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Xerggyo
September 3, 2010Remember Xerggyo.
Today, [Friday morning] Xerggyo will have a meeting with members of his mission agency, including conversations with leaders in Michigan, his agency in Chiapas and his contact in T. They seem to have received some peace about continuing the original plan to go to T, even if the visa is not yet long term. Xerggyo says, “after so many months of waiting and wondering and praying...the chance of this new vision is like a breath of fresh air.
Please pray for this critical meeting.
Dom Goold September 1, 2010
In the last few months our GTA staff team has been considering together where we should live.
We have been praying and discerning together about living closer to the campuses we are serving on, and if some of us should live near or with
each other. In the process, God stretched us deeply, challenged us to
our very limits, and allowed us to see places where our trust in Him was
limited. Not only that, the regular times of prayer together, including
spouses, brought a deeper sense of knowing one another, and gave room
for healing amongst us.The last significant piece that we didn‟t really expect going into this time of prayer about housing, was a relooking at how we are staffing the campuses in the GTA. The universities to serve in the GTA are: York, Ryerson, OCAD, University of Toronto St George, Mississauga, and Scarborough. Within these campuses we also serve the Korean Christian Fellowships. Currently there are no Staff at OCAD and U of T Scarborough, and part time staff at U of T Mississauga and Ryerson. In the next while we will be making some shifts to be able to meet more of these needs across the GTA.
Please be praying for:
3 staff and their families who felt the call to live together to love and serve
students. They have moved out of their places and are all living in
temporary locations since June. Some potential homes are still options.
Please be praying with us that something lands for them soon!
All of us as we consider how we will staff the campuses and ministries on
the campuses across the GTA.
Me as I head toward meeting my funding goals and return to campus this
September!!!
Staff and students who went or are going on Global Partnerships in: China,
Kazakhstan, Guatemala, and Bangladesh.
Praise Report
2 staff at York University found a place to live, after choosing to let their
place go in faith, trusting God was calling them to move close to that
university!
Nicky, our friend and one of our Ministry Directors felt called with her
husband Ian and daughter Abigail to move to York University as well, to
This is Life: Snapshots in Summer
A publication by Dominique Goold,
U of T Campus Minister
love and serve students there. About 3 weeks ago they signed a lease to a place that was
mentioned to them, and last weekend their house sold!!
Speaking of Housing….
All this conversation, prayer and consideration about housing has left me thinking about what home means to
me. Since I moved to Toronto about six years ago now, I have lived in 3 different places, with 3 different sets of
people to live with. I have been thinking about what makes a home feel like home, especially as I turn 33 this
October. I am realizing now that I have not thought much about what I need in this area, and I realized that God
wants me to think about this and consider these things.
And, thinking of setting up home reminds me of John 15, the passage we were studying this year as a
GTA team. I was struck by reading John 15:4 recently in The Message,
"Live in me. Make your home in me just as I do in you”.
I am continually wrestling out this part in my life….to make my home in Jesus, to allow him to be the
one that I find my security, hope and love. Please pray for me as I consider home and consider the ways God is
stretching me and challenging me to use my “faith-eyes” of trust in Him.
Snapshots from Campus:
“So, you don’t need to have it all figured out? You mean, you can learn along the way, and Jesus will help
you?”
In talking with my colleagues (Dave Stone and Allison Pinches) before the semester ended, they shared with me
some snapshot stories of students on St George campus this past semester. Here is one:
Allison shared that a student that she has been walking with for about a year was really struck by one
of the conversations they had recently. The conversation was relating to what it looks like to follow Jesus. The
woman said, “So, you don‟t need to have it all figured out? You mean, you can learn along the way, and Jesus
will help you?” In response to this conversation, she decided to “try Jesus out for a week” and ask him to help
her with three things in her life. We were on our knees praying that she would have a real experience of Jesus.
She did, and said that she will „continue her experiment‟. Please continue to pray for her!
Here is a picture of Faraja who just turned three and could not wait to get to school!
He was very concerned that he looked clean and on the way to he bus he stopped several times to wipe teh dust of his shoes! Baraka and I had to laugh. Amazing how the times fly. It is very quiet at home in the mornings! I miss his joyfull chatter and questions.
Jack and Mary Anne Voelkel August 30, 2010
Treasured Friends:
We’re not sure which is the
greater joy: to know that faithful friends have been praying for us, or
to be able to share with them God’s gracious answers! Today we’re
feeling both!
