World Relief in South Sudan

World Relief is the aid organization approved and used by AFLC World Missions World Relief is on the ground in South Sudan working with families displaced by the current violence. Recent fighting has resulted in nearly 10,000 deaths and displaced over 900,000 people from their homes. Read more The United Nations expects an estimated 3.7 million people in South Sudan are currently going hungry and over 50,000 children are suffering from malnutrition. Read More Health concerns continue to rise as conditions deteriorate for displaced families. World Relief has been working in South Sudan since 1998, responding to the growing humanitarian needs, and empowering local churches to address the complex problems that stem from chronic poverty through agricultural development, health, nutrition, food security and education. In the coming months there is potential for the worst famine Africa has seen in 20 years to develop. Food supplies and communications have been nearly cut off, and shelters have been destroyed in the violence. World Relief is responding. Our work on the ground in Unity State is bridging the gap with the supply of essential medicines and food distribution to displaced children and families. You can help make change possible through your financial and prayerful support. Here are 4 ways you can get involved PRAY: We know that God responds to the prayers of His people! Download this prayer card that will help you and your congregation to pray for the churches of South Sudan and other needs. LEARN: Join a national conference call, June 11th at 1PM EDT. World Relief staff, recently returned from South Sudan, will give an update on the current situation and share details about our response. Click here to RSVP—we will then e-mail you the call-in details. GIVE: By taking a special offering or giving a one-time gift, your donation will help meet the most crucial needs of vulnerable children and families in South Sudan. Your gift will provide: Urgent food assistance Specialized nutritional assistance for children Critical care for those who are wounded Emergency kits to prevent disease Gifts can be mailed to 7 East Baltimore Street, Baltimore, MD 21202 with “South Sudan” in memo line. PARTNER: World Relief is looking for a group of dedicated churches to partner with us in South Sudan and to be involved in transforming communities in that region over time. Church partners commit to World Relief in South Sudan for five years through building relationships with our staff and local church networks. U.S. Churches leverage financial resources to help promote the work of the church in South Sudan. They allow themselves to be transformed through relationships with Christians from South Sudan, enjoying how this deepens discipleship in their own congregation. If you would like more information about what it means for your church to partner with World Relief in South Sudan please e-mail James Misner at jmisner@wr.org.

WORLD RELIEF 7 East Baltimore Street, Baltimore, MD 21201 | 800.535.5433 | worldrelief@wr.org

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Intense rest and intense ministry

Passion Play Cast 2014

Many times life on the mission field with all the activities and all the people coming and going is just a matter of doing the next thing and keeping the right attitude. When our house is full of people (more often than not) there are many routine things that just need to get done – food prep, dishes, clothes-washing, visiting with people who are in the house, answering e-mails, making phone calls, planning the next program…. sandwiched in between our regular ministry responsibilities. It’s a blessing to learn to “do all things without grumbling or complaining” (Phil. 2) so that we might be a good example to those around us and point them to Jesus.

Putting on a big production like our Passion Play requires a lot of work each year – some of that work includes re-writing the script, recording new voices, making sets, preparing costumes, designing publicity, contacting participants, raising money to cover costs, finding volunteers to help with parking and canteen and set-up and tear-down, and the list goes on. The whole production is surrounded by prayer and dedication with the goal of reaching people with the overwhelmingly Good News that God’s Son Jesus became a man and victoriously lived, died and rose again to give us new life. We praise God for not regarding the weather report and blessing us with three beautiful nights to present the story of God’s love and grace. Over 1000 people made their way to the ARCA grounds to take in the awesome outdoor production. We were thrilled to have son Andrew and his wife Alexi with us to help with all the sound and light production. Our two granddaughters were very excited to be a part of the cast this year. Many people responded to the altar call at the end, and we hope these people will seek to know the Lord and have their lives changed for now and for eternity. Thanks to those of you who prayed for this outreach.

ARCA Family Chalet

Besides working hard on the set-building for the play Paul has also spent hours working on the construction of the new room for couples and families at the ARCA. He has overseen the whole project and purchased materials in addition to helping with the roof construction and painting. Everything is looking great! We are thankful for friends who have donated financially to make this project possible. The room was first used over Easter by a Brazilian pastor and family who were involved in the play. Our house was filled to capacity so it was nice to have another special place to house people. The remodeling project continues as we work towards having housing for about 15 more people in this "ARCA Family Chalet."

