How to find your place in WEC p10 Being church where there is no church p12 Mission: it’s a family affair p22
WORLDWIDE REACHED UN E TH NG HI AC RE R FO NE ZI GA MA THE 2018
WEC-UK.ORG
Sharing life and faith on the street where you live p16
Editor’s desk
About us
WEC UK exists to take the good news to the peoples and nations who have yet to hear it – the good news that Christ came to bring forgiveness of sins and peace with God, and to displace hatred with love. Want to know more? Please visit
wec-uk.org
Reading through this edition of Worldwide, I’m struck by the scale of the challenge of reaching the world’s unreached peoples. Nearly 7,000 people groups are still unreached by the gospel, and many of them live in regions which are either inaccessible or where Christianity is manifestly unwelcome. And yet, hope remains. I’m equally struck by the faith and ingenuity of WEC’s workers: sharing the gospel through computer schools, football clubs and simply living life with their neighbours. Others are embracing unprecedented opportunities to reach out to refugees. There are wonderful opportunities for mission, if we are imaginative enough to see them. And things are changing. Many of the unreached people groups we have been focusing on recently are ‘unreached’ no longer. With courage and creativity, and with the blessing and favour of God, our goal is indeed achievable. So let’s persevere in praying for the nations. Let’s keep our eyes open to new possibilities in mission. And let’s reflect on how God might have us play our part in reaching the unreached. Simeon Whiting Editor
MESSAGE US wec-uk.org facebook.com/WECUK twitter.com/wecuk instagram.com/wecuk issuu.com/wecuk
02 WORLDWIDE
WEC-UK.ORG
WHERE WE SERVE
WEC UK has 286 active workers, in the UK and overseas GHANA
Computers and Christ
CHAD
➜“Half of the current students are from muslim homes.” A WEC-run computer school is helping school-leavers to prepare for further education. Alongside teaching valuable computer skills, the tutors are building relationships with the students, giving them opportunities to find out more about the christian faith, and encouraging them to develop godly character. WEC worker June tells us: “Half of the current students are from muslim homes. It’s great to hear them sing songs like ‘Seek ye first the Kingdom of God’ with real enthusiasm!”
Pray for the teachers: for strong relationships with the ➜ students and for opportunities to share the hope of the gospel.
Faith, hope and the beautiful game Through a football ministry in Chad, young christian players are receiving teaching on how to live out their faith in a predominantly muslim environment and with muslim colleagues. It is hoped that these young men will not only grow as disciples of Christ but also, in turn, help others to grow in faith.
EDITOR Simeon Whiting email worldwide@wec-uk.org ART EDITOR Chris Lawrence email design@wec-uk.org TO SUBSCRIBE email magazine@wec-uk.org. Worldwide is published once a year and sent free of charge. To order multiple copies email magazine@wec-uk.org. Donations towards the cost of production and postage are gladly received. Worldwide is produced by WEC Media & Communications Office, PO Box 6461, Coventry CV3 5EQ Printed by Custard Apple Print, Bradford, on responsibly sourced paper. Please recycle this magazine. Copyright © WEC UK 2018. Permission is granted for the reproduction of text from this publication for WEC UK’s promotional use. For all other uses please contact us. Issue: 278. WEC International is a registered charity in England, Wales & Scotland, numbers 237005 & SCO37715.
*Top of page source: WEC stats
WEC-UK.ORG
03
WORLDWIDE
WHERE WE SERVE
66% of American Christians have experienced a period of doubt about their faith UK
Muslims turning to Jesus In the 2017 edition of Worldwide, we reported that Muslims around the world are turning to Christ in large numbers. WEC workers in the East Midlands have seen this trend for themselves this year. 29 believers from a muslim background have been baptised – 13 Iranians, nine Kurds, five Afghans, a Turkman and an Egyptian – and groups have begun to allow speakers of three Middle Eastern languages to discuss life and faith.