InterVarsity’s Staff
Conference
In
our last letter, we asked you to pray for us as we prepared and then
participated in the Regional Staff Conference for the Intervarsity teams
serving in
So, last February we began to
study and pray our way through 2nd Corinthians as our core text. And we
were the first to be blessed, as we discovered how each member of
the Trinity nurtures our resilience in the very midst of our sufferings
and deepens our spiritual authority as we trust in Him and not
ourselves.
Praise God for His work in
our lives and theirs
As you prayed for us, God
enabled us to prepare well, arrive safely, and form warm relationships
with many of the staff for whom we had been praying for weeks. We
had amazing partners in
As we share a few of the
comments that came to us after the retreat, may the glorify the Lord
and encourage you as you read how God answered your prayers
during those precious days:
The work you did among us
proved healing, motivating, and nourishing as staff head into the
beginning of the school year.
I’ve had about 6-7 staff tell me that you spoke exactly what they needed
to hear at Regionals . (
An Area Director wrote: The
theme of spiritual authority has been resounding in the life of a staff
worker’s heart since the Conference. It emboldened her to pray – and
renewed her prayer life.
A third leader wrote: A young
woman sat in front of me with tears in her eyes. “ I’ve allowed
bitterness to fester in my heart toward you for almost a year,” she
said. “But God met me at Staff Conference last week and I wanted to
ask for your forgiveness and recommit to moving forward .”
These kinds of responses don’t
come from “nice materials” or eloquent talks. They come from the
work of the Holy Spirit in the lives of individuals open to His Word, as
you and we pray and trust the Lord to meet them.
We thank each of you who
partnered with us and we praise the Lord who answered the prayers of
many.
On September 17th,
we’ll again pack our bags and travel to the beautiful city of
Mary Anne
will be helping future pastors learn how to teach and not just
preach! Jack will explore the subjects of Evangelism
and Missions. Already invitations are coming in -- asking
us to consider leading retreats and speaking in churches on the
week-ends. We need wisdom to know when to say “Yes” and when to
say “No”. Whatever we do, those 8 weeks promise to be full ones.
Would you pray with us for:
We are coming to the end of an eventful trip and are eagerly awaiting our flight home tomorrow. We have enjoyed many aspects of our time in Asia, but we are ready to sleep in our own bed again. As intriguing as the Pornping sounds, the reality is not overwhelmingly positive. Between the funky smelling lobby and the wonder bread breakfast buffet the hotel seems a little past it’s prime. On the up side, the staff has been friendly and the location worked out well, so we aren’t complaining.
Our time in Indonesia passed by in a blur. We thoroughly enjoyed reconnecting with our Ambassador’s of Renewal team in Yogya. We had the pleasure of meeting the 2 newest members of the team, both born within the last few months. I seized the opportunity to practice my grand-mothering skills before the babies were old enough to be scared of the funny looking foreigner…
During the 2 weeks we were there Tom had several meetings with the leadership of the team and I prayed individually with most of the women. We also took part in a healing workshop up in the mountain town or Kaliurang. We were told that we were there as observers, but by the end of the weekend had been sucked into leading in prayer in our small groups as well as praying individually for each of the families represented at the retreat. We managed to stumble our way through the prayers but I couldn’t help but wish that my language was still equal to the occasion.
We are especially glad that we made the visit this year because we became aware of the following needs in the ministry:
1. We saw the need to push ahead with the formation of an official board rather than leaving the ministry under the supervision of OC. We were already aware that the process of forming the board had stalled, and were able to help the people involved renew their commitment to move ahead in this area.
2. We saw the need to stay in touch with Paul Atanta, the current director of the ministry, as well as other members of the leadership team. Paul has done well overall in leading the ministry, but he also needs to mature as a leader in certain respects. Tom will be talking with him weekly and with other team members bi-monthly. We hope that you will continue to pray with us that the entire team will continue to grow in spiritual maturity.
3. We saw the need to invest more time in building networks and keeping in touch with current and potential Indonesian partners in the areas of prayer, finances and ministry. Tom will be working with Paul in these areas over the next few months in hopes of increasing the amount of financial support that is coming in from Indonesian partners. Our hope is that this income will help overcome the over $600/month shortfall that the ministry has been experiencing over the course of the past few months.
In spite of these needs and challenges, the team has continued to move ahead in pioneering more effective ways to bring healing and renewal to the church in Indonesia. It’s hard to believe how many lives have been changed as a result of their work. It is exciting to both of us to see how far the ministry has come in our absence.