Sharing the Word 
Paul has also had the opportunity to do many hospital visits and lead people to Christ in the past months. Two of these people passed away recently, but they had the opportunity to hear and respond to the Gospel. Pastor Joel’s mother-in-law also passed away last week. Death is a reality that every person alive must face. Sometimes we avoid talking about it, because it is uncomfortable and sad and sometimes fearful. The Bible says that death is the last enemy to be conquered (I Cor. 5:26). It is our job as Christians to help people prepare themselves for death. He who is prepared to die is prepared to live. We are so thankful for the assurance that God has given us in His Word in I John 5:11-13 – “God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.”

Paul has been discipling a new family in the basics of the Christian faith. He loves doing one-on-one work

and helping people understand God’s plan for their lives. Both of us participate in another weekly Bible Study led by Christina’s in-laws. This study has been a blessing to us and has been an opportunity to involve the two couples we have been trying to reach for Jesus. Pray for John and Maria, Levir and Rose.

Get-away
After months of non-stop people and activities we were blessed by our friends from Chicago, Ken and Carla, who took us on a trip to spend a couple of days in a beautiful hotel in Iguaçu Falls as we showed them the sights. Unfortunately, it rained like crazy so they didn’t get the full benefit of appreciating God’s stupendous handiwork in this place. We joked about having a real “rain forest experience.”After they flew back to the U.S., the sun came out in its glory, and we spent a few more days ministering at our churches in Falls.

What's Next?

At the end of the month we will travel once again, this time to participate in our churches in Vitória, ES. Since we came back from furlough last October we hadn’t had time to travel to the churches outside of our area so we are trying to schedule several trips for the coming months. We are also planning a weekend retreat for couples at the ARCA in June. July and August will be devoted to hosting two large short-term teams. You will hear more about that in future letters. We await the arrival of two MN girls in May who will spend almost three months in Brazil. In June a couple of college students will arrive to spend a couple of months. Two seminarians continue to come once a month for ten days. And we have two Brazilian teenagers who spend the weekends at our place. So, you can well imagine that we haven’t struggled a lot with the “empty nest syndrome” although we do really miss having our own kids at home.

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May update from Jonni

Milestone Moments
Four sweet children left the Miriam Home yesterday. For two of them it is hard to tell if they understand the idea of “going home” because they have spent so much of there lives with us. William is 18 months old and as spent 11 of those months in the Miriam Home. He took his first steps here, learned to feed himself here. We have had the blessing of seeing some of his milestone moments!...

It has been a blessing to be a part of the lives of these sweet children, and it is exciting that we will be able to continue! Through the “Follow Them Home” program we will be providing assistance and encouragement to the family along with the AFLC church in Lar Parana. Please pray that the children’s parents will value the opportunity they have to be a part of their children’s milestones! 

With Baited Breath 

No, that isn’t the opening to a fishing joke (though it is the punchline to one), it is our current state as we wait for our short term assistants to arrive! We are so excited to receive Ruthie Grove back, she will arrive shortly after you get this newslet-ter! Ruthie will be joined by Cheyenne Hanson will be in Brazil for three whole months and we already feel our feet cooling, as our socks prepare to be blessed off!

We will also be receiving the FLY team for a time in July and we may even have others helpers, depending on tickets, etc. We are more than ex-cited to have these precious brothers and sisters coming along side!

Precious Hands and Hearts! 

I have been told sometimes that I don’t tell you enough about what is happening in the Bible School and Seminary. I apologize for that, because God is doing such wonderful things among our students and we want to praise Him for it. Well,there is a big carry over going on right now between the two ministries that occupy 

this space. The students have invaded the Miriam Home, in the best possible way! We have been blessed with young men and women who choose to use their free time to play with the little ones. And, even more thrilling, several students have “adopted” each of the teens in the house, as big brothers and sisters. The talks they have and the prayer times they share have blessed these kids so much! It is wonderful that the children in hte Miriam Home feel loved and cared for by the staff, and receive God’s truth on a daily basis (as I write you I am listening to them singing in the next room as Odete leads the morning dovotional—it is beautiful!). But there is something extra special when someone who doesn’t “work” in the Miriam Home seeks you out and wants to spend time with you. Praise the Lord for these amazing young people! 

Please Keep Praying! 

Praise the Lord! Our car is on it’s way! Last month I asked you to pray for the replacement for the Miriam Home car totaled in an accident, and your prayers have power. There is a good chance that we will receive this next week—yeah! 

