08 Mar Update on Building Project in Poland

Arek and Donna Delik (right), UB missionaries in Poland working with Operation Mobilization, sent an update on their building project. Last fall, their church bought a building which they plan to use not only for church services and other meetings, but as a rehabilitation center for helping people with addictions (especially alcohol) and as a teen center.

We originally reported on the new building on December 3. Here, Donna gives an update.

Since the beginning of January, Arek and our guys have worked very hard on our new building. We had finished most of the demolition work and decided to take a break as freezing weather hit Poland again.

God has amazed us and blessed us many times since this project launched. We have received a donation just in time to cover the expense for those five weeks of work. Our church members have worked very hard at the building site, and we have received great support from friends, who lent us tools for the work. One person cleared up the rubble with his truck for the cost of petrol only. All these helped to cut down the cost enormously. We know that we still have a long way to go, but so far we are very encouraged.

The next phase is waiting for the roof. After considering different options, we finally decided to build a new roof, since the old one is beyond repairing. We have met with the engineer as well as some other people who have given us very valuable opinions. We are aiming to return to working on the building during the second half of March to finish everything before building the new roof. We are hoping to do this by the end of April if funding is available.

We have received a lot of encouraging email from friends since sending out our building project news, and we feel really blessed as so many brothers and sisters are standing with us in prayer for this project. Without such prayer support, we will be unable to take up this enormous task. So we will appreciate your unceasing prayer to lift us up during this whole process.

02 Mar Global Ministries Director in China

Global Ministries Director Jeff Bleijerveld is currently in Macau meeting with our staff there. He traveled there on February 28, and will return on Monday, March 7.

02 Mar Cancer Strikes Former Missionary Bill Fetrow

You may remember the names of Bill and Ann Fetrow, who were once United Brethren partial-support missionaries serving in Papua New Guinea with Wycliffe Bible Translators. They currently live in Huntington, Ind., and attend College Park UB church.

Bill has been diagnosed with stage four bladder cancer. It has spread to other organs, and Bill will not pursue treatment. Bill will begin working with hospice very soon.

28 Feb Two Organizations Come Alongside Centennial School

Rotary International, in partnership with Engineers without Borders, has signed a five-year agreement with Centennial Secondary School in Matttru Jong, Sierra Leone. They will rehabilitate damaged buildings, and provide electricity and water supply. The school was ravaged by rebel forces during the civil war of the 1990s.

According to the online Awoko Newspaper, a team of experts from Engineers without Borders recently visited the school to assess the existing facilities. Diana Dunn, the team spokesperson, said they intend to install a solar lighting system and repair roofing (the school foundations, she said, appear sound). She also noted that the one shallow well on the campus usually dries up during the dry season.

20 Feb Jane Baker’s Return to Sierra Leone

The medical team and national workers. Jane Baker is in the middle (red top), with Ron right behind her.

Ron Baker performing surgery at Mattru Hospital.

Jane Baker sharing Scripture with a Sierra Leonean.

Jeff Bleijerveld, Director of Global Ministries

Dr. Ron Baker led a team to Mattru Hospital in Sierra Leone, January 18-28, 2011. While Ron has made several trips back to Sierra Leone over the years, this was the first time his wife, Jane, has returned since they left the field in the 1980s. Accompanying them were Luke and Shannon Brown and Roger and Denise Cable. Ron and Shannon were the only medical personnel on this team.

I wanted to share a bit of what I heard from Jane Baker. Jane is legally blind, and so returning to Sierra Leone was a particular challenge for her. She and Ron had talked about it a number of times, but she was both nervous and concerned that she would be a burden. Then one Sunday morning the message was from Isaiah 6, and when the pastor read, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” Jane knew in her heart that the Lord was speaking to her. So she responded, “Here am I, send me.”

While some of the team did medical work at the hospital and others helped with maintenance, Jane was led from house to house to encourage, admonish, and share God’s Word with everyone she met. She was able to catch up with old friends, meet some who had come to faith in Christ since they left Sierra Leone, and share the Gospel with those still on a journey of faith.

I’m reminded again of the old adage, “God doesn’t care as much about our abilities as he doees about our availability.”

