For SIM workers, by SIM workers AUG 2022 • VOL 4 ISSUE 3 Mark is answering God’s call to serve in Central Asia Practical help to build resilience Injil of Jesus helps Muslims grasp gospel CENTRAL ASIA'S FIRST SLC
SIM'S ofshouldConvincedMISSIONthatnooneliveanddiewithouthearingGod'sgoodnews,webelievethatHehascalledustomakedisciplestheLordJesusChristincommunitieswhereHeisleastknown
2 WWW.SIM.ORG EDITORIAL © SIM International 2022. Connect is an internal publication of SIM for the encouragement and information of its workers. SIM International Director: Joshua Bogunjoko International Communications Director and Editor of Connect: Tim Allan Design: Pilgrim Communications Email: connect@sim.org • Web: www.sim.org New harvest workers in SIM ................ 4-5 Q&A with Clive Barker ............................ 6 Helping non-literate people teach the Bible to others ........................................ 7 Called: Carpenter and electrician heads to Central Asia .......................... 8-9 Sharing the Bible with Muslims ....... 10-11 Opportunities and sign-ups .................. 12 News from the SIM world ...................... 13 Leader appointments ........................... 14 Tips for building resilience.................... 15 Missional business to launch in Asia ..... 16 Cover photo: SIM’s first Central Asia SLC by Robin Fairman CONTENTS HELPING US BUILD INTERNATIONALBYTEAMSLEADERSHIPSTRONGTIMALLANCOMMUNICATIONSDIRECTOR
SIM workers have wrestled with the huge challenges of building leadership teams for many years. Whether it’s forming a team to lead a large, complex entity with multiple ministries, or creating a team to lead a small, under-resourced entity, the issues are complex. How can directors share the load of leadership with others? How can people grow into leadership roles? How can we develop local leaders? How can we build resilience into our teams and our people? How can we plan effectively for the future?
In an attempt to help answer at least some of those questions, SIM International is expanding the global Leadership Forums to give more people a taste of what it means to be a leader. Until now, the quarterly forums have been open to all directors and one other person in any SIM entity. Responsibility But as we recognise the challenges of building leadership teams are ever-growing, SIM International is now inviting each director to bring up to six members of their team to the forums. We hope this will allow directors to bring more local workers to the forums, as well as some of those who are perhaps on the fringes of the leadership team.
The intention is that by involving more people, we will equip more for leadership. This expansion is perhaps a natural progression of our Leadership Development programme, which has benefited many SIM workers. We want to build on that work and help our potential leaders continue to grow. As more workers take part in these online Leadership Forums, we believe they will feel more
Potential It’s worth remembering that was the case with the people Jesus called into leadership roles. He called frail, forgetful, fearful, sinful human beings to be his disciples, knowing that in a very short time he would use them to build his church. He walked with them, shepherded them and taught them, so that they could step up to the plate when the time came.
But on the day Jesus went to the cross, it’s hard to imagine any of them would have felt wellequipped for what lay ahead. Yet they took on the challenges and today’s global church is the result. There is no doubt God can achieve great things through people who feel they might not be up to theThechallenge.Leadership Forums began in 2020, just as the world was beginning to see the full impact of Covid-19. They came out of conversations at meetings in Kenya, where our directors gathered together, each bringing a younger potential leader with them.
Undoubtedly, there will be some who currently feel ill-equipped to take on such roles. But we very much want to extend the invitation to those who feel exactly like that – we believe that is the way we can better equip potential leaders.
Within a month of that Kenya conference, the world was locked down and we began the forums as a means to keep directors and their teams connected to others. We have seen the great value of these wideranging discussions, which have included how to develop more women leaders, the role of prayer and how to develop disciples in varied ministry contexts. Those conversations have served to bond directors together, develop younger leaders and promote best practice across SIM. We hope by inviting more people into the discussions we will multiply those effects, helping us identify new leaders and unlocking the God-given potential in more of our workers. We urgently need interpreters for the forums. If you could help interpret from English into French or Spanish, please email tim.allan@sim.org. This is a crucial need if we are to bring more workers into leadership positions.
Apse mosaic from Santa Pudenziana, Rome, showing Christ as King and lawgiver. Photo “Rex et Legifer noster” by Lawrence OP is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
3 AUG 2022 • VOL 4 ISSUE 3 EDITORIAL able to take on roles which support their directors. As they do so, they will become more aware of how they can grow and take on more responsibility. We hope this will serve the whole of SIM by supporting our directors, equipping more local workers and expanding the pool of people from whom future directors might be called. The next two forums, in September and December, will address these issues directly, with one on developing local leaders and the other on what shared leadership looks like in practice.
