December 23, 2008
“For 15 years Mame Serer watched her husband, Adama, live out his faith in Jesus Christ,” says Doug Conkle, who serves with The Alliance in Senegal.
“Adama became disillusioned with the religion practiced by his people,” Conkle continues. “He is a Wolof from Senegal, but he had worked as a government civil servant in Mauritania for several years.”
Because of a border dispute between Mauritania and Senegal in the late 1980s, the couple and their young children were forced to return to their families in St. Louis, Senegal. Leaving behind their house and all their material possessions, they arrived with just the clothes on their backs.
“Seek and You Will Find”
Deeply disheartened, Adama began a search for truth that eventually led him to Christ. Soon, the couple’s children became believers as well. But because she was from a prominent family, Mame Serer was afraid to become a Christ follower.
Soon after the Conkles arrived in St. Louis with their Alliance team, Mame began accompanying her husband to a monthly time of fellowship. She even ventured to a Bible study.
Language Creates a Bridge
“Since Karen and I have served in Burkina Faso, we could pray with Mame in the Bambara language, her mother tongue,” says Conkle. “Who would ever have suspected that we would be able to use Bambara while learning the Wolof language in Senegal?”
After one of these prayer times, Mame told the couple that she had had a dream in which she wanted to pray for her oldest son, a university student in Dakar, Senegal’s capital city. In the dream, her son told her that she could not pray for him because she didn’t pray in the Name of Jesus.
“While Mame shared this dream with her husband, Adama led her to faith in Christ!” Conkle exclaims. “This Christmas, Mame Serer plans to join the rest of her family by being baptized.”
Learn More
Read “No Language But Love” in the February 2008 issue of alife. Rev. Terrence Nichols, president of the Alliance African-American Churches Association, visited Senegal last year and discovered a message of grace and hope in this nation historically linked to the global African slave trade.
What You Can Do
Praise the Lord for the salvation of Mame Serer! Pray that her faith will continue growing stronger.
Pray for Alliance team members in St. Louis, Senegal, as they continue to learn the Wolof language that will reach into people’s hearts with the gospel.
By Esther Schaeffer, serving in Burkina Faso
Many years ago our family lived in a very remote part of West Africa. Christmas was approaching, and we knew that there would be no packages arriving until long after December 25.
To help make Christmas special for our children, together we crafted snow flakes out of construction paper and strung popcorn around the living room. I took down a mirror and made it look like a skating pond; we then built a little Christmas village with our Legos™.
I also colored some plain white paper and carefully wrapped cookies for the children’s stockings. Later, I placed their presents—a few books and school supplies—under the tree.
A Precious Gift
On Christmas morning we gathered to open our meager gifts. Under our humble tree I was surprised to discover a small present that I had not wrapped. It seemed to be covered in more tape than paper. Looking closer, I found one of our sons’ names scribbled on the small package.
When the tape and paper were torn and the gift unwrapped, I was overwhelmed. My young son was giving his older brother a medal that he highly prized. He had won the medal at Vacation Bible School a couple of years before, and he hardly let it out of his sight.
He proudly wore it around his neck, and he was careful to keep it under his shirt so it wouldn’t get dirty. He even wore it to bed at night.
As I watched my son give this cherished gift, I had to fight back my tears. I wanted to say to him, “No, don’t give that away. You have so many other things; don’t give what is so precious to you.”
The Greatest Gift
But I realized that my young son had managed to understand the true spirit of Christmas: God has given to us what is most precious to Him, His only Son.
I wish I could tell you that the older brother cherished the medal as much as his younger brother had. For a while he was thrilled to have it and wore it proudly.
But one time he forgot to take it off when he got into the tub, and the colors smeared and ran together. Another time he left it outside, and the dog had a good chew on it before we could pry it away from him. Eventually it was lost for good.
Most of my ministry is among Christian women whom I disciple, encourage, and teach to help them grow in their faith. I want them to understand the great love God has for them, the high cost He paid for their salvation.
It is of indescribable value, this gift He offers them and each one of us. This wonderful truth my young son illustrated so beautifully to me, those many years ago in remote West Africa.
May you have a very Merry Christmas, one filled with wonder as you reflect upon the indescribable gift God has given you in His Son.
“We just received news that Guinea’s President Lansana Conte died this morning,” reports Alliance worker Jim Derksen.
Elements of Guinea’s government have since staged a coup. They have proclaimed the dissolution of the government and the suspension of the constitution and all political and union activity until further notice.
