be agents of love and compassion during this crisis. Much of the critical response to COVID-19 centers around how Nazarene churches are positioned to mobilize people in care, awareness, and prevention as well to build trust and community in the name of Jesus. We are to be a people of hope and a people called to love one another. This becomes even more vital in the midst of crisis: we are called not to fear, but rather to follow the example of Jesus to provide tangible help, love, and hope to all people in Jesus’ name. Nazarene churches have seen the pressing needs of their communities, and they have indeed mobilized in love. In this issue, you can read of ministries that quickly adapted to serve vulnerable communities. There are common threads throughout each; though they are separated by distance, these churches all acted with the same love. There are stories of child development centers that have continued caring for children even as they have had to close temporarily, and there are stories of churches providing food to those who would otherwise have none. These are stories of people acting in the hope of Christ.
C O NNEC T IO N PO INT S PHOTO COURTESY OF KRISTIN BAILE
sponsorship spotlight
A LIFELONG RELATIONSHIP The Baile Family (Pennsylvania, USA) through NCM and committed to being her sponsors. When Kristin Baile went on a Work & Witness “We have been able to form a wonderful relationship, trip to Panama in 2017, she didn’t expect it to be the not only with our sponsored child, but with her whole beginning of a relationship. On that trip, she met family—her siblings and her parents,” Baile shares. Elizabeth*, a teenager Baile would later end up sponsoring The two families have now shared life together four through Nazarene Compassionate Ministries. times, praying through the difficult times and celebrating Sponsorship, Baile says, has provided a proven way the joyful ones. They even for them to make a financial got to hear about Elizabeth’s commitment to Elizabeth "WHEN KRISTIN BAILE WENT quinceañera, a significant 15thin a way that will make birthday celebration. There is ON A WORK & WITNESS TRIP TO a difference. “To be able a line in the song “Nobody” by to combine that with the PANAMA IN 2017, SHE DIDN’T the band Casting Crowns that relationships we’ve created is EXPECT IT TO BE THE BEGINNING Baile points to: “Everybody’s got just amazing,” she explains. OF A RELATIONSHIP. ” a purpose.” She and Elizabeth Baile’s church had both had a purpose in each committed to a construction other’s lives, and now that they project with a local church have met, Baile plans to continue the relationship. in Panama to build a Nazarene child development “Our church project in Panama just ended in February center. Over the next several years, the churches worked [2020], but we are connected to this girl and her family together to deconstruct a small, existing structure, now, and it is not the end of our relationship,” she says. lay a new foundation, and construct a building where Baile lives in Pennsylvania with her children could learn and develop friendships. husband, Dan, and their two sons. Elizabeth, who attends the center, and Baile are both, “on the shy side,” Baile says. That made it a little easier to establish an initial connection. Elizabeth was *Children’s names are changed for protection. already signed up for sponsorship, and after spending a week together, Baile and her husband, Dan, found her
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PHOTOS BY BRANDON SIPES AND NCM NEPAL
C ON N EC T I ON P OI N T S
global focus
by NCM Communications
PL ANTING TREES AND RESTORATION In Nepal, the local Church of the Nazarene is doing something a little different: they’re planting trees. In fact, they’ve planted about 3,300 of them over the last four years. Nepal is particularly prone to natural disasters—in 2015, a 7.8-magnitude earthquake and its aftershocks killed more than 8,900 people. Steep hills and towering mountains give way to low valleys, and forests help hold that landscape together. Trees prevent erosion that could quickly become catastrophic in the face of floods, earthquakes, and mudslides. Trees are valued for other reasons, too: they provide wood for food and shelter and can be both used and sold. And clearing forests makes room for buildings and roads in an urbanizing country. Ganga Prasad Mukhiya, NYI president in Nepal, says that deforestation is a pressing issue.
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“Among other natural calamities, landslides, floods, and deforestation are the major problems in Nepal, through which people have lost their houses, families, and their own lives,” he says. So the Church of the Nazarene, including a specific youth-led initiative, began doing the opposite by planting trees to reforest what was lost. It is a ministry to both the earth and those that live on it. So far, 19 churches and approximately 150 people are involved in the reforestation program. The project has also included awareness programs covering the importance of tree planting and caring for the earth. Mukhiya says that many people in the communities they’ve visited have viewed the tree planting project positively. Once the trees have been planted, the group is usually received back warmly. “We encourage and recommend the local churches … to take care of
their own Garden of Eden,” Mukhiya says. The group hopes to both continue the program and expand it, ensuring that it will last. Forests create long-term change by reestablishing watershed, preventing erosion, and adding nutrients to the soil. Each of those things will benefit those who live in communities near the new forests. “As God has given the responsibility to take care of the people and place, including all creation, so this is our duty to keep maintaining His creation,” Mukhiya says.
empowering families economically, investing in education—will change lives for years to come. The educational support Bishal receives at the center allows him to thrive in school, something that is proven to break the cycle of poverty. As more trees grow and thrive, he will be growing into a country that is growing, too. *Children’s names are changed for protection.
RESTORATION IN NEPAL Nepal has been on a journey of recovery after earthquake and aftershocks. Tree planting is one part of the many projects restoring the country; education, economic development, and agricultural activities are also part of a longterm program developed after the disaster. Bishal*, 14, moved to Kathmandu with his family after the quake. Their entire house collapsed, and the family lost everything. His father works as a day laborer to try and earn money for his children’s futures. “He works very hard daily and hardly manages to survive,” Bishal says. “My education is far away.” Though Bishal was able to attend school, his ability to learn and study was deeply impacted by the poverty the family found themselves experiencing. Just as planting trees is part of the country’s restoration, so is the labor of recovery for those who have survived calamity. Bishal, who was watching his hopes for a good education slip past with each year he grew older, was invited to a Nazarene child development center. There, he had teachers who could help him learn. It also removed the burden having to purchase school supplies, something his parents had to save for before. “I was very weak in my studies, but now I am a good student in my school,” he says. “I could improve my studies because of the tutorial program.” Each of these pieces—planting trees,
Groups of Nazarenes are planting trees to restore deforested areas prone to natural disasters.
