If you want to make a weekend out of it, or if you haven't been to one of our presentations, join us on Sunday, too! Services are 8 and 10:45 am, and our presentation will be at 9:15 in the sanctuary.
Thanks, Team!
Josh, Ruthie, & Elijah (15mos)
Monday, September 30, 2013
Sunday, September 29, 2013
These are Ours! by Steve Kvale
Wycliffe Australia member, Peter Brook, has been working
in Papua New Guinea since 1996, primarily as a vernacular
literacy trainer and consultant, but since 2011 as an Arts
Worker.
Papua New Guinea’s rich tradition of visual arts – carving,
costume, painting, weaving – is one of the country’s
most distinctive features.
Like spoken languages, visual arts are also a form of communication.
Churches and missions have more to learn
about using local visual literacy skills in discipleship and
evangelism.
Since assuming his new role, Peter has lived and worked
with several communities and artists in the Sepik region.
Using photography and video, Peter documents local artistic
expressions, seeking to better understand world views, cultures
and cultural art forms.
In November 2010, Peter met Nanias, an artist working on
the north west coast on Papua New Guinea. Over the next 2
years he grew to know Nanias well and discovered that
Nanias is a ‘custodian’ of the Kwoma visual language.
Together, Nanias and Peter embarked on documenting the
complex visual ‘languages’ of bark painting, carving and
dance of the Kwoma people.
About halfway through 2011, Peter set Nanias the challenge
of painting stories from the Bible using traditional designs
and images of his clan. The result was a beautiful set of
paintings of the Genesis creation account and the beginning
of a series on the Life of Christ. Nanias was transformed as
he read the scriptures to accurately translate these stories
into the Kwoma visual language.
In April and October 2012, Peter went out with Nanias to his
village to document their arts and culture. When the villagers
saw the new “Biblical” paintings their enthusiastic response
was, “These are ours!”
The paintings in their local visual language spoke straight to
their hearts, the stories of the Bible were no longer foreign!
This is an excerpt of Steve and Glenda Kvale’s current newsletter. To read there newsletter click here.
Saturday, September 28, 2013
Sr. Antonio by Jonathan Abel
Sr. Antonio (the man in the middle) Not too long ago Jonathan wrote an article about Sr. Antonio, the caretaker for our Bible Camp in Campo Mourao. He worked for us for about 45 years and only ‘retired’ a couple of months ago at age 85. Last week his heart finally gave out and he joined his Creator! As one person said: Sr. Antonio walked with God and like the apostle Paul, he was a living letter. God used him in so many ways to bless others. Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints. Psalm 116:15
This is a excerpt from Jonathan and Tamba Abel’s current newsletter. Click here to read the entire newsletter.
Thursday, September 26, 2013
Team from Hope Lutheran Leaves for India
Hope’s India Team is prayed for and sent off by the congregation.
A group from Hope Lutheran Church in Minneapolis (AFLC) left Wednesday, September 25. They will be serving the AFLC work in India sharing the good news of Jesus Christ in the school orphanage and surrounding villages.
The team consists of: Adeline Abbott, Gene Enderlein, Stephanie Abbott, Katie Kozicky, Alex Chernyavsky, Jim Lilly, Rachael Chernyavsky, Chris McKenzie, Isabel Chernyavsky, Mike Phillips, Carla Davis, Joan Smith, Jay Eberth, Juanita Vanderpoel.
Wednesday, September 25, 2013
Hitting the Road, Over and Over Again
I hope I have encouraged brothers and sisters with what the Lord is doing in Brazil; I know that I have been built up in every church I visited. The joyful spirits and open hearts have blessed me over and over.
One of the highlights has been taking part in the VBS’s in Arlington, Dexter, Kasson, Mankato and Amery. The children came seeking hearts, ready to learn about God’s love and had eyes to see what grown ups often miss - the precious ways God shows Himself everyday. I found so many young hearts that felt for the children in Brazil and I really believe we have a new generation of prayer warriors!
