SIM CONNECT 2020 Issue 1

For SIM workers, by SIM workers

FEB 2020 • VOL 2 ISSUE 1

SIM’s Missional Business moves forward First SIM member from Bangladesh East African missionary kids Ministering with disabilities

CONTENTS Introduction ............................................... 2-3 New Harvest Workers .............................. 4-5 East African missionary kids .......................6 Q&A with an SIM leader: Hyon Kim ..........7 News ................................................................8 Leader appointments ....................................9 CALLED: Laizu Akther............................... 10 Are you signed up?...................................... 11 Chaplain’s word of encouragement .......... 12 Ministering with disabilities ....................... 13 .............................................................. ......... 14 Missional Business opportunities ........... 15 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Faithful Witness .......................................... 16

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© SIM International 2020.

Connect is an internal publication of SIM International for the encouragement and information of SIM 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 Cover: Christine Jeyachandran, pg. 13.

DIVERSITY OF GIFTS AND MINISTRIES We have greatly cheri­shed our diversity in SIM. We have written about and celebrated the global make-up of our workers who re­present many nations, cultures, denominations, experiences and backgrounds — all working together to make Christ known where he is least known.

We celebrate the growing number of SIM members from newer sending co­ ntexts. We rejoice at the continued participation in the work which began more than a century ago. We are, indeed, diverse.

However, I want to focus here on the diversity of our ministries, which flows from our diverse gifts and skills.

SIM can be described as a “general mission.” We are not about a single issue, ministry or cause.

Not only do we do direct evangelism, we also do medical work. We do not just teach theological education, we also plant churches.

We do not only translate the Bible, we also help farmers improve agricultural practices.

We do not only run schools, we also launch businesses. We do not only send those who raise financial support, we also send those who are paid salaries or support themselves through business. All these and more represent a diversity of gifts and skills that is quintessentially SIM. A diversity of ministries and gifts gives us the ability to enter any community, no matter where it is located or what its particular needs are. Our diversity ensures our relevance in nearly any community without Christ on earth.

Yet our diversity of ministries also enables us to serve in established contexts. We work ­

INTRODUCTION

with existing churches in theological this tool, we can cross barriers into commueducation, strengthening and challenging nities where Christ is least known, helping them to respond to communities where people engage in work, earn a wage, and Christ is least known. We invest in training experience dignity. By bringing the gospel to pastors, leaders and missionaries for and communities through MB, we model godly from churches, as they are established. Our profit-making — or profit-making with a diversity makes it possible not only to invest conscience. We also become mentors to in kindergartens, but also to teach doctoral others who desire to do business God’s way, programmes in universities. to bless and transform their societies. In the Ministry diversity allows us to be holistic process, opportunities for spiritual conin our outreach and outcomes. We care for versations many times lead people to the the medical needs of the sick and also give Saviour and to being and making disciples. them spiritual and psychosocial care; we care Yes, SIM is about biblically-rooted for their families who are afraid; we care for diversity. Diversity exists in all realms of their communities by preventing disease and nature, as God designed. As the apostle promoting health; and Paul said in Romans we train new medical 12:6, “Since we have A diversity of ministries and gifts gives gifts that differ workers to care for the us the ability to enter any community, sick and to join us as according to the grace no matter where it is located or what its given to us, each harvest workers.

We do all of us is to exercise particular needs are. these because we them accordingly: if understand our call is prophecy, according to to be a general mission with a focus: a focus the proportion of his faith.” on those who live and die without hearing We rejoice that God has called us from God’s good news. diverse homes, nations, languages, cultures, Valuing diverse ministries also gives churches, and with diverse gifts and skills us a mindset, which helps us identify new into diverse ministries. I am grateful for opportunities. One example is the ministry each one of you because of the gifts and of language-learning. It is a wonderful skills that you bring to serve Jesus. Thank gift from God that we must gradually, like you for being you and thank you for the a child, begin to grasp words in a foreign gifts with which you serve the family, serve language and slowly learn to respond to in the family, and serve with the family. simple questions. In the process, we are deeply touched by the very ones we have gone to reach. Often, our language helpers are deeply impacted by us, and many do indeed find the Saviour of the learner.