Text.
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C ON N EC T I ON P OI N T S
THE WORLD IN YOUR KITCHEN: RECIPES FROM SPONSORED CHILDREN Words and Photos By Brandon Sipes
Deruny (Ukraine) 8
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• 4 large potatoes • 1 small, yellow onion • 1 egg • 3 Tbs. of all-purpose flour • 1 Tbs. of sour cream • 1 tsp. of salt and pepper to taste • oil (for frying) PREPARATION: 1. Peel potatoes and onion and grate into a large mixing bowl.
2. Mix in flour, egg, and sour cream. Add salt and black pepper. (The mixture should be the consistency of pancake batter: thick, but liquid enough to spoon.) 3. Heat a lightly oiled skillet over medium/high heat. Add 1 heaping Tbs. of mixture at a time to the skillet. Fry on one side until golden brown in color, then flip to other side and fry for the same amount of time. Repeat until the batter is gone. 4. Serve deruny warm with sour cream.
fav o r i te
INGREDIENTS:
s h a re
recipes
Chi ld re n
In Ukraine, children can attend a Nazarene child development program where they learn English, practice computer skills, and receive a wide variety of other educational support. Klara*, age 15, says that she enjoys cooking with her parents. Her father makes cheese sandwiches and deruny, a small potato pancake. “I like his deruny best of all,” she says.
rec i p e s
Around the world, Nazarene child development ministries meet the needs of children through spiritual, educational, physical, and relational care. We believe holistic care also includes supporting a loving, healthy family. While food at child development centers fill in nutritional gaps, family togetherness often revolves around meals. So we asked children who are part of NCMsupported ministries to share their favorite recipes to cook at home.
Arroz con Pollo (Ecuador)
recipes
INGREDIENTS:
PREPARATION:
• 5 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (2-2.5
1. Marinate the chicken with lemon juice and alino, ensuring that everything is well covered. Set aside for 15 minutes.
pounds), trimmed of excess skin and fat
• Alino (Ecuadorian seasoning of garlic, cumin, salt, and pepper)
• Juice of 1 lemon • 2 Tbs. achiote-infused oil, OR regular olive oil plus 1-2 Tbs. paprika
• 1 small onion, roughly chopped • 1 small green pepper, seeded and roughly chopped
• 1 medium tomato,
2. Finely chop the tomato, onion, and green pepper (or pulse in a food processor). 3. Heat the infused oil in a Dutch oven or heavybottomed pot on medium/high. Brown the chicken, starting with the skin-side down, for 3 minutes on each side. Remove and set aside. Reduce heat to medium and sauté the onions, peppers, tomato for 10-15 minutes until the vegetables are soft, adding more oil if necessary. Add salt and pepper to taste.
seeded and roughly chopped
• 1 Tbs. tomato paste • ¼ tsp. red pepper flakes • 2½ cups of water • salt and pepper • 1 small jalapeño, seeded and diced • 3 cups of long-grain white rice, uncooked • 2 medium carrots, diced • 1 cup frozen peas • ½ cup pimento-stuffed green olives, chopped • 1 Tbs. capers, chopped • ¼ cup chopped cilantro
4. Add the chicken back in the pot. Add the water, tomato paste, and red pepper flakes, stirring to combine. Bring the pot to a simmer, and then reduce the heat to medium/low. Cook for 15-20 minutes. 5. Mix in rice, jalapeño, carrots, olives, capers, and ¾ tsp. salt. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook at medium/low heat for another 15 minutes.
Damian, 8, enjoys painting, drawing, and swimming. Both of his parents are pastors, and he attends a child development center in Ecuador. He shared a recipe for arroz con pollo— Ecuadorian rice with chicken. The food has special significance, he says, because they “… use the products that are produced in our land.”
6. After 15 minutes, remove the chicken from the pot. Remove the skin and shred. Return shredded chicken to pot, add frozen peas and cilantro, and cook until rice is done (add more water if necessary to cook rice). Add additional salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm. *Children’s names have been changed for their protection.
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Why wait?
Live
COMPASSIONATELY all year.
Sponsor a child today at
NCM.ORG/SPONSOR
COMPASSION THROUGH
PRAYER PHOTO BY AARON PHELPS
everyday compassion
The writer Richard Rohr says, “Prayer is not primarily saying words or thinking thoughts. It is, rather, a stance. It’s a way of living in the Presence.” In the face of hunger, sickness, and poverty, jumping to action might come easier than prayer. But both are necessary. They are ways of seeking the face of God in those around us.
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LOOK FOR NEW CALLS TO PRAYER. There are things to pray for all around us, and we are called to participate. As you read or watch the news, view the stories as calls to pray. Then, if something causes a reaction in you, whether it be sadness, joy, fear, or something else, ask God what your role could be in that subject. How are you called to live in the presence of God through it?
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CHANGE YOUR POINT OF VIEW. Seek to learn from those around you. 1 Peter 3:8 tells us: “Finally, all of you, have unity of spirit, sympathy, love for one another, a tender heart, and a humble mind.” The world is full of distinct biases, prejudices, and responses. Is there something you could practice seeing in a new way through prayer? Ask God to show you where you can see something differently.
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SEEK OPPORTUNITIES. God has called us to show compassion to each other. Look for opportunities to act, and remember to pray as you do. Seek volunteer opportunities but also consider praying as you interact with everyone you meet. Pray for a mind that sees opportunities to serve.
