30 Jul Billy Simbo Accepts New Position in Sierra Leone

Billy Simbo (right), former bishop of Sierra Leone Conference, has accepted a new position as director of a non-profit organization called Diakonia Interdenominational Services for Counseling Evangelism and Teaching (DISCET). He applied for the position several weeks ago, and was notified on July 28 that he was being offered the job. He accepted the position, and is now awaiting the official letter of appointment.

Rev. Simbo wrote on July 28, “Prior to this job being available, I had felt a definite call to return to the land of my birth, and my son Alan and I have been working on an initiative called Love Sierra Leone Now. I am amazed at how the hand of God works in confirming a calling and then empowering those who would follow.”

From the DISCET.org website: “DISCET was founded in 1998 in Freetown, Sierra Leone, while the civil war was still raging. Since then, DISCET has trained over 400 church leaders in evangelism, church growth and effective preaching. DISCET promotes counseling, evangelism, and training to heal the wounds of the people of Sierra Leone, to show the way of the abundant life, and to train people in skills to ensure that Sierra Leone becomes the praise of the earth.”

16 Jul OneStory: Reaching Oral Cultures Through Bible Stories

It is estimated that two-thirds of the world’s people process new information orally, rather than in writing. Some are oral communicators by necessity, because they have no written language. Others may have a degree of literacy for certain basic functions, but will not use literate means to process more complex information such as found in the Bible.

For these oral communicators, life lessons are processed by observation, participation and oral communication—-stories, proverbs, genealogies, drama, song, chants, dance, ceremonies, rites of passage, oral histories, and epic. The gospel is communicated in the same ways.

To reach these people, an organization called OneStory works with mother-tongue speakers to develop and record chronological Bible “story sets” for each specific group–typically 40 to 60 stories in a two-year period. People tell these stories to each other, thereby spreading the gospel. These story sets form the beginnings of an “oral Bible” to be told and retold for generations.

The retelling of these “stories” opens the door to evangelism, discipleship, and church planting. Audio recordings are also used in many cases and can even be used in radio broadcasts.

As members of Wycliffe Bible Translators, Roger and Marilyn Reeck (right) are workshop leaders and story production consultants (checking the stories for accuracy, clarity, etc.). The story consulting is done mainly online, so they can do there work from anywhere.

Roger and Marilyn have been working in One Story projects in the following countries:

Honduras. In Honduras, where they live, they supervise One Story projects for the Garifuna and the Misquito language groups. The Misquitos have completed one set of stories and are working on a second set. The stories are being used in home groups in remote communities as a church planting effort.

Guinea Bissau. The second area of concentration has been in Guinea Bissau, Africa. There are ongoing projects in the Kriolu, Mansonka, Biafada, and Kobiana language areas. Kriolu is the national language, and they already have two story sets completed.

Suriname. Last year Roger travelled to Suriname, a small country on the north side of South America, to lead workshops for projects in 3 different languages.

Venezuela. The Reecks recently returned from helping lead the first of five workshops to be held for 5 different language groups in Venezuela. In each group, national Venezuelan missionaries work as facilitators over these Indian projects. Several of these people groups are located on the Orinoco River. Roger will be the consultant to the Curripaco project and Marilyn to the Bari and Karina projects.

The OneStory partnership includes Campus Crusade for Christ, Pioneers, Trans World Radio, Wycliffe International, and YWAM. For more information about the One Story Project visit OneStory.org

11 Jul Ron Anderson on the Spain English Camp

Ron Anderson (right, with wife Brenda), Global Ministries endorsed missionary in Spain

Last week the church here in Camarma, Madrid, ran an English Camp for 110 children. We have been running camps for several years, but this one was marked by the fact that the church did most of the organization while our part was to provide a team of teachers.

The core team came from United Brethren in Christ churches in Pennsylvania and Michigan. In addition to teaching English, the team also had time to do some sightseeing.

The impact that the camp had on the church and the community was very noticeable. People around town were very appreciative for both the quality of the camp and the spirit that each of the staff had. Pastor Todd Fetters, from Devonshire UB church in Harrisburg, Pa., preached about Jesus on Sunday to an overflowing crowd which included unconverted parents of the children that had come to the camp.

