2014 GP World View - The Wesleyan Church
Transcription
2014 GP World View - The Wesleyan Church
Everyone Shares in the Story . • • by Dr. Dennis Jackson, Executive Director D oucet, Jim , Rousvel, Diane , Glaud Marie Julian , Lynzi, Jean Eric , Heidi, Wess, Gilbert, Justin , Johny, Jo Anne, Greg, Judain, Marie , Steve , Veroine , Joy ... All of these individuals collectively share in the story of the new La Gonave Wesleyan Hospital. Some are local; some are not. Many are Wesleyan ; many are not. Some are highly trained professional s; some are not. Many deeply participated on site to make a difference in the fulfillment of the dream. Some were guests deeply committed to the cause. Some were missionaries. All realized that the mission mattersseeing lives transformed and healed by the hope and holiness of Jesus Christ. A few were upfront for the ceremonies; most were busy behind the scenes to make sure that the beauty of the story was captured and celebrated in the moments we had together. Years ago, a new hospital on the island of La Gonave in Haiti was only a hope and a longing. Today it is a miraculous reality-a shared God story. The Wesleyan Church of Haiti , Lemon Aid, Starfysh , Compassion International/UK , Global Partners, and hundreds of individuals and The new La Gonave Wesleyan hospital is a miraculous realitya shared God story. continued on page 2 Justin Dowds, founder of Lemon Aid 2 Audacious Dreams 4 5 8 Egyptian Christians Amid Persecution 9 Friendship: Mexico City and Marion Heartbeat, a GP Ministry of Compassion in Asia British Isles: LVE Haiti Mission 10 ACTS of the Church in Nepal :!2 < ~ ~ 12 Fighting FROM Victory W twitter.com/gpnow (j www.facebook.com/gpmissions Everyone Shared in the Story • • • continued churches shared in the telling of this story. They came from the island of La Gonave and from the mainland of Haiti . Story participants came from Canada, Scotland, England , and the United States. They were joined by untold thousands of prayers from too many places to sort and count. Hundreds invested their time and finances in the vision of compassion. They all share in the telling of the story- the miraculous story. I t has probably been a while since anyone would associate the country of Haiti with a massive party, unless of course you are talking about Mardi Gras. But even Mardi Gras barely touches the daily life of the people on the island of La Gonave. People who struggle to survive from day to day are not often in a party frame of mind. However, it is easier to get into the party mood if there is a good reason . On the last weekend in September 2013, the people of La Gonave had three great reasons to celebrate with the completion of three major construction projects: Fontina Wesleyan School , La Gonave Wesleyan Ministry Center, and La Gonave Wesleyan Hospital. Wess Stafford, former president of Compassion International, was the keynote speaker at the hospital's dedication ceremony On September 28, 2013 , more than 600 people gathered to share in the dedication story of a new Wesleyan hospital that features 48 inpatient beds, maternity and pediatric wards , labs, surgical theatres , meeting/training rooms, and a dedicated medical and service staffall for the mending and healing of the thousands of people of La Gonave. • The members of Fontina community went home that night gratified that they had not been forgotten in their need. The party actually began on Friday as a convoy of four-wheel drive vehicles bumped and rattled up the "road" to the mountain village of Fontina. A multinational team made up of Compassion International (including both past president Wess Stafford and current president Jimmy Mellado), Wesleyan National Superintendent Doucet Desronvil, and GP Caribe Atlantic Area Director Dan Irvine joined hundreds of students, parents, local dignitaries , friends , and neighbors at the dedication of one of the most attractive and functional school complexes ever built in the mountains of La Gonave. For many years Fontina Wesleyan School has been a partner school with Compassion International who provided the funding for the school rebu ild. The Fontina church and school were damaged beyond repair by the earthquake of January 12, 2010. Since then, both the school and church had been meeting in provisional structures. The mood at the reception following the joyful dedication was characterized by smiling faces and happy conversation. "The village of Fontina has never seen a party like this" was a comment made many times. The members of the Fontina community went home that night gratified that On the last weekend in September 2013, the people of La Gonave had three great reasons to celebrate. they had not been forgotten in their need and hopeful that the Christi an education offered to their children in thi s beautiful and safe environment would continue to transform their community. By 9:00 A .M. on Saturday, the dedication venue for party number two was buzzi ng with a couple of choirs, an orchestra , a children 's chorus, nurses and other staff members in their uniforms, a delegation from the Red Cross, fo rmer and present missionaries, friends from other partner organizations, and government officials. General Superintendent Dr. Jo Anne Lyon and Executive Director Dr. Denni s Jackson were also in attendance, along with a number of journalists from telev ision and radio stations across Haiti . Approximately 600 people attended the dedication . The program was designed in true Caribbean fas hion, allowing a number of principle leaders from both church and community to participate in the chorus of celebration . The keynote address was given by Wess Stafford. At the conclusion of the formal ceremony, a prayerful benediction was pronounced, the ribbon was cut, and the crowd poured through the fro nt doors to see their new hospital. Front entrance to the new hospital Sometimes the craziest, most audacious dreams come true . In 1958 a courageous missionary nurse set up a table under a palm fro nd roof and declared the firs t clinic open for business. Missionary doctors and nurses labored faithfully, largely unknown and uncelebrated, to serve three generations of friends and neighbors. Through the years the missionary medical personnel was slowly replaced by skilled and well-trained Haitian medical staff. In the weeks following the January 2010 earthquake, the hospital was inundated with earthquake victims as well as the "normal" activity required by the island's population. Because of aftershocks and fears about the safety of the old building, the hospital operated out of tents in the hospital yard . When the rainy season hit, the humidity, wind, and rain , along with a :11 <( c: 0 ~ g Arial view of the three new wings of the hospital plague of mosquitoes , made caring fo r patients impossible to sustain in tents. The patients and staff were moved back into an outdated and unappealing bui lding that was now potentially dangero us. Sometimes the craziest, most audacious dreams come true. The church and mission offici als with the hospital administration cou ld only petition their Heavenly Father for an answer. In a way that only God can move, He brought together a Scottish charity called Lemon Aid led by Mr. Justin Dowds, Compassion UK directed by Mr. Ian Hamilton, the Wesleyan Mission in Haiti , and several other strategic partners to provide this remarkable, modern hospital. Provided in the last weeks of construction was a state-of-the-art sol ar system capable of providing for the electrical needs of the entire hospital and mission station . It was designed and built by Mr. Justin Charles from Lenepe Solar. Obviously, there was much to celebrate- a new hospital , a beautiful new guesthouse, and a mountain school. Pray that this will only be the beginning of a new day for The Wesleyan Church of Haiti and its team of international partners as they seek to unleash God's transforming power in even more audacious dreams . • Dan and Joy Irvine are long-term missionaries with Global Partners in Haiti . Dan is also the GP Caribe Atlantic Area Director. They are fro m the Western Pennsylvania District . In the "Global Partners Health Network" article in the JulySeptember 2013 issue of the GP Worldview, we inadvertently omitted mentioning long-term missionary Beth Gould who serves a dual appointment with WISH and Global Partners in Haiti. Beth is an RN who actively participates in the medical work on the island of La Gonave and at the Wesleyan hospital. She is also helping with the transition from the old hospital to the new one. We are deeply appreciative of her service and dedication. More than one million Muslims have converted to Chrisianity. 0 n October JO, 2013, Global Partners was honored to have Rev. Atef, district superintendent of the Wesleyan Standard Church of Egypt, speak at The Wesleyan Church's world headquarters in Fishers, Indiana . The main focus of his address was the status of the Egyptian Christian Church since protest erupted in January 2011. Rev. Atef reported ... With the revolution in the last three years and persecution of Christians under the Muslim Brotherhood leadership in Egypt, God has given Egyptian Christians a new vision for His people. God has started a powerful movement that will not be stopped. Amidst persecution the hearts of Christians are on fire for God. There are at least two things that have come about through the uprising and persecution: Egyptian Christians are praying and regardless of their denominational backgrounds and beliefs , they have come together in unity. In the midst of the revolution, people from all churches, an estimated 70,000 people, met for a 24-hour prayer rally. Some results were not what they prayed for, and this has been a costly year for Egyptian Christians. However, because they are praying, they are not scared. They believe like Joseph that what others intended for evil, God intended for good. Eighty-four Egyptian churches have been burned. At this point, none of the 26 Wesleyan churches are included in this number. The church is called to be holy in practice, not only in talk. One of the church's greatest pictures of love has been demonstrated by young Christians who have posted signs on burnt churches that say: "My Muslim brothers, you may have burned my church, but my Jesus teaches me how to love you." God is destroying the stronghold of evil. Since Egyptian Christians have come together in unity during this revolution and period of persecution , more than one million Muslims have converted to Christianity. The Lord among us is victory! Amidst persecution the hearts of Christians are on fire for God . Glory to glory. Blessing to blessing . God's blessings are always among us. God prunes us to yield more fruit. Christians are to have a joyful life, rejoicing always. "My Muslim brothers, you may have burned my church, but my Jesus teaches me how to love you." God maintains our spiritual life in the midst of turmoil. A persecuted church is a praying church; a praying church is a blessed church. During hardship, worship God , pray, and look to the promises of the Bible. As Christians, we have no enemy except the Devil. • ' Mexicq City by Jarod Osborne ~k FRIENDSHIP Mexico City and Marion ( Partnership indicated that people were coming together to MENTAL RECALIBRATION ur leadership team at College Wesleyan Church in Marion, Indiana, sat around the table wrestling with the most basic questions. Where was God leading us globally? How should we invest ourselves? Our congregation, like many others, has been on a journey of discovery-an evolution in mis- O sions. Several decades ago, missions strictly meant giving money to overseas missionaries. Then came the realization that missions also meant transforming our own city. (We used the word "glocal" for a while.) A little later came a greater awakening in our church that God was dreaming bigger dreams for us than we ever imag- accomplish tasks and to meet goals. This relationship felt like something else. Friendship. ined. Dreams to transform lives, churches, and communities. This led to a project-focused campaign. We built wells, schools, churches, economies ... you could even say we helped build a whole village. Around that table, however, we still had a gnawing feeling that we had not yet found our global sweet spot. Once we began to crystallize our global outreach philosophy, it was clear that we would need to do some mental recalibration. We would have to adjust our thinking and some parts of our strategy. The shifts included: MORE THAN A PARTNERSHIP Our next step was to write to Global Partners and asked if they could connect us to a local international church that had strong local leadership and a vision to reach its city. They pointed us to Senda De Vida Church in Mexico City. So we started skyping with Pastor Alex Sicilia. At first there was a quiet strangeness to the relationshipalmost like a blind date. But we both had a growing sense that God might be fueling this relationship, whatever it was. • Shotgun to Rifle: Instead of having a wide smattering of little impacts, we wanted to focus in on a target. "Do a lot for a few" is what we often say. • Talk to Listen: When we go to another country, we want to first listen to the vision, wisdom, and needs of those working in that country-not just the North American missionaries, but the nationals themselves. After we have listened long and well, we can discover what gifts our church might offer the church in that country. • Give to Share: A relationship that is based on one-way giving will never foster mutuality. If God is already at work in every culture, we have as much to gain from any community as we have to give. • Rural to Urban: Historically, the Wesleyan outreach strategy has sometimes been to focus on rural areas for evangelism and development. Our church has also invested into rural communities and has grown to deeply love specific villages and the people in them. But we have sensed with the church at large that we must invest our main energies into larger cities. Influence the influencers. Go where the masses are to see greater transformation. e Pastor Alex preaching at his church in Mexico City After a few months of talking, Steve DeNeff, our senior pastor, and I decided to make an in-person visit. We flew to Mexico City to spend five days with Pastor Alex and his church. GP Ibero-America Area Director Jarvis Ferguson was gracious enough to travel with us and to be our interpreter. During the visit, we stayed in the homes of the congregants. We requested that neither of us would be asked to preach or teach while we were there. We wanted to come with open ears and hearts more than open mouths . We wanted to hear what God was doing in Mexico City. We did not give anyone money. We did not buy the church a new keyboard. We did not make promises to aid in their building campaign. We spent time together and shared our lives. During our evening debriefings, it was becoming clear that "partnership" was not quite the right word for what was happening here. Partnership indicated that people were coming together to accomplish tasks and to meet goals. This relationship felt like something else. Friendship. Yes! Maybe this was the center that we had been seeking to articulate. We desired global friends. Friends love one another for who they are, not just for what they can do. Friends share with each other. Friends pursue the same ends together, and in the end they achieve more than numerical results. You complete projects, but you develop friendships. DEVELOPING THE FRIENDSHIP On the plane ride home, Pastor DeNeff and I felt that we had made some new friends in Mexico. We realized that when we returned home, we would need to go back to square one: to introduce these new friends to our congregation. So that is exactly what we did. Through pictures and stories, our church met Pastor Alex and his church. Then, a few months later, we brought Pastor Alex and Ruth , his wife, to visit our congregation for an in-person introduction. They did not preach or teach during their first visit at our church. They did get to spend time with our people while eating, talking, and staying in our homes. What has been astounding is that our initial suspicion has proved true . God has placed gifts in each of our congregations that the other one needs . We both truly have much to share with one another. For example, Senda De Vida has an extremely effective discipleship process that is helping us to examine our disciple-making efforts. Also, the commitment of their congregation is through the roof. Literally, the commitment can be Pastor OeNeff with the children of Senda De Vida Church in Mexico City seen through the roof. Several years ago their building was destroyed by an earthquake . Now, every Sunday morning before church, a dozen men gather at 7:00 a.m. to raise the roof, hoisting a series of gigantic tarps that will block the sun and rain from the 400 people gathered to worship. They have done this every week for eight years. Sometimes the ropes will break and cut one of the men in the face. But they persist. The church, which has less than ideal facilities, is currently planting their first church in another area of the city. The new church plant team is already trained and deployed. Our church is planning how to further develop this friendship. We will likely send a " mission team" to Mexico City this coming summer. And Pastor Alex is coming back to our church several times in 2014. JOHN 15:15 During his final days on earth, Jesus redefined his relationship with his disciples. "I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends , for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you" (John 15:15 NIV). Many countries around the world have strong churches and visionary leaders. Imbedded in their cultures and congregations are a plethora of gifts that the North American church needs . If we engage in long-term relationships with these international friends, perhaps God will bless us both and sharpen us for His mission in the world. • Jarod Osborne is the outreach pastor for College Wesleyan Church in Marion, Indiana. 