Please pray for a trip I will be taking the end of the month, visiting the newest AFLC church in Brazil, in Ijuhy, Rio Grande do Sul! I am very excited to introduce the Miriam Home to them and at the same time bring a word of encouragement to our new brothers and sisters! 

Doubting Thomas? Really?

            “Now Thomas, one of the Twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, ‘We have seen the Lord.’ But he said to them, ‘Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.’ Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you.’ Then he said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.’ Thomas answered him, ‘My Lord and my God!’ Jesus said to him, ‘Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.’ Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” John 20:24-31 ESV

            When people talk about Jesus’ Twelve Apostles, there are a few who often have  negative things associated with them. Of course there is Judas Iscariot who betrayed Jesus. We correctly remember his infamous actions. Judas was full of remorse after his betrayal of the Messiah—he felt bad about the consequences—but did not repent and receive forgiveness from the Lord Jesus. There is another Apostle—Thomas, AKA “Doubting Thomas” by many. How is he remembered? He doubted! But whatand why did he doubt? He knew that Jesus had been crucified. His Messiah was dead. And that was the end of that—or so he thought! He did not anticipate a resurrected Lord who would rise from the dead on the third day. Jesus told him in advance, but Thomas did not understand what Jesus meant by those words at that time. So, when the other disciples claimed to have seen Jesus who had risen from the dead, Thomas doubted. He thought that it would never happen; it could never happen. There was no conspiracy among the disciples to make up stories. The Scriptures record the true, historical events that correspond with reality.

            What would persuade Thomas to go from disbelieving to belief that Jesus was alive?

            “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe,” Thomas said. Why was Thomas so stubborn? He needed to be convinced that Jesus was alive with proof, not with a mere subjective feeling in his heart. Eight days later, Thomas had his chance. Jesus, in his mercy, offered to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” A resurrected-from-the-dead Jesus was not a figment of anyone’s imagination. He was raised bodily from the dead, after defeating sin, death, and the Devil by His sacrifice of Himself. In doing this, Jesus satisfied the holy wrath of the Father on our behalf—for you and for me! Thomas confessed about Jesus, “My Lord and my God!” Notice that Jesus accepted those statements about Himself. Jesus is Lord! Jesus is God! Jesus is the second person of the Holy Trinity! He is the only means by which we can be certain that our sins are forgiven, that we have peace with our Creator, and that we have a home in Heaven. “Do not disbelieve, but believe.” These words are for Thomas; these words are for you. Thomas did trust in Jesus—even to the point of dying a martyr’s death as a missionary to India for his Lord.

Initial days in Sierra Leone

I thantho kuru!—I thank God! This is a common response to “How are you?” and other question greetings. We thank God for these past three months in Sierra Leone! An important step in our orientation was being formally handed over to our Sierra Leonean partners—first to the Bible Society of Sierra Leone, then to the local Themne translation and literacy projects in Makeni...

Vehicle for tough roads

Surprise!

Time to practice Themne

Until next time...
❤ Josh, Ruthie, Elijah (1.5 years) & July Baby

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April update from Jonni Sliver

A Shift in Power 
Over the last several months the Miriam Home has had a more masculine air than the name would indicate. In fact we have had a little boys club, with 9 of our 12 children being boys, most of them 6 years old and younger—it has been a loud and very fun place to be!

Please Keep Praying! 

For precious co-workers on their way! Ruthie Grove, who knocked our socks off last year is returning in May and bringing a friend! Cheyenne Hanson is working right now on getting her visa and ticket - please pray for both to come easily =) Please pray for Pr Silvio as he hunts for a new car for the Miriam Home. Our lovely, new Ford Fiesta was totaled in a car accident the end of January (praise the Lord, no one was seriously hurt) and we have been hobbling ever since. The insurance money has finally been released, pray that Silvio finds just the right car at just the right price!

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Family, Ukraine, and ministry update from the Coyles

Dear Prayer Team,

Greetings from Ukraine, where spring is upon us. Trees and flowers are blooming, kids are playing soccer in the streets, and farmers are busy in the fields. It is a great time of year. It is easy to enjoy these simple things and ignore the complexities of life that we, Ukraine, and our Bible school are facing.

