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.”

30 Jun Update on Jeff Dice

Here is an update on Jeff Dice, hospitalized in Managua, Nicaragua (see earlier report).

Jeff’s wife, April, has been in Spain with a mission team there. She was supposed to fly from Madrid to Managua on Friday. First the flight was delayed, then cancelled due to mechanical problems. She is due to depart today (Saturday, June 30). That has meant they delayed Jeff’s procedure until Sunday. Jeff wrote that they were using the extra time to run more tests and balance his blood sugar level.

You can check Jeff’s updates on Facebook.

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.

28 Jun Halls Returning to Hungary for a Second Year

Frank Y, Associate Director of Global Ministries

Imagine raising up the next generation of Christian leaders in Eastern Europe through Bible training. That’s what Marion and Candy Hall (right) do through Word of Life Bible Institute in Hungary.

The Halls are from the Harrison UB church in Harrison, Mich. During the 2011-2012 school year in Hungary, Marion served as the Dean of Students while Candy taught English and worked with interns. Last school year, over 50 students from 13 countries attended the school.

The Halls feel led to return for a second year in the same roles, while taking on the additional responsibility of leading the internship program for these students. They are currently raising support for the coming school year during the summer break.

If you’d like more information or would like to join the Halls’ support team, contact the Global Ministries office at [email protected] or call toll-free 1-888-622-3019.

27 Jun Update on Summer Short-Term Teams

The Spain team includes pastors Todd Fetters (far left) and Chuck Malson (standing next to him).

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.

21 Jun Help Needed with Jen Blandin’s Support

Frank Y, Associate Director of Global Ministries

Jennifer Blandin has been a UB servant in Macau for 16 years. Over the past years, Jen has played many roles: teaching, preaching, discipling, and team leading. In that largest gambling city in the world, her faithful work has produced deep relationships and plenty of fruit.

Last year, Jen returned home for an academic leave and obtained a Master’s degree to better equip herself in developing disciples overseas.

Jen is back in Macau now, but finds that her financial support has been greatly depleted due to a decrease in support and increase in costs last year. If you would like more information about Jen’s ministry, or would like to become a part of her support team, please contact the Global Ministries office at by email or by calling toll-free 1-888-622-3019. Or, you can drop a check in the mail, with a note explaining that it is for Jennifer Blandin’s support, to:

Global Ministries
302 Lake Street
Huntington, IN 46750

20 Jun Updates on Four Summer Ministry Teams

Donna Hollopeter, Associate Director of Global Ministries

I had an email this morning from Fonda Cassidy (right) giving me an update on how things are going for the medical team in Honduras. This team of 21 persons is in southern Honduras in the midst of some very poor, remote villages. They have had three clinics so far and have treated almost 1400 patients with varying problems. The really neat thing is that there have been several first time decisions for Christ as they minister not just to physical needs but spiritual ones. The team members are all doing well.

A team of 7 persons will depart for Spain on Sunday, June 24. They will work with Ron and Brenda Anderson (right), missionaries with European Christian Mission, in an English Camp. The 7 are: April Dice (team leader), Chuck Malson, Beth Palmer, Mallory Jones, Todd and Quinn Fetters, and Joann Gardner. They will be gone for 8 days.

On July 1, a team of 10 youth and adult leaders from the Monroe UB Church will travel to Nicaragua to work with Jeff Dice on a couple of projects there.

The Germany team led by Tom and Kim Datema will depart on July 27 for a week-long English Camp and then a week of ministry with the Sierra Leonean Church plant in Berlin.

18 Jun Global Ministries Prayer Guide: Sign-Up for It Now

Global Ministries is launching an email newsletter called “Global Ministries Prayer Guide.” We invite you to sign up for it.

