Less than one month into the role of International Missions director, I am already over-joyed to learn more about what God is doing across our mission fields through our missionaries and national workers. It has been a month of exploring possibilities and of prayer for God’s vision in our various ministries as we continue to labor in His kingdom. One of the most exciting aspects has been the reports coming in from the fields. I heard of the victories of our MVP teams and shared in the excitement of our first Filipino MVP Team; our hearts rejoiced at the stories of conversions through the various evangelistic meetings and crusades; I was touched by the prayer needs of our missionary partners. However, there was one particular story that came across my desk which really resonated with me of the success of our labor and investment in the growth of God’s kingdom. The story came from Phil and Cindy Warren and was about attending their first Filipino wedding. The bride and groom were involved in the ministry of Jesus Is The Answer General Baptist Church, but what caught my attention was that bride was the child of a General Baptist pastoral family and the grandchild of a deacon in one of our churches. Three generations of a faithful General Baptist family. What a beautiful confirmation of all that is good when lives have been touched by the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ! A joining of two Christian hearts in marriage and blessed by multiple generations of believers. It is a story that continues to evolve from humble beginnings, a great deal of prayer, and a vision. A story that began over 60 years ago when General Baptists courageously decided to engage our hearts, prayers, and lives in the Philippine islands. As the commercial says the result is “priceless.” Seeing generations impacted by the gospel, watching the Philippines sending their first MVP team to India, listening to countless stories of lives being changed – this is what your investment in God’s kingdom is really all about. These stories can be and will be repeated time and time again in our mission fields around the globe as we remain faithful to God’s call. —Mark Powell, Director
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MVP PROGRAM The MVP program has had an incredible year so far, and more exciting things are to come! We held our first team leader and host retreat at Camp Allen in April. It was a wonderful time of training and fellowship. We hope to make this an annual event so all team leaders and hosts, be on the look out for your invitations next year and make plans to join us. In early May, MVP sent out its first ever Filipino mission team. Dr. Joyce Porcadilla led a team of seven to India. This was a monumental move as GBBC prepares to send out students among the unreached around them. God is truly at work and we are excited to see all that God had done and will continue to do through our brothers and sisters around the world! Plans are underway for next year’s MVP teams. Please contact Kris Yeomans at kris@generalbaptist.com if you would like to lead or participate on a short-term mission team to Honduras, Mexico, India, the Philippines or Jamaica. —Kris Yeomans
General Baptist International Ministries 100 Stinson Drive Poplar Bluff, MO 63901
ReMarks
GENERAL
“Christ tasted death for every man.” Hebrews 2:9 JUNE 2015
FIRST PHILIPPINE MVP TEAM TO INDIA On May 3 the first all-Filipino team to go on an international missions trip left for India. The team was composed of Loreto Socias Jr., a new graduate of GBBC; Lovella Vizcarra, teacher and coordinator of GBBC’s campus ministries; Jan Michael Mercado, teacher and technical supervisor of GBBC; Eliazar Gegare, pastor and Maintenance Supervisor of GBBC, together with his wife, Mercy; Jesus Buscagan, Pastor and member of the Board of Trustees of GBBC; and Joyce C. Porcadilla, President of GBBC and the leader of the team.
