NATIONS A PUBLICATION OF WORLD OUTREACH INTERNATIONAL
CREATING KOINONIA
MAKING DISCIPLES FOR THE LONG HAUL
ISSUE 4, 2014
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE... WHERE ARE THE WORKERS? • AN INCREDIBLE ADVENTURE TO REACH THE LOST • LIVING WHAT WE TEACH OUR CHILDREN • ON FAMILY FROM THE HEART OF THE FATHER
INSIDE
3. DIRECTOR’S SAY JOHN ELLIOTT GIVES US PART TWO OF HIS MESSAGE ON THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS SEASON.
8. AN INCREDIBLE ADVENTURE THEO SCHUMANN SAILS 300KM OF THE INDIAN OCEAN TO REACH THE LOST.
14. CREATING KOINONIA JO GRAHAM TELLS US WHY A LOVING COMMUNITY IS SO IMPORTANT FOR DISCIPLES TO GO THE DISTANCE.
16. LIVING WHAT WE TEACH OUR CHILDREN PETER VAN DER WESTHUYZEN OUTLINES THE IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNICATING A CORRECT IMAGE OF GOD TO CHILDREN.
22. FROM THE HEART DAVID AND PENNY ELLIOTT ASK US HOW FAR WE WOULD GO FOR A LOST BROTHER OR SISTER.
23. SNAPSHOT JAN-WILLEM AND MARLINDE TAMMINGA FROM NEW HOPE MINISTRIES IN INDONESIA SHARE THEIR FAITH JOURNEY.
OUR MISSION
World Outreach International is a multiracial fellowship of Christians and ministries that exists to impact Least Reached Peoples with the Good News of Jesus Christ through: • Raising Leaders • Evangelism and Church Planting • All Nations Mobilisation • Children’s Ministry • Humanitarian Aid Singapore-based International Director John Elliott heads an executive team of senior missionaries, pastors and business leaders. >> ON THE COVER: Angoche, Mozambique Photo: Jo Graham
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NATIONS
• ISSUE 4, 2014
COUNTRY OFFICES AUSTRALIA:
Grahame Orpin Gail McDougall (Office) PO Box 5000, Sunshine Coast, MC Qld 4560 T: (617) 5476 1768 F: (617) 3319 8928 E: admin.au@world-outreach.com
CANADA:
Lynn LeRoy (Office) PO Box 172 Lambeth Stn London, ON N6P 1R1 T: 519 680 3355 E: canada@world-outreach.com
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Bill Molenkamp PO Box 2549 2002 RA, Haarlem T: (31 23) 526 5756 E: bill.molenkamp@world-outreach.com
MALAYSIA:
Julia Teh PO Box 8541, Kelana Jaya 46792 Petaling Jaya Selangor Darul Ehsan T: (60 3) 7728 1914 E: malaysia@world-outreach.com
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Gail McDougall (Office) PO Box 97230, Manukau 2241 T: (64 9) 263 5434 M: (64 21) 330 874 E: nz@world-outreach.com
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Tarn Ping Kueh (Office) 2 Kallang Avenue #04-09 CT Hub Singapore 339407 T: (65) 6464 8698 E: singapore@world-outreach.com
SOUTH AFRICA:
EDITOR: John Elliott PUBLICATION MANAGER: Janet Chan DESIGN: Donna Elliott EDITORIAL SUPPORT: Robin Merrill www.robinmerrill.com PERMIT No: MCI (P) 093/11/2013 PUBLISHERS: #04-09, City Hub 2 Kallang Avenue Singapore 339407 T: (65) 6464 8698 E: woi@world-outreach.com WOI follows recognised international standards and procedures for child safety.
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UNITED KINGDOM: Jon Hitchen (Office) BM Box 5265 London, WC1N 3XX T: +44(0) 203 642 4873 E: office@wouk.org W: www.wouk.org
USA:
Aaron Rudd 615 East Sego Lily Drive Sandy UT 84070 T: (1 801) 572 0211 ext.11 M: (1 801) 599 3370 E: usa@world-outreach.com 501 (c) 3 Tax Exemption Available
INTERNATIONAL OFFICE:
John Elliott (International Director) 2 Kallang Avenue #04-09 CT Hub Singapore 339407 T: (65) 6464 8698 E: woi@world-outreach.com
FIELD MINISTRIES DIRECTOR: Peter Smith
EXECUTIVE MANAGER: Chia Shee Wai
HONORARY PRESIDENT:
Bill Molenkamp
INTERNATIONAL BOARD: Luke Chong Lorraine Dierck John Elliott Wilbur Farmilo Wayne Freeman Gary Levens Rob Reid
INTERNATIONAL LEADERSHIP TEAM: Chia Shee Wai Bambi Cataluna John Elliott Peter Smith Peter van der Westhuyzen Hendrik V Ben Brooks
IT’S HARVEST TIME PART TWO
WHERE ARE THE WORKERS?
WHAT COULD BE MORE IMPORTANT than food, security, money and family? Trick question? Not really. When the disciples went off to town to look for food and left Jesus resting by a well, He struck up a conversation with a woman that eventually led her and later members of her community to come to personally know and accept the Son of God. When the disciples came back urging Jesus to eat, He said, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to finish His work.” In other words there is nothing more satisfying and fulfilling than when you are involved in doing something tangible that has eternal value. The look of joy and the excitement that came upon that community when they had a revelation of who Jesus really was must have made His day! After all, he did decide to stay on a couple of extra days!
FEATURE
For any believer, there is nothing more rewarding than leading people to Jesus Christ. Such satisfaction on the day could easily replace the desire for physical sustenance. Yet so few Christians seem to be involved in looking for opportunities to share their faith. We are very good listeners and we love to hear a good uplifting sermon, yet for various reasons it seems the majority of believers don’t look for opportunities to show and share the love of God with others. If what I have described is a typical scenario found in developed nation churches, is there any wonder that the effect is a lack of workers willing to obey the stirrings of the Holy Spirit within to pack up and leave their homeland in order to help get the Good News to people who have never heard about God’s love and commitment as described in John 3:16? Proverbs 24:11–12 says, “Rescue those being led away to death, hold back those staggering toward slaughter. If you say, ‘but we knew nothing about this,’ does not He who weighs the heart perceive it? Will He not repay
each person according to what he has done?” This passionate evangelistic passage reinforces the obligation of all followers of Jesus to get involved in helping rescue those heading for destruction. God will not accept any excuses.
For any believer, there is nothing more rewarding than leading people to Jesus Christ. Such satisfaction on the day could easily replace the desire for physical sustenance. Yet so few Christians seem to be involved in looking for opportunities to share their faith. From a Great Commission viewpoint, there are two groups of people in the world: those who have heard the Gospel and those who have not! The verses in Proverbs reveal the soulsearching importance of seeking out those who are alive and have not heard, the majority of whom are found in developing nations. Everyone deserves to hear the Gospel message at least once in their life.
Christians need to be converted to cross-cultural missions just as the lost need to be converted to Christ. A person’s worldview is changed and lifestyle transformed when he or she becomes a world Christian. A similar metamorphosis takes place when a fellowship of believers becomes a Great Commission Church. Matthew 24:14 says, “And this Gospel of the Kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations and then the end will come.” The fulfilment of the Great Commission is very much linked to the return of Christ. When Christ comes, mission accomplished! Surely we would want this to take place sooner, rather than later – right? Then why are not more believers involved in helping see the fulfilment of Matthew 24:14 come about? We need to be thinking nations, the harvest of millions of souls turning to Christ, ethnic communities that were once Gospel resistant – now no longer. It’s harvest time and more dedicated workers are desperately needed. Get involved. You can make a difference!