Pray with us for all these people that our teams meet: ➜ that strong cross-cultural friendships will be made, and that the hope of the gospel will be established in lives. *Top of page source: Barna Group
»mission trends There are unprecedented opportunities to reach immigrant communities. War, political unrest, famine and a raft of other issues have combined to leave more people displaced from their homes now than at any point in history. According to UNHCR, there are currently 65.6 million displaced people, worldwide. The sheer
04 WORLDWIDE
scale of the problem is dizzying and our response must be to cry out to God for all the people affected. But good is coming from this awful situation. “As we see so many on the move, we also see God giving us opportunities to reach out to them on our doorstep,” says Tiago Fonseca of Cornerstone Bible College. Christian projects all over the world, including within Europe, are
providing crucial support for displaced people. Alongside serving immigrants in practical ways, Christians are finding opportunities to share the gospel, often meeting an enthusiastic response, as is evidenced by the droves of refugees becoming Christians in Germany. For Christians willing to take action, there are golden opportunities to share the good news with people who might otherwise never hear it. WEC-INT.ORG.UK WEC-UK.ORG
WHERE WE SERVE
220,000 refugees have arrived in Europe in the last year, one in three of whom is a child THE NETHERLANDS
Training for refugee outreach
➜Students will learn how to help and welcome migrants and refugees, as well as gain skills for working cross-culturally.
Cornerstone, the WEC Bible College for Mission Training in the Netherlands, has announced the launch of Doorstep: a new training programme to prepare Christians to work with refugees and migrants. The one-year programme offers participants spiritual and theological input, alongside practical skills to reach out to people of all nationalities, coming to Europe. One of the brains behind Doorstep, Michael Eijgenraam, describes it as an answer to the current situation in Europe. “We are aware of the changes in the world. We have been praying about how we can respond to this new reality.”
Pray that this course will help many understand the ➜ needs of refugees and migrants. May it equip each student to reach people from different cultures, and help them to meet some of the needs of the people on their doorstep. For more information about Doorstep please visit doorsteptraining.com
➜
»my mission ...
Léa Chhagan looks back on a short-term mission to eastern France: My mission was to Strasbourg, helping in a café and serving in the local church, alongside two long-term WEC workers. I really enjoyed helping with English classes for kids – that was my favourite part. The lessons were really fun and I enjoyed getting to know the kids in the neighbourhood. The language barrier was probably the most challenging part of the mission for me, especially later in the trip, when I was getting tired. But I knew a little French before I went and my language skills improved loads while I was there. By the time I came home, I could understand most of what I was hearing. The cultural differences were tricky, too. The kiss-on-the-cheek thing took some getting used to and meals could last for four hours! I feel God is calling me to long-term mission, so it was exciting to get a taste of overseas work. I don’t know exactly where God will take me or what I’ll end up doing yet, but I’m happy to leave it in his hands. Go to wec-uk.org/trek for ➜ more info on WEC Short Term
*Top of page source: UNICEF
WEC-UK.ORG
05
WORLDWIDE
WHERE WE SERVE
6,996 people groups can still be described as unreached by the gospel WEC is focusing prayer on 33 people groups which have no indigenous church. Please join us in praying for these people groups: for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit, and for bold and committed workers who will share the good news with them.
Wolof
Country: Senegal Population in country: 5,993,000 Population in world: 6,572,500 Main language: Wolof Main religion: Islam Christ-followers: 0.01% Bible: New Testament only
UK
Going the Extra Mile A new WEC project is being launched, with the aim of winning people to Christ in the muslim heartlands of Britain. The Extra Mile Network invites christian professionals with employable skills to live and serve in muslim-majority communities, building relationships with their neighbours, living out the christian faith and sharing the gospel. Illustration: Charben Alilio
»the least first ...
>> Source: Operation World. Photos: Shutterstock and WEC
Basque
Country: Spain Population in country: 2,501,000 Population in world: 2,846,800 Main language: Basque Main religion: Christianity Christ-followers: 84.07% (but only 0.62% evangelical) Bible: complete
Bedouin
Country: Saudi Arabia Population in country: 1,271,000 Population in world: 2,213,000 Main language: Arabic Main religion: Islam Christ-followers: 0.17% Bible: portions
06 WORLDWIDE
Pray that Extra Mile will build a team who are ready ➜ to share their lives and welcome Muslims for Jesus’ sake. ➜Read more about the Extra Mile Network on page 19 For more information please email Colin: ➜ ExtraMile@wecinternational.org.uk UK
New members join WEC Autumn 2017 saw WEC UK’s first Candidate Orientation since moving to the new HQ in Coventry. The four new candidates benefited from focused training in theology and mission, with input from experienced mission practitioners, and a course in creative evangelism in Germany. The candidates are now all set for long-term mission; two in the UK and two in southeast Asia. *Top of page source: The Joshua Project
WEC-UK.ORG
WHERE WE SERVE
the best is yet to come We at WEC routinely set ambitious faith goals for our work. But God is good! We have seen him supply what we need to achieve these goals, and we’re continuing to trust him for the future. Here are a few figures to give you an idea of where WEC is now, and how we hope to grow:
wec has ...
it's great to see ...
but we're praying for ...
