Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
September and October saw several festivals and conferences around the world, including those in New Zealand, Australia, UK, Spain, Canada, Africa, the Americas, Philippines and others. In this update we have reports about the festivals in Spain and Wisconsin Dells. Also, please note the prayer requests and join us in prayer for those who are enduring ongoing serious health problems.
Canada and Africa
Gary Moore reports on continued growth in Mozambique and Malawi:
Wendy, Kylie and I had a wonderful time with the members in Edmonton last weekend. Members drove in from the Evansburg area, and several came from Westlock and the small group church in Wetaskiwin. Below are two photos, one of Peter and Trudi Heide, cutting the cake in celebration of their 63rd anniversary. The second is deacon and board member Gerry Sinkler presenting a gift to Bob Millman for pastor appreciation day.
It was great spending time with the Millmans and the Nordstroms over an excellent pizza on Saturday night.
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You may remember that we have been working on an affiliation process with about 60 congregations (55 in Mozambique and 5 in Malawi). GCI Canada helped fund a conference for their pastors in the spring, which was attended by Tim Maguire (our national leader in South Africa) and Caleb Makhela (a pastor and district pastor for GCI in South Africa). Also, with generous donations from the Abbotsford, British Columbia, and London, Ontario, congregations, we were able to purchase several Bibles for each of the congregations in either Portuguese or the local dialect.
I passed on to you the very sad news that Domingos, their leader, died suddenly this summer. He had contracted malaria earlier in the year, and apparently a bout of it returned and took his life. Recently, Tim and Caleb were able to make another trip to Mozambique to meet with the board Domingos had set up, and the interim leader the board appointed to give guidance to their congregations. The trip went very well, and Tim and Caleb have reported they are even more strongly desirous of being part of GCI. We will look forward to building this relationship over the coming years and have the joy of seeing our church family grow in a country (Mozambique) where we didn’t have a presence before.
Finally, I wanted to ask your prayers for Shirley Burrows. I was speaking with Perc Burrows on Monday, and he mentioned that she is suffering from a skin irritation. The doctors and nutritionists don’t seem able to identify the cause, or offer effective treatment. It is making it very hard for Shirley to sleep, and she feels weak and drained. The Burrows are long-time members in the Toronto area. They have a great heart for service, and love for their church family. Your prayers for Shirley would be greatly appreciated.
Spain
From Pedro Rufian:
Thanks to God’s love and care, more than 100 retreat attendees in Majorca, Spain, enjoyed an uplifting and spiritually profitable retreat at Barcelo Ponent Playa Hotel at Cala Ferrera (a cala is a small beach between rocky cliffs).
Once again the Spanish festival was a clear expression and flavor of our worldwide family. We had guests from the Azores Islands, Germany, Ireland, Portugal, Netherlands, United Kingdom and USA. For a good number of Spanish members, most of whom are scattered all over the country, the spiritual retreat is a unique chance to strengthen the fraternal bonds of unity and friendship, not only with other members from Spain but also with their fellow GCI family from around the world.
God blessed us with a different speaker each day, including Santiago Lange, GCI European mission co-director. The worship and praise was inclusive, with a mix of different worship musical styles.
As an outreach activity, the festival talent show and the family dance were open to all hotel guests. As a result, we had some regular hotel guests at services every day. At our meeting hall entrance we displayed a large poster inviting anyone interested to services and activities.
Other activities included a group excursion to La Granja, a beautiful 10th-century mansion surrounded by lush vegetation, beautiful gardens and natural fountains. It was of great interest to the Moors, who dominated the island from the 10th century until the 13th century. With the Christian conquest of 1229 it was handed over to the Cistercian monks, who held it for 200 years, until it became private property. Today it is a museum, a living display of Majorcan customs through the ages. From there we visited Valldemosa village, where the great Polish composer Fredric Chopin lived and composed some of his pieces while he was trying to recuperate from tuberculosis. We also held a moving service of praise, prayer, worship, personal testimonies and thanksgiving, during which many members gave personal testimonies about what God is doing in our congregations in the different nations represented.
Many members commented to me this was the best festival site we had ever enjoyed in Spain. The hotel manager was very happy with our group and as result I made our group reservation for next year’s festival at the same excellent rates we enjoyed this year.