While we were in Indonesia we also had the opportunity to visit with our friends the Handokos. Inge had a difficulty year after the death of her husband, but she has continued to be used by the Lord in business as well as in the Christian community. Inge is very supportive of Dr. Chris Marantika, the founder of ETSI as well as of his ministry. While we were there she invited us to attend a 70th birthday party for Pak Chris at a very nice hotel in Jakarta. We ended up making a special trip to Jakarta to attend the event. Our relationship has been a bit strained with ETSI since we felt the call to return home. We hope that our appearance at the 70th birthday bash conveyed to Pak Chris that we are still very supportive of his ministry.
The last two weeks have been much more restful for me, if not for Tom. I spent 4 days with our friends, Dave and Barb Hagelberg, in Penang, Malayasia and then travelled to Chiang Mai to join Tom. Tom taught every morning for two weeks, but we managed to have a little fun and relaxation around the edges. We especially enjoyed exploring the area around the Pornping hotel. We were right next to the night market, source of every Thai trinket known to man, and not far from the old city walls. I was surprised at the heat and the frequent rains of Chiang Mai. We quickly bought umbrellas and carried them everywhere except to bed. One night we got caught in a downpour at the Travelling Night Market in the middle of the old town. Tom’s student referred to us as the Soppingtons that night!
Thank you for standing with us in prayer during the trip. We appreciate your continued involvement with the ministry in Indonesia. We would also appreciate your prayers as Tom approaches his new semester. In addition to his usual classes, during the next school year Tom was asked by the Dean to serve as the faculty advisor for the Biola Student Missionary Union. For those who don’t know, this is the largest student-run missionary organization in the country, or so we’re told. We are not sure exactly what this responsibility will entail but we do know that we need your prayers so that he doesn’t get overwhelmed next semester!
Jack and Mary Anne Voelkel August 28, 2010
We leave for Colombia on September
17th and begin teaching classes on the 28th. Our
classes last 8 weeks. Mary Anne will be teaching “Education”,
seeking to help future pastors to learn to communicate in other ways
besides preaching, especially involving the learners. Jack’s course is
the “Mission of the Church” including evangelism. In addition we
are asked to speak in churches on the week-end, lead retreats, and
minister to many students individually.
It’s a challenge to get involved
once again in another culture, language, and context. We are receiving
disturbing reports of terrible violence in the city of Medellín, gangs
of teenagers terrorizing inhabitants of many sections of the city.
Many deaths.
These days are dedicated to
organizing our courses and praying for the Lord to prepare both us and
our students.
Leah Hopp August 26, 2010
Hello, I have returned to Nakaale after a brief delay in Mbale, but lightening struck our internet/phone tower. I'm in namalu now to teach at a church here so I'm getting some reception. my language helper josephine found another job while I was stuck in mbale. I still haven't talked to her, but hope to soon. so I'm looking for a new language helper. please pray that I'll make a wise decision. I'll likely try out some few for one or two days a week each, then later pick which one works out best. it was a surprise, but I have some options. will update you more when internet returns to nakaale.
Hanneke cost Budde August 25, 2010Here is a picture of Faraja's birthday party.
Warm greetings from Tabora, Tanzania. It is truly amazing to see God’s hand upon me and my little family. The move to Tabora was very stressful as I had no idea of what the place would be like. I was given quite a bit of negative information as to how things would be in Tabora. However I found that Tabora is a very nice place with many mango trees. I was given a house in a lovely neighbourhood and have made many new friends. In fact, the people here accepted us as part of the community. Already we have shared joys and sorrows. I have attended 1 wedding and 5 funerals. I was able to counsel a neighbour to get herself tested for HIV. Both she and her little child have the virus and the little child has AIDS and had a huge abscess which another neighbour and I are cleaning and dressing each day. I inherited a dog that is about 16 years old and looks more like a hyena. He is very gentle and not much of a watch dog. I also got a new pup and he and Faraja are the best of friends.
Ngassa
is now 15 and in Grade 4 and is improving each year. His English is
becoming quite good. He also is maturing and his voice has turned to
a bass. As he really is not wanted at his aunts home I have invited
him for the Christmas holidays.
Jacky
who is 9 years, is having some difficulties after the children at her
school found out that she is an orphan. She was told that if she is an
orphan she is bad and her friends deserted her. After talking and crying
with her she returned to her school and she is doing a bit better.