Recently SIM workers gathered to disJoshua Bogunjoko cuss how to advance SIM’s participation in SIM International Missional Business (see page 15). Through Director

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NEW HARVEST WORKERS Alan & Fiona Murray

Church: East Taieri Presbyterian Church, Otago, New Zealand Where will you serve?

Doro Clinic, South Sudan What will you be doing?

Serving as a nurse at the clinic.

Pray: Thank God for prayer and financial partners already on my team. For more speaking opportunities to raise more support.

Church: Franklin Baptist, Pukekohe, New Zealand Where will you serve?

Chiang Mai, Thailand What will you be doing?

IT work, teaching English Pray: For wisdom and guidance; for our children as they prepare, and for their schooling in Chiang Mai.

Matthew and Jessica Dupuis

New harvest workers

Erica Aarsen

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Church: New Hope Christian Assembly, Edmonton, Canada Where will you serve?

Novi Sad, Serbia What will you be doing?

Working with the Roma to meet a physical need and help them find their identity in Jesus Christ.

Pray: For joy and perseverance in preparing well for the lessons, and for living in this country where everything is different.

Church: Evangelical Mission for Redemption in D.R. Congo Where will you serve?

ELWA Hospital, Liberia What will you be doing?

Using our skills as a surgeon and a general practitioner (in internal medicine) to serve in the ELWA team.

Pray: For the equipping of the Holy Spirit, wisdom, right decisions and continuing to obey God’s will.

Drs. DieudonnÉ and Christelle Lemfuka WWW.SIM.ORG

Abdi DUALE and Kawser OMAR

Church: Located in Belgium Where will you serve?

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia What will you be doing?

Evangelisation radio program broadcasts to Somalis and follow-up with individuals on social network.

Pray: For safety and for a committed Somali Christian who can serve with us and share the workload.

Church: Winterville Baptist Church, North Carolina, US Where will you serve?

Niger What will you be doing?

Veterinary medicine among nomadic herdsman.

Pray: Praise for our wonderful Fulfulde language teacher; pray for us to learn this language and for God’s clear guidance in opportunities he has for us.

Church: REACH Church, Port Elizabeth, South Africa Where will you serve?

Asia What will you be doing?

Serving at a school Pray: For adapting to the place, learning the language, and knowing how the LORD wants to use me.

Mark and Janet Topazian

Amy (not real name) FEBRUARY 2020 • VOL 2 ISSUE 1

New harvest workers

Roy and Denise Thagard

Church: Autumn Ridge Church, Minnesota, US Where will you serve?

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia What will you be doing?

Healthcare and MK education.

Pray: For the approval of Mark’s Ethiopian medical license. Strength for Janet as she begins a busy semester at Bingham Academy and for teachers for next school year.

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EAST AFRICAN MISSIONARY KIDS

BY WORKU HAILEMARIAM Worku Hailemariam is the Director of SIM’s East African Office in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Missionary kids

Wongel Mulugeta, Wongel (Gospel) Zeleke, William Cary, Ephrem Getachew – these are the names of some of our missionary kids that represent the message of the gospel and the lives of missionaries. Through these names, our missionaries remind themselves of their calling.

It is vital for missionary families and the sending church and mission to work together closely in the area of preparation, including expectations about the challenges ahead and how to tackle them together. As it is, missionary families are encountering challenges on both the sending and receiving sides.

Language African MKs are typically expected to speak a minimum of three languages. MKs from Ethiopia speak Amharic, our working language. In addition, they learn the ethnic language of their parents; an international language such as English, French, or Arabic;

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and finally, the national language of the country of service, such as Urdu or Chinese. In some cases, an ethnic language from the country of service is added.

On one hand, children exposed to three or more languages during their early years will more easily acquire even more languages. On the other hand, in the short-term, too many languages can cause some delays in education because mastery of the language of education is not complete.

Cultural challenges Every missionary expects to live in a foreign culture, but the mixed culture of the multi-national missionary community can be a surprise. In some fields, the kids join very diverse communities with no clear minority or majority culture. However, in most places the African MKs are a minority.

This dynamic can pave the way for loneliness and isolation. One MK on home assignment said, “We wish to stay in our country so that we can have more friends here.”

Education Lack of finances is the primary issue in children’s education.

The sending church and the extended family expect that MKs will access higher quality education outside their home country. They assume

that wherever the mission serves, good schooling is available. A second assumption is that the cost of education is manageable.

However, neither assumption is a reality.