0 Between 10,000 to 15,000 Nepali women and girls are trafficked to India annually, while 7 ,500 children are trafficked domestically for commercial sexual exploitation. HEARTBEAT A GP Ministry of Compassion in Asia by Linda Caringa/ D uring the time that Romy and I were GP missionaries in Nepal (19982006), I served with United Mission to Nepal's HIV/AIDS program. While working in this program, I noticed that most of the HIV+ patients were girls from the remote villages of Nepal. They had been sold and rescued from the brothels of India where they were infected with the virus. NGOs estimate that between 10,000 to 15,000 Nepali women and girls are trafficked to India annually, while 7 ,500 children are trafficked domestically for commercial sexual exploitation.* This prompted me to explore more about human trafficking not only in Nepal but also in other parts of Asia. As a result, Heartbeat, a Global Partners' ministry of compassion in Asia, was created to focus more on the "preventive" aspect of human trafficking. Workshops are conducted in Asian countries to equip international pastors and lay leaders with knowledge and skills. In tum, they are able to clearly present the facts and realities of human trafficking to vulnerable famjlies in their villages, which empowers farilllies to say "no" to would be predators. On July 24-26, 2013, a workshop on anti-human trafficking (AHT) was held during The Wesleyan Church of Nepal's annual conference in Kathmandu. Fifty pastors and lay leaders from village churches in tills predormnantly Hindu 0 nation participated in this event. It was encouraging to note that 84 percent of the attendees indicated that the church has a unique role and responsibility in caring for those who are at risk and those who are rescued from human trafficking. The seven GP JESUS film teams in Nepal asked if they could show a video clip about human trafficking to the villages where they show the JESUS fil m. There is a documentary film from a notable organization on AHT in the Nepali language. Each JESUS film team will have a copy of the film . After the AHT fi lm is shown, lay leaders and pastors who attended the workshop will lead the follow-up to bring more awareness to the issue of trafficking. While we were doing partnersrup development in North America, the Penfield Wesleyan Church in New York introduced us to the Dress a Girl ministry (DAG). Women make pillowcase dresses for girls and attach a visible label in the front of the dress. The idea is to give at least one decent dress to a vulnerable girl so if a would-be predator sees the girl wearing the dress, he would think that Young girls in pillowcase dresses she is being watched over by an organjzation. The dress adds a layer of protection over the girl. This also opened opportunities for an increasing awareness of the realities of human trafficking both locally and globally as churches pray over these dresses before sending them off to Asian countries.• *"Trafficking in Persons Report 2009 ." U.S. Department of State. Romy and Linda Caringal are physicians and long-term Global Partners missionaries. Romy serves as the GP Asia area director, and Linda provides oversight of the Heartbeat ministry. They live in the Philippines and have two children: twins, Nathan and Hannah ('97). GIVE: Two ways to give to the Heartbeat Compassion Ministry (fund number WM06- 1442) • Online at www.globalpartnersonline.org/donate (go to the form at the bottom of the page) • Mail a donation to Global Partners, PO Box 50434, Indianapolis, IN 46250 Jone!, at the far end of the table, helps to teach !CT skills n April 2011 we were able to visit Haiti for a few days to meet with Global Partners' Caribe Atlantic Area Director Dan Irvine and his wife, Joy. We also met with Rev. Doucet Desronvil, the national superintendent of The Wesleyan Church of Haiti. Since the January 2010 earthquake, God has placed in our hearts to do short-term missions in Haiti. We were able to ask questions about the needs for the Haitian people. We found that despite the devastation the Haitians were very resilient, hardworking, and proud. They were keen that we should not just send money and provisions from the United Kingdom , but assemble a team to return and work with them on a mission to help rebuild the country spiritually, morally, and academically. They particularly wanted us to teach children and young people skills that would help them in the future. We wanted our work to equip, teach, and inspire a generation . For the second year, the LYE Haiti Mission team from a variety of denominations traveled to Haiti in August 2013. The trip was both awesome and exhausting, but we give God thanks again for the opportunity to share His ) British Isles: LVE Haiti Mission down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity (NIV) . We expected to work with 200 young people but worked with almost 400 across the two churches . Each camp held four group activities: art, ICT (information and communications technology), worship , and sports. The most inspiring aspect of this mi ssion , for us, was the inclusion of Jone) Anastil and Emmanuela Joseph from the Bethlehem Wesleyan The 2013 LVE Haiti team outside the Ortlilp Ministry Center in Haiti Church. They are two young people with a passion to love with children and young people. serve God , and they demonstrated great We organized two one-week day camps leadership potential, passing on the at two churches. For the first camp , we skills they had learned . They joined the revisited Bethlehem Wesleyan Church team as leaders at the second camp , in Li La Yois, and the second camp was teaching ICT and worship respectively. held at Legliz Tamp St. Oli ver in Jone! , age 20 , said of the ICT workMontrious. Both camps focused on shops , "I have learned about how to put leaders in the Bible with the key verse together PowerPoint presentations. I Timothy 4: I 2: Don't let anyone look Because these laptops will be left with by Pastor Cassius and Vanessa Francis us, I will be able to continue to teach others .... I think that one of the biggest problems facing Haiti is the lack of education , so even though this is a small project, it will help these young people develop their ICT skill s and do their own research on computers in the future." The LYE Haiti team is preparing for their trip in August 2014. We will continue to work particularly with children and young people, teaching them skill s that would help them and their communities in the future . Please pray for: • Jone) , Emmanuela, and other young people like them as future leaders for Haiti • LYE Haiti mission in August 2014 and beyond as we review the project and assess the best way to continue to support development of Haiti • Cassius and Vanessa Francis are from The Wesleyan Church of the British Isles. They currently serve in ministry at the Moseley Wesleyan Holiness Church . 8 JESUS Film Partnership ACTS of the Church of Nepal Compiled by John Croft, director of the JESUS Film Partnership of Global Partners 'From the New Testament Church in Nepal to the churches in North America, grace to you in the name of our risen Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who is revealing His presence as healer, deliverer, and redeemer. 2We pray continually that our God will manifest His presence among you as we are experiencing Him in His power and might. 3We thank God continually for you and your generosity that assists us in our work. 4God is confirming our testimony about Christ among the peoples of Nepal. She did not choose to follow Christ because she did not want to be persecuted by the people in her village who persecuted other Christians. 5 ln September 2013 our JESUS film team visited seven villages. 'Dn the last day of our journey, a huge group had gathered to watch the film of Jesus . They seemed very happy for the opportunity. They came with eagerness and gave their full attention. 7At the close of the film , many came to receive Christ, but one lady asked for our cell phone number. She told us she would call us the next day. 8When she called, she invited us to her home for break- 12 Earlier in our tour of these seven places , we met a man named Suman. ' 3He came to see the JESUS film with his wife and two children. '4 He had been a Hindu - just like his whole village. He had been an alcoholic and drug addict, spending most days high. '5He shared how a sister from a nearby church had shared the words of God with him . '6He began to go to church, and after some time he began to follow Christ. 11However, his wife would not go to church with him . She admitted that she did not choose to follow Christ because she did not want to be persecuted by the people in their village who persecuted other Christians. Yet the change in her husband was undeniable. ' 8The evening we were in their village, she came with her family to watch the JESUS film . There she saw this Christ that her husband was following . 19We preached the good news and offered salvation to her through Christ. She accepted and is following Him . 2 °1'he reports are that they are now happily going to church as a family. Pray with us for them that they will stand firm in the face of persecution. 21 In another place we visited, they were having a Hindu festival. We joined in so that we might preach the Word among the people. 22We gave people the Word and prayed for the sick. We also invited people to come watch the JESUS film . 23There were only a few Christians in this village. They had been faithful and working hard , so it was a joy to help them. 24Many were added to the Kingdom that evening, and the church there is now encouraged and has many new babies to disciple . They were afraid that their son would die because of their unknown sin. fast. While visiting with her, she told us that in her past she had had a husband and a very loving family. 9After 13 years of marriage, her husband divorced her, leaving her to raise her child alone. '°Under the Hindu caste system, she was now considered an " untouchable." In the film that she had watched the night before, she saw that Jesus talked with, touched, and loved on those who were untouchables. She wanted to know this Jesus. "We shared A with her the oneness we have in Christ, and at that moment W she came to know Christ. 25 ln another place there were about 45 who attended the showing of the JESUS film. 260ne couple shared with us how they had two children, but they had become ill and died. They believed that perhaps they had done something in a previous life that deserved this kind of punishment. 21Now they have another son and were afraid that he would also die because of their unknown sins. 28We shared the good news of Christ that He can heal and forgive them of their sin and give them peace about the future · 29 Right there they found a new freedom and the peace we were preaching. They went away thanking God over and over for the joy and forgiveness they experienced. 300ur prayer is for their strength to witnesses for Christ in their community. 3 'Next, we traveled to a very difficult place settled by Indians (immigrants from India) . It was very hot, and for three days we j ust met with people and shared the Word . 32 As we shared the good news, we invited them to come one night to see the JESUS film . 33During the film, a 46-year-old man named Barshiva fell down and started babbling all sorts of vile things. We were shocked by this and began to pray in earnest for him. 34 He looked at us with a blank stare like someone else was inside of him looking out through his eyes. SUPPORT A MISSIONARY! Bobby and Shannon Carr (Czech Republic) WM29-0094 Tom and Grace Ensz (Brazil) - WM04-0063 Angelia Hemric (Guyana) - WM04-0391 Rick and Clara West (Ibero-America) - WM04-0122 Joyful News Home WM00-1448 Goal: $21,928 After watching the JESUS film, it became clear to him that Jesus was God among us. We discovered that this man was demon-possessed and had been for 15 years. 35 We commanded the demon to come out , but he spoke to us and said he would not come out until he had fulfilled hj s mjssion to lcill one more. He claimed to us that he had already lcilled two others. 36We kept praying and also began to preach Jesus. This scared the demon who talked like he knew Jesus for many years and was afraid of Him· 37 For two hours we prayed with great fervor. The demon finally came out from the man, and at that moment it was like Barshiva woke up from a long sleep. 38There were many people who witnessed these events. Barshiva and six others accepted Christ. 39'fhanlcing Christ for his deliverance, he kept exclaiming how free and light he felt. 40 From there we went to a remote area that is mixed with Hindus and Muslims. 4 'The people in this area are illiterate, very shy, and completely unfamiliar with new technologies. They were frightened by our camera and would hide. 42There was one man in the village named Arkam who cou ld read. 43 A Muslim, he had found a Bible and had begun to read it. He was somewhat confused and wondered if Jesus was a god or an angel. 44 After watching the JESUS film, it became clear to hjrn that Jesus was God among us. 45 He accepted Christ as his Savior; however, his family was greatly displeased. They severely beat hjrn and expelled him from their home. 46He fo und an apartment and is happily telling everyone he can about Jesus. 47 Although hjs famjJy has rejected him, he is happy in Christ! 48 These are eyewitness accounts from our brothers , Ajay, Bi pin , Ramchandra , Suman, Bahadur, and Ashok who are laboring as evangelist and church planters among the peoples of Nepal. 49They send their greetings and pray continually for you that you too might experience the fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ. • • Net Caster Newsletter: Stay informed with the latest GP JESUS film news and testimonies by signing up to receive the Net Caster, GP's JESUS film e-mail newsletter, at www.globalpartnersonline.org/netcasters or by e-mailing gphm@wesleyan.org . • Give: Two easy ways you can give to the JESUS Film Partnership of Global Partners (fund number WM06-0695) • Online at www.globalpartnerson line.org/donate (go to the form at the bottom of the page) • Mail a donation to Global Partners , PO Box 50434, Indianapolis, IN 46250 Joyful News Home is a home for boys who have been rescued from the streets of Kathmandu. The ministry extends to the streets where medical attention is given to children with illnesses or injuries. In addition, food is provided each week on the streets for those who have not chosen the refuge of the home. The gospel is shared with these abandoned children, and many have accepted Christ as their Savior. For those who have chosen the shelter of the home, they receive additional care, schooling, and training in a loving, Godly environment. Whenever possible, the final aim of this project is to reconnect the children to their immediate families or circle of families in their villages and communities. If this is not possible, then the orphanage supports and assists them up to the time they can be independent. HOW TO GIVE Online at www.globalpartnersonline.org/donate Electronic Fund Transfer (EFT) through automated monthly bank debits (go to www.globalpartnersonline.org/eft for instructions) Mail donation to Global Partners, PO Box 50434, Indianapolis, IN 46250 The following gifts of $100 or more were received April-September 2013: In honor of ... Esther Smeenge from Mrs. Beth Werking In memory of . .. Olivene Barnett from Wesleyan Holiness Wesleyan Lois Day from Rev. Richard E. Sprowl Lucille Day from Mrs. Iris B. Mitchell Arlene Eddy from Dr. Malcolm E. Ellis Lois Ellis from Dr. Malcolm E. Ellis Robert Kilmer from Mrs. Ethelyn Kilmer Paul Leitzel from Mr. Robert A. Ferryman Mr. and Mrs. Jeffery L. Parker Louella Purcell from Living Springs Church Mr. and Mrs. Scot G. Pringle Mr. Tim Purcell Barbara Williams from Geneviene Health Global Partners The Wesleyan Church Corporation PO Box 50434 • Indianapolis, IN 46250-0434 ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED Fighting FROM Victory by one of GP's newest missionary couples * appointed to serve among the Nune people of the Turkic/Arabic Muslim area rayers filled not only the ro~1~, bu~ the whole house. It was the first day of our v1s1on tnp to Nuneland in the spring of 2013. The missionaries from various organizations had gathered together to lift up a particular missionary family in prayer. The reason : spiritual warfare had come home-it was affecting their kids. Their oldest son, James ,* had begun experiencing scary dreams. This isn't so surprising on its own, but it was the kind of dreams he was having, the recurrence of the dreams, and the other things going on in life at the time that raised concern. Putting it in context, James' father had been discipling a man whom the Enemy had a strong hold on, and he was seeking deliverance for this man by the power of Christ. As they were beginning to make some headway in seeing the man set free, the dreams started. James was waking up in the middle of the night, terrified by the visit of "scary faces." Even scary faces would not cause so much concern, if it were not for the fact that the boy said the scary faces were angrily trying to put a mark on his forehead, so that they could eat him. The team had gathered in the home that night to cover the boys, their parents, and their home in prayer. We still remember vividly the passionate prayers and the intensity P of that night. And we learned that this was not the first time that the weekly prayer meeting had been structured in such a way. Thi s was not the first time that a missionary family's children had come under spiritual attack. That night we prayed. Why? Because the Enemy presses in with oppression and fear, grasping at our friends and family. But we also prayed because we know Who has won this war already- it is our Lord and not our Enemy! Our Lord has already gained the ground for us, and as one believer put it so aptly, "We fight from victory, not for victory!" Our team has seen answers to prayer at times when prayer alone could be the explanation. We believe there will be more times like this. Often it is the children on our field who seem to come under attack. Sometimes it is the people we are working with. Sometimes it is us. But two things are sure: (l) the attacks will keep coming and (2) we will still be the victors in Christ.