Why lifelong learning is a key part of being a disciple
New harvest workers in SIM ................ 4-5
Q&A with Siegfried Ngubane .................. 6
Women hold sweet reunion in Niger ....... 7
Called: Cornelia and Werner Haessig pray for Ethiopia on epic cycle ride .............. 8-9
BY TOM FIFIELD INTERNATIONAL MINISTRY SERVICESI’d be fooling myself if I thought many people would find the phrase ‘integrated global systems’ inspirational.
It isn’t as biblical as ‘making disciples’, nor as compelling as ‘where Christ is least known’. But, as SIM lives out its purpose, ‘integrated global systems’ are essential tools to keep us ministryfocused, safe and accountable.
10-11
Esther’s pioneering mission into the heart of Central Asia
Opportunities and sign-ups .................. 12
News from the SIM world ...................... 13
Leader appointments ........................... 14
Why disciples should be learners........... 15
Children are gift to Faithful Witness..... 16
Cover photo: Cornelia and Werner Haessig on their unusual tandem
Convinced that no one should live and die without hearing God's good news, we believe that He has called us to make disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ in communities where He is least known
© 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
Many of our current systems sit siloed on outdated, expensive platforms that are difficult to maintain and keep secure. In an increasingly data-driven world, with all the challenges of cyber-security and privacy, our current systems are no longer sustainable.
We have also realised there is great power in bringing our systems out of their silos and building them together. That is how the vision for global integrated systems was formed.
Having integrated systems will allow us to see exactly how we are focusing on our Purpose and Mission by seeing which ministries and personnel are engaged in taking the gospel to communities living and dying without Christ.
The reason we’ve included a jigsaw in the logo for this project is because integrated global systems will allow us to bring together different pieces of information to reveal our focus.
Integrating our systems will allow leaders across SIM to ask and answer key questions about our ministries. This will allow those ministries to be better planned and evaluated as they pursue kingdom outcomes in communities.
SIM is a truly global organisation. We move people and resources from country to country across the world. To do this safely and legally we need robust systems that allow us to provide accurate information to our donors, church partners and auditors. Our current systems do not allow us to be as accountable as we would like and we have missed out on funding opportunities as a result.
We also need to hold people’s data securely and for clearly-defined purposes. Our current
systems do not provide adequate controls on the use and visibility of information. The legislation in this area is growing fast, so we need systems which can be updated constantly.
Some decisions have already been made on our three core systems: personnel, finance and ministry. We are still exploring opportunities to upgrade other systems. We have decided to use the Oracle NetSuite platform to be our source of data. NetSuite specialises in helping organisations manage key processes with a single, fully integrated, cloud-based system.
We have bought BambooHR as a replacement for IPS. BambooHR is a ready-built HR platform that will enable us to store personnel data safely. It also brings additional features that will make our personnel processes easier. The implementation is going well and we are on course to transition fully in March, 2023.
The implementation of a new system is underway. The NetSuite finance module is a
For those working on designing the systems to respond to need and be led by God
For the systems rollouts to go smoothly across SIM and for workers to embrace the changes
For all our workers to grasp the new tools and use them to better plan and evaluate ministries, so they can better share the gospel with those who have never heard of Jesus
global software programme which works in multiple languages, currencies and countries. It is being introduced across SIM to help make our financial processes more efficient. We are working through the implementation carefully, so users can be trained properly and glitches solved promptly. You will receive more information before your entity makes the change.
We are aiming to combine Synergie and PURLs into NetSuite next year. This should allow ministry leaders to input reporting and budgeting data directly. We are also looking at ways to make Synergie Search better for our mobilisers, so they can more easily match ministry opportunities with the right candidates.
can more easily match ministry opportunities questions email
What’s next?
You will hear more about integrated global systems in the coming weeks. I pray SIM will see the value in this and that it will enable more people to hear God’s good news. If you have any questions please email me at international. ministryservices@ sim.org
Church: River City Christian Church, Rancho Cordova, California, USA.
