06 Apr Beth Nelson Headed to Macau

This summer, Beth Nelson will travel to Macau to spend time working in the English Language Program. Beth is from the Mongul UB church in Shippensburg, Pa., where her father, Rev. Marc Nelson, is an associate pastor. As a short-term missionary, Beth will seek both mission experience and God’s direction for future mission service.

Beth is currently an Elementary Education major at Shippensburg University. She loves children, has worked with children in several churches, and spent a summer as a missionary with Child Evangelism Fellowship. In fact, her experience with CEF pointed her toward mission work. Beth says her opportunities to share her faith and God’s Word to kids in backyard classes prepared her to confidently share her faith wherever she goes.

Global Ministries is consulting with Hong Kong Conference and CEF in Hong Kong to see if they could use her for short-term work there, in addition to her work with the ELP.

06 Apr The Story of Teacher Lee in Thailand

At one time, Teacher Lee was an army major in Taiwan. Over 20 years ago, he became a Christian, and God called him into the ministry. Then, a little over ten years ago, he became a church planter in two villages in the mountains of northern Thailand, along the border of Myanmar. Those villages are home to the Akha people. No other Christian groups work in those villages.
Teacher Lee and his family live in Lee To Village, where he planted his first church. About 60 families have become involved in this congregation, and he recently baptized 33 persons.

For years, as people came to Christ, they faced persecution and alienation from other villagers. Families built homes on land owned by the church so they could have a place to live. In recent years, the persecution has stopped, as people have seen the good that the church and Teacher Lee have brought to the village. Christians can live in the village once again.

Teacher Lee is now planting his second congregation in nearby Loh Mah Village. They have reached 20 families. The people there face the same persecution that Lee To Village faced for years. As people come to Christ, they are no longer welcome in the village.

Hong Kong Conference has asked for our help in buying land in Loh Mah village. The cost is $25,000. We want to raise half of that amount through our Vacation Bible School project.

This land, a large parcel on the mountainside, would provide property for the church and space for up to 30 homes for Christian families forced to leave the village because they accepted Christ. The land is costly because the whole area is a tea plantation; it could easily be sold for that purpose. The owner lets families build temporary bamboo and thatch structures on his land in return for several days of labor each month. Church members also give this landowner 3-4 days a month of labor in exchange for the ability to have their temporary church there.

These folks are poor, but they work hard and help each another. When the land is purchased, the sister church in Lee To Village will help build a permanent church. We want to help Teacher Lee and these churches as they share the message of Jesus Christ with families on the mountaintop. Your gifts will give them land to build their church, and will build homes for their families.

Teacher Lee and his wife also give their lives to the 20 “Thai Tots” who live in a dormitory-type structure next to their house. Some are orphans; others come from families who cannot afford to care adequately for them.

06 Apr Back from El Salvador

Two groups recently returned from El Salvador. They were the first short-term teams to that country. Gerald Hervey led a group from Midwest Conference, and Bob Eberly led a group from Mid-Atlantic. They mostly did church construction work.

06 Apr People Needed for Guatemala Trip

We need 5-8 more people for a short-term trip to Guatemala this summer. Randy Fennig will lead it. He is a UB pastor in Springfield, Ohio, a former missionary in Africa, and a veteran work-trip leader.
This will be an opportunity to help connect our seven Guatemalan churches to the global UB church. Team members may be involved with two church building projects. Construction skills are helpful but not required. The trip will take place sometime from mid-July through mid-August, and will last 10-14 days. The cost should be $1000–$1400. Please contact Randy Fennig.

06 Apr From Global Ministries

• Resources. Global Ministries has prepared a monthly prayer calendar to help you pray for your missionaries in 2005. Not just tied to UB missionaries, this brochure is appropriate for any missionaries you are interceding for across the world. For copies, please contact Darlene at (888) 622-3019, or email darlene@ub.org.
• Projects. Several new mission projects were announced in a special edition of Worldview prepared for the Self-Denial emphasis. We are delighted to report that all but one of those projects are now fully funded. You have been generous. The one remaining project involves salary support for Michael Chan, the Chinese coworker in Macau.