For SIM workers, by SIM workers
MAY 2021 • VOL 3 ISSUE 2
Peny Odyuo among Kenya’s East Pokot people Missions workers have great marriages, don’t they? The impact of COVID-19 on our next generation
ARE YOU SIGNED UP? SIM’s ArtsBeat newsletter equips and encourages SIM’s creative community around the world. To subscribe, contact intl.arts@sim.org.
Masala newsletter shares compelling stories from South Asia. To subscribe, contact communicate.in@ outlook.com.
Caring Connections is a quarterly newsletter for SIM’s many healthcare workers. To subscribe, contact Jana.Faus@sim.org.
SIM’s Sports Friends newsletter keeps you up to date on sports ministry in 15 countries. To subscribe, go to https://bit.ly/3oLvhXA.
News from SIM Ecuador shares highlights of the ministries of our teams there. To subscribe, contact ecuador.comms@sim.org.
Pakistan Linkline is an occasional newsletter which shares compelling stories and prayer needs. To subscribe, contact pakistan.linkline@sim.org.
The monthly newsletter from Engaging the University will keep you informed about university ministry across SIM. To subscribe, contact intl.university@sim.org.
AfriGO and Allons-y! promote missions mobilisation in Africa and among its diaspora. Available in English, French and kiSwahili. To subscribe, contact info@afrigo.org.
The Faithful Witness newsletter provides stories and prayer about this growing initiative of SIM. To subscribe, go to http://eepurl.com/gr_pbb.
Visit the new Trauma Healing website for resources and updates: https://bit.ly/2IpnTkI.
For Freedom’s newsletter gives all the latest info on SIM ministries related to anti-trafficking. To subscribe, contact intl.forfreedom@sim.org. Do you have a ministry-focused newsletter you would like to share here?
The SIMprayKids monthly UK prayer email inspires kids to engage in missions. It features content produced by missionary kids around the world. Sign up at https://bit.ly/2LSn1GB.
Email connect@sim.org
TABLES IN 2021 Monthly Table articles during 2021 will unpack each of SIM’s 10 core values. The topics for May, June and July are the
core values of mission focused, church centred and concerned about human need. Send us your feedback by emailing
corevalues@sim.org or through the link on the home page of PORT, where you can see the values and provide comments.
QUARTERLY Q&A WITH DR JOSHUA BOGUNJOKO International Director Joshua Bogunjoko hosts a Question & Answer session open to everyone in SIM. It takes place on the third Wednesday of every third month, immediately after the global family devotion. Look for the Zoom invitation in your inbox!. Joshua welcomes questions on any aspect of SIM’s work; no subject is off limits. Please send your questions to International Communications Director Tim Allan.
The SIM family devotions are now held monthly on the third Wednesday. The first one is at 11.00 UTC and the second at 23.00 UTC. They are available on Vimeo and written versions are available on Port in English, French and Spanish. international.communication@sim.org https://bit.ly/3gPXA3r.
Are you signed up?
LEARNING CAFÉS
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SIM Learning Cafés are 75-minute webinars available on Zoom to everyone in SIM. They foster SIM’s value of lifelong learning and support our desire to flourish. Look for an invitation to upcoming cafés from international.workerdevelopment@sim.org. May: Crossing barriers to make disciples through sports by Sports Friends leaders Ishaya Inuwa, Jill Ireland and Tripp Johnston June #1: Theology of singleness by Barry Danylak
June #2: 7 ways to strengthen your marriage as you serve in missions by Gilbert and Lydia Nigh July: Cultural intelligence – building a bridge between Eastern and Western cultures by David Park and Phil Marshall Watch previous Learning Cafés on Port. Click the ‘Int’l Leadership and Services’ button on the landing page. Go to ‘People Development & Care’ from the ‘Related Sites’ list. Then select the top left tab: Learning Cafés.
LEADER DEVELOPMENT LIBRARY With so much information available online and in printed books and articles, it is not always easy to know which materials are most useful. The International Leader Development team has created a Leader Development Library in SharePoint. Although developed with leaders in mind, it is an open resource for all SIM workers.
The library does not house resources but has reviews to help you narrow your options. If you want to recommend a new resource, you can do so on the site or email nikki.bremner@sim.org. https://bit.ly/3gpNclm. You must be signed into SharePoint with your sim.org address to access the library. WWW.SIM.ORG
SEE YOUR MINISTRY ON SIM.ORG BY TIM ALLAN, INTERNATIONAL COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR We’ve just taken a big step in improving our mobilising capacity by putting many of SIM’s ministries on sim.org. The ministry search function went live on April 6 and allows inquirers from anywhere in the world to search through our ministries and see where God is calling them. It’s really exciting to see this latest development in SIM’s move to ministry focus. We are very much trying to encourage inquirers to think in terms of joining a ministry which is sharing the gospel with a defined community. Rather than thinking ‘What ministry can I do?’ when they start to look at SIM, we would like them to think ‘What ministry team could I become part of?’ This represents a significant culture change within SIM and many people around the world are working hard to move us forward. We are under no illusions – this culture shift will not happen overnight, but the sim.org ministry search function a significant step along the road. The information visible on sim.org shows some of the details ministries have uploaded to Synergie, which is the backend system into which all ministry details are entered. The information displayed allows ministry leaders to share something of their
vision, but also to give more practical detail on how a new member might fit into the team and what they would be doing day to day. The entries on sim.org very much act as the shop window for ministries and we hope will play a key role in mobilising people, prayer and resources. Do check out your ministry on sim.org and, as you read the information there, think about whether it is really helpful to an inquirer. If you need people to do specific jobs, say so; if you need people with specific gifts or skills, say so; and if you need help filling in that section, then please do ask – we are here to help. Some of the ministries in this issue of Connect are displayed on sim.org, including many of our healthcare ministries, our anti-human trafficking ministries and our sports ministries. To search through all our published ministries, go to: www.sim.org/opportunity-search. Of course, not all ministries are visible on sim.org. In some of our more sensitive areas we simply show a range of generic ministries, without being specific about location; for our really sensitive areas or ministries, we keep them off the web altogether. The aim of the sim.org search function is for inquirers to connect with mobilisers in their region as quickly as possible. No one will be mobilised into SIM simply through a website – it will always require much prayer, conversation and relationship-building. Please email me at international. commsdirector@sim.org if you would like more information, or help with any aspect of writing your Synergie entries.