Where are you serving? Sacramento.
What are you doing? We are on a Sports Friends team, reaching the large Afghan refugee community through sports, primarily soccer.
Pray: That God would provide more great coaches to help us expand capacity; that we would reach our 100 per cent budget requirement; and that God would provide the perfect home for our family to buy, which will bless our family and enhance our ministry as we use it to host Afghan families.
Church: Euston Church, London, UK. Where will you serve? Ayutthaya, Thailand.
What will you be doing? I’ll be joining the Faithful Witness team in the city, learning language and opening God’s word with people who don’t know Jesus.
Church: Christ Church, Balham, London, UK.
Where will you serve? Jos, Nigeria.
What will you be doing? I’ll be joining the medical team in a healthcare clinic.
Pray: My visa to be granted, because it has been delayed by several weeks; that I’d settle quickly and integrate well; and that getting a Nigerian medical licence would go smoothly.
Church: Maffra Community Church, Victoria, Australia.
Where will you serve? Eastern Chad.
What will you be doing? Member care and language-learning support.
Pray: For us to build strong connections in the community as we continue language and culture-learning and explore ministry opportunities; for our team to display a Christ-like love for each other and for our neighbours so that doors open for the good news about Jesus.
Pray: For learning the Thai language; finding and taking opportunities to open God’s word with people and continuing to grow in love and worship of the Lord Jesus.
Church: Iglesia Maranatha Central Riberalta, Bolivia. Where will you serve? An Asian country. What will you be doing? Discipleship with women from the majority faith; sewing and baking.
Pray: Language and culture acquisition during this first term; for good relationship and team-building.
Church: Long Plain United Methodist Church, Acushnet, Massachusetts, USA.
Where are you serving? West Africa. What are you doing? Serving in a traumahealing ministry.
Pray: That through the trauma healing ministry, the women of the unreached people group will find healing from their wounded hearts and hope for their lives; that Christ will be honoured in every aspect of the ministry as we share his love and compassion.
Church: St Laurence Church, Reading, UK. Where will you serve? Malawi.
What will you be doing? I’ll be helping home school the children of one of the families already serving in Malawi and waiting on God’s timing as to what other roles I can take on to help the wider team.
Pray: For God to guide me as to how I can best use my skills in Malawi for his glory.
Church: Fraser Coast Baptist Church, Queensland, Australia.
Where will you serve? Gabane, Botswana.
What will you be doing? Andrew is co-ordinator for the S.H.I.N.E. (Shame-Honour-Identity-Now-&Eternally) Africa Project ministry and Sandra is the missiologist for the same ministry, which focuses on research, training and providing resources for evangelism and discipleship from an honour-shame perspective for more effective heart transformation.
Pray: For wisdom and strength for all the opportunities and requests to run training workshops; for developing and writing further resources; and for hearts to be transformed for God’s glory.
Church: Iglesia Bautista Genezareth, Ecuador. Where will you serve? Ayutthaya, Thailand. What will you be doing? We’ll join the Faithful Witness team there and work with music, art and sport to share the gospel.
Pray: For continued preparation of hearts, minds and paperwork as we prepare to leave; for the remaining funds to come in.
SOUTHERN AFRICA REGIONAL DIRECTOR
Before I joined SIM, I was a lecturer at a theological college in Cape Town, South Africa. I was also leading a church in one of the fast-growing townships in Cape Town called Khayelitsha. The church is under the REACH SA denomination.
I am married to Maureen, and we are blessed with three adult children - Sindi Ngubane Dire, who is married with an 11-year-old daughter named Dimpho; Lungile Ngubane Mkhiva, who is married with two sons aged five and three, Ezra and Eli; and Nkanyiso Ngubane, our last-born, who is single. Sindi and Lungile are teachers, and Nkanyiso is in the media industry. They are all in the Cape region, and we see them often.