In many ways, moving to the village has helped us not be constantly inundated with the tense political situation. We can enjoy being outside and tackle new projects with the yard, as well as enjoy hosting our staff and students. This has been a blessing for our family amidst the recent challenges. Much greater than that, however, is peace that the Lord gives through His presence and His Word. We are grateful to Him, and we are grateful to you who have been praying for us, for the ministry here, and for Ukraine.

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Searching for the Lost

After more than three weeks of searching, the prime minister of Australia said, “There was no time limit on the painstaking search to find the missing Malaysian Airlines jet.” He said they owe it to the families of the missing passengers. He pledged that the governments involved would “do whatever we reasonably can to get to the bottom of this mystery.” Twenty aircraft and ships, 550 search personnel and a vast amount of modern technology was involved in the search effort on that day, March 31.

At the same time, in Washington State, people were searching through the wreckage left behind from a deadly mudslide that devastated the community of Oso. After eight days of searching, even the rescue dogs were in need of rest. The death toll had reached 25, with 30 people still missing. Those involved in the search made clear, in spite of the conditions and challenges, the search was going to continue on.

In Luke 15 Jesus tells a parable about a shepherd who goes searching after one lost sheep “until he finds it” (v. 4). He follows that with a parable about a woman who loses a coin and then lights a lamp, sweeps the house and searches carefully until she finds it (v. 8). Both parables make the point about how the Lord engages in an all-out search to find lost sinners.

The parables were in response to the teachers of the law muttering that Jesus “welcomes sinners and eats with them” (Luke 15:1). The teachers did not understand or appreciate what Jesus was doing. He came “to seek and to save what was lost” (Luke 19:10). He was willing to enter the homes of those society pushed away. He befriended those who were often scorned by the world. He is the good shepherd who engages in an all-out determined search for those who are lost.

The searches going on in the southern Indian Ocean and Washington State are commendable and impressive, but they are no comparison to the amazing search the Lord has conducted for you. The mud in Washington is a messy place to search. The spiritual filth of this world was a much dirtier place for the holy, pure Messiah to come to and live and search. But He humbled Himself and came. The search zone off of Australia is a long ways for the searchers to travel. Our mind cannot conceive of the distance from the glorious throne of heaven to the painful hill of the cross. But Jesus made the journey.

The Lord continues to search. He searches until He finds. When others give up and say there is no chance of recovering that lost soul, the Lord keeps searching. Jesus is searching today for your friend and loved one who doesn’t know Christ. If you’re not right with the Lord, Jesus is searching for you.

With the Malaysian jet and the Washington mudslide, there seems now to be little chance of finding any survivors still alive. But with the Lord’s search for lost souls there is great hope. No matter how far a person has wandered, if they are humbly willing to be found there is hope. Jesus, the crucified and risen One, is able to find them and give them new life.

                     

This is a monthly missions devotional by Pastor Craig Johnson

Ministry and family update from Ecuador

Dear family and friends,
“That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death,” Phil. 3:10. We pray that as you meditate upon the deep significance of this Lenten season, you will come to know Christ better and enter more fully into His power and fellowship. We have just come out of a very full, but blessed season of ministry here and are moving on at a bit more normal pace. In January, we were blessed with a mission team from Hosanna Free Lutheran in St. James, MN. The days were full, but we were blessed with sweet fellowship with the team members. The next group was from a non-AFLC church led by a previous missionary to Ecuador, and Justo wasn’t as actively involved with the group, though he did drive them around to a few places.

After the teams left, we enjoyed a restful, enjoyable two weeks with a visit from Tricia’s parents. They were an encouragement to us, a huge help with the kids, and a blessing to the church as they also shared at a
couple of cell groups. We were a bit sad when they left but grateful for the effort they made to come. Right after they left, we attended a family church camp celebrating carnaval here in Ecuador. Justo has also been Vieworking on his various other ministries, including starting the third and final trimester of the Bible school. He will be teaching I and II Corinthians this term.

Looking ahead, Justo has several all day youth activities lined up in March and then we get to welcome a team of Bible schoolers led by Kevin Olson in April. Our big news is that Tricia is expecting another baby! The all-day nausea has set in again, so please pray for grace for the whole family as we run on “survival mode” for the next couple of months. Having two little ones while sick in bed is quite a challenge!

Thank you for your continued faithful prayers for our
busy, growing family!