• *Names omitted or changed for security reasons. Global Partners exists to exalt Jesus Christ by calling and mobilizing believers to global ministries of evangelism, church planting, leadership development, and ministries of compassion. Global Partners PO Box 50434 Indianapolis, IN 46250 globalpartners@wesleyan.org www.globalpartnersonline.org 800.707. 7715 The Power of & by Dr. Dennis Jackson, Executive Director F or over a year now, I have been carrying around a large ampersand as a prop in communicating. I share about the power of the"&" in reaching the world. It happens because: • High Capacity & High Capacity = Radical Reciprocity • Core GP Presence & Multiple Partners = Supernatural Influence • Major Donors & National Teams= Multiplying Churches • Orphaned Dreams & Family Adoption = Accelerated Development • Leadership Crisis & Innovative Mission= Maximized Leaders • Ordinary People & Extraordinary Intercession = Keeping On • Partnering Church & Hard to Reach People = Passionate Ownership • Unchanging Plan & Koinonia Mission= Gospel Generosity • Sacrificial Giving & Global Heart = Frontline Servants • The Holy Spirit & You-The Ultimate & It happens because real people build real relationships with each other: •An intercessor from Michigan named Don partners with a missionary named Tracy to reach people in one of our most challenging fields. • Pastor Steve, who leads a high capacity church in Marion, Indiana, discovers how much Pastor Alejandro and his high capacity church in Mexico City have to offer. •Carol Smith of Indiana connects with missionaries Matt and Caryl Aukerman in Albania challenge is not Jerusalem then Judea, then Samaria then the ends of the earth. Rather, we are called to Jerusalem & Judea & Samaria & the ends of the earth. All of us are continued on page 2 "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; & you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, & in all Judea & Samaria, & to the ends of the earth." through giving that adds up month after month, year after year, prayer after prayer. • A group of churches in Bangladesh that suffered the premature death of its leader receive adoption into the global Wesleyan Church family, accelerating its ability to reach its country. The & is what set the mission of the early church. They weren't just to reach Jerusalem; they were to go beyond to Judea & Samaria & the uttermost parts of the earth . Note in Acts I :8 that the -Acts 1 :8 NIV 2 4 6 8 9 All Things Work Together Jesus Triumphant over Evil God is Faithful Physical and Spiritual Healing Found All Has Changed Since Jesus Came 10 A Light of Faith 12 Visions and Dreams ~ twitter.com/g pnow IJ www.facebook. com/ gpmissions T wo decades ago missionaries were allowed to enter Albania for the first time since pre-Communist times. A British missionary drove through Albania with a van full of Bibles and supplies. He handed them out in various towns and villages. During this time, -he met a Bektashit Albanian man who was sick in the hospital in the southern town of Korea .... Rene* was one of the children at the Durres children's ministry center operated by Christian missionaries in the Kenet. She was given her own children's Bible and loved studying it with the missionaries. Recently, the British missionary with the van returned with supplies for the children's ministry center. Rene told her grandfather about the British man with the van. Her grandfather replied, "Yes, I remember him. He talked to me in the hospital many years ago." The Power of & continued responsible for the whole of the rruss1on. Too often I hear, "We're going to start a missions program when (rhymes nicely with then) we reach 100 people; when we finish the building; when we pay off our debt; when we ..." It's not about when , and it's not about then. It's all about the power of the&. You & me. 0 Your church & a global church. Your district & a global district. Church planting in North America (of course) & in every nation and people group. It's discipleship , leadership development, & pastoral training everywhere the church is expanding. It's meeting the compassion needs in your own community & in places like Nepal & Liberia & Guatemala & the Philippines. As much as it is about you & me, we are not alone in this- there is, in fact, another &. When we are joined by the & of the Holy Spirit, we experience the ultimate &-the power and presence and passion of the Holy Spirit. But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you & you will be my witnesses. And when we & our global partners are filled with the Spirit, God is able to do above & beyond all we could ask or even imagine! Dive in and experience the power of the & . • "The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it." -1Corinthians12:12a, 27 NIV The grandfather may not have decided to follow Jesus directly, but now, two generations later, the seed of the gospel is producing fruit in this man's family. Fourteen-yearold Rene attends every Bible study activity available and pipes up to answer all the questions in our discussions at youth group. She wants to be baptized. The seed of the gospel is producing fruit. Rene's 17-year-old sister, Teresa,* became curious about her children's Bible, and they started reading it together. When Teresa came to church for the first time in December 2013, she said to me , "All we have at home is Rene's children's Bible. I would really love to have an adult Bible like the ones at church so I can study more on my own." She now has her own Bible . Rene and Teresa invited me to travel to Elbasan for the birthday of their cousin, Dena.* As the four of us talked late into the night, the girls asked me questions about Christianity. Dena mentioned that she is intrigued by the big , beautiful cathedrals. I said, "Yes, they are beautiful. But a church isn't really a building. A church is people." My language limited my ability to communicate much further, but then Rene took over. "The church is the body of Jesus, and He lives in people by the Holy Spirit." She continued explaining to her cousin and sister more things she had learned about the Holy Spirit. I feel humbled and privileged to watch a 14-year-old girl from an Islamic family share Jesu s with her family. Think about everything that has happened for her to be introduced to Jesus . Thousands of people contributed-from Christian martyrs who refused to renounce Jesus, to millions of prayers that Albania would open to the gospel, to countless hours of Bible translation, to missionaries giving up familiarity and comforts in order to teach Albanians how to follow Jesus . Every piece is united by the one true God who orchestrated it all. Rene's story continues as she is discipled . Pray that she will carry on the work and one day disciple other girls and women to live for Jesus. • Jessica Spicer is an intern missionary with Global Partners in Albania. She is from the Indiana North District. f Bektashi: Any member of an order of Muslim mystics founded , according to their own traditions, by Jjajjr Bektash Wair. It acquired definitive form in the 16th century in Anatolia (Turkey) and spread to the Ottoman Balkans, particularly Albania. -from the editors ofEncyclopredia Britannica *Names changed. The young man parked his motorcycle near the group meeting for prayer JESUS Triumphant over Evil by Larry Mack, Ghana representative for the Central Canada District of The Wesleyan Church W hile Canada was in a deep freeze, I was in Ghana, Africa, from December 13-23 [2013] where the average temperature was 30°C (86°F) . My primary purpose for being there was to represent Central Canada at the 4th Biennial District Conference of The Wesleyan Church Ghana. Of course I also wanted firsthand experience of God 's great work through the church in that country. Believe me when I tell you I was not disappointed . From the exciting worship atmosphere of the conference, we travelled north to visit villages where The Wesleyan Church is working, crossed the border into Burkina Faso , and ended up on Christmas Sunday worshipping and ministering with the people in Ouagadougou . But the highlight of my trip, and really what this work is all about, was the joy of seeing the power of Christ transform the life of a young man . . .. t We entered the town of Yendi in the white mission van. Waiting at the side of the road was Philip, the church leader in Kantiguli. It seemed a mystery to me how they knew when the van would be arriving. Maybe it has something to do with everyone in Ghana being connected by cell phones . Philip directed us around the corner and up the road where Isaac, the pastor in Yendi , was waiting for us. The obligatory VIP plastic chairs were arranged in a circle with a wooden bench, and we sat to visit, encourage, and pray. While we talked, a young man came down the road on a motorcycle. We watched as he passed by the van, came around the other side, and turned to look at us with a startled, astonished look coming over his face. He quickly braked , did a U-turn, and parked his bike near us. Pastor Isaac got up to talk with him. In a couple of minutes, Pastor Isaac brought him to us and said, "This man wants to give his life to Jesus." We quickly made a place for him to sit in our circle, shared the gospel with him, and led him in praying to receive Jesus as his Savior. This young man told us that he was involved in animal sacrifice to the gods and constantly lived in fear that if he did not sacrifice, he would be killed. Earlier that same morning, he had a dream. An evil man was chasing him, wanting to kill him. As he was running away, he saw, in his dream, a white van. He described The Wesleyan Church logo that he saw on the van in the dream. He saw a group of people sitting in a circle. In that circle was a "white man ," and the group was calling him to come to Jesus. "Then," he said, "I woke up!" This "white man," the only one there, had the joy of embracing that young man and welcoming him into the family of God. The young man praying to receive Jesus as his Lord and Savior The old way of darkness and fear was changed to light and life in Christ Jesus. I used the phrase "the power of Christ" earlier. That is exactly what we witnessed at work-Jesus triumphant over evil-first in a young man's dream, then before our eyes, transforming this man's life. The old way of darkness and fear was changed to light and life in Christ Jesus. Planting churches-yes. Developing leadersyes. The Wesleyan Church growing in Ghana and Burkina Faso-yes. But what really makes heaven rejoice is when one sinner repents. That is why we are in Ghana. • GOD IS ' II By Dorcas Croft I remember the day Mapile first arrived on our campus at Emmanuel Wesleyan Bible College (EWBC) in Swaziland. He seemed confident and excited. I remember his smile and laughter. Now he has completed ills third year studies and graduated in November 2013 with ills diploma in Christian ministries. He recently shared his story with me. Mapile's mother was young and unmarried when he was born. Like many other children in hi s family, he was raised by his loving grandmother who was taking care of seven children by herself. His grandmother always made sure they went to church, and she prayed they would never depart from the things she had taught them. When Mapile grew older, he did not always make good choices, and he did not always attend church like his grandmother had taught him to do . However, God's hand was upon Mapile's life, and he now sees how God protected him from so many heartaches that could have been his . Emmanuel Wesleyan When Mapile was 20 years old, he chose to accept Christ into his life. Shortly afterwards, he became involved in compassionate ministries through AIM (Adventures in Missions). It was great to be used by God , and as people from AIM spoke encouraging words to him, he felt of value for the first time in his life. Around this same time, Bheki Matsenjwa (Swaziland's district superintendent) began pastoring a new Wesleyan church plant at Mbutfu, the area where Mapile is from, and soon he began attending thi s church. After becoming a Christian, Mapile found there were many things distracting him in his Christian walk. It was hard to always make good choices and to do the right thing. He remembers asking God to give him a desert place where he would not be distracted but could focus on God and grow spiritually. Little did he know that EWBC would soon be that place! Since being at EWBC, Mapile experienced a great deal of spiritual growth in his life. He became grounded in God's Word and often heard God speaking to him. He is thankful that he not Church at Mphosi only gained knowledge at EWBC , but he also received many opportunities to practice what he learned in the classroom. Mapile pastored Emmanuel Wesleyan Church at Mphosi while studying at EWBC. The opportunities to apply what he learned in the classroom were endless. Despite the challenges, he put his heart and soul into the work. When he was given tills church to pastor, there was no building, only a covering made out of corrugated iron and no walls. In February 2013 a storm \ Mapile in front of his church came through and totally destroyed the structure. Mapile was encouraged when his EWBC classmates came to help rebuild the church . Although the structure is still very temporary, it now has walls to protect the congregation from the weather. The challenges with the church are great because few people in the congregation have work or a steady income. But they are not letting that stop them from progress. Mapile and some fellow students built outdoor restrooms for the church. The church sits on a nice piece of land , and the congregation has dreams of having a proper church building someday. The congregation is growing and has a hope for a bright future. People's lives are being changed and some have also been healed. Mapile testifies to God 's faithfulness in his life. He remembers times when he had so many needs. He needed soap and toothpaste. His clothes were coming apart and not even worth repairing. He told no one but God , and God took care of him and provided! An anonymous person paid the remaining balance of his school bill. God is faithful! What does Mapile's future look like? He wants to get his bachelor's of theology degree by doing another year at EWBC. He believes God will provide to make this possible. After that, he does not really know. He just knows that wherever God wants to use him, he will be available! • Dorcas Croft is a long-term Global Partners' missionary in Swaziland and is from the Western Pennsylvania District. She has one child: Mathis ('04). PHYSICAL ND SP RlliUAL HEAU FOUND Rajnandgaon Leprosy Hospital and Clinics I -. • . ·- ... L eprosy attacks nerve endings and destroys the body's ability to feel pain and injury. So lepers unwittingly injure themselves with burns and cuts. They suffer infections that result in tissue loss. Fingers and toes become shortened and deformed as cartilage is absorbed by the body. L e~rosy i~ not nearly as contagious as most people think. Nmety-five percent of the world's population has a natural immunity to it. Within two weeks, when a leper receives the proper medication, the patient is no longer contagious. However, in India, when someone is discovered to have leprosy, their own family members consider them cursed, and they are driven from their homes and disowned. No one will associate with a family that has a leprous member for fear of being contaminated. No one will marry the child of a leper. The Wesleyan Rajnandgaon Leprosy Hospital and Clinics have indoor patients who are mostly ulcer patients and outdoor patients. Free boarding, medicine, and all needed daily requirements are provided. Outdoor patients go to the hospital to receive their medicine. The staff hears many stories from patients with leprosy. This is 60-year-old Bish's* story.... PRAYER REQUESTS • Pray that God would make His love known to the lepers of Rajnandgaon. • Pray that God would continue to work mightily in Rajnandgaon and in the whole country of India. e • Pray for God to provide what is needed to support and expand the work in Rajnandgaon. When Bish was diagnosed with leprosy, it had progressed significantly. He was married and had two daughters . When he first noticed symptoms, both daughters were married. His troubles started when he noticed the loss of sensation in his right leg and patches on his feet. He consulted a local doctor who told him that his condition was due to a vitamin deficiency and asked him to take some pills. Bish took the drugs for two months, and then stopped the medicine because he could not afford to continue treatment. Two years later, the sensory loss spread to the whole leg. He went to another doctor who treated him for two weeks. Bish was not happy, and his condition was worsening. He developed sensory loss in both feet and had difficulty walking. During this time, Bish's wife, who was very supportive of him, died . Her death ended up being a blessing to Bish because upon finding out that he had leprosy, she would have thrown him out of the house. Now, as a leper, he was lonely. Through some local people, Bish found out about the Wesleyan Rajnandgaon Leprosy Hospital. He was admitted as an indoor patient and given special care, treatment, and Christian love. By the grace of Almighty God, he was nearly cured physically. But even more significantly, Bish met Jesus Christ and found spiritual healing. • *Name changed to keep identity