issue three 2010
avan
10
Edited by Anna Crooks
Sometimes, words aren’t enough. We asked our missionaries from around the world to show us what ministry is like in their corner of the globe. It can be as sweet and simple as gelato on a hot day, or as traditional and meaningful as a centuries old marriage tradition. In every situation, the Avant family hopes in the salvation of Christ, helps spread that message to the least reached places, and honors other cultures by empowering them to worship the Lord in their own context. We hope you enjoy these small glimpses into missionary life.
1 1. The type of people who get up hours before sunrise to cast their line in the sea typically enjoy solitude. This became immediately apparent as my unusual and conspicuous appearance on the old wharf scattered the few fisherman into the shadows, leaving only one aging gentleman indifferent to my presence. I approached him and said “Good morning,” to which he responded cordially. We talked about the day’s catch and the history of the wharf, when he abruptly pointed to a ferry racing the dawn in from Morocco and
claimed the boat’s port of embarkment as his home. He shared with me about family he hadn’t seen in decades, about growing up between cultures, about life in Spain in a different era. When the sun was just about to rise above the low-lying coastal mountains running the length of Southern Spain, I asked him if I could take his picture, a request he gladly conceded. I had gotten up that morning while it was still very dark with the intention of capturing hope on film, staging the scene with props if neces-
sary, but by the time I left my perspective had changed. This man helped me understand where I was; I couldn’t help but feel an intense respect for this perfect stranger. People age, weather, and proverbially ebb back to the sea just as the abandoned wharf we were standing on was doing, but hope and honor continue to stand as timeless as ever. I didn’t get his name, but I know where to find him. j a m i e f e h r, m a l a g a m e d i a c e n t e r
2. My son and I discovered an Italian little league team within the first few months that
we moved to Genoa. Our first thoughts were, “Baseball? In Italy?”
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I’ve been working with these kids for three seasons now. This year I’m not coaching, so I took on the role of team photographer. It’s fun to watch the boys grow, but it’s also exciting to see the open doors we’ve had because of this team. I am able to bless parents with pictures of their kids, and it’s afforded me opportunities to talk with them and form relationships. By being involved with these kids I am able to honor the importance of teamwork while praying that some of the people affiliated with this league—kids, parents, other coaches—would follow Christ. Then they could play baseball for Jesus! phillip pace, team italy one
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3. My wife and I were going out for her birthday to Camogli, a new town that we had never seen before. I take my camera out sometimes, and I was glad I had it on this occasion. Camogli is one of the most colorful towns on the Ligurian Coast. When I got this shot we were people-watching, something we both love to do. (I don’t like to put the camera into people’s faces so I kind of do it on the sly!) This photo says Italia to me: food, scenery, relaxation and the bella figura. On the outside everything is made to look nice and presentable, but once their onerous shell is cracked open, Italians are lost and in need of the Savior and true community. Without hope, their lives are as temporary as the ice cream they are eating. We want to infiltrate the lives of these closed people with the gospel. That will release them from their bondage. That will give them hope in Christ. phillip pace, team italy one
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5 4. I marched with the crowd in celebration of the 20th anniversary of the Velvet Revolution. The friends I went with were young in November 1989, but they all remember hearing the jingling of keys. In the peaceful protest for freedom, marchers jingled keys instead of throwing rocks. The topic of revolution has surfaced in recent conversations with a friend. A girl in her early 20s in 1989, she had unpleasant encounters with the authorities because of her convictions and revolutionary world-view. With tears in her eyes, she shared how happy she was for the freedom the revolution brought to her and continues to bring for her children. The keys for this sculpture that stands in Franz Kafka Square were donated by people from all over the country, for a grand total of 85, 741 keys. I think this is the perfect symbol of the Velvet Revolution: many small parts coming together to make something much bigger and more meaningful. The Velvet Revolution, in my understanding, was about hope. It was about believing that taking a stand would bring change for a different and better future. Now, I want to extend another kind of hope to my friends; hope in Christ, who offers revolutionary love to everyone. debby fox, team prague
5. The day after the April 10th plane crash, the streets of Gdansk were filled with people walking to honor their country’s leaders. The president of Poland, his wife, and most of the country’s elite were among the estimated 90 killed in the crash. In this photo, Polish people are walking through Old Town as part of the memorial service. The walk ended at the Lenin Shipyards, the place where Communism fell. I thought of the shock and loss these devoted citizens must have been feeling as they mourned the men and women they respected and followed. In the aftermath, my team reflected on how we can serve the Polish people in their time of need. We have hope in Christ to offer them, even in the midst of tragedy and grief. dawn
ebbers, team poland
6. At six-foot five-inches, my husband, Bob, is tall wherever he goes.
I captured this moment because I just loved watching him walk with this lady and incline his ear to hear her. The Christmas Dump Party is put on each year by Extreme Response. Missionaries from several different missions team up to help with the party. At the end of a long day of games, music, and skits, those who live and work at one of Quito, Ecuador’s dumps can stop by a station to pick up basic food staples. Some people have a hard time toting their things home, so we help them by carrying their food to the front gate of the dump. This gesture gives us an opportunity to relate to them on a personal level and ask them questions about their families with the goal of sharing about Jesus and showing love.
7. There is a Central Asian saying that goes, “If you didn’t have bread with your meal, you didn’t eat.” This moment is an element of the wedding ceremony where the bride sifts flour and mixes it with oil to symbolize that she will be a good wife for her husband. In this culture, being a good bread-maker is essential for being both a good wife and a good mother.
The bride is a rare Central Asian Christian and this was the first known wedding in her country where the bride and groom strove to honor the wedding customs of their culture, but replaced the traditional Muslim doctrine with Christian doctrine. My friends’ wedding was a beautiful symbol of how Christ can transform a person’s heart even as she retains her beautiful culture.
janice stuck, ecuador
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lynnora weast, team central asia
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Praesent diam velit, ullamcorper vitae pulvinar non, dictum non sem. Phasellus nunc sapien, porttitor vitae rhoncus quis, malesuada quis augue. In aliquet feugiat tellus, ut lobortis magna faucibus eget. Curabitur tempus odio vulputate sem dapibus vel rutrum sapien iaculis. Integer at dui eu elit sollicitudin iaculis eu nec mi. Aliquam odio elit, hendrerit nec mollis feugiat, vestibulum nec orci. Nam ut euismod massa. Vestibulum non lectus vitae mi porttitor condimentum. Praesent fermentum cursus risus at dapibus. Cras vitae tortor sit amet sapien porttitor dapibus. Nullam leo mauris, blandit quis ullamcorper et, consequat ac justo. Nam blandit lacus non augue imperdiet tincidunt. Sed eu lacus id urna lacinia auctor eget sed justo. photographer name, team location