Justo, Tricia, Nathanael, and Hannah

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March update from Jonni Sliver

A Tale of Two Parties
Marcia is ten years old and adorable. She arrived to the Miriam Home on the 30th of December 2013. She ran away from the Miriam Home with an older teen-ager on the 31st of December 2013. Now, that short a stay may make you think that she really hated the Miriam Home, but no, both girls returned of their own free will on January 1st. They just really didn’t want to miss the party! And what a party they had. Both of the girls were still drunk when they arrived home, but Marcia, younger and smaller suffered the most. She spent most of the day near a bathroom or with a bucket close at hand. Her head hurt and all she wanted to do was sleep (a desire that went unfulfilled—the house mom kindly explained that both of the girls were going to stay awake all day so that at night they would remember that the dark hours are for sleeping, not for sneaking out).

Though the New Year’s Eve escapade included drinking more than she ever had it was not the first time Marcia had run away to go to a party. Sneaking out her bedroom window and staying away for days on end where the very reasons she had been brought to the Miriam Home in the first place. Marcia simply couldn’t see the danger she put herself in every time she spent the wee hour of the night out with her friends. She didn’t see that the only reason she was able to return to our home on the 1st of January was because God’s gracious hand had protected her - that she had been completely defenseless as she wandered the streets of Campo Mourao.
Marcia wasn’t with for a long time, she went to live with her aunt and uncle in a neighboring town just a month later. But during that month we found that Marcia wasn’t as hard headed or hearted as her first couple of days would indicate. She was, however easily influenced. Initially the older, tougher girls seemed to be the people to imitate, but as the days passed, with the remembrance of the hangover fresh on her mind she decided that, perhaps she didn’t want to hang out with them. She began participating in devotions in the house and in Sunday School, and one day, just a week before she left Marcia prayed with our house mom, Odette, to turn her life over to Jesus.
Last week we called Marcia to see if she wanted to come to our annual youth camp (Brazilian FLY), held every year during Carnival. I was a little worried; Marcia had responded so well to the Word here, but back with her family, surrounded by a lot of her old friends (her aunt didn’t live far from her mother), how had she responded to the old influences?
Marcia jumped at the opportunity to come to camp! She chose to study, play, pray and celebrate with 160 teens she didn’t know instead of staying home and sneaking out to a street party! And she not only came, she dove in to the camp life, making friends and participating in every thing. Please continue to pray that this sweet young lady will grow up to be a mighty woman of God!

They’re Heeeeere!
I was reminded recently that I almost never mention the Bible School and I have to apologize for that! God is doing wonderful things in our southern AFLBS (here it is called SETELL), and it is truly my privilege to have a part in it!

We had an amazing year in 2013 and we were so blessed because everyone who left in December returned in February, with a significant number of new students swelling their ranks!
Among the returning students we have five seminarians in their last year. Each young man is spending one week per month at churches in Curitiba, Campo Largo, Vitoria, Campo Grande and here in Campo Mourao, serving the churches as interns. They each began their internships by offering up one month of their summer vacation so that they could spend a longer time with their assigned church, letting the congregations get to know them and finding their place in the body. It has been a wonderful win, win situation where many people have already been blessed.

I am starting the school year teaching the Biblical Basis for Missions and Missions History, and though I have only had two classes so far, I really enjoy my gang of first and second year students. We have 20 young people in the class, and it is thrilling to hear their questions and observations and to see the hunger and thirst they have for the Lord and His Word.

Please Keep Praying!
Please continue to pray for our little Raphael. He is returning to Curitiba for a second surgery, this one is much more complex, involving the stomach and intestine. Please pray for strength for the baby, success-ful surgery and good healing. I will give updates on my Facebook, feel free to check in. Also, please pray for his birth mother. Because of this situation we have a lot of contact with her and we have had to oppor-tunity to share the gospel in many different ways. She desperately needs the Lord and this is a door that the Lord has opened!
Please pray for brother Ali (5 years old) and Miguel (2 years old). They have only been with us a little over a week and sadly, they are perfect-ly happy to be here, never asking for mom or dad.
Thank you for your prayers, my trip to Curitiba was wonderful. I had the opportunity to not only visit all of the churches I also got to interview many of the SETELL Alumni. That is our first step in preparation for the 50th Anniversary of the Bible School in 2016!

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Amanda Bellefy arrives in Ecuador

Greetings from Ecuador,

It's crazy to think that I have already been here a week.  I have already learned so much.  Thank you so much for your prayers.  There was some confusion at the airline in New York on my way to Panama City and I had to quickly purchase a $1000 return ticket, but thankfully they were wrong and I get a full refund today.  Praise God!  I am living at the Bible school and on Monday I was put in charge of the five students, mainly in the areas of cooking and cleaning.  Thankfully I have been healthy and have been able to get right to work.  I have felt God's presence strongly, especially in being in a new place and meeting new people.  God has been my comfort and my strength.