John Elliott International Director
world-outreach.com/people/john-mary-elliott/
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INTRODUCING THE PRINCE OF PEACE Peter and Caroline Mugeni, KENYA • Ministry leaders working among the Nubi people in training and evangelism. DURING THE MONTH of Ramadan, Yassir Balozi Abdi had terrible dreams that prevented him from sleeping. I listened to his stories and then asked if he would like to have everlasting peace and joy and restful sleep. I told him
that Isa (Jesus) is the Prince of Peace and if he accepts Him as Lord and Saviour, then he could have peace and joy. Glory to God, Yassir Balozi Abdi gave his life to Jesus!
<< Peter and Yassir Abdi.
LORD, IF YOU ARE WILLING Eugene and Tina Wessels, MOZAMBIQUE • Ministry leaders involved in evangelism and church planting. world-outreach.com/people/eugene-tina-wessels/ JAIME IS A member of a new church plant. He works in forestry and is required each year to get government authorisation for his work. This year’s document was not approved. We prayed publicly with Jaime, “Lord if you are willing, You can organise Jaime’s
documents.” The very next week Jaime received approval. Jamie even brought his documents to the next meeting and shared his testimony. Give thanks for miracles and encouragement for these new believers! >> Jaime (centre) thanking God for His miracle.
A B L E T O S TA N D Joseph and Aimee Dayamba, BURKINA FASO • Ministry leaders equipping church leaders and members. world-outreach.com/people/joseph-aimee-dayamba/ DURING THE Muslim Ramadan celebrations I received a phone call from my brother. He shared with me that a Muslim couple was desperate for help. The wife was paralysed and deathly ill. She needed healing. I
shared with them about their need for salvation. The whole family welcomed Jesus into their lives and the wife is now able to stand! Whoever calls upon the name of Jesus shall be saved!
<< This Muslim couple met Jesus,the Saviour and Healer.
TREASURE HUNTING Angela Stephens, KENYA • Ministry leader equipping church leaders and members. world-outreach.com/people/angela-stephens/ WE’VE BEEN USING an evangelism method called treasure hunting. We ask God to show us whom to pray for. Then we go out and look for those people. We recently prayed for a young man who had been injured in a fight. He rededicated his life to Jesus and has
joined us in praying for others. Kenyans are learning that sharing the Gospel is not just about preaching but about demonstrating God’s love and power. >> Angela demonstrating God’s love to the Kenyan people.
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K E N YA N M I S S I O N M O B I L I S AT I O N A D VA N C E S Chris and Nadine Brittain, KENYA • Ministry leaders equipping church leaders and members. world-outreach.com/people/chris-nadine-brittain/ RECENTLY 30 PASTORS and leaders from a diocese of the Christian Churches International denomination took the Kairos course. At the conclusion, Bishop Kariuki, the Bishop of the diocese, declared that “up till now, though we have been doing something, I now realise we have yet to start”. He said it’s now essential for all CCI pastors to attend Kairos and is now organising for that, not only for his
diocese but for all other CCI dioceses in Kenya!
>> Chris with Kairos graduates.
The Distant Boat (distantboat.com) is a locally produced feature length film that aims to stir the heart of the African church for mission. Released last year, we are on the steering committee to see that the film receives as wide a viewing as possible. Where we have shown it, pastors and leaders have declared that they are seeing missions in a new light – Glory be to God!
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY! Janvier and Claudine Yokoinele, KENYA • Ministry leaders equipping church leaders and members. world-outreach.com/people/janvier-claudine-yokoinele/ RECENTLY WE celebrated our seventh anniversary of The Seed Christian School and it was a very special occasion as people from all over the world came for the celebrations. For the fifth time, 100 per cent of our children, grades one through five, passed their >> Celebrating the 7th anniversary of The Seed Christian school. national exams and for the first time, 100 per cent of our ninth to biblical principles makes for excellent graders passed all their national academic reports! exams! Raising our children according
After our celebrations we held two more teacher trainings in the Ivory Coast and Cameroon. We are so excited as two new schools were started out of these trainings. We are seeing a new generation being raised up to lead by serving and impacting the society to overcome poverty, war, disease and so much more. Thank you Father!
H O U S E O F P R AY E R Danny and Ruby Bayasen, BURKINA FASO • Ministry leaders equipping church leaders and members. world-outreach.com/people/danny-ruby-bayasen/ WE THANK the Lord for World Outreach International and other generous sponsors for helping build a House of Prayer for the believers in Torokoro, who are reaching the Dogosse and other LRPs in that region. Two years ago, we requested and received funds from WOI to buy roofing materials to build a House of Prayer. The believers built the structure using mud bricks; however, strong winds and rains caused it to collapse.
Miraculously, other generous sponsors donated cement, concrete bricks, iron bars and other materials so that we could build a stronger structure. Now the House of Prayer is ready to use. Praise the Lord! Several new believers have been recently baptised. The new young congregation is growing. Let us join them in praying for more people to be saved in that region. >> The House of Prayer is now ready to use! • ISSUE 4, 2014 •
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MAKHUA DRAWN TO THE LIGHT Grant and Riana Franke, MOZAMBIQUE • Ministry leaders involved in evangelism and church planting. GORGE HAS A background of ancestor worship. Recently we took him to a church planting conference. Once there, he became ill and stopped attending lectures. We thought it was
<< Gorge helping to clear a field at home.
a spiritual attack. On the third day, he coughed and an inch long white thing fell from his mouth. Suddenly, he was ready to resume classes. We could see that the Holy Spirit was opening the way for him. We now hold prayer meetings at Gorge’s house. Dowa is a Muslim man who struggles to support his wife and children as well as his four widowed sisters and their children. Last year we made a tomato garden together and he taught me Makhua. He has been practicing reading with a book of Bible stories. He now
<< Dowa teaching me how to water tomatoes without a watering can.
sees this book as a greater light than the Koran, which he believes tells him to know the Bible. Pray that he would come to faith.
O B O M S A M A R I TA N O Myriam Wahr, MOZAMBIQUE • Ministry leaders involved in holistic work to the rural poor. world-outreach.com/people/myriam-wahr/ AFTER OUR church-planting seminar in Nampula we had a great, special seminar with our health care workers. We were taught from the Word of God and learned how to share the Gospel with our friends, family and neighbours. We also learned how to start a small Bible study. It was a quality time together. We were able to share with one another our prayer requests and the different struggles we were each facing. One of the health workers has already reported back that he has started sharing the Good News. Praise
the Lord! It was such a productive time that we plan to have a second seminar soon. We now have 48 health care houses and seven more will be starting up this year. Please pray for the work of O Bom Samaritano, that we will experience God’s grace and all the glory will be given to Him. May more people be healed in body, soul and spirit. << A fun day for the health care workers from different districts to come together.
“CALL THE FOLLOWERS OF JESUS” Jo and Jenny Graham, MOZAMBIQUE • Ministry leaders involved in making disciples and training church planters. world-outreach.com/people/jo-and-jenny-graham/ SWELLING IN RABIA’S THROAT had blocked her from eating or drinking. She was struggling just to breath. Her family wanted to take her to a witch doctor but she said, “Call the followers of Jesus. They will pray and I will be
healed.” We prayed fervently. The girls laid hands on her and commanded the poison to come out. She coughed up some indescribable stuff. She was instantly healed. Now Rabia is on fire!