The team left Davao City with excitement as well as anxiousness and nervousness..But praise be to God for allowing us to finally arrive in India. We were welcomed by Jessey and Brittany Vemula, Nicole Yeomans, and some church members. We had the opportunity to meet pastors and their families from various churches. We gathered at Calvary GB Church in JUNE 2015 CAPSULE
Siddipet where the team preached, taught and gave encouragement through God’s word and prayers. A prayer meeting was held with members of one of the house churches in Machapur. It was held late in the evening so to not draw much attention since there were foreigners. Before heading back to Siddipet, we visited another pastor and his family who were in a critical area called Ramanchan. This was already past midnight, but the pastor and his wife waited for us. We spent time in prayer but did not stay very long as it was not advisable. It was a unique experience to visit a Hindu temple and see the different gods and goddesses. No wonder there is a need to make more disciples and raise more leaders on this side of the world to share the Gospel. We have seen how they worship their gods and they need to know the truth. The team was all the more encouraged to train and equip more workers and develop more leaders because truly the harvest is plentiful. On Sunday we worshipped at Calvary Church. Pastor Gegare had the opportunity to assist Pastor Jessey in two baptisms. It was inspiring to see the fruits of the labor of God’s servants in India and a blessing to see what God is doing through the ministries of
Calvary Church and His servants, Jessey and Brittany Vemula. Finally, the team visited the church in Rudraram that has been destroyed seven times but has been rebuilt and has existed for some time now without disturbances. It was encouraging to see their perseverance in the face of opposition. According to the pastor God has never abandoned them. What a testimony! The team left India blessed and encouraged...with a burning passion for the lost, fresh vision of partnering with our Indian brothers and sisters, and with the determination to continue to press forward in making more disciples for Christ because there are still so many people who need to hear the Gospel and to know the truth. With the same mission of making disciples for Christ through training and equipping His people, both the Philippine and Indian fields are committed to raise and develop more leaders who will reach our nations with the Gospel to the ends of the earth...until all will hear.
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POPLAR BLUFF, MO PERMIT NO. 164 US POSTAGE PAID ORGANIZATION NON-PROFIT
MISSION HIGHLIGHTS
THE JOURNEY NORTH By Ryan Stead
Last February our family landed in El Paso, Texas to begin a new chapter of our ministry. El Paso! Why El Paso? To
briefly explain, in January, we were presented with the opportunity to become the Coordinator for Mexico, and relaunch the General Baptist work in Mexico. It was a very difficult decision for our family. However, after much prayer for wisdom and discernment, Amanda and I believed that Mexico was where God wanted us. So we once again packed up our things, said many tearful goodbyes, and boarded a plane for someplace we had never been. On the plane, the man sitting next to Amanda asked her, “Where do you live in El Paso?” and it struck us that we had no idea. Thankfully we were met at the airport by our national leaders, Pedro and Elida Quezada, and they shuttled us off to the team house where we are currently living. The past four months have been a whirlwind as we are, once again, establishing life in a new city. Even though at times we have asked questions about God’s plans for us, He has remained so very faithful. A few weeks ago, along with a friend, Ryan drove to Honduras to collect the remainder of our kids’ school books and other personal items we could not bring with us on the plane. It was a four-day tiresome trip each direction, but Ryan experienced a broad snapshot of life in Mexico from north to south. This also gave ample time to pray and seek God in what His plan is for this time in our lives. What might have just been a Page 2
MISSION HIGHLIGHTS
boring and arduous journey, turned into a very blessed and inspirational time of reflection and vision casting. Amanda and the kids have been busy getting back on track with their homeschooling and making friends in our new community. Once again, God has been faithful to open doors and has brought some wonderful people into our lives. They are now surrounded by an encouraging support network as they work toward the next school year and look forward to teaching science class as in previous years in other locations as part of a co-op. In addition, our churches have been asking for ESL (English as Second Language) classes, and we are very excited about initiating this new and very practical aspect of ministry. The team house, where we live, is about 15 minutes from the U.S. and Mexico border. Every Sunday and Wednesday, with great excitement, we climb into the van with Pedro and Elida and head off to Juarez. This time has been an amazing blessing and we have been embraced by the loving people in our churches in Mexico. They have completely brought us into their spiritual family, and it is a privilege to serve along-side them every week. Our churches have many children, making our experiences a lot of fun for Thomas, Emily, and Sam as well. This time has begun to give us clear insight into the kindness and warm hearts of the people, and God is slowly beginning to paint a picture of what He has in store for us. We are incredibly excited as we move through this transition! Recently we traveled to Chihuahua City in Chihuahua, Mexico to visit our church there, and during this time we established initial discussions with Pastors Pedro and Joel about how God is working through the General Baptists in Mexico and how we most effectively proceed from here. These discussions, along with many more to come, will help shape the ministry and how we further
equip our churches to serve God in their communities and, if possible in the future, elsewhere. Will you please join us in prayer as we implore the Spirit to move hearts and seek direction for our churches?