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In 2011 the spiritual retreat in Majorca will be held September 30 through October 8. The Spanish members, my family and myself extend a warm invitation to our worldwide family to join us. For more information contact Pedro Rufian at: iduespana@yahoo.es
Summer 2011 mission trips
Bahamas
A mission trip to the Bahamas is planned for July 15–30, 2011. We will be helping the local GCI congregation to run a two-week day camp for Bahamian and Haitian children. Many of the Haitians have left their country hoping to better their lives. They now live illegally in shanty towns on the outskirts of Nassau. To read more about this mission trip go to http://gctrips.org/BAHAMASTRIP.aspx The application deadline is November 5, 2010.
Zambia
A mission trip to Zambia (in Africa) is planned for August 4 – 16, 2011. We will be running a Vacation Bible School with the local GCI congregation and visiting an orphanage in Lusaka, Zambia. For more details about this trip go to http://gctrips.org/ZAMBIA.aspx The application deadline for this trip is November 5, 2010.
Wisconsin Dells
From Doug Johannsen:
The 2010 weekend celebration at the Dells went extremely well. Due to the poor economy, we were anticipating a decrease in attendance, so you can imagine how we felt when the numbers showed a 23 percent increase instead!
A trend we’ve been noticing for several years is a gradual increase in the number of younger people and young families attending. It is our hope to continue to adapt to this shift. In the middle of the event we received several complaints from attendees that the event calendar had been removed from the gci.org site – they had been using that instead of the paper brochure to find out when worship services and breakout sessions were to begin. We notified HQ and it was quickly restored with an updated schedule. This change in how people look for information on site was also evident by the fact that we had an unusually high number of brochures left over after the event. Instead of carrying around a paper brochure, younger people will go to the electronic wireless media that they carry with them wherever they are. So for anyone out there who is planning a similar event, the “brochure of choice” for this generation needs to be on your website.
Mike Feazell and Nathan Smith were at the Dells this year and did quite a few video interviews that will be appearing on various gci.org programs in the next few months.
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The 2011 Dells celebration is scheduled for September 29, 30, October 1, 2 at the Kalahari. The same room rates as this year apply, and reservations may already be made. We are nearly finished negotiating a contract with the Kalahari for 2012.
Prayer Updates and Requests
Al and Edna Barr
Edna Barr sent this update about Al’s and her health:
Al is officially in remission. His biggest problem right now is painful cramping in his legs. It is sometimes hard to find something to stop that pain. There is also a general tiredness that comes from taking the chemo. Although the doctor said he is in remission, she wants him to continue on one of the cancer medications for a while. This is the one he takes orally at home. He doesn’t have to go back to the oncologist’s office until Oct. 25.
Thanks to all of those who have been praying for Al and me. We love you all. I recently went through a health scare with vomiting, pain, and blood in the urine. I had to leave church to go to the ER, where they put me on pain medication and antibiotics. They gave me two CT scans that were ominous but inconclusive. It appeared that I had a mass on my kidney, and a spot on my pancreas, but the ER doctor said I should get an MRI after the infection and bleeding cleared up. Meanwhile, my primary doctor told me to get an appointment with an oncologist and a general surgeon. God intervened, and I am well with normal MRI now. The MRI reader even concluded his report with “follow-up in one year.” That is particularly comforting because my insurance expires in October, and I have a year between that and Medicare. Although I will look for some kind of coverage, that certainly takes some of the pressure off. I feel fine.
Cards may be sent to:
255-04 147 Rd. 2nd floor
Rosedale, NY 11422
Lorenzo Arroyo Lorenzo sent this update about his prostate cancer:
Yesterday, I saw my radiation oncologist. Also, I had two CT scans, an IV contrast pumped into me, and three tattoos. Supposedly, I am all set up for my radiation therapy (not chemo). All this is to pinpoint with accuracy the radiation beam that destroys the cancer (and everything else). But my prostate gland (and surrounding lymph nodes) should be able to repair themselves, while the cancer cells are to slow to heal quickly enough and therefore die off.
They do 3D imaging as they radiate. They take a mini CT scan prior to discharging the beam and layer it on top of the ones they took yesterday to make sure they are on target. Further, they say that the first two weeks are no problem, but afterwards the bladder becomes irritated from all the radiation next door. Undoubtedly, I’ll go through some discomfort.