So far, there have been no reports of fighting or casualties in Conakry, but the situation remains fluid and uncertain at this time. The security situation remains unpredictable.
“Please pray specifically that God would use this time to open the door so that people would become ready to hear the good news,” Derksen continues.
Pray also that:
- God would protect his servants who are in Guinea
- National believers in Guinea would be a bright light to those who do not yet know Jesus
“Please pray for Guinea in the coming days and weeks, as we will see lots of changes,” Derksen concludes. “Thank you in advance for your prayers!”
Learn More
Check out the BBC for more information about the situation in Guinea.
For additional information, see the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs Web site.
A rash of robberies in Quito has Alliance missionaries and their national partners on the alert. “This season is one of the most dangerous in Quito,” says Alliance missionary Teri Newburn, who serves in Ecuador on special assignment to the Alliance Academy, a school for missionary kids (MKs).
Newburn and her husband, Keith, report that several of their friends and colleagues were robbed or assaulted, including a teacher at the school. In addition, Teri’s identification papers (including her driver’s license) were stolen.
“It seems like every day there’s a story of someone who got robbed or assaulted,” says Newburn. One student at the Academy had his cell phone stolen in front of a church building. While another MK was talking about Jesus and sharing his lunch with an inebriated man, a thief approached and demanded money from the boy. “The drunk man got between them and prevented the robbery,” Newburn continues.
Thieves broke into the home of a friend of the Newburns, stealing his camera and computer. “A few houses down from where he lives, thieves held a woman hostage one morning while robbing her house,” says Newburn.
“These are our friends, our students, our colleagues. We need your prayers for safety and protection! Thank you for praying with us for safety and peace. We are so grateful for each one of you being a part of our lives.”
How You Can Help
Pray that the stolen items, including Teri Newburn’s documents, will be replaced quickly. Also, pray that God will protect the innocent and bring the thieves to repentance.
December 22, 2008
“Praise God for the evangelistic services in Dana and Banakoro that Toby Hull was part of this past weekend!” exclaims Bonnie Oberg, who serves in Burkina Faso.
Although there was no response to the gospel message in Dana, the team trusts that seeds have been planted.
Who Will Teach Me?
“Banakoro was another story however,” Oberg continues. Three people reportedly came forward after the message on the first night—two to ask prayer for healing and one to accept Christ. The next night, a man was waiting for the team members when they arrived to set up.
“He wanted to follow Christ,” says Oberg. “But he wanted to know who was going to come and teach him about continuing in his faith, once he made that commitment. Pastor Fidele [an Alliance minister in Burkina] assured him that he would visit the village weekly to teach him and others who had made a decision.”
No Shame
Before the service, the man gave his heart to Christ; then during the service, right before the pastor invited people to become followers of Jesus, this new believer stood up and said, “‘Don’t be ashamed to follow Christ! I’ve made this decision,’” says Oberg.
“About 20 adults and several kids came forward! We trust that this is only the beginning and we’ll see more fruit as we continue to work in this village.
“Needless to say, Pastor Fidele is pumped! He can’t wait to begin to disciple this new group of believers!”
Learn More
Check out our work in Burkina Faso.
What You Can Do
Join our Burkina team in praising God for two more believers in Samorogouan who attended evangelistic services just over a week ago and decided to follow Christ upon further reflection.
Pray that the new believers in Banakoro will grow strong in their faith. Pray also for seeds of faith to take root in the hearts of those who have now heard the gospel message in Dana.
December 18, 2008
By Suzanna and Lawrence Savage, retired workers to Mongolia
Shortly after arriving in Darhan for our first term of missionary service, we heard of three children living by themselves in a nearby apartment. We tracked them down and learned that their mother had recently died of an illness resulting from an infection during pregnancy with her fourth child. Because of his wife’s death, the father took to drinking heavily and ended his life a few months later.
The oldest of the children was 14, her brother was 12, and the youngest sister was only 8. Three months after their father’s death, we visited them in their parents’ apartment, which the kids owned. The place was neat as a pin!
We then had them over for dinner along with two Mongolian translators. When the children prepared to leave, the oldest one buttoned up her younger sister’s coat and put on her hat, scarf, and gloves, just like a “mother” would do. God touched us that night and put a burden in our hearts to care for these children, to protect them and to love them.