OUTCASTS OF THE OUTCASTS
By Jessey Vemula
In Calvary Grace General Baptist Ministries India there are many different kinds of ministries. There is the Lydia Sewing Center for destitute women; the Good Shepherd’s Children’s Home for poor and abandoned children; food and clothing distribution; livestock purchasing for poor pastors; evangelism; church planting; and a ministry among prostitutes. We are greatly blessed to have many supporters and prayer warriors for these ministries. There is one ministry, though, that defines the true meaning of what Calvary General Baptist Ministries is all about, and that ministry is in a very small and poor village. This village in the Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh is home to many people who are considered to be outcasts. These people are outcasts of society just because of their social caste (status). However, they all are outcasts for another reason and that is their health. Actually, 80% of this village is HIV positive and there are also people with leprosy and albinism in the village as well. Most of the HIV started from unhygienic health practices. The village is away from the main city and civilization, so who would go there? JUNE 2015 CAPSULE
Pastor Krishniah, an ordained General Baptist Minister through Calvary Grace Ministries, has worked in that village for eight years. He pastors the church there with his wife and young daughter. God has greatly used this man to show His love and grace to a people that no one wants or cares about. Even though Pastor Krishniah lost his arm last year in a bus accident, God has enabled him to do great things for His kingdom. Another pastor, Pastor Doraswamy, is working alongside Pastor Krishniah in the same community but in another village. Despite he and his wife having HIV they are still being used by God to help further General Baptist Ministries India in this area. Thanks to our prayer warriors and supporters we were able to visit this village. The most wonderful and touching thing that we saw was the way people were praising and worshipping God! Even though these people knew they were dying, they were praising God with all the sincerity in their hearts. If Pastor Krishniah had not been called to serve, many of those people would not have the hope God offers. Thanks to our livestock project support we were able to purchase a cow for Pastor Krishniah and for Pastor Doraswamy. They are very grateful for this gift and are using these cows to help the families of this village.
Please continue to pray for this ministry as it develops. Also, pray that we will be able to take mission teams to this amazing place. Thanks to all of you who pray for and support us and the great ministry God is doing in India. JUNE 2015 CAPSULE
READY FOR ROUND TWO By Phil Warren
The past two years have flown for our family as we have served In Saipan and now here in the Philippines. The ministry in Saipan was a good transitional time for us and helped prepare us for our ministry here in Davao. We had a large Filipino congregation that introduced us to customs, culture, and food. We enjoyed the island and our ministry with Saipan Community Church and School. We hated to leave, but God moved us to an area of ministry that we have absolutely enjoyed. General Baptists in the Philippines have a long and rich history. We celebrated the Bible College’s 50th Anniversary this year, and it is amazing to see what God has done and the lives that have been changed since it’s humble beginnings.
Cindy and I have been able to teach at the college, and these young people have a deep and genuine faith. Many of them come from multiple generations of General Baptist and often go home on the weekends to serve in their local churches. It is a joy to invest in their young and passionate lives, and I am so grateful that my sons Oliver and Harley have been able to experience their lives as well.
The General Baptist Church in the Philippines has very limited resources but a great conviction that God wants His church to grow. They often meet for years before they can build a permanent place to worship. Many of the pastors have very small salaries and most are bivocational, yet they are starting new churches. They are eager to learn and are even expanding their vision beyond the borders of the Philippines. We have enjoyed worshipping with them, teaching at the District meetings and joining them in the ministry outreach events. We love their hard work, laughter, and food (well, most of it).
Yes, there is a desire to return home to family, friends and the pastoral ministry. However, God makes no mistakes, and we believe that we are here “for such a time as this.” Please pray for us that God will maximize our time here for His glory and for the good of the General Baptist in the Philippines. We have extended our commitment to ministry here in the Philippines.
2015 VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL THE 2015 VBS PROJECT FOR INTERNATIONAL MISSIONS IS TO REBUILD CASA 3 AT FAITH HOME HONDURAS. THIS COTTAGE WAS SO BADLY DAMAGED BY AN EARTHQUAKE THAT IT HAD TO BE RAZED. REPLACEMENT COST IS ESTIMATED TO BE $40,000. IF YOU HAVE NOT RECEIVED YOUR VBS INFORMATION PACKET, PLEASE CALL MELODY AT 573-785-7746. PAGE 3