Updates South of the Border: As I write my visa is in my packet, ready for the packing! I will be retuning to Brazil on September 11th, and I am so blessed to be able to return to the land God called me to; but I have to say that the last five months have been a special gift of God.
While I have been traveling in the States the Miriam home has continued to minister God’s grace to children at risk. When I left Brazil there were only 7 children in the house, within three weeks that total was up to 16 children, then 22. At one point we had 13 children with 9 of them 3 years old and younger! You can imagine how hard our precious house mom’s were working!!!
The household keeps changing and by my last report we presently have 13 children but the ages are a little more varied.
You have already met some our children. The two “oldest” are actually among the youngest
Nicolas and Emily (both are going on three) have been with us since the end of last year. Baby Rafael, brother and sister Thaylon and Taila and our teen-age princesses, Maria, Giovana and Diane are also still in the house.
More recent arrivals are two brothers Ricardo (8 years old) and Caio(6). We also have Raquel (4), Kauan (8) and Taylaine (10).
I will be letting you know more of these precious ones’ life stories once I’m back in Brazil.
Editor’s note: To read the rest of the Jonni’s newsletter, please click here.
Bible Training Ministry in Ukraine and Beyond
Greetings from the Coyles!
We would like to begin our update by saying thank you to all of you who have prayed for us these past few weeks as we left America and re-entered life here in Ukraine. It has been a smooth re-entry for which we are grateful. Again, we are reminded of His love and care for us as He provides for us in every way.
Family- As I (Andy) write, Moriah and Isaiah are busy at school. In our first week of adjustment, their schooling was a major area in which the Lord's guidance and help was quite evident. The kids' excitement for returning to school- and our Ukrainian way of life- was an answer to prayer. One change for our schooling this fall is that we enrolled Isaiah at Moriah's school (kindergarten, three days a week). This makes our traveling logistics much simpler as I will drop off and pick up on my way to Petrodolina. We are thankful for this school as it has such a strong Christian focus as well as a comfortable environment. Isaiah is pretty excited to be with his big sister (and she was pretty eager to show him the ropes).
Housing- Throughout the past year and especially this past summer, we spoke much about sensing the need to live out in Petrodolina. We came for the Bible school and our desire has been to be part of that community. It seems as though God is making a way for this to happen. We have a very foreseeable option, and the EEMN Board has given approval to move forward with the purchasing process (upon the completion of our visa renewal). We are very excited about this possibility and thank God for his provision and timing. Please pray for this long process, and that God would grant wisdom and clarity in the details.
Bible School- Our student enrollment for this fall is less than expected, yet we are thankful for the four students whom God has called. We will also begin this year with Katya from last year. She started about two months late, and as a result will make up what she missed. Despite the small class size, it is important to continue, in order that the two-year program can begin next year. This gives the 2013 graduates the opportunity to begin the second-year program, without having to wait another year. I look forward to sharing more about our students in the next update. Please pray for our staff and students as we begin this coming Sunday, September 15.
Finances Needed- As God continues to build the foundation for this school, we move forward with plans for an official Bible School building. This past summer, I shared many times about how we need an officially zoned (residentially and educationally) building to meet Ukrainian law, as well as provide for future expansion. The facility we have been using does not and cannot meet these standards. This is a crucial issue not only for the future growth of this school, but also for the present
Editor’s note: You can visit the Coyle family blog for more ministry updates and family photos. You can also read the rest of the Coyle’s newsletter here.
Update from the Wagners
Homeland to Homeland! We had the opportunity to share our call to Bible translation with a congregation in Minneapolis mostly made up of Sierra Leoneans—including Krio, Themne, Kono, & Mende (languages with LBT projects)! We were pleased to announce the Krio Bible dedication being celebrated in Sierra Leone later that week. Many in the congregation were eager to get their hands on the new publication in a language they know very well, and for some, their heart language. Our excitement grew when we met speakers of Themne and Mende—the languages with which we and our teammates will be working. Since then, Josh has initiated communication with our partners in Sierra Leone concerning the needs of the diaspora for Bibles in Minneapolis. How exciting for our family to help translate the Bible for people both in Sierra Leone and in Minneapolis, our hometown!