<< Find Rabia – the happy one. >> Brito and Dulce are radically changed. TO MAKE A DONATION OR SUBSCRIBE TO OUR EMAIL NEWSLETTER VISIT WORLD-OUTREACH.COM
M E L O DY ! Emmanuel and Martha Mulenga, MOZAMBIQUE• Ministry leaders involved in training, evangelism and church planting • world-outreach.com/people/emmanuel-martha-mulenga/ MELODY HAD been coming to our youth group in Chimpoio City. She didn’t always show up, so I thought she had a lack of interests in the things of God. One day, to my great surprise, Melody asked if I would pray with her. In prayer, Melody surrendered her life to Christ! Ever since, we have seen so much growth and change in her life. She even actively participates at youth group now! >> Melody surrendered her life to Christ.
A DIFFERENT FUTURE FOR THEIR CHILDREN Colin and Jenny Ayling, Maziotela Ministries MOZAMBIQUE • Ministry leaders involved in holistic work to the rural poor • world-outreach.com/people/colin-jenny-ayling/ THERE ARE NOW few outward signs in Mozambique of the 18-year civil war that ended in 1992; however as Maziotela Ministries seeks to disciple and train those who lived through the war, we are often reminded of the longlasting effects it had on their lives. The fortunate few who began school in those war days usually had to discontinue and many still carry horrific memories of shootings at school. Growing enough food to feed a family was also a much higher priority than
learning to read. So today 80–90 per cent of village adults are illiterate and are still struggling year by year to feed their families. Truly the Gospel of Jesus Christ gives us a future and a hope. Maziotela Ministries is delighted to see many salvations and churches planted. We are also excited that, together with World Outreach International, we are helping these believers to bring the first educational facility ever to their villages.
<< Mozambique’s next generation is getting a better start at life.
IT WAS NOT US! Martin and Simone Schumann, MOZAMBIQUE • Ministry leaders equipping church leaders and members. world-outreach.com/people/martin-simone-schumann/ VIRGILIO AND INACIO were distributing MP3 players with God’s Word in the Makhua language when they came upon a Muslim family. The family gladly received the MP3 player. Virgilio and Inacio then had the opportunity to pray for the adult daughter who was possessed and had gone mad. Several weeks later Virgilio and Inacio visited the same family. The father of
the daughter was full of joy. He told them his daughter was completely healed and sane once again. She can even go out on her own and work in the peanut fields! He then proceeded to try and pay Virgilio and Inacio for healing his daughter but they declined the payment saying, “God healed your daughter through the name of Isa (Jesus) – it was not us!” << Listening to God’s Word in the Makhua language. • ISSUE 4, 2014 •
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Theo & Mignonne Schumann, MOZAMBIQUE • Ministry leaders involved in evangelism and church planting among the Mwani people. • world-outreach.com/people/theo-mignonne-schumann/ A FEW MONTHS AGO my colleague (Anli) and I sailed across approximately 300km of the Indian ocean, visiting 11 islands of which only half are inhabited. The others are privately owned islands and are reserved for tourists. What an incredible experience. Wind, water and clouds, stars and the song of the ocean made up our daily experience.
FEATURE
On day three we visited Mejumbe island. When Anli asked for directions to the next island, a local man pointed the way with a finger crooked at the first joint. Apparently they point this way when indicating a direction across the water because it is more accurate than pointing with a straight finger – since fingers are slightly crooked in any case.
For a whole week we had fish for breakfast and for dinner and no lunch, because at that time of day we were out at sea. I forgot to take along my toothbrush, but it was no problem! On the island Rola, I watched the local men use a twig. I asked them to show me the right bush and in no time I was the proud owner of no less than five toothbrushes. You chew on the end of the twig until it resembles a mini broomstick and there you have your “green” toothbrush! Some nights were moonless and the twinkling stars resembled the shimmering reflection of the sunlight on the dappled sea by day. I was forever trying to find words to describe all the shades of blue revealed in the ocean depths. Blue is my favourite colour. I have discovered a whole new spectrum of blue hues to add to my palette.
when we sight the island we are right on course. The island Kiranjuni is diminutive but it supports a horde of fishermen because of the abundance of fish. Unfortunately, there were also thousands of rats who cavorted all night long on the canoes next to our tent. Of course, they also tried to gnaw holes in the tent. Once again our presence constituted“the event of the year” – the local children have never seen a white face before. I began to feel like Vasco da Gama. Coming by canoe was the right thing to do. The boats provided an instant point of contact, while our sails aroused great interest and much discussion.
>> MP3 players, Bibles and the Jesus film were distributed wherever they went. Above: Anli and Theo with their transport.
We headed for the open sea and lost sight of the mainland. After about two hours of sailing we had sighted nothing in the watery desert all around us. Every swell resembles an immense dune and they all look the same. My eyes are fixed achingly on the horizon, searching for the oasis – the island. Anli’s built-in compass (or GPS) is in perfect working order though, because
Wherever we went, Anli distributed MP3 players, Bibles and the Jesus film to the Mwani (an unreached people group), who appeared to be interested. It warmed my heart to see his zeal and the strength of his conviction. In the evenings, the boys from Radio Nuru called us to get a report on the day’s events. Radio Nuru is a Christian radio station which broadcasts to the Mwani from Macomia. As we sailed into Mociboa de Praia on the last day, I feel relieved, rather tired and also sad. Once again I realised how the Mwani have to live without the Way and the Truth. Please pray for them.
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A TIME TO WASH FEET Abe De Fin, SOUTH AFRICA • Director of TEND an NGO. A RECENT VISIT to South Sudan was both challenging and eye-opening. Going from the capital to the remote villages is like moving through a time warp. Clean water, electricity and roads become nonexistent; yet in these villages I found modern day apostles I shall never forget. Men and women who have suffered severe persecution. Bashir is one such person, who had been arrested for holding Bible studies and starting home cells in Khartoum. He was beaten for 30 days. Men were shot in his presence and he despaired
for his life, wishing he could die rather than endure the pain. Finally, the Khartoum regime banished him to South Sudan, where he now stands in the marketplace daily calling people to Christ. I asked him, “Is there something I can give you?” He answered, “I need nothing else save Jesus; however, you can bring teaching, training, development projects and skills training for the people.” What a beautiful man of God! I can serve such a man. I can wash his feet.
>> Abe de Fin with 30 graduating Bible school students in South Sudan.
AUSTRALASIA
GROUND-BREAKING TRAINING
Bruce Hills, AUSTRALIA • International Leadership Development Director, teaching, training and equipping leaders. world-outreach.com/people/bruce-hills
CLOSEUP
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH the Evangelical Alliance of Sri Lanka, World Outreach International ran the third and final of our Emerging Leaders of Leaders seminars at a retreat centre near the capital, Colombo. These seminars are designed to equip young leaders who have been identified as significant future leaders. Accompanied by Pastors Enzo Maisano (Melbourne) and Karen Pack (Sydney), the 3-day event attracted nearly 30 delegates from a diverse range of denominations such as the Salvation Army, Reformed, Anglican and AOG. More than 20 of the leaders had completed all three years and received a ‘Certificate of Completion’. We received great feedback. One senior leader mentioned
>> Enzo Maisano (left), Bruce Hills and Karen Pack (centre) with delegates.
that he was not aware of any other event in Sri Lanka that brings together leaders from so many different denominational backgrounds. In this sense, it was ground-breaking. In 2015, some of the training team will
be returning to conduct a ‘train the trainer’ seminar, so the training can be multiplied. Also a new series of seminars will begin for young Tamilspeaking leaders in Sri Lanka’s north.