CONTENTS Are you signed up? .................................... 2
Healthcare and missions.......................... 11
Editorial .................................................... 3 Impact of COVID-19 ................................ 12 New Harvest Workers ............................... 4 MK Book recommendation ...................... 13 Q&A with an SIM leader:
Mission worker marriages......................... 7
Emma Brewster ........................................ 14
News ......................................................... 8
Opportunities to serve ............................ 15
Leader appointments and searches ........... 9
Faithful Witness ...................................... 16
Formación: SIM’s new team training ....... 10
Making the gospel local ........................... 16
© SIM International 2021. Connect is an internal publication of SIM for the encouragement and information of its workers. SIM International Director: Joshua Bogunjoko
International Communications Director: Tim Allan Editor: Tabitha Plueddemann Crowley Design: Pilgrim Communications Email: connect@sim.org • Web: www.sim.org
MAY 2021 • VOL 3 ISSUE 2
EDITORIAL
Called: Khochobeni “Peny” Odyuo ............ 6
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NEW HARVEST WORKERS Church: The Embassy Church, Oshawa, Canada What I do: SIM Canada Communication Coordinator Pray: For God’s wisdom, creativity and boldness.
Neipelou Therie
Church: Hervormde Gemmente Barneveld Netherlands Where will you serve: Melusie, South Africa What will you be doing: Various ministries: with homeless men, leading Bible studies, catering, and supporting local church activities Pray: For strength to carry on amid uncertainty over border closures; for God to fill our reduced SIM team with joy, for people to be set free from ancestral worship and understand that Jesus is the only way to God.
New harvest workers
Veronica Jesuthasan
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Church: Pfutsero Town Baptist Church, Nagaland, India Where will you serve: Goz Beida, Chad What will you be doing: Discipleship in relationshipbuilding and evangelism Pray: For my language and cultural learning in Mali.
Anais Phillipe
Church: Globe Church, London Where will you serve: Nigeria What will you be doing: Counselling and trauma healing Pray: For wisdom and strength in God as I feel ill-equipped for this work. For my preparation and support raising and that my heart is ready to learn, serve and love those around me.
Geanne Van Maanen
WWW.SIM.ORG
Stephen and Hauwa*
Ryan Symens Church: International Center for Evangelism, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso Where will you serve? North Africa What will you be doing? Training youth and teaching for Stephen; working with the needy for Hauwa Pray: For God to provide funds as we are prepare to go.
Church: Reformed Church of North Africa Where will you serve? North Africa What will you be doing? Pastoral support for the students Pray: For wisdom and for a pastor’s heart.
Church: Geyer Springs First Baptist Church, Arkansas, US Where will you serve? Ayutthaya, Thailand What will you be doing? I hope to use ethnomusicology to write worship music in the Thai language and style. Pray: For God to open borders and expedite the visa process; for 2.5 million university students with almost no access to the gospel; for God to prepare hearts for his Word.
Peter and Phyllis*
New harvest workers
Church: ECWA Plateau Church in Jos, ECWA Umuahia Township Church, Nigeria Where will you serve? ELWA Hospital, Liberia What will you be doing? Holistic medical care and training resident doctors, community witnessing, discipleship, youth and women’s ministries Pray: For us to be used of God mightily to touch lives; for God’s help to build a formidable team of supporters as he provides our needs.
Nnamdi Ezekiel and Peace Ojimadu *Pseudonyms used for security. MAY 2021 • VOL 3 ISSUE 2
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CALLED
CALLED:
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My mother used to pray, “God you have given me eight children. If there is not even one from them to serve you, how can I face you?” I felt joy and started to pray, “God let it be me.” But I had no guidance, because my parents were illiterate. After many years, when the time came for me to attend theological college, my father passed away. I lost hope, thinking that if God was willing to use me, he would not have taken my only source of help. But a year after my father passed, my church decided to sponsor half my fees, so I went. After my studies, I served in my church and I got married. But because I could not have a child, my marriage ended. My life was covered with shame and hopelessness and I asked God to let me die. In the darkest days, my church leaders invited me to attend cross-cultural missionary training in another state. Confused, I went. There I learned about SIM through SIM North East India (NEI) founders, Laiu and Debbie Fachhai. God opened a way for me to serve in Kenya in 2010 among vulnerable street children. In 2011, I visited Ayan village, more than 400 kilometres east of Nairobi, with a prayer team. Our goal was to pray for rain. The area’s harsh semi-arid climate leads to drought and food insecurity which, at times, culminates in severe hunger and malnutrition. The communities live with no churches, schools, roads, running water, electricity or dispensaries. Yet some elders and their families ran into the bush, stating they didn’t want their children to go to school and they
KHOCHOBENI “PENY” ODYUO
Peny teaching at the only school in Ayan village. Children walk from far villages to learn and receive a lunch. didn’t need development. They were worried about losing their culture, which they loved. During my visit, I had a frightening experience with the villagers, who said I was the first foreigner to step into Ayan. I promised myself never to return to this community. But over time, I could not take these precious people out of my heart. They reminded me of my Lotha Naga tribe from North East India. More than 100 years ago, our forefathers were head-hunters until an American couple took a risk to come share the salvation of Jesus. Now God is helping us to be soulhunters for his kingdom. By the grace of God, Ayan now has an established church and school. The community is experiencing the blessing of a place of worship in their village, so the neighbours have invited us to start churches in their villages, too.