We have to delay our initial departure date in October because our recurring/monthly support has not yet reached 100%. We’re hoping to reach our goal to go in November.
$1,040/month more of recurring support
$6,000 for Wagner Household Setup
✓ Off-road, 4x4 vehicle is funded! Yay!
We feel so appreciative of your love, care, prayers, and financial support as we’ve been traveling and speaking for over a year. Thanks, Team! Until next time...
❤ Josh, Ruthie, & Elijah
Editor’s note: To read the rest of the Wagner’s newsletter, please click here.
Tuesday, September 24, 2013
God Knew Her by Rev. Craig Johnson
Most Westerners would describe the place as remote. Some might use stronger terms than that. We were in Mongolia, on our way to the Gobi desert. I was with Pastor Terry Olson and his daughter, Sarah. We were visiting their son and brother, David, who is a missionary in Mongolia with the Norwegian Lutheran Mission.
As we were on our way to a nature reserve in the desert, we came upon a small town. It was a long ways from much of anything else. There were a few homes, a little bit of paved road, a gas station, a small market, and a simple little building with a cross on top. It had to be a Christian church. We walked over to look and take a picture.
As we were looking at the church a young lady came over and introduced herself. Her English was limited but she was able to tell us she was a Christian and she asked us if we were. She became a Christian about five years ago. Despite language limitations, she communicated clearly her thankfulness for the difference Jesus had made in her life.
That church was started as a result of mission work done by Christians from South Korea. David said more missionaries in Mongolia have come from Korea than anywhere else. They are working in the capital city, and also in remote spots like this little town on the road to the desert.
I never got the name of that little town. Even if I did I probably wouldn’t be able to find it on a map. But God knew of its existence all along. He found it, and He found that young lady. He sent missionaries to go tell her the good news of Jesus. In that remote spot, the Lord of the universe met her and made her His child. God wanted a congregation planted in that little town, and He sent missionaries to do that.
In Acts 8 we read of God sending a missionary named Philip to a desert road. He met an Ethiopian “and told him the good news about Jesus” (Acts 8:35). God cared about that one Ethiopian on the desert road and wanted to be sure he heard the good news. God wants each individual to hear the good news, whether they are on a desert road or in a major city. No place is too remote for the Lord to care about. No person is viewed as insignificant. He calls His church to be His witnesses “to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8); even to those places you can’t find on a map.
Monday, September 23, 2013
Update on the Pillmans
Dear family and friends,
The Bible school has also begun, so Justo is teaching there once a week as well. His two classes are the book of John and how to study the Bible. When we left for the U.S. in August, we thought there were only three students planning to attend. When we returned to Ecuador, we found out there are six students at the Bible school. Praise the Lord for answering our prayers for more students!
The homeschoolers have also begun their studies again. Please continue to lift them up in prayer. Several of the families are discouraged. Pray that we would find helpful and creative ways to encourage and strengthen them for the task!
Again, your prayers and support mean so much to us. We cannot be here without your partnership in the ministry that God has given us!
Love,
Justo, Tricia, Nathanael and Hanna
| Prayer Requests • Pray that God would continue to work on our behalf for the visas • Pray against discouragement for us • Pray for the homeschool families Praises • Praise that at least us parents’ visas were accepted • Praise that we had safe travels and a special time back in the U.S. • Praise for the students at the Bible school |
| Contact Information 612-208-2081 Gifts can be sent to: Justo & Patricia Pillman AFLC World Missions 3110 East Medicine Lake Blvd. Minneapolis, MN 55441 |
Ruth Peterson & Lydia Schierkolk Leave for Uganda
Ruth Peterson and Lydia Schierkolk left for Uganda today (September 23). They will be Short Term Missions Assistants, working under the Jores and in several Gospel related ministries. They will be living in Uganda for an extended time.
Both Ruth and Lydia are graduates of AFLBS. They have served on summer teams and had an interest in missions for some time.
We have had a number of young people from the AFLC working in Uganda recently. They will be joining Micah Berger and Katelyn Gudim.
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