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20 Feb

February 20, 2008 |

Here in the national office, we’re excited about the upcoming arrival of Jeff Bleijerveld as the new Director of Global Ministries. He’s a quality guy who will fit right in. I’ll enjoy watching him take our missions program to the next level…whatever that is. Jeff starts on March 3.

Tomorrow, the office staff will hold a farewell luncheon for Gary Dilley, who served as Global Ministries director from August 2001 until January of this year. Because of a prior commitment, I’ll miss that luncheon. Pat Jones has offered to eat my pizza for me, and he’s welcome to it. But since I’ll be gone, I thought I’d use this space to say some words about Gary, who has been a beloved friend, in addition to a coworker.

The 1990s were a time of unprecedented expansion in our worldwide ministry. In 1993, Ray Seilhamer was elected bishop and Kyle McQuillen was elected as Director of Missions, and they both served until 2001. At that time, we had churches in eight countries, and had opened only one new field per decade–Nicaragua in the 1960s, India in the 1970s, and Macau in 1987.
But from 1993-2001, the number of fields nearly doubled:

  • 1993: Thailand
  • 1995: Costa Rica
  • 1997: Mexico
  • 1998: Myanmar
  • 1999: El Salvador
  • 2000: Haiti
  • 2000: Guatemala

In addition, the church planting work in India grew by leaps and bounds, and a number of Hispanic churches in the United States arose through the work of Denis Casco. Disclaimer: we in North America can’t take credit for this expansion. Much of it came from the initiative of our churches in Hong Kong and Central America. But in each case, we were involved, often heavily involved. So a great deal of new territory needed to be assimilated into worldwide United Brethrenism, and numerous new demands were placed on Global Ministries funds.
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07 Feb

February 7, 2008 |

Jeff BleijerveldYesterday we announced through the denominational email list the appointment of Jeff Bleijerveld (right, with his wife, Charlene) as the new Director of Global Ministries. Starting March 3, he’ll head up our missions work, joining a staff which already includes Donna Hollopeter and Darlene Burkett.

Jeff is currently Assistant Director of World Partners USA, the mission arm of the Missionary Church USA, with headquarters just up the road in Fort Wayne, Ind. He is an ordained minister in the Missionary Church, served eight years as a missionary in Spain, has served as a pastor at two churches, and has worked with World Partners USA since 2001. His responsibilities at World Partners include managing the daily operations and all human resource functions for the 130 staff (missionaries mostly) scattered around the world. He is fluent in Spanish, which will be a big plus for us, since we have so much work in Central America.

I feel confident that Jeff is the right person for the job, and believe God will use him to take our missions efforts to the next level. I’m excited that God provided someone of Jeff’s caliber.

The Director of Global Ministries is a staff position, and as bishop, I am responsible for appointing all staff. Until 2005 we elected the Director of Global Ministries; Gary Dilley, who served in that role until January of this year (when he became senior pastor of College Park UB church in Huntington, Ind.), was originally elected in 2001, but then appointed by me in 2005. So it was my responsibility to appoint a replacement for Gary.
Let me tell you a little about the process we used in filling the position.
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06 Feb

February 6, 2008 |

Jeff Bleijerveld, currently Assistant Director of World Partners USA, has been appointed by Bishop Ron Ramsey as the new Director of Global Ministries. He will begin his new duties on March 3, replacing Gary Dilley, who served in that position since 2001. Gary stepped down, effective January 21, to accept the senior pastor role at College Park UB church in Huntington, Ind.

Jeff and Charlene Bleijerveld
Jeff and Charlene Bleijerveld

Jeff has been an ordained minister in the Missionary Church for 23 years, was a missionary in Spain for eight years with World Partners Canada, has served as a pastor at two churches, and came to his current position in 2001. At World Partners USA, Jeff has been responsible for the daily operations, managed all human resources functions for the 130 staff scattered around the world, developed and supervised volunteer programs, worked with missionaries in raising their support, and much more. Being fluent in Spanish, he frequently traveled to South American, Central America, and Europe, and also served as Hispanic Liaison to churches in the United States and abroad. He brings a wealth of experience, knowledge, and ability to the position.

Jeff, a Canadian citizen, holds a Theology degree from Emmanuel Bible College in Kitchener, Ontario, and a Masters in Management from Indiana Wesleyan University in Marion, Ind.

“Gary Dilley did much to advance our mission program,” says Bishop Ron Ramsey, “and he is highly respected throughout the denomination, not only in the United States but in our many partnering countries. We appreciate his service to the church, and wish him well as he returns to the pastorate. We knew it would be difficult to replace him.”
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31 Jan

January 31, 2008 |

A team of UBs from Michigan are heading to Nicaragua today. They’ll spend two weeks there doing a building project for a church in Masaya. The project is being spearheaded by Brown Corners UB in Clare, Mich. Eight of the members, however, come from Northland UB in Traverse City, Mich.

30 Jan

January 30, 2008 |

A team from Canada is currently in Haiti doing construction work and ministry. Unfortunately, Pastor Oliam Richard, who leads the churches in Haiti, suffered severe injuries in a fall on Monday. He attempted to jump down from a height of about six feet and ended up breaking his wrist in three places, and his hip, which they originally thought was dislocated, turns out to be badly broken. He will require a hip replacement operation.