I first got involved with SIM as a mission representative, then became a communications committee member, and eventually became the Regional Ambassador for SIM. In 2009, I felt the call to mission, and SIM was the organisation I knew very well.
What are the key things you hope to achieve in your time with SIM?
I see my role as both an encourager and discipler.
I enjoy seeing people find their niche in the Lord’s service and grow to become more like Jesus.
What inspires you when life gets difficult?
I always turn to the Lord and his word. Besides this, I enjoy classical music and taking walks.
I enjoy reading and writing. I have already mentioned my favourite music - classical - which really helps me relax. Going to the gym also helps me take my mind off things and concentrate on something else.
What is your favourite Bible verse and why?
My favourite Bible verse is Ephesians 3:10: ‘His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms….’
It’s very clear that God has pleasure in seeing his church, we Christians, displaying his colourful wisdom and living the gospel life that frustrates the powers and principalities of this earth.
What’s your favourite film or TV series and why?
I am not a great fan of TV generally, but I do enjoy watching the news.
How can we pray for you and your family?
Please pray that the Lord will help us in our journey as we seek to become more like him.
I desire to see many people coming to the kingdom; and, if it’s good and pleasing in the Lord’s eyes, to use my family and me to be the light of the world and salt of the earth.
A long-awaited reunion saw women from Burkina Faso, Niger and Benin spend a blessed week together earlier this year.
A dozen of SIM’s Dorcas project leaders gathered in Niamey, Niger - their first meeting since February, 2020 because of the Covid-19 pandemic and local unrest.
Dorcas exists to support, encourage and help mainly Christian widows in West Africa, providing them with the skills they need to start small businesses so they can feed their families and make ends meet.
Lucia Eberle, an SIM worker who has been with Dorcas since 2013, said: “It was a gift from God we
could all be together at the same place and to work alongside such incredible women of God who lead Dorcas in their own countries.
“What a blessing it was to spend such quality time with these leaders and to pour into each other through God’s word, leadership training, worshipping God, praying, eating, craft-making, sharing life, and telling stories of what God is doing in each country.”
The Dorcas Widows project was founded in 2006 by SIM worker Soula Isch, who was herself a widow and saw first-hand just how hard life was for widows in West Africa.
This year’s gathering was their third leadership retreat, following
For the project leaders as they learn more about what it means to be a leader in Christ
For the widows involved in the Dorcas project, that they would see the love of Christ and the truth of the gospel
For continued excitement and renewal in Dorcas leaders as they adjust back to the realities of their ministries
up on the promise given on the 10th anniversary of Dorcas Burkina (2016) to start meeting as leaders.
The members were given books on leadership in Christ. The retreat also sparked hope for the future.
Lucia said: “This time, even more than before, we felt brought together. It made us think of today, but also of the future of Dorcas; we dreamed, we shared, we prayed, we laughed … it was true life together. It was an encouragement for all of us.”
This long-awaited time of fellowship and growth ended all too soon, but the renewed relationships and community in Christ continue daily through messaging apps.
The women stay in contact through the apps, sharing prayer requests and their thoughts on one of the leadership books they are reading together.
Laughter, teasing each other and dreaming of being together again are very much part of their frequent and regular conversations.
An energetic Swiss couple have completed a 2,500km cycle ride in a bid to raise the profile of their SIM ministry in Ethiopia.
Cornelia and Werner Haessig, both in their 60s, rode from their home near Zurich, through Austria and down to Croatia, before crossing the Adriatic and cycling up the length of Italy to return home.
Throughout the journey, the Ethiopian flag flew proudly from their unusual tandem, sparking gospel conversations with many interested people.
Cornelia, a qualified doctor whose ministry involves teaching girls what to expect when they enter puberty, explained: “We have been doing these long rides since about
2015, after our children had grown up and we had more time.
“We don’t own a car, so we cycle everywhere and this was the way we took our holidays. It’s lovely to experience God’s creation from a bike – you are travelling at the right speed to take everything in.”