However I discovered that she is not seeing well and she does need
special glasses. Hopefully they will be able to get them in Mwanza.
Kiri
at 7 is doing well and is enjoying her new family very
much. She and Jacky are really close. They will be here next week for
their holidays. She is in Grade 1 and doing well.
Baraka
and doing very well in school. He has some trouble with math but he
is only 5. I know that many of you are praying for me and the
children. At this time I am asking special
prayers for Jacky and Baraka. I believe that both of them are under
some spiritual attack and are in need of
being released from this.
Faraja
will start nursery school in September. Ever since
Baraka is going to school, Faraja wanted to go as well.
He has been sleeping with a little schoolbag and shoes since
the past few months! This month he will turn 3 and will start
nursery school in September.
I have people who promised to sponsor these children
Here is a list of the school fees for each of them:
School fees:
· Ngassa : $900 per year
· Jacky: $500 per year
· Kiri: $500 per year
· Baraka: $500 per year
· Faraja: $100 this year and
$500 next year.
Tabora Manoleo Project:
In collaboration with the local health authorities I was asked to get involved in an area called Manoleo. This is an area, about 15 km. N/E from Tabora. The area has 3 villages: Itonjanda, Ifucha and Kazima. The population is just over 6000. It is a poor area where many people are struggling to make a living. Most people live of their land but due to drought and lack of knowledge regarding cultivation they harvest very little. Only the rice paddies, located in a lower area, looked good.
A survey revealed that there are 106 widows/widowers and 141 orphans. There are 21 known cases of HIV/AIDS. (I visited one mother who died the same evening due to stigma and lack of medical care.)
I saw several orphans who are unable to attend school due to lack of uniforms, shoes and school supplies.
There were also several children who showed signs of malnourishment as well as symptoms of HIV.
I also met with many very elderly women who are on their own and are living in absolute poverty. The project will concentrate on widows and orphans but my heart also goes out to those much neglected elderly women.
The area is basically un-Evangelized and the majority is Muslim. There is one small R.C. congregation and there is a small Mennonite church in one of the villages.
The local authorities gave me the use of a very old building which we were able to renovate for about $3000/- U.S. It has 2 rooms for offices and one large storage space which we can also use as a class room for seminars.
The goals of the project will be to improve the Spiritual, Physical, Educational, Social and Economic status of the people living in Manoleo. Through the services we will provide we want to build trust relationships with the people. We want first to show Christ’s love by our actions and from there we start teaching Biblical truths. Our hope is that, in the near future, through this ministry a new church of the AICT (Africa Inland Church Tanzania) will be established.
The project will start by training a team of Village Health Workers (WHW):
The local Government had chosen 15 people from the three villages to do visitations and give Home based care. These people explained that they were not able to function as well as they would like to. They need more education on topics such as: Pre-test counselling, HIV/AIDS, First AID, basic Home based care, and nutrition. They also need gloves, bandages and anti sceptics to do dressings of wounds.
Another problem they face is the distances to visit these families. It may take one to two hours walking!
The first seminar we will do is one for this team and give them training in order that they can function better. I hope to get bicycles for each of these people.
The plan is that these people will work together with our office and with the Local Government Dispensary. They will be responsible to do Home visits and give us reports of their findings. From there decisions will be made regarding the needs of these families, focusing on the widows and orphans. We will hand out uniforms, shoes and school supplies to orphans who are not able to attend school and give food aid to widows/widowers and orphans living with HIV/AIDS who have a low CD4. (Low immune system)
We are also planning on getting the people trained in agriculture and looking at the local resources helping them to develop their own project(s).
There is a great need for water and we hope to construct a shallow well near the dispensary and our office.
The project will start next Month. I know that many are praying for this new challenging work. Pray especially for the travelling I have to do. The road is horrible and I am always grateful to get home safely!
So far the cancer is quiet, but I have some
more exams in a few days, and will know more when I see the doctor in
Sept. Actually I was not able to go to the Bible story seminar as these
exams (CAT Scan) will take place during the seminar. There is one
coming up which I mention below, and I expect to go to it. The
dramatization of the Kayapó New Testament has also been cancelled
temporarily. The cancellation of these two things was actually a
relief as I just didn't have the strength to face seminar after seminar
and then the lengthy dramatization project; everything involved a lot of
travelling, and were all one on top of another. This is just for
your information, not for the bulletin. My prayer request and
praise item for the bulletin are below.