We were able to do this until we moved to Ulaanbaatar the following year. From then on, we would see them only once a month when we traveled back to Darhan on mission business. We would take them grocery shopping and leave them money to last until we returned the following month. We did this for two years.
Hope and a Future
This summer we had the privilege of having “our kids” stay with us in Ulaanbaatar. During those two weeks they finally opened up to us, smiling and laughing as they rediscovered what it means to have a family. We took them shopping, to the movies (they had never been to a theater before), to cultural events, and out for walks. When they left to return to Darhan, they were calling us “Mommy” and “Daddy.”
They are now 17, 15, and 11. The oldest is now attending university in Ulaanbaatar. She accepted the Lord Jesus a year ago and is sharing a room with another Christian girl. Initially, she had planned to stay in the university dormitory, but we checked it out and decided it wasn’t suitable for a young girl. We praise the Lord for providing another place for her to stay.
After her father’s death, the oldest daughter was angry at him for leaving her with the responsibility of looking after her siblings. At times she felt so hopeless that she wanted to end her life too. But she said that after experiencing God’s love for her and her siblings through our care for them, she knew there was hope after all.
We are still praying for her brother and sister to receive Christ. Even though we are back in North America, we continue to support them. We appreciate and solicit your prayers for them on a daily basis. And, if you feel led to help them financially, that would be much appreciated.
Thank you for supporting us these past three years in your prayers, in your encouragement, and in your finances; it really means a lot!
December 10, 2008
“Is Camp South Africa worth all the time, toil, and treasure we are investing during these difficult economic times?” asked Jim Blake, director for Alliance Redwoods Conference Grounds (ARCG) in northern California. In spite of ministry budget cuts because of the dismal economy, Blake was determined to moved forward with the international outreach to Cape Town’s “street kids.” “For me, the answer is a resounding YES!” But he did inform the Camp South Africa (CSA) organizing team to reduce its budget by 10 percent.
Knowing budget cuts translated into some kids not having the opportunity to hear the good news of hope in Jesus, Blake was thrilled when “a ministry partner who heard of the funding loss donated two weeks pay,” he said. “This reduced the short fall, but the last day camp still would need to be cut from the schedule.”
Camp South Africa was founded by ARCG staffers Mervyn and Abigail Coetzee, who grew up in the country. Their dreams of one day hosting day camps for Cape Town’s “least of these” became a reality under the direction of ARCG.
Most of the children who attend the camps are social outcasts, “abandoned as babies,” says Abigail. “They are hungry, have no shoes and only the bare minimum of clothing. Some come from extremely abusive homes; surviving a fatherless childhood runs as a common thread for many of our South African counselors and most of the children.”
At the closing of one camp, at least 95 percent of the campers went up for prayer, indicating that they want to know Jesus personally. They were met by Germaine, one of the local camp counselors, who was saved nearly five years ago at the CSA outreach. “Words cannot express how God has used Germaine to bless these campers,” said Mervyn. “I shared how Christ had moved through Germaine’s life and that even though he still lives in a squatter’s shack, he has a joy that only Christ can give.”
Blake, who participated in the camp ministry last year, is firm in his commitment to the annual December outreach. Trusting God to provide, he told his CSA team to go forward with the full schedule. “I remembered when I dropped Germaine off at his ‘home,’” he said. “He put his hands on my shoulders, looked me in the eyes and said, ‘Don’t give up on us.’”
A flood that crashed through a housing complex in East Kalimantan, Indonesia, caused severe property damage for many Alliance church members in early December. A number of C&MA churches were affected.
A pastoral family took up residence in the church, going without electricity for six days, until the water in their home receded. Another family moved to the second story of their house and used a rubber raft to navigate the waters when they needed to go out. One Alliance church was flooded, its musical instruments immersed in water.
The local government traveled by boat to distribute basic supplies to the victims. “At least one of the C&MA churches also passed out food supplies to church members in flooded areas,” said Alliance worker Ann Grinnell. “Many of the people shop daily, so they have few reserves stored up for emergencies.”
The flood destroyed several houses in its path and dragged any movable objects with it, including cars and motorcycles, according to The Jakarta Post. The flood was the result of a week of almost continuous rain in the city of Samarinda. It lasted around 30 minutes, with no casualties reported.
Grinnell stated that another severe storm and possible flooding are expected in mid–December.
“The recent flood was the worst to hit Samarinda since 1998, with major roads still submerged five days after the downpour. As the flood waters have receded, the city has been inundated with rotting garbage,” said Grinnell. “Pray for protection from disease.”
