03 Nov Beds–and Much More–for Mattru Hospital

Jeff Bleijerveld, Director of Global Ministries

We have some exciting news for Mattru Hospital in Sierra Leone!

We’ve been studying how to make Mattru Hospital in Sierra Leone stable, healthy, and financially viable. One great need is equipment.

We put together a list of 150 items for the hospital to accommodate medical teams and do surgery, plus some real basic hospital supplies. One item was more beds. Ron Baker told that the beds at Mattru have never had mattresses. Part of it was more of a wish list.  We began circulating this list to various organizations, including International Aid, Medical World Mission (the medical side of Samaritan’s Purse), and Brother’s Brother.

The first to respond was Brother’s Brother. A hospital had just given them 400 crank-type beds which were only three years old. They said we could have 53 of them, which would fill one shipping container. We would get the beds nicely packed in a shipping container, ready to go. We just had to get the container to Sierra Leone. That’s expensive–up to $13,000 for one container.
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30 Oct UB Pastors’ Seminar in Mexico

Gary Brooks, a former UB missionary in Honduras who now lives in Ruskin, Fla., has done a lot of work with our churches in Mexico. He sent this report on October 29.

On October 22, I flew to Mexico and was met at the airport by Rev. Denis Casco, bishop of the Mexico National Conference. The next day we took a bus to Zacapu, Michoacan, where we taught a three-day pastors’ seminar

• The seminar emphasized doctrinal lessons on morality in church leadership.
• Sessions were held Thursday evening, Friday morning, afternoon, and evening, as well as Saturday morning.
• The average attendance at these sessions varied from 22-25 persons.
• One new congregation was accepted into the fellowship of the Mexican Conference during the seminar.

Saturday afternoon, Denis and I travelled to Valle de Santiago, Guanajuato, and our Centro Familiar Cristiano Church (Christian Family Center Church), pastored by Ramiro Negrete. Denis spoke Sunday morning, and I was the guest speaker for the 11th anniversary celebration of the church that afternoon. Some 250 people attended that afternoon service.

On Monday, we returned to Mexico City by bus. While there, Denis met with leaders of an emerging independent congregation regarding the possibility of that group joining the fellowship of other United Brethren in the Mexican Conference.  Hopefully, we will soon have our first United Brethren congregation in what is said to be the second largest city in the world. Mexico City has a population of over 22 million people, the majority of whom have little or no knowledge of the Gospel.

Rev. Casco continues to labor on for the glory of the Lord in spite of needed funding. God has provided for the continuation of this ministry, but as the work expands, more support funds are needed. Keep praying for the work being done in the Mexican Conference.

28 Oct Flooding in Honduras

Jeff Bleijerveld, Director of Global Ministries, and Donna Hollopeter, Associate Director, are in Honduras right now taking a tour of the churches. Or trying to. Heavy flood damage is preventing them from reaching various churches on their itinerary.

Honduras is experiencing heavy flooding. Jeff Bleijerveld and Donna Hollopeter are both in Honduras right now. They report a lot of flooding and major damage, making it impossible to get to some of the churches they had planned to visit.

Marilyn Reeck, one of our endorsed missionaries living in Honduras, sent this report:

“We have had several days of heavy rains, but since [Monday] it is even heavier.

“My daughter Chrysti called requesting prayer. The town where they live (one hour away) is located on the mouth of the river. The river has flooded, probrably the dam broke loose, and the town is flooded. Two people have already drowned. Her husband, Rigo, is helping rescue people and they have over 50 extra people in their house seeking shelter.

“This week is the 10th year anniversay of Hurricane Mitch. Roger is in Brazil and will return to Honduras on November 10. Please pray for this situation.”

28 Oct A New Logo for Global Ministries

Jeff Bleijerveld, Director of Global Ministries
As far as I know, Global Ministries has never had its own official logo– something that signifies who we are, what our values are, and gives Global Ministries its own identity.

The national office went through a branding process during the past year which resulted in the name Healthy Ministry Resources, with its own logo and this website. Now the national office has its own identity underneath the United Brethren umbrella.

Global Ministries needed something similar. And so, we worked with a design firm, and the result is the logo above.

The logo emphasizes partnership, which portrays much of the work of Global Ministries.

• We partner with local churches to support UB mission work.
• We partner with other mission agencies.
• We partner with our international fields.
• We encourage partnerships between local churches and missionaries.

The logo is based on Ecclesiastes 4:12, “A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” There is strength in working together.

You’ll be seeing this logo on our various materials. Stationery is being printed, and in the months ahead, we plan to redesign the UBMissions.com website.