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2007 Archived NewsDecember 4, 2007"Finisher's" Movement (Article written by Donna Hollopeter) Consider some of the following scenarios. You have been a successful accountant in a firm for a number of years but lately you have been feeling there has to be more than what you are doing at the current time. Taking your accounting skills and being available to work on a short-term basis for a mission agency either in the home office or with a group of missionaries overseas could be a real blessing. Many missionaries are not good bookkeepers, but helping them set up a “do-able” accounting system could save valuable time, stress, and lost ministry opportunities for a mission station. April 25, 2007A letter from Gary Dilley Friends, I am writing you about two unique situations Global Ministries is involved in. One of the events has taken place, and the other is still to come. A young friend of mine, Delmon Maricharles, age 28, a Haitian studying at Jamaica Bible College, died on the operating table March 23rd from an aortic aneurysm and leaky aortic valve. He had prayed for four years for the chance to study for the pastorate. He was the brightest young man we had for future Haitian leadership. He went to Jamaica as a Creole speaker, and learned enough English along the way to succeed for the time he had there. This death has affected a lot of lives:
Jamaica Conference (who had been sponsoring Delmon's education) placed a healthy deposit on open-heart surgery to try to save his life. This is money they cannot afford to part with. We also have a family and churches in Haiti with no financial means, but who desperately want to have his body come back to Haiti for burial. As partners in the gospel, and blessed in the Lord, we’d like to extend a merciful hand to our brothers and sisters in Jamaica and Haiti. The expenses for surgery, the funeral home, returning Delmon’s body to Haiti, and assisting the family with the funeral costs there are $9,000 (The cost of the funeral in Haiti is almost a half of a person’s wages for an entire year.) I am writing this to let you know about the need, and if you would like to contribute toward this, we would be blessed. The second situation is an amazing opportunity this summer in China. A group of UB teacher trainers will be going to southern China to a city of over a million people to work with their school system, and particularly elementary and middle school English teachers. They will be leading professional development seminars for Chinese teachers of English. Additional UB individuals from the US will be leading a two-week camp for Chinese elementary and middle school students to help them develop English skills and provide a place for the Chinese teachers to practice the lessons they are learning. Conversation groups for the Chinese teachers will be held to practice conversational English. The UB missionaries in Macau have been working periodically with English teachers in China for over 15 years. Several Chinese teachers have accepted Christ as a result of our efforts there. Because of those relationships, we’ve been invited to come into this communist school system. We anticipate that this summer’s project will open up further doors of evangelistic opportunities in southern China. It is our hope to be placing long-term Global Ministries’ personnel in the school system in the years to come. We’re working on raising sufficient funds to place this team on the ground in July. We desire to raise $4,000 and any gift your congregation would be interested in investing in this work in mainland China would be of great value. We try to not place too many letters before you, but we felt these were important enough things in the life of the United Brethren Church international to bring to your attention. If you desire to give towards these needs, please make your check payable to “Global Ministries” with either “Delmon expenses” or “China Teacher Training Trip” in the memo line at the bottom of the check. God bless you in your continued work in impacting your community and this world for Jesus’ sake. Please contact me with any questions you may have. Sincerely, April 4, 2007Report from Philippines Evangelistic Mission Trip. A group of four gentlemen from UB churches in southern Ohio traveled to Manila in the Philippines (March 14-24) to work with Pastor Prudencio Lim, head of our Philippine National Conference. Rev. George McCombs, First UB in Columbus; Rev. Joe Leighton, Salem Chapel UB near Lancaster; Carl Morgan, a layman from Salem Chapel and Adam Will who serves as lay pastor of the Eden UB Church in Reedsville, Ohio worked with Pastor Lim in an evangelistic crusade in Manila. Each night they would assist in the crusade and then during the day would do follow-up work with those who made commitments the night before, or would canvas neighborhoods inviting people to come to the crusade. The purpose of the crusade was to proclaim the gospel, follow up those making decisions, begin the discipleship process, and establish the core for a new church plant. Over 1000 people attended the crusade and more than 100 people made a decision to follow Christ. This was the fourth medical trip to Honduras sponsored by Global Ministries and we have received