QUENTIN AND SALLY GREGORY-HUNT have been aware of God’s call to missions work overseas for a number of years. In preparation, they moved
their family of six from Wellington to Auckland to attend the Bible College of New Zealand. Now that their children have grown up, the Lord is opening the door for them to serve at Mount Hope Training Centre in West Kalimantan, Indonesia. They will help with child sponsorship, volunteer work groups and ministry to children and staff. They also hope to use their vocational skills; Quentin is a mental health professional and Sally is a nurse. INDONESIA
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TA W A N G M A N G U S T U D E N T S B R A N C H O U T Sam and Carol Soukotta, Mt Hope Foundation INDONESIA • Ministry leaders and principals of Tawangmangu Bible College • world-outreach.com/people/sam-carol-soukotta/ EACH YEAR our second and third year students do 10 weeks of practical training in various churches and in social ministries. This year we sent two young ladies, Lenny and Sartje, to help out at an Indonesian church in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Most of the small congregations were young people who are working as maids or in factories in the region. Malaysia has a law that one cannot proselyte the Malays but Indonesians of course would not be under that law. So it’s a
>> Lenny and Sartje are being sent out!
great opportunity to reach out to the Indonesian youth who are in Malaysia and away from their families. They are free to choose. Lenny and Sartje gave Bible studies, preached, witnessed and also visited and ministered to the very primitive Jayahi tribe of Malaysia. Praise God some of these people have received Christ into their lives. Lenny and Sartje have just begun their fourth and final year at Tawangmangu Bible College.
L O C A L V I L L A G E PA S T O R S Jan Willem and Marlinde Tamminga, New Hope Ministries INDONESIA • Ministry leaders involved in overseeing 180 children at the New Hope Ministries hostel in West Kalimantan • world-outreach.com/people/jan-willem-marlinde-tamminga/ MOST OF THE CHILDREN in the New Hope Ministries come from villages where we support the local pastor. They are hardworking people who, besides leading the congregation, work the land in order to have an income. We support these pastors and their families in prayer, financially and by having regular meetings where we encourage one another and grow together in our relationship with Jesus. At this moment pastor Anton, his wife Kristina and their daughter Gloria are staying with us in Sanggau. Kristina has been in the ministry for years as a child and after that as leader. Now Kristina
>> Pastor Anton, his wife Kristina and their daughter Gloria.
serves the Lord in a small village. They are expecting their second child. God has a great plan for all the little babies waiting to be born and we believe this next generation will be a huge blessing to the nations!
THANKS FOR LIFE IN CHRIST Eliana Mambu, INDONESIA • Ministry leader involved in evangelism and literature ministry. world-outreach.com/people/eliana-mambu/ I PRAISE GOD for the blessing of working with WOI to create Christian literature for the church in Indonesia. Many pastors and workers have been blessed through the magazine, Life in Christ. Over the years people have written to share how the magazine has impacted them. One young pastor kept all his grandfather’s old copies of Life in Christ because he appreciated them so much! Thank you for your support. Through you many lives are changed. << Small local congregations like these benefit greatly from literature ministries such as Life in Christ.
FRONTLINE FILES
Thank you for supporting our partners in prayer!
>> You can make contact with our partners at world-outreach.com/contact/contact-a-woi-person/
DAY 1
DAY 6
Rod and Lynley Talbot • SOUTH AFRICA
DAY 2 Content missing due to safety reasons for family.
DAY 7
John and Mary Elliott • SINGAPORE
DAY 3
DAY 8
Keith and Christine Kelly • UK
DAY 9
Max and Dorothy Chismon • PHILIPPINES
Martin and Simone Schumann • MOZAMBIQUE
Pray for the small group of Mwani believers on Ibo Island.There are more Muslim people interested in Jesus but they fear rejection by family or scorn from spiritual leaders. Pray that they will discover Jesus as the real treasure and ‘sell all’ to be able to have Him.
Andrew and Christine Low • MOZAMBIQUE
Along with the Aylings, we will be away over the Christmas season, so pray for two Mozambican families staying on the Maziotela base during this time, Joao and Ilda; and Jeremias and Esterinha. Both families have young children. Pray for safety and protection from bush fires and for encouragement.
DAY 4
Daniel and Genevieve Nihill • THAILAND
DAY 5
Donna Elliott • JAPAN
We have just returned to Thailand. Pray that we can settle back into missionary life with a new baby in tow. We now have a venue for our church plant and ministry centre. Pray for us as we launch services soon. Pray that God brings mature Thai Christians to partner with us.
I am grateful to God for Rachel McColl, who has taken over my role in the communications department. I have relocated from Singapore to Osaka to work alongside WOI ministry leaders, Jo and Jenny Graham. I am thankful for this opportunity and for what God is going to do in Japan. Pray for grace to learn Japanese!
DAY 10
We are going to be in Kenya this November and December. Pray for us as we join the Nations team running our first six-week course there. We will also be spending time with our team in Kenya running reviews and being involved in running a Church Planting Movement Course.
We are grateful to the Lord for all He has been doing in WOI. We have received many reports from many different fields of His marvellous acts. 2014 has also seen more than 22 new applications from people wanting to serve with WOI. Pray with us for even more workers!
We have been training disciples to share the Gospel and setting up nurture groups in Greater Manchester. We are training people from Sri Lanka, Romania, many African countries and the Caribbean. Pray for disciples who will make disciples and for people to take the discipleship training to their own people.
Pray for the mobilisation of the church in Africa for missions. I have just returned from speaking at a successful mobilisers conference in Ghana. Ghana, which is 70% Christian, is known as the gateway to West Africa, where the largest concentration of unreached people groups on the African continent is located. Chris and Nadine Brittain • KENYA
Please pray for the Kairos Head Facilitator up-skilling in early December. Please pray for increased passion and effectiveness to expand the mission movement in Kenya. Also for our relocation within Nairobi into the South Asian community to live among the Least Reached Guajarati People, who are primarily Hindu.
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DAY 11
Rahab Ministries • THAILAND
DAY 12
Benji and Daniela Morf • S-E ASIA
DAY 13
DAY 14
Pray for a shop-like facility that we could rent for the ministry. This will allow us to display our products, spread awareness, make job opportunities known and expand our marketing. Pray that we find the right location and have the right business plan, so that we can help more former prostitutes.
Please pray for our KMM team as we’re currently pressing forward in four different nations of South and Southeast Asia amongst Least Reached People groups. Pray our existing church leaders are passionate to multiply themselves among new leaders so the Good News can spread like wildfire.
DAY 16
DAY 17
DAY 18
Kevin and Jeh Sie Chan • THAILAND
BORED? is the first board games cafe in Korat and a strategic venue for building connections with the university community. Pray for wisdom and guidance; that our business would be financially sustainable; fruitful outreach time for a Malaysian team coming in December; and for God to lead the right workers to us.
DAY 19
Neil Gillon • INDIA
I am discipling two couples in the area where I live, using Following Jesus by Jo Graham. This has recently been translated into Hindi. Please pray for these two couples, who are slowly growing in their new faith.
Noinon Kongchaiyaphum • THAILAND
Thanks for praying for our latest children’s booklet. It’s finished! In December we have outreaches in 15 Thai state schools. Each child will get this booklet. Then we start sending the booklets to 500 schools a week. Pray for each child who reads it. May they come into Jesus’ love.
FRONTLINE FILES
Please pray for us as we design and test a mobile missions training curriculum to help young people realise who they are and where they are positioned in Christ, while exposing them to the multitudes of the missions fields.