Amanda is serving as a Short Term Assistant

Please continue to pray:

1. That I would continue to learn the language

2. That I would be a light and a witness

3. For the spiritual growth of the 5 students here: Taty (Tatiana), Raquel (Rachel), Joanna, Kevin, and Pocho (Christian)

Thank you for your prayers. 

In Christ,
Amanda 

Prayer points from the Schierkolks

"I waited patiently for the LORD; he inclined to me and heard my cry."     -Psalm 40:1

-Praising the Lord for a wonderful Christmas outreach!  The youth did a wonderful job with their puppet skits and the kids were great in their presentation of the Christmas story.
-For the many who received quilts and the kids who received Christmas gifts/children's Bibles.
-Grateful for your continued prayers for
our family spread out in the U.S. and Mexico.

We enjoyed reading your Christmas cards! Thanks for the encouragement of your prayers and support!

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Enabling Change in Brazil

Grandpa with Thomas - Born January 23rd

“Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, 

you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 18:3 

Jesus calls us to take a look at our attitudes and actions and priorities and be willing to change whatever it is that takes us away from being seated in Christ. We are to become as little children who delight in being in Jesus' presence. Evidently Jesus thought change was necessary in the lives of his hearers, even in the lives of his disciples. What needs to change in your life? There is a song in Portuguese that has the following phrase - "If we don't change, everything stays the same." In other words, "Nothing changes if nothing changes." As missionaries we see ourselves as people who enable change in people's lives. As we daily rub shoulders with people we seek to help others find their resting place in Jesus. It's fun to witness the blessing of changed lives. 

Children's Camp - Lives Changed 

January is always camp time at the ARCA. This year I developed the curriculum around the theme of the 10 Commandments and the 2 great Commandments of Jesus, emphasizing the grace of Jesus to cover all our sins and all our attempts to fulfill the law. The 10 Commandments are guidelines for happy living, living God's way. We also used the Wordless book using the 5 colors to explain the way of salvation. We had a fantastic week and the children did a wonderful presentation for their parents on the last day. I was happily exhausted at the end of it all. It was great to have Mafú and 3 nieces and 3 nephews working as counselors. It's fun to have our 8-yr. old granddaughter Deborah camping, too! As I write this letter we are preparing for youth camp which will be the first week in March. Pray for transformed lives. 

A Look Back 

We had a fun night of nostalgia at our church in Curitba. Many people came back that had been a part of our church throughout the years. We sang songs from 20 and 30 years ago and had fun remembering. For us it was a bittersweet moment as we wish that all the people who have heard the Gospel in this church would be walking with Jesus today. Yet, we praise God for His faithful work in the lives of people and continue topray for Him to complete the good work He began in their lives. 

A Look Forward 

We look forward to many things in the coming months. Please pray for us: 

* Youth Camp in Campo Mourão 

* Visit from Charles and Joyce Knapp 

* Annual Women's Conference in March 

* Preparations for Passion Play in April 

* Interactions with people every day 

* Two couples we are trying to impact -  John and Maria/Levir and Rose

A Big Thank You 

Thank you so much for your continued support of what we do in Brazil. Your prayers and gifts sustain us month by month. May you be strengthened in your resolve to live for Jesus and participate in the great calling of being agents of change in a hurting world. If something needs changing in your own personal life, take it to the Lord in prayer and make the adjustments that are necessary to live for the glory of God. Remember - nothing changes if nothing changes! 

