New World of Hope Project (2 of 2)

For some kids in Bolivian’s children’s homes, choir is a breath of fresh air into their daily routine. Music allows them one more area to grow in and develop. Added to that, singing is something that anyone can do!

This is directly from Jackie:
“Many of the children that join us come with barriers to learning and development. With time and a focus on  relationship we hope to instil positive attitudes, confidence and skills that they can carry with them. We hope that the  participants will become young people who choose to follow the Lord, be active members in their churches and leaders  in their communities.”

The choir has performed for a few churches, and plans are underway to use the choir to increasingly engage with the external community. There are two options that we want to place in front of you to support this initiative.

1) Cantaremos Children’s Choir (Bolivia) #2-2376 Give a child from a home for abandoned children the opportunity to sing, play and make new friends for a year. $100 per year per child.

2) Cantaremos Children’s Choir (Bolivia) #2-2376 Give respite and encouragement to children in need by providing sheet music for an entire children’s choir. $40 per song

You can donate to this by clicking here.

The Journey in Thailand

Many of you probably know that Randy coordinated the Journey house church plant in Langley, BC. In the last few months he and his family have made the transition to Thailand where he is continuing to share the vision of the Journey in a population that is mostly non-Christian. He’s maintaining an informative blog — and I thought it’s worth letting you know about it.

You can find it by clicking here.

Advent is a Shock to the Senses

Let me ask you a question. What is the most important part of Christmas? People talk about keeping the main thing the main thing, and then they talk about family, or church services or an ‘attitude of gratitude’. These things are important, but I submit that they’re not the most important.

Our missionaries face culture shock, homesickness and massive change. It becomes no more apparent than Christmas season where the seasons are flipped, their families are distant and they face the daily discomfort of the spiritual battle they’ve engaged. In hard times, it becomes much easier to keep the main thing central.

Please read this story from Sheri, serving with us in Mexico. While this isn’t a long story, it isn’t an easy read. However she draws an important parallel which is really meaningful to me. You can find her recent writing by clicking here.

Let me ask another question. What part of the good news that the angels proclaimed applies to all people? If you answer that well, I think you will find the main thing. May you hold to it strongly during Christmas, and throughout the year!

It’s Indeed a Small World After All

One of our missionaries in Bolivia referred me to this story of meeting strangers who weren’t really so strange. In a chance meeting at the recent ECHO (Education Concerns for Hunger Organization) conference in Florida, and through chance conversations, they discovered that they all had ties to the EFCCM in both Ukraine and central Africa.

Read the whole story by clicking here.

When we’re on the lookout, we find God orchestrates small moments to be such a blessing.

Opportunities: Pastors Needed Internationally

We have two opportunities for pastors that we’d like to highlight. These are both fairly rare for us, because neither of them need extensive language training.

This one is from Daryl, the EFCCM’s Europe Area Director:

“This is an immediate need. One of our EFC churches in Kiev has been without a pastor for some time. They have been struggling and are at a breaking point. Some of the elders have filled in but are getting weary. An English speaker could come in (they have those who can translate) and begin to encourage and teach and give them some time to find a Ukrainian pastor, Lord willing. A person can enter Ukraine for 90 days without a visa. So a 3 month short term ministry could happen any time. They meet in a rented facility and are a group of about 25.”

This one came in from Steve, our Latin America Area Director:

“If you are interested in an experience overseas, but still preaching and teaching in English, then consider applying for the pastoral position that comes open this January in Santa Cruz, Bolivia. The Trinity International Church is seeking a senior pastor. Yes, you will have to raise some support as a missionary here in Canada. Yes, you will have a great support team of fellow EFCCM missionaries on-site with you in Bolivia! This kind of an opportunity comes along very seldom.”

If you are interested in either of these, and would like to know more, please contact us.

Medical Concerns from Around the World

We have been alerted to a number of health concerns of our missionaries recently. Even the ones that turn out to be minor are still rather alarming when met by inadequate and untrustworthy health care. In effort to protect the privacy of our people, I don’t want to name too many specifics or identify here on the site. But at the same time, I want to raise these concerns for prayer and for support.

One of our missionaries has been diagnosed with advanced osteoporosis. It has affected her back, and weakened her whole body considerably. While this disease is usually associated with the elderly, in this case it was brought on as a side-effect from a previously prescribed medication. She is incapable of being the mother to her young children that she longs to be. Pray for healing for her, and for the strength of the whole family as they face this condition together.

Another missionary has a skin lesion that was growing rapidly and changing colour. After a return to North America for testing, it has been determined that it is not cancerous — obviously their biggest concern — but leaves a lingering uncertainty about what’s going on there. Added to that, the biopsied area is now showing signs of infection! Pray for a clear diagnosis and a treatment to be made available.

As we ramp up into the Christmas season, please keep our missionaries in your thoughts and prayers. Many are facing really challenging realities on the home front with ageing parents, and as mentioned above, their own health concerns. Pray that the Prince of Peace revealed to us 2,000 years ago would continue to make himself real to our missionaries, their families, and all the people they’re working with.

The Pulse is Live!

The Pulse publication has now gone online. Check it out by clicking here.

Our theme is Works or Words: What Do We Lead With?

This edition also kicks off a new format. We are using the Pulse to host charitable debate on a new topic each time. Leaders will be given the chance to speak their piece, and then even address each other’s points.

We are excited to bring you as much dynamic, compelling content as we can all in one document, with a new page-flip look that’s easy and fun to navigate. You can also download a pdf for yourself, which you may find useful for printing if you need to read it in your hands.

Over the next little while, we will add Pulse content into the main body of the website in order to keep the dialogue going. As always, feel free to comment on anything you see!

World of Hope Update

I just saw the numbers:

World of Hope has already raised $5,428! For being one month in, and still a ways off from year-end, this is wonderful! (As a reminder, to make donations count towards your 2009 contributions, we need them before 2010!)

A deep thank you goes to you for contributing to God’s work around the world through the EFCCM. Please continue to pray for the missionaries and ministries that will be blessed by World of Hope. There are many avenues of service needing further investment.

New World of Hope Project (1 of 2)

As the most widely translated book in the world, the Bible is a valuable tool for learning a language. It fits really well into an ESL classroom, and students can follow a translation in their language and in English simultaneously.

Shaun, serving with in Hungary, told us that Eva (pictured above) received an English/Hungarian New Testament as a gift.  She wanted to learn more English so she began to read the New Testament in English and also the Hungarian text at the same time.  By receiving this gift, Eva was encouraged to read the Bible in both languages.  She really hadn’t been reading the Bible before even though she and her family had a Hungarian Bible at home.”

You can help to ensure get we get a Bible into the hands of eager students and members of English camp, not only to learn the class content and gain linguistic skills, but also to explore the truth that the Bible contains. To contribute follow this link to our donation page, and when prompted please enter project account 2-4290.

Big Difference!

Have you been following Casa Mariposa (the women and children’s shelter)? If so, you’ll notice that this has undergone some significant development over the last little while. Jake and Mary, who have recently returned to Bolivia, are planning to have Casa Mariposa fully operational in April. The way the project is proceeding, that should be an easily attainable goal.

Bible study and outreach is under way, with members from two significant local colonies attending. However, they don’t get started until much later than they’d planned each night. To avoid repercussions, they leave their homes and walk to attend under the cover of night. It means that they often don’t get back to their homes until 2am! May God reward their sacrifice and diligence with a deepening understanding of himself.

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