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So Much
Community COMPA SSION SPREADS THROUGH AN OUTREACH IN RURAL KENTUCKY By Callie Stevens
T
here is something going on in Martin County, Kentucky, and no one seems to be able to put into words. Community, faith, love—there isn’t one word that covers it. Denise Stepp, who was raised in a city in a different state, says she wouldn’t move back there “… because right here there’s so much community. People just come together and help each other.” Love for one’s neighbors is what inspires hardware store owners in the community to donate entire bathroom sets when houses are damaged by fire, something Stepp experienced herself. It compels people to leave notes of encouragement when a home floods or to waive funeral charges for an unexpected death. And certainly, it is what drives Dwayne Mills and the rest of the staff at Appalachia Reach Out, a ministry with a mission to show the radical love of Christ by caring for their neighbors.
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PHOTOS COURTESY OF ANDY RUSSELL AND DWAYNE MILLS
“SOMETIMES THE SMALLEST LITTLE THING CAN HAVE THE BIGGEST IMPACT.”
REACHING OUT IN LOVE Appalachia Reach Out, or ARO, has been a compassionate ministry of the Church of the Nazarene since 2018, although it has been serving people in Martin County since 1972. Addiction recovery, school resourcing, a community thrift store, community projects through Work & Witness teams—all are part of a regular day at ARO. “Christ’s love in action” is the group’s motto. Executive Director Dwayne Mills came to Martin County with his family after he and his wife both felt a call to serve there. He pastored Turkey Creek Church of the Nazarene for seven years before accepting the role at ARO in January 2019. It became clear, he says, that addressing the generational poverty in the mountains of Appalachia would take the whole community—and beyond. ARO partners with several denominations and brings in teams from all over the United States, spreading awareness about the reality of the struggle in Martin County. “It’s just trying to be faithful to what God is calling us to do,” Mills says. The big three areas of service at ARO are addiction recovery, Work & Witness projects, and the school outreach. Each is designed to address a different area of struggle, creating a holistic model of care. As in many areas of the United States, addiction recovery has become progressively more vital. According to the National Institute of Health, eastern Kentucky is among the states with the highest rates of opioid-related deaths. Mills is inclined to agree with the data.
“I don’t know a family in Martin County who has not been affected by the opioid crisis,” he says. The center itself is run by one of ARO’s many partners—Addiction Recovery Care—who lease some of ARO’s space for an outpatient facility. Job skills training and life skills are mainstays of the care, as well as yet another partnership that cares for babies born with addiction.
MARTIN COUNTY, KENTUCKY Susan Cox has lived in Inez, the largest town in Martin County, for nearly her entire life. After coming out of the military, her husband worked in the coal mines. Though he had steady work there for years, the jobs in coal have become sparse lately. “Without that, a lot of families have had to move away just to be able to make a living,” Cox says. “The ones that are left here, the jobs you do have are mostly minimum wage jobs.” Martin County, home to about 11,000 people, has long been one of the poorest counties of the United States. About 39 percent of the small population lives in poverty—more than triple the national average of 11.8 percent—with a per capita income at $15,492 (US Census). Cox’s son, William, moved away to find work but came back when a relative got sick. He purchased a double-wide house for a good price, but it sat empty for months. No one had the time or resources to make it livable for the family of five. “There’s really just not any extra,” Cox explains. Cox met Mills when he came to the community center where she works. Although Cox knew
“THE TRUE MODEL OF CHRIST COMES OUT OF THAT PLACE.”
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“RIGHT HERE THERE’S SO MUCH COMMUNITY.”
A Work & Witness team from Alabama covers a roof. In 2019, nearly 20 teams worked together with community members in Martin County.
about the thrift store, she had no idea the center helped folks with their homes, too. A Work & Witness team came to help with repairs and construction on her son's house, making the double-wide a home the family could live in comfortably. Cox says her 4-year-old grandson explains their work by saying, “Those God people are fixing me a home!” “When you do without and you need help, it’s not always easy to ask, and the last thing you want to do is ask,” Cox says. “Sometimes the smallest little thing can have the biggest impact.”
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WORK AND WITNESS Andy Russell, pastor at New Galilee Church of the Nazarene in Pennsylvania, helps lead teams to ARO through the Pittsburgh District of the Church of the Nazarene. He has been deeply impacted by his relationships with people in Martin County. “The people we’ve helped—they’ve worked alongside us,” he says. That’s part of the deal, in fact. When Work & Witness teams come to build or fix, it’s a partnership, not a hand out. The people who own the house help chip in a little for supplies
or give time to help with labor. Under Mills’ direction, ARO has dramatically increased the number of Work & Witness teams that come from all over the United States. In 2019, nearly 20 teams came to serve, totaling about 300 workers and an estimated 7,000 volunteer hours. Some of those groups go into schools, where they tutor, set up classrooms, and provide labor, among other things. Other groups help individuals in the community, like Cox, offering their labor for renovation projects. While the labor is often brought in from outside the county, Mills says they endeavor to buy many of the supplies used in the building projects locally. Mills also organizes the teams to eat out at local restaurants, boosting the economy a little more. The relationships grown through the projects are perhaps part of the reason that many teams return year after year. Russell himself makes three or four trips a year to deliver building and school supplies. Each time, he tries to bring someone different along. The partnership and the community in Kentucky have inspired Russell to look more carefully at his own town, another positive effect Mills hopes to create in all the teams. Russell hopes those who accompany him will see the way ARO functions; he dreams of ultimately implementing similar ministries at home in Pennsylvania. This year, he’s taking a group from the New Galilee Church. “I wouldn’t do what I do if it wasn’t for going down there,” Russell says of pastoring. “It’s really opened me up to the needs in my own area. … The true model of Christ comes out of that place.”