confidential. JESUS Film Partnership All Has Changed Since Jesus Came Edited by John Croft, GP JESUS Film Partnership director, as told by a JESUS film team leader in Asia T • NetCaster Newsletter: Stay informed with the latest GP JESUS film news and testimonies by signjng up to receive the NetCaster, GP's JESUS film e-mail newsletter, at www.globalpartnersonline.org/netcasters or by e-mailing gphm@wesleyan.org. • Give: Two easy ways you can give to the JESUS Film Partnershjp of Global Partners (fund number WM06-0695) • Online at www.globalpartnersonline.org/donate (go to the form at the bottom of the page) • Mail a donation to Global Partners, PO Box 50434, Indianapolis, IN 46250 he crowd that had gathered to watch the JESUS film sat in stunned silence as they watched 1~sus being beaten and marched off to the cross with an angry mob yelling and spitting on Hirn. Tears flowed down their faces, and some were visibly shaking. There was a puzzled look on their faces when, minutes later, Jesus asked His heavenly Father to forgive His accusers. It was not what the people expected. The JESUS film team had finished praying with those who were seeking salvation and those seeking healing . As they were wrapping up the evening, one young man who had been sitting silently in a dark comer stepped into the light of the room. "Does Christ really love us?" he asked. "Can we really be free from all of our sins if we believe in Hirn?" The team loves to hear these questions. In a Hindu culture, there is no love from the gods . There is only existence and hoping that followers do enough in thjs life to have a better next life . There is no forgiveness, no salvation, no redemption. A team member responded to the young man 's questions, "If you will believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and accept Him into your life as Lord, you will be saved. All your sins will be forgiven , and yes, He loves you more than anything else on thjs earth ." Tills young man began to reveal that he was an outcast. Everyone in the village, including his parents, hated him. He lived a life of sad isolation and felt as if there was someone killing rum from the inside out. People made fun of him and would bully rum for no reason. He was depressed and often thought about takillg his own life. At the moment in the film where Jesus died on the cross, thjs young man , for the first time, felt like someone loved him more than anyone on this earth. If it was true, then he wanted to be a follower of thls Jesus. In the dimly lit room, the young man prayed to receive forgiveness of sin and received the fullness of life through Christ. Now he proclaims, "There is no greater joy besides living for Christ." Hi s witness is powerful in the comm unity; he has forgiven those who mjstreated him. His words and actions are truly life changing in a culture that does not forgive or know forgiveness . He says, "All has changed since Jesus came." • e F e I had the immense privilege of speaking with Caitlyn,* a recent GP GO-Net missionary to the Yawfa people of Asia with an incredible testimony offaith. By following God~ calling for her life, she entered a society where evangelism is illegal and Christians are in the minority. Her story is one of trust and courage, with the constant assurance that even in the darkest of places, God is present and at work. rom an early age, Caitlyn loved to speak with international students at school. Their stories and culture captivated her as God planted the seeds that would soon grow into a passion for global outreach. In high school , Caitlyn attended a church missions conference where she felt the Spirit leading her to pursue missions work. After serving on several shortterm mission trips to Georgia, Haiti, and Russia, Caitlyn discovered her deep love for orphans. She loved to develop relationships with those for whom no one else seemed to care. Uncertain as to where her global destination would be, Caitlyn, a member of her college's missions committee, was introduced to a GP mobilizer. They quickly struck up a friendship , often talking about Caitlyn's heart, her willingness to serve, and where that service might be. Caitlyn was asked to come along on a vision trip to the Yawfa people of Asia. Caitlyn initially said no, knowing that a vision trip meant long-term work and feeling that Asia was not where she was meant to be. Her interest was peaked, however, upon discovering that at the time GP's only orphan work was among the Yawfa people. So Caitlyn went on the trip and fell in love with the Yawfa people. By the end of her trip, God made it very clear that Caitlyn was in the right place. With the support of GP and The Wesleyan Church, Caitlyn embarked on the journey of a lifetime as a GO-Net missionary to the Yawfa people for two years. For her first six months among the Yawfa people, Caitlyn observed the culture in order to better understand and embrace their very different way of life. By accepting the people as they were, she was able to share the gospel in the most tangible and realistic way amid a sea of persecution. Even though Christianity was not illegal in the Yawfa culture, she quickly learned that officials would watch a Christian more intensely for signs of evangelism. One wrong move and Caitlyn would be on the next flight home. Phones, cameras, and even spies could be used to uncover evangelistic efforts. Wanting to develop more lasting relationships of trust, she let her actions speak for her heart. Soon other colleagues and volunteers began to notice something more. As time went on, Caitlyn was able to meet one-on-one with nonbelievers in private and explain to them the reason for the joy in her heart. In the Yawfa culture, family is everything. As Caitlyn began her work, she found the orphanage full of children - unloved and abandoned. Even more heartbreaking was the high number of children with disabilities . Yawfa families often shun physical imperfections and flaws . No Yawfa parent wants an imperfect child, so helpless children are thrown into orphanages because they are a disgrace to the family name. Caitlyn 's heart broke for the many unloved children she met-all beautiful masterpieces created and loved endlessly by God. Most of the children were malnourished , starved of the essential nutrients they needed for proper growth and development. Caitlyn spent much of her time in the orphanage playing with the children, providing healthy snacks , helping with one-on-one physical therapy, filling out growth and development charts for doctors, and singing Bible songs with the children. For many of the children, the concept of love was unheard of. When Caitlyn came to serve alongside the other volunteers , the children were exposed, some maybe for the first time, to the love of Christ. Hope began to dawn in the darkness of the orphanage, and slowly several of the orphanage workers became more receptive to Caitlyn 's volunteer work. Caitlyn is now back in the States and excited to see where God leads her next. She encourages those who are interested in missions to go for it. In her own words, she said: Mission work can be a challenge, but it can be so rewarding too. Missionaries get the opportunity to spend their work time loving on people, sharing the ultimate gift of salvation, and growing closer to the Father through both persevering through great challenges and watching lives transformed by the Lord . For those just out of college considering mission work, do it! Give God two years and watch Him work. You ' ll learn so many life lessons to carry you into the future. And you just might get the " missionary bug" and go again! By following the Father's plan and trusting in His perfect will, Caitlyn journeyed farther than she had ever dreamed. God brought Caitlyn into His comfort zone, and through Him she served as a blessing and light in a darkened society. • *Name changed for security reasons. Katherine Yeager is a high school junior at Heritage Christian School in Indianapolis, Indiana . She attends the Fall Creek Wesleyan Church in Fishers. SUPPORT A MISSIONARY! Jim and Julie Eckhardt (Colombia) - WM04-0212 Darrin and April (Security Sensitive Country) WM04-0340 Scott and Rachel McNett (Czech Republic) WM04-0353 Corey Munsell {Albania) - WM04-0395 SPECIAL PROJECTS: Resource Development-WM06-1404 Goal: $9,090 Within the Karis people, there are limited resources in the local language to assist in spiritual growth. This project will allow us to develop resources in the local language to help the church among the Karis people grow and mature. Resources will include the subjects of church planting , leadership, theology, evangelism, and discipleship. HOW TO GIVE Online at www.globalpartnerson line.org/donate Electronic Fund Transfer (EFT} through automated monthly bank debits (go to www.globalpartnersonline.org/eft for instructions) Mail donation to Global Partners, PO Box 50434, Indianapolis, IN 46250 HONOR AND MEMORIAL GIFTS The following gifts of $100 or more were received October-December 201 3: In honor of . . . Storer and Wilma Emmett from Dr. Wayne L. Crowder Jo Anne Lyons leadership from Dr. and Mrs. Claude M. Rickman D & B Mcintosh from Ors. Brad and Julie Mcintosh In memory of . .. Ruth and Volner Clark from Mrs. Peggy A. Camp Donald Mitchell from Mrs. Mary J. Mitchell Kansas District Mary Parks Mitchell from Mrs. Ruth Newby Samuel Newby from Mrs. Ruth Newby Mr. and Mrs. Walter Parks from Mrs. Ruth Newby Marie Robertson from Dr. and Mrs. Stephen F. Babby Pacific Southwest District Vera Parks Storey from Mrs. Ruth Newby Global Partners The Wesleyan Church Corporation PO Box 50434 • Indianapolis, IN 46250-0434 ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED Visions and Dreams By a GP mission couple who has lived among the Fotizo people of the Turkic/Arabic Muslim area. They are now living in Europe ministering to Muslim immigrants. Names omitted or changed for security reasons. Muslim men at a Friday's noon prayer 0 ne of the most common ways Muslims come to faith in Christ is through a vision or a dream. When we travel from church to church throughout North America, we are excited to share about the significance of visions and dreams among the Fotizo people. Most Fotizo people are strong believers in the power of dreams and take great interest in their meanings . Volumes of books about dreams have been written in their language. There are very few Jesus-followers among the Fotizo people, and the soil is hard. However, our God is so great that He is reaching out to the Fotizo people in ways that supersede the current obstacles and is meeting them at a point where they already have deep beliefs . Our God is so great that He is reaching out to the Fotizo people in ways that supersede the current obstacles. Gordon is a successful dentist. He is an academic thinker and comes from a secular Muslim family. When his wife became a believer in Christ, he accepted her conversion and continued to faithfully support her and their baby daughter. However, his heart was hardened to the gospel. His wife said he was a "very stubborn man ." Four years after his wife 's conversion and after many prayers on his behalf by his wife , her church, and believers around the world, Gordon had an earth-shattering dream. It was not just any dream-it was a nightmare. When Gordon woke up from his dream, he confessed Jesus as Lord and is now a devoted follower of Christ! Gabrielle was interested in meeting with a Christian to learn about Jesus , so two missionary ladies met her in a cafe to talk. When the ladies asked her why she wanted to learn about Jesus, it turned out that Gabrielle had already had five or six dreams about Him! When the ladies asked her what was happening in her dreams, she said, "All of my dreams are the same. Jesus and I are in a garden. He is holding my hand and saying, 'Keep goi ng, keep going, keep going down the path you are on."' One of the ladies asked Gabrielle if she could tell her what she thought the dreams meant. When Gabrielle gave her consent, the missionary said, "Gabrielle, I think Jesus is calling you, and the path you are on is the path to His truth . If you keep seeking Him , you will find Him." The missionaries shared the gospel with Gabrielle and gave her a Bible. Gabrielle expressed interest in meeting with one or both of them in the future . We wish we could say that Gabrielle accepted Christ that day, but we cannot. However, we know that God will keep cal ling her to Himself. We pray that He will continue to do great and awesome things through visions and dreams.• Global Partners PO Box 50434 lnd1anapol1s. IN 46250 globalpartners@wesleyan.org www.globalpartnersonllne.org 800.707.7715 LOST TREASURE Discovered and Returned by Dr. Dennis Jackson, Executive Director Zambia Shall Be Free, t's quite the story. In the mid20th century, Kenneth Kaunda was more than propheticwas a Zambian freedom fighter, but it was a declared destiny. he didn 't use violence in seeking freedom from British rule. A man of humility, he used personal character and the power of wisdom, perseverance , and a heart for justice. Missionaries from the Pilgrim Holiness Church (one of the two denominations that merged to form today 's Wesleyan Church) were actively involved in what was, at the time , the country of Northern Rhodesia under the rule of Great Britain. Starting medical clinics, a hospital , and more than 150 schools-including the first secondary school in the city of Choma-our missionaries found themselves in the midst of the political struggle. Significant division, inequities, and injustice were the order of the day with European whites in control of virtually all of life- socially, commercially, politically, and economically. Kenneth Kaunda's autobiographical book , Zambia Shall Be Free , was published in 1962. Though they could have pushed for independence at that time , Kaunda and the other leaders recognized the vulnerability of the moment, as violence dominated in neighboring Congo. They were afraid this violence might easily spill over and corrupt the nonviolence that they had so diligently sought for the new nation. So, they patiently waited for the freedom that finally came on October 24, 1964. Kaunda was 4 Stick to the Vine, Stick to the Task elected to be the first president of the new 6 Your Team Needs You! nation-a position he would hold for 27 years. 7 Missionary Profile: Dave and Dina Horne, Under his leadership , the new nation of the Europe Area Director Republic of Zambia was one of the few countries 8 Cambodia: From Village Drunk to to emerge from colonial rule without violence Influential Pastor and to go on to successfully develop under 9 Global Partners News self-rule. I President Kenneth Kaunda cominued on page 2 11 Jesus Speaks My Language! 12 Global Partnership Resource Kit W twitter.corn/gpnow I} www.facebook.com/gpmissions LOST TREASURE Discovered and Returned continued As one present on that historic night of independence in 1964, Pilgrim Holiness missionary, Dr. Daniel Bursch , recounts the celebration of freedom: Madge and I, along with Rev. and Mrs. Ed Jones, were the only Pilgrim missionaries to attend the independence celebrations. We drove up to Lusaka and sat on the grassy hillside. We watched the program and the fireworks from about 8:00 P.M. until midnight when the British flag was pulled down in darkness, and then with spotlights on the new Zambian flag, it was raised. Interestingly enough, the original manuscript of President Kaunda's book, Zambia Shall Be Free, was 8 sent-but seemingly unnoticed-to The Wesleyan Church archives in Indianapolis by former missionary Daniel Bursch in 1977. Since that time, the manuscript lay quietly for 36 years. In the fall of 2013, during research on Zambian missionary partnership, a Brethren in Christ professor from Messiah College unearthed the manuscript. The discovery could not have been more timely. On April 3, 2014, my wife, Gwen, and I, along with Dr. Alfred Kalembo, the Zambian Pilgrim Wesleyan Church national superintendent, and his wife, Muumbe, had the privilege of returning this newly discovered manuscript to President Kaunda in a special ceremony in Lusaka, Zambia. The return of the manuscript was especially meaningful to the first president in light of the celebration of his 90th birthday (April 28) and the '' Whether you are white, black, yellow or brown- you are all God's children. Come together, work together, and God will show the way. '' -President Kenneth Kaunda upcoming 50th anniversary of the Republic of Zambia on October 24, 2014. The fact that President Kaunda is vital and alive at 90-in a country where the life expectancy is only 46 years-made the discovery and delivery of the manuscript even more significant. I was able to share these words in the ceremony: It is an honor, your Excellency, to be present for this special day -especially as this is the month of the celebration of your 90th birthday and the year of the 50th celebration of Zambia as a nation! I am truly grateful to be able to share in this unique experience. In preparation for this day, I took the time to read about your life. I listened to your tribute to your very goodfriend and brother, Madiba, * Nelson Mandela. [Note: President Kenneth Kaunda was the final speaker at President Mandela's actual funeral in December 2013.] I also took time to read the published version of the typed manuscripts we present to you today. I discovered a wonderful simplicity, significance, and consistency in the journey you have walked. Your intentionality, combined with your passionate intensity, moved the freedom and fortitude of a nation and deeply affected a continent and our world. The title of the manuscript, Zambia Shall Be Free, was more than prophetic- it was a declared destiny. Looking back, it spoke to a preferred future. As you closed the book, you wrote, "For a long time I have led my people in their shouts of Kwacha (the dawn). We have been shouting it in the darkness; now there is the grey light of the dawn on the horizon and