PRAY FOR: For the East Pokot team and the African Gospel Church as we follow God’s leading to reach this community. For a continual culture of trust and prayer for each other among the seven churches, especially in Sunday worship, despite many challenges.
Inspired by God’s leading and by how they gather to worship God under thorn trees, our East Pokot team has planted seven churches. We have only one pastor, so every Sunday when I am there, I try to visit the churches, although they are far apart. Praise God, who is raising men and women to serve in the churches, though most have never attended school. Before my mother passed away in 2013, she reminded me that when I was about 12 years, I shared in our family prayer time my desire to fly from place to place and proclaim the salvation of our Lord Jesus. She asked for forgiveness because she stopped me from sharing this; I was a widow’s child and, in our context, widows’ children should not dream. But she expressed happiness that my dream came true. I forgot what I had said as a child, but I’m so thankful God reminded me through her that I am his daughter and he has decided my future. Today I am content in the ministry God has given me to serve the East Pokots in the smallest way. Praise Jesus. khochobeni.odyuo@sim.org WWW.SIM.ORG
MISSIONS WORKERS HAVE GREAT MARRIAGES, DON’T THEY? BY LYDIA NIGH, SIM CANADA MOBILISATION TEAM
MAY 2021 • VOL 3 ISSUE 2
PLEASE PRAY: For SIM marriages and families in every corner of the world. For God to work in the lives of not-yet-believers who are in crisis in their closest relationships. For Lydia and Gilbert as they present 7 Ways to Strengthen Marriages on the Mission Field in SIM’s Learning Café on June 17, 2021. engaging with people all over the world. The need is great because singles, couples and parents experience serious and universal challenges in their relationships regardless of culture, religion or social status. The biggest challenges to going global are language and culture, but FamilyLife Canada is translating and contextualising materials into Cantonese, Mandarin and French, including a version of Together For Good with Canada’s First Nations/ Indigenous speakers. It’s slow work but our tools are now used in the Caribbean, Central Asia, East Asia, Australia, New Zealand and Africa. At SIM, can we use these tools to support mission workers to build their marriages and families? Could missionaries use these same tools to bring help and hope to families in their churches and communities? Imagine missions workers, with healthy marriages and successful parenting, growing healthy communities and empowering missional disciples. Imagine the powerful testimony of God-centred lives and families, transformed by the gospel and the Holy Spirit, shared not out of strength but weakness, not out of success but failure. Imagine Christ’s love being lived out in those communities where Christ is least known. Check out the resources: www.familylifecanada.com lydia.nigh@sim.org Contact Lydia for resources in other languages. Lydia and Gilbert Nigh served with SIM Zambia for 17 years. Gilbert is on leave of absence and Lydia has a dual ministry with FamilyLife Canada and SIM Canada’s Mobilisation Team. Resources are available at www.familylifecanada.com or email lydia.nigh@sim.org.
Missiona Workers’ marriages
Surely this is true! Couples commit themselves to Christ, leave their families, give up jobs and cars and houses, undergo medical and psychological examination, raise support and prayer teams, and present themselves as living sacrifices to God. Surely, a couple can’t go through all of this without having overcome all the issues in their marriage. And once they get to their assigned station, whew! The hardest part is over, right? The stresses of living overseas include culture shock, ministry 24/7, working and living in close quarters, limited finances and team dynamics; add to that the normal stresses of marriage. Surely, because missions workers are super Christians they will also have super marriages. My husband and I, like every missionary couple, needed to be strong and model Christian family for the sake of Christ, our team, our local church family and our supporters. Our marriage had strong roots but inevitably, the storms would blow through. We overcame by God’s grace and by genuine and supportive community. As my ministry to children literally grew up into ministry to singles and couples, so began my vision to provide community and support to help people build God-centred relationships. In 2015, we returned to Canada. In addition to mentoring and mobilising SIM missionaries, I joined FamilyLife, a ministry of Power to Change/CRU. FamilyLife Canada brings help and hope to marriages and families. We are a Christian ministry that creates safe spaces and winsome conversation, welcoming everyone: blended families, single parents, people of any faith and people of no faith. We used to host Weekend Getaways for couples. Through local churches, we trained marriage mentors and ran parenting workshops. In 2019, our total audience was 1,500 couples across Canada. But in 2020, COVID created an opportunity to transition to online ministry. Webinars and podcasts impacted more than 2,000 couples with over 6,000 downloads. In October 2020, a marriage conference, Together For Good, brought over 2,400 couples from 35 countries. It’s still accessible at www.familylifecanada.com/togetherforgood. Online, we trained 450 mentor couples and in April 2021, over 1700 families registered for a week-long parenting conference called This Day Forward, again
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NEWS
events
| resources | updates
Faithful and True Witness 2021
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Revelation 1:5; 3:14, 19:11
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1:5 “and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.”