My prayer request is: that Jamyxi will
know the Lord's strength in these days, and will not only be able to
continue to help with the translation but be able to do some of the
translation herself. This seminary at the end of August and
beginning of September will give her some initial steps in translation
training. Her husband suffered a stroke and although better now,
his failing health might affect her endeavours.
My praise item: the Lord has given me joy
in my work and strength to carry on.
Diane Dadian August 20, 2010
Praise God for the opportunity to lead an ESL conversation circle with a group of senior Tamil ladies in Scarborough starting August 23 This will meet each Monday afternoon. Pray this will be a blessing to us all!
Family wise, we ask for prayers for Isabela, as
well as for other Knox kids, preparing to go to University in the fall;
for Christina dealing with some health/arthritis issues.
I am hoping to hand in the thesis with the
first round of revisions in the next two weeks. Then there will be one
more round of revisions before it goes for defense. Likely, defense will
happen in early winter (January?). So, prayers are appreciate for myself
as I finalize these first revisions before handing the thesis in to the
second readers, and for endurance during some trying times.
Elizabeth Matthias August 20, 2010
Our classes begin again September 1st, and we have at least 4 new students--three of them American missionaries who are going to work on a degree while ministering here in Berlin. This is a new twist! Classes will now be held in our church-plant worship room. Pray for students as they begin with new classmates in new spaces.
The development of our counseling program continues to excite me! Plans are well underway for the week of seminars that will be held early November for MBS students from all over Germany, Switzerland and the Czech Republic. We've had so many that we have had to cap the enrollment at 20--and plans are well underway for another week in 2012. Please pray for the further development of the program and the seminar week in November, of which I'll be teaching almost half.
Leah Hopp August 20, 2010
Praise God for some great health connections I
have made while spending a few unexpected days in Mbale. I will need
wisdom as I follow-up and see how best to learn from key local
opportunities. I would love to take a month-long course in Mbale on
HIV/AIDS, but am unsure how it will fit with my other responsibilities
yet (www.tasouganda.org). Next
time I am here there are also many other Ugandans working in the health
field to learn from.
Thousands of Real Life Kits (New
Testament, Soul Cravings Prequel book, gospel tract) will be handed out
to frosh during the first 2 weeks of September, along with a national
contest (“Paid vs. Aid: Can a Choice Change a Life?”) where one student
from each participating campus will win – and have to make a choice
between - helping to build a deep water well in Benin; providing shelter
for a family of 8 in Haiti; sponsoring 22 children in an orphanage in
Tanzania for 1 month; or $1000 towards their tuition – not an easy
decision for anyone to make! Our prayer is that, along with fruitful
contacts that we always seek to make with incoming students in
September, the interactions that we have this year will stimulate
examination of how and why we make the choices we do, and how our
deepest soul cravings can be satisfied in Christ.
I’d also appreciate prayer for the
new role that I will have this year in helping to oversee and mentor our
student leaders at Queen’s University.
Personally, a huge praise note is
the confirmation that my family just received that my mom’s twice-broken
leg is finally starting to heal – after one and a half years!!!
I am thrilled to report that our three young
ladies, Daphne, Marie-Claire and Marie-Reine have all safely returned
from their summer mission to Uganda and that each one has had a
wonderful time in Africa. Many thanks to all who have prayed for their
financial support and for their team ministries. May the Lord bless D,
M-C and M-R and continue to use each of them in His harvest. Also, a
well-qualified brother from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Dr.
Katembo Kaluma, now living with his family in Quebec, has been accepted
to work with the projects department of AIM Canada. Please pray for
Katembo as he looks to the Lord for the needed support and details of
his ministry are worked out with the mission. I thank the Lord for
brother Claude Delmaire, who has kindly agreed to help with the planning
and preparations for the monthly AIM prayer meeting in his church in
Rosemont. This is a real answer to prayer! Pray for the little team
managing these meetings as we get going this fall, and for a good
attendance at the first one on Saturday morning, September 19th.