1,864 active members … … of 56 nationalities 545 new members since 2010 125 new locations since 2010 80 prayer networks 33 people groups identified
12 church planting locations in the Gambia 26 house churches planted by WEC workers in central Asia 147 new workers in South Korea since 2010 Two long-term workers in Belgium Seven teams in Asia
16 new workers wanted in Mozambique WEC Taiwan is aiming to send out 10 new workers
for focused prayer and outreach – 21 of them now actively engaged
by the end of 2018 WEC Albania is aiming to start work in six new areas WEC Australia is praying for 64 new workers
offering business-as-mission opportunities
join us where we work Could God be calling you to help WEC reach more unreached people? Get in touch to talk it over with us. Contact your WEC regional rep through wec-uk.org/contact or email info@wec-uk.org
WEC-UK.ORG
07
WORLDWIDE
For the 7000 Nearly 60% of the people groups in the world now have at least some understanding of the gospel. This is great news! However, it also means that almost 7,000 people groups (over 3 billion individuals!) remain unreached. WEC exists to take the good news to the peoples and nations who have yet to hear it. So our work will not be complete until these 7,000 peoples have heard the message of Jesus. Here are just a few examples of the world’s unreached peoples and what is needed in order to reach them:
HUICHOL
Country: Mexico Number of people: 52,000 Christians: 5% Majority religion: Ethnic religions
Needs and opportunities: ■ The Huichol are proud and fiercely independent, traits which could limit their openness to the gospel. ■ The New Testament and the Jesus film are available to them. ■ The Huichol need much prayer and additional labourers to reach them with the gospel.
TIGRE PITAGUARI Country: Brazil Number of people: 4,200 Christians: 5% Majority religion: Ethnic religions
Needs and opportunities: ■ The Pitaguari rely on farming for their income, so they need good harvests. ■ They also need to hear the good news! Pray that this will happen, perhaps as they travel to new areas to plant their crops.
08 WORLDWIDE
Country: Eritrea Number of people: 1,143,000 Christians: 0.09% Majority religion: Islam
Needs and opportunities: ■ Only a few Tigre have accepted Christ. Prayer is the key to reaching this people group with the gospel. ■ Incarnational ministry – living among the people for an extended time – may be the key to reaching the Tigre. ■ Sustained intercession will be vital to any effective outreach.
WEC-UK.ORG
FOR THE 7000
TURKMEN Country: Turkmenistan Number of people: 4,324,000 Christians: 0.05% Majority religion: Islam
Needs and opportunities: ■ The few Turkmen Christians face close scrutiny and persecution. They need freedom to worship. ■ Some effective work is being done to plant churches in Turkmenistan. ■ The Turkmen have the New Testament, but more workers and evangelistic tools are desperately needed.
SINHALESE Country: Sri Lanka Number of people: 10,729,000 Christians: 3.99% Majority religion: Buddhism
Needs and opportunities: ■ Sri Lanka has been torn apart in recent years by civil war. Development and reconciliation work are needed. ■ Few Sinhalese have any real understanding of the gospel. Fervent intercession, evangelistic materials, and increased missionary efforts are all needed for the Sinhalese to be saved.