The couple, who have three adult children, had long planned to become mission workers later in life. They’d had some experience of mission work in Asia before becoming parents but stayed in Switzerland to bring up their children and allow engineer Werner to build a solar power business.
Cornelia explained: “I qualified as a doctor 30 years ago but didn’t carry that career forward. I brought up our children and was very involved with the local church
and teaching German language to migrants and refugees.
“Many of those were from Eritrea and it was in conversation with them that I heard a lot about how women suffered from genital mutilation, and how little their girls knew about puberty.
“One young woman I spoke to said when she had her first period, she thought she was dying!
“My interest as a doctor was in gynaecology but I knew I wouldn’t be able to work in acute medicine again because my training was so out of date.
“However, I really enjoyed teaching so I thought it would be helpful to develop a programme to help young girls learn about their bodies and what to expect as they grew up.”
With that Eritrean connection, Ethiopia was a natural SIM location for them to work in.
After selling Werner’s solar power business, they were able to make a short vision trip in 2018. In November, 2019 they moved to Mekelle, in the Tigray region of Ethiopia, and began working with young women there.
That first stay was cut short by Covid and since then the war in the north of Ethiopia has made returning to Mekelle impossible.
Cornelia has since discovered the “Cycle Show” programme, which was developed in Germany to help girls understand the changes that happen in their bodies as they go through puberty.
It explains conception and all the complicated hormonal control systems in women’s bodies, using stories and analogies the girls can understand. It helps girls realise just how special they are – and that God
Cornelia and Werner’s bicycle is an unusual hybrid, originally developed to help disabled people enjoy the benefits of cycling.
Their Hase tandem allows both of them to see the road ahead – Cornelia, at the front, cycles from a lying down position, while Werner, at the back, cycles from the more usual upright
has given them the ability to bear new life. They are thus much better equpped to take care of themselves.
With the help of some Ethiopian women, Cornelia has now adapted the programme for use in that context and was able to try it out when she and Werner returned to the country in April, 2021.
Werner helps out with the course administration and offers solar panel training to local electricians.
position. It allows them to talk to each other more easily and to see more of their surroundings as they cycle.
As Cornelia said: “With a normal tandem, I spend all day looking at Werner’s back! This is much better.”
The bike also provides a very useful talking point when they meet other cyclists or passers-by on their travels.
He has also started work with an NGO which is interested in expanding solar power in Ethiopia.
Cornelia said: “We were disappointed not to be able to return to Tigray but it was, and is, still possible to work in Addis.
“My focus now is on training local women to teach the girls – it’s much better if the teaching can be done in the local language. God willing, we will go back to Addis
For the young Ethiopian girls who go through the training, that they would understand more about their bodies and realise just how special they are
For God to raise up more dedicated and reliable women who can serve the girls of Ethiopia by delivering the course in culturally appropriate ways
For God to sustain, encourage and give wisdom to Cornelia and Werner as they seek to remain ‘long-term short-termers’ with SIM
early next year and carry on with the courses.”
This summer’s cycle trip has brought the couple’s calling into sharp focus. They have shared their love of Ethiopia, and of their ministry, with many people along the way, pointing them to Jesus whenever possible.
Cornelia said: “Not many people seemed to recognise the flag of Ethiopia, so we often had to tell them what it was.
“As we did, we also talked about the country and of the problems it is facing, most of which have been forgotten by the world.
“We often said that when a country is in turmoil, sometimes all you can do is pray.
“And when you talk about praying, people know exactly where you are putting your trust and your hope.”
BY TIM ALLAN, INTERNATIONAL COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR
A young woman in a Central Asian city is leading a pioneering ministry into the rural hinterland of her nation.
Esther* heads up a team of about seven or eight people drawn from her church and others. They travel to villages outside the city several times a year. They also connect weekly with some of the people they meet.
They are either invited in by one of the few local Christians, or use other connections to take the
first step. Once there, they help by teaching people English and other skills, and also talk to people about the saving grace of Jesus Christ.