Angela Stephens • KENYA
Our annual Christmas event will be held in mid-December for the inmates at Langata Women’s Prison. Please pray for the finances needed to provide each of the approx. 700 women and 50 children with a food and toiletries hamper and that many will be touched by God’s love this Christmas.
Jo and Jenny Graham • JAPAN
Hundreds of Japanese young people are praying and fasting right now for a spiritual breakthrough. Special prayer events are scheduled and expectations are high. Let’s join them and worship over Japan.
Janvier and Claudine Yokoinele • IVORY COAST
We are in the process of buying the property in Abidjan where the school has been based. Pray that all paperwork will be done correctly and that the government will allow us to expand. Pray that our schools (Ivory Coast, Benin, Burkina Faso) will impact children, families and nations.
DAY 20 DAY 15
Gavin and Marlien Porter • SOUTH AFRICA
DAY 21
David and Doreen Khoza • SOUTH AFRICA
We are into the last semester at Soweto Bible School for 2014, with 24 of the 62 students graduating. Pray for the coming graduation ceremony and for the open day where we hope to see new students sign up. Pray that the graduating students will know the Lord’s direction.
Peter and Bev van der Westhuyzen • GENERATION MINISTRIES
Please pray: for the Bengali refugee kids’ centre in Nagaland; that the 400 children’s ministry workers trained in last six months will be effective; for the 50 leaders from 16 denominations in Vietnam, who have started long-term training; for upcoming kids’ ministry training seminars in Myanmar, Bangladesh and India.
TO MAKE A DONATION OR SUBSCRIBE TO OUR EMAIL NEWSLETTER VISIT WORLD-OUTREACH.COM
DAY 22
Menuo Keditsu • N-E INDIA
DAY 23
Ben and Rachel Brooks • S-E ASIA
DAY 24
This December, Generation Ministries India will have its first retreat with Asha Ghar children from Hindu families. Pray for their salvation and for their families. Pray for our GMI team to have Christ-like compassion. These children either cannot afford to go to good schools or cannot afford school at all.
God is mobilising His church to reach many more unreached people groups. While much strategising is taking place, pray we put our efforts into only those things God is doing. Pray we follow His plans and co-labour with Him. May the Lamb of God receive the reward of His suffering.
Grant and Riana Franke • MOZAMBIQUE
DAY 27
Allen and Charlotte Teal • NEW ZEALAND
Peter and Jeannie Smith • NEW ZEALAND
DAY 29
Nathan and Sawsan Bassaly • EGYPT
DAY 30
Paul and Sue Fosse • MOZAMBIQUE
DAY 31
Trevor and Kay Weavers • EUROPE
One of our favoured Member Care mottos is ‘Keeping workers on the field long term’.This is done through support and encouragement, being a good listener and journeying with workers through good times and bad. Wisdom and understanding are two aptitudes we seek and we appreciate your prayers for us in this regard.
DAY 26
Mun Heng and Cecilia Au Yong • MALAYSIA
Pray for a Church Planting Movement strategy to be well developed among the Chepangs, an LRP in Nepal. A three-day intensive training in CPM strategy will be conducted among the Chepangs, followed up by a partnership consultation this December with some who we hope will adopt the Chepangs for long-term engagement.
Penny and I are on a refreshing and exciting journey with the Father. Pray that we will grow in a deeper revelation and intimacy in His love, as we step out and guide those drawn to God in S-E Asia into thriving church planting communities that in turn will naturally multiply themselves.
DAY 28
Pray for one specific village, where it seems the fish are biting slowly. Four people attend regularly and another 20 irregularly. Pray that the chronological storytelling would speak to these Makhua people’s hearts.That they would come to saving knowledge of Jesus. Pray for opportunities in other villages and for more local workers.
DAY 25
David and Penny Elliott • S-E ASIA
Half the world’s remaining LRPs are to be found in the Indian subcontinent (India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Sri Lanka). A small group of key leaders plans to meet in the region during December to pray and strategise how to impact more of these peoples with the Gospel. Please pray!
Pray our team will be effective in reaching out to 1,000 refugee families who have fled from Syria into Egypt. Our goal is to demonstrate Jesus’ love and provide them with necessities. Pray that their hearts will open to love. Pray for the Lord’s provision so we can buy needed supplies.
We are still coming to terms with the trauma of a home invasion earlier this year. Praise God for His protection. Pray for us as we continue on the path of recovery. We desire to be well physically, emotionally and spiritually for the work the Lord has for us to do.
Thank you for your continued prayer support as we train leaders with potential for a Netherlands national Kairos team. We’re delighted at the doors God is opening! Pray for the continued translation of the materials. In Albania, please pray too that we can identify and train new Kairos leaders.
FRONTLINE FILES • ISSUE 4, 2014 •
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CREATING KOINONIA MAKING DISCIPLES FOR THE LONG HAUL CREATING KOINONIA IS A crucial step in making disciples.
FEATURE
Why use the Greek word? Why not just say “fellowship”? Fellowship is so often used for something casual: a fellowship supper or “coffee ‘n cookies after church”. That could be a step in the right direction but... We aim for the costly fellowship Jesus talked about when He commanded the twelve to love one another as He had
>> Koinonia on the sea.
First come into koinonia with us, John said (1 John 1:3) and then with the Father and his Son. In the fellowship, you’ll discover Jesus. It’s not enough to teach our converts to go to church or join the prayer meeting or Bible study. We build them into a community of faith that their parents and friends would love to be part of. How? Well, how did Jesus do it? Lots of meals together, lots of boat trips and hiking (ministry trips) together, hospitality with heaps of food, talking and laughing as well as heart stuff, special events and celebrations, overnight stays. Crises met and overcome together!
We’re rightly passionate about making disciples but we must be sure that we create a community that meets the social needs of our new disciples – where they can court, marry, raise their kids and bury their old folk. For the longevity of our churches, we must fulfil the social functions >> Koinonia in the rain. of the religion that our converts where previously loved them, to lay down their lives for part of. each other and to wash each other’s feet. When we love each other like that, We do focus on the disciples’ obedience but we also focus on how He said, people will know that He is they belonged to a community. People with us! That is koinonia. need a community that helps them A loving community is a result of through the ups and downs of life. healthy evangelism. It’s also a powerful We are a loving and forgiving crosstool for evangelism. In some societies generational family, with diverse gifts (Japan, for example) people are not and activities that welcomes all kinds of very interested in truth and have little people. desire to be reconciled to God. They When we create that kind of koinonia, live in a relational desert, lonely and we will make disciples for the long-haul. estranged from one another, so loving communities of believers are attractive. Jo Graham, MOZAMBIQUE • Ministry leader involved in making disciples. world-outreach.com/people/jo-and-jenny-graham TO MAKE A DONATION OR SUBSCRIBE TO OUR EMAIL NEWSLETTER VISIT WORLD-OUTREACH.COM
OUR EVIL PLANS WERE CANCELLED No Pum, MYANMAR • Ministry leader involved in evangelism and church planting. I (KYAW KYAW TUN) was a drunk for over 20 years. I had never heard the Gospel. When Joe Min, one of my co-workers, came to our village to share about Jesus, my friends and I planned to make lots of problems but I wanted to know what Joe Min was saying so I listened to the story of Jesus. Unexpectedly my heart changed! Our evil plans were cancelled and I decided to follow Jesus. << Kyaw Kyaw Yun sharing how the Gospel changed the course of his life.
