26 Mar Three US-Based Missionaries in Need of Support

L-r: Abby Farmer, Sarah Bonner, and Jessica Hollopeter.

What comes to mind when you hear the word “missionary?” Someone living in a remote country, preaching to natives wearing grass skirts? But global missions also occurs in our own back yard. Additionally, Paul’s words about the many parts of the Body of Christ apply to world evangelism. Overseas church planters are not the whole of global missions.

Global Ministries has a number of staff working in North America. Unfortunately, missionaries working in North America and/or in support roles often have difficulty raising support, despite the importance of their work. These three Global Ministries staff are currently in serious financial need, and could use your support.

• Sarah Bonner is an endorsed staff working with One Mission Society in Indianapolis. Her role as the administrative assistant to the International Director enables the success of various key training events and leadership meetings for OMS church planters.
• Abigail Farmer is an endorsed staff working with Wycliffe Bible Translators in Mississippi. She assists the translation work on the Choctaw Bible, and helps to contextualize Christian music and art among that tribe.
• Jessica Hollopeter is a sojourn staff working with One Mission Society, and she also contributes regularly to Global Ministries work. Jessica works in the communications department, allowing foreign missionaries to communicate well with their supporters, and assisting OMS’s social media efforts. She may begin new work coordinating church planting training materials.

These young women would greatly appreciate your financial support. If you would like to support Sarah, Abby, or Jessica, please send a check, with a note indicating which person it is for, to:

Global Ministries
302 Lake Street
Huntington, IN 46750

13 Mar Jamaica Conference Underway

Jamaica Conference is currently holding their annual meeting. Donna Hollopeter, associate director of Global Ministries, is attending the meeting, along with her husband, Jason.

Isaac Nugent was elected bishop of Jamaica Conference in March 2012. This will be his first experience chairing the annual meeting.

11 Mar TECT: Training UB Leaders in Sierra Leone

Jeff Bleijerveld, Director of Global Ministries

The Evangelical College of Theology is an important part of our ministry in Sierra Leone. Many United Brethren leaders in Sierra Leone hold degrees from TECT (which was once known as Sierra Leoone Bible College). The United Brethren Church is one of four denominations that send students to TECT, which has over 350 students.

Global Ministries does not help underwrite the school itself, but we do try to support individual UB students through sponsorships. Currently, two United Brethren students attend TECT.

You may be interested in seeing this TECT-Report. The main campus in Jui, outside of Freetown, is growing and doing well. As the report shows, TECT has 99 students in the theology and Christian ministry programs, and 255 students in non-theology programs.

The student breakdown for the 2011-2012 year looks like this:

TECT plans to expand its program to offer graduate studies in the city of Bo. Since Bo is central to United Brethren work in Sierra Leone, this would have a tremendous impact on our churches, pastors, and laypersons in that area.

Sierra Leone Conference is in the midst of renovating its headquarters building in Bo, a building which was severely damaged during the rebel war. One mission project focuses on the renovation. The plan is for TECT to use some of the building space, but this would require additional renovation. As TECT works toward launching this extension program, we would like to provide additional support.

Dan Ryan, TECT’s Director of Development and Communications, will attend our National Conference this summer and will be available to field your questions.

21 Feb Nicaragua: Work Continues on Training/Dormitory Building

Work continues on the dormitory/training center in Masaya, Nicaragua.

Jeff Dice, Global Ministries staff in Nicaragua

A team of 9 men traveled to Masaya, Nicaragua, to work on the conference center that is under construction. We finished much of the roof structure and the crew finished the inside walls. Next up will be smoothing the walls and installing doors and windows. There is still much to do to complete the project and get it ready for use.

Each of our churches there plan to raise the funds needed to buy one or more beds for the facility. Some churches will be able to supply more. It is exciting to see this great ministry and fundraising tool take shape.

