11 Sep Six UB Ministers Touring Our Work in Haiti

UB ministers in Haiti (l-r): Marshall Woods, Kent Koteskey, Mark Wilson, Brad Kittle, Jeff Bleijerveld, and Bishop Phil Whipple.

Bishop Phil Whipple and Global Ministries Director Jeff Bleijerveld are in Haiti, where the United Brethren denomination has about 30 churches and is engaged in a variety of ministries. Accompanying them are four other United Brethren ministers:

• Marshall Woods, senior pastor of Mill Chapel (Reedsville, W. Va.).
• Brad Kittle, senior pastor of Praise Point (Willshire, Ohio).
• Mark Wilson, senior pastor of Fowlerville UB church (Fowlerville, Mich.).
• Kent Koteskey, executive pastor of Emmanuel Community Church (Fort Wayne, Ind.).

They were joined in Haiti by two representatives from an organization called Loving Shepherd Ministries. The group left Monday, September 9, and will return on September 16.

10 Sep Bishop John and Nancy Pessima Available This Fall

John Pessima and his wife, Nancy, will be in the United States October 24 – December 6, 2013. John is bishop of Sierra Leone National Conference, and Nancy is very active in the Sierra Leone Women’s Missionary Fellowship.

The purpose of the trip is to be available to speak in United Brethren churches for Thank Offering services, missions conferences, WMF programs, etc. Ideally, they’ll speak to different churches and groups separately, but they can come to your church as a couple if necessary.

Bishop Pessima will share about the conference’s mission work among Sunni Muslims in Pujehun Province, where more than 4000 have come to faith in Christ. He will also provide updates regarding the hospital, changes at the Evangelical College of Theology, and continuing efforts to train and develop effective leaders.

Nancy Pessima will share about the ministry of the Women’s Missionary Fellowship, about how women have been involved in arranging for the adoption of orphaned children by UB families in Sierra Leone, and about small business efforts, evangelism, and discipleship efforts.

Arrangements are being made through Rev. Joe Abu, pastor of Mt. Zion United African Church in Philadelphia, Pa. If interested in having John and/or Nancy Pessima come to your church, call the Mt. Zion office ASAP: 267-240-9942.

04 Sep Three Mission Trips to Sierra Leone

Global Ministries is sponsoring three trips to Sierra Leone during the next few months. All three involve ministry at Mattru Hospital.

November 2013
This is a medical trip to Mattru Hospital. Dates: November 9 – November 23 or 24 (contingent upon flight availability).

Needed specifically are another doctor, a nurse practitioner or physician’s assistant, a couple of nurses, and a surgeon. Also needed are a support person to assist with minor maintenance at Mattru Hospital.

Due to the close departure time, if you are interested please email Donna Hollopeter or call her (888-622-3019) before September 15.

January 10-25, 2014
Global Ministries is sponsoring a team to Sierra Leone to work at Mattru Hospital to do renovations on Harmony House. This is an existing structure that needs upgrades and complete renovations to make it ready for occupancy by future short-term teams. We need persons experienced with construction or who could provide assistance acting as material preparers and other support type positions.

Space is rapidly filling, so if you are interested please contact Donna at Global Ministries for more information and an application form. Cost: $2500 per person.

January 22 – February 9, 2014
A follow-up team is needed to accompany Dr. Ron Baker. This team will be strictly medical in nature. Needed for this trip are physicians, surgeons, and physician assistants.

Requirements
Requirements for all three trips include a valid passport and the following:

• Yellow fever immunization (mandatory).
• Hepatitis A & B immunizations.
• Typhoid immunizations.
• Updated tetanus and flu shots.
• The anti-malarial drug Doxycycline for each person.

03 Sep Kline Family Back from Macau

The Kline family with the Global Ministries staff. L-r: Frank Y, David Kline, Melissa Kline, Aiden Kline, Mia Kline, Jeff Bleijerveld, Brandt Kline, Donna Hollopeter, Jana Gass.

David and Melissa Kline and children have returned from Macau. They showed up at the United Brethren Office on Tuesday morning, September 3. Here they are with the Global Ministries staff.

03 Sep Dwight and Patti Kuntz Available for Speaking

Dwight and Patti Kuntz have returned from Jamaica, where they served as short-term coordinators/liaisons between Jamaica Conference and North American short-term teams. They will be in the U.S. during the fall Thank Offering season, and are available to speak in churches for Thank Offering services and mission conferences. They can be contacted via email at [email protected].