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Emma Fuller Caitlin Lawrence Church: Winterville,PresbyterianChristChurch,NorthCarolina, US. Where are you serving? Potosi, Bolivia. What are you doing? I am a nurse in a non-profit organisation, Allinta Ruwana (Let’s Do Good, in Quechua). We run a clinic and English classes, through which we share the gospel. Pray: Praise God my nursing licence is now recognised in Bolivia; pray for guidance as I seek to join the Potosi Society of Nurses. Church: Ansan VitnaChurch,PresbyterianKorea. Where will you serve? In a sensitive location. What will you be doing? I will be working in an existing business and may set up a new business in the future.
Mpongo, with Benazir and Aaron Church: Communauté des Eglises des Pentecôtes en Afrique Central (CEPAC). Where will you serve? SIM Galmi Hospital, Niger. What will you be doing? Working as a paediatric surgeon, teaching surgical residents, developing a paediatric surgical unit, using paediatric surgery as a means to bring families to Christ. Pray: For the adjustment of our family to mission work, for God to work through us to accomplish his plan and that we can be a blessing to Galmi and Niger. Church: WaterlooBrethren,MennoniteCanada. Where are you serving? Nairobi, Kenya. What are you doing? Serving with the East Africa SIM Stories Team, working on various video projects that highlight the work of the ministries in the region. Using the power of storytelling, we aim to create media content that can really show how God is moving here. Pray: For unity as we work with an established team; for effectiveness in serving all of the SIM ministries in East Africa; for the team to feel excited by all the projects we have.
Pray: For final preparations, including visa approval; for language study of Hausa, and that I can be a witness to the sacrificial love of Christ as I serve. Yiddn
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Pray: For open doors for the gospel in the community where I will be working, and that I will be well prepared for my business work when it begins. Church: All Souls, London. Where will you serve? Jos, Nigeria. What will you be doing? I’m a doctor and will serve in the Andrew Stirrett Hospital, which is run by ECWA in Jos. I’ll do a mix of A&E, paediatrics, antenatal care and outpatient clinics.
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Andrew and Charity Teput Church: ECWA Kwali, Abuja, Nigeria. Where will you serve? Mali, as part of a Faithful Witness team. What will you be doing? Learning language to begin with and then evangelism and discipleship among the Hassaniya people.
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Pray: Praise God we have arrived safely in Bamako; pray he will help us adapt to a new environment, learn language and crosscultural skills well; pray for peace across West Africa, but especially in Mali and Nigeria.
Church: CommunityMountainsideBaptistChurch,Fernie,BC,Canada. Where will you serve? Inundo Model Farm, Durban, South Africa. What will you be doing: Joining the leadership team at the model farm to build capacity in people so they can become God’s transformational agents through food, farming, land, and community development. Pray: That we would be sensitive to the Lord’s leading as we begin support raising; for his peace and wisdom as we feel overwhelmed; for our girls, Brianna and Rebekah, who we will be leaving behind. Stacy and Joy Falk Church: South Church, Lansing, Michigan, US. Where are you serving? Sahel Academy, Niamey, Niger. What are you doing? I am a history teacher in the middle and high schools. Pray: For rest and relaxation during my home assignment; for the staff and teachers at Sahel to share the gospel with students through their work; for the provision of the remaining funds for Sahel’s Project Relocate.
HemenwayLisa Church: Avenue Community Church, Leicester, UK. Where will you serve? Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. What will you be doing? Allison will be teaching music at Bingham Academy; GP Simon will explore ways to use his medical training. Pray: That the family would get good rest and time to recover from the busyness and stress of packing, moving and travelling; for adjusting to a new culture and making new friends with neighbours and colleagues; for the children as they get ready for the new school year; for Simon as he explores where to use his skills, and for Allison as she does the new teacher orientation at Bingham.
Simon and Ally Harrison, with Samuel, Mia and Maddie
God’s promises and purposes never fail. He is the everlasting God ‘who has held the dust of the earth in a basket’ and ‘weighed the mountains on the scales.’
SOUTH ASIA REGIONAL DIRECTOR
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Tell us a little about your family. We have three boys, all of whom were born in Pakistan. For the first eight years we served in a small, dusty town which proved to be a good introduction to culture and language. Our oldest is married and all three now live in Northern Ireland – something none of us planned but which has worked out well for them. The last time we asked, all three considered Pakistan home. Cath and I realise their upbringing and experience of life is quite different from ours and they are most definitely ‘thirdculture kids’. All three attended Murree Christian School, where they made friendships which seem to endure despite changing circumstances and being spread across the globe. How did God lead you to SIM?
We had both sensed a call to serve in Pakistan and most of what we heard came through ICF, which later merged with SIM. Before we were married, I had the opportunity to visit Pakistan but by the time we applied ICF had merged with SIM. So, in a sense, we entered through the back door! What do you hope to achieve in your role with SIM? To be of some use in the Kingdom of God, in whatever way he chooses, especially in South Asia. I would like to see South Asian churches reach maturity in Christ and to take up more fully their responsibility for world mission starting with their own back yards. As part of this, I would also like to see sustainable SIM leadership in South Asia in preparation for the years ahead. I am conscious of the fact that we are ‘unprofitable servants’ and that one generation quickly gives way to the next.