On one hand, missionaries struggle to pay for their children’s education; on the other hand, churches struggle to add any more financial support. As a result, missionary parents carry the additional burden of raising education funds, an often overwhelming endeavour.

Despite the high cost of missions, I can testify that some African churches are supporting their missionaries with great sacrifice. They are not supporting according to how ‘affordable’ it is for them. Rather, as Paul puts it in 2 Corinthians 8:3: ‘For I testify that they gave not only what they could afford but far more, and they did it of their own free will.’ I have seen that some of the churches, though their buildings are in poor condition and there are other priorities, are devoted to giving first priority to missions.

As we have visited missionaries sent from our East African Office, we have observed amazing potential and resiliency among our MKs. Some may become missionary pilots, cross-cultural ministers, and teachers of other MKs. We could produce a second generation of missionaries.

PLEASE PRAY:  For solutions to education for our East African MKs.  For sending churches and extended families to work together in supporting whole families to go.  For resilience, joy and spiritual growth for each MK. WWW.SIM.ORG

MEET HYON KIM SIM GLOBAL DIRECTOR OF PEOPLE DEVELOPMENT ANSWERS KEY QUESTIONS Tell us a little about your background.

I was born in Seoul, South Korea, but my parents immigrated to Canada when I was two. Growing up as an immigrant in a non-Christian family had its challenges but I am grateful for the ways God used it to build my character. When I was 12, I followed a bunch of “cool teens” to a youth outreach event. To my surprise, I came home with a new and forever friend in Jesus. In my early 20s, I sensed God’s call to mission.

I initially resisted, telling God he couldn’t trust my small faith. But God reminded me that it was about his faithfulness alone. Ever since, I have held on to the awesome promise of God’s faithfulness.

Prior to my current role with SIM, I practised as a palliative care physician. Seeing people dying and grieving taught me about the importance of living for the right things wholeheartedly.

I am passionate about lifelong learning and have master’s degrees Seeing people dying in theological studies and public health. I served with SIM at Galmi and grieving taught me Hospital in Niger and on the SIM about the importance of Canada board.

are also days when God uses a Bach piano concerto and our family’s ‘emergency’ frozen chocolate raspberry cake to let me know he is near.

What inspires you when life gets difficult?

God’s loyal, faithful, dependable and never-changing love gives me strength. God’s promise that all that he is, he will always be, gives me great hope. There FEBRUARY 2020 • VOL 2 ISSUE 1

How can we pray for you?

Pray for godly wisdom and courage to carry out my role. Pray God would be pleased to help me, my team, and all SIM’s people grow more like Jesus for his glory.

Q&A with an SIM leader New harvest workers

What do you do when you’re living for the right things Tell us a little about your family. not working? wholeheartedly.

My husband, Peter Chu, is a trauma I spend time with Peter and our surgeon and Bible teacher at Tyndale girls. I intentionally keep up with Seminary. He and our girls, Charlotte close friends, mentors, mentees, (12) and Katie (9), are my cheering and a spiritual director. I am happy with a good book, a squad. They also help bring me back to earth and keep long walk and quiet time with the Lord. me real.

What is your favourite Bible verse?

How did God lead you and Peter to SIM? There are many days when our circumstances make Peter and I both felt called to medical missions and no ‘worldly’ sense. That’s when Proverbs 3:5-6 tried to discern a community where God’s call, the comes to mind, “Trust in the Lord with all your local needs, and our skills lined up. When SIM’s heart and lean not on your own understanding.”

Galmi Hospital in Niger was proposed, we baulked I also appreciate Psalm 13, “How long, O Lord, and asked, “Where on earth is Niger?” Yet the three will you forget me forever?” Laments remind me I things lined up, so we went to Galmi. am not alone in my human struggles and that my relationship with God must be real.

What key things do you hope to achieve in your role with SIM? What piece of technology could you do without/ That God will use our People Development and Care never to without? team to help SIM’s people grow as a community of Foam ear plugs. The free orange ones you get on kingdom workers growing more like Jesus. We seek to airplanes are the best. I have them throughout help people grow in their relationship with God, with my house. They create spaces of silence in a world people, in ministry skills and effectiveness, and in that doesn’t stop talking. (If you don’t want yours, their well-being and resilience. can I have them?)

