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22 Sep

September 22, 2011 |

Frank and Ginny

Global Ministries has hired Frank Y as a new associate director (for security reasons, we won’t use his full name on our websites and will be vague about some of his work). He becomes the fourth member of the staff, joining Jeff Bleijerveld (director), Donna Hollopeter (associate director), and Peggy Sell (administrative assistant). Frank and his wife, Ginny, are members of Emmanuel UB church in Fort Wayne, Ind.

Frank was born in China. He came to the States at age 7, when his father came here to earn his Master’s and PhD in Engineering at the University of Florida. Frank spent his childhood in several east coast states, but mostly in New Jersey, where his parents now live.

A relationship with a Taiwanese Christian woman–which started when she found his father’s lost wallet and returned it–eventually led to Frank’s family becoming Christians. The story also involves a serious heart condition Frank had, a hole in his heart. His mother began reaching out to God by praying over Frank…and he was completely healed. As he says now, “My heart is God’s.” Frank himself made the decision to follow Christ in junior high.

Frank earned an engineering degree from Cornell University, and then came to Fort Wayne in 2002 to work with Lincoln Financial Group. He worked in various departments, including strategy, marketing, and operations. He began worshiping at the Love Church in downtown Fort Wayne, but also attended a Bible study at The Chapel in the western suburbs. He and Ginny, who grew up in Fort Wayne, met at that Bible study, and were married in 2004.

In 2007, Frank and Ginny relocated to Asia, where Frank taught English with a like-minded organization for four years, and also worked three years in member care. Frank and Ginny recently completed graduate degrees at Wheaton College in Illinois. Frank’s degree was in Intercultural Studies and Ginny’s in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages).

While attending Emmanuel during summer furloughs, Frank got acquainted with Jeff Bleijerveld, director of Global Ministries. That relationship eventually led to Jeff approaching Frank about joining the Global Ministries staff. Frank started September 15.

Frank and Ginny live in Fort Wayne, and are expecting their first child–a boy–in October.

Frank’s responsibilities will focus on three areas:

  1. Supervising the overseas Global Ministries staff.
  2. Dealing with new applicants and candidates.
  3. Business as Mission.

Donna Hollopeter, in her associate role, will focus on short-term volunteers, internships, and staff care. Jeff Bleijerveld will devote his time to mobilizing local churches, promotion, and coming alongside our international partners in their church planting and mission endeavors.

21 Sep

September 21, 2011 |

Jeff Bleijerveld, Director of Global Ministries

Global Ministries is working in partnership with IN Network’s work in Turkey. As one of the initial steps in building this relationship, we have been invited to participate in an exclusive United Brethren tour of the Seven Churches of Revelation and other Biblical Sights.

Dr. Mark Fairchild (right), who chairs the Bible & Religion Department at Huntington University, will be our guide. He frequently conducts biblical study tours to Israel, Greece, and Turkey.  Also participating will be Rody Rodeheaver of IN Network, the organization with which we are partnering in Turkey.

Bishop Phil and Sandy Whipple will take part in the trip, as will I and my wife, Charlene. Bishop Whipple writes:

“I want to invite you to come and experience Turkey, a land that is rich in history. Many sites from the New Testament are found in this land. Come and join my wife and me as we see the same locations seen by the apostle Paul. I am excited to see the scriptures come alive in a new way on this trip. I am looking forward to learning from Dr. Mark Fairchild and sharing a wonderful experience with all of you.”

Turkey is rapidly becoming the destination of choice for those wanting to experience the Biblical sites of the early Christian church. In many ways, the Christian church began in Turkey. The first non-Jewish Christian congregation was established at Antioch (Turkey), and it was there that believers were first called “Christians.” The apostle Paul was born in Turkey and 80% of his missionary journeys occurred in Turkey. A large portion of the New Testament was written to congregations in Turkey.

The total cost is $3,595 per person. That includes air fare, lodging in 4-5 star hotels, breakfast and dinner daily, an air-conditioned motorcoach , entrance fees, taxes–pretty much everything you’ll need. Early Bird pricing–a discount of $200–ends November 30. So check out the brochures and submit your application to ensure your place on this exciting trip.

 

21 Sep

September 21, 2011 |

At the Chinese Congress on World Evangelism in Indonesia

UB representatives at the conference.

The Chinese Congress on World Evangelism met for their 8th Gathering September 12-16 in Bali, Indonesia. United Brethren delegates from our Macau churches along, with a number of Global Ministries staff, joined another 2200 participants from throughout Asia.

Chris Chia, a keynote speaker for the conference, was converted from a Buddhist-Taoist background at a Billy Graham Crusade in Australia. Today he pastors the Adam Road Presbyterian Centre (ARPC) in Singapore, which has grown from 50 to 1500 members over the past 20 years. Chris Wright, author and international director of Langham Partnership International, a group founded by Rev. John Stott, also served as speaker. He is the author of both “The Mission of God” and more recently, “The Mission of God’s People”.

The vision of the CCOWE is to raise up Chinese churches in one accord, proclaiming the gospel until Christ’s return. Their first conference was held in Hong Kong in 1976. The next conference will be held in Taiwan.

19 Sep

September 19, 2011 |

In the end of June, we held an English camp with the help of a United Brethren mission team from the USA and 2 young men from Poland. This team of 9 adults and 6 teenagers gave themselves 100% for the Polish teenagers, and we were truly blessed by them.

Fifty-five teens attended. Many of our first time participants were invited by friends who attended tow years ago. We had a wonderful time with the teens, and we were very grateful to have the opportunity to share our faith with them during the camp. Many of the teens are keeping in touch with their new American friends. After the camp, I started to meet with 3 girls to help them with their English. So far we have been meeting twice a week regularly.