JESUS THE MIRACLE WORKER Benji and Daniela Morf, S-E ASIA • Senior leaders of Kingdom Multiplication Movement. world-outreach.com/people/benji-daniela-morf/ DR PAUPI OF MYANMAR recently saw 10 people choose Jesus through his ministry. At about the same time, a friend of his was suffering from cancer. Dr Paupi boldly told him that if he believes in Jesus, the Lord would heal him. His friend accepted Christ. A few days later he went to see his doctor, who told him there was no trace of disease in his body. He was cancer free. Praise the Lord! << Dr Paupi of Myanmar.
30 NEW BELIEVERS Owen and Glynis Willows, S-E ASIA • Ministry leaders involved in evangelism and church planting. world-outreach.com/people/owen-glynis-willows/ RECENTLY, a trainee returned to our church planting training after a period of absence. We thought he had fallen away but he had moved to another area. He returned to visit and to tell us about what God had been doing in his new village. The group broke into spontaneous praise as he announced that he and his son had seen 30 new believers enter God’s family and that their church was enjoying much growth and fellowship!
A FORTUNE TO HIM! Owen and Glynis Willows, S-E ASIA • Ministry leaders involved in evangelism and church planting. world-outreach.com/people/owen-glynis-willows/ OUR CAMBODIAN co-worker recently obtained a microloan in order to purchase a tuk-tuk. When he called after his first day as a tuk-tuk driver, he was crying with excitement! He had made $8! A fortune to him! He was bubbling over with “God is SO GOOD! Now I can buy rice to feed my family.” He now makes $10–$12 per day and smiles ear-to-ear as he tells his passengers of God’s goodness and love. Microloans really make a difference! To find out more about our Kickstarter Business Loans visit our Blessing Centre at world-outreach.com.
• ISSUE 4, 2014 •
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LIVING WHAT WE TEACH CHILDREN Peter van der Westhuyzen GENERATION MINISTRIES world-outreach.com/people/peter-bev-van-der-westhuyzen/ CHILDREN’S MINISTRY is vital for establishing a sound foundation of faith. It needs to be done well to avoid possible negative outcomes. Children are concrete thinkers and can get wrong ideas quite easily. For example it’s easy for them to take hold of the concept that good behaviour is God’s priority for them because that seems to be the priority for most parents. Inherent selfishness takes maturity and years to overcome. For some kids frequent failure and therefore guilt can distort a right view of themselves as people totally and unconditionally loved by a God of grace and understanding.
FEATURE
Good behaviour is often emphasised at church and home so much that kids can easily believe that God only loves and is pleased with them when they are well behaved. This can overwhelm their grasp of the wonderful truth that Christianity is about believing in and following a perfect superhero called Jesus and enjoying that superhero’s love and care. Children’s ministry workers need to be living examples of this to demonstrate what Jesus means to them in their praying, speech and personal testimony. So a principle we emphasise a lot in training workers is the importance of maintaining a close relationship with the Lord and dependence on the Holy Spirit in order to be truly fruitful. Generation Ministries and other World Outreach International children’s leaders are great examples of this, typified by this recent email from Mary who co-leads our Myanmar team. She wrote: We enjoy Him daily. We in Him and He in us as truly one with God. The indwelling Spirit is feeding us daily. So we eat Christ, we breathe Christ, we drink Christ daily. He is our food. Our real spiritual food. Without Him we cannot live and cannot grow. Christ is our everything. He is all and in all. It is a reality in our daily life.
>> Children’s ministry training, Myanmar. TO MAKE A DONATION OR SUBSCRIBE TO OUR EMAIL NEWSLETTER VISIT WORLD-OUTREACH.COM
CONTENT IS MISSING DUE TO SAFETY CONCERNS FOR THE MINISTRY LEADERS
O U R F AT H E R I N H E AV E N Menuo Keditsu, Generation Ministries INDIA • Ministry leaders involved in discipling children for Jesus. world-outreach.com/people/sukhen-puspa-biswas JEEVAN’S MOTHER was a full-time maid and his father had passed away years ago. I shared a well-known truth with Jeevan, “Though your father is dead, you know you have Jesus as your Father and He is always looking after you.” “Ma’am, I didn’t know that!” was Jeevan’s bewildered response. Praise the Lord he now knows his Father is there for him and Jeevan is doing well. >> Menuo sharing the Good News with Jeevan.
H O U S E O F H O P E B I R T H D AY B L E S S I N G S Prasert Taksin, House of Hope THAILAND • Ministry leader involved in evangelism and discipleship among Thai children. world-outreach.com/people/prasert-panyamangkong/ HOW DO YOU LIKE to celebrate your birthday? A big cake? A gift that is exactly what you’ve always wanted? Most children eagerly wait for their birthday and that special gift from Mum and Dad or even a party with their friends. Not if you were born in Thailand – and especially not if you live in one of the slum communities around Bangkok. In that case, don’t expect anyone to remember your birthday and you won’t be disappointed.
>> Slum children are made to feel special.
That’s why the children in Tungsonghong slum resettlement
community love coming to the House of Hope. Birthdays are special there – because kids are special, created by God in His own image. Every month there is a big birthday celebration and those who have had birthdays get to choose their favourite food. Then the highlight of the day happens – the leaders pray for them and bless them in the name of Jesus. They go back home feeling loved – and special. • ISSUE 4, 2014 •
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WE LIKE TO GO FISHING OFTEN Elisa Diaz, THAILAND • Ministry leader involved in evangelism and church planting. world-outreach.com/people/elisa-diaz/ TWICE A WEEK our youth and adults go fishing for souls. People in the villages, schools, hospitals, parks and even the buses are hearing God’s message for the first time. Gift was a 19-year-old girl who accepted Jesus while listening to our evangelism team. She is now growing in Jesus and lives
in my house with a group of Christian girls. Mr Wirot accepted Jesus right before he died! He is now in Heaven with Jesus.
<< Elisa and her team out ‘fishing’.
THE FAITH OF NEW BELIEVERS John and Nok, THAILAND • Ministry leaders involved in evangelism and church planting. world-outreach.com/people/john-nok-p/ NEW BELIEVERS in rural Thai villages are experiencing God’s power and presence in their day to day lives.
Somchai was paralysed from the waist down. When Somchai first heard the Gospel, he believed and was water baptised. He then asked the Lord to heal him. Today with the aid of a walking stick, he is mobile.
Aunty Saithong has cultivated a small parcel of land where she grows rice that used to yield her a 10-cart harvest. Since praying over her small field, her yields have now increased to an average of 14 carts! Prakong prayed for her corn harvest. Now her corn grows larger than her neighbours’ corn, even though they all use the same seed and fertiliser.
<< Somchai was paralysed from the waist down, unable to walk before God healed him.
Aunty Da’s cow was lying in the field with two broken legs. She laid hands on the cow, praying that Jesus would heal it. After a short while the cow stood up and started to walk. This miracle has helped many others to know Jesus.
THANK YOU, KEV AND GLENYS! Lorraine Dierck, THAILAND • Ministry leader involved in evangelism and church planting.. world-outreach.com/people/lorraine-dierck/ WE HAVE JUST FINISHED our 11th Nations course. Once again I was reminded of what an enormous debt we owe Kevin and Glenys Hovey for making the World Harvest Institute material available to World Outreach International. Kev and Glenys drew on their 31 years of mission experience to put together the course, which has prepared hundreds of new missionaries for effective cross-cultural service. How generous they were to let WOI use
WHI as a basis for the Nations course! Our students say “everyone should do this course”. Yes, everyone! Not just new missionaries. Stanley, senior pastor of a large church, said: I wanted to do the Nations course for several reasons but I underestimated what God would do in me personally. I didn’t expect how much the course would challenge my cultural assumptions and my personal goals. I recommend the Nations course to anyone.