Days of Prayer
3:14 “To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation.”
day 1
19:11 “I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war.” In a world where faithfulness and truth are increasingly rare, Lord Jesus, we adore you because you are the faithful and true witness. In these three passages, we read this true description of your nature and character. We praise you because you are the faithful and true witness in your dealings with the church. We praise you because you are true and faithful in your judgments. We love you because in you we have a saviour who is true and faithful in revealing to us the true nature and works of God. Forgive us for not being faithful and true witnesses of yours in our homes and in our dealings with one another. Lord Jesus we ask for forgiveness for those times when we have refused to see or listen to your faithful and true
witness in others. Please forgive us for the times we have avoided speaking the truth to ourselves. Forgive us also for the times when we have been ambivalent and lukewarm, because we were afraid or wanted to please others, and thereby failed to treat justly those who were depending on us. Jesus, thank you for the ways in which you have revealed your truth to each of us and our families. Thank you for the freedom and joy this truth has brought us. Thank you for revealing yourself and blessing the work of SIM over the last century and more. We thank you for revealing yourself through us to the people you have called us to serve. Heavenly Father, in a world which is increasingly devoid of truth, we pray you will help us be faithful and true witnesses of yours in our homes and in our dealings with one another. We pray that faithfulness and truth will characterise our dealings with the people among whom we serve. We pray we will be faithful and true in our judgements. Help us to be known as faithful witnesses of the truth. Encourage our hearts through the faithful and true witness of our predecessors. Make us effective witnesses of yours so that our ministries will yield fruit that will last through the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
SIM Ministry prayer requests Faithful Witness Pray God will raise up teams of intercessors to stand in the gap for forgotten communities and whose prayers will pave the way for godly, humble workers who will be committed to long-term, sacrificial service. Pray team leaders would have grace and wisdom as they communicate with fellow workers and build bridges into communities so the gospel may be shared. Pray for the sustainable development of long-term funding streams for worker support, and the resources needed for ministry.
Dates: May 13-22 This year’s meditations are taken from the names of Christ in the book of Revelation. This vision of Jesus was given to a church facing intense persecution. We
NEWS
NEW HEALTH AND SAFETY HANDBOOK
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By Carolyn Reid, International Health Coordinator A new health and safety handbook is now available to all SIM workers. The Health Coordinators handbook has been re-named and updated. Although it will mostly be used by health coordinators and personnel teams, we all have a role to play in health and safety. Everyone is responsible for health, and we all have a part to play in keeping each other safe. This resource reflects the best current medical evidence on a range of topics. Whether you’re struggling with air pollution in a megacity (6.4), checking vaccine requirements for your country (Appendix 3), needing an update on managing snakebite (6.5), removing ticks (5.5.1), or simply want to plan for your home assignment health checks (10), there is something here for you! Please take a look at the advice now available to you. On Port, click the icon for Personnel, then select Documents, then Health & Safety.
see a Jesus who is wholly in control of human affairs, regardless of how things look. We learn that God’s plan is on track and cannot be thwarted. We see that Jesus wants to encourage his church to be faithful. The names of Jesus in Revelation are an encouragement during these difficult times of global and personal challenges in our lives and ministries. May you be encouraged as you meditate on each of these names. Resources available on sim.org: https://www.sim.org/pray-with-us/resources Port: Press the Prayer icon on the Port landing page to find prayer resources.
SIM UK: WE’VE MOVED! As the UK lockdown begins to ease, we’re delighted to announce our new location: 6 Trust Court, Histon, Cambridge, CB24 9PW. enquiries@sim.co.uk 01223 788288
Cloud of Witnesses is SIM’s annual newsletter which lists SIM workers who have gone ahead of us to glory. The latest edition was emailed to all sim.org email addresses on December 30, 2020. During the year, obituaries will appear on Port monthly so that our family will know in a timely way who has passed away. Please look for a button called Cloud of Witnesses on the home page of Port. In addition, Connect provides a list of those who have gone to glory in the preceding three months and whose obituaries you will find on Port. In the past three months, the following obituaries have been received: • Chuck Forster from USA. Served in Nigeria, Niger, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea and USA • Dr. Ian Hay, born in Miango, Nigeria. Served in Nigeria, North America Director, Deputy Director and International Director. • Darrell Hockersmith from the USA, served in Angola and Zambia. • Gordon Jones from USA, served Ghana and SIMUSA Please contact SIM International communications team with obituaries. international.communication@sim.org WWW.SIM.ORG
LEADER APPOINTMENTS Randall Fairman appointed
as Regional Director for North America & the Caribbean Start date: Mar 1, 2021 SIM USA Director Randy Fairman is appointed for a one-year term. In 2007, following a naval career, the Fairmans moved to Central Asia to engage in business ministries and Randy also served as a country director. In 2018, he joined SIM International as global director of mission engagement and became SIM USA director in March 2020.
New Ministry Point Person for Business Ministries appointed Start date: Apr 12, 2021
Anna Powell appointed as Learning and
Debbie Fachhai
Development Lead on the People Development and Care Team Start date: Aug 1, 2021 Anna was born to Chinese parents in Sweden and grew up in Sydney, Australia. She has served for 13 years in Ecuador and Peru as a bookkeeper, shortterm coordinator, personnel coordinator and mother, while supporting her husband, Morgan, as country director for Peru. Anna’s passion is to see SIM people thrive in their walk with God, in life and in ministry.
appointed as director for Taiwan Start date: Mar 14, 2021 Debbie was born into a Buddhist family in Taiwan and came to know the Lord in college. She joined SIM and went to Sudan in 1996, where she met her husband Laiu Fachhai from North East India (NEI). They served in Sudan and Ghana until 2008 before returning to India to launch the SIM NEI sending office.