August 18, 2010
Isabelle MACPHERSON - Peacefully
died at Sunnybrook
Health Sciences Centre on August 16th, 2010 in her 84th year. Loving sister
to Marilyn George (Stanley). She was predeceased by her sister (Betty) Elizabeth McCullough
(John), brothers Robert (Peggy), James and Donald MacPherson. She is also
survived by her sisters-in-law Dorothy and Barbara. Dear Aunt Isabelle to
many nieces and nephews and their families. Isabelle was a retired
technologist from the Ontario Government Central Public Health Laboratory
(1945-1968) and Ontario Ministry of the Environment (1968-1981). Life member
of the Alpine Club of Canada. A member and teacher of the Royal Scottish
Country Dance Society. Isabelle will be sadly missed by her dear friends
Jean Richardson and Sarka Spinokova. Isabelle was a strong supporter of KWM
Xerggyo August 18, 2010
Please remember him as he seeks wisdom. His Chiapas agency will meet again on September 3.
Bill Fitch Listen to Learn August 18, 2010
Listen to Learn has a few items to celebrate with you:
And we have a few items for which we'd love you to pray:
The first days were spent interacting with senior Challenge staff, getting a feel for what was happening through Challenge in Ghana today, what had changed since our departure for Canada in 1989, & what currently are their greatest joys and challenges. I am gathering all this information to help me finish the last chapter of the book, ‘God’s Challenge in Ghana’.
On
past trips, time constraints had not allowed me to travel around Ghana
to see some of the projects John is involved with. Thankfully, I was
able to add a week onto this trip so John could enable me to see nine of
‘his projects’.John provided a car and driver. A one day trip took me to three projects in Volta Region – the area bordering with Togo to the east. The second week, we headed out for 6 days, and branched five miles south of Kumasi, Ghana’s second largest city, to Adawomase where Kente cloth is woven. From that point onwards it was new territory for me.
Adawomase is one of three villages where for 3-4 centuries cloth has been woven for the Asantahene – king of the Ashanti. Next came the monkey sanctuary at Boabeng-Fiema where we stayed the night, then on to Mole Game Park via Daboya, where there is a second weaving project - creating fabric in the ‘Northern style’. With a friendly monkey at Boabeng-Fiema
From Mole it was onto Wa, capital of Upper West Region and out to the Wechiau Hippo Sanctuary. This included a 1½ hour canoe trip on the Black Volta, with Burkina Faso on your right as you’re canoeing down river.
The projects visited generally include a central building, & most have guest accommodation & trained tour guides to
cater to visitors. The aim is to grow tourism in Ghana & give
local people new sources of income. Locals control all projects and income. The larger part of income remains under their control. They employ the tour guides; and have built clinics and schools for their children with generated income (various government levels take a portion). John’s NGO, Nature Conservation Research Centre (NCRC), takes nothing for their work. It was heartwarming to hear many express gratitude to John for opening up new opportunities for their village.
With elephants in the background at Mole
Challenge Enterprises of Ghana (CEG): The first Friday I was in Ghana, there was a wee ceremony with the CEG Board Members to dedicate/rename the main Challenge building as “Jim & Leona Mason Memorial House” - including a large sign on the front of the building! Although I thought these type of dedications were done post-humously, we are honoured. Other Challenge-related buildings were dedicated to original Ghanaian Board members - all now with the Lord.
After the trip to the north, I recorded my interviews, which Maybeth Henderson is now graciously transcribing, so I can write that final chapter.
CEG faces great challenges not of their own making. Goods ordered at Christian Booksellers Convention were to reach CEG in October 2008, but the three containers were, for some unknown reason, shipped late to Spain where they waited for 6-8 weeks for a ship bound for Ghana. They finally arrived at CEG on February 1, 2009, having missed the November-January peak selling season. Invoices over $1,400,000, already 6 months old, were due as the goods arrived. Thankfully, most publishers have been understanding. Today, the debt is down to $250,000, but has been a serious drag on CEG’s ministries overall. By the end of 2010, the balance should be cleared.
During this time a second chaplain was employed to visit in the Aids & Cancer clinics at Korle Bu Hospital where 30-50 people monthly decide to follow Christ. Eight cinevans are n the road 26 nights a month, & the approximate monthly cost not covered by donations & book sales is $1,000 per van. The chaplains are active in 7 prisons with 50 plus decisions for Christ each month. The Counselling Department & Young Searchers League (YSL) are also fully expensed by CEG.
All this is happening while in Canada, which has the most restrictive privacy laws of any country, SIM’s office can no longer forward on donor information. CEG is stymied, because it has been its practice for 35 years to write thank you letters for donations, & send update reports every three months. It is difficult to build up a donor base under these circumstances.