>> Kev and Glenys.
What an awesome legacy we have received from Kev and Glenys. We honour you for your generosity in making such a great course available.
TO MAKE A DONATION OR SUBSCRIBE TO OUR EMAIL NEWSLETTER VISIT WORLD-OUTREACH.COM
OPEN DOORS, OPEN HEARTS Valerie Bateup, THAILAND • Ministry leader of the Good News Team that evangelises and disciples Thai children. world-outreach.com/people/val-bateup ALL OVER THAILAND, state schools (which are usually Buddhist) are open to our Team. We have an amazingly open door to teach the story of Jesus. Even more amazing are the open hearts of the children and teachers. Comments from some children, after we had been to their school:
>> Listening intently.
“I feel different, like I’m a new person in Jesus.” “I’d never heard about Jesus before. Can I really believe it?” “I can’t get those words out of my mind … ‘Jesus loves us and gave His life for us’.” “As you taught about Jesus I suddenly just knew it’s true. I knew that one day I’ll follow Him.”
>> Praying for God’s blessing.
Some comments we’ve received from some of the principals:
“Children, I want you to learn from the sacrifice of Jesus.”
“Children, today you received valuable knowledge. We should know this story of Jesus.”
“I’ve never seen you children sit so still and be so involved. I want this Team to come again.”
“As a child I’d heard something about Jesus. Today I understand about His love for us.”
WE DO NOT LIVE ON RICE ALONE Malcolm and Sandy Potter, THAILAND • Ministry leaders involved in training and caring for tribal children. world-outreach.com/people/malcolm-sandy-potter A SIGNIFICANT EVENT happens every year at Baan Faa Mai (BFM) when each new student is given a Thai Bible. They are enthusiastically received and for many of the youth it is the first time they have read or heard God’s Word. The Bible is a central part of life at BFM, especially at worship and devotional meetings. The youth are also encouraged to learn key memory verses.
Often, the cost of these Bibles is kindly covered by WOI (donors), for which we are very appreciative. Reading God’s Word was instrumental in my own coming to faith many years ago and it is encouraging to see God using His Word to challenge and change young lives at BFM, whether for the first time or on the road of discipleship. >> Receiving their very own Thai bible.
SAM’S MUM, ALMOST THERE Malcolm and Sandy Potter, THAILAND • Ministry leaders involved in training and caring for tribal children. world-outreach.com/people/malcolm-sandy-potter ELEVEN YEARS AGO in a small mountain village, we prayed for a woman who had been trying to conceive for six years. She said, “I want to have a child. If God answers, I will follow Him”. A year later, she gave birth.
I was asked to nickname the baby. Sam seemed appropriate. Sam’s mother wants to follow Jesus but it is difficult because of discouragement from a village elder and her husband. Pray for Sam’s Mum!
>> Sam, the miracle baby. • ISSUE 4, 2014 •
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GRACE UNFAILING Rahab Ministries, THAILAND • Evangelism and discipleship of women working within the red-light industry of Bangkok. world-outreach.com/people/elisa-diaz/ I THANK GOD for His grace upon each and every girl at Rahab Ministries. Even in the midst of challenges and political instability, His grace is unfailing. Through the lives of our girls at Rahab, His grace is overflowing into the lives of others. Just recently we had a few girls decide to leave the bars and become part of Rahab Ministries. It is amazing to see how the Rahab girls are making a huge impact in the lives of their friends who are still working at the bars. They are sharing the love of Christ and giving them hope.
>> The Rahab girls are making a huge impact in the lives of their friends still in the bars.
>> Bible study at Rahab.
While there are ministry teams that come to help Rahab, our girls don’t wait for them. They step out on their own initiative. We are planning to send three girls from Rahab to a six-month
career training to help equip them for their future. Please join us in prayer for the girls at Rahab Ministries.
INDIA FROM SORROW TO RADIANCE Kitbok Ryntathiang, INDIA • Ministry leaders involved in discipling new believers. PUSPA’S FAMILY arranged for her to be married immediately after college. In line with her culture, she was expected to conceive soon; however, after three years of marriage, she still had not conceived. To many, it appeared Pusa was barren, a very serious let down. After crying out for answers, Puspa met Rani, a follower of Jesus. Rani introduced
Puspa to Jesus and she gave her heart to Him. However her husband Raju was too preoccupied with work and not interested. A few months later, Puspa tried again to speak with Raju about Jesus. Seeing his wife’s desperation he agreed to listen and after hearing all she had to say about Jesus, he found no objection to following Him!
After Raju’s decision to follow Jesus, Pusa and Raju prayed for a child. Four years after marriage, Puspa is now pregnant. She is radiant with joy and filled with great expectations as she awaits her first child. What a great God we follow!
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EUROPE HE CAME TO FIND GOD Barry and Rowena McKnight, U.K. • Ministry leaders involved in training and cross-cultural communication. JUST DAYS AFTER arriving in England, a Chinese student came to our church meeting to find God. He shared with us how, when he was a child, God had healed him from a life-threatening illness. He joined the group that met in my home and as we studied Mark’s Gospel, his life changed. He subsequently witnessed to two friends studying overseas who were having serious problems. Both now believe and have been baptised.
A C T L O C A L LY T H I N K G L O B A L LY Keith and Christine Kelly, U.K. • Ministry leaders involved in training and cross-cultural communication. world-outreach.com/people/keith-christine-kelly
>> Christine (right) acting locally and thinking globally.
ELEVEN YEARS AGO we led a Russian girl and her Bangladeshi husband to the Lord through our English classes in greater Manchester. Now for the first time since she found Christ our friend is able to visit her family and friends who live about 500 miles north of Moscow. Christine has been able to train her in some basics ways of sharing her faith. She has learnt how to give her Christian testimony and share the
Gospel in a simple reproducible way. She is also learning how to give further help to those who want to follow Christ. We see this as an encouraging outworking of our vision to ACT locally but THINK globally. To reach out to the world through our international ministry. Please pray for us.
OUTREACHES TO CHILDREN IN NEED Nathan and Sawsan Bassaly, EGYPT • Ministry leaders involved with ministries to children, youth and leaders. world-outreach.com/people/nathan-sawsan-bassaly THE WORLD OUTREACH INTERNATIONAL Egyptian team recently visited one of Cairo’s biggest hospitals for children who suffer from cancer. Around 200 children, parents and staff attended our programme. It was emotional to see so many suffering children, the majority from Muslim families. Some parents asked that we pray for their kids. We said we were happy to and that it would be “in the Name of Jesus Christ.” There were no objections, so we laid hands on the children and prayed. At the end of our
time together, with requests to return again another time, we gave them all some candy, juice and biscuits. Two months later the team went on another outreach, this time to 170 children in a poor slum area outside Cairo, where kids often run around barefooted in the dirt. “Shoes for Each Kid” was the outreach theme. Many kids received Christ as Saviour. Before leaving we provided them all with a hot meal and gave each child a new pair of shoes!
>> Children in Cairo enjoying the outreach.
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FROM THE HEART David and Penny Elliott • S-E ASIA • Ministry Team Members involved in church planting and discipleship training world-outreach.com/people/david-elliott/ THERE ARE MANY different motivations for getting involved in cross-cultural ministry and outreach. In our experience with young people, we have encountered healthy motivations and not so healthy ones. Some of our best lessons learnt have come from children of God who live from the heart.
something about it. When I read the story of the prodigal son, it strikes me how the older son’s self-righteous and selfish attitude only made him bitter and ungrateful towards his father and uncompassionate towards his brother. He says, [paraphrased] “I was with you all this while and what did I get out of it?” Identify?