NORTHERN PASHTUN Country: Australia Number of people: 8,700 Christians: 0% Majority religion: Islam
Needs and opportunities: ■ Pashtuns need the Holy Spirit to open their eyes so they can see Jesus as he really is. ■ Workers and strategies are needed to create a disciplemaking movement among Pashtun communities in Australia and beyond.
join us where we work You could help WEC reach these and other people groups with the good news. Pray with us or contact the WEC rep in your region to talk about how else you might get involved. See wec-uk.org/prayer and wec-uk.org/contact
Illustration by Rebecca Watts WEC-UK.ORG
09
WORLDWIDE
How to ...
find your place in WEC Mission takes all sorts of forms for WEC. Direct evangelism is still a vital element of our work, of course, but reaching unreached people often demands creativity and flexibility, so we need a huge breadth of skills and perspectives to achieve our vision. If you’re interested in joining us, there are several ways you could find your place in WEC …
Evangelism and discipleship Evangelism, discipleship and church planting are alive and well within WEC. If your passion is to simply share the good news and help people flourish in their walk with God, there are opportunities for you, all over the world. We’ll help you find a placement that suits you, train you before and during your time in the field, and support you throughout.
Short-term If you just want to dip your toe into the world of WEC, a short term mission is perfect. Many of our long-term workers started out with us in exactly this way. You’ll get a taste of cross-cultural mission, see more experienced workers in action, and gain a clearer idea of your skills and calling.
10 WORLDWIDE
WEC-UK.ORG
HOW TO
Study Do you love to learn? In several nations, there are unique opportunities for mission if you enrol as a student at a university, especially if you study the local language. It’s easy to build relationships with other students and share the gospel in that context, and knowledge of the language will stand you in good stead for ongoing mission after you’ve completed your course.
Professional skills Whatever your skill set, WEC has a role for you. Whether you’re a doctor, a chicken farmer (yes, really!), a teacher or an experienced business professional, you can use your skills in the field, train others, and get involved in evangelism and discipleship alongside your vocational work.
Associate membership Life can be complicated. If you’re serious about joining WEC but can’t step away from your existing responsibilities, then why not join us as an Associate? This flexible option allows you to make a major contribution to WEC’s work, as and when you can, so you can still fulfil your existing commitments. (This is how Worldwide’s Editor joined WEC!)
join us where we work Whatever your background, whatever your skills, if you’re serious about taking the good news to people who have yet to hear it, then we’d love to hear from you! Find out more about the latest opportunities with WEC at wec-uk.org/mission-opportunities
WEC-UK.ORG
11
WORLDWIDE
Ultra HD insight into how the Church will be when Jesus returns as our Bridegroom. Indeed, the book of Revelation is a thunderbolt to our preconceived ideas of what ‘being church’ means: Illustrations by “After this I looked, and John Hamilton there before me was a great multitude that no one could n effect, when you read the count, from every nation, title of this article, you had tribe, people and language, an acetate sheet projected standing before the throne on to your mind of what ‘the and before the Lamb. They Church’ looks like, with were wearing white robes and colourful lyrics, annotations were holding palm branches and even diagrams. It’s highly in their hands.” (Rev 7:9) likely that your perspective Perhaps we would relate to and beliefs about the Church this future scene more easily have already been heavily if we could hear stories from influenced, especially by missionaries around the your church denomination world who have left home and the postcode you live in. and family to ‘be church But the Bible is an where there is no church’. authoritative and compelling, Well, let’s do just that …
What does it mean to be church where there is no church? Nick Franks introduces some people who know.
I
12
WORLDWIDE
WEC-UK.ORG
BE CHURCH WHERE THERE IS NO CHURCH
eleanor’s STORY
Eleanor teaches in a country where there is little by way of ‘established church’ for her to engage with safely. For her, church now looks very different from how she’d previously known it. Now, Eleanor meets with believing friends in an apartment, twice a week, to worship, pray and read the Bible, often eating together before or after the meeting. As Eleanor says: “We look out for one another during the week to encourage and bless each other as well as the other non-believing volunteers.” Eleanor’s focus in looking out for others, and gathering to study the Bible and sing songs of worship in new languages, is surely what ‘being church’ is all about. Knowing the love of God in an ‘out the comfort zone’ setting, and being part of the wider WEC family too, is an immense blessing as she gains fresh insight into the true nature of the Church.