Tell us a little about your background. I grew up in the West Country of England and enjoyed rural life with plenty of space. I trained as a mechanical engineer and worked in that industry for a few years but that meant moving to the industrial Midlands. While there I came to a personal faith in Christ and met my wife, Cath. It seemed to those who shared the gospel with me that I came to faith very quickly but, as I look back, I realise that God had been drawing me to himself over many years.
What inspires you when life gets difficult?
I retreat to my workshop, get my hands greasy and make things, mostly out of metal. I find it is a great place for me to unwind. What is your favourite Bible verse? It is difficult to be limited to just one verse! At this time, I would opt for ‘If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us allhow will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?’
What do you do when you’re not working?
Rom 8:31 What piece of technology could you do never do without?
There is no contest: a metal turning lathe and associated workshop equipment! How can we pray for you?
Please pray for my role as Regional Director for South Asia, that I may serve the Country Directors well, despite my limitations. Pray also for Cath and I as we care for two ageing parents in the UK and what this means for our future roles serving on the Pakistan field.
For the curriculum to be used in many othercountriesEnglish-speakingandtranslatedintolanguages
A group of Sunday School teachers huddled behind a pink blanket which represented the door to Noah’s ark. Outside the blanket, others pleaded to be allowed inside. Despite the seriousness of the story, the women found it hard to suppress their giggles. They were acting out the story they’d just learned at a teacher training session. Most of these Ethiopian women had only been educated to elementary level, but were learning to use a Bible curriculum written for them so they could teach it to illiterateSharonchildren.Samson, an SIM worker who has served in Liberia and Ethiopia, developed the HearSee-Do curriculum especially for those who are semi-literate. The curriculum package includes the lesson, line drawings, discussion questions, games and music. The lessons are recorded so those who cannot read or write can use them to teach Writingothers.thecurriculum was almost the last thing on Sharon’s mind when she went to Ethiopia to teach Christian Education at Evangelical Theological College in Addis Ababa. But she soon saw that most Ethiopians who were teaching children the Bible would not become students at ETC, so something was needed to make teaching God’s word accessible to them. She decided to apply to the Oxford Centre for Missions Studies in the UK to do research for a doctorate and to write a curriculum to fill this need — tasks that would fill the next nine years of herShelife.asked for help from the local church to set up
Whatthetestedwhichmeetingsweeklyatsheideasforcurriculum.styles, art, and music would work best in a semi-literate context? While writing and testing the lessons, she trained Ethiopians to use them.
ministries for children, mission trips, prison ministry, and literacy classes. There are nine years of lessons divided into levels for children aged from six to 14. All the lessons are also provided in a spoken format, recorded by Sharon in English. Teachers can learn the lessons or play them for the students to listen. For more information visit www. bible4children.org, where you can download a sample lesson, and request a flash drive or SD card with all 31 series of lessons. The lessons are free but Sharon appreciates donations to her ministry account to help cover postage costs. ARE
TAUGHT TO TEACH THE BIBLE
7 AUG 2022 • VOL 4 ISSUE 3 TEACHINGBIBLE PLEASE PRAY
For those taking the training to feel confident in teaching For the Lord to bring children to himself through its use
THOSE WHO CANNOT READ
Students act out the story of Noah's Ark Memory work BY THERESA MITTOWER AND SHARON SAMSON
Sharon wrote the lessons in English and her staff translated them into Amharic and, later, two other Ethiopian languages. Today, the lessons are available to be translated into other languages as well. A local artist has produced 2,836 line drawings, and a friend has recorded more than 1,950 songs. By her last term in Ethiopia, she was excited to see the end result: teachers trained and using the curriculum with children. Although Sharon has now retired, she still sends out her toministryschooling,inbeingask.todigitalincurriculumentireEnglishinformatthosewhoItisalsousedhome-adults,
Workers from across Central Asia came together in August for the first SIM Spiritual Life Conference held in the region (picture right). They were joined by others exploring the possibility of working in the area and some SIM leaders interested in learning more about our work there. They were together for five days and were taught from Hebrews 4 by SIM USA President Randy Fairman. They shared stories and heard from members of the local church about the opportunities in the region.