On a regular basis, you will receive an email spotlighting several ways you can pray for Global Ministries staff and ministries around the world. Each edition has four sections, with a couple prayer needs under each one:

1. The World. Ways to pray for needs of a global nature, or to direct prayer at a specific country, whether or not United Brethren people are involved there.
2. International Partners. Prayer needs involving people, churches, and ministries in the nearly 20 countries with United Brethren churches.
3. Global Ministries Staff. Prayer needs involving Global Ministries personnel serving around the world.
4. Volunteers and Trips. Prayer requests regarding overseas trips, seminars, and other matters involving volunteers.

You can sign-up for the Prayer Guide here. We will not use your email to place you on any other lists.

14 Jun Updates on Global Ministries Efforts

Global Ministries partners in Canada provide the primary oversight for ministry in Haiti. This does not exclude US Churches from becoming involved. Our Canadian National Conference simply coordinates our efforts. Here are some updates from Paul Plato, missions chair and member of our Global MInistries Leadership Team.

Updates of Projects and Trips

• The congregation of the Chevalier church (“Hill Church”) completed the replacement of their roof, which had been blown off a number of times.
• Croix des Bouquets Church, in the Greater Port Au Prince areas, has been enclosed and a UB school is now in full operation.
• CH Global is seeking accreditation for our three UB schools–Sibert, Delmas 33, and Croix des Bouquets.
• Gonaives: Land was purchased by the congregation with some help from Global Ministries, and a church building was started in January 2012 by a Canadian team. They are looking for funds to continue. The Salt Project (see below) is helping to partially fund this.
• The Herbie Fund has been approved by the Sick Children’s Hospital in Toronto. Hermmy Alexis, a young Haitian girl that a Canadian UB team met in October 2011, need heart repair surgery. All of the funds have been raised.
• The Canadian medical team that traveled to Haiti in October 2011 also met and worked with Pastor Germain, a Haitian doctor who lost his wife, daughter, mother, and brother in the 2010 earthquake. When the team found out that he’d been living in a tent since the earthquake, they took up a collection to allow him to rent a home. A new project has been posted on our website if you would like to help fund his medical work with earthquake victims. (link to “Medical Supplies for Grand Saline”)
• In addition to the recent team of Canadians that served as a work team in Gonaives this passed January, other teams are preparing for future trips.

CH Global in Haiti

Global Ministries’ joint-ministry agreement with CH Global continues to bear fruit:

• The Delmas 33 school in Port Au Prince (funded by CH Global and Global Ministries) officially opened October 4, 2010. This is a key step to official recognition of the United Brethren by the Haitian government.
• More than 200 children are being sponsored to attend UB schools and to receive nutritious food, health care, and micro-finance opportunities for their families. Our current target is to have 500 children sponsored by 2015.
• “Micro-business” start-up help has been provided to nearly 30 people of low income. Thus far, 100% have paid back their loans!
• We are working on a partnership to link North American and Haitian churches by providing monthly funds for a “Development Activity Centre” that would provide sports, games, Bible teaching, and a feeding program for up to 150 children. Linked churches would be asked to provide $100/month to support.

Two New CH Global Projects
There are two new, exciting projects that CH Global is sponsoring (details in the pages that follow:

• “Salt of the Earth.” The Salt Harvesting Project in Gonaives. Some of the profit from this venture will help build a church to replace the one that we lost there and build a new school.
• “Bread for Life.” This Community Bakery Project (micro-finance endeavor) in the town of Sibert, on the outskirts of Port Au Prince, is still looking for a suitable site.

12 Jun Love Sierra Leone Now

Billy Simbo (right) and his son Alan have launched a new ministry known as “Love Sierra Leone Now.” Although the ministry has no ties to Global Ministries or the Sierra Leone Conference, it will seek to benefit various denominations and organizations by focusing on leadership development. It is their hope to develop a stronger Sierra Leone through mentoring and training leaders into sustainable and indigenous service for good in Sierra Leone and West Africa. Billy will live in Sierra Leone while his son serves from the United States as the organization’s CEO.