In what are generally very poor areas, they serve families, the disabled and other needy groups.
Like all of Central Asia, the majority faith is growing fast in her country but Esther, who has been a Christian from childhood and is now an SIM associate, fully understands just how much the local people need the good news of Jesus Christ. She said: “I really
want to help people spiritually and socially. We need to bring social and economic change to our country, dealing with things like not having clean water to drink, illiteracy and the proper way families should work, but we also need to share the gospel with them. All of these social problems can be helped by coming to faith in Jesus, which also has eternal impact.”
Esther, who is in her early 30s, is very involved in her local church, which is registered with the government and at least tolerated by local people. But she has noticed the growth of a more fervent Islam in her community and is determined to play her part in turning that tide.
She is a gifted evangelist and says she cannot live without God. He is, she says, the very air that she breathes.
That passion was ignited at a young age, when she began going to church with her sister, after her family moved into the city from the country. She loved the sense of community, of joy and of fun, which
was very different to her family life. While her parents did the best they could, it was not easy living in a poor community where alcohol abuse was common and prostitutes were on the streets.
It was at church she first met mission workers and at the age of 15, just before she spent a year in the US on a scholarship programme, she understood that God was real.
But it would be another eight years before she fully submitted her life to him.
She said: “Until then, I was like a selfish baby, just accepting all the good things the church could give me but not understanding what the gospel meant.
“When I understood that I said: ‘I am ready to give everything I have
for the Kingdom of God.’ It all made sense to me.”
Esther, who speaks fluent English and Russian, went to college, where she shared the gospel with those who were searching. After graduating, she got a good job as a project coordinator in an oil and gas company.
Her path has not always been smooth. She once stepped away from the church, thinking that her relationship with Christ and the Bible would be enough.
But God soon showed her just how much she needed the church family if she was to grow in her faith and become more mature as a Christian.
Then, as she took on more roles in the church, she began to realise
God to make Esther’s future path clear and for her to trust him completely as he leads and guides her
For the local church in Central Asia, that it would grow and flourish, despite the opposition of some
For more global workers to be raised up for the work in Central Asia, especially those who are willing to learn from the local church members
that if she wanted to serve God better, she would need to have more training.
That was when she resigned from her job and signed up for a two-year mission theology course at the Kazan Bible School in Russia, which is one of the very few Bible schools in Central Asia and takes students from across the region, equipping them to serve as pastors, evangelists or mission workers.
Since returning home from college, Esther has worked tirelessly in her church in a range of ministries, helping with youth work and leading a home group.
But she is convinced her calling is to take the gospel into the more rural parts of her country.
That is where she is now focused and, with the support of other local churches, her team is doing all it can to share the good news with people who have never heard of Jesus Christ.
If you would like to know more about mission work in central Asia email centralasisaregionaldirector. assistant@sim.org. *name changed for security reasons
You will be responsible for developing ministry capacity and leadership; investing in the personal growth and spiritual well-being of the 122-strong, diverse mission team; and complying with the SIM Kenya Council policies. You will also be responsible for the SIM Sudan and the East Africa Service Centre teams. To apply or recommend someone, email Tim McAlhaney (tim.mcalhaney@sim.org ).
To oversee and facilitate the sending of Latin American workers with SIM, in partnership with the local church, through selection,
We want to appoint new country team leaders for both Egypt (from February, 2023) and Lebanon (from summer 2023). Please pray with us as we look for people to take on these strategically important roles. Contact Stephen (middleeast. director@sim.org) for more details or to apply for either of the roles.
COUNTRY
Our small, but growing, diverse team has an open door for the gospel. The director should be a forward-thinking planner and a pastoral team-builder with cross-cultural experience. The main language is French. Ideally, you would commit to five years but two or three years could work. For details, email the search committee head Katie Hayward (katie.hayward@sim.org).
sending and caring processes in line with SIM policies and expectations. The successful candidate will need good English and Spanish. The role
SIM Canada seeks an exceptional leader - a visionary strategic thinker; an engaging and collaborative team leader; a proven networker; an excellent communicator; a public speaker and fundraiser; and who has organisational and fiscal management skills. To apply, email a cover letter and CV to Gary Coghill (canada. searchcommittee@sim.org).