storiesSuddenly,andwithtreatingbetterputsays:Mark“Theymeonapathbymedignityrespect.theIhadlearned as a child all made sense and the dots connected. It made sense that I would live my life for WithinJesus.”two weeks of that awakening, Mark was having dreams in which he saw himself taking the good news of Jesus to the ends of the earth. While he pushed those to the back of his mind, he seemed set on a good path. But things fell apart again when he went to Bible College, intending to become a youth pastor. His deteriorating relationship with his father, combined with the devastating fallout of a broken romantic relationship, ended up with him leaving before completing his degree. And that was where his life really headed downhill. He said: “For the next few months I pursued a life of debauchery which was utterly dishonouring to God. I was angry with God. How could he have led me so far and then abandoned me? I headed west and took a job planting trees, intending to make my life there.” But God was not done with Mark. He ended up having to head back home to live with his mother. Suddenly, aged just 21, he was confronted with his own fallenness, his inability to succeed and the mess he was making of his young life. It was then that he fully recommitted his life to God, rejoining the church he had been in before going to college. He said: “I volunteered with the youth ministry and got more and more involved. It was like going into rehab - my passion for God was reignited. Suddenly, the dreams about
Brought up in a nominally Christian family, he and his three brothers and one sister always went to church, attended Sunday School and went on camps. But Mark was, by his own admission, a handful as a child. Even at the age of 13, he was going to parties and getting drunk. It was his mum who kept nagging him to go to the church youth group, even though he had already dismissed them as a bunch of uncool people who would make him even less cool than he already was. But, by the grace of God, his mum dragged him along to the group and he was amazed to be greeted by people who seemed very different. They had peace, they had certainty and they had Jesus Christ.
BY TIM ALLAN, INTERNATIONAL COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR
Mark, who comes from a small town in eastern Canada, said: “There is no greater joy than to be walking in step by step obedience to God’s call on my life. And that is exactly what I am doing by going to Central Asia.” God has taken Mark on a long journey to reach this point of life. Mark has suffered the pain of family turmoil, divorce and seeing his father go to jail. At times in his life, he has been very close to Jesus; at others, he has been very far away indeed.
MARK, A CARPENTER28-YEAR-OLDANDELECTRICIANCALLED:
Very few 28-year-old single men would choose to give up all they know and commit to live in a small city halfway around the world. Fewer still would agree to live with a local family they have never met and all because they have a compelling desire to share the gospel with those who have never heardButit.that is exactly what carpenter and electrician Mark is doing in Central Asia, after much prayer and discussion with his SIM mentors and others.
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CALLED
SIM HOLDS FIRST CENTRAL ASIA SLC Mark was having dreams in which he saw himself taking the good news of Jesus to the ends of the earth
The key message is that Central Asia is very much open to receive SIM workers, who would partner with the local church to take the gospel where there is almost no current witness to Christ. For more information assistant@sim.org.centralasiaregionaldirector.email
For Mark to adapt quickly to a new and different culture, especially as he settles into living with a family who do not speak English For Mark to build relationships as quickly as he can with local people through language school or sports clubs
“Then I went to a church conference and walked past a room for prayer, in which a little old lady was scribbling in a notebook. She said she was praying for someone to go into long-term mission. I asked her who, and she showed me her notebook. She had written my name over and over again.” From there, Mark started to think more about mission. He remembered meeting an SIM mission worker during his high school years and then connected with SIM through a church contact. He went on a vision trip to Ethiopia, and then a couple of trips to the Dominican Republic. All the time, God was nurturing the seed of sharing the gospel with unreached people in his heart. As he continued his conversations and prayers, God opened the door for him to go to Central Asia. He has now committed to spending 18 months learning language and culture and living in a city where he knows no-one. Some might say he is brave, some might say he is foolish - but Mark says he is simply answering God’s call. He said: “I could have had a lucrative career back home, with all the things that would have brought me. But it would not have brought real“Ifulfillment.amconvinced I have been made to know God and to make him known and that is what I will be doing in Central Asia.”
CALLED
9 AUG 2022 • VOL 4 ISSUE 3 mission to the ends of the earth starting coming again.
Religion: Overwhelmingly Muslim, with a Christian population of much less than one per cent.
A sub-region of Asia consisting of the former Soviet republics of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. SIM has been working in this region for about four years and is working with local churches to grown the team. Population: 72,960,000. Languages: Russian, Karakalpak, Kazakh, Kyrgyz, Tajik, Turkmen, Uzbek, and others. Area: 4,003,451 km2 (1,545,741m2).
PLEASE PRAY
“I had this huge desire to share Jesus with everyone I met and would even talk to strangers on the street to tell them the good news. This was spotted by my pastors and I started to talk to them about mission.
International4.0AlikeAttribution-ShareCommonsCreativeMap:
For Mark’s ministry to prove fruitful in Central Asia and that he is able to bring many people into relationship with Jesus
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Muslimcouldeditionlookingcommitment.long-termIwasforagoodofagospelIgivetomynewcontacts,but
OUTREACHMUSLIM
What is different about this commentary?
It all started in 2018, during my first months of I couldn't find one that was really suitable for this audience. I then started to think about how to meet this need, and it was thanks to the advice of a good friend that the project came about. He is a former Muslim, a doctoral student in Islamology and a teacher in various biblical institutes. His experience was particularly valuable to me! How does the design resonate with Islamic believers?