In a recent interview with a girl who was rescued from sex slavery, I (Penny) asked her what she would like to do. The sixteen-year-old replied, “I want to help free my sisters in the brothels, because when we were in those brothels, we really did become sisters”. There was such a conviction in that statement that really stunned me. How did I not see it like that before? Why was this just a social cause in my mind?
On the contrary we have a great example in Jesus, our older brother who left His home, gave up His rights and stripped Himself of His power to become one of us, so He can declare the Father amongst us.
FEATURE
To know that those still in slavery are really my sisters and brothers gave me a whole new perspective, strength and motivation to do
Are we ready to do the same for our brothers and sisters? The father’s comforting promise is for us as well, “Son you are always with me. And all that I have is yours” (Luke 15:31, emphasis mine). Now with that identity and
>> Penny (centre) with Indian friends.
security in our hearts as our motivation, this great calling becomes personal, compelling and liberating! This is not just a call for a social service or a community development project, or a mission to some unknown people. It’s much more. This call is from your heavenly Father to your lost brothers and sisters all over the world and if I can help bring them back home, I would give up anything to do just that.
>> Girls as young as these Nepali mountain children are trafficked for sexual slavery.
HAVE YOU MADE A WILL? Making a will is the only way you can be sure that your wishes will be followed after you die. Having a will also makes your loved ones’ time of grief simpler. If you don’t leave a will, part or all of your estate may go to people whom you never intended to benefit, or even to the government! Including a gift to the ministry of World Outreach International in your will is a special and personal way to continue making a difference in the world after your life on earth has passed. For further information, please contact the World Outreach International office nearest to you.
J A N W I L L E M A N D M A R L I N D E TA M M I N G A WE WERE BORN in Holland. Jan Willem studied Tropical Forestry and Marlinde studied English to become an English teacher. We met while studying and got married in 2004. In 2005 Jan Willem went to Borneo, Indonesia, for an internship for his studies. Marlinde joined him after two months. During these months at Living Waters Village, a children’s village for poor Dayak children, God really touched our hearts. We both got baptised and went back home completely changed.
What was also very helpful for us as a family to thrive on the field was going to language school. We went to Bandung Language School for six months and it was definitely worth the investment! Not only did we learn the Indonesian language but by living amongst locals, we also got to know the Indonesian culture much better. Learning the language is like opening a gate for understanding another culture. After language school in 2010, the birth of our youngest, Sifra, completed our family.
After our trip to Kalimantan, our view on mission changed. Mission was no longer ‘far away’ and for ‘other’ people. Every time we heard something about missions, we felt God spoke to us, that He was calling us back to Indonesia. It was like we knew it was going to happen but we didn’t know when.
Our three children have always been such a blessing to us and to those around us. With children you need to slow down; you cannot do all the things that you could do alone. Even though it sometimes might feel like a burden, it is often a huge blessing to have to make time for our children! There is more time to enjoy the moments that often pass quickly. They have been a great example for us in the way they interact with other people. With children, language and other differences are unimportant; they just want to enjoy the blessings of every day.
Eventually we started our missionary life with the Nations course in Penang in January 2009. To leave our home country with two young children age two and zero, to give up our jobs that we really enjoyed and to say goodbye to family and friends and get on a plane to the great unknown was by far the biggest and scariest step of faith we had ever taken. Therefore we felt it was so good for us as a family to start our missionary life with the Nations course. By the time we had finished the course, we felt much better prepared for the field. It also helped us get to know our bigger family, World Outreach International. It has always been very helpful and encouraging to be surrounded and supported by our WOI family and to learn from people with much more experience.
In 2012 God told us it was time to leave Living Waters Village. Four months of not knowing where to go followed. We knew He was preparing us for something but we did not know what this was. We trusted God. He had to do something new and He did! We were asked to move to the New Hope Ministry in Sanggau. We have been the Operation Managers of this amazing ministry for almost two years now and are very thankful for being here. As a young family we definitely had our highs and our lows over these last six
>> Jan Willem and Marlinde enjoying the blessings of everyday.
years. God always pulled us through and how He has blessed us! We would need several pages to describe His goodness in our lives. We have grown in faith, we are stronger in life and we have a bag full of experiences that we never thought we would have. Most of all our perspective of our Father in Heaven changed. We know for real that God is good all the time and that He is 100 per cent trustworthy! He is so much bigger than our problems. Through all these personal experiences, we know that He will be the same in the future! If you would like to contact the wTammingas or support the work of New Hope Ministry, visit our website: world-outreach.com/ people/jan-willem-marlindetamminga/
For more great missionary stories visit...
www.nationsmagazine.org
• ISSUE 4, 2014 •
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GROWING LEADERS OUR COMMITMENT TO TRAINING IN THE DEVELOPING WORLD
An Interview with International Leadership Development Director Bruce Hills THE MAJORITY of these leaders receive little or no formal or ongoing training. These seminars go part of the way in bringing much-needed training in the areas of ministry and leadership. WHO, SPECIFICALLY, IS BEING TRAINED? The seminars are run for two different demographics: pastors and emerging leaders (age 18–35).
DOES WORLD OUTREACH INTERNATIONAL >> Bruce Hills at a leadership development seminar in Malawi. DO ITS OWN THING OR WORK • The leading and guidance of the WITH EXISTING MINISTRIES Holy Spirit (e.g. Macedonian call in AND/OR MOVEMENTS? Acts 16:9–10) WOI values partnership. We partner with a nation’s key leaders or missionaries. WOI seeks to serve what is already taking place in the nation without being aligned with any particular denomination.
WHAT ARE THE GOALS OF THE LEADERSHIP TRAINING SEMINARS? 1.
Develop the emerging generation of leaders of leaders
IS THERE A SET CURRICULUM? 2. Equip pastors and leaders with No. Every nation’s leadership training needs are different, so after consultation with local leaders, the topics are tailored for the particular context.
HOW ARE THE TOPICS DETERMINED? Wherever possible, I conduct a preseminar trip to: meet WOI personnel and key national leaders, ascertain leadership training needs and set dates for future seminars. I try to understand unique cultural and leadership challenges so I can determine the best speakers and topics.
HOW ARE THE TARGET NATIONS CHOSEN? We apply a number of criteria in determining which nations to target for leadership training: • Large numbers of Least-Reached People groups in the nation or surrounding nations • WOI has a presence or key partner in the nation • WOI has the expertise and ability to meet the specific leadership training needs
skills to develop their leadership and grow their churches 3. Develop trainers in these strategic locations 4. Encourage, strengthen and minister to pastors and leaders 5. Inspire, equip and mobilise churches for cross-cultural ministry (especially to LRPs)
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IS THERE ONLY A SINGLE SEMINAR OR IS THERE ONGOING DEVELOPMENT? WOI commits to return and work with the same group for three–five years, depending on the context. Three-day seminars are run once a year in each location.
HOW ARE THE SEMINARS FUNDED? WOI raises money to sponsor pastors and leaders to attend the seminars. These seminars operate because of the faithful and generous giving of people, churches and businesses. It costs about $50 / £35 per leader, per seminar.
Donations can be made to: World Outreach International and designated Growing Leaders. Forward to your nearest WOI office (listed on pg 2). Donations can also be made via our website: world-outreach.com/product/leadership-seminars/ If you wish to receive more information on any of these projects, please email woi@world-outreach.com.