SCHOOL OUTREACH The third branch of ARO’s service is its longstanding relationships with schools. ARO works closely with resource directors at the six schools in the county, where most students qualify for food assistance. In Kentucky, school funding is determined by the actual number of children present that day. That’s a problem in a county with pervasive poverty, where rates of absence tend to be much higher. It can turn into a vicious circle; less funding means fewer resources for children and families. Susan McWhorter has spent quite a bit of time in those schools. She started coming to Martin County after her husband, Dale, came on his first Work & Witness trip in 2017. While Dale has spent most of the trips helping with construction and building, Susan prefers to be in the schools. “What’s really unique about that area is that the people there—they’re wonderful people,” she says. The McWhorters live in Alabama, where they organize drives to gather supplies and Christmas gifts for students. They also organize an annual spring break trip, where young people from Alabama can go serve together with young people in Kentucky. Over the years, Dale and Susan’s involvement with ARO has kept increasing. In 2019, they took four teams down. Like Mills, they also responded to a call to serve and build relationships with people in Martin County.
WHY MARTIN COUNTY? In the 1960s, Martin County, Kentucky, became the face of President Lyndon Johnson’s proclaimed “war on poverty.” More than half a century later, it remains one of the poorest counties in Kentucky. Rural and spread out, the types of jobs available are few and far between. And recently, coal mines that provided the most work shut down. In the last decade, total employment has fallen by 32 percent. Martin County is also located in the eastern part of the state, which is one of the earlier epicenters of the opioid crisis. In 2018, the drug overdose mortality rate there was getting close to being twice the national average (NORC). Combined, these factors are overwhelming. Appalachia Reach Out exists to provide breathing room. The ministries there focus on three areas: Work & Witness, schools and education, and addiction recovery. There is also a thrift store that generates more than half of the ministry revenue. Through service and intentional community partnership, the love of Christ is spreading.
LEARN MORE AT APPALACHIAREACHOUT.COM
Michelle and Andy Russell make trips to Kentucky regularly. It's changed the way they serve their own community in Pennsylvania.
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“So many times God speaks to you, and you don’t act on it,” Dale says. “But this time, it’s been such a blessing because I did listen, and I did act.” Susan agrees, sharing that, “Without a doubt, this is God’s work and God’s doing. We’re just doing what God is leading us to do.”
A COMMUNITY OF CARING Denise Stepp, the woman who explained that she wouldn’t give up Martin County for the city, worked for a school family resource center for 20 years—she still volunteers there when she can. In that
“IT’S JUST TRYING TO BE FAITHFUL TO WHAT GOD IS CALLING US TO DO.”
While outside teams are an important part of the equation, so are the relationships within the community. Here, a team from Pennsylvania builds a ramp to a home.
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position, she coordinated with Mills to help connect families who needed a little extra, making sure they had clothing and food. “They do wonderful jobs,” Denise says of ARO. “It’s just amazing what they do, and they do it out of donations.” Years later, Denise reconnected with ARO when her daughter, Kayla, needed help with her house. Kayla, her husband, and their three children live in Martin County, too. Their story may sound familiar—after her husband’s job in the coal mines ended, he has had to drive an hour away to work in a factory. “They’re just hard workers,” Stepp says. One of their children—one of a set of twins—has special needs, and his accommodations in the house made the kitchen cramped and hard to use. ARO sent a team to tear out two walls, add cabinets, rewire the electricity, and more. Stepp helped out the entire time they were working. “We’re to service one another with the love of God,” she explains. “We have to do this. We want to do this. It’s in you.”
PEOPLE WHO LOVE It’s clear that on any given day, someone could visit a school in Inez and find a team from ARO organizing deodorants and notebooks for students. Or someone could visit ARO itself and find people of all backgrounds shopping at the thrift store. The compassion and love doesn’t end there. It seems like nearly everyone has a story of people in Martin County joining together when life’s tragedies hit. The stories of funeral fees waived, notes left on doorsteps, and furniture donations are all true. So in some ways it makes sense that this small corner of Kentucky is where ARO is growing. For while those who volunteer at the outreach certainly make the building and school projects possible, so too do the people who live in Martin County and make the work crews’ lunch and join them to clean up after. “God’s doing all of this,” Mills says. “Trust me: I’m not that good.”
“WE'RE TO SERVICE ONE ANOTHER WITH THE LOVE OF GOD.”
Many times, community members and Work & Witness teams work together and develop lasting relationships.
ADAPTING TO COVID-19 During the COVID-19 pandemic, some vital parts of ARO have shifted: the many Work & Witness team have had to cancel and reschedule trips, the thrift store closed its doors, and school partnerships were harder with the suspension of in-person teaching. Each of these will cause an extra financial burden to both the organization, which depends in part on revenue from the thrift store, and the community. In spite of lockdowns, ARO has continued to serve Martin County. The existing school partnerships have allowed ARO to continue supporting students, and the addiction recovery center is still running. They’ve also served more than hundreds of people through an adapted drivethrough food pantry. Mills explains that, “Our ‘why’ (Christ’s love in action) doesn’t change, [but] our ‘how’ is changing each day with new opportunities to serve.” NCM.ORG NCM.ORG
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A Love D that Grows Sharing Christ through an ongoing greenhouse ministry in Kosova
PHOTOS COURTESY OF TEANNA SUNBERG AND SARAH THIBAULT
B y Te a n n a S u n b e r g
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Greenhouses provide both food and revenue for families in Kosova.