I asked my doctor how much time I have to live with such a high Gleason score? The answer was, “We will do our best to get all the cancer, continue with the hormone therapy for a couple of years, and monitor your PSA levels.” I suspect that doctors are a lot like the weather man – hit and miss, so it is best not to predict anything at all! I just say, “Thank You Jesus!” Ultimately, it is all in his hands – in this world and the next.
I asked when can I expect a schedule and get started. They say probably the 18th, but don’t call us, we’ll call you. The doctor has to compare and calculate all the imaging and who knows what. A guy could die from all the waiting! In any case, I appreciate all your prayers and God’s favor. I’ll keep you posted.
Cards may be sent to:
4035 Mount Day Ct.
Antioch, CA 94531
Dennis Lawrence Dennis wrote:
My chemo for next week has been rescheduled to begin on the 14th and will run through that weekend. Over the weekend, I’ll be admitted to the Lakeshore Hospital, our closer one. Following that, I’ll be giving myself a daily injection to promote the development of stem cells and their movement into the blood stream.
On the 25th, I’ll report to the Royal Victoria Hospital at 7.30 a.m. (that will be a challenge) for a blood test to see if the stem cells have peaked. If they have, they will be harvested that day in a virtually painless 6-hour procedure. If it doesn’t happen on the 25th, we’ll repeat the trip on the 26th and 27th. Three weeks after harvesting, I’ll be admitted to the Royal Victoria and will be there for at least 3 weeks. Then I’ll move into recovery. If all goes well, the doctor said that I could be back to 85 percent in three months. That’s not too bad and definitely a quicker recovery than with a full bone marrow transplant.
So, I have a “free” 10 days ahead and am trying to think of what I want to get done and whom I might want to visit. Then it looks like I’ll have a decent week or two between the next chemo and being admitted to hospital. I’ll try to take advantage of my energy without taxing it too much.
Cards may be sent to:
211 De L’ile Blvd.
Pincourt, PQ J7V 3R6
Canada
Dave Fiedler Dave sent this update on his eye surgery:
I’m most grateful for all the love, concern and prayers so many have expressed for me. My fourth eye surgery for the detached retina in my left eye was about six weeks ago. I waited until the checkup a couple days ago before updating you this time. The doctor says the retina is healing and holding in place for the time being. My next appointment is in a month. If things are still holding in place, then he will schedule me for having the oil removed from the eye and inserting an artificial lens. I still have some distortion in my vision, but the doctor says it is too early to address it. We will deal with needed vision correction once we are sure the eye is stable.
Cards may be sent to:
20389 Strawline Rd.
Bend, OR 97702
Remember that prayer is the battleground where we fight the good fight of faith. Let’s encourage everyone to join together in prayer, for we belong to Christ, and by the Spirit it is in Christ that we pray. Prayer and other spiritual activities help keep our hearts in tune with God and remind us of who we are in Christ. He is our all in all, and in him we are eternally beloved of the Father and blessed to share his good news with others.
Love from my family to yours,
Joseph Tkach
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On October 23, the Grace Missions team from the Akron/Canton and Cleveland, Ohio, churches and one participant from the Loudon, New Hampshire, church returned from a successful mission trip to South Africa. We toured Johannesburg and Soweto on our first day. We ate lunch at a shabeen in Soweto right across the street from Nelson Mandela’s childhood home. A very moving afternoon was spent at the Apartheid Museum.
Our next stop was at the GCI “tent church” located in Moruleng. The chief of the village has given this congregation a piece of land to build a church building. We helped by installing a septic system and laying the foundation for the bathroom. A wonderful time was spent encouraging our brothers and sisters there—helping them see that they are not alone (their story was told at the International Conference in Orlando).
One of the highlights of each day was when we would break for lunch at the jobsite. After eating, we would all spend about an hour in devotional and prayer time before going back to work. We prayed in different languages but we prayed to the same God. On the final day of work, our break was a little longer. We took a short walk to a small stream and four young adults from Maelula (Naomi, Khathu, Mpho, Emmanuel) were baptized while the rest of the people sang praises to God.
Another highlight of each day was the evening meal. There was always lots of food and fellowship with many local members. This almost always included traditional African praise songs, which everyone there knows and can sing well. The food was normally South African style, but on the last night some of the team prepared some American style chili, which was a big hit.
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Exclusive pastors screening of of Narnia film
