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Alan McDonald, former UB endorsed missionary, said on Facebook, “I just spoke with our missionary friend there and they are desperate for more help. Three surgeons there have been working non-stop for three days doing amputations.”
Joan Sider, from one of our UB churches in Ontario, spoke for 12 minutes on January 16 with Rev. Oliam Richard, our superintendent in Haiti. She reported the following to Jeff Bleijerveld, Director of Global Ministries.
Theresa Musa and Billy Simbo, the two delegates from Sierra Leone, during the January 13 prayer time for Haiti.
William Otterbein, one of the United Brethren founding bishops, originally came to America in the 1700s as a missionary from Germany. Is God up to something in Germany, UB-wise? It’s looking mighty suspicious.
Billy Simbo, Bishop of Sierra Leone Conference.;
At General Conference this past week, Billy Simbo, bishop of Sierra Leone Conference, told about the work in Germany, which is considered an outreach of Sierra Leone Conference.
“In 1997, one of our ordained ministers took refuge in Berlin. Being a well-trained United Brethren pastor, he didn’t sit idle, but started a church in Berlin.
“In 2007, I was privileged to visit Berlin to celebrate their tenth anniversary. They invited me to preach at the final service. About 400 people attended. Most were German citizens, but many other African nations were represented.
“My challenge to them was that when we get together to celebrate their 20th anniversary, they should come to General Conference asking to become a national conference of the United Brethren church.
“We have reaped a lot of benefit from this church. Before medical teams from the United States came to Mattru Hospital, the church in Berlin was sending us equipment for the hospital.
“The minister who started the church in Berlin moved on to the United Kingdom in 2008, and another pastor took his place. He’s pastoring a Methodist church, but has asked permission to start a United Brethren church in England. So I said yes. We’re excited about that.
“There is great potential in Germany and all of those European countries, because everywhere you go, there are lots of African immigrants. We can start churches everywhere with them.”
Jeff Bleijerveld, director of Global Ministries, explained that the United Brethren name is registered with the German government, which is a difficult process. Now, if we want to open other churches in Germany, we have representation before the government.
Me, after I've just signed 100 copies of Tio Archive.
I started writing Tio Archie in 1996, and it was published in May 2001. While it tells the story of Honduras, it was not written in Spanish, the language of Honduras. It was published in English. Because that’s what I speak.
But it needed to be in Spanish.
Over the years, missionaries Roger and Marilyn Reeck translated Tio Archie into Spanish. Marilyn worked hard this year to finish the book. On Satuday, January 9, the book arrived in La Ceiba the same day I did (though it came from a printing plant in Tegucigalpa).
The book was unveiled at the end of the January 10 service which opened the General Conference. A number of people asked me to autograph their copies. That’s always a joy and a privilege to do.
Josh McKeown, from First UB church of Holly, Hill, Fla., sent this note on Wednesday, January 13:”Tonight during our youth service called The F.L.O.K. we had four youth accept Jesus Christ as their Savior. We were all so excited to be a part of this awesome experience in their lives and thank God for allowing us to be involved in His plan.”
Global Ministries has received many phone calls and emails regarding Haiti. United Brethren people want to know how they can help, and if we are sending work teams to Haiti. We have about 40 United Brethren churches in Haiti.
Right now, in the immediate aftermath of the earthquake, it’s best to let government and relief agencies do their work…and stay out of their way. So we have no plans right now to send work teams. In the future–sure. But not right now.
Many relief agencies, including Samaritan’s Purse, have announced that they are not soliciting volunteers. The UB churches of Canada had a work trip planned during the next couple weeks, but postponed it.
For the moment, the best ways to help are:
A disaster of this scale requires a huge amount of relief money. Funds sent to Global Ministries for Haitian relief will be channeled to one of two agencies:
UB people in Canada and the US have already adopted 42 Haitian children through CH Global. We plan to direct support and aid directly to their families and to our UB churches in Haiti through this partnership, which we finalized at our last Global Ministries Leadership Team meeting. Our program administrator in Haiti is a member of our Delmas church and the wife of the Port an Prince Police Commissioner.
Let me emphasize that 100% of your contribution to Global Ministries for Haiti Relief will be sent to either CH Global or Samaritan’s Purse.
If you want to send money for Haitian earthquake relief, put “Haiti earthquake relief” on the memo line, and make the check payable to Global Ministries. Send to: Global Ministries, 302 Lake Street, Huntington, IN 46750.
Upon returning from Honduras yesterday, Donna Hollopeter, associate director of Global Ministries, learned that an aunt had passed away (her mother’s sister). She headed out to Pennsylvania today for the funeral, which is Monday.
As mentioned earlier, Phil Whipple’s uncle passed away, and he’ll be flying to Illinois tonight for the funeral.
Ajiax Wo gives his report as superintendent of Hong Kong Conference. L-r: Brian Magnus (chair), Donna Hollopeter (secretary), Ajiax, and Orville Brown (translator).
Theresa Musa and Billy Simbo (Sierra Leone) during the prayer time for Haiti. Billy also opened with the day's devotional.
Juan Pavon Pavon (Nicaragua) speaking.
Laughter: the universal language. L-r: Isaac Nugent (Jamaica), Denis Casco (Mexico), Ajiax Wo (Hong Kong).
The Honduran women fed everyone well, three meals a day.
Juanita Chavez, Honduran superintendent, talks about her country's long-range plan.
The closing prayer time.
Wednesday’s General Conference meeting opened with a devotional from Billy Simbo, bishop of Sierra Leone conference. He used the story where Jesus brought a huge catch of fish to an astonished Peter and his fellow fishermen.
The group then spent some time praying for Haiti and for Superintendent Oliam Richard, who at that point was traveling to the La Ceiba airport with Denis Casco (bishop of Mexico), hoping to get a flight to Haiti. (He eventually opted to stay in La Ceiba. The January 13 posts tell about that.)
Ajiax Wo, superintendent of Hong Kong Conference, was welcomed to his first full day of General Conference. He got hung up in New York City, needing a Honduran vissa. He reported on the ministry in Hong Kong. Karis Vong, the other Hong Kong delegate, had reported in his place, but restricted her report to Macau, where she ministers.
The delegates discussed, and unanimously passed, two changes to the international governing documents:
Next: they approved changes to the governing documents of the various national conference. One role of the General Conference is to monitor changes in the member documents to make sure they remain in conformity with United Brethren doctrine and core values.
Each national conference mentioned any significant changes to its governing documents. There were various structural changes in some conferences, but nothing that caused any concern. All changes were approved. As expected.
A few miscellaneous matters were cared for. Then Brian Magnus called for someone to adjourn this 50th meeting of the General Conference.
They adjourned.
But before you drive away….
The executive committee met for a while. They re-elected Brian Magnus as chairman of the International Executive Committee, a position he has held since 2001. The executive committee will decide where the next General Conference is held, in 2013.
The delegates reassembled for a presentation on the long-range plan of Honduras Conference by Abdiel Lopez, a Guatemalan whose organization is assisting the conference.
And THEN everyone was done for the afternoon. Most of the delegates squeezed time in at the local mall–just like any modern mall in the United States–before supper and the evening service.
Bishop Phil Whipple learned on the way back to America from Honduras that an uncle in Rockford, Ill., had died. He made arrangements to fly out of Indianapolis Friday evening for the funeral, and return Saturday evening.