HELPS MUSLIMS HEAR GOSPEL
The Injil of Jesus the Messiah is an innovative commentary on the gospel of Matthew, written and designed by a French SIM worker in Francophone West Africa. The word ‘Injil’ means gospel in Arabic and is usually applied to the books regarded as holy by Muslims. This Injil offers a commentary aimed at readers who come from a Muslim background, helping them discover the full depth of the gospel message. Available in French, the book will soon be available in some African languages. We asked the author, who does not want to be identified, a little about the Injil. What was the purpose and behindinspirationthisproject?
The Injil is one of the books Islam recognises as revealed by God, along with the Torah, the Prophets and the Psalms. However, Muslims do not know them! So the challenge is to arouse their interest, and the most effective way of doing this is to use a format and design adapted to their expectations. This is the purpose of the cover, which uses Muslim cultural codes to look like a holy book. It is often confused with the Koran! The advantage is that the reader has spontaneous respect for the book, and the Christian who offers it to his friend can be proud of his gift!
The classic commentaries are intended for Christians who wish to deepen their understanding of the text. But the comments in The Injil are designed for readers of Muslim culture, to help them discover the basics of the Christian faith. To reach this audience, the introduction and comments are written in appropriate language and provide useful keys for understanding. As for the themes rejected by Islam, such as the divinity of Jesus or his scandalous death on the cross, they are introduced very gradually, as Matthew himself does. The general tone is one of presentation, not polemic, but since some objections are inevitable, the book ends with a few pages of more apologetic additions, which seek to answer the classic questions posed by many Muslims. Why did the team choose gospel?Matthew’s Matthew addressed Jewish readers, who were monotheistic believers just like people of the Muslim faith. This gospel is therefore particularly relevant. I really like its progressiveness, which gently brings up themes like the divinity of Christ. John’s gospel approaches that from the outset, which also has advantages, but a reader who could be shocked by this truth might give up there and then without having been able to discover the person of Jesus! This is what we tried to avoid by offering the gospel of Matthew. What has been the reaction from Muslim friends? Most of the Muslims we have given it to were touched to receive it, and were enthusiastic and grateful. Of course, some were more reserved. It's normal for reactions to vary, but I'm very encouraged that I haven't BY SAVANNAH BREWER
For all those Muslim people who have read the Injil, to come to a full understanding of who Jesus is
The French language Injil of Jesus the Messiah (and left)
OUTREACHMUSLIM
That is the purpose of the book: I would like it to be a help in deepening the discussions with our Muslim friends. The word of God sometimes touches the hearts of people who have never met a single Christian. But, much more often, this is done within the framework of a relationship with witnesses of flesh and bones! I hope this reading will inspire Christians to offer this gospel, and to go further in sharing with their Muslim friends. Has it been translated into any other languages?
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For God to lead those who have access to the Injil, as they seek to share it in appropriate ways with their Muslim friends
For the translation work to go well and be useful in sharing the gospel with Muslims across West Africa and beyond
There is no concrete translation project into English but it would certainly be very useful! Many Muslims are English-speaking and could discover salvation in Christ thanks to such a translation. We are open to any proposal, from SIM or elsewhere! How have you been able to publish it at such a low price? The book is cheap thanks to the efforts of the French publisher, Excelsis. I do not collect royalties. But it is still quite expensive in Africa! In these countries, it may be useful to call on the French mission Livr'Afrique (www.livrafrique.com), which offers a 25 per cent reduction for mission workers and booksellers, with free postage if you want more than 20 copies.
Two translations are underway, into Zarma and Hausa, but we hope it won't stop there! May God raise up men and women who will get involved in this beautiful project. We also plan to record the book in audio format, which can be distributed on micro-SD cards and is very suitable for people with low literacy.
11 AUG 2022 • VOL 4 ISSUE 3 seen any hostility towards this book. When we offer it to friends who appreciate us, there is a good chance that everything will go very well. What advice would you give someone who would like to give The Injil to a Muslim friend? Pray and let yourself be led, but also read the book yourself! This will allow you to see the gospel with new eyes, to better put yourself in the shoes of your Muslim friends who will discover it. This will help you understand the book and its approach. All this can only promote personal discussions afterwards.
The publisher is planning to release a paperback version, at a very reduced price, intended for large orders. For more information about this project, or to offer your help in translating The Injil, please email connect@sim.org and we will put you in touch. PRAY
News from SIM Ecuador shares highlights of the ministries of our teams there. To subscribe, contact Theecuador.comms@sim.org.monthly
OPPORTUNITIESMINISTRY AREOPPORTUNITIESYOUSIGNEDUPFOR
For Freedom’s newsletter gives all the latest info on SIM ministries related to anti-trafficking. To subscribe, contact intl.forfreedom@sim.org. Pakistan Linkline is an occasional newsletter which shares compelling stories and prayer needs. To subscribe, contact pakistan.linkline@sim.org.