03 Sep Hancocks Returning to Jamaica Sept. 4

Please pray for Harold and MaryAnn Hancock as they leave for Jamaica on Wednesday, Sept. 4. They will begin their second year tomorrow of work at Regent College of the Caribbean and Brumalia High School. After three months in Jamaica, the Hancocks will return to the U. S. for the holidays, and then will return to Jamaica after the beginning of the new year.

28 Aug Video: Mattru Hospital 2013

The United Brethren in Christ has operated the Mattru Hospital in Sierra Leone for more than 50 years. Currently, steps are being taken to renew the hospital’s focus and operations under the leadership of the Sierra Leone National Conference and with the participation of multiple partners, including Global Ministries.

13 Aug Prayer for Roger Reeck

Marilyn Reeck, Wycliffe Bible Translators, Honduras

Over the years the Lord has been gracious and wonderful to us, and we praise Him for His blessings. But now, we need your help–to pray for Roger and his pain level.

In April, Roger had an operation on his left ankle with the hope of relieving some of the pain he feels, but several months later, the pain still lingers. It appears that the pain is nerve related. He has been taking Lyrica for two months and has received steroid shots in the ankle area. So far, nothing has helped and the strong pain persists–especially as rainy weather approaches.

Awhile back, Roger committed to go to Mozambique to lead a seminar on translating the book of Psalms and also to check the translation of Psalms for the Sena language group. We are just days away from him leaving and have become concerned about the persistent pain, especially because I will not travel with him.

We invite you to commit to pray for Roger each day while he is in Mozambique–for a total of three weeks. Please pray with us for the following:

1. That Roger will be released from this strong, debilitating pain.
2. For the long trip. Roger’s leg usually swells and becomes painful during a flight.
3. That Roger will have the ability to concentrate in order to lead the workshop and to guide the Sena group through the revision of the translation.

Here is Roger’s travel schedule:

Aug. 17: Travel from La Ceiba to Houston.
Aug. 18: Travel from Houston to Washington DC.
Aug. 19: Travel from Washington to Johannesburg thru Ehiopia.
Aug. 20: Request the visa to Mozambique.
Aug. 22: Travel from Johannesburg to Mozambique.
Aug. 19-23: Psalms workshop.
Aug. 26 – Sept. 6: consult check the translation for the Sena language group.
Sept. 8: Travel back to Johannesburg.
Sept. 9: Travel back to Houston and Honduras.

07 Aug Criders Team Serves in Nicaragua

Criders team in Nicaragua. L-r: Marina Barnett, Justine Staniszewski, Baylee Keefer, Emily Stottlemyer, Chip Stottlemyer, Jody Barnett.

A team of four youth and two adults from Criders UB church (Chambersburg, Pa.) traveled to Masaya, Nicaragua, in July. Working with Jeff Dice, they helped with the conference center building project and completed some paint projects for Pastor Juan Pavon.

They also planned and ran a Kids Camp program at one of the local UB churches. About 75 children attended. They invited parents to the closing service, and about 125 New Testaments were given out to the children and their parents.

30 Jul A Sierra Leone Reunion in Indiana

L-r: Kona Musa, Sam King, Mikaile Mambu, Bishop Phil Whipple, Joe Abu, Emmanuel Farma, James Kabangai, Donna Hollopeter, and Jeff Bleijerveld.

Jeff Bleijerveld, Director of Global Ministries

Last week Global Ministries had a bit of a Sierra Leone reunion here at our office in Huntington, Ind. The reunion was precipitated by the visit of Rev. Emmanuel Farma, who was standing up with Rev. James Ganda as he was married last week in Philadelphia.

As part of Rev. Farma’s visit, Rev. Joseph Abu along with Rev. James Kabangai and Sam King made the trip to Huntington to visit with former missionaries Eleanore Datema, Greg and Jodi Fiedler, Emmett and Shirley Cox, as well as with Jim and Marda Hoffman and former Global Ministries director, Rev. Gary Dilley.

Following a tour of Huntington University, the group joined Bishop Phil Whipple, Donna Hollopeter and Jeff Bleijerveld for lunch. Huntington students Kona Musa (nursing) and Mikaile Mambu (social work/psychology), both of Sierra Leone, also joined in.

Rev. Farma is lead pastor of our largest congregation in Sierra Leone and superintendent of church services for the Sierra Leone National Conference.