I know that Zambia will be free." It is now a reality of history. Today, it is alive and well in the present. Zambia shall be, has been, and is now free. Thank you for living out the commandment to love God and to love others-in your own words, to recognize that ... "Whether you are white, black, yellow or brown-you are all God's children. Come together, work together, and God will show the way. " Thank you for loving and leading, that God might show the way. We couldn 't have been more proud of the Pilgrim Wesleyan Church of Zambia in hosting this eventfrom the singing of a church choir to the refreshments to the honoring of guests and dignitaries. With the history of the church and its present engagement in active, life-transforming ministries , the team delivered. What a joy to partner in this historic event! • *Madiba is President Nelson Mandela 's clan name. Fron t Row: President Kenneth Kaunda; Back Row (I to r): Or. Dennis Jackson, Gwen Jackson, Muumbe Kalembo, and Or. Alfred Kalembo A V Global Partners missionaries Orai and Linda Lehman gave 45 years of faithful service to The Wesleyan Church in Africa. P astor Florence Steward of the Lewellen church in Nebraska was concerned about an unchurched family that lived in her area. Through a great deal of persistence and a trip out to the farm every Sunday morning , the family began attending church. The greater long-term effect of Pastor Steward's faithfulness was that three out of eight Cheney children became Jong-term Wesleyan missionaries, as well as many children and grandchildren serving the Lord in numerous capacities . One of those first generation children was Linda Cheney. Orai and Linda Lehman focused and continue to focus on the one constant, "go make disciples of all nations." Orai Lehman came into missions by a different route-he was born into it. Both Orai 's parents and grandparents were missionaries to Afiica. His mother had gone to Africa to serve and met Orai's father in Afiica. At an early age, Orai felt a calling to be a missionary. He learned languages quickly and naturally, mastering eight to fluency and another five or so to competency. Orai and Linda met and married at Central Pilgrim College (now Oklahoma Wesleyan University). After graduation they were appointed to missionary service by the Pilgrim Holiness Church , and in 1968 they were sent to South Afiica under the newly formed Wesleyan Church. At the time of their retirement in 2014, they were the longest continuous serving Global Partners missionaries in The Wesleyan Church (45 years) and the only missionaries currently serving who had been appointed by one of the merging denominations before the formation of The Wesleyan Church in 1968. The Lehmans worked at different assignments during their tenure in Afiica. Like his father and grandfather, Orai ministered to Afiican men from neighboring countries who worked in the gold mines of South Africa. This ministry was especially important for countries like Mozambique, where for many years missionaries could not enter. Three generations of Lehmans ministered in the mines , and as a result, Afiican men returned to their home countries saved by Christ and taking the gospel message back to their families and friends. This is how The Wesleyan Church was established in Mozambique. The Shangane language of Mozambique had been one of the first that Orai learned as a boy at the mines of South Africa. In God 's providence it was one of the last languages he used constantly in his ministry in Mozambique, where Orai and Linda were the first to establish a Wesleyan missionary presence when the country was opened. The Lehmans were influential both in teaching and in establishing ministerial training institutions in the southern African region. They established the campus of the Emmanuel Wesleyan Bible College in Swaziland and the Xai-Xai Wesleyan Bible College campus in Mozambique. They both taught in the schools, and Orai was very involved in the building of the classrooms, dorms, and other strategic structures on both campuses. They also taught classes at Wesleyan Evangelical Seminary in Brakpan , South Afiica, and led Theological Education by Extension classes in every place they were assigned. Orai feels that their most enduring legacy will be the educational institutions they established in Swaziland and Mozambique. Orai 's leadership development skills were not confined to the classroom structures. His missiological focus was always tuned toward seeing national leaders raised up with authority and confidence to lead with the backing of the church, mission , and missionaries. In his tenure of service, Mozambique has gone Family and friends at the airport welcoming the Lehmans back to the US last December from less than 40 Wesleyan churches to well over 240 churches with the momentum to continue growing in every province of the nation. In a recent interview, Orai was asked and answered the following questions: Q. What do you feel has been your greatest frustration? A. Seeing so much that still needs to be done to bring multitudes to Christ but having so little time and resources to get it done. Q. If you could speak directly to every North American church with one message, what would it be? Your partnership with us, your investment in praying for your missionaries around the world, and your investment in missionary and national support is worthwhile. It is making a real difference and is deeply appreciated. A. Q. What would you tell young missionaries who are going out to the field for the first time? Live by the words of Christ in John 15:4-5. Stick to the Vine and also stick to the task that He has given you, and He will cause much fruit to be produced to the Father's glory. A. Q. How will you keep involved with Afiica? A. We will continue to pray for the many believers and fellow servants of the Lord and be obedient to the Lord in giving whatever resources He may choose to put at our disposal. We will continue to have a passion for missions and may even go on some short-term ministry trips and "prayer safaris" with church groups or individuals in order to pass on to them the passion for missions thai continues to burn in us. Orai and Linda Lehman have weathered many changes in Afiica over the last 45 years. While there have been many technological and structural changes in missions, they focused and continue to focus on the one constant, "go make disciples of all nations." They stuck to the Vine and stuck to the task. Well done! • YOUR TEAM NEEDS YOU! by Chad McCal!um, GP Director of Mobilization Then He said to His disciples, "The harvest is abundant, but the workers are few." - Matthew 9:37 HSCB attended an extremely small high school. By small I don't mean a graduating class of a few hundred or even a few dozen . My graduating class had a sum total of 17 students! In a school of this size, everything was small: small class sizes , small lunchroom , small cheering sections, and especially small sports teams. Our basketball team had seven players, but then with a , fluke injury to one of our starters , we became a sixman squad. I was the sixth man. In one particular game, we had multiple players foul out. Ultimately, we ended up with only three players who were able to play. It was on that day at that moment that I learned a valuable lesson-applicable to both basketball and global engagement .. . You can play the game with three players, but it is nearly impossible to win and not much fun to play. To put it in mission terms, you can engage globally with just a few "players," but the already steep challenge of global engagement becomes even steeper. Additionally, the unique delight that is found in serving cross-culturally as a team is diminished . So may each of us clearly hear that ... For far too long we have played shorthanded in our global mission efforts, and now is our time to respond in exponential ways if we are going to see the redemption of our world. It was the great Billy Graham who expressed this with such clarity when he said: "The evangelistic harvest is always urgent. The destiny of men and of nations is always being decided. Every generation is strategic. We are not responsible for the past generation, and we cannot bear the full responsibility for the next one; but we do have our generation. God will hold us responsible as to how well we fulfill our responsibilities to this age, and take advantage of our opportunities." There is a tremendous gap that exists between the vastness of the work to be done and the scarcity of the workers . Additionally, far too many lack the urgency for this cause. Today there are so many unreached people throughout the world with far too few people who deeply care about the many in need of hearing the good news. In North America more people are attending Wesleyan churches than at any previous point in our denominational history. And yet, we have the smallest percentage of Global Partners missionaries engaging cross-culturally than at any point in our history. Some might argue that the world has changed and that the need for workers is diminished due to advances in technology and media. To this point I would humbly disagree and argue that the need is greater than ever before. Consider these startling facts from the Issachar Project about our world today: • There are 3 ,000 languages with no oral or written Scripture. • There are 3.5 billion Muslims, Buddhists, and Hindus without Christ. • There are 7 ,266 unreached people groups-these are ethnic groups with no indigenous Christian presence where they live. Most have never heard the name of Jesus Christ. As I reflect on these statistics, I think about the divine urgency of the work that is before us. We need every follower of J esus mobilized for this cause. I invite you to get in this game. To put on a global jersey. To engage. "How?" you ask. • Pray specifically. Rather than a general "God bless the world" kind of prayer, put a name on it. It could be a country, a missionary, or even a global need. Global Partners offers many resources to help you pray specifically. • Give generously. May it never be said of us that we heard of the need, had the capacity to help, but chose instead to put other priorities ahead of the Kingdom. Global Partners provides clear and simple pathways for you to financially respond to the great opportunity that lies before us. • Go willingly. Change your life plans and go. Trade the security of what is known for what is unknown. To step forward, to step out of our comfort zone, is quite often what God is calling us to do. I love these words of Francis Xavier, missionary to India, the Philippines, and Japan: "Tell the students to give up their small ambitions and come eastward to preach the gospel of Christ." Perhaps it is time for you to give up small ambitions for a greater cause. You are officially invited to be part of this game. Your team needs you! • For more information on how you can engage in God's global work, including practical pathways to pray specifically, give generously, and go willingly, contact the Global Partners' Mobilization Team at 800.707.7715 or mobilization@wesleyan.org. Pastors and Church Leaders: we are committed to your success in developing an effective, meaningful global engagement strategy. Learn more about our partnership coaching and resources on the back page of this Worldview or by visiting www.gtobalpartnersonline.org/partnership . Dave and Dina Horne, Europe Area Director By Olivia Ortmann, GP GO-Net Missionary and Short-Term Teams Catalyst ll?/l~eet Dave and Dina Home. They serve f ,~ with Global Partners in Vienna, Austria, as the Europe Area Director. In this role they provide leadership for Global Partners missionaries and Wesleyan national church leaders across the continent of Europe. Working in the continent of Europe, with its rich history and traditions , the Homes have noticed that many people feel they have already tried religion and it is not relevant anymore. Postmodern and Islamic influences combine to create an especially challenging ministry context. Many Europeans are blind to their own spiritual poverty. In the midst of this testing-and at times even discouraging-mission environment, the Homes' role is one filled with acts of encouragement and empowerment for the many missionaries that are working in Europe. Recently, they held an area retreat for these missionaries, where they could enjoy each other's company and be encouraged in their unique gifts. Taking intentional breaks to have the space and time to be heard and understood by other missionaries is very important as many of the teams are located in under-resourced areas. The Homes have many stories to tell of how God is working through the various Global Partners missionary teams not days or weeks. Long-term throughout Europe. When relationships with people far they ask a missionary how things are going, the from God are difficult. response is typically not Despite these challenges, the mission is advancing about a project-but about through an avenue many may a person. It's a story of a new friend. These find surprising: hospitality. Several young people in a responses capture the community in the Czech essence of Global Partners' Republic are taking steps of strategy for ministry in Europe. In order to have the faith as a result of a local greatest long-term impact ~~liibiJ:J church that meets in a coffee possible, most missionaries start with one shop. In Albania one home group has so or two years of culture and language learnmany attendees that they are running out of ing. At the same time, this culture and room. The missionary who hosts this group language study bears short-term fruit, as expressed to the Homes that he was glad his living room is not any bigger, as he missionaries become deeply invested in the wants to encourage the locals in leadership. lives of their teachers and hosts. It's incarnational living and discipleship. In a field Let's partner in Dave and Dina's work with such a unique spiritual climate , this by praying for the many missionaries in strategy is not employed by accident. Europe. Pray that other living rooms begin After working in West Michigan where to fill and for hearts to be softened. Pray that the missionaries serving in Europe strong, solid churches were abundant, Dave and Dina have experienced quite a change would continue to persist in language moving to an area where churches are learning and cultural engagement. Pray for scarce. They too are immersed in language them to have diligence and strength to live and culture learning as they coach and and develop deep relationships amid skeptical and hard-hearted communities, and come alongside other missionaries in care and support. They seek to see churches pray for joy and peace in their everyday lives as they work to lead people to faith flourish and the kingdom of God take root. They realize that this is no easy task, and in Jesus! • success in this field often takes years and 0 From Village Drunk to Influential Pas By Ben Ward GP Director of Communication and Innovations Architect Assistant Asia Area Director I n the Cambodian village of Boeng Krum, about a 45-minute drive from the capital city of Phnom Penh, a man named Thoen sat alone by the woods. He was drunk , sick, and miserable. Since the store-bought tobacco could no longer satisfy him , he grew his own tobacco-a crop with sufficient strength to give him a high. It had been a few months since Thoen had separated from his wife, Thiery, and the rest of his family. He was still legally married , but he no longer stayed in the house with them. Instead, he slept outdoors by the woods. Alcohol was his chief desire and ruler, but this king was proving to be a cruel master. In the nights spent alone, outside on the edge of the woods, his torment was more than physical; his tormenters were also spiritual. Spiritual attack was a part of daily life for the villagers. They had witnessed other villagers doing horrible things with evil spirits , and they lived in fear of this power they did not understand and could not control. Then one day Thoen reconnected with an old friend named Kimsan. Kimsan shared how Christ had transformed his life. In fact, he was now the pastor of Good News Wesleyan Church in Phnom Penh . Kimsan gave Thoen a Bible to read, and Thoen found himself strangely drawn to the words on the pages. In his outdoor "home" on the edge of town, he read the Scriptures day and night. As the Holy Spirit began to work in Thoen 's life , the forces of darkness e fought back. He became very sick physically. For three days there was an intense spiritual battle for his soul. The woods grew silent as even the animals left the area . Finally, he decided to visit the church in Phnom Penh where Kimsan pastored . In 2002 Thoen made the decision to follow Jesus as his Lord-and his entire family followed him in this decision. At the same time, Thoen 's wife, Thiery, experienced the transforming power of Jesus Christ at work in her life. She longed to grow in her newfound faith, but because of the heavy demands of rice farming, she lacked the time to read the Bible. As she prayed for God to give her more time , she sensed the Holy Spirit whispering to her the idea of buying a threshing machine. Thiery stepped out in faith and bought this threshing machine. Then the villagers started bringing her their rice to thresh , and they would give her some of their rice as payment. While she was threshing their rice , she had time to read the Word . God had answered her prayer. Thoen and Thiery 's story did not end with their personal conversion. Hungry to grow, they both devoured the Scriptures. In time , Thoen sensed God leading him into ministry. With the help of Pastor Kimsan , Thoen started a Wesleyan church in his village of Boeng Krum. l(jmsan wou ld preach and Thoen was his understudy. Eventually, Thoen became the pastor of the church. God continued to increase Thoen 's influence. A church in the nearby village of Som Rowng asked Thoen to be their