Category: Stay Connected

This update is from Rod Matthews, GCI mission developer in Southeast Asia and the Pacific.

Thailand

We are saddened by the recent death of Moo Lah Shi, the long-time, faithful pastor of GCI’s congregation of Karen people in a refugee camp in Thailand. He is greatly missed. Malaysian senior pastor, Wong Mein Kong and I recently visited the Karen congregation (pictured below), which has about 30 members. In Moo Lah Shi’s absence, a faithful member named Goro who is in his 80s coordinates the meetings, even though he lives about 100 miles away.

We arrived at the church building just inside the camp boundary to a warm welcome of smiles and sign language, since only a couple of the members speak English. Though we expected only a discussion of the group’s plans for the future, we were treated to a worship service. Sharing communion reinforced our shared heritage and long association. It was a delightful gathering.

The Karen congregation’s future depends on the vagaries of the difficult political situation, including plans for refugee resettlement. Most importantly, however, is what God has planned. Seeking to follow God’s lead, we are arranging to have a Karen-speaking Christian teacher from Myanmar, who is a friend of GCI, visit this group, helping them as a translator. Our prayers are with the health and capacity of Goro to provide for their pastoral care in the interim. In my message, I reminded the congregation that people around the world are praying for them and they are never forgotten. Their appreciation was evident.

Bangladesh

The Spirit’s work in the lives of people in southern Bangladesh is especially encouraging in a country with exceptional challenges. In November I joined National Director John Biswas, in travelling to our mission base in Sathsimulia. We were joined by GCI members Geoff Sole from the UK and Pastor Chris Starkey from Canada.

On the way, we visited rural schools in Malihara (pictured at right) and Batajor. These and 11 other schools are run by our Bengali mission, which is named the Bengali Evangelical Association (BEA). A visit from BEA director John Biswas along with other international visitors was, for them, a big event. These schools are tuition free to the students. In each case, the head teacher is paid a small salary from BEA’s donation-raised funds.

Upon arrival at our mission base at Sathsimulia, we were given a royal welcome. The scheduled events included the official opening of a new community building (pictured below) that has recently been completed. The local community joined in the dedication, with over 300 people sharing in a light lunch of celebration. The building is a much-needed replacement for an older wooden building that had to be demolished. It will be used for church meetings and classes for nurse’s assistants and gospel workers. Donations from the GCI home office and from church members all over the world helped fund the project.

The next day, a worship service held in the city of Barisal confirmed the establishment of a new GCI congregation there. About 40 of us met in a rented hall (pictured at right). The international visitors gave messages translated into Bengali. In the afternoon, Geoff Sole chaired the first Life Club meeting to be held in Bangladesh. Over 20 attended.

On our return trip to Dhaka we visited another of BEA’s rural schools. In these visits, the generous hospitality of our hosts was overwhelming. Despite their poverty, we were given more fine food than we could consume.

Taking the gospel to Bangladesh involves serious challenges and necessitates a sensitive, discerning and respectful approach. The BEA mission center trains and sends nurses’ assistants into the surrounding communities to provide health care and advice as an expression of the love of God for every human being. The gospel workers are trained to be ready to share the gospel with interested people and to use discernment and wisdom as a reflection of God’s respect and love for all people.

The rural congregations and the associated schools for children are an investment in the future of the families and local communities as well as the entire nation. Over 1500 people attend these rural congregations. The program of gifting families with a goat for milking and breeding has raised the health and living standards of the people.

Interest in and respect for what BEA does in this area is spreading steadily–much like what Jesus said about the kingdom in Matthew 13:33. We are learning that effectiveness is not dependent on size. Thanks for your prayers.

This update is from Samuel Mercado who directs GCI’s youth camp in Mexico and serves as director of youth ministry for GCI Mexico.

Our 2013 Mexican national youth camp began with a 17 hour trip to Mexico City for those traveling from afar. From there a rented bus took the group to Ticumán where we reached a place called El Monte, which means “small mountain.”

The bus couldn’t make it up the mountain, so late at night we stretched our legs and carried our food and equipment uphill. We arrived with the help of a few flashlights and the moonlight.

Our camp, which included about 50 people, was held from November 15 through 18 in a location away from the bustle of city life. Activities included sports, games and swimming. We also had rock climbing and rappelling, which gave us a chance to exercise our faith!