Seven of us, along with Pastor Juan Pavon and Pastor Jesus Vega, then traveled to a small village on the San Juan River called El Castillo to do some fishing. It was a beautiful two-hour ride down the river to reach this incredible fishing spot. Unfortunately for us, it rained the whole day we fished. We did catch a couple of nice fish, just not the monster tarpon we had hoped for.

If your church would like to become partners with Nicaragua for a trip or more, we’d love to help make that happen.

18 Feb A Gift for Our El Salvador Ministries

A new Nissan for the work in El Salvador.

Jeff Bleijerveld, Director of Global Ministries

Gonzalo Alas (right) emailed to say he is doing much better after the heart episode he had earlier this year. He has to pace himself a little better but otherwise seems much better. Rev. Alas, a Honduran pastor, leads our churches in El Salvador.

Something quite timely and practical is the purchase of this Nissan, to which United Brethren people in North America contributed. He sends his sincere thanks to you, knowing that some wished to remain anonymous.

18 Feb 2013 Haiti Medical Team

The Cayes medical team (Team #11).

The UB Church in Canada sent two teams, back to back, to Haiti in early 2013. The first team worked mostly on construction issues (read their story here). The second team held medical clinics, and you can read their story here. Joan Sider (right), from New Hope Community Church in Toronto, led both teams and filed daily reports. Some of the daily reports were written by other team members.

Tuesday, February 4, 2013

Merrilee Trussler was the first writer for Haiti Team #11. This is her first visit to Jamaica.

The travel from Toronto to Montreal to Port au Prince went smoothly. We all got called into customs at Haiti and most of the bins were opened and inspected. Several bins were set aside, and there was concern that they would be kept. But God works in mysterious was! A customs official let us and all of our bins with supplies go for a soccer ball, a pump, and a stuffed animal for his son. A very small price to pay.

We arrived at the guest house and quickly settled in. We unloaded all 14 bins and started sorting. It was great to be joined by Dr. Germain, his friend, and his son. Halfway through we got a welcome relief of dinner. It included a very nice green salad, rice, bean sauce and roasted turkey. Joan shared that she missed the main event but was able to see the turkey alive and well in the morning and on the plate at night.

After dinner the team finished the bin sorting. It is amazing how quickly everyone is working together. We then had a brief devotional time outside (there was a nice breeze).

Today has been a great start and I pray that we will be able to bless the Haitian people through our stay.

The for locations where clinics were held in Cayes.

Wednesday, February 6, 2013

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18 Feb Progress on Dormitory at Regent College of the Caribbean

The work team from Union Chapel UB church (Fort Wayne, Ind.). Dwight and Patti Kuntz are standing in the middle.

The work team from Salem UB church (Chambersburg, Pa.).

Dwight Kuntz

Dwight and Patti Kuntz (right) are Global Ministries JumpStart staff serving in Jamaica. They filed this report on behalf of Regent College of the Caribbean. The school was formerly called Jamaica Bible College, but underwent a name change to appeal to a broader base of students throughout the Caribbean region.

Construction began in June 2012 on the new dining hall complex with the site preparation and the laying of the foundation in solid rock. We returned in January 2013 with a team of seven from the Union Chapel UB church in Fort Wayne, Ind. We began by laying block, starting at the ground floor level, and did backfill around the building foundation and in some rooms to bring them to floor level.

It was a great sight to watch the walls going up all around the building and getting a feel for just how big the building would be (126-by-80 feet). After two weeks, the building was really taking shape.

The Fort Wayne team was followed by a team of eight from Salem UB church in Chambersburg, Pa. They spent six days continuing the work by building and filling columns around the building and extending the height of a few short walls. Between the two teams and three Jamaican masons, over 3000 blocks, a ton of steel, tons of gravel, sand, marl, and cement were used, plus hundreds of gallons of water.

We are happy with what has been accomplished to this point, but sad to say that we have run out of funds for now. We do not know from where or from whom more funds will be coming, but our God does. So we ask for your prayers that hearts will be open to his voice and leading. We are in need of more teams to come in with working funds to help with the construction, or churches/individuals who can contribute any amount to the project.