pastor. In 2014, under Thoen 's leadership, this (I to r) Missionary Tim Gallant, Ben Ward, and Pastor Thoen "I realize how small I am, but I also know that a very big God is working through me." -Pastor Thoen church planted yet another church in nearby village of Tuk Kleang . As they began reaching out to the people of Tuk Kleang , a village lady excitedly told Thoen, "I have been praying for 20 years for a church in this village. God has answered my prayer! " As both Thoen's vision to reach his people and his leadership influence continue to grow, his attitude may best be described as humbly confident. In his words: "I realize how small I am , but I also know that a very big God is working through me." • - - GLOBAL PARTNERS NEWS Ibero-America Area Unanimously Decides to Plan for Regional Established Conference Status Rev. Peter Moore Chosen as the Atlantic District Assistant Superintendent Rev. Peter Moore began his service as Global Partners' Director of Operations in June 2007. Prior to coming to Global Partners , Peter served as senior pastor for ten years at Hillside Wesleyan Church in Dartmouth , Nova Scotia, in the Atlantic District of The Wesleyan Church. In July 2014 Peter and his family will be transitioning back to the Atlantic District to serve as the full-time Assistant Superintendent under Dr. H. C. Wilson who was nominated to serve as District Superintendent. Peter was instrumental in leading the Global Partners' staff through two transitions of General/Executive Directors . His gifts of diplomacy and partnership building have been invaluable to the ministry of Global Partners. GP team members will miss his loving spirit and enthusiastic approach to missions. Executive Director Dr. Dennis Jackson had this to say about Peter's tenure with Global Partners: What a privilege to have had the joy of partnering with Peter Moore in this Global Partners adventure. Peter has served in outstanding ways to further the cause of amplifying the mission in the world. He has a deep passion for the people of the mission-missionaries, nationals, partnering churches, and districts-in maximizing connections and impact. On a personal note, I have appreciated his personal partnership in ensuring greater effectiveness for me by leading the team so effectively and taking on numerous projects to lighten my load. Peter exemplifies what it means to be a true Global Partners tribe member. Thank you, Peter.for loving and living the mission! Since 1995, the original Latin America area (now Ibero-America area) has expanded ministry to 19 countries, including Argentina, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Venezuela, Cuba, and Equatorial Guinea, Africa. On February 18-20 , 2014, Wesleyan Church national leaders from 13 Ibero-America area countries met in Panama City, Panama, to consider the formation of a Regional Established Conference of The Wesleyan Church of Ibero-America by the year 2019. The meeting was co-chaired by Benjamin Galarce, National Superintendent of The Wesleyan Church in Puerto Rico, and Jarvis Ferguson, Global Partners Ibero-America Area Director. Jose McKella, National Superintendent of The Wesleyan Church in Panama, hosted the event. After three great days of time together, renewed friendships, animated discussions, and united prayer, leaders made the unanimous decision to begin the process for the establishment of a Regional Established Conference. This step would transfer the IberoAmerica area from the supervision of the North America General Conference of The Wesleyan Church to that of the international Wesleyan Church, with regional vision and direction provided by area leaders elected by their colleagues. The first step in the process was the election of a steering committee. Benjamin Galarce, who is also a member of the International Board, was elected to head the committee. Other members include National Superintendents Luis Azofeifa (Costa Rica), Felissandro Perez Santos (Dominican Republic) and Leaders of the Ibero-America Wesleyan Church Felipe Jordan (Peru) , along with Rick West, Ibero-America Wesleyan Fellowship Coordinator, and Jarvis Ferguson. This committee is currently preparing a proposal to present to the Ibero-America delegates at the International Conference of The Wesleyan Church in Orlando in January 2015 for approval. With an approval, a full proposal would then be presented to the General Board of North America in November 2015. Highlights of the meeting included the discussion of how the regional conference would be funded . Before the meeting started, leaders in some countries had already made plans to budget funds , and those present committed to plan their investment. Also, plans were presented by the JIBACAM board to regionally strengthen and support ministry in the countries of Honduras and Venezuela. The Ibero-America area no longer considers itself a mission field, but a mission force. -reported by GP Ibero-America Area Director Jarvis Ferguson Global Partners Health Network Welcomes New Director Global Partners Health Network (GPHN) unites, mobilizes, and inspires people for global medical ministry. On June I, 2014, Dr. Scott Addison stepped into the role of GPHN Director. Scott and his wife, Sheila, along with their three sons, attend All Shores Wesleyan Church in Spring Lake, Michigan, where they are very active in the church's global mission outreach. In addition to his role with GPHN, Dr. Addison will continue to practice family medicine in Muskegon, Michigan. Dr. Diane Foley, GPHN Director from 2012-2014, will continue to serve the international Wesleyan medical community as GP Medical Ministries Coordinator. continued on page 1O 0 SUPPORT A MISSIONARY! Luke and Megan Adam (Czech Republic) WM04-0392 Jason and Christine Blaikie (Croatia) - WM04-0327 Chris and Melissa George (Australia) - WM04-0345 Dustin and Nancy Stephens (Haiti) - WM04-0394 Global Partners Health Network Welcomes New Director continued She brings years of medical mi ss ion experience to this role, as Global Partners remains committed to providing excellent medical care as a part of holistically sharing the gospel. Dr. Dennis Jackson, Executive Director of Global Partners, said: "We are thrilled to have both Dr. Addison and Dr. Foley enriching the medical work of Global Partners. Our movement has a rich heritage of demonstrating God 's desire to bring healing to the totality of human need, from John Wesley's teaching, to our first medical missionaries in Africa in the nineteenth century, and on to our hospitals and clinics operated around the world today. GPHN plays an integral role in our strategy to bring help and healing in Christ's name." - reported by Ben Ward, GP Director of Communication and Innovations Architect Missionary Kids (I to r) Eva (9), Abel (7), Esme (5), and Micah's (1 0) parents are Ryan and Sarah Schmitz, missionaries to Nicaragua , SPECIAL PROJECT Ministry to GP Missionary Kids - WM06-1468 Goal: $18,466 Global Partners values the significant impact children have on their families and in the world. We desire to come alongside our missionary kids and their famil ies through a flow of care by focusing on pre-field and transitional training. The goal is to provide resources and support for our missionary families that enhances their ministry while on the field and meets the felt needs of their children . HOW TO GIVE Online at www.globalpartnersonline.org/donate Electronic Fund Transfer (EFT) through automated monthly bank debits (go to www.globalpartnersonline.org/eft for instructions) Mail donation to Global Partners, PO Box 50434, Indianapolis, IN 46250 HONOR AND MEMORIAL GIFTS The following gifts of $100 or more were received January-March 2014: In honor of ... Dr. Storer and Mrs. Wilma Emmett from Dr. Wayne L. Crowder In memory of . .. Ms. N. Jean Campbell from Ms. Thelma F. Daisley Rev. Harold E. Holmes from Mrs. Wanda Holmes Mrs. Esther Spady from Mrs. Fern Rempel Africa: New Steps Forward Congo Democratic Republic Currently, Swaziland is a of Congo part of the Southern Africa Region, along with Wesleyan churches in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and, most recently, Lesotho , The Wesleyan Church in Zimbabwe Swaziland is taking new steps forward. The Swaziland church has grown steadi ly over the years, and it Swazi land South Lesotho is now subdividing into separate disAfrica tricts and creating its own national conference. Africa Area Director Bob Bagley is working with the church so that they will be ready for this transition in September 2014. At the end of March 2014, Bob organized a training seminar for the ordained ministers to prepare them to assume leadership roles that will be created under the new national conference. He reports that this new step forward has infused the Swaziland church with a fresh sense of enthusiasm for expanding the influence and impact of the church into every corner of their nation and beyond. Area Director Bagley also announced the expansion of The Wesleyan Church of Africa into two more countries . The Wesleyan Church of Southern Africa Region recently launched work in Lesotho with the planting of the first Wesleyan church in this country. And The Wesleyan Church of the Democratic Republic of Congo reached across its border into the neighboring country of Congo (Brazzaville) to start a church plant. On the African continent, there are now 20 countries being reach by The Wesleyan Church of Africa. Only four countries have a North American Global Partners' missionary presence. -reported by Elaine Eckhardt, GP Communication and Inno vations Specialist W hat language does Jesus speak? Bengali? Mizo? Sranan Tongo? English? In Sierra Leone a lady chose to follow Christ after confessing she was amazed to hear Jesus speak her language. Before that moment, she thought Jesus only spoke English . In India a man was moved to tears as he heard , for the first time, Jesus speak his language. The message so touched his heart that he made the decision to follow Christ. He had heard about Jesus before but his understanding was incomplete. Now he understood the words of Jesus and made his decision. She thought Jesus only spoke English. Over and over again this story is repeated . The JESUS film is a powerful evangelist tool because it is in the language of the people. The film has been translated and dubbed into more than 1,200 languages , with new languages being added every month . For thousands of people, the only time they have heard of Jesus is through a translator and the message is broken and incomplete. In the film Jesus speaks to people in their heart language. In Nepal one evening, as the JESUS film team prepared to show the film, a young man in the village began to protest and became angry. He was yelling loudly that Christ was divisive and that Christianity wanted to divide the people. He even made attempts to damage the equipment. The team leader intervened and challenged the man to watch the film before making such claims. After the film the team leader asked the man to speak to the crowd and share what he now thought about Christ and Christianity. The man apologized and said that he had never heard Jesus talk before. He admitted that he was wrong about Jesus. The man asked the JESUS team to come and show the film again, and today this man serves the God who speaks his language. "Faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ" (Romans 10:17 NIV). It is the goal of Global Partners ' JESUS Film Partnership to show the film to as many people as possible in order to offer salvation through Christ to all, to disciple new believers, and to provide a healthy place of worship for continued growth in the family of God. Today the JESUS Film Partnership (JFP) is supporting 41 teams in 24 countries, ministering to more than 80 language groups. JFP is reaching hundreds of thousands of people each year with the gospel of Christ , but with your help many more people can be reached. Get involved today and make a difference in the lives of so many others through the message of hope and salvation in Jesus . Help shine God's light into the darkness. • · NetCaster Newsletter: Stay informed with the latest GP JESUS film news and testimonies by receiving the NetCaster, GP's JESUS film e-mail newsletter. Sign up to receive the NetCaster at www.globalpartnersonline.org/ netcasters or call 800.707.7715. Give: To the JESUS Film Partnership of Global Partners (fund number WM06-0695) Online at www.globalpartnersonline.org/donate (go to the form at the bottom of the page) · Mail a donation to Global Partners, PO Box 50434, Indianapolis, IN 46250 Global Partners The Wesleyan Church Corporation PO Box 50434 • Indianapolis, IN 46250-0434 ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED You want t o make a difference. You know t he world is a broken place. You have high hope in the power of t he gospel to transform lives and communities. And you know God has called your church to reach people all around the world who are far from Him. But when it comes to reaching internati onally, you wish you had a trusted partner who cou ld help you develop a mea ningful strategy to maximize the retu rn on your investment of time and resources. As your international mission organization, Global Partners is committed to helping your church reach its full potential in fulfilling the Great Commission. We w ill help you discover your church 's un ique gift, and then we w ill connect you to the place in the world where that gift can be put to best use. We will take the journey with you, helping yo u build a partnership t hat is sustainable, strategic, and right-sized for your church. To get started, we would like to give you a Global Partnership Resource Kit at no charge. This digital resource will guide you through the process from where you are now to maximum international impact. To request your free kit text PARTNERSHIP to 317.515.7989, visit www.globalpartnersonline.org/partnership, or call 317.774.7943. Global Partners • PO Box 50434 • Indianapolis, IN 46250 800.707.7715 • globalpartners@wesleyan.org • www.globalpartnersonline.org Off the Fridge and into My Heart Owning a Missionary in Prayer by Dr. Dennis Jackson, Executive Director Jim ancf Lori Rice rom coupons for pizza to pictures of the kids. From awards to drawings to reminders-the surfaces of our refrigerators F are generally full. Sometimes our refrigerators are covered with so many things-often two or three deep-you can hardly find the prayer cards. Got a fridge or a bulletin board or a Bible cover like that? Many of us would confess that our commitment to pray for a Global Partners missionary sometimes gets overlooked or lost in the piles of life. So, how can we carry the role of a prayer partner from the refrigerator and into our hearts? • Ask God to lead your prayers. Trust God to show you the best ways to pray - today. • Keep Current! Most prayer cards have a powerful connection point to know current prayersan em<iil address. Write your missionary to get real time needs and praises. • Know their place of serve. Learn a bit more about their country and community. • Know the people they serve. Study the people they serve. • Know their point of service. Ask questions about their unique role . • Pray against the three Ds: Distractions I Discouragements I Disunity. • Pray for faithful sowing.fruitfulness, and multiplication. • Love them and let them know. Your timely care and ' concern supplies encouragement for another month of ministry. Remember, the mission of making disciples from every nation is entrusted to all of us- not just the select few who we have set apart as mi ssionaries. These missionaries are appointed to amplify mission-but responsibility for seeing the mission fulfilled rests on all of us. Through prayer we all play a vital role in the Great Commission . All our missionaries depend on you keeping their cards close ... to your heart. • If you need an updated prayer card for a missionary you carry in prayer, contact Heather Bradley at bradleyh@wesleyan.org or 800.707.7715. Intercessory Prayer Warrior - Don Morris Praying as a Group 3 Suggested Prayer Requests for Missionaries, Missionary Kids, and National Churches 5 Map of the Global Ministries of The Wesleyan Church 6 12 2015 Prayer Calendar "JI twitter.com/ gpnow Praying with Power Using God's Word IJ www.facebook.com/ gpmissions I first met Don Morris via email when he communicated with me about his prayer ministry for missionaries. Somehow he heard that I was going to Europe for Global Partners as the new Area Director. The prayer commitment he was offering, without even knowing me, was amazing. I have a small group of what I refer to as Deep Intercessors and that first day I made the decision to add Don and his wife, Anne, to this small group. Over the months and then the years that have passed since the summer of 2010, I felt covered in prayer-at every special request and more. Don also seemed insatiable in gaining and praying for more and more of our missionaries in the Europe and Turkic/Arabic Muslim areas. It was hard to meet anyone on our missionary teams that hadn't experienced a prayer exchange with Don. So as Don passed from earthly life to eternal life on August 20, 2014, stories from many of our missionaries began to surface. The prayers-and answers to prayers-that Don had prayed. The power and passion to remain in the work on the darkest of nights and the love that he had shared. Words will never adequately express the gratitude for all of the prayers and the empowerment that we received from those prayers and for those that we give our lives to reach and see made new. -Dr. Dennis Jackson, Executive Director This past January, Don Morris was included in a video presentation on "Ordinary PeopleExtraordinary Intercession" for the Global Leadership Roundtable in Orlando, Florida. The following is the transcript from his part in the presentation . . . . M ay I be so bold as to say that every missionary, every miracle, every salvation, every word of wisdom, every anointed sermon