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SIM’s Sports Friends newsletter keeps you up to date on sports ministry in 18 countries. To subscribe go Theto: https://sports-friends.org.
SIMprayKids monthly UK prayer email inspires kids to engage in missions. It features content produced by missionary kids around the world.
We are recruiting Ministry Point People for Muslim, Hindu, and Buddhist worldviews and diaspora. Like one’s heart language, these perspectives shape the way one sees the world and ultimate truth. Our MPPs help workers grasp the relevant perspective to help create understanding in the listener. We are especially looking for the Hindu World and Diaspora MPPs. If you’re interested, or would like to suggest someone, contact Jon Banke (intl.fulani-rmc@sim.org), who is leading this group of MPPs.
WORLDVIEW, DIASPORA MPPS
Do you have a ministry-focused newsletter you would like to share here? Email connect@sim.org
NEWSLETTERS?
SIM’s ArtsBeat newsletter equips and encourages SIM’s creative community around the world. To subscribe, contact intl.arts@sim.org. Caring Connections is a quarterly newsletter for SIM’s many healthcare workers. To subscribe, contact Jana.Faus@sim.org.
Engaging the University newsletter keeps you informed about university ministry across SIM. To subscribe, contact intl.university@sim.org.
You will interact with our short-term (one to 24 months) inquirers, serving as the first point of contact. As part of the personnel team, you will advise on placements, communicate with sending offices and liaise with ministry partners. You could also lead learning modules and develop the Engage internship project. For more information jos.personnel@sim.org.contact
SHORT-TERM ASSOCIATE COORDINATOR, NIGERIA
The Faithful Witness newsletter provides stories and prayer about this growing initiative of SIM. To subscribe, go to http://eepurl.com/gr_pbb.
People2People (P2P) provides SIM personnel news, updates, resources and people development articles. To subscribe email paula.beaton@sim.org.
ACTING DIRECTOR, SOUTH ASIA
One of our teams in South Asia is looking for an acting director from January, 2023 to lead a team of around 35 adults and 15 children in this strategically important location. Initially, a visa would be available for up to five months. Contact our South Asia Regional Director Clive Barker (rd.southasia@sim.org).
FINANCE STAFF, INTERNATIONAL PERSONNEL COORDINATOR, SOUTH ASIA
SIM International office is actively looking for people who love Jesus and are looking to use their skills in accounting. There are paid roles available in the SIM International Fort Mill office accounting department. For more details contact Lee Pam Odom at international.servicesappointments@sim.org. One of our teams in South Asia is looking for a personnel coordinator as soon as possible. The entity team is around 35 adults and 15 children in this strategically important location. The entity would love to find someone in a full-time capacity, or at least someone who would see it very much as his or her main ministry. Contact our South Asia Regional Director Clive Barker (rd.southasia@sim.org).
KEEP PRAYING AS WE SEARCH FOR A
13 AUG 2022 • VOL 4 ISSUE 3 NEWS
We have updated our Cloud of Witnesses section on Port, with obituaries on several of our SIM colleagues who have gone to glory in recent months. The new obituaries are for John Thornhill, Mavis Jean Greenwell, Merle Charlotte Lochstampfor,Steely,Jan Falk, Phyllis Irene Lawson, Karen Ruth McLain Geysbeek, Esther Campion and Dave Schultz. The obituaries can be accessed by clicking on the Cloud of Witnesses button on the home page of Port. If you want to add any obituaries, please contact SIM International's Internal Communications Editor, Dan Muchai (dan.muchai@sim.org).
As the time of nominations closes for the role of International Director, pray for the Search Committee as they examine them. May the Lord be clearly guiding and may we all have a spirit of discernment of his will. For further information see the dedicated area on PORT or international.idsearch@sim.org.contact Mobile user vector created by storyset - www.freepik.com
CUT-PRICE DEGREES FROM
donors, Prairie can offer online undergraduate programme completion to international students for an annual fee of just CD$100. Visit the website for more information and details of how to sign up.