Ben Hurley appointed as director for Mongolia
LEADER SEARCHES East Africa Office Director We need a new director to lead the East Africa Office, which sends workers from the region. The director will develop the team and build partnerships to fulfil the vision of mobilising, equipping and sending East African missionaries. Currently about 40 family units serve outside Ethiopia on two continents. Anyone interested should email Donek Tesfaye, chairperson for the EAO board. Donek.Tesfaye@sim.org Chad Country Director SIM Chad seeks a new director to take on the role as soon as possible, preferably a French speaker who is MAY 2021 • VOL 3 ISSUE 2
Sports Friends Global Leader Sports Friends (SF) is seeking a new global leader. In 19 countries, SF’s mission is to equip churches and church planters to use sports to make disciples of Jesus Christ among young people, their families and communities. If you know a good candidate for this role, or would like more information, please email Emma Brewster. Global.DirectorMinistryOutreach@sim.org
willing to reside in Chad. The ideal candidate would lead and develop the team as well as proactively
maintain healthy relationships with partner organisation leaders. rd.eastcentralafrica@sim.org
LEADER APPOINTMENTS
Start date: Apr 1, 2021 Benjamin has served in Mongolia for six years, teaching children, university students and police officers. He has led the Mongolia team for three years, and desires to strengthen the Mongolian church and team as they develop strategic direction together. Ben and his wife, Manje, have a new baby daughter, Jirah.
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FORMACIÓN
LEARNING TOGETHER AS DISCIPLES ON MISSION
FORMACIÓN
WHAT? WHO? HOW? WHY? WHERE? FOR MORE INFO:
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Formación is a team-centred training platform For every SIM team anywhere! Interactive peer learning & application in-context To cultivate competency in cross-cultural team ministry https://systemidentity.com/web/people-development/team-training ken.baker@sim.org
GOD’S PEOPLE ON MISSION
BEING & MAKING DISCIPLES
TEAM BUILDING & CARE
COMMUNICATING ACROSS CULTURES
One book, one story! Scripture presents one story; God’s abiding desire to restore all things according to his intent to bless the nations and establish New Creation.
What is the gospel? Discerning the meaning and intent of ‘the gospel of the kingdom’ which announces the reign of God in Christ, the King.
From group to team Discovering the journey from a working group to a cohesive ministry team united in a common purpose.
Perspective & worldview Understanding the filters & glasses we use to view the world around us, and how to identify gospel barriers.
God’s new humanity Embracing the full scope of all that God intends through the redemption of humanity exemplified through the Church, the body of Christ.
Who is my neighbour? Understanding the origin and nature of biblical human relationship – the essence of human being, human existence and why these matters in mission.
Our multicultural team Exploring the challenges and opportunities of life and ministry as a multicultural team united in service together.
Cultural intelligence Why do humans think and act the way they do? How do words, concepts and symbols reflect and shape culture? How do we evaluate what we see?
God’s kingdom narrative The Bible reveals God’s intent to reclaim all creation under his reign, for his glory, and he calls for his people to follow him in their given missional role.
What is a disciple & how to make them? Understanding the core calling of a disciple of Jesus Christ on mission and exploring how we can make disciples while crossing barriers.
Developing team culture How to approach, discuss, prepare and establish a common set of team policies and practices that will describe how your team relates and works together.
The Bible in context How does the gospel flourish within and across cultures? What is a biblical model of contextual interpretation?
Always By Prayer Discovering the SIM legacy of prayer and embracing corporate prayer as the foundation of team vitality and gospel advance.
Character, word & deed Embracing the biblical call for ministry through character, witness and action in making disciples.
Change & conflict management Understanding and responding to team transitions and conflict through collaborative respect and mutual planning.
Context & community How does context shape a community of people, as well as the prospect of ministry among them? The practice of contextual inquiry and narrative.
The body of Christ & partnership Embracing the meaning and implications of the body metaphor and its role in understanding and pursuing partnership in global mission.
Risk & team ministry How to embrace a theology of risk and contextually evaluate appropriate responses in order to navigate potentially perilous settings in gospel ministry.
Team life & ministry Learning the character and behaviours of team life and how to build spiritual, prayerful resilience and discipline, individually and as a team.
Communication & culture How to understand and be understood when living within another culture, as well as working within a diverse team?
The spiritual battle Understanding and addressing spiritual opposition to kingdom mission through the authority of Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit.
Gospel planting & practice The principles and practical aspects of sowing, watering and reaping with the gospel of the kingdom.
Team leading & following Understanding our learned styles of leadership and followership, and how to live and work together in cultural diversity.
Religion & power How do we engage in a pluralistic world of multiple religions and competing political narratives?
WWW.SIM.ORG
HEALTHCARE & MISSIONS BY DR. PAUL HUDSON
MAY 2021 • VOL 3 ISSUE 2
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Hospitals in which SIM is active.
110
132
Medical projects such as medical care and infrastructure SIM has begun.
230
Community health Healthcare projects SIM has professionals serving begun since 2000. in SIM today.
80
Countries with national Christian medical fellowships.
103
Current SIM ministries with openings for workers with healthcare skills.
COVID Equip project has done similarly. A beautiful balance is seen in teams that minister both to sick patients and to their communities. What is the role for medical and healthcare SIM workers today? The Lord continues to use the skills of medicine to bring many to faith today. But it is not just our own ministry that we must think of; we must also disciple young health professionals. More than 80 nations have national Christian medical fellowships. How can we journey with them in discipleship such that they learn to serve others creatively, reach out to the marginalised and honour Christ? As cross-cultural workers we can learn together to serve with joy, not following a vision defined by worldly success, but enabling them to integrate the gospel in their own lives and service. This means working in diverse teams, not just seeing ministries as our own. This will strengthen local healthcare workers in Christ and empower the outreach of churches. Enable us, Lord, to serve you in this way!