Joy-filled worship during camp was provided by Natanael Cruz who is the pastor of our church in Mexico City. He was joined by musicians from his congregation.

Messages in worship services and classes were given by our special guest, Anthony Mullins, director of Generation Ministries in the US. He talked about the power of listening to the story of others, telling our own story, then presenting Jesus’ story. He also taught us to study someone and tell them directly the qualities we see in them. We practiced doing this in small groups, gaining deeper communion together.

Anthony (at center in picture at left) also talked about how our lives reflect what we believe and who we are. Our actions must demonstrate the work of God in us. Anthony showed that God’s most repeated command is, “Do not be afraid.” He discussed overcoming our fears in order to do the work of God. Natanael Cruz gave a message about keeping our bodies pure as the temple of the Holy Spirit. We also studied GenMin camp curriculum, “Kairos, It’s Time,” telling us that it’s time to Belong, Believe, Become, Behave and Begin.

Overall, the camp was characterized by great fellowship among the young people—sharing laughs, games, discussions, plans and projects for the future. Our camp is becoming a pathway for identifying and developing new leaders. We are initiating a national denominational effort to train and equip these young emerging leaders in theology, ministry and spiritual formation. We covet your prayers for God to guide us in helping these leaders develop according to God’s will for them.

This update is from Hector Barrero, GCI’s mission developer in Central and South America.

In early December I visited three GCI congregations in Central America. I started with the San Pedro Sula congregation in Honduras, where we held three meetings—first with 36 children (see picture at right), then with the youth and finally with all members—about 40 total (pictured below). It was nice to spend time with Pastor Marco Antonio Mejia, his family and the members. The congregation is doing a good job helping poor children in a nearby neighborhood.

We then traveled by car to Tegucigalpa, the capital of Honduras, where we had dinner with Pastor Mauricio Diaz and other pastors and their wives (pictured below).

We met for church the next day with about 65 people in attendance (pictured below). The Tegucigalpa church is a truly happy and enthusiastic congregation.

I then flew to San Salvador, El Salvador. Pastor David Agreda hosted a dinner at his home. Several members attended. The next day we held a worship service with about 30 attending (pictured below).

This update is from GCI district and church pastor Mike Rasmussen who also directs GCI’s Crosswalk Youth Camp, held twice each year near Oklahoma City.

Though a tornado in May significantly damaged the facility where we hold Crosswalk Youth Camp, leading to the cancellation of our May session, we were able to conduct our fall session in November. It was amazing! We were blessed with an awesome staff who worked diligently to create a life-changing experience for the young people God brought our way.

As the leadership team met to prepare for camp last January, we sought the Spirit’s lead concerning how the camp should be formatted this year. We reevaluated our focus and methods. Rather than a mission statement, we came up with a statement we call our Kardia (meaning “center of our being”): Experiencing life in God’s love. We want the campers and staff to have a deep experience of God’s love. We then use our Kardia to help us evaluate all aspects of camp.

At the January meeting we also selected a camp theme for 2013. We decided on “Walking Dead,” which taps into the current zombie apocalypse craze. While minimizing the zombie-side of the theme, our goal was to use it to grab attention and to convey the message of how life can seem drab, dull, grey and boring to the point of feeling like one of the “walking dead.” Even though alive and breathing, we can feel dead on the inside where life lacks flavor. This happens when we aren’t living in God’s love.

Using this theme, our goal was to create a contrast and a progression of how when we don’t understand/believe who we are in Christ, life can feel dead, but as we come to this understanding and believe in who Christ is and who we are in him, then life becomes alive and full of flavor.

In accordance with our new Kardia and fall camp theme, we made several changes in how we structure camp in order to help campers and staff more fully experience God’s love:

• As people arrived, an upbeat, positive team that we called our “ground crew” welcomed everyone. They led campers and staff to registration where they were welcomed by a theme-based registration area filled with colored streamers and balloons that created a party atmosphere.
• After the Friday night welcome, staff met to be briefed on the new camp Kardia and to experience a time of worship just for the staff.
• After researching the average age of our campers, we realized we had to rework some of our activities. We created opportunities for greater camper-staff interaction and friendly competition to connect campers and staff at an even deeper level.