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Mafu Abel in Panama

    I have now been in Panama for 16 days and am quite adjusted to the weather (comfortable dry heat with wind), the language (Spanish), and the school schedule. It has been a great two weeks! As usual, time seems to last longer as we undergo big changes, and I feel like I have been here for much longer than 2 weeks. When I came here I was apprehensive because I didn't know the leaders of the base, their personalities, principles, testimony or theology. I now can say confidently that I am blessed to be under good Biblical teaching from godly, Spirit-filled individuals. Though I am mostly learning what I have studied and evaluated before, I am confident that this is the right step for me at this time.
     Here at Jucum Chiriqui we have an hour of personal devotions followed by either an hour of intersession or worship music every morning. These times have been and will continue to be important to me as I seek to receive from God the vision he has for the my future in building the kingdom of God. My class consists of 15 students. The nations represented are Holland, Canada, Nicaragua, Honduras, Colombia, Brazil/USA, and Panamá including Latinos, and native Nobe, and Emberá. The subject of the first week of lectures was "Hearing the voice of God and Intercession" and there was a focus on the spiritual needs of the Family. Last week we studied how God's plan of redemption goes beyond individuals, families, generations, Israel, beyond nations, actually extending blessing to all creation. We studied community development and how to use that for the propagation of the Gospel!  
     I was asked to do the translating from Spanish to English for the leadership school in the afternoons (a different course from the DTS that I am involved in). It is a blessing because I get to benefit from another school, yet my mind gets tired from 6 hours-a-day of full attention. I have had a couple of breaks and I will periodically be released from translating duties when there is another translator available. When that happens I get to help with the grounds work. I appreciate your involvement and ask that you would continue to pray for me.


• Pray for continued language learning. (I am currently reading two books + Bible in Spanish)
• Pray for my DTS team; our unity, growth, local ministry and future 2 month outreach.
• Pray for my girlfriend Ednay and her DTS --There is extreme flooding where she is and 568,000 people have had to leave their homes.
• Pray for our Father God to continually guide me in the center of His will.

Pray for Ukraine conflict

“Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act.” Psalm 37:5

Dear Friends in Christ,

Even though we recently sent out a prayer update, we wanted to specifically ask for prayer regarding three important areas.

Ukraine
Many of you have been following from afar what is taking place in Ukraine. For the past two months, there have been protests against President Viktor Yanukovych and his government. These protests, once limited to the capital city of Kiev, have spread throughout the country as people are tired of the political and economic situation. To understand the depth of this situation, it’s important to understand the historical, economic, and geopolitical foundations, or lack thereof, that make up this country. The opposition will not stop until the present “government” is overthrown. The question then is, what will the future leaders do? Will they actually answer the root issues that have caused the problems, which would require enormous constitutional and economic changes, or will they simply repackage the corruption of the past 20 years. Needless to say, Ukraine needs our prayers. Pray for non-violent resolution to this conflict. Pray that leadership on all sides would not seek their own glory and power, but actually deal with the real issues that have led to the situation in Ukraine. Pray also, that the churches around the country would see this as a golden opportunity to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ. People want hope and peace, but only in Christ will this be realized. Pray that God’s will be done here in Ukraine. Below are a few links to articles that give a brief summary of the complex situation in Ukraine.

Bloomberg.com
Washingtonpost.com

Bishop-elect Serge Maschewski

National Church Body (DELKU)
This is a very important and historic week for our church body in Ukraine. For the first time in 20 years, a Bishop will be installed (February 15) that was elected from an actual election process by the people here of Ukraine. Please pray for true spiritual unity among this church. Pray that DELKU would be focused on Christ and His mission. Pray for the spirit of Christ to richly dwell in all people throughout these next few weeks of change. Pray for newly elected Bishop Maschewski. Pray for God to give him a humble servant heart as he seeks to serve DELKU. Pray for wisdom and guidance as he seeks to navigate through difficult issues presently and in the future. Pray also for our former Bishop Uland Spahlinger as he moves on to a new ministry in Germany. Uland has been very supportive and involved in the process of our school for which we are grateful. Pray for strength for him and his wife as they make this ministry transition.

Bible School
Among all the celebrations that are taking place next week in regards to our new Bishop, there will be important meetings regarding the Bible School. Our school board will have strategic planning meetings (February 16-17) with DELKU leadership regarding the proposal of an additional year of study. These discussions will not simply approve the idea, but also set the basic purposes and goals of the direction of our Bible School. On a side note, DELKU has formed a national education commission that is to strategize, think, and propose the general and specific direction of education within our church body. I am one of the three members on this council. I am very excited about this simply because people are now beginning to speak about these crucial issues for the future of the church. Please pray for our school board and church leadership as the meet together. Pray for unity of spirit and purpose. Pray for guidance and wisdom from the Holy Spirit as they make decisions.

These are interesting times here in Ukraine. Our trust is in the Lord, who holds us in his hands. Thank you for joining us in prayer regarding these issues.

Coyle blog

In His Grace, 

Andy, Monica, Moriah, Isaiah and Josiah

The Wagners - Pleasures of Life

Makeni sure feels more like "home" now.