WEC-UK.ORG
13
WORLDWIDE
BE CHURCH WHERE THERE IS NO CHURCH
ian and jessica’s STORY
Glenda’s STORY
A missionary couple, Ian and Jessica, spent more than a decade in central Asia, with their children. Creating a home there presented a host of challenges, not least an evolving view of what it meant for them to be part of the global body of Christ. Ian explains: “For us, church is the body of believers … so we have a strong concept that it is the body of Christ that is the local church … We had various ways that we could and couldn’t meet because of issues of safety.” This family's experience of ‘church’ sometimes meant gathering with large groups of ex-patriots, in a restricted context, because the law prohibited local people from joining. But, beautifully, the local people still knew where the church gathered to worship because they could hear their singing. For Ian and Jessica, church increasingly became a ‘house community’ where believers met together around food and where locals were able to attend, albeit carefully. Ian and Jessica see this model of church as significantly healthier and more authentic than the more established institution.
14 WORLDWIDE
In an environment where Christianity is often not held in high esteem, Glenda emphasises boldness, integrity and transparency in her approach. Early on in her time in Chad, Glenda deliberately chose to have her ‘quiet times’ sat outside on a mat: “From my first visits out to the nomad camps I made the conscious decision that my quiet time would become something of a statement.” For Glenda, it wasn’t right that Christians were regarded as the ‘people who do not pray’, and this in itself presented an opportunity for witnessing by exploring a more radical expression of church. By intentionally bridging the private ‘sacred’ spaces of her life with a worshipful, christian presence in the public arena, a bold expression of the Church of Jesus Christ emerged in the unlikeliest of places. What’s more, this boldness clearly encouraged others too:
WEC-UK.ORG
BE CHURCH WHERE THERE IS NO CHURCH
“By bridging the private ‘sacred’ spaces of their lives with a worshipful, christian presence in the public arena, a bold expression of the Church emerged in the unlikeliest of places.”
“More recently when other workers have joined me on a visit, we have met together around God's Word in a very public way, seeking to make a statement and to arouse curiosity.”
Isn’t it exciting to read these personal stories of ‘being church’ in light of the passage in Revelation? How thrilling to be a part of something as beautiful, dynamic and unstoppable as John’s vision of what the Church will one day become. Perhaps, through the stories above, God has spoken to you about getting involved in overseas mission and being church where there is no church. How might you play a part in God’s unfolding plan for the world? WEC-UK.ORG
join us where we work Start your God-given adventure today. Visit wec-uk.org/missionopportunities for information on current opportunities to serve.
15
WORLDWIDE
REACHING THE UNREACHED ON YOUR DOORSTEP Words Shireen. Illustrations Charben Alilio.
16 WORLDWIDE
WEC-UK.ORG
BE CHURCH IN THE UK
L
eicester’s Narborough Road recently won an unusual accolade: the London School of Economics designated it “the most diverse street in England” because it features businesses run by at least 23 nationalities: a Zimbabwean boutique sits next to a Baltic delicatessen; a Turkish restaurant is opposite a Pakistani butcher’s shop. Further along are an Afghan supermarket and a Polish chemist’s. While Narborough Road may be exceptionally diverse, it is not unique: diverse streets are a familiar
WEC-UK.ORG
17
WORLDWIDE
BE CHURCH IN THE UK
sight in the UK. And many of our diverse neighbours are from countries where it is illegal to share the message of Jesus. So what is being done to engage with unreached communities and tell them the good news? Since beginning in the West Midlands, WEC’s Neighbours Worldwide project (NW) has
“It is up to us to make the effort to people of other nationalities. Due maybe to fear, they won’t usually initiate a relationship.”
grown to 10 teams in nine major cities around the UK, demonstrating the love of God to immigrant communities. Neighbours Worldwide workers are involved in a variety of projects, such as English classes, toddler groups and taekwondo lessons, which open up the way for spiritual discussions and prayer.
Friendships matter
Priya’s
STORY
Priya regularly attended Neighbours Worldwide’s English classes but suddenly stopped coming. Nearly six months later, she reappeared. She said she had been suffering from depression, so Anna, a NW worker, offered to pray for her. Priya immediately felt better! Not long afterwards, Priya told Anna she was worried about her asylum case. Again, Anna prayed, and the next week Priya told her she’d been called for her interview. Anna then prayed for the interview and Priya was granted leave to remain! Priya has since begun to follow Jesus and joined a discipleship group. She testifies to the three times she was prayed for – and God’s swift, specific answers – as what first drew her to Jesus.