We want to appoint someone who can help us think through how we can plant churches in communities where Christ is least known, and how we could partner with the local church and pioneer into places where there is no church. For more details, to apply, or to nominate someone contact Global Director of Ministry Outreach Emma Brewster ( gdmo@sim.org ) by December 23.
can be filled remotely. For more information or to apply, email SIM Latinoamerica Director, Julieta Murillo (julieta.murillo@sim.org ).
MINISTRY
You will have experience and understanding of diaspora ministry, with a clear commitment to develop in this evolving area of ministry. You will be an an advisor and networker, and lead a diverse team. Leadership and communication skills essential. Contact Jon Banke (TLWorldviewDiaspora@sim. org) by December 23.
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.
News from SIM Ecuador shares highlights of the ministries of our teams there. To subscribe, contact ecuador.comms@sim.org
The Faithful Witness newsletter provides stories and prayer about this growing initiative of SIM. To subscribe, go to http://eepurl.com/gr_pbb
For Freedom’s newsletter gives all the latest info on SIM ministries related to anti-trafficking. To subscribe, contact intl.forfreedom@sim.org.
People2People (P2P) provides SIM personnel news, updates, resources and people development articles. To subscribe email rindi.bowman@sim.org
Do you know an SIM person from outside North America who would like to study for an online degree from Prairie College?
Prairie College is an interdenominational Christian college in Canada and has 100 years of experience in training kingdom workers and offers a variety of
online programmes from Pastoral Ministry to Intercultural Studies. See the full programme list here: https://prairie.edu/online/ Prairie College can offer online undergraduate programme completion to selected international students for a
single annual fee of $CDN100. To recommend someone who could benefit from a programme, fill out the referral form (https://form. jotform.com/200657147603048).
For further information or if you have any questions, please contact james.fraser@prairie.edu
Inspiring the next generation into mission is one of the great challenges for any mission agency and SIM’s culture kits are designed to do just that.
The kits, written by an SIM teacher and put together by an SIM graphic designer, cover four regions of the world – South Asia, the Middle East, East Africa and The Andes of South America. Other kits are in the pipeline.
They are produced in pdf format and give children a superb overview of each region. Featuring a wealth
of great pictures, they detail the geography, the climate, the people groups, the faiths and the cultures.
The designer said: “The aim is to give children a flavour of the region, in the hope it will get them thinking a little more deeply about people in other parts of the world.
“Of course, because the regions are vast, we can’t cover absolutely everything but there are prayer points, recipes from the region and even introductions to some playground games. Throughout, the aim is to show children the richness
of other cultures, while also teaching them that there are large parts of the world where the name of Jesus is not known.”
The culture kits can be downloaded for free at sim.org.
They can be used in any setting – home schooling, church Sunday school, or parents learning alongside their children.
They are suitable for children aged from around six to early teens, or perhaps even older in some cultures, and have a wide range of interactive activity pages.
A new book on the life of two former SIM workers, Norman and Mattie Nunn, has just been published. Written by their daughter, Gwen Stavely, it details their life and ministry with SIM in Sudan after they were sent by SIM Australia in 1938. They spent 35 years in Sudan and helped pioneer SIM’s work in Khartoum. The book is available on Amazon.
The search for our new International Director has reached the stage of interviewing candidates. Before the interviews, each candidate was asked to submit documents explaining how they felt God had equipped them for the role. The aim is to announce a new director by the middle of 2023, with Joshua Bogunjoko planning to step down early in 2024. This will allow for an efficient and effective handover.