riving through the streets of Prishtina, the capital city of Kosova, a tank from the international peacekeeping force passes in the opposite lane. This is a surprise—I ask, “There’s still a military security presence here, even after 21 years?” Nelson*, who is a taxi driver by trade, nods in the affirmative. In his thirties, he is a Nazarene father of two who works two jobs to support his family. “Without them …” he shrugs and leaves the sentence unfinished. The war the people of Kosova endured in the late 1990s stole the future from an entire generation— people like Nelson and his wife, Bea, who were in elementary school when the ethnic genocide began. Now parents, they are active in their Nazarene church, but the road to a secure future for them and their children has been discouragingly difficult. Recent reports indicate that more than half of people in this Balkan country struggle with poverty (BBC). The daily necessities of life—feeding a family, keeping a home, clothing, healthy medical coverage, education—continue to be challenges in this country still dealing with an infrastructure ravaged by war. The devastation was massive not only to property but also to body and soul. Entire families were killed and buried in mass graves. Husbands, fathers, and young sons disappeared, the reality of their last moments unknown. Women were assaulted, and when they begged for death, the perpetrators refused. In 2016, the idea of building greenhouses as a means of helping impoverished families grow toward sustainability began to come to life. Nazarenes in Kosova originally applied to NCM for a grant to build five greenhouses in the country. As the church began to implement the plan, they found that people in the community caught the vision and were willingly generous, which in turn allowed the original grant to fund more greenhouses than anticipated.
Some shop owners provided construction materials at lower costs, connections for marketing products were suddenly available, individuals began to unexpectedly donate their time to help with construction, and neighbors began to identify families that would benefit from such a project. To date, 22 greenhouses have been built in Kosova for some of the country’s most impoverished families.
GREENHOUSE NEIGHBORS
Albana, a widow who struggled for years to raise her three children in the midst of significant and overwhelming poverty, became a greenhouse recipient in 2017. With the solid source of sustenance, life for her family began to steadily change. The stipulations of the project are that new greenhouse owners will donate 25 percent of their crops to feed others in need and 15 percent of their crop yield to
buy materials for more greenhouses, and they will help to build the next greenhouse. Albana went a step further. She began to advocate for a family in her neighborhood who happens to be deaf, then she helped them prepare their land for the greenhouse. Finally, she shared her gained knowledge to ensure that their new greenhouse would produce well. The challenges that deafness brings are always significant, but for Albana’s neighbors, it was overwhelming. Both the father, Saban, and mother, Marsela, are hearing impaired, as are their three children. Though willing to work and able to do physical labor, the disability prevents Saban from finding steady employment. Educating the children is also an issue. The deaf school is a one-way journey of 90 minutes and it requires three bus changes. Every morning, Marsela makes the trip with the two schoolaged children and their 4-year-old sibling, waits at the
"FOR A GROWING NUMBER OF VILLAGES IN KOSOVA, THE SLOPING, OPAQUE SHAPE OF GREENHOUSES IS BECOMING BOTH A COMMON AND A WELCOME SIGHT."
Each greenhouse recipient uses a percentage of their income to provide greenhouses for others in need.
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COMPASSIONATE WORK AFTER WAR
school for four hours, and makes the journey home. In so many ways, this family faces a daily struggle to survive. Albana’s advocacy for the family to receive a greenhouse is indicative of the wider generosity of this particular neighborhood. Five years ago, the community worked together to build the family a small home, and the neighbors have also learned some sign language in order to communicate with the family. Signs of the steadily improving quality of life for this family are precious encounters. This past summer, they were able to purchase a small plastic, inflatable pool for the boys— an extravagance that would not have been attainable without earnings from their greenhouse. There are now ways to make life more than just about a disability. Marsela’s report included the joyful statement, “Our boys basically lived in the pool all summer.” Sometimes we forget that the most profound indicators of wholeness and health, both personal and communal, are the normal, daily, maybe even mundane rhythms of life: throwing fresh food into a boiling pot, sending our children to school, and enjoying the puddle of fun beside the pool on a summer’s day. For a growing number of villages in Kosova, the sloping, opaque shape of greenhouses is becoming both a common and a welcome sight. SUPPORT PROJECTS LIKE THIS AT: NCM.ORG/FOODSECURITY *Names are changed for protection.
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The history of Kosova and the church in it is a key piece of this story. As the Kosova conflict began to subside in mid-1999, Nazarene Compassionate Ministries sent Dr. Paul Tarrant, a Scottish general practitioner of medicine, with Jay Sunberg, Nazarene missionary to Bulgaria. They went into the makeshift camps in what is now the country of North Macedonia to assess the situation of thousands of refugees from Kosova who had sought safety in the neighboring country. At least 90 percent of all Kosovar Albanians were displaced by the conflict that took place between March 5, 1998, and June 11, 1999 (PBS). Following Tarrant and Sunberg’s fact-finding trip, the church, through NCM, quickly moved to help people rebuild their lives and reclaim hope as they returned home. Through these initiatives, the Church of the Nazarene earned trust and was established as a denomination. Two decades later, the church is growing. A Nazarene pastor is serving as the general secretary for Kosova’s Evangelical Alliance, and a Nazarene layman owns a radio station, the only one in the country that broadcasts Christian music. In truth, the international peacekeeping force known as the Kosova Force (KFOR) has been in the country just a few months longer than Nazarenes. The church is not only established, but it is also growing as it continues to walk with people through the efforts of rebuilding, renewal, and sustainability.
What will
YOUR STORY BE?