an invitation from the Honduran Conference to send a fifth team in 2008. March 29, 2007Randy and Toni Fennig Testimony A note from Gary Dilley: Sierra Leone has been trying to crawl out of last place having the lowest median income for nations of the world. I see the potentiality of Toni working in Business as Mission as a way not only to be a small economic lift, but also to model additional and new ways for economic development as well as outreach through Christian mission. From the Fennigs: The road people travel to reach the destination of “missionary” is varied. None go down the same road. But along the journey, there must be a place where the thought comes, "I want to make a difference in people’s lives for the Kingdom of God, particularly those who have had less opportunity than I have had to know God’s plan of redemption for the world and to see His Kingdom built.” February 21, 2007Emmaus Bible Correspondence Work in India God continues to work through the Bible correspondence courses in India. Over 108,100 adult courses have been sent out and 55,200 people have completed these courses. Fourteen different courses are offered including the advanced courses, which are Romans, Acts, Daniel, and Revelation. More people are taking these advanced classes, showing an increased desire to study the Bible. For the children, 6 courses are offered. Altogether 17,250 have been sent out with 8,775 being completed. Here is an example of an individual involved in Bible correspondence. R., a 20 year Hindu man, wrote asking questions about God. He was confused and wondering who the true God is since Hinduism leads him to worship so many idols. He became depressed and tried to commit suicide twice. He asked that we send him the lessons and a Bible to enable him to study. He requested prayer, that he would find peace. Three of the adult courses have recently been reprinted and a reprint of the first course for children, “Things Jesus Said and Did" is needed. Display boxes have been placed in various institutions and churches introducing these courses. This has helped to add new students. Two ladies work fulltime in the office. They pray on a daily basis for those who write in with a variety of problems or joys. The work of Bible Correspondence for an entire year is $3780. Your investment in this project is most appreciated. Let me share with you regarding some of the lives that touch us through the correspondence work. P., a boy dealing with his 10th grade exam, was convicted of sin when he heard the Good News on the Radio through the story of the Prodigal son. He has lost interest in his studies and fallen into sin. He had always ranked first in his class. His parents do not know that he has written to us. They would not be happy that he is studying about Jesus Christ. So he asked us to mail material to the address of a friend who also believes in the Lord and he wants to begin studying the Bible through these courses. L., who is also studying, was baptized on January 1, 2007 and he decided to change his name after baptism, as L. is a Hindu name. He has been telling his friend about Jesus and is praying that he too would be baptized. He wanted us to send courses for both of them, along with a Bible. Many write in asking for Bibles and for literature to share with others. Some are running Sunday Schools. So we send them the Children’s courses to be used as their lessons, since they do not have any special books. A young man wrote that his sister had recently died and his father was very upset over this and needed much prayer so he would come out of this depression. These heartbreaking stories show how important it is for God’s Word to go out to the lost and for them to know that people are interceding in prayer for them and their needs. January 15, 2007Update on Simbo Support The Simbo’s are grateful for the many gifts that have come toward the one time ministry expenses for getting on the field (vehicle, shipping, office, etc.). Their greatest need right now are churches, Sunday School classes and families who will invest in them for their ongoing support over the next three years. They currently have partners for 30% of their monthly support. If a church or family makes a one time gift toward their monthly support, that is still very helpful. You can contact Global Ministries at 888-622-3019 or e-mail Donna Hollopeter at donna@ub.org. You can contact the Simbo’s at bksimbo2001@yahoo.com or call 215-206-6621. New Church Plant in Port au Prince, Haiti A major initiative this year in our Haitian work has been to establish an urban church in the growing capitol city of Port Au Prince. A group from Canadian UB churches joined together with Pastor Oliam Richard, along with other Haitian pastors and lay leaders in an evangelistic crusade. Over three nights, 73 people came to Christ. A follow up meeting was called for the next day for those making a profession of Christ. They all came back! Plus five more people. A second follow up meeting was called for four days later. A total of 83 came for this meeting. The first service of this new congregation was held Sunday, December 10th at 6:00 a.m. with over 125 in attendance. We praise God for this new church in the heart of the city.
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