The Future: CEG will be taking steps to enlarge its donor base in Ghana - a long term endeavour. Management has also begun to seek help with a strategic revisioning of where they fit in today’s Ghana (new logo, letterhead, perhaps new distinctive colours & whatever else is required to make CEG shops the place of choice for Christian books).
As one SIMer said to me in Ghana, “We do not want to lose Challenge”. Many do not know what SIM is, but when they hear that SIM cooperates with Challenge, people understand. Challenge is known and respected for integrity throughout the nation. SIM does not want to lose this advantage.
Action Plan: Although CEG Bookshops are still the main source of Christian literature in Ghana, public awareness of the organization can be improved through a strategic revisioning of the mission statement and ministries. This should include examining everything that CEG does including 18 bookshops, 8 cinevans, the Enquiry Centre (including Counselling Department), Young Searchers League (Bible correspondence courses for children up through high school age), Emmaus Bible Study Courses
(given free to prisoners), two prison chaplains who work in 7
prisons, & Korle Bu Hospital in the Aids & Cancer clinics.
It might be that some of the activities may have to cease
due to the cost of maintaining them. These will be some of
the weighty decisions for the Board and management to
consider over the next while.
Cinevans are costly to operate, but in 30 years of existence
have helped over 1,000,000 individuals make a decision for
Christ! In addition to each cinevan’s monthly showing
schedule in towns & villages throughout Ghana, this
ministry, in general, has also helped a variety of
denominations to establish 492 churches in Ghana
(including the SIM-related Bible Church of Africa). Roy
Asiamah, who has directed cinevans for 21 years, retires
December 2011. Pray as Ben Boateng, CEG’s Managing
Director, seeks the right person to replace Roy.
Young Searchers League (YSL): Scripture Gift Mission
stopped funding YSL courses 10 years ago, for financial
reasons. CEG saw YSL as crucial, so continued printing all
materials & paying for the awards. In 1995, 95,000 children
were involved in this course but today that number is 900. It
costs CEG in the region of $200-250 to see a child complete
the YSL correspondence courses (requiring approximately 1
year of steady work).
Prisons: Thirty years ago the chaplain used a motorbike to
get around. Today, chaplains refuse because it is too
dangerous. What's more, from the bus drop point there is a
long walk to many of the prisons & the chaplain is unable to
carry the 100-150 Emmaus Bible Course books for the
prisoners. So, nowadays the prison chaplains require a
small vehicle to enable things to run as efficiently & safely
as possible.
The chaplaincies in the prisons, & at the Aids & Cancer
clinics, bring at least 100 to Christ monthly. A Swiss
missionary once observed, “…More people are saved in
Ghanaian prisons than in the churches.”
Claiming the Ground: Assistance will be sought from a PR
company, to reposition CEG to a place where it wants &
needs to be in the Ghanaian context. This will undoubtedly
bring changes to operations & be accompanied by an
advertising campaign to inform the public & present its
revitalized image.
The future days and months will be interesting and
undoubtedly very challenging, but I am confident that God
has a bright future for this influential organization as long as
it continues to keep ‘His glory’ in the centre of its mission.
Pray with us for wisdom, strength, courage & blessing
and from Leona
While Jim was in Ghana, it seemed like Ghanaian weather came here to Waterloo. Our temperatures climbed into the 30s Celsius on a regular basis. A generous rain fell every few days – blessing the garden & helping us all to survive the heat.
Nellie, our sister-in-law, who stayed with me while Jim was away in Ghana, was such good company. It was delightful to spend time together and get reacquainted once again! Nellie enjoyed gardening and often relaxed there in the cool of the evening. We had a very pleasant time together & I was so grateful for her kindness in coming to stay with me.
I celebrated Jim’s return, and Nellie’s departure, by coming down with a stubborn throat and sinus infection that has taken some weeks to get rid of!
Heather & Geoff were thankful for a July holiday while Hannah enjoyed her ‘awesome’ month doing a Counsellor-in-Training programme at Youth Leadership Camps Canada. Geoff’s Mother has recently moved into a condo near theirs in Guelph so there has been plenty of extra work in getting her settled. Hannah looks
forward to another week of camp before the end of the summer and then
launches into her senior year of high school and all the important
opportunities & decisions that will bring.Nellie, Geoff and Leona - June 5, 2010
Glenn, Alex, Matt & Elysia are presently in SE France in the Pyrenees enjoying a holiday ‘house swap’ with a French family who are staying in their home in Aylmer, Quebec. This promises to be a time of adventure, delight & discovery, and we are curious to hear what these French Canadians think of the French from France!