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NEWS

events

| resources | updates

DMG SIGNS MISSION AGREEMENT

SIM’s long-standing partner in Germany, DMG, has signed the SIM Mission Agreement. In effect they are now SIM Germany, but will continue under the name DMG, because that carries great weight in Germany.

DMG will send workers directly, rather than through SIM UK, and will take full responsibility for orientating new workers, member care and other issues. They will still be able to send workers through other partner organisations.

We are grateful for the Lord’s leading and pray he will send many more German workers into his mission.

COMMS & SECURITY WORKSHOP

A communications and security workshop will be held from October 26-30, 2020 at DMG’s headquarters in Germany. We would love all SIM workers whose role involves communications or security – including regional and country directors – to be there. Contact Tim Allan for an invitation or more information. Places are limited to 50. international.commsdirector@sim.org

HONOR-SHAME CONFERENCE

The Honor-Shame Conference: Reconciling the Nations will take place from June 8–10, 2020, near Chicago, USA. Sessions will explore how honour and shame influence the gospel, the church, and disciplines such as theology, missiology, and counselling. Cross-cultural workers and mobilisers, pastors, mission leaders, educators, and counsellors are encouraged to attend. The 2017 conference brought 285 people together from 100 organisations. Learn more: HonorShame-Conference.com

NEWS

UK OFFICE MOVE

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The UK office has now moved to Cambridge after 21 years at Wetheringsett Manor, Suffolk.

The move has been made in response to the changing patterns of mission and SIM UK’s desire to effectively serve the wider evangelical church. They trust that being more accessible will strengthen relationships with workers and sending churches. Working from a place where all ages and nationalities mingle will enable them to become strengthened through diversity and responsive to our times.

The office team is enjoying being based at a community centre in Cambridge whilst their more permanent accommodation

SIM’S NEW ARCHIVIST Please welcome Eric Welborne as the head of the SIM International Archives, based in Fort Mill, USA. Eric has a passion for culture, writing and research. He holds master’s degrees in intercultural studies and in English. He served with SIM for one year in 1995 in Senegal, where he researched animal folktales and facilitated a Bible study in the Wolof language. Eric takes over from Tim Geysbeek, our historian, who now teaches at Jos Evangelical Theological Seminary in Nigeria.

Contact Eric with queries, including how you can contribute documents and items, whether personal, from your ministry, or from your country. international.archives@sim.org

CLOUD OF WITNESSES

is fitted out, ready for use later this year.

SIM also has a small office in Needham Market, just outside Ipswich, where Keith Walker, Helen Heron and Paula Beaton of SIM International are based.

All UK email contacts remain the same; phone numbers and the postal address also still function and should be used for now. New contact details will be issued for use once the office is in its longterm location.

We hope you found our new annual newsletter, Cloud of Witnesses, a fitting way to honour those SIM workers who have gone before us to glory.

Taking its name from the familiar passage in Hebrews 12, it was emailed mission-wide on December 29 and can also be found on Port. Click the archives button on the home page. See a tab for Cloud of Witnesses on the left. Our intention is to publish this every December, in the period between Christmas and New Year.

Thank you to all who sent obituaries from your country or region. For the year 2020, please send them to: international.archives@sim.org WWW.SIM.ORG

LEADER APPOINTMENTS Michelle Krewson

Faithful Witness Lead Start date: Jan 2020 TCK Michelle has served with SIM since 2013 and was part of the Faithful Witness initiative from its inception. She interned with SIM USA for a year, served with Sports Friends, and will lead the development of new locations for Faithful Witness. She reports to the Global Director of Strategic Development.

Donek Tesfaye

Ministry Evaluation & Learning Lead Start date: Jan 2020 Donek, from Addis Ababa, has been an SIM member since 2014 and served as deputy director of SIM Ethiopia. She and her husband, Israel Kidane, sit on the East Africa Sending Office board. Donek, who has degrees in accounting and organisational leadership, will report to Phil Bauman, Global Director of Strategic Development.

Joshua Ngunta Phil Bauman

Acting Director of SIM Mali Start date: Jan 2020 Joshua and his wife Carol have pioneered SIM’s church-planting work in Mali, West Africa, since the team began there 10 years ago. Originally from Nigeria, Joshua has planted churches among the Hausa people and has a passion to share Christ in the Islamic world.