INTERNATIONALNEWDIRECTOR
Do you know an SIM worker from outside North America who would like to study for an online degree at Prairie College in Canada? Prairie College is an interdenominational Christian college and is committed to academic excellence and spiritual discipleship. The college has 100 years of experience in training Kingdom workers and offers a variety of online programmes from Pastoral Ministry to Intercultural Studies. You can see the full programme list at https://prairie.edu/online/Throughthegiftsofgenerous
AUTHENTICATION - A BETTER
MULTI-FACTOR WAY TO KEEP US SECURE
You should have received an email telling you all about multi-factor authentication (MFA) and why it’s so vital to SIM workers. MFA is the fancy name for a process which will require you to confirm who you are when you log in to your SIM accounts. It will involve you authenticating yourself using your phone. You will be asked to confirm that it really is you who is trying to log in! This might seem like an unnecessary step but it is becoming increasingly common in the digital world, as any of you with Google or Amazon accounts will know. Those companies use it to ensure your financial and personal information is kept safe; we are using it for much the same reasons and, perhaps more importantly, to help keep our workers in sensitive locations safe. The process of giving all SIM accounts MFA has already begun – if your accounts haven’t yet been affected, they soon will be. Please don’t ignore the emails that come through about MFA. If you engage with it, and work with the SIM International IT team, you will find the process a lot less painful. If you have any questions, email our IT support team (email@sim.org). TO ALL SIM.ORG EMAIL ACCOUNTS
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Andrew grew up in a Christian home in the south-west of England. He understood the gospel when he was 15 and decided to follow Christ. After completing Bible college, Andrew moved to Dakar, Senegal, in 2010 with his wife Helen. Since then, he has worked in SIM’s student centre teaching English and sharing the gospel. From 2015, he has been part of the SIM Senegal leadership team. Helen works as a doctor at a local Youth With A Mission (YWAM) clinic, serving the local community. They have two children, Thomas and Esther.
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APPOINTMENTS
Thaddeus Gichana Interim Director, SIM Kenya Start Date: March 3, 2022 Thaddeus discerned God’s call to mission while a student at Kenyatta University. He joined SIM Kenya as an associate in 2010. A year later, he became the Youth Ministry Coordinator, and then the East Africa Regional Trauma Healing Coordinator in 2016.Thaddeus joined the SIM Kenya Area Council in October, 2015 and became Council chair in September, 2018. He took his current role after the death of Country Director Peter Okaalet in February, 2022. Thaddeus and his wife Lucy attend Christ’s Coworkers Fellowship (Chrisco Church) in Nairobi.
LEADER
André studied computer and robotics engineering and worked for several years as a systems software engineer before serving with New Tribes Mission. He and his family moved to Papua New Guinea in 2013. He and the team have been working on the creation of the Iski Orthography and then the translation of the Bible into the Iski language. God also enabled them to plant a church. They joined SIM in 2020 and relocated to France. André is married to Aurélie, a school teacher, and they have one boy and three girls.
Paul was raised in a godly Christian home and made a personal decision to follow Christ at a young age. Paul joined Africa Evangelical Fellowship (AEF) in 1984 and taught at the Theological College of Central Africa in Zambia. He joined AEF’s home staff as Administrative Director in 1992, where he was responsible for the day to day running of AEF Canada. With the merger of AEF and SIM, Paul became the Director for Member Care and subsequently the Director for Personnel and Deputy Director responsible for Personnel. Paul is married to Gale and they have two daughters, Sara and Christina, who were born in Zambia.
AndrE’ Tousch Director, SIM France-Belgium Start Date: August 1, 2022
JÉrÔ Gygerme Director, SwitzerlandSIM Start andwasJérôme2022OctoberDate:1,bornbrought up in a Christian family in the French part of Switzerland. He was involved in his local church at many levels. After graduating with a Masters in social science, he worked in insurance before going to study at a missionary school in Colombia. He took part in several Christian projects in Madagascar, Mexico andFromMoldavia.2020 to 2021, he was part of a food security project which was set up to help indigenous women in Bolivia. He married Katherine, who comes from Ecuador, in 2013 and they have three children.
Andrew Curry Director, SIM Senegal Start Date: July 8, 2022
Paul T. Russell Interim Director, SIM Canada Start Date: August 1, 2022
AppointmentsLEader
Tatenda Chikwekwe Ministry Point Person, Youth and Young Adults Start Date: July 1, 2022 Tatenda was born and raised in Zimbabwe. He heard the gospel and placed his faith in Jesus while still in highTatendaschool.is passionate about entrusting the gospel to the next generation and committed to developing leaders and networks that do God’s work innovatively amongst young people. He has previously served as a youth pastor in a local church and was executive pastor of an international church in Kenya. He now leads youth ministry networks at both a local and continental level from his base in Kenya.
15 AUG 2022 • VOL 4 ISSUE 3 HEALTHMENTAL
PLEASE
Ask yourself, “How much energy do I have available to care for people around me?” If your gut feeling is that you are at 4 or lower, you should review your activity and the demands put on you.
The K10
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It's important to check that we have a good balance between our resources and our challenges, which will help us grow instead of becoming overwhelmed. If the challenges we encounter outweigh our resources, our well-being will begin to decline.
Our ministry journeys are full of the impact of Covid-19: delays, rescheduling, suspended decisions, adjusting constantly, isolation, and staffing needs. This sustained stress increases depletion, anxiety, and depression for everyone. There’s a good reason for this: brain imaging research shows that when we tolerate ambiguity it is stressful in a way that is very much like experiencing physical pain. Living amid Covid is hard on everyone’s mental health.