Christians from an Alliance national church in a Guinea, West Africa, village are in the throes of severe persecution because of their faith. Approximately six miles from N’Zao, where CAMA’s Hope Clinic provides medical and dental help for the poor and needy, is Yalenzou, where believers have refused to participate in a traditional religious ritual of “tattooing” young men.
“They take the young men behind a palm thatch fence and mark their chests with 40–50 cuts that will become permanent scars,” said a CAMA worker. “They say that these are the devil’s teeth marks, and it signifies that they have been killed and eaten by the devil.”
The Yalenzou church is strong, and the majority of its members refuse to obey orders given by the sect, sparking confrontation between the two religions. The believers also refused to pay fines issued for their refusal to participate in the ritual, knowing that paying the fines would render them subject to the demands of the sect. But their refusal to pay brought about a legal injunction against buying or selling from a Christian.
“Christians have been stoned and beaten,” said our worker, “and the church was destroyed.” One church member, Jeremy, and his wife were severely beaten when she tried to get water from a well. Jeremy’s brother ran for help, but the crowd stopped police from coming to Jeremy’s rescue. In the shroud of darkness, the couple was able to escape through the crowd and make their way to N’Zao, joining other Christians who found refuge from the persecution with the clinic’s national staff members.
The national church president met with government authorities, hoping to bring an end to the hostilities against Christians. “But little has been accomplished,” said our worker, “as no official wants to be responsible for a decision. Many belong to the cult and don’t want to risk angering the ‘bush devil.’”
The Yalenzou believers who found refuge in N’Zao “are not bitter,” said the CAMA worker. “They realize the battle is not against flesh and blood and are praying for those who were responsible for the pain and destruction.”
Call to Action
The N’Zao, Yalenzou, and Godi churches are meeting Friday, December 12, for an all day prayer and fast. Join them in prayer for protection for national believers who stand firm in their faith in Christ as well as for CAMA workers. Pray for justice through the legal system.
December 8, 2008
Miss Elizabeth (Betty) I. Arnold, retired missionary to China, Vietnam and Hong Kong, entered into the presence of the Lord on Saturday, November 22, 2008, in Oakland, California. She was 83.
When Betty was eight years old her parents joined The Christian and Missionary Alliance church in Rochester, New York. At age twelve she came into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. While attending a missionary convention she heard a clear call to the mission field. From her high school days Betty began to prepare for the Lord’s service. She attended Missionary Training Institute, in Nyack, New York from 1944 to 1947. During the candidate process for Alliance missions, her physical examination gave her medical clearance, but only for secretarial work. In 1947 she was appointed to South China. She worked in a secretarial and bookkeeping ministry in the field chairman’s office. When missionaries fled China in the wake of the oncoming “red” forces, she was evacuated to Hong Kong for a short time before being reassigned to Vietnam in 1950. Betty devoted herself to full-time work among children and women, along with the responsibility for a Chinese “book room”, a combined reading room and bookstore. After the fall of Vietnam in 1975, Betty transferred back to Hong Kong to minister to Chinese-speaking people. Here she ministered to youth groups and women’s fellowships through Bible studies, and also taught Bible classes in the Alliance high school. She also had opportunity to revive a fellowship for Chinese immigrants from Vietnam which included the “boat people” (Chinese refugees from Vietnam in Hong Kong). Because Hong Kong was a neutral port, Betty saw this as God’s appointed place for her to be part of this amazing ministry at such a crucial point in time. The Vietnam Fellowship in Hong Kong multiplied and later became connected with Vietnamese fellowships in Taiwan, Europe, Canada and the United States. Betty retired from Alliance International Ministries in 1989, but in no way retired from ministering to Chinese peoples within the United States and abroad.
A memorial service will be held Saturday, December 6, 2008, at 10:00 a.m. at East Bay Alliance Church in Oakland, California. Rev. Edmond Y. K. Yeung, pastor of Faith Chinese Alliance Church in Oakland, California, will help officiate the service, and Rev. Robert (O’B) O’Brien, church launching consultant for Intercultural Ministries, will represent The Christian and Missionary Alliance. Memorial gifts may be made payable to “The Orchard Foundation” in remembrance of Miss Arnold for an endowment set aside for Alliance retired missionaries. The mailing address is PO Box 35660, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80935-3566.
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