Sherri Letchford

Global Director of Strategic Development Start date: Jun 2020 Phil has served as the Deputy Global Director of Strategic Development since 2018 and served as SIM Ghana Director from 2011 to 2019. He and his wife Andrea spent 19 years in Ghana. They are seeking God’s guidance as to where they should now be based.

Brendan Connally

Clive Barker

Regional Director for South Asia Start date: May 2020 Clive has served three consecutive terms as Pakistan area director, having been part of the SIM team there since 1993. He and his wife Cath are graduates of Northumbria Bible College, in the UK.

Ministry Point Person for Orality Start date: Jan 2020 Brendan and his wife Erin joined SIM Peru in 2009 to serve the Quechua people. Brendan helps low-literacy Quechua pastors and church leaders by teaching God’s Word through stories that can be easily memorised and taught to others.

He is passionate about orality as a tool to fulfil Christ’s commission.

Marcus Baeder

Regional Director for Europe Start date: Feb 2020 Marcus, from Switzerland, and his wife Jen joined SIM in 2005 and moved to Burkina Faso in 2007. He has since served in several leadership roles, including international coordinator for HOPE for AIDS, international projects coordinator and two acting regional director appointments.

Julieta Murillo

Latin America Director Start date: Jan 2020 Julieta Murillo Alvarado of Ecuador has served as SIM Latin America director since 2015 and has now been reappointed for a second term. She served in India for 11 years and founded the missions agency, Impacto Mundial, in Ecuador. She is now a seminary teacher, speaker, mobiliser and facilitator of Simply Mobilising courses.

CORRECTION: In the previous issue of Connect, the name Ken Baker was given as North Africa director. Ken Baker is SIM's Team Training and Development Lead. Ken R is our NA director; his family name is not given for security reasons. Thank you.

FEBRUARY 2020 • VOL 2 ISSUE 1

LEADER APPOINTMENTS

Board of Governors member-at-large Start date: Jan 2020 Sherri and her husband Steve have served with SIM for 21 years — eight years at Mukinge Hospital, Zambia, and 13 at AIC Kijabe Hospital, Kenya. Sherri is passionate about discipling and mentoring. She has a doctorate in physical therapy and more than 24 years of clinical and teaching experience.

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CALLED: LAIZU AKTHER SIM’S FIRST BANGLADESHI MEMBER BALANCES OUR LEDGERS

CALLED

Mrs. Laizu Akther has served as treasurer for the SIM Bangladesh office in Dhaka since 2005. In 2017, she became SIM’s first Bangladeshi member.

She also serves as training coordinator, travelling around the country to help team members develop their full potential. She says the most rewarding aspects of her role are “the opportunity to study God’s Word, live out my faith, and use my spiritual gifts.” She adds, “I desire to see the growth of new believers in the kingdom of God.” But Laizu was not always a Christ follower. Born into a Muslim family in 1969, she studied Islam in school. In the Bangladeshi educational system, students study one religious subject according to their religion.

But Laizu’s father became a Christian, and when Laizu was 14, he began to share the gospel with her and her sister. A year later, he gave her a Bible. While she learned the Quran in school, she read from Genesis, and it drew her attention more than the Quran.

Questions rose in her mind about Muslim claims. She asked her religious teacher about contradictions she read in the Quaran, and he became angry.

When she asked her father, he helped her understand assurance of salvation from the Bible and the identity of Jesus Christ.

Finally, she received Jesus as the only Saviour in the world, the one PLEASE PRAY: 

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who died on the cross for her sins.

Then she planned to receive baptism.

But there was a potential difficulty — she had married one month prior to this and had no idea how her new husband would perceive this.

But God had gone before and blessed her in an unimaginable way.

Her husband was already a believer, but she did not know it. She received baptism on February 10, 1989.

After that she worked in an evangelistic organisation from 1989 to 2003, which offered opportunities to worship together and fellowship with believers. But when the organisation closed due to funding, Laizu and husband Nekbar Ali were bereft of Christian fellowship. So they opened their own home as a house church.

Though it’s not easy for Muslim background believers to lead a Christian life, they are persevering.

For Laizu and Nekbar to hold the faith strongly and walk closely with God daily.

For their family to shine brightly, that their sons and daughters-in-law would take their place in missions and be

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even more fruitful than their parents.

For receptive hearts among relatives so they would return to God. For women discipled by Laizu to become active believers and disciple others.