SIM Namibia Director
Start: August 1, 2022
Mike grew up in a Christian family in the United States. He was the Student Ministries’ Pastor at his home church and graduated from the Reformed Theological Seminary in Charlotte, NC. He has taught theological education at the Namibia Evangelical Theological Seminary since 2014 and is also involved in young adult discipleship, mobilising youth for mission, and training youth workers.
Daniel Salamu
SIM
Member-at-Large
Start: January 1, 2023 (2nd term)
Andrés has been married to Sonia for 17 years and they have two daughters, Abby (15) and Camila (11), who were born in Costa Rica. Andrés led the youth mission movement of the Costa Rican Evangelical Missionary Federation and he also served as a senior youth pastor.
He and his family moved to Uruguay 13 years ago and Andrés is now the SIM Uruguay director and participates in several different global support roles.
SIM International Board Member-at-Large
Start: January 1, 2023 (2nd term)
Daniel was born in Jos, Nigeria and was led to Christ by his uncle in 1994.
He has served with the Nigeria Evangelical Missions Institute, The Paul Missions, Inc. and, since 2012, with SIM. He and his wife Malata have served in various ministries, including teaching English and Muslim evangelism.
Daniel, who lives in Accra with Malata and their three children, has been director of SIM West Africa Missions Office since December, 2017.
Emma Brewster
Global Director of Ministry Outreach
Start: September 8, 2022 (2nd term)
Emma has served as the Global Director of Ministry Outreach since February, 2019 and also oversees the Ministry Point Person team, assisted by four coordinators.
She joined SIM in 2012 to serve as Ministry Point Person for engaging the university. Before SIM, she served with IFES movements in the UK, training and equipping students and staff in evangelism, mission, leadership and discipleship.
Ivan Liew
SIM International Board
Member-at-Large
Start: January 1, 2023
Rev. Dr. Ivan Liew is the Executive Pastor of Woodlands Evangelical Free Church of Singapore, where he heads the Missions and Outreach team. He was previously the missions pastor and oversaw mission worker sending and involvement in East Asia, Japan, Philippines, Thailand, Timor-Leste, and Kazakhstan.
He grew up in Malaysia, then studied in Australia and the United States before moving to Singapore.
Ivan is also blessed to serve as a member of the SIM Singapore Council.
SIM Taiwan Director
Start: November 1, 2022
Debbie was born into a Buddhist family in Taiwan and came to know the Lord during college. She went to Sudan in 1996, where she met and married Rev Dr Laiu Fachhai. They have a 20-year-old son, Vanoh.
She later served in Ghana and then helped launch the North East India sending office, under SIM East Asia, with Laiu.
Debbie returned to Taiwan with Vanoh in November, 2020 and has been serving as the acting SIM Taiwan director since March, 2021.
SIM International
Member-at-Large
Start: January 1, 2023
Nydia, husband Jim, and their three sons, Andy, Pablo, and Joey, have served in the Philippines, Indonesia, and Mexico with Wycliffe Bible Translators.
She has held several roles with Wycliffe, including director of human resources for Americas, associate area director of the Americas and finally as director. She also serves as a board member with JAARS, Barnabas International and INTERSERVE. Nydia and Jim have lived in Mexico City since 2017.
SIM workers seek to be disciples of Jesus who make disciples.
It is who we are and why we exist. Disciples are learners (in the original Greek disciple means learner) – we always want to learn from Jesus.
As inter-cultural disciples, who are also disciple-makers, learning is our lifeblood: learning new cultures, languages and worldviews.
We want to communicate the good news of the gospel of grace to those we serve in a way that they can understand and is meaningful to them.
We need to be learners to do this well – we need to be good disciples.
That’s the major reason we have set up our e-learning platform, to help all our workers become disciples who are learning all the time. How can we be good disciples?
Disciples have humility: they know that there is always room to grow and learn – more to learn about God and his ways, more to learn about language and culture.
Disciples are open: they come to new situations ready to learn, not judging.
Disciples are curious: taking on a questioning and reflective posture, seeking to understand and ask questions in ways that are appropriate in that culture.