Healthcare missions
SIM’s first missionary doctor, Andrew Stirrett, arrived in Nigeria in 1902. Rowland Bingham spoke of his “unsparing efforts for the physical and spiritual welfare of the whole staff,” and cited the great reduction in missionary deaths over his 40-year ministry, as well as his passionate preaching to “no less than one and a half million people” in crowded marketplaces. SIM’s ministries of compassion grew side by side with evangelism and church planting; 150 SIM mission stations in Nigeria had dispensaries. Nigerian historian Yusufu Turaki wrote, “The contribution of the SIM medical work in Northern Nigeria was quite substantial…. This ministry of mercy and caring was also a ministry of soul winning and evangelism ... its influence and impact are observable facts.” Clinics, hospitals, and leprosaria became part of SIM ministries, especially following World War II, across Africa and India. Today, SIM is active in 24 hospitals, though only four are still owned and operated by the mission. New partnerships allow us access to regions where there is minimal gospel witness yet great physical need. And in recent dacades, we have added an emphasis on community health and development. Our aspiration is to focus both on the patients and their communities especially those in physical and spiritual need. Since 2000, SIM has begun 110 community health projects in addition to 132 traditional medical projects such as medical care and infrastructure. Today 230 SIM healthcare professionals serve in institution-based and community-based care. Training and discipleship of local staff have also become important. Why is SIM strongly involved in healthcare? Former SIM General Director Dr Ian Hay emphasised, “The words and works of Jesus show clearly His compassion for the total needs of mankind.” SIM’s roots are in the late 1800s, a century which saw the birth and explosion of missionary medicine. The Edinburgh Medical Missionary Society was founded in 1848 to train and send young mission doctors. Many churches then saw evangelism and social action as complementary; this was before a dichotomy arose out of the non-biblical ‘social gospel’ after World War I. In the words of Dr. Hay, “In some circles today, evangelicals are charged with ignoring human need. SIM is not guilty. We cannot and do not ignore pain, hunger, and suffering…. To those who express concern about the opposite danger – ignoring the spiritual dimension – again, the Mission is not guilty.” Many of today’s healthcare ministries develop the church’s capacity to minister the gospel. Hope for Life (formerly Hope for AIDS) has emphasised equipping churches for gospel-based home care. The recent SIM
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THE IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON OUR NEXT GENERATION
THE GIANTS COVID HAS REVEALED
BY SARAH SCOTT WEBB, FOR FREEDOM MINISTRY POINT PERSON
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Zuri is 12. Before the pandemic, she was in grade 6 at her local school. Her father worked as a labourer on a building site and her mother as a cleaner. Now she says, “My family and I are on the streets because we don’t have money for rent, and my parents don’t have money to feed me and my siblings. I am hungry all the time ... I wish I could go back to school.” Maria, 17, has been in lockdown in her family’s apartment since the pandemic began. “My mother has changed ... she has really bad anxiety caused by her, my father and my brothers all losing their jobs ... she cries a lot and it scares me. My parents are fighting all the time. I want to go back to school and for my father to go back to work.” Like millions of children, Zuri and Maria’s lives have been overturned by the pandemic. Children are the biggest victims of COVID’s socio-economic impacts. The giants of family violence, abuse, job losses, mental health issues, food insecurity and pornography consumption are social challenges that have surged since the pandemic began. Children and young people are most impacted by these “giants”. Children are experiencing higher rates of violence and abuse at home, and increasing numbers are forced into early marriage or child labour. Greater unsupervised time online creates vulnerability, not only to viewing pornography, but also to being groomed by online predators. For Freedom’s concern is that if these giants are left unchecked, millions more vulnerable men,
women and children, like Zuri and Maria, will be at risk of abuse, trafficking and exploitation. Perhaps the biggest impact has occurred in education. Save the Children estimates that the education of 90 per cent of the world’s children has been interrupted due to the pandemic.1 Families without income cannot afford computers or internet to study at home, and many students are unable to access learning materials. Schools are also where children socialise, develop emotionally and even access lunch and sanitary products otherwise not available. Educational disruptions greatly affect mental wellbeing — 84 per cent of young people interviewed
PRAY FOR: For children across the world facing the brunt of socio-economic fallout of the pandemic. For SIM workers in ministries to children, youth, university students to creatively harness new opportunities.
say they have experienced increased negative feelings as a result of school closures.2 SIM’s ministry leaders for children, youth, university, For Freedom and Sports Friends all report much higher rates of anxiety and depression among students, exacerbated by the loneliness, isolation and helplessness they feel. Suicide rates among young people have also risen during the pandemic. The opportunities But amid the challenges come unexpected opportunities. Moving meetings online has increased attendances for virtual youth events. Our SIM youth teams have discovered young people find it less intimidating to explore faith questions in online environments. COVID has necessitated creativity in the ways our workers connect with young people. Examples include intentionally contacting youth through social media, calling them with an encouraging word, or sending WWW.SIM.ORG
personal written prayers via they brought their friends — 120 text or WhatsApp. Interactive, kids turned up to practice! Since online youth group meetings have then, 24 boys have accepted Jesus prompted creative activities, such as their Saviour. as one study in which We might well each young person feel like David before COVID has had to grow a plant Goliath, armed only at home to remind with a few stones and necessitated them of how we grow a slingshot. creativity in the spiritually. But it is important ways our workers to remember the Lord One positive outcome of this was with David, and connect with pandemic is that David won. With our young people. it is now easier to Lord’s help, we too share knowledge and can take up our stones resources. of encouragement, Previously, a SIM youth leader creativity, and courage, and use them could only meet or do leadership to bring healing and hope to the training with one church at a time. communities we serve. Now she meets with several WHAT CAN YOU DO? churches in different countries in Listen to For Freedom’s Global the same meeting! Learning Café, “How to build Undoubtedly, COVID’s community resilience”, available continuing challenges are huge, but on PORT. Learn practical steps so are the opportunities. During for helping communities cope lockdown, a Sports Friends coach with COVID challenges. in Kenya stopped meeting with the Download Trauma Healing’s 50 boys he coached weekly. He was COVID response resources to sad, but decided to encourage them help children and teenagers and their parents via social media navigate mental health issues: and phone. When the lockdown www.sim.org/-/trauma-healing. lifted, not only did the boys return,
Ask your personnel manager to enrol you in For Freedom’s online, two-hour Prevention course. Learn a framework teams can use to strengthen communities struggling with giants.