19 Feb Summer Mission Opportunity in Spain

Global Ministries has been asked by Ron and Brenda Anderson, endorsed missionaries in Spain, to send a team of four persons to do a family English Camp outside of Madrid July 15-17, 2011. Departure date would be Tuesday, July 12, and they would return on Tuesday July 19.

Dates: Tuesday, July 12, through Tuesday, July 19.
Cost: $500 plus airfare.

The camp would focus on the Two Toledos–Toledo, Ohio, and Toledo, Spain. There would be several opportunities to teach conversational English to the participants through workshops, childrens sessions, and special activities. Teaching credentials are not a requirement for this ministry opportunity.

If you are interested, please contact or by calling toll-free at 888-622-3019, ext. 305.

18 Feb Update from the David Datema Family

Dave and Cathie Datema and children.

Dave and Cathie Datema are endorsed missionaries serving with the US Center for World Mission in Pasadena, Calif. Dave is General Director of Frontier Mission Fellowship, an umbrella organization for a variety of related ministries.

Here are some pieces of their February 16 newsletter.

• Dave is still working on the challenge of leading Frontier Mission Fellowship into a post-founder era (following the death of Ralph Winter). Much of his time is spent reading, meeting with others, and praying. Please pray for Dave and other leaders here as they seek God’s guidance.
• Dave continues to work alongside other leaders within the FMF family of organizations to re-tool them for greater effectiveness. He has spent most of his time with leaders at the US Center for World Mission (Dave is presently serving as USCWM Executive Director). Significant progress is being made in implementing a performance management system.
• Dave spent a weekend in Detroit from January 23-25. He visited some FMF members there, preached at a local church, and met with the leaders of Send International. He also enjoyed spending some down time with friends from his previous life as a pastor. He did NOT enjoy the brutally cold temperatures.
• On January 20, son Cuyler suffered another seizure, his 5th in a year’s time. It lasted quite a while, so an ambulance was called. We’re thankful that he was released from the ER without having to be admitted. Please pray for God’s mercy, grace, and healing, and for God to be glorified in Cuyler’s life.
• Callie (12) and Jill (8) are enjoying being homeschooled part-time, and taking some classes at the Judson International School on campus. Jill is playing on a Parks and Recreation soccer league for the spring and summer.
• Over the Christmas holiday break and into January, we enjoyed a number of activities with the girls including sledding in the local mountains, ice skating, visiting Chinatown in Los Angeles, and going to the zoo. We enjoyed attending the Tournament of Roses parade.

17 Feb 2011 Nicaragua National Conference

Delegates and guests to the 2011 Nicaragua National Conference (click to enlarge)

Nicaragua National Conference held its annual meeting in January, with guests coming from Honduras and Costa Rica. Rev. Erik Rojas (far right), church planter and head of our mission field in Costa Rica, served as guest speaker, and Rev. Juanita Chavez (left of Rev. Rojas), superintendent for Honduras, attended as a guest.

We currently have UB churches in five Central American countries: Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica.

Rev. Juan Pavon (far left) is superintendent of the 33 churches in Nicaragua. We have a number of opportunities for mission teams in Nicaragua this summer under the leadership of Jeff and April Dice, Global Ministries’ Central American Liaisons. Visit our website for more information.

16 Feb New Assignment for Phil and Darlene Burkett

Phil and Darlene Burkett

Philip and Darlene Burkett, known across the denomination for their missionary service in Macau and for their musical talents, are leaving us. At the beginning of March, Phil will become senior pastor of Cass City Missionary Church in Cass City, Mich.

Phil and Darlene, along with Luke and Audrey Fetters, left for the Orient in 1987 to help found the UB mission work in Macau. After serving there for four years, the Burketts pastored the UB church in Toronto for 6 years. Since 1996, Phil has been Minister of Music & Worship at College Park UB church in Huntington, Ind.

Darlene’s departure will be felt strongly in the Global Ministries department, where she has worked since November 2003. In her role as administrative assistant, she handles a wide range of responsibilities.

Global Ministries has hired a replacement for Darlene and will introduce her in the near future.