Through the house church, they preach the gospel, celebrate events, assist believers, give baptisms and encourage each other.

But how did they find SIM? When Laizu and Nekbar married in 1989, he was a student of motorcycle mechanics at the SALAM Training Centre, a project of SIM Bangladesh.

Meanwhile, Laizu had various involvements with SIM such as teaching the Bangla language to foreign women, women’s fellowship, helping in language assessment and translation work. SIM workers also attended the house church in their home. When the SIM Bangladesh needed a finance person in 2005, then director Jim Dressner hired her.

Of Laizu’s eight brothers and sisters and their spouses, only 10 are believers. Others who once followed Christ are now living as Muslims.

Laizu and Nekbar continue to share the gospel with their extended family, praying God would open hearts to the good news.

Today Nekbar is with a business firm. Their two sons — Peter Saikat, architect, and Sagar, software engineer — and their wives are all believers. They are blessed with a one-year-old granddaughter.” laizu.akther@sim.org WWW.SIM.ORG

ARE YOU SIGNED UP? Ideas for incorporating the arts into mission and ministry opportunities are all available. Contact intl.arts@sim.org to subscribe.

SIM’s ArtsBeat newsletter equips and encourages the SIM creative community around the world. In it you will hear from workers in the arts, ranging from visual arts to music, drama and dance.

The monthly newsletter from Engaging the University shares stories, prayer requests and event notices to keep you informed

about this vital area of ministry through SIM and our partners globally. Contact intl. university@sim.org to subscribe.

SIM’s Sports Friends newsletter keeps you up-to-date their ministries in 15 countries.

Prayer requests, stories, campaigns, and ministry opportunities are all delivered

to your inbox monthly. Go to https:// www.sports-friends.org/en/our-media/ newsletters to subscribe.

For Freedom’s newsletter gives all the latest information on SIM ministries related to anti-trafficking, as well as

sharing best practices, prayer requests, and new ministry opportunities. Contact intl.forfreedom@sim.org to subscribe.

AfriGO and Allons-y! promote missions mobilisation in Africa and among its diaspora. This quarterly magazine features news and articles by African missionaries

and mission leaders. Available in English and French. Contact afrigo.english@sim.org or redactrice@sim.org to subscribe.

Email connect@sim.org

LEARNING CAFÉS 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.

Watch many previous Learning Cafés on Port.

Click the ‘International Leadership and Services’ button on the landing page, then go to ‘People Development & Care’ from the ‘Related Sites’ list. On the PDC page, select the top left tab Learning Cafés.

FEBRUARY 2020 • VOL 2 ISSUE 1

Look for an invitation from upcoming cafés from international.workerdevelopment@sim.org.

• Early March – Sacred Siblings (What married and single teammates thought they knew about each other, but probably don’t … and what to do about it!)

• Late March – Team Development • April – Embracing Vulnerability to Flourish • May – Talking to Teammates about TCK Teens • June – Intergenerational Partnerships

Are you signed up?

Do you have a ministry-focused newsletter that you would like to share here?

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CHAPLAIN’S WEEKLY WORD OF ENCOURAGEMENT Good morning SIM,

Chaplain’s word of encouragement

SIM’s Chaplaincy Lead, Mark Conard, serves on SIM’s People Development & Care Team. His role is to develop a diverse and skilled team of chaplains and pastoral caregivers, and to train SIM countries directly. Pastor Mark shares a word of encouragement by email each week. Here is a recent one. To sign up for it, email mark.conard@sim.org.

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Finding meaning in adversity is hard. It is the factor that so often causes people to give up the task God has called them to accomplish. Hagar went back to her difficult almost unbearable situation because God gave her meaning in her suffering. “I will greatly multiply your descendants so that they will be too many to count” (Genesis 16:10). This newfound meaning gave her courage to go back to the house of Abram and Sarai and face a great deal of pain and humiliation.

How often do Christians walk away from God’s calling because they lose sight of God’s plan? If they

understood the meaning, they might have had the fortitude to endure the difficult times. But unlike Hagar, God doesn’t always spell it out for us.

Are we sometimes too quick to run away from our struggles, believing that God could not possibly expect us to carry on?

How many places lie in darkness around the world because those who were called to bring the light of the Gospel gave up too soon? Do we sometimes avoid suffering rather than find the meaning in it and face the cost of what God has called us to accomplish?