YOU CAN GIVE AUTOMATICALLY TODAY THROUGH WORKPLACE GIVING CAMPAIGNS. Learn more at NCM.org/Workplace
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ISOLATED, BUT NOT IMMOBILIZED Churches Respond in the Face of a Pandemic
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by NCM Communications
T
he COVID-19 pandemic has again and again been called unprecedented, and the word is fitting: the new coronavirus shut down the world. Nearly every country has reported confirmed cases of COVID-19. Its reach and impact are such that life will likely always be different for those living through lockdowns, financial crises, and extreme loss. For those who were already vulnerable because of poverty, violence, displacement, and lack of resources, both the disease itself and its economic impact are life-threatening. From the earliest days of the pandemic, churches leaped to compassionate action by quickly assessing needs, raising funds, and gathering food for those who need it. And they will continue to do just that. What makes the Church of the Nazarene so well-positioned to respond in a crisis is that it’s a global church. Nazarenes are already caring for their communities in 162 world areas; they can respond during a pandemic that cuts off travel because they are already there. When lockdowns end and economies begin to recover, the church will still be there to continue the intentional, active works of compassion founded in the love of Christ. Some churches are caring for medical workers. Others are making sure those who are isolated are still surrounded by community. And even more are providing food, sanitation supplies, and income assistance to those who might otherwise go hungry. Here, you will read just a few of the many, many stories of love and compassion carried out by the global Nazarene church.
“THE COMMUNITY IS SEEING THE LOVE OF GOD IN A TANGIBLE WAY ...”
PHOTO BY ANA GERONIMO
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THIS IS WHO WE ARE
One Young Man’s Mission to Share Food in Paraguay By Chad Dickerson, NCM SAM
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On March 7, 2020, Paraguay announced its first confirmed case of COVID-19. To prevent the spread of the virus, the Paraguayan government implemented severe restrictions three days later. The restrictions included a provision that prohibited members of the community over 60 years old from leaving their homes at all. Abraham Saucedo, a member of the Incarnación Church of the Nazarene in Itapua, Paraguay, hadn't heard of Nazarene Compassionate Ministries before this year, but compassion had always been a part of his life. From a very young age, the 28-year-old’s parents showed their eight children the importance of helping others, even when they themselves were struggling. Upon hearing that his neighbors and friends who were over the age of 60 would be left with no way to get food and essentials, Saucedo decided to act. “…it is through [NCM] that they can see how the church is at work,” Saucedo shares. “This is an opportunity to show who we truly are, to show that we aren’t what some people say.” This restriction hit close to home: Saucedo’s father was no longer able to go out to work. Even though he was the only member of his family working, Saucedo posted a message on his social media accounts, saying “If you are 60 years old or older, or have an illness that puts you more
at risk, I am offering my time to go to the supermarket or pharmacy once a week,” he posted. “Make a list, and I’ll go. I won’t charge you anything. Just send me a message.” Saucedo received messages from members of his community that he knew and from those he had never met before. Living an hour and 45 minutes from the Incarnación church, Saucedo received many messages for help from people outside the community where he lives. But he wanted to be sure they had someone to shop for them, so he contacted other members of his church who were close enough to help those who were outside his reach. Reina, a woman Saucedo contacted personally, fell into the category that meant she couldn’t leave home. The restrictions were making life extremely difficult, and she cried as she told him, Only God could repay you—all of you—for what you have done. Blanca, too, was restricted to her home. She missed having community and told those delivering food: May God repay you over and over, and please come back soon. Saucedo references Matthew 25:36, which says: I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me. “More than anything else, what we are doing is what God has commanded us to do,” Saucedo says. “We need to help one another.”
“THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW WHO WE TRULY ARE.”
“I AM VERY GRATEFUL TO GOD AND TO THE CHURCH BECAUSE I REALLY NEEDED THIS FOOD."
THE LOCAL CHURCH IN GLOBAL CRISIS: Caring for Neighbors in the Dominican Republic PHOTO COURTESY OF BENNY SANCHEZ RAMIREZ
In the Dominican Republic, the Church of the Nazarene in San Juan started collecting donations and offerings to help families in the community around the church. It was “a seed,” says Pastor Benny Sanchez Ramirez. That seed would grow to support 700 families in the community surrounding the church, many of whom also participate in the church’s child development center. “The community is seeing the love of God in a tangible way through a church that cares about its comprehensive wellbeing,” Sanchez says. Like many of these stories, those who are the most vulnerable were the first to feel the impact of a mandatory lockdown and curfew in the Dominican Republic. Along with the food, the church also brought disinfectants, hand sanitizer, masks, and gloves. The economy in the Dominican Republic is growing, but income inequality is stark. About 30 percent of the population lives in poverty. Mili, a neighborhood resident says, "I feel too proud … because they are helping us by giving us food because of this virus that is spreading, and they are also
taking care of us by disinfecting our neighborhood.” Another resident agrees and shares, "I am very grateful to God and to the church because I really needed this food." In the end, Sanchez says that it is frustrating not to be able to help everyone. Many people need food, and being unable to help each person is a weight. In addition to food and hygiene products, though, the church also brought hope. After seeing the actions of the church, others in the community have duplicated their efforts. The hope is that acting in love will spread until everyone has enough. “Though the temple is closed, the church is still a church coming to their aid … the local church [becomes] a benchmark of loving your neighbor in the most difficult times,” Sanchez explains.
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Churches in Rwanda Respond in Love Most of the people who live in Gisenyi, Rwanda, make a living as day laborers or by crossing borders to work or trade in neighboring countries. When the “stay home” order came on March 21, markets, borders, shops, offices, and businesses closed. Immediately, Reverend Simon Pierre Rwaramba, who pastors the Gisenyi Bridge Church of the Nazarene, began to worry about how people would survive without a regular income. What will happen to people who will lose income, he asked himself. The answer came quickly: hunger. Then he asked himself, Who has the solution to respond to their need? The answer was easy again: the church. “We cannot help everyone,
but we can help and save some lives,” he says. “From my understanding, the time to start was now with what we have and keep praying for God to provide more.” Together, members of the Gisenyi Bridge church raised more than $1,200 to support those who were vulnerable to hunger and loss of income. That original amount provided staples for at least 350 families over two weeks. They partnered with local officials to identify those who would benefit from the food and soap and transformed their sanctuary into a safe, hygienic distribution facility.