09 Jul June Brown Doing Great After Heart Surgery

We asked you to pray for June Brown, who had surgery on July 3. June’s close friend and fellow former missionary Ruth Benner sent an update on the surgery. June had 2 stints put in her right coronary artery, and was discharged the next day. She’s back home, driving, and went to church on Sunday, July 8.

09 Jul Returning After Five Years in a Closed Country

Last week, a Global Ministries staff member from Blue Rock UB church in Pennsylvania came home after serving in a closed country in Asia for five years. During this time, Melissa worked among a people group who did not have the Bible in their own language.

Pray for Melissa’s next steps, as she gets settled back in America while studying for a Master’s degree. She has been accepted at Biola University in La Mirado, Calif., for their Masters program in Linguistics and Biblical Languages.

Pray also that the Lord will multiply her work and fruit among the people group in Asia among whom she labored for five years, and that God’s Word will transform lives there.

03 Jul Christian Endeavor Relaunched in Sierra Leone

On June 3, 2012, Christian Endeavor was relaunched in Sierra Leone with the installation of a new executive committee by John Pessima, bishop of the United Brethren Sierra Leone National Conference. The service was held at Faith UB church at Lumley, in the Freetown area.

Among the offers were two of the four UB conference superintendents: Sorie B. Kamanda (Pastoral Development and Church Renewal) and Emmanuel Farma (Church Services).

The new union has local Christian Endeavor societies in United Brethren church (most United Brethren leaders have been in Christian Endeavor), and new societies in the United Methodist Church, the Sierra Leone Baptist Convention, and in the Countess of Huntingdon Connexion Church.

Christian Endeavor in Sierra Leone is now the biggest CE Union in Afrika, according to the website of the <a href=”http://worldsceunion.org/blog/index.php?id=77″>World’s Christian Endeavor Union</a>. Other Christian Endeavor groups can be found in such West African countries as Senegal, Gambia, Mali, Liberia, and Ivory Coast.

01 Jul Jeff Dice Update (Sunday, July 1)

As it turned out, Jeff Dice went ahead with the heart cath on Friday, June 29. He writes: “Everything came back clear–no blockages.  So, my problem is electrical.  I am scheduled to be discharged on Wednesday (July 4), after I have had enough days of medication to make sure it is safe to travel.  I felt it better to get the cath over with, to the surprise of my wife and everyone else.  It was a relatively easy experience.  I don’t remember a thing.  Being alone in a hospital for 5 days has been good for my soul.  But I am really glad my wife is here now.”

28 Jun June Brown Undergoing Heart Surgery

June Brown, a longtime missionary in Sierra Leone, will undergo heart surgery on Tuesday, July 3. Please keep her in your prayers.

You can contact June at: June Brown, 2716 Rocky Spring Road, Chambersburg, PA 17201.

27 Jun Update on Summer Short-Term Teams

Honduras. The Honduras Medical Team returned to the States on Saturday, June 23, after nine days in Honduras, where they conducted several medical clinics.

Spain. On Sunday, June 24, a group of seven persons left for Spain. They are conducting an English Camp alongside UB endorsed missionaries Ron and Brenda Anderson. The group includes two United Brethren ministers:

• Chuck Malson, senior pastor of Brown Corners UB church in Clare, Mich.
• Todd Fetters, senior pastor of Devonshire UB church in Harrisburg, Pa.

Nicaragua. On July 1, a group of ten persons from Monroe UB church (Monroe, Ind.) will travel to Nicaragua, where they will work with Jeff Dice on several different projects for the Nicaraguan UB churches.

Germany. On July 27, a group of 11 persons leave for Germany. Tom and Kim Datema (right), former missionaries in Sierra Leone who have served the Zanesville UB church (Zanesville, Ind.) since 1998, are leading the trip. They will conduct an English camp, working with Galen and Maritta Fiedler, Global Ministries non-traditional staff who serve at a school in Germany. A similar camp was conducted in 2010. Cheryl Lamport, a UB ordained chaplain, participated in 2010 and is also part of this trip.