Matt turns 7 on August 19th, and has become a great hockey & soccer player. Sweet little Elysia (5yrs) continues to charm most everyone! Glenn & Alex certainly welcome this chance to get a holiday far away from their busy government jobs.
John spends a lot of his time travelling overseas, as he is deeply involved with various international conservation programs, at times playing a major role in discussions and decision making.
John and Karl at Mole Game Park
Karl (12yrs) and Kristin (9yrs) are growing and maturing into lovely young people. They live with Martina and spend weekends with John when he is home. Jim was especially grateful for the time he was able to spend with each one of them on his recent trip to Ghana.
Although I am far from strong, and have a myriad of health issues, I try to go on regular mall walks with Jim (and my walker)! I am so thankful for our church, family and friends who pray for & encourage me -especially my friend, Comfort, who lives up to her name and often prays for me over the phone!
And this is my prayer for you: “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.” (Numbers 6:24-26)
We have the right paperwork from
Home Affairs in
Fundraising is still a huge prayer
request/concern. The registration fees do not cover the full
extent of what it will cost per person. Also, many participants
are coming from under resourced areas and looking for funding for their
costs (registration, flights, hotels). Please pray that God brings
forth the funding for each person.
The main program coordinators had
very good meetings last week in
I’m already looking towards my
next step and pray for God’s peace, wisdom & guidance in this area.
Xerggyo August 9, 2010 Skype Message at 160
Hi Don, how are you, are you there?
now I am in the meeting with my leaders
it was so interesting, because we did't have a
solution for now
and also it was so difucult, but Gor, our Lord he
answer our prayer,
it was dificult because some times we didn't have the
same plan or the same thing about the cross cultural mission,
: especially with the espiritual thing,
thanks for your prayers.
Tragic news out of Afghanistan today August 7, 2010
Dr. Tom Little, a missionary doctor, and 9 of his co-workers were shot to death on Thursday in Afghanistan. Tom and his wife, Libby Little have served as missionaries with InterServe in Afghanistan for over 30 years. We heard Libby at Urbana 1996 where she was a plenary session speaker. She was amazing and we invited them to come to Knox while they were in North America, but their schedule would not allow it.
A New York Times report of the incident is here:
Please pray for Libby Little and their 3 grown-up daughters – as well as the rest of the families affected. Please pray also for the safety of Christians in Afghanistan and neighbouring countries, whether they be foreign workers or native believers.
In case you have not heard the news, my son Peter is currently riding his bicycle across Canada, solo. He is doing this, not just for good exercise and adventure, but also to grow in his faith and to inspire people to support the work of Hakka Bible translation in Taiwan.
In June I was deeply moved when Peter told me about the fund raising aspect of his ride. (This idea was his, not mine.) His faith, determination and perseverance to ride 8000-9000 km across Canada is a great encouragement to me and the Hakka translation team too.
You can read more about Peter's adventure and follow his progress at: http://petermclean.tumblr.com
Over the past 6 weeks, Peter has cycled from the Pacific Ocean, across Vancouver Island, through southern British Columbia, up and down the Rocky Mountains, across Alberta and the prairie provinces, to the border of Ontario. Over this 2000+ km, he has experienced hot sunny days, cold nights, rain, thunder storms, hail and even snow! He has met many kind people along the way, and even a few bears! He still has a long way to go before he reaches his final goal, St. John's Newfoundland and the Atlantic Ocean.
If you or someone you know is inspired by Peter's adventure and faith, please consider sending an offering on his behalf in support of the Hakka Bible translation project in Taiwan. Peter's 'blog' provides instructions on how you can donate: http://petermclean.tumblr.com/hakkabible
Today, I leave for my first
trip ever to China! I am excited!
I am in group of 10 IVCF friends and staff traveling to
Please pray as I present on Mon
eve, Aug 9th, on “How to Transition to and Succeed in
North American Universities.” It will be summer break time, but the
entire university is invited to join the 80+ Canadian and Chinese
students in the program. I will provide a 20-minute lecture, then
30 minutes of Q&A. I am hopeful for good rapport & one-on-one
conversations with students.
No news is good news!
Many of you at a distance from
Highlights in this Period:
I was frankly caught off-guard by
the fullness of my schedule this year. 1)
I’m glad I can send you some of my
news. What’s yours? Have a great August!