“WE CANNOT HELP EVERYONE, BUT WE CAN HELP AND SAVE SOME LIVES.”
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PHOTOS COURTESY OF SIMON PIERRE RWARAMBA
WHO HAS THE SOLUTION?
Two other Nazarene churches have since replicated the ministry in their communities. Combined, the three churches have provided food for at least 515 families. Still, though, Rwaramba says the hardest thing is when people ask for help that he can’t give because of the church’s own limited resources. “The challenge is the big need compared to what the church can do to respond,” Rwaramba says. One thing is clear, though: as the measures put in place to help slow the spread of the virus continue, so will the love of the church. “Praise the Lord for what he has done within his church,” Rwaramba shares.
AN EARTHQUAKE AND A PANDEMIC: Albanian Churches Respond to Two Disasters In November 2019, a 6.9-magnitude earthquake hit Albania, killing 51 people, impacting more than 200,000, and leaving 17,000 homeless. Life after the earthquake has not been easy for a low-income country. To have the second economic hit of a pandemic less than six months later drained both much-needed resources and hope. Steve Beiler, a Nazarene missionary and district superintendent for the Albania-Kosovo District, says that the Church of the Nazarene is trying to step into the gaps. “… people in Albania are still adjusting to new life after the earthquake,” he says. “Hopelessness and desperation are so evident … and in hearing the hopelessness that people have, we know that we have a hope that everyone needs.” Albania is also just across the Adriatic Sea—a finger of water with an average width of 100
miles—from Italy, an early epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak. To keep the virus from spreading during the global pandemic, Albania joined the many countries following strict lockdown and quarantine measures. During the earliest days of the pandemic, Nazarene Compassionate Ministries joined six Nazarene churches in Albania to mobilize in their communities. Each area had slightly different needs, but each project addressed the greatest need: making sure people had enough to eat. They worked with the government, other local organizations, and their own ministries to identify those with the greatest needs. Combined, they supported more than 220 families.
“WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE A HOPE THAT EVERYONE NEEDS.”
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Food and hygiene distributions helped those who couldn't work.
BRINGING HOPE The group of Nazarene churches began organizing food distribution when they spoke to community members. With nowhere to go, those who were hungry turned to the church and the pastors in a time of great need. Some were parents of children who attend a Nazarene child development center at Kombinat Church of the Nazarene. Without the regular meals at the center, the families weren’t getting nearly enough food. In response, the Kombinat church distributed at least 100 packages of food per week for the first five weeks of the lockdown. Several of the Albanian churches are also helping those who don’t have access to technology. Under the current restrictions, people must register online to get permission to leave their homes for one hour to purchase food. Some do not have the knowledge or ability to go online and sign up, and so they aren’t able to leave their homes. The toll that isolation had on the economy is—and will continue to be—significant, says Reverend Ergest Biti, pastor at the Kombinat church. “This is a very hard time,” he shares. “One of the hardest things that will come later is the need for a job … We have to be brave on being with people and for the people.”
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Some recipients contacted Nazarene churches directly when the lockdown started.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF STEVE BEILER
The earthquake’s epicenter was within 20 miles of Kombinat, a neighborhood in the country’s capital city, and the impact was fierce. Many people’s homes and apartment buildings weren’t built to withstand a large earthquake, and the movement made the structures unlivable. The church building itself was one of those declared unusable, and the congregation had to move for the first time in 25 years. Some families in the neighborhood are still living in tents, waiting for buildings to be built or repaired. “We thought first for the elderly people, but then we saw a very big need in the families with little children, as we heard from several that they didn’t have any money to buy food anymore as they don’t work,” Biti says. Biti added that one mother of two young children told them during the distribution that they hadn’t eaten anything for three days. The food from the church would make all the difference for the small family. Violeta, who is part of the Kamez Church of the Nazarene, says that God is evident in all of the distributions. “The families have seen the hand of God in a time when there is so much difficulty and little hope,” she says. “They have been so thankful!”
Teams used safe practices and distancing.
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HOPE IN TROUBLED TIMES: Pandemic Response in the Philippines B y L e o d y Ta n E c h a v e z I I I , NCM Philippines
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Every walk of life is impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, and the world has literally stopped. As the virus wreaks havoc across the globe, the poor and the marginalized are affected the most. This much is also true in the Philippines. When the government of the Philippines declared a community lockdown, all nonessential businesses were forced to close operations, and major transportation was halted. Most people were only allowed to go to the grocery store once a week with one shopping voucher for each household. Because of this unexpected situation, those who depend on day-to-day income immediately became the most vulnerable. The lockdown hinders day laborers from freely going out and finding a source of income for their daily sustenance. While the government is doing its best to provide support to the people, the sheer number in need of food and medical supplies means it might not be enough. It creates a bleak situation: in addition to facing the threat of death from the pandemic, those in poverty must also face the threat of extreme hunger. The Church of the Nazarene in the Philippines has responded to these needs and will continue to do so. Although small and scattered in the peripheries of the country, the small churches were able to give hope and encouragement to thousands of people that were affected. Through observing all of the appropriate safety guidelines, eight churches and
PHOTOS COURTESY OF NCM PHILIPPINES
several Nazarene child development centers distributed food packs to the communities where they are located. A food pack contains basic necessities, including rice, canned goods, noodles, vegetables, and soap. The nearly 3,000 families who received these packs are daily income earners, drivers, those living in poverty, and the elderly. In some churches, distributing hand sanitizer, face masks, and face shields is also a priority. The Church of the Nazarene is also ensuring the care of those on the front lines, including police officers, doctors, and nurses, by providing food, sanitizer, and encouragement to them in these times of great crisis. Churches have also provided cash assistance to some, which allows people to get the supplies they need and stimulate the local economy.