At the end of August, we shared the love of Jesus with children in the housing estates in Mickiewicza. The children’s program was supposed to start at 10 am, but when we arrived at 9:00 to prepare the place, we were surprised to see that the children had been there waiting for us already. About 40 children turned up. Strangely, we didn’t see any teens around. After asking around, we realized that those teens were working in the field to earn money to pay for the new school year.

Mickiewicza is the poorest area of the town and is neglected by the society. Most of the children are from broken families, and most of the people here have severe drinking problems. We know that many may follow the steps of their parents if no one stretches out their arms to them. When we looked at the children, our hearts really went out for them; and we wondered what Jesus would do if he was here. There are several areas like this in the town. Please pray that God will give us the compassion and open doors to reach out to them.

We are facing several setbacks in the building project. Lack of manpower (volunteers), a blocked drainage system, and the unexpected high cost of materials and labor (due to the massive construction projects as the government has stepped up preparations for the Euro 2012 Championship). All these have caused much delay to our schedule.

Most of our church people have used up their “holiday” already, and 2 of our brothers who worked hard before have developed serious health problem and the doctor has forbidden them to work physically.

While we were doing the foundation work, we discovered that underground drainage was blocked after being neglected for so many years. We dug deep to get to the pipes, opened them up, and cleaned them with a high pressure water cannon.

13 Sep

September 13, 2011 |

Jeff Bleijerveld, Director of Global Ministries

Sierra Leone has appointed Rev. Joe Abu (right) to serve as a liaison to United Brethren churches in Canada and the United States. Joe, a native of Sierra Leone, is senior pastor of Mount Zion United African Church in Philadelphia, Pa.

Earlier this year, an agreement was signed by the Sierra Leone Conference, Global Ministries, and Rev. Abu, to ensure that communications and projects have been approved first by the Sierra Leone National Conference and then by Global Ministries. Any funds for ministries in Sierra Leone will be handled by Global Ministries.

12 Sep

September 12, 2011 |

Jen Blandin, a member of the Global Ministries Staff in Macau for the past 14 years, has been on educational leave from the field for most of this year. This summer, she was among the 19 students who graduated from Winebrenner Theological Seminary in Findlay, Ohio. She writes:

Nine years after starting the race towards a Master’s degree, I finally crossed the finish line and graduated on August 6! It has been a journey that God has definitely used to shape my life. One word of advice, do not…unless absolutely necessary…do not try to complete 26 credits in two semesters! Should you choose to do so, be sure to buy stock in your favorite coffee provider!

12 Sep

September 12, 2011 |

Our Global Ministries team in Macau is currently attending a week-long conference on evangelism in Asia hosted by the Chinese Coordination Center on World Evangelism. More than 2000 participants from all over Asia are attending these meetings in Indonesia.

When the team returns to Macau, they will relaunch the Taipa English Language Program (ELP). Classes will be offered on Tuesday and Thursday evenings. The center has had a good history of connecting with the community of locals and expatriates, and the team is praying it will continue to have a positive impact and lead to evangelistic opportunities.

08 Sep

September 8, 2011 |

After 34 years in Brazil, UB endorsed missionaries Wes and Jean Bell have accepted a Stateside role with Wycliffe Bible Translators. Wes will serve as an Application and Placement Specialist and Jean as Care and Recruitment Specialist. Before beginning those roles, they will work on raising their support level back up to 100%.

They write:

As we left Brazil, saying good-bye to our friends was difficult. Initially, we went to Brazil in 1972 with the Peace Corps. Then we returned to Brazil on August 3, 1977, to begin our missionary service there.

Oh, what a hospitable culture Brazil has. We made many friends in all the cities where we lived–Cuiaba in Central West Brazil, Belem at the mouth of the Amazon, and Vianopolis, not far from Brasilia, the federal capital. In each place we found a church where we made many friends and learned the locations of places where we could buy what we needed.

Upon our return to the US, the Lord helped us find a 2007 Ford Focus with low mileage and a fifth wheel trailer, both at remarkably low prices.

Knowing we were returning to work with Wycliffe Stateside, family and friends have been helping us get set up for living in the U.S. Both of Jean’s sisters had collected linens, kitchen items, and some furniture for us. When our daughter Sarah heard we’d sold our glassware in Brazil, she bought a set of glasses and a crystal pitcher and some other items to help replace some of the items. Others are helping with furniture too.

For more than 20 years, Tom and Carole Knowlton have stored things we have left behind as we journeyed to Brazil in their pole barn’s second floor loft. It has been such a blessing not to worry about where to leave these things.

Blessings during our last days in Brazil:

  • Enjoying a farewell party of a barbecue from our church.
  • Receiving memoirs from Brazilian friends who sacrificed to give us gifts.
  • Being presented a special book with “thanks” from students and parents, both past and present.
  • Being recognized for our service in Brazil by our mission colleagues.

06 Sep

September 6, 2011 |

Roger and Marilyn Reeck (right), UB endorsed missionaries, this summer celebrated 40 years of marriage, and 40 years with Wycliffe Bible Translators.

Three of their four daughters were on hand in Honduras to celebrate with them–Teresa and Elisa, who came from Texas for two weeks; and Chrysti Andino, who is also a missionary in Honduras. The fourth daughter, Amanda, was in the midst of an internal medicine residency program in Dallas, but had visited in May.

The Reecks are now in Guinea Bissasu, a small country just up the coast from Sierra Leone in West Africa (Guinea is directly north of Sierra Leone, and Guinea Bissau is on its north side). They will be there until October 8. Roger is checking the translation of the book of Mark for two langauge groups, and they will lead a two-week One Story workshop for four different language groups. Participants learn stories from the book of Acts in the national language, Kriol, from which they glean church planting principles.