There was a great response to this camp session. We have heard from several campers and staff that they are excited about the next camp and will be coming back with plans to bring someone with them. We were blessed with 20 new campers and 13 new staff this session. We are excited about what God is doing at Crosswalk and look forward to the future. The next session will be in May 2014, with the theme FaithFactor. It is sure to be full of energy—jam-packed with fun activities—enabling us to advance our camp Kardia of sharing God’s love.

This report is from Kalengule Kaoma, one of GCI’s mission developers in Africa.

GCI recently held its East Africa Leaders’ Conference in Nairobi, the capital city of Kenya. The countries represented were Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Burundi, Rwanda, Zambia and Belgium. Joel Clevenger and Gary Schrimpf from GCI’s US-based Grace Missions also attended.

From Nairobi I traveled to Uganda for meetings with groups who are interested in joining GCI. From there I took a bus to the DRC (Democratic Republic of the Congo). Pastor Patrick Asaba met me at the bus station and we then attended a conference with 45 leaders from various denominations.

Following the conference, we met with three of them who are interested in affiliating with GCI. We later learned that there are also two church planters interested in planting GCI churches in the DRC. We wait to see what God will next do.

I then returned to Uganda (Kampala) where I met with Pastor Mark Oedo. His non-denominational ministry focuses on equipping rural church leaders to effectively preach the word of God and properly manage their churches. Many of these rural leaders have little or no theological and managerial training. Pastor Mark is eager to work with us. We traveled together by bus to Lira in northern Uganda where together we taught some church leaders.

We then traveled to Utoboi where we stayed at a “lodge.” Though it was rat and bed bug-infested, I was thankful for a place to rest my tired body. I was really glad when roosters announced the breaking of a beautiful morning. We participated in an early morning church service followed by leadership training.

We then returned to Lira for their church service attended by about 60 children and teens. Their songs, dance and jubilation in the presence of God brought tears of joy to my eyes. The service was held in the open in Pastor Joseph’s back yard. He is creative in ministering to children using music, drama and dance. Parents and older youth come to watch the children.

That evening, Pastor Mark and I took a midnight bus back to Kampala.The next day I proceeded to Kyotera in southern Uganda where three churches are interested in affiliating with us.

Later that week, I traveled to Masindi in western Uganda, where I visited Pastor Edward Kagoro and his family. When I returned to Kampala I visited two pastors who represent 20 churches located in Kampala and in surrounding rural areas.

These kinds of prospects are exciting. The potential for GCI in Africa continues to overwhelm me as I see God’s love and involvement in many lives.

GCI president Joseph Tkach recently visited GCI’s Richmond, Virginia church to join in the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the founding of the congregation. During the visit, Dr. Tkach and others visited the historic St. John’s Episcopal Church where Patrick Henry gave his famous speech where he said, “Give me liberty or give me death!”

In October, nine representatives of GCI’s Generations Ministries M25:40 Missions gathered at a Boy Scout camp in Northern Colorado to cut, load and haul beetle-kill pine to provide winter heat for an elderly couple in the area.

Despite the cold and the fact that it was a Denver Broncos football game day, these followers of Jesus dedicated their morning to helping others (though the game schedule sped things up a bit!). Three trucks were loaded and everyone packed up in just under two hours. This is the second outreach for M25:40 Missions in the last few months.

GCI SE Asia mission developer Rod Matthews along with Mark Latham, GCI’s pastoral coordinator for PNG (Papua, New Guinea) recently visited PNG. Here is Rod’s report.

Getting to Papua, New Guinea (PNG) is not easy. Yet for years, GCI pastors from Australia have made the trip to PNG at least once a year to visit, encourage and help our congregation there develop. Now, it is mature, well led and a shining light in the high valley below Mt. Wilhelm (pictured at right).

Anthony Gachanja, GCI’s national leader in Kenya reports the recent baptisms of 10 people in that nation.

GCI in Colombia held its annual seminar in the city of Bogotá in early November with 76 members attending from the Bogotá and Barranquilla congregations.

The seminar theme was “The Heart of a Disciple.” Guest lecturer Hanz Daza from the Colombian Bible League provided instruction concerning disciple making.