CARING FOR CHILDREN Child development centers have also been an integral part of the response in the Philippines. On each of the three island groups that form the Philippines, children who would normally attend the centers are being cared for through cash assistance, food, seeds for subsistence gardens, disinfectants, masks, and more. Razel, a parent whose children attend a center, says that the support has made a huge difference. “This is an answer to what I was praying for,” she says. “Since the first day of
quarantine, we worried how we can get money for our food since we are many in our home.” In all, 414 families (about 1,250 children) received food packs, hygiene training, and spiritual care, and more than 70 mothers with infants received meals and milk. The children and families weren’t the only ones on the list of recipients, though. The staff also made sure volunteers, security workers, and health workers got food and coffee. The children who attend child development centers in the Philippines often come from low-income areas where parents make only enough money to last for each day. Without the ability to work—going out without a voucher can lead to an arrest during the lockdown— those who are the most vulnerable become economically paralyzed. The needs are big; about one in five people in the Philippines live in poverty. Saturnina, another parent of children who attend a center, says that her family would be able to eat because of the food distribution. “You really cared for us,” she says. “This would be our meal for today and in the days to come since our village hasn’t yet [been able] to give relief goods to us.”
COMPASSION IN LOVE With each church- and child development center-led distribution, whether of food or supplies, churches raised awareness about COVID-19 response and proper hygiene. Some churches also included materials to raise awareness about water, sanitation, and hygiene projects and child protection and safety. This will enable communities to receive the food they desperately need, but also a heightened awareness of the different issues the Philippines is facing in addition to the pandemic. The resources of the churches may be limited, but they chose to give their five loaves of bread and two fish and let the Lord multiply them. Compassion is about love, and you cannot have compassion if you do not have the love of Christ that fuels you to be moved into action. The Church of the Nazarene in the Philippines will continue to support and journey with their communities until this COVID-19 pandemic is over. They will continue to express the love of Christ through their actions and witness. As the pandemic and needs change, churches are recalibrating their responses by developing food banks, cash assistance, and backyard gardens to continue to develop their communities. The building and pews may be empty, but the church is alive and participating in the work of God. TO SUPPORT COVID-19 RESPONSE, VISIT NCM.ORG/COVID19GIVE *All of these distributions were carried out using the safety and hygiene guidelines of each location.
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VOICES
Cultivating Hospitality
W
e become proficient in a skill by performing it regularly, and by learning from persons who are masters of it. Hospitality is a skill and a gift, but it is also a practice which flourishes as multiple skills are developed, as particular commitments and values are nurtured, and as certain settings are cultivated. … When we offer hospitality to strangers, we welcome them into a place to which we are somehow connected—a space that has meaning and value to us. This is often our home, but it also includes church, community, nation, and various other institutions. In hospitality, the stranger is welcomed into a safe, personal, and comfortable place, a place of respect and acceptance and friendship.
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Even if only briefly, the stranger is included in a life-giving and life-sustaining network of relations. Such welcome involves attentive listening and a mutual sharing of lives and life stories. It requires an openness of heart, a willingness to make one’s life visible to others, and a generosity of time and resources. For most who offer hospitality the experience is deeply enriching as well as quite demanding. Strangers rarely bring only their needs; within the hospitality relationship, hosts often experience profound blessing. Acts of hospitality participate in and reflect God’s greater hospitality and therefore hold some connection to the divine, to holy ground. This excerpt is taken from Making Room: Recovering Hospitality as a Christian Tradition by Christine D. Pohl.
Go Deeper
LISTEN Recorded in the Dominican Republic by missionaries in the Church of the Nazarene, the Worthless Servants podcast offers discussions on mission, culture, and the church. The range of topics is relevant to both those serving in ministry and those wanting to serve their communities alike. L I S T E N O N L I N E AT W W W. M E S O A M E R I C A G E N E S I S . O R G / P O D C A S T
STUDY What if we thought about poverty as more than a lack of things? When Helping Hurts: The Small Group Experience takes the principles from Steve Corbett’s book of the same name and turns them into a study for classes, groups, and ministries.
READ How do we fit in to the big picture of eternity through Christ? In his book Nothing Is Wasted: How God Redeems What is Broken, Joseph Bentz goes through the overarching theme of redemption even in the midst of brokenness and pain. AVA I L A B L E T H RO U G H T H E FO U N D R Y P U B L I S H I N G . C O M
WATCH The 2012 documentary A Place at the Table looks at food insecurity in the United States through several stories of those who struggle to put healthy food on the table regularly. Since a lot can change in eight years, compare the information with current numbers and statistics as you watch.
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Snapshot
… LEARN TO DO GOOD. SEEK JUSTICE: HELP THE OPPRESSED; DEFEND THE ORPHAN; PLEAD FOR THE WIDOW. ISAIAH 1:17
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Make a choice that will last for years to come. Your one-time gift today could sponsor children in perpetuity.
For more information on Child Sponsorship Endowments, contact the Church of the Nazarene Foundation at 866-273-2549 info@nazarenefoundation.org www.NazareneFoundation.org NCM.ORG
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NAZARENE COMPASSIONATE MINISTRIES Church of the Nazarene 17001 Prairie Star Pkwy Lenexa, KS 66220 (800) 310-6362 info@ncm.org
In great need, God is present. You can join Nazarene churches around the world to respond to COVID-19 together. Read stories of Nazarene churches responding to COVID-19 on page 22.
Support COVID-19 response efforts at
NCM.org/COVID19Give or via the enclosed envelope. 36
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Nonprofit Org. U.S. Postage
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General Board of the Church of the Nazarene