18 WORLDWIDE
Above all, it is crucial to build friendships: communities may seem impenetrable, but individuals are often very happy to make friends. “It is up to us to make the effort to reach across to people of other nationalities,” says Anna, a NW worker in the West Midlands. “Due maybe to fear or negative preconceptions, they won’t usually initiate a relationship.” And with frequent reports of racially-motivated crimes in our cities, it is even more important that God’s people show love across ethnic divides. This is easiest when there is a natural context for cross-cultural interaction, but although many of the UK’s cities and towns are multi-ethnic, people of a single nationality tend to gather in one place. As ethnic WEC-UK.ORG
BE CHURCH IN THE UK
communities get established, they become more and more self-sufficient and the need to interact with the ‘host culture’ decreases.
Going the extra mile This polarisation of neighbourhoods happens along religious lines too: as Muslims and Hindus move into an area, Christians tend to move out. Opportunities for natural connections at the shops or the school gates are lost. It was this gap that prompted WEC’s Colin Bearup to pray, as he WEC-UK.ORG
“The unreached are here on our doorstep. I was looking through my front window and praying, and the idea just came.”
looked at the streets of his Lancashire town: “Like Christians in many other northern towns, we have had muslim neighbours for 50 years. Churches are closing, mosques are multiplying. The unreached are here on our doorstep and yet there is no significant mission to them. I was looking at the terraces of houses through my front window, and praying, and the idea just came.” This idea – the Extra Mile Network – means that instead of moving out of muslimmajority areas, christian professionals will intentionally move in to towns like Colin’s. ‘Extra Milers’ won’t leave their day jobs to be traditional ‘full-time christian workers’: they will use their daily lives as teachers, medics, mechanics, mothers – even
19
WORLDWIDE
BE CHURCH IN THE UK
retirees – to be colleagues and neighbours to the Muslims around them. Funding will not be a problem, as Extra Milers are funded by their salaries. Working as a team, Extra Milers will “learn together how to do cross-cultural ministry as working people” and strive to see God known, loved and worshipped in the muslim
20
WORLDWIDE
communities of England’s northwest. In the long term, the Extra Mile Network could provide a model for day-to-day evangelism in similar areas. Unreached people groups make up 7.6% of the UK’s population. This includes many peoples – the Somalis, for example – who would never hear the
WEC-UK.ORG
BE CHURCH IN THE UK
gospel in their home countries because anyone suspected of being a Christian there is executed. What might happen if Somalis could meet evangelical Christians and see the love of God through them? Imagine the possibilities. Imagine how you might help make that happen.
WEC-UK.ORG
join us where we work Please pray for Neighbours Worldwide and for unreached communities in the UK. And why not find out more about the Extra Mile Network? Email Colin at ExtraMile@wecinternational.org.uk
21
WORLDWIDE
Family life is at the heart of mission. The shared experience of bringing up children creates an immediate bond across cultures. It also underlines the idea that cross-cultural workers are not offering a product, but sharing their lives. But how can you choose to raise children in a culture where schooling, housing and healthcare may all be worse than at home? Glenn Myers talked to one family, Michael and Sara and their two daughters, who spent 15 years in central Asia. Illustrations by Rebecca Watts
ara summarises the experience as “high cost, high gain”. It had emotional, cultural and spiritual challenges but, through God’s grace, yielded high rewards. While some missionary families opt for specialist mission schools or home education, Michael and Sara chose local schooling, so they could be more a part of their neighbours’ lives. For them, this meant a Russian-stream primary school followed by an international, English-language secondary education. Primary schooling was an especially big challenge. They found the local schools old-fashioned and rigid; stifling creativity and
22
WORLDWIDE
encouraging rote learning. Parents’ evenings were used to list the children’s faults. Although both girls had excellent, kind teachers, the educational culture meant their girls (as well as all the other children in the class) were typically shamed, rather than praised. Michael and Sara found themselves needing to undo some of this cultural conditioning
MISSION: IT'S A FAMILY AFFAIR
It was a spiritual learning experience. Faith is absolutely at the heart of most missionary families’ experiences. Sara explains: “We prayed – in the morning, through the day, at bedtime. We didn't do this so much at first, but we learned that change wouldn’t happen and we wouldn’t survive as a family, if we didn't keep praying. Authorities could be hostile, circumstances were unsettling, but our children saw God answered prayer.” Michael and Sara found their years in central Asia to be a long education in the goodness and faithfulness of God.
through many conversations and prayers. The family have now been back in the UK for over four years and the girls are in sixth form and university, respectively. So what have they all taken away from this unusual upbringing?