We recently spent four weeks (instead of the expected three/four days) in the capital, Freetown, to get our vehicle out of customs. Josh spent several days of those days working on computers, cellphones, etc. for our literacy and translation partners. We were overjoyed to get our car, drive home, and pull into our driveway! Even Elijah exclaimed "Home, home, home!"

Since we returned a week ago, we've had the pleasures of...

• "Running stomachs" for a few days. 
• Driving the three minutes to the local hospital to check on July baby. 
• Caring for a new puppy/watchdog and new bush kitty (both given to us unexpectedly). 
• Practicing Themne in the neighborhood and meeting more neighbors. 
• Worshipping at our village church in Romankeneh (15-minute drive and only Lutheran church in the Northern Province). 
• Printing and distributing copies of Krio liturgy to the church in Romankeneh (not translated into Themne... yet!). 
• Helping draft 2014 goals for Themne translation team. 
• Finishing up end-of-the-year reports... Thank you for your generosity! 
• Hearing the Muslim call to prayer nice and loud, several times a day... reminding us of the very few Christians in our neighborhood and a reason why we are here. 
• Taking on the rough roads with our new vehicle

Update from the Miriam Children’s Home

You know that 2013 was a busy year here in the Miriam Home. We had a record number of children pass through our doors, and it seemed like the children came in waves—little boys, teen age girls, tiny little babies—there always seemed to be a dominating factor in the house. Well as I write you we have the unusual state
of balance!

During the last three years many people have asked if it is possible to sponsor children in the Miriam Home, and the answer has always been no. The reason is...


Click here to read the entire newsletter.

January Update from Jonathan and Tamba

New Church Property

While friends/family in the US are experiencing a cold winter, we are in the prime of summer, needing fans and a/c, with lots of summer showers. January has already started with a big bang for this 2014. For Tamba's birthday, she enjoyed having a Ladies' Tea (though only cold juices were served due to a 90 * F day), with a special message about the power of words. Since it is still summer vacation time, we've enjoyed different visitors stopping by. Jonathan has been busy helping the new Bible Camp caretakers (young couple who the wife is granddaughter of the previous caretakers) settle in. They remind us so much of our late Sr. Antonio and wife Vita.

New Caretakers for the Bible Camp

Jonathan has also been preparing for the seminary classes he will be teaching starting next month. Our church finally sold their church property and purchased a more practical one to build on. We just contacted the architect with plans and will submit them to the city for approval. Hopefully we can start the construction in a couple of months! Needless-to-say, we are all excited! "Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!" (Psalm 118:29a)

Click here to view the Abel's Missionary Profile

Who Cares for You?

William Dixon lived in Brackenthwaite, England. He was a widower who had also lost his only son. One day he saw that the house of one of his neighbors was on fire. Although the aged owner was rescued, her orphaned grandson was trapped in the blaze. Dixon climbed an iron pipe on the side of the house and lowered the boy to safety. His hand that held on to the pipe was badly burned.

   Shortly after the fire, the grandmother died. The townspeople wondered who would care for the boy. Two volunteers appeared before the town council. One was a father who had lost his son and would like to adopt the orphan as his own. William Dixon was to speak next, but instead of saying anything he merely held up his scarred hand. When the vote was taken, the boy was given to him.   —Neil Strait

The decision of the vote reflects what Paul tells us in the eighth chapter of Romans concerning the care and provision we are assured of from our heavenly Father.  The townspeople knew they could entrust the boy to the man who was willing to risk life and limb for his safety.  They knew that if this man was willing to go to such lengths for the boy, he would be willing to do anything in his power for the boy’s good.  Paul writes: “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? ³² He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” (Rom. 8:31-32)

The supreme marks of love for us are written on the scarred hands of the crucified Christ.  "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends" (John 15:13).  Because Jesus loved us, He was willing to “climb the pipe” at the cost not only of his hands pierced by nails, but of His back lacerated by the scourge, His beard cruelly plucked, His head deeply drilled by painful thorns and pounded with sticks, His body badly bruised, and weakened by loss of blood, His person forsaken by the Father because of our sin, and His very life slowly suffered away in the painful ordeal of crucifixion.

Believers can be greatly comforted to be in the care of the One who so loves us that He would endure all this to rescue us from the fire of hell... 

The lad who went home with William Dixon had nothing to fear.  And with Christ, neither do we.

By Pastor Jim Fugleberg