finds itself rooted in prayer. Our heavenly Father chooses not to work in isolation, but in cooperation with us. He draws us, woos us to come close and hear the whispers of His heart and then speak them back to Him. It is this intimate act of conversation that we call prayer. I will ask you the question I asked my pastor, Mick Veach, when we first met. "Are you a man of prayer?" I am sure at some level my question was abrasive and offensive. But it cut to the chase. I would not follow a man whose life is not rooted in prayer. I have been asked to share with you a few words about creating intercessors. These e are the people who pray for you, bring favor, tear down strongholds, and pave the way so that your muscle, sweat, and tears will have a lasting effect. Without those who pray, we labor in vain. First and foremost, become a person of prayer yourself. Let your people know that you pray fervently. There is a saying, "You cannot take people where you have not been." Make sure you do it. You will begin to attract people who are like you. Make it your first task above all others. You will begin to produce seed that produces like seed. I urge you, knock off the cheesy "If it be Your will" false humility prayer. We are people of His Spirit called to know His heart and invited into great secrets and mysteries (1 Corinthians 2: 12). Press in boldly. It may surprise you to know that He really likes you (Hebrews 4:16). Pay the price and find His will (Romans 12:2). Then, pray it back to Him (Matthew 6: I 0). Do not take yourself so seriously. Risk the chance to be right. If you are wrong, it is just you, but if you are right, everything changes. Trust what you hear through persistent watching and prayer in the Spirit (Ephesians 6: 18). Practicing the presence of God is a good thing, but it is no substitute for deliberate, set aside times of prayer. Strongholds do not fall because we ask. They fall when battered. It is my experience, personally and through reading of the lives of those who have devoted themselves to prayer, that for some odd reason the Lord chooses to meet with us after midnight and before dawn at an appointed time. Establish yourself, then ask people to pray. Develop a team of these people who will pray for you. Share with them. Then develop a team of deeper intercessors. Entrust them with the scary stuff you face. Finally, create the biggest vision you can imagine. Dream like you did when you first met Jesus. Share those dreams and reach far and wide. Pray scary. It all starts with a conversation: "What do you want , Father?" "Really?" "Let's go do that!" Peace and grace be upon you as you press on in your journey into Him. • T here is power when we pray together as a group, such as a regular small group, Bible study group, a group of friends, retreat group, worship service, prayer partners, or ministry team. God often uniquely shows up. When engaging deeply into this form of corporate prayer, there is often a deeper fervency and intensity to the prayer time. God promises His unique presence and power when we agree together in prayer (Matthew 18: 18-20) . PRACTICAL TOOLS TO ENHANCE GROUP PRAYER • Index cards can be used to gain involvement and accuracy in knowing the specific requests. To share the requests on the cards, individuals can trade cards with each other or one person can collect the cards and then read the requests. • For an ongoing group, a prayer journal can keep a record of both requests and answers. • A Scripture passage to moti vate prayer is always an encouragement. SIMPLE METHODS TO INCREASE EFFECTIVENESS AND INVOLVEMENT • Rather than all praying in one group, pair off (prayer card exchange) . • Use a sentence prayer method to gain involvement. It often empowers individuals because they know they do not have to pray for a lengthy period of time. (This can also control passionate pray-ers who forget they are not the only ones who wanted to pray out loud .) • Prayer of agreement or one accord pray ing is when you simply share one request at a time and have several pray over the same issue, thereby covering the request fro m several perspectives. • Left and Ri ght. Pray silently fo r the person on your right. Then, as guided by the leader, pray fo r the person on your left. • Have a prayer partner between meetings. Simply pair off or have the leader assign partners. • List the attri butes of God and praise Him. • The Hot Seat. Place a stool or chair in the middle of the group and invite anyone to sit there and share their need(s). The group gathers around that person (often layi ng hands on them) and specifically foc uses on the needs shared . • When pressed for time or simply to use a different method, instead of sharing requests, pray your personal req uest. People may join you in agreement (see above) or simply li mit the prayer to only one praying the request. • Choir prayer is when everyone prays at the same time out loud . The earnestness and urgency of the prayer and a sense of God 's presence often intensify this experience. This is a method for crisis events and requests . • Concert of prayer is generally several small groups with a leader who guides the groups through specific praise and intercession. This method is often used in large groups broken into smaller groups or in corporate worshi p fo r indi vidual involvement. • SUGGESTED PRAYER REQUESTS for Missionaries, Missionary Kids, and National Churches .............................................. "Prayer is the fuel that expands the kingdom of God. Jesus taught us to pray for His kingdom to come and His will to be done. Our missionaries and national partners are working in places where the Kingdom has not come and God's will has not been done. They are working among people who are trapped in darkness." - Dave Horne, Europe Area Director .............................................. Here are ways you can pray for missionaries, missionary kids , and natio nal churches . Stresses related with change and language learning • P ray for o ur mi ss io naries and their families as they experience the stress of c ha nge : adjusting to new languages and c ultures , leaving fam ily and friends , establish ing new relationships, and readjusting to their "home" c ul ture w hile on partne rship develo pme nt. Pray for the m to " throw the w hole weig ht of [their] anx ieties upo n H im , fo r [they] are His pe rsona l concern" ( 1 Peter 5 :7 PHILLIPS) . • P ray that G od would help missio naries with the ability to swiftly learn the language of the people they mini ster wi th and to, so they can be effecti ve witne sses fo r C hrist . continued on page 4 Physical, emotional, spiritual health • Pray for our missionaries when they experience loneliness and discouragement. • As our missionaries minister to the lost around the world, pray for God to provide someone to minister to their souls, keeping them encouraged and growing in the faith. • Pray for God to place a hedge of spiritual, physical, and emotional protection around our missionaries, protecting them from all of Satan's fiery darts. • "Pray that [our missionaries] will be strengthened with all His glorious power so [they] will have all the endurance and patience [they] need. May [they] be filled with joy, always thanking the Father" (Colossians 1: l l-12a NLT). Family time • Pray for God's protection over their marriages and their relationships with their chjldren . • Pray for single missionaries to have quality friendships . Spiritual warfare • Pray that our missionaries would recognize Satin's attacks and use Scripture to counteract the Enemy's plan to do harm. • Pray for them to "put on all of God's armor so that [they] will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil" (Ephesians 6: 11 NLT) . Ministry • Pray for God to give our missionaries guidance and wisdom to mjnister within the context of the culture they live in . • "Ask God to give [them] the right words so [they] can boldly explain God's mysterious plan that the Good News is for Jews and Gentiles alike" (Ephesians 6: 19 NLT). • Pray for opportunities for our missionaries to share the gospel in their everyday lives. Family life • Pray for our MKs to have open communication with their parents • Pray for acceptance of their parents' call. Friends and mentors • Pray for compatible friends. Pray for Godly friendships that would encourage and help them grow in Christ. • Pray that they would intimately know Jesus , the friend who sticks closer than a brother (Proverbs 18:24) Adopted country • Pray for ease in learning language and adjusting to culture. • Pray that they would have friendships with nationals . School • Pray for our MKs to receive a quality education. • Pray for parents as they make decisions for their children's education. Safety, health, and emotional stability • Pray for protections from accidents , diseases , and dangerous situations. • Pray for them as they deal with loneliness and homesickness. Spiritual life • Pray for our MKs to accept Jesus as their personal Savior. • Pray for them to develop a personal prayer and devotional life. • Pray for protection from temptation, si n, and bad influences. Young adult MKs dealing with permanent reentry to their home country • Pray for clear guidance concerning their future schooling , career choices, and life partner. • Pray for them as they deal with the absence of their parents and/or siblings. • Pray for supportive relationships . The following prayer requests can be used in conjunctjon with the map on page 5. • Pray for believers to "let [their] roots grow down into Him [Christ Jesus], and let [their] lives be built on Him. Then [their] faith will grow strong in the truth [they] were taught, and [they] will overflow with thankfulness" (Colossians 2:7 NLT). • Pray that believers would grow in their spiritual lives to become mature disciples of Christ. Pray for the development of pastors and church leaders. • Pray for church leaders as they strategize, plan, and launch new outreaches to new people groups, new areas, and new countries where The Wesleyan Church does not as of yet have a presence. • Pray that as pastors and church leaders receive training they would develop in their personal spiritual lives, as well as intellectually. • Pray for the national church leaders and their families as they lead the mjnistry and cast the vision of the church within their constituencies. • Pray that people would experience the forgiveness of sins and spiritual freedom in Christ Jesus. Pray that they would be rescued from the kingdom of darkness and transferred into the Kingdom of God's dear Son (Colossian 1: 13 NLT) . • Pray that as the national church leaders and pastors are faced with many challenges, God would give them spiritual wisdom and insight so that they mjght grow in their knowledge of God (Ephesians l: 17 NLT) . • Africa O Burkina Faso f) cameroon O Democratic Republic of Congo 0 Equatorial Guinea* Q Ghana C) Kenya Q Lesotho f) Uberia C) Malawi CI!) Mozambique $ Nigeria Sierra Leone Cl) South Africa G) swaziland G G) Tanzania c uganda f> zambia Gl> zimbabwe Ibero-America ~ Argentina $ Brazil $ Chile fl) Colombia 0 Costa Rica G) Cuba* $ Dominican Republic tI,i> Ecuador El Salvador fll> Guatemala fi) Honduras $ Mexico G) Nicaragua €!) Panama G) Peru ~ Puerto Rico Venezuela 0 6' Caribe Atlantic Cl) French Guiana $ Guyana ~ Haiti G) Suriname Pacific G) Indonesia $ Papua New Guinea !Asia (!) Bangladesh @ Cambodia ~ China G) lndia e Japan $ Mongolia (Ii> Myanmar $ Nepal ei) Pakistan 6)south Korea ~ Sri Lanka ~ Thailand Caribbean General Conference Europe (9 Egypt ~ Albania ~ Austria ~ Bosnia ~ British Isles <D Kosovo e croatia ~ Czech Republic I ~ Germany ~ Macedonia ~ Poland ~ Russia Spain* Sweden Ukraine e e e e Fotizo People Karis People Koi People Nune People ~ Caribbean General Conference Antigua/Barbuda Bahamas Barbados Belize British Virgin Islands Jamaica Montserrat Netherland Antilles St. Kitts/Nevis St. Lucia cayman Islands Dominica Trinidad/Tobago US Virgin Islands Philippines General Conference fJi) Hong Kong South Pacific Conference fl) Australia fJ) Philippines ~ Bougainville f j singapore fl' New Zealand fl) solomon Islands North American General Conference fl> Canada fD United States *The Wesleyan Church's ministry in this country is under the direction of JIBACAM, the Ibero-America Wesleyan Missions Board , __________ _ _ PRAYER CALENDAR -~l---0 I January 2015 WEEKLY PRAYER Focus WEEK 1: December 28-January 3 Requests from the Executive Director of Global Partners * Pray that the mission is amplified in every place where The Wesleyan Church is present. Pray that people of all nations would be made new by the hope and holiness of Jesus Christ. * Pray for the seven Global Partners ' Area Directors as they give leadership to our missionaries and guidance to our national workers. Pray for the Executive Director to lead out of an abounding love and to be able to discern what is best in inspiring the church to seize the mission . WEEK 2: January 4-10 International Conference of The Wesleyan Church (ICWC) *Pray for international Wesleyan leaders throughout the world who will meet in Orlando, Florida , on January 11-13 for the third International Conference of The Wesleyan Church. Pray for safety as these leaders travel to attend the conference. * Pray for the Spirit of God to move in the hearts of these leaders as they worship the Lord together. Pray for unity and wisdom as they make plans and decisions that will chart the path for the international Wesleyan Church now and in the future. WEEK3: Januaryll-1 7 Missionaries (See pages 3-4 for more prayer requests.) *Pray that our missionaries would reflect Jesus in all they do and say. Pray that they would model a life of dependence on God. *Pray that our missionaries would take delight in the Lord , worshipping Him in the splendor of His holiness (Psalm 29:2). WEEK 4: January 18-24 Resource Team (Home Office Staff) Pray that the Resource Team would remain focused on Jesus and the Great Commission. Pray for the Holy Spirit to anoint them to do the work of God 's kingdom. * Pray for the Resource Team as they serve and resource our missionaries , the North American Wesleyan Church, and the international Wesleyan Church . * WEEK 5: January 25-31 Mobilization Team * Pray for God's guidance and direction as the mobilization team interviews new missionary candidates for possible approval and placement. Pray for applicants as they begin a journey of faith, seeking certainty of God 's leading in their lives. * Pray for clarity of vision for each mission field in terms of the missionary personnel needs they require. Pray for the Global Partners' mobilization team to match missionary applicants to these needs . February 2015 WEEKLY PRAYER Focus WEEK 1: February 1-7 Missionaries (See pages 3-4 for more prayer requests.) * Pray for God to lead our missionaries with His unfailing love and faithfulness, making His way plain for them to follow (Psalm 5:8 , 25: 10). * Pray for our missionaries when they do partnership development, presenting their ministries to local churches throughout North America. Pray that as a result of their faithfulness others would be called to pray, give, and/or go. WEEK 2: February 8-14 Africa Area * In light of the strong influence of popular and vibrant television preachers who often lead the church astray, pray for a fresh commitment to equip African leaders and pastors to correctly handle the Word of God through solid biblical training programs . ct * Throughout Africa many people have come to faith in Christ through the JESUS film and other means . Pray that African pastors and others in ministry would diligently and effectively disciple new converts, as well as all believers at every level of maturity, in order for the African church to be strong. WEEK 3: February 15-21 JESUS Fihn Partnership of Global Partners * Pray for the more than 40 international Wesleyan JESUS film teams serving in at least 25 countries. The teams face many challenges and obstacles to their ministry. * Pray for the thousands of new converts who have made the decision to follow Jesus. Many face persecution from their families, friends, and communities. WEEK 4: February 22-28 Asia Area *Pray for the Asian church leaders and pastors , along with their families, that God would protected them from the Enemy and provide good health and their daily needs . Pray that He would give them strength in the times of oppositions and challenges , wisdom in decision making, and faithfulness even when the spiritual climate in their communities becomes cold and difficult. * Pray that the various initiatives and approved projects for each Asian field would have enough funding and would benefit churches and communities. March 2015 WEEKLY PRAYER Focus WEEK 3: March 15-21 Europe Area * Pray for new missionary teams to be raised up to specifically focus on reaching the growing number of Muslim immigrants living in Europe. * Pray for existing house church groups across Europe to multiply, reaching more of their friends, families, and people living in and near their communities. WEEK 1: March 1-7 MKs = Missionary Kids (See page 4 for more prayer requests.) * Pray that MKs would be comforted with God 's unchanging love and presence as they encounter frequent changes and transitions. * Pray for God's perfect will to be known in the hearts of our MKs. WEEK 4: March 22-28 Pastors to Missionaries * Pray for our pastors to missionaries as they provide pastoral care to our missionaries serving around the world and in North America on partnership development. * Pray for the Lord to protect and to renew the pastors to missionaries spiritually, physicalJy, and emotionally. WEEK 2: March 8-14 Caribe Atlantic Area *Pray for the three Wesleyan Haitian missionaries who are serving in Frenchspeaking Burkina Faso, Africa. Pray for them as they train the national church leaders and pastors and disciple new believers . The Wesleyan Church in Burkina Faso is very young and was started by Wesleyans in neighboring Ghana. * Pray for wisdom and divine direction for the leaders and pastors of the Caribe Atlantic church. April 2015 WEEKLY PRAYER Focus WEEK I: March 29-April 4 Easter *Pray for international Wesleyan churches as they prepare to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus on Easter Sunday. * Pray that non-Christians who attend international Wesleyan churches this Easter would come to know Jesus as their personal Savior. Pray for the Holy Spirit to open their hearts in order for them to understand the Easter message. Week 2: April 5-11 Missionaries (See pages 3-4 for more prayer requests.) * Pray for our missionaries to experience an overwhelming love and peace from God . Pray for the Holy Spirit to confirm God 's call within their hearts. * Pray for God to guide our missionaries ' steps by His Word, so they would not be overcome by evil (Psalm 119: 133). Week 3: April 12-18 Ibero-Amer ica Area * Pray for the unity of the Ibero-America Wesleyan church leaders as they work together for the greater good of God's kingdom . * Pray that in each country throughout the Ibero-America area God would give Wesleyan churches a vision and a passion to reach out to new areas both within their country and beyond . Week S: April 26-May 2 TurkidArabic Muslim Area * Pray for the small group of believers that do exist in the Turkic/Arabic Muslim area. Pray for them to be strengthened in their faith and filled with hope for how God is going to build His kingdom where they live. * Pray for greater opportunities to make biblical resources available to both believers and nonbelievers in the Turkic/Arabic Muslim area. Week 4: April 19-25 Pacific Area * Pray for God to give courage and wisdom for church growth where, in the face of persecution, insulation and isolation are more comfortable than evangelism. * Pray for the Lord of the harvest to reveal new ways for national church to keep their ministerial training programs financially stable. 