Joan Sider with Esther and Oliam Richard
Joan Sider (center) with Esther and Oliam Richard.

The accident happened at what is called the “Hill Church.” Team members and some Haitian men had to carry Pastor Richard down to the bus. They spent two and a half hours looking for a doctor, with no success. The hospital in the town of Cayes couldn’t do anything for him. They tried to go to see some Cuban doctors Pastor Richard knows, but they were not at home. They went to the United Nations, who put them in touch with a nurse practioner. They visited a clinic, but there was no doctor at that time. They offered to keep Pastor Richard, but he declined. He was in considerable pain, but conscious and aware.

On Wednesday morning, the group planned to begin the six-hour bus journey to Port au Prince, the capital city. Upon arriving there Oliam’s wife, Esther, would begin investigating the possibility of taking her husband to France for medical treatment.

However, a wonderful opportunity arose on Tuesday night. The Mission clinic they were at suggested they try going to the Southern Baptist Mission Hospital, which is one of the best in the area. They hired an “ambulance,” which was little more than a van with a mattress on the floor and tires to lean up against.

Four times a year for one week, a team of doctors comes to this hospital from the United States. This happened to be one of those four weeks! Plus, one of the doctors is among the best Orthopaedic surgeons in North America! Definitely a God-thing.

After meeting with the doctors, they decided to have the surgery done there. A cast has already been put on Pastor Richard’s wrist. This injury is apparently the more difficult of the two problems, since three bones are broken quite badly.

Hopefully, on Thursday, Pastor Richard will have his hip operated on and they will have him up on his feet on Friday. Pastor Richard will remain in the hospital for ten days.

The cost for the operation will be about $5000 Haitian [$700 US]. There is no provision for food in the hospital. The Team will be going out to find a market to get food. Someone, likely Pastor Richard’s secretary, will need to cook the food at an outdoor fire.

Team Haiti will be going back to Cayes. They had already checked out of the hotel, but the hotel has rooms for them at a reasonable rate until Friday. From Saturday until their return to Toronto (as scheduled), they will stay in Port au Prince.

30 Jan

January 30, 2008 |

Ann Spores, who served with her husband Darrell as a UB missionary in Sierra Leone during the 1980s, passed away January 19. They served as business manager and hostess at the mission house in Freetown. Darrell’s address is:

Darrell Spores
1200 Miva Mar #602
Medford, OR 97504-8568

08 Jan

January 8, 2008 |

Pastor Esdras, one of our Guatemalan pastors, was seriously injured several years ago. His injuries left him confined to a wheelchair. His wheelchair is his only means of travel, and constant trips up and down the hill to his church and visits to his parishioners have taken their toll on the chair. He needs a heavy-duty motorized wheelchair. Cost: $2000. If you or your church could underwrite this expense, please contact Donna Hollopeter in Global Ministries by email (donna@ub.org) or by calling toll-free 888-622-3019.

08 Jan

January 8, 2008 |

Rev. Carlson Becker, and his wife, Naomi (right), have been serving in the role of English speaking pastor at Living Stone Church on Taipa, Macau (adjacent to southern China), along with working with the English Language Program. Their three-year term ends this summer.

Living Stone Church has inquired about another person or couple coming to follow for the Beckers for an additional three-year term. This would allow Living Stone to continue its international ministry, and would give our Chinese co-worker, Michael Chan, additional time for his studies.

Global Ministries is looking for an individual/or couple with experience in ministry, who can provide sound biblical preaching, offer ministry mentoring to Michael Chan, and perhaps have some involvement in the English Language Program or other ministry opportunities. Persons interested would need to raise their support by partnering with churches and individuals in North America.

For more details, contact Donna Hollopeter at Global Ministries by email (donna@ub.org) or by calling toll-free 888-622-3019.

21 Dec

December 21, 2007 |

Donna Hollopeter has been named Acting Director of Global Ministries. Gary Dilley, the director since 2001, is resigning to become senior pastor of College Park UB church in Huntington, Ind. Donna joined the Global Ministries staff in 1993 as Executive Secretary of the Women’s Missionary Fellowship. Her title more recently has been Associate Director of Global Ministries.

21 Dec

December 21, 2007 |

It was reported on December 12 that Jean Bell, a UB endorsed missionary in Brazil serving with Wycliffe Bible Translators, was hospitalized with a serious blood disorder.

Donna Hollopeter, Acting Director of Global Ministries, sent this note: “I just received an email from Dave Spencer with an update on Jean. Until last evening, Jean had continued to be in the hospital and on dialysis. She is extremely weak but the doctors believe the antibiotics are working and that the blood disease/infection is getting much better.

“One of the doctors returned to the hospital last evening and decided to go against the recommendations of the other doctors by telling Jean she could go home. All of her other doctors had said she needed to have three straight days of normal test results–she only had one. The doctor last evening was satisfied with that and signed her out of the hospital. She is still requiring dialysis and has to be taken every other day for that.

“Wes has asked for prayer that Jean will continue to gain strength and that this unexpected discharge from the hospital was not premature.”