BEYOND OUR WALLS

December 2002 Missions Bulletin of First Presbyterian Church, Las Cruces, N.M. Vol. 4, No. 12

What a swirl of things going on in the lives of First Presbyterian ministers around the globe as they try to do Christ’s work! You’ve heard repeatedly how good it would be for all of us to be aware each day of all the troubles, triumphs, and concerns of the people we help support. But each of you would have to get the newsletters of all and take the time to read them. That’s not what’s going on, but here are a few bits from the stack of reports that piled up on the table at last month’s Missions Committee Meeting. Hang on!

It’s sad to hear that one of the young leaders in the Suri church in Ethiopia, where John and Gwen Haspels minister, was shot and killed a while back. Gun violence and similar disturbances continue to trouble the work among the Suri. The season of hunger is approaching again, and it is usually a time of increased trouble. Remember John and Gwen as they work in that difficult situation.

There has been limited terror and violence where Donna Evans works in Southeast Asia, and there have been questions about whether or not it is safe for her to visit there. Bombs have gone off at a noodle stand and in front of a photo shop, probably the work of outsiders rather than local people. The implications for Donna’s travel are uncertain.

Songs have proven significant recently in Donna’s work and in the ministry of Kim  in China. The people for whom Donna translated the New Testament are interested in translating the Psalms, and Donna has encouraged them to explore various music styles for communicating the Psalms, including their traditional music.

Kim has composed and recorded songs about Yunnan. province. She has sung her compositions on Chinese national television and local and national radio. She has given concerts to both large and small groups. Everywhere people are moved, sensing her love for them and opening channels of sharing with them. The Chinese want to hear more from Kim, and one of her responses has been to make 5000 CD’s of the songs. The project will cost $7,000, but the they are going ahead with it.

When Doug, Sherry, and Andy Barron arrived in Swaziland in southern Africa last summer, they were startled to discover that Muammar Khadafi of Libya had just been there giving out t-shirts with pictures of himself and Osama Bin Laden on them, handing out large sums of money, and distributing videos promoting the formation of an African Union under his leadership. One wonders. Could the spread of the gospel in Africa help counteract such a scary possibility?

Swaziland is in trouble. The Swazi are acquiring values from European and Hollywood movies and TV, and 35 percent of the population is HIV positive. United Nations studies suggest that by 2010 twenty percent of Swazi homes will be headed by children due to their parents dying of AIDS.

The bright side is that the evangelistic teams that went to Swaziland under the leadership of the Barrons found the Swazi responsive to their proclamation of the gospel. Team members were encouraged to speak openly about Christ everywhere they went, particularly in the schools. Every day Swazi young people converted to belief in Christ. The Swazi king professes to be a Christian and his sister, Princess Tobi, belongs to Christ. The experiences there were especially rewarding for Sherry, since she had worked in that part of Africa for four years. She was thrilled to come across one of her former students in the Mjingo Secondary School.

Jean O’Neill of our congregation has announced that the P.E.O. Sisterhood has awarded Barbara Trudell a scholarship in the amount of $8,000 toward her doctoral studies with the University of Edinburgh. Barbara and Joel Trudell have completed a year of residence at the University and are now doing research in Cameroon. The P.E.O. Sisterhood’s projects include educational loans, graduate study scholarships for women of superior scholastic ability, and a junior college for women. P.E.O. is an international organization.

Barbara is studying the use of tribal languages in educational settings among minority groups in Cameroon. She hopes to learn why the Cameroonians are turning away from French and English in favor of their local languages and how this affects learning success. She anticipates that the results will be helpful to her Cameroonian colleagues.

Some of you remember when we didn’t expect to see missionaries return from China or Africa for many years after their departure. In these days of high mobility missionaries can be brought home more often, and it is a part of some missionaries’ responsibilities to move from country to country. Ron and Donna Pontier and their family have just finished a four year term in East Africa and are spending their furlough in Michigan. They hope to visit First Presbyterian while they are here. They are at 405 W. Mapledale; Hazel Park, MI 48030. An Africa Inland Mission pilot from Nairobi has taken over Ron’s flight program for the year.

Modern mobility also makes it possible for John and Marnie Pickering to work in both Arizona and Mongolia. They were a little weary from their summer visit to Mongolia, but got some rest and are pleased at the news that so many new Mongolian Christians are faithful and committed to spiritual growth. Both Mongolians and Arizona State University students are taking Christ into their lives. John is spending time in Mongolia again during November and December.

Habitat for Humanity is in need of snacks for volunteer house builders on certain work days during December 2002 through April of 2003. If you wish to help in this way, call 525-0475 for information.

As of August, Jim and Tracy Patton were still working on their decision about their next career step now that Jim has received his seminary degree. They were considering working among the Hollywood elite, two positions organizing, training, and sending mission teams overseas, and remaining with the campus ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ. The Pattons were expecting a new life, their third child, to arrive sometime in November. They thank us for our prayers and financial support.

Our church has donated $225 to El Caldito, the soup kitchen. Secretary Micahel A. Pargee, in a note of thanks, revealed that the number of hungry people being served has increased from about 150 daily in September of last year to up to 300 people each day this September.

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