Disciples are collaborative: they work together to share their learning and learn from others, creating learning communities.
When we are good disciples, we are better equipped to communicate the gospel effectively. When we are good disciples, we can make good disciples.
SIM’s eLearning platform has moved – but all the courses are still there for you!. We are now at: https://all-courses.talentlms.com
To access your account, start by clicking the ‘Forgot your password?’ button. You’ll be asked to enter your email – please use your sim.org address. You’ll then receive an email allowing you to set up a password and access the resources.
Check out these courses:
Peer Responder Training is to equip your team to provide helpful care to anyone who has just experienced a traumatic event.
For Freedom Basics helps your team understand the realities of human trafficking and exploitation in their context and to be equipped with some of the basic tools to respond.
Online Security Training is available in English, French, Korean and Spanish.
The new obituaries this quarter are for Lois Foster, Betty Lasher, Dorothy Bentley, Alton Buck, Marion Davis, Janet Ullman and Anthony Kay Martin. They can be accessed by clicking on the Cloud of Witnesses button on the home page of Port.
If you want to add any obituaries to the Cloud of Witnesses section, please contact
SIM International’s Internal Communications Editor, Dan Muchai (dan.muchai@sim.org) with all the details.
Our annual publication which features all the SIM obituaries from this year, also called Cloud of Witnesses, will be sent to all sim.org email addresses in the last week of December.
After a decade of serving tribes in Ethiopia, Selam and her husband Dejen relocated their young family to North Africa this summer to join a Faithful Witness team bringing the gospel to leastreached communities.
Selam says, “When we started this journey, we told the kids, ‘God wants us to go here – not just mummy and daddy, but all of us. He wants us to invest our everything in this country. We’ll have to leave our home, our friends, our school – everything. Are you willing to do that?’ And they said, ‘OK, let’s do it.’”
To help Faithful Witness families have these conversations, SIM connects them with Third Culture Kid (TCK) Coordinators, like Mindy who works at SIM International. Her role is to provide care as parents consider the ways a placement will impact their children.
She explains, “There are 1,600 kids in SIM, and every one of those children has different needs. With SIM personnel in 50 countries, we are able to address these needs.”
Helping children acclimatise to foreign environments can be overwhelming, and Mindy finds that grief is a common response for kids.
She says, “Their sense of attachment and belonging can suffer. When they move crossculturally, the way they make sense of their world must change. There can be multiple layers of loss.”
For parents, displays of grief can be troubling. Mindy explains: “They’re in the throes of a major
transition themselves, trying to remember where they put the diapers or what time dinner is at the next supporter’s house.
“They’re handling any number of crazy details in ever-changing crazy circumstances while processing their own sense of homelessness and un-rootedness. And then they’re trying to navigate their child’s emotions, too.
“While this is quite a trial, we have each other and the Holy Spirit. As these emotions of fear, sadness, and frustration come, we have the opportunity to be the tangible love of Jesus in our children’s lives. Emotions are our body’s signals. A sad child is telling us something is broken, and we get the privilege of comforting them and lamenting with them.”
Mission work is physically and
emotionally taxing – for adults and children alike – yet Selam has seen her children refresh her spirit on the hard days. When the family’s rental contract fell through shortly after they arrived in North Africa, Selam’s little boy prayed boldly.
She recalls, “Our son just knelt down. He said, ‘God, you are seeing me now. I am bowing down. And you will get this contract signed today.’ The contract was approved that afternoon.”
Selam smiles and says, ‘That’s my son!”
It is this audacious faith, Selam says, that makes children such a gift to a ministry environment. “People may think they can get more done without kids, but I disagree. It is a privilege to have children, not a burden.
“You can feel very discouraged in mission, and children come along and lift you up. They are a blessing and teach you a lot.”
May the fervour of Selam’s children be a source of deep joy for their mother: one of the first faithful witnesses they ever met.
To support the work of this Faithful Witness family, visit https:// www.sim.org/donate and use misson worker number 041924.