Give thanks for the resources available to help people who are dealing with stress For the People Care and Development Team, that they will be able to give appropriate support to all who need it all those who are suffering with stress, anxiety or depression
The Caring Dial
The good news is that living with adversity brings the opportunity for growth. That growth can be in skills, experience, and in our understanding of how God works. We also see growth in qualities like generosity, collaboration, load-sharing and corporate prayer.
BY STEPHANIE SCHWARZ, RESILIENCE CONSULTANT, PEOPLE CARE AND DEVELOPMENT TEAM PRAY
TIPS TO HELP YOU BUILD RESILIENCE IN A COVID-19 WORLD
The People Development and Care resources are on Port or you can contact me (stephanie.schwarz@sim.org) – I am a mental health professional and my door is open!
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Here are two good tools you can use to monitor your own well-being: The Caring Dial (see above) This is a quick way to check if you have energy ‘in your tank’ to serve others.
This measures mental health with a 10-question survey – an automatic-scoring version can be found on Port. It offers a brief, reliable way to check if your stress is becoming distressing.
Asking yourself the simple question, “Am I living at a sustainable pace?” will help you consider any changes that might be necessary. If you are over-committed, you might find it difficult to assess objectively whether, or how, some of your commitments should be reduced. Inviting a trusted friend to talk with you and pray through the options can be a big help.
To find these tools on Port go to Home> International Leadership and Services> People Development and Care + Cafes> Resilience> Review your self-care activity We are not meant to address these concerns on our own. Paul’s teaching compels us to look for the resources God has given to each person around us to help us build our resilience.InEphesians we are told that we are one another’s inheritance (1:18) and that we are to build, join and hold each other up (4:15-16). Elsewhere, Paul teaches that we belong to one another and should use our gifts to care for one another (Romans 12:4-8, & 1 Corinthians 12:1231). We are meant to share one another’s loads. If you score low on either of the two tools, there are resources available to help you.
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*Names changed BY AMY BAREHAM
This is Faithful Witness’s first attempt at business as mission, and Will has been a valuable support for Hikari, making connections with professionals and helping him sourceWillcapital.explains,
• For Will as he helps other SIM entities think through missional business opportunities Pic by Annie Spratt for Unsplash
• Give thanks for those prepared to fund start-up missional businesses
PLEASE PRAY
Japanese firms are creating a business hub where Hikari now lives, which gives him a great opportunity to build a client base. Of course, start-ups require significant upfront investment and Faithful Witness has contributed roughly US$39,000 to Hikari’s plan. Will says, “Most of our businesses are small and may be able to raise start-up money from individual donors. If the project is larger, entrepreneurs may need to seek out capital from missional business groups that invest for kingdom purposes. We often see a mixture of both.”
“In business as mission, we have a quadruple bottom line,” says Will. “We want to make a spiritual impact and bring transformation to the community, but sometimes, that doesn’t happen for a while. Prior to that, we want to bring social impact by providing jobs and introducing a product or service that adds value. We don’t want to come in and be competitive or drive other businesses away. Next, there’s environmental impact, and then finally, we want to see financial impact.
• For Hikari and his family as he launches a missional business in a place where few know Jesus
In sensitive locations, mission workers must have a means of forming relationships that is not associated with ministry.
There is a clear need for consistent financial support, so the call to give is just as pressing as the call to go.
MISSIONAL BUSINESS PLAYS KEY ROLE IN ASIA FAITHFUL WITNESS
Hikari knows his country’s customs and is the perfect resource for local companies seeking to do business with Japan. Will says, “Japan has a huge technology industry, but also a sharp decline in population. There’s a very small labour pool and a major need for workers, which drives Hikari’s project.”
“If the business isn’t viable, you won’t be able to stay in the country, so you’ll lose your ministry. But when a business is profitable, it becomes part of your testimony. It’s how you build trust with other business leaders and people.”
“First, I find out what’s in a mission worker’s heart. Then, I ask the question, ‘What is in your hand?’ I want to learn what their gifts and strengths are, and how they connect with the needs of the community.”
Although Business as Mission is still a new concept for SIM, Will is encouraged by conversations with colleagues and sending entities. He says, “We’re learning as we go. It’s a paradigm shift for many workers and we’re helping them along, viewing business as just another tool in our toolbox to reach places where Christ is least known.”
Will and his wife have visited Hikari’s family and spent a day with them. Will says, “We got a sense of what he is doing, where he lives and what his family dynamics are. That’s when we began to cultivate the recruiting idea and steered Hikari in that direction. It answered that question of, ‘What’s in your hand?’”
To get involved with Faithful Witness’s Business as Mission initiatives or to find out more about this work visit www.sim.org/faithfulwitness/about.
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That is why Will* – SIM’s point person for Business as Mission – is helping Hikari* launch an IT recruitment firm in Hikari,Asia.his wife, and their five children recently joined the Faithful Witness team in an unreached part of the continent. Originally from Japan, they are excited to develop a start-up in their new community.