If you would like more information about the project, please email me, Dwight Kuntz. Or you can send contributions through Global Ministries, 302 Lake St. Huntington, IN 46750, marked for RCC Dining Complex. We will be back in the States after March 20 for 2-3 months and I will be happy to speak to any group or church about the work at Regent College of the Caribbean, and how you can be a part of God’s work here in Jamaica.

13 Feb Meetings Begin Regarding Mattru Hospital’s Future

Dr. Dennis Marke, a United Brethren member and former Mattru surgeon , chairs a team developing a SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) of the hospital finances.

Jeff Bleijerveld, Director of Global Ministries

The strategic planning meeting at Mattru UBC Hospital began today with the presence of hospital, conference, and regional leaders, including the Paramount Chief for the Bonthe district.

Bishop John Pessima opened our meetings, we heard a summary of an assessment done in November, and I led the strategic planning portion of the meeting.

Continue to remember our meetings in prayer.

Dr. Dennis Marke, former Mattru surgeon and UBC member, chairs a team developing a SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) of the hospital finances.

12 Feb Death of Maritta Fiedler’s Father

Maritta Fiedler, a Global Ministries staffperson serving in Germany, is mourning the death of her father. Hansjakob Wiederhold, 83, passed away at 1:50 pm on Tuesday, February 12. He had struggled with cancer for several years.

Galen Fiedler wrote of his father-in-law, “During the morning he was aware of us but struggling with his breathing; he left quietly with a smile on his face and with us around him.” That would include his wife, Ruth Wiederhold.

Galen says his father-in-law was one of the early pioneer missionaries in both East Africa and Papua New Guinea. “In a time when he wasn’t even recognized as a ‘real’ missionary (because he worked in agriculture), he was serving the Lord whole-heartedly. There is much rejoicing in heaven today because of this humble man who made such an impact on those around him.”

Condolences can be sent to Maritta Fiedler at Galen’s email address: gmfiedler@yahoo.de.

12 Feb A Visit to the Danville Church in Sierra Leone

Jeff Bleijerveld, Director of Global Ministries

Jeff Bleijerveld is currently in Sierra Leone with Bishop Phil Whipple and associate director Donna Hollopeter.

We came through the Rutile mines and visited three churches. All three have a little more than 300 in attendance, operate schools, and support their own pastors. However, visiting Danville Church was probably the highlight of our day.

The Danville Church was the first United Brethren mission station, established in 1861. The original block house is still there and a church is located beside it. Quite a few gathered with us at the missionary cemetery a short walk through the bush. The first grave I saw was that of Betty Harvey. She arrived in 1861 and died in 1866. They told us the majority of missionaries died of malaria within a very short time. We also saw the grave of Dr. Dewitt Baker’s son who drowned when a barge overturned in the Mattru Jong River, which was their only route inland at that time.

Later we met Charlie Harvey. It was no coincidence that he bears the same name as Betty Harvey, whom I mentioned earlier. Her family took one of his ancestors into their family and gave him their name. Charlie, a layperson, was responsible for planting the Kissy Road Church in Freetown. He served there for 12 years until Bishop John Pessima became pastor.

Before we left, the members of the Danville congregation who joined us at the cemetery sang “Guide Me Oh Thou Great Jehovah” in the Mende language and with a local flair. It was a beautiful yet troubling time as we considered the incredible cost some paid to serve God, and the relative ease we face today. Can we ever take it so for granted?

Anyhow, it was a good day. Tomorrow (Wednesday) we meet to discuss and plan for the future of the Mattru Hospital. The paramount chief, local health officials, conference leaders and hospital board members will be present. Pray for me as I seek to lead them through this process, and that what we conclude and commit to will indeed take place. Half measures will not be enough. We need doctors, surgeons, administrators, and community health workers who will demonstrate the same passion to follow God wherever he leads and at whatever the cost.