Sarah Scott-Webb is SIM’s For Freedom Ministry Point Person, a role she shares with Karine Woldhuis. They serve our teams around the world by equipping them to prevent and confront exploitation and restore and transform survivors through Christ. Sarah holds a master’s in international relations (with a focus on genocide and human trafficking) and has 16 years of experience in the anti-trafficking sphere. Contact her at intl.forfreedom@sim.org. [1] Save the Children, The Hidden Impact of Covid-19 on Child Poverty [2] Save the Children, The Hidden Impact of Covid-19 on Education
Every child is different, but mothers are very much the same around the world — the same worries and fears, guilt and joys. Dive in to “For the Joy” and laugh and cry with 21 Australian mission mum as they share stories of raising kids in remote places and in some of the most populated cities in the world. These inspiring stories will resonate in the heart of the reader as fear, faith and figuring it out come together in page-turning reality. Stories include: • Home-schooling while living in a bus,
MAY 2021 • VOL 3 ISSUE 2
• Navigating the toddler years as a third-culture mum, • Raising a child with special needs, • Recovering from anxiety on the field, • The grief of losing your family to persecution ... and more! Honestly written, raw in emotion, sad and joyful in equal measure, this collection of stories offers insight into the complexities of parenting children while serving God, no matter where you call home. https://amzn.to/3v9c5Gc
BOOK RECOMMENDATION
BOOK RECOMMENDATION
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Q&A WITH AN SIM LEADER EMMA BREWSTER, GLOBAL DIRECTOR FOR MINISTRY OUTREACH Tell us a little about your background. I was born in Bermuda but moved to the UK when I was four. My parents lived out their lives for Jesus in everything. They are a huge role model for me, whether in the workplace, community, among young and old, cross-culturally or at home. African students lived with us while they were studying at university. Their passion for the Lord and commitment to prayer opened my eyes to our global God, giving me a heart for his world from a very early age. I spent a year in India teaching, before doing a Bachelor of Education and later, a Master of Theology and Leadership. The Lord led me into ‘full-time’ ministry (a term I’d rather not use, since life is ministry!) when I graduated. I engaged in student ministry, first in a church, then with the local IFES movement (UK and South Africa). Tell us a little about your family. One sister and my brother are in ministry in the UK and my other sister is a physio in Cape Town. They have blessed me with a cricket team of nephews and nieces; plus four great nieces and nephews! Being single is not what I had expected, but alongside my amazing nieces and nephews, God has also blessed me with children in whom he has called me to invest. That has been a huge privilege, teaching me many lessons.
Q&A with an SIM EDITORIAL leader
How did God lead you to SIM? By email and by influence. Malcolm and Liz McGregor, whom I didn’t know at the time, emailed
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me asking to meet with me in Cape Town. We met in a supermarket café and the rest is history. But if it wasn’t for Keith Walker and Siegfried Ngubane, both good friends and mentors, I don’t think I would have necessarily responded to the email. I was so grateful for their influence in my life — I thought if they were SIM, it must be worth exploring! What key things do you hope to achieve in your role with SIM? That communities are transformed by the gospel as God’s people reach out in faith with boldness and creativity, through whatever means. To see God’s kingdom extended, new areas engaged and other areas developed, all in partnership as the body of Christ. I long to see networks develop so we can grow and learn together, being a community reaching out across the globe in many and varied ways. I am so thankful for our team of 19 Ministry Point People (MPPs) who serve the mission. I look forward to brainstorming with leaders as we explore new areas of ministry — all with the aim of seeing the gospel go out to all people, for his glory. What inspires you when life gets difficult? Reminding myself of God’s goodness and faithfulness both to me and to others. Often at such times, God has given me a rainbow … but that’s another story and a book to be written one day! What do you do when you’re not working? Cycle, run, swim, walk, drink coffee with friends, have people round for braais, and spend time on the streets with my friends who live there. What is your favourite Bible verse? Joshua 1:9 is one I return to many times. I often feel God throws me into the unknown and I question why. But I hear his voice call out to me with these words. It is so amazing to know that whatever God calls you to, he is the one who leads you, guides you, gives you the words to say and empowers you by his Spirit. He simply calls us to obediently follow — yes, even when we don’t always want to. What piece of technology could you do without/ never do without? I love being tech free! How can we pray for you? For wisdom and that I would keep in step with the Spirit. There are many things to juggle in life and ministry. I want to be listening to his voice, knowing what he is calling me to for that moment, that day, month, year. WWW.SIM.ORG
OPPORTUNITIES TREASURERS NEEDED
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Treasurers are needed for Senegal, Guinea and Côte d’Ivoire immediately. SIM Senegal Treasurer Mark Tanquist was due to end his role after April 2021 but is continuing for a time from the US. These treasurers may work remotely, though working on site is ideal for Côte d’Ivoire. Senegal.treasurer@sim.org, guinea.director@sim.org, ci.director@sim.org
NIGER GALMI HOSPITAL DIRECTOR The hospital director guides a large, multi-cultural team, which is demonstrating God’s love through physical and spiritual healing. GALMI HOSPITAL FINANCE DIRECTOR The finance director develops a hospital budget, provides oversight of finances and helps to train the local team. All of this will also help in seeking funding from external sources. PERSONNEL COORDINATOR SIM Niger is seeking a personnel coordinator to interact with SIM sending entities, work closely in the placement of missionaries, and oversee their wellbeing on the field. niger.personnel@sim.org DO YOU HAVE AN URGENT OR STRATEGIC MINISTRY OPPORTUNITY THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE?