0 May 2015 WEEKLY PRAYER Focus WEEK 1: May 3-9 Requests from the Executive Director of Global Partners Pray that our missionary tribe would abide in Christ and serve from the overflow of this abiding. Pray for the growing number of missionaries from Wesleyan church outside of North America who are reaching out to neighboring countries and beyond. Pray for the multiplication of disciples and leaders in each of our fields. Pray for deep and strategic partnerships between churches around the world. .* WEEK 2: May 10-16 Missionaries (See pages 3-4 for more prayer requests.) Pray that our missionaries would love nationals and coworkers with a Christ-like love and understanding. Pray for our missionaries to experience a spirit of unity as they work with other Global Partners' * missionaries and other Christian workers to bring the gospel to the nations. *Pray for God to securely hold onto our missionaries with His strong right hand (Psalm 63:8) . WEEK3: May 17-23 Africa Area * Pray that the African church would accept God's vision for them to find ways to make their Bible colleges sustainable, as much as is within their ability to do so, using the resources such as land and skills already available to them . *One of Satan's ploys to destroy the church is to create division and conflict within the church. Pray that Wesleyan districts throughout Africa would work together with a united heart and vision for what God desires to do in and through them. WEEK 4: May 24-30 Mobilization Team Pray for God to give cultural sensitivity and understanding to the mobilization team as they work to resource the international Wesleyan Church. * Pray for those called to serve God cross-culturally. Many are facing obstacles that would threaten to hold them back from following God's leading. Pray the Global Partners' mobilizers would be empowered to coach and resource potential missionaries to be faithful and fruitful servants in God's kingdom . * June 2015 WEEKLY PRAYER Focus WEEK 1: May 31-June 6 MKs = Missionary Kids (See page 4 for more prayer requests.) * Pray that our MKs would experience Jesus walking with them through times of happiness and loneliness, encouragement and discouragement, good and bad. * Pray for our MKs to be able to develop friendships with nationals and expatriates. Pray that God would help them seize the opportunities to learn and grow from their international experiences. WEEK 2: June 7-13 Asia Area * Pray for the Asian church leaders and pastors who are undergoing training to further equip them in their ministries. Pray for wisdom as they study, good health to endure, provisions for their families ' needs, and diligent use of their time. * Pray that the Wesleyan elementary and secondary educational institutions across the Asian church would remain a place that children and teens would receive a quality academic education, along with a solid foundation about the living God and Christianity. Pray that these institutions would attract more students and trust from their governments. WEEK3: June 14-20 GP Muslim Ministries at Ramadan, including ministries in Egypt and among the Fotizo/Karis/Koi/Nune people groups (Junel8-July 17) * During the 30 days of Ramadan, many Muslims have a heighten awareness of spiritual matters. Pray that Muslims would revelation of the only true God and His Son. Pray for the Holy Spirit to soften and enlighten their hearts. Pray for Muslims to see Jesus. *Pray for our missionaries, other Christian workers, and national Jesus-followers as they reach out to their Muslim neighbors and communities with the love of Jesus during Ramadan . WEEK4: June21-27 JESUS Film Partnership of Global Partners * Pray for the new churches that have been planted as result of the JESUS film ministry. Pray that their foundations would go deep in Jesus. Pray for strength and growth. * Pray for the Lord to provide pastors for the many new churches being planted. Pray for them to be able to receive training in order to lead their congregations. July 2015 WEEKLY PRAYER Focus WEEK 1: June 28-July 4 Missionaries (See pages 3-4 for more prayer requests.) * Pray for God-created situations where the Holy Spirit leads our mis ionarie to those who are seeking and receptive. Pray that our missionaries would be sensitive to the Spirit's l.eading. * Pray for God to surround our mis ionarie with songs of victory, His unfailing love, and His tender mercies (Psalm 32:7, 10; 119:77). WEEK 2: July 5-11 Caribe Atlantic Area * Pray for the young men and women who are in ministerial training programs. Pray for them to be diligent in their studie and in their personal time with the Lord . *Pray for new missionaries from North America who are serving in the Caribe Atlantic area. Pray for them as they adj ust to their host cultures. WEEK 3: July 12-18 Resource Team (Home Office Staff) * Pray for God to give the Resource Team guidance, cultural sensitivity, and understanding as they work with the international Wesleyan Church . * Pray for God to strengthen, protect, and encourage the Executive Director of Global Partners as he casts visions and leads The Wesleyan Church in Great Commission ministry. WEEK4: July 19-25 Europe Area * Pray for the national church leaders throughout Europe to catch a vision for planting new churches. * Pray for strong marriages, healthy relationship , and unity within our mis ionary teams throughout Europe . WEEK 5: July 26-August 1 Ibero-America Area * Pray that God would raise up more workers from among Ibero-America Wesleyans who would be dedicated to His ministry. * Pray that a new missionary passion would be birthed in the Ibero-America church to reach out and minister to unreached people groups around the world . August 2015 WEEKLY PRAYER Focus WEEK 1: August 2-8 Missionaries (See pages 3-4 for more prayer requests.) * Pray for our mi sionaries to set aside quality personal time in the Word and in prayer. Pray that they would guard this time from daily cares and interruptions . * Pray for our missionaries to hide God 's Word in their hearts so they will not sin again the Lord (Psalm 119: 11 ). WEEK 2: A ugust 9-15 Pacific Area * Pray for single missionaries in areas where, in the midst of the crowd, they feel alone . * Pray for stamina, grace, and persistence on behalf of the national churches ' ministerial training administrators in areas where adverse regulations dominate. WEEK 3: August 16-22 Turkic/Arabic Muslim Area * Pray that Muslims who have recently heard the gospel would not be able to forget the truth that they have heard . Pray that it would penetrate their hearts. * Pray that God would bind Satan as he tries to keep the Muslim world draped in darkness and deception . WEEK 4: August 23-29 North American Campus Ministries * Pray that students on Wesleyan college, university, and seminary campuses and Wesleyan students attending other colleges, universities, and seminaries would hear God's call for workers to join in the harvest. Pray that the Holy Spirit would prepare their hearts to be receptive to cross-cultural ministries. Pray for them to be faithful to God's call upon their lives . I . ,,____ _ _ PRAYER CALENDAR--'---!i ------r. September 2015 WEEKLY PRAYER Focus WEEK 1: August 30-September 5 Requests from the Executive Director of Global Partners *Many of our areas are bound by spiritual barriers of darkness, warfare, and religiosity. Pray for spiritual breakthroughs . * Pray that national churches would lean into the resources we all share-the filling of the Holy Spirit, the power of prayer and the Word, deep faith, the consuming love of Christ, and the mobilized body of Christ. WEEK 2: September 6-12 MKs = Missionary Kids (See page 4 for more prayer requests.) *During their parents ' partnership development in North America , MKs deal with many situations in short periods of time. Pray for them as they cope with changes and loss; fitting into school, church, and their extended families; differences between "home" and the field; extensive traveling; and frequent separations from one or both parents. * Pray that God would surround our MKs with the shield of His love (Psalm 5: 11-12). WEEK 3: September 13-19 Africa Area * Wesleyan medical ministries in Africa include two hospitals (Kamakwie in Sierra Leona and Zimba in Zambia) and a number of clinics. Pray that God would supply the financial, material, and personnel needs for these medical ministries to operate effectively. Pray that the hospitals' and clinics' staffs would continue to have a passion to share the love of Christ with patients as they minister to their physical needs. *The African church is increasingly developing a vision to reach the countries surrounding them. Pray that God would help them develop strategies and ministry models that are appropriate and sustainable in the African context. WEEK 4: September 20-26 Pastors to Missionaries *Pray that God would bless the writing efforts of our pastors to missionaries as they email a monthly pastoral letter to our missionaries. Pray that these letters would be a source of encouragement. * Pray for safety as the pastors to missionaries travel to many countries in order to minister to and encourage our missionaries. WEEK 5: September 27- October 3 Asia Area * Pray that the various children's ministries , like orphanages, preschools , and kids clubs, would meet the physical, spiritual, emotional, and social needs of the children. Many of these children do not come from Christian families , so pray that God would provide opportunities for entire families to be reached with the gospel. * Pray that the many young people throughout the Asian church would be strong in their Christian faith. Pray for them to be faithful to Christ when the majority of their communities and villages do not know Him and are of other religious backgrounds like Hinduism , Buddism, and Islam . October 2015 WEEKLY PRAYER Focus WEEK 1: October 4-10 Missionaries (See pages 3-4 for more prayer requests.) * Pray for our missionaries as they deal with visa applications and renewal processes. Where there are difficulties , pray for God to intervene on their behalf. *Pray for God to remind our missionaries that He always keeps His promises and the His promises are backed by all the honor of His name (Psalm 145: 13; 138:2). e WEEK 2: October 11-17 Caribe Atlantic Area * Pray for the Wesleyan churches throughout the Caribe Atlantic area. The churches are in different stages of maturity, especially in the areas of ministerial training , stewardship, and administration. *Pray for the compassionate ministries of the Cari be Atlantic area: medical, community health , enterprise development, and the care of neglected and abandoned children . WEEK 3: October 18-24 Mobilization Team *Pray for the mobilization team's efforts in developing fresh ways of communicating, especially in their connections with students on various Wesleyan campuses. * Pray that more laborers would respond to God's command to disciple all nations. Pray for a sense of urgency to be realized in Wesleyan churches. WEEK 4: October 25-31 Europe Area * Pray that our missionaries would focus on discipling a few so they can reach many. *Pray for the recruitment of new missionaries who are godly, creative, passionate, and winsome who will commit to reaching secular Europeans with the good news of Jesus. November 2015 WEEKLY PRAYER WEEK 3: November 15-21 Resource Team (Home Office Staff) * Pray for the Resource Team to model a life of dependence on God and to reflect Je u in all they do and ay. *Pray for God to give the Re ource Team wisdom, guidance, and knowledge as they mobilize, train, and equip the laborer that He ha called to work in His harve t field . Focus WEEK 1: November 1-7 Missionaries (See page 3-4 for more prayer requests.) *Pray for our missionarie a they adju t back to their home culture in North America while they are doing partner hip development. Pray for them a they deal with reverse culture shock and changes that have taken place in their absence. *Pray for our missionaries ' need to be provided . Claim this promi e in prayer for our missionaries: "And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from His glorious riche , which have been given to us in Christ Je u " (Philippines 4: 19 NLT). WEEK 2: November 8-14 Ibero-America Area Pray for God to give the Ibero-America church both a passion and a trategy to effectively plant churches to reach the mega cities in the area. * Pray that God would continue to teach We leyans in the Ibero-America church the truths about being tewards of His resources to mini ter to His world. WEEK 4: November 22-28 JESUS Film Partnership of Global Partners * Pray for the national church leaders who manage and care for the JESUS film teams in at least 25 countries. * Pray for the many North America partner who have committed to support the more than 40 JESUS Film Partnership team . December 2015 WEEKLY PRAYER Focus WEEK 1: November 29-December 5 Missionaries and MKs (See pages 3-4 for more prayer requests.) * During this Christmas sea on, pray that each of our mi sionaries and MKs would personally experience Jesus as Immanuel - "God with us." Pray for them to experience the joy of the Lord deep in their hearts and be able to praise God saying, "Glory to God in the highest heaven ." * Pray for our missionaries and our MKs who are separated from familie and friends during the holidays. WEEK 2: December 6-12 WEEK 4: December 20-26 Pacific Area * Pray for missionary kids who have multiple acculturation hocks as they move between cultures. * Pray for the Lord to give new vision in old fields. Christmas * Pray that the gospel message would be clearly presented as the birth of the Messiah is celebrated by all of our national churches and mis ionary teams on all of our fields. * Pray for God 's peace to reign in the hearts of our missionaries and MKs as they celebrate our Messiah's birth. WEEK 3: December 13-19 Turkic/Arabic Muslim Area * Pray that God would raise up local leaders who are passionate about knowing God 's Word and obeying it . * Pray that our missionaries would find new and creative opportunities to share the gospel as the Holy Spirit opens doors. WEEK 5: December 27-]anuary 2 New Year's Pray that in 2015 The Wesleyan Church across the world would have a renewed passion to reach the lost for Jesus. * Pray for our missionaries to be bles ed in 2015 with good spiritual , physical, and emotional health. * Global Partners The Wesleyan Church Corporation PO Box 50434 • Indianapolis, IN 46250-0434 ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED PRAYING WITH POWER There is power in our prayers when we pray according to God's will. His Word is always His will! USING GOD'S WORD by Gwen Jackson Here are some tips for getting started reading the Word: l. Read the Scripture with praying eyes. 2. Ask God to lead you to verses that are fitting for your family or circumstances. Expect Him to guide. 3. The Spirit may highlight verses • • • • during a sermon or teaching; while reading your Bible; while listening to Christian radio; while reading a Christian book. 4. Make the passage applicable by placing the person's name or situation into a scripture verse or verses . 5. Be diligent to pray. 6. Watch God work. 7. Give thanks to God for His faithfulness to His Word . Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. -Colossians 4:2 NIV What the Bible Says about Itself 1. God 's Word is powerful and effective. (2 Corinthians 10:3-4; Ephesians 6:17-18; Hebrews 4:12) 2. God 's Word is truth . (Psalm 119:30) 3. God 's Word gives guidance. (Psalm 119:105) 4. God 's Word is flawless and trustworthy. (Psalm 18:30; 19;7-11) 5. God 's Word never returns void! (Isaiah 55: 10-11) The richness of the Word of God ought to determine your prayer, not the poverty of our heart. 6. All scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is right. (2 Timothy 3: 16-17) I w:ut tot the L ORO ... o.nd tn Hts wot d c!o I -Dietrich Bonhoeffer IJOf)C. , , Global Partners • PO Box 50434 • Indianapolis, IN 46250 800. 707. 7715 • globalpartners@wesleyan.org • www.globalpartnersonline.org ,