Something to think about…

SIM PRINCIPLES & PRACTICE A P&P is a document that brings a section of the Mission Policy to life, shedding light on how to understand and apply it. P&Ps sit below the Mission Policy and belong to the International Director. They are subject to review by the Board of Governors (Mission Policy 1.1.1).

Leadership and Administration Available in English and French Dave MacDonald • global.directoroperations@sim.org Security Available in English, French and Spanish Nate Killoren • intl.crisisresponse@sim.org Projects Available in English Denise Skramstad • international.projects@sim.org Communications Available in English now, French and Spanish available April 2020 Tim Allan • international.commsdirector@sim.org

Finance Available in English Darren Campbell • international.cfo@sim.org Child Safety Each SIM entity has their own child safety policy and P&P. Th e template for the P&P is available in French, Spanish and English. For a copy please contact: Jason Hazell • international.childsafety@sim.org People Management, Development and Care Available in English, French and Spanish available June 2020 Helen Heron • international.personnel@sim.org Hyon Kim global.directorpeopledevelopment@sim.org

WHERE CAN I FIND A P&P?

Available on Port. Click the ‘International Leadership & Services’ button. Then click ‘Principles & Practices’ in the black dashboard bar.

WWW.SIM.ORG

BOOK REVIEW

“DISABILITY IN MISSION”

REVIEW BY CHRISTINE JEYACHANDRAN “Should you be going back to the mission field, considering your condition?” This question is often asked of me. Six years ago while on the mission field, I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease at the premature age of 37. So when I found this book, Disability in Mission, I’d already been exploring its themes. But new insights came through the wisdom of the writers.

The book’s point is illustrated by the true story of a deacon in the early church, burned to death for his actions.

“Lawrence … was ordered to bring the treasures of the church before the emperor. He collected all the poor, the sick, the lame, the elderly and disabled people he could find, took them to the emperor and said, ‘See, here are the treasures of the Church.’”

FEBRUARY 2020 • VOL 2 ISSUE 1

“Often society assumes the worst about people with disabilities….

Yet each of the powerful testimonies here affirms how God chooses weak people, equips them powerfully by his grace, and works through them.”

One story I loved was of a child with down syndrome born to missionaries in Indonesia. As in many societies, the people believe disability is the result of a curse, generational sin, or divine judgement. But this child became an example of hope.

The local community saw how she was loved and encouraged to reach her full potential, and it gave local mothers hope for their children who were different. The position of the missionary mother changed too.

In her own words: “Indonesians now perceived me as being more approachable.… shared weakness was like a bridge.”

The book tells of people getting new perspectives on their own situations. Even being present and united in weakness can encourage others and challenge the status quo.

Many lives, such as editor Nathan John’s, have changed completely. His daughter’s disability inspired him

Christine Jeyachandran serves with husband David and kids in Peru. She is engaged with student and women’s ministry and ministry with people with Parkinson’s Disease.

Her video, Handstand for Parkinson’s (https://youtu.be/ h1B6kUgN6WQ) was a finalist for the World Parkinson’s Congress video competition. Her blog is www. handstandforparkinsons.com

Disability in mission

The book links biblical examples of weakness and treasure. God says in Isaiah 45, “I will give you hidden treasures, riches stored in dark places, so that you may know that I am the LORD.” Paul celebrates his weakness, and the book’s stories reveal how God is glorified in the weaknesses of other humble servants.

The foreward is written by Joni Eareckson Tada, who knows firsthand the ministry God gave to her because of her quadriplegia.

Many previously untold stories reflect that ‘the parts of the body that

seem to be weaker are indispensable’ (1 Cor 12:22). Nathan John writes:

to coordinate community disability services all over India.

On a practical side, when disability is present, we must evaluate on a case-by-case basis the support services needed. Extra costs shouldn’t prevent health or emotional services and practicalities, but prayer is needed. SIM has evaluated my situation and freed me for service.

I’m excited to be back in Peru and love reaching people I’d never have thought to serve.

My disease has given me opportunities to speak in many meetings and churches, and thousands have seen my videos.

Many say, ‘You are inspiring.’ I’m just following God’s call and I’m blown away as I see how God turns weakness to his strength!

I loved the book and highly recommend it. May it touch you as it did me.