23
WORLDWIDE
MISSION: IT'S A FAMILY AFFAIR
Stickability. Both girls explain their upbringing, “taught them the value of never giving up”. It wasn’t easy for them, but they found ways through.
Making up for the lack. Sara is a primary school teacher by profession and worked hard to spice up the girls’ primary education with creative and fun projects. Grandparents visited and the family had long stays, each time they returned to the UK. “With flexibility and grace, a lot of what might seem to be the missing parts of a ‘normal’ childhood were made up for.”
24
WORLDWIDE
Cultural fluency. Back in the UK, both daughters passed Russian A-level early. They are relaxed in relating across cultures, and have carried a skill for multi-cultural friendships into their UK life. “Cultural fluency is like breathing for them,” says Sara. “So natural, they don’t even think about it.” They have found that knowing two cultures well makes you less wedded to either one and can make you more flexible and perceptive in choosing the good and the biblical, wherever it’s found.
MISSION: IT'S A FAMILY AFFAIR
The grass isn’t necessarily greener. Children in UK schools clearly have struggles too! Taking your children to a different culture is only one factor among many possible challenges in family life.
Love. Michael and Sara had clear priorities: God first, children next, ministry last. This is easier to say than to work out, but their daughters knew it. They see it as the foundation of good parenting, wherever you are.
And was mission a good choice? Most families would be delighted with the outcome: four people happy in each other’s company, all talking over each other at once, and ready for whatever God has for them next.
join us where we work
Poverty, wealth, relationships. Michael and Sara rented an ordinary apartment, lived alongside the people they served and raised their children in the mix. “Some of our friends were quite poor,” explains Sara. “Others, who we met through the international school, were very rich. We were able to see both lifestyles.” At the same time, the small team of expatriates around them became a surrogate family. This broad experience equipped the girls with healthy perspectives on the relative importance of poverty, wealth and relationships.
join us where we work Virtually all WEC teams are keen to recruit whole families, and WEC has a number of workers dedicated to the wellbeing of missionary children. Next step? Talk to us! wec-uk.org/contact
25
WORLDWIDE
bechur.ch wec-uk.org
Q&A
What gets you out of bed in the morning? The hope of a fresh cup of delicious, perfectly brewed, Fairtrade coffee. When did you realise God was calling you to cross-cultural mission? I never wanted to be a missionary! But my wife has always had a heart for mission and it rubbed off on me. I began to ask God about whether mission was something he wanted me to do. We sought God's direction for a few years and finally, in 2013, God brought us to WEC. What prompted you to come to the UK? My wife and I were in a transitional phase, trying to figure out what God was asking us to do. I was working as a chef in the USA and God created an opportunity for me to work as a chef at the (then) WEC HQ at Bulstrode. WEC hadn’t even been on the radar, so this opportunity came out of nowhere. Could you tell us a little about your current role? I work in the WEC Short Term office, mobilising, discipling and mentoring young people.
WEC-UK.ORG
»profile ...
NAME Dan Brinker NATIONALITY American PLACE OF RESIDENCE Coventry, UK ROLE WITHIN WEC Short Term team
Which country you’ve visited has had the deepest impact on you? I grew up in Indonesia and this was one of the most important seasons of my life. It shaped my worldview, helped me begin to understand people from different parts of the world, and gave me a love for adventure, people and new cultures. What’s best and most challenging about moving to a different country? The most challenging things are practical things (like figuring out how to get around) and being away from friends and family. The best parts are all the new things we get to discover, places we get to see and people we get to meet and, for me, new food I get to experience. How have your kids responded to the move? My kids are great! They are so adaptable and love the adventure. They have been amazing! What do you like to do in your time off? I like to cook, play basketball, swim, play guitar and video games, and spend time with my kids. I also love the NFL (American football), so I try to watch that when I can.
27 23
WORLDWIDE
bechur.ch BECHUR.CH/WHERE wec-uk.org