INTERNATIONAL COMMUNICATIONS REGIONAL COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATORS SIM is recruiting communications specialists to serve in each of SIM’s 10 regions, providing stories from our workers on the ground to our websites, social media and magazines. Regional Communications Coordinators must be based in the region they cover, have good internet access and reasonable access to travel within their region. Full support raising is required. INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS EDITOR SIM International Services seeks someone to oversee internal communications, including the content management and editing of Port. They will also coordinate the production of the annual Prayer Guide, Founders’ Day of Prayer, the 10 Days of Prayer, and translations. Strong written and organisational skills are required. Contact Int’l Communications Director Tim Allan. international.commsdirector@sim.org.
EMAIL CONNECT@SIM.ORG TO INCLUDE IN NEXT ISSUE.
Daniel Salamu, director of SIM’s West Africa Missions Office, says: “It is amazing to know that during the pandemic, the West Africa Missions Office recorded an all-time high in the number of workers accepted to serve. I can confidently say that 98 per cent of the mobilisation was done virtually.” Before COVID, candidates were interviewed in person by members of WAMO’s national committees. But during 2020, more than 20 candidates were interviewed via Zoom. For the first time, the sending church of one candidate was invited to join the virtual interviews, giving them an opportunity to participate and know how to better support their candidate. MAY 2021 • VOL 3 ISSUE 2
The WAMO staff members live in different countries – Côte d’Ivoire, Niger, Liberia, USA, and Ghana – and meet once a year on average. Their ability to operate like that before COVID enabled them to adopt new strategies and technologies quickly during the pandemic. Group orientation and training events also moved to Zoom in 2020. Daniel says: “The turn-up online was very encouraging; out of 30 appointees, an average of 28 participants attended the sessions for a period of two weeks, all thanks to the availability of technology.” WAMO has 35 appointees and 31 active members. Daniel says: ‘We continue to solicit your prayers for travel restrictions to lift as workers prepare to go to their new communities.’
OPPORTUNITIES
MOBILISING DURING COVID IS VIRTUAL SUCCESS
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FAITHFUL WITNESS:
PRAYING FOR COMMUNITIES WHERE CHRIST IS LEAST KNOWN We believe that God is everywhere; present, allknowing, and all-powerful. But even in God’s power, he invites us into the work of making his name known to all people. He invites us to show up. I ask myself how often do I ‘show up’? To what degree am I living out the presence, power, and knowledge of Christ in me, the hope of glory? Last quarter we were impacted by the word picture of darkness brought to us by Rochelle Watt https:// bit.ly/3nEL6j4. Today, we consider ways to pierce the darkness. God has promised that out of darkness light will shine. By prayer, we long to see communities transformed and as Dr. Joshua Bogunjoko puts it: “By Prayer is not a slogan pasted on the outside of our literature; it is a conviction bound on the inside of our hearts. By Prayer is not a clever sound bite; it is a humble posture. By Prayer is not compartmentalised as one duty of ministry; it shapes every aspect of ministry. By Prayer is not an empty ritual; it is an activity that in itself expresses love and compassion for others.”
Praise God for faithful witnesses bringing the message of light to forgotten communities. I invite you to pray for our colleagues living where Christ is least known, being the light of the world, dispelling darkness. Pray for unity as multi-ethnic teams form. May the word of their testimony be heard and received. Ask great wisdom, that their good deeds will glorify God. Join with them By Prayer as communities are transformed. Lynell Thomas serves as the Faithful Witness prayer editor and coordinator. You can support the Faithful Witness initiative by mobilising people, prayer, and resources for our eight ministry teams. Email Lynell at faithfulwitness.lead@ sim.org to sign up to receive regular prayer requests.
FAITHFUL WITNESS
MAKING THE GOSPEL LOCAL
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Traditionally, SIM Australia has solely sent mission workers overseas. SIM Australia has developed a local ministry called Across as they try to take the gospel to least-reached people groups in their own country. Headed by Alan Millhouse, Across facilitates mission workers within Australia to reach communities who have yet to hear the gospel, such as migrants and university students. Through Across, SIM supports and partners with local churches as they minister crossculturally in local settings such as universities, counselling and sports. Angela, an Across worker, is the co-founder and coordinator of Freedom To Flourish, a Sydney-based ministry run in collaboration with Pioneers Australia. It seeks to address the mental health needs of refugees and asylum seekers in Sydney who are dealing with trauma.
They have set up a community garden and Miriam*, who is newly arrived in Australia, enjoys coming along. With no friends or family in Sydney, she was feeling isolated when her children were at school and her husband at work. Angela said, “When I first met Miriam, she told me she missed home. She used to grow her own
food, but now struggled to buy all she used to have in her backyard. Iinvited her to come to the local community garden with me.” Miriam loved the idea and joined the group. She came every week, working hard in the soil and growing lots of organic fresh food to feed her family. She also met like-minded friends. “We had a few spiritual conversations and she said the garden was a God-sent activity because she had sun exposure, a purpose, physical activity, fresh produce, friends, and something to look forward to doing while her husband and kids were away during the day,” Angela explained. Miriam has been introduced to new foods and even learnt how to cook new recipes. She is now helping Angela to develop the therapeutic community garden to reach out to others. https://www.sim.org.au/Across https://bit.ly/3t9haNb *Name changed to protect identity.
WWW.SIM.ORG