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SIM's monthly TABLE blog give you a glimpse of the thinking of SIM leaders. Please find these delivered to your SIM.org email the last Tuesday of each month.

Here is a glimpse of what's to come: February: Why teams matter, by Tim Allan, International Director of Communications

March: A biblical calling to one another, by Sandy Roberts, personnel director for SIM Zambia April: Relationship with God, by Daniel Salamu, Director of SIM’s West Africa Missions Office May: Growing in ministry skill and effectiveness, by Penny Bakewell, SIM Ghana Director

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SIM’S MISSIONAL BUSINESS MINISTRIES MOVE FORWARD A group of SIM workers with a passion for business ministry met at the end of last year and agreed a roadmap for the way forward.

The 18 workers spent four days in the Middle East, listening to God and to each other, working out what must happen if business ministry is to flourish within SIM. A video from Joshua Bogunjoko pointed them to creation and to the dignity of work.* They also heard TED talks from our practitioners; and Zoom calls with other organisations in different parts of the world facing similar challenges. The December meetings, which built on the 2017 Montenegro gathering, wrestled with some tough questions: How can we bring unity in our diversity, whether we run a small microenterprise or a large for-profit business, whether we serve in the marketplace or at home, as entrepreneurs or employees?

How can SIM support country teams to identify opportunities for business ministries and train them to oversee such ministries? How can we build networks which support businesspeople, providing coaching and specialist skills, such as accountancy and business planning?

The product of the discussions was a roadmap: 1. Form a global team to lead us, with regional hubs to serve contextually and relevantly. One regional hub is already working in East Asia.

2. Develop a database of all our businessoriented workers so we can be integrated and collaborate as a network across the mission.

One entrepreneur in the holistic manufacturing sector said, “It was great to get so many people from different facets of MB together in one place to learn, grow, plan and dream together. I’m encouraged by the support and look forward to easier and better access to this in running my MB.” Many communities in the world live and die without Christ and for many, missional business is one of the only ministry strategies well accepted and understood in the context. In other communities in the world, the love of Jesus has been shared through other ministry strategies, but not business. As a result, they have missed some unique opportunities that MB provides. MB is key to cross some barriers and we need to utilise this more effectively.

Will you commit to praying for and playing a part in the growth and development of business ministries, seeing a global team and regional hubs developed?

To learn more or to let us know who should be in the database, email intl.bizmin@sim.org. *On the home page of Port, look to “Ministry Point Persons” dropdown menu on the lower right. Choose Missional Business > Documents > December 2019 meeting > Joshua’s Video Message.

PLEASE PRAY: 



For the development of strong, collaborative network of MB practitioners.

For the Lord to encourage and guide each of our MB practitioners today.

SIM is ‘open for business’ around the world, in both open and restricted access countries. Here is a short list of skills and areas of knowledge, though many more could be added. Please share with your friends, prayer supporters and churches.   

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Entrepreneurs Accountants Human Resource specialists Consultants

FEBRUARY 2020 • VOL 2 ISSUE 1

 

 

Marketing professionals Communications workers IT Workers Micro-enterprise

    

Tourism Manufacturing Agriculture Textiles Healthcare

MINISTRY OPPORTUNITIES

OPPORTUNITIES TO SERVE:

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STORIES & UPDATES Updates and stories about Faithful Witness teams and workers can be found at sim.org/faithfulwitness or on social media. Each month we will be profiling different workers and the ministries that teams will be engaged with. To receive updates directly from Faithful Witness email global.faithfulwitness@sim.org.

LOCATIONS In 2019, four locations were identified to receive Faithful Witness teams. The first three locations are in Chad, Mali, and Thailand. A fourth location, was added in December 2019 in Northern Nigeria. This year several more locations and ministry opportunities will be added. If interested in serving or leading a Faithful Witness team

Faithful witness

contact global.faithfulwitness@sim.org to learn more details.

PRAY FOR Please join in praying for three things: that the Lord will raise up workers for his harvest that are needed for this initiative. for the over 17 people who have either joined a team or are preparing to go. that the Lord will raise the resources – financial and other needs. that we will stay in step with Jesus all the way, led by his Holy Spirit and guided by his Word and His love for all people.

global.faithfulwitness@sim.org

@global.faithfulwitness

facebook.com/global.faithfulwitness

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