June 16, 2009
Alliance church member Susan Canida, on a short-term missions trip to Burkina Faso, had watched every Monday morning for several weeks as Alliance missionary Lorinda Robinson shared the story of God’s redemption with the 15 young women, ages 15 to 25, living at Dorcas House, a home that offers practical and spiritual mentoring to women who otherwise would be on the streets.
Carried by the prayers of many, Lorinda’s words fell on ripe ears and ripe hearts-the spiritual veil was removed! With tears and joy, seven young women decided to give their lives to Christ for the first time. For many, it was the first time that they had understood the possibility of a personal relationship with Christ.
Each attendee received her own Bible. Dancing around the room, lifting up their new Bibles, the girls expressed their deep joy in being able to read God’s Word for themselves. One recipient summarized her excitement: “I do not need to eat anything today-I have this Bible-it is enough to satisfy me.”
June 11, 2009
By Pete Brokopp, serving in Burkina Faso
The following is an adaptation of an article from Alice and Pete Brokopp’s May newsletter. Read about remarkable returns from their years of sharing Jesus’ compassion with some of Burkina’s most marginalized residents-its disabled.
One area of great encouragement for us has been our ministry to the disabled. Human disabilities are a huge problem in Burkina because of accidents and crippling diseases (polio is making a comeback), exacerbated by inadequate medical care.
Over the years it’s been awesome to see God’s love manifested to those who have received trikes (large, three-wheeled cycles) we’ve distributed to enable their mobility. We’ve watched many pull themselves up to sit on the trike seats-after crawling on their hands and knees their whole lives-to experience dignity for the first time!
Ministry Inspiration
Our hearts were first moved on behalf of this large group of Burkina’s marginalized when we saw a woman dragging herself across the street. Asseita’s hands were crippled as well. To express Jesus’ love to her, we decided to raise funds so she could have a trike.
Because she was under satanic bondage, Asseita wasn’t interested in accepting Christ at first. But when she became quite ill, during the last hours of her life she finally whispered to our pastor that she wanted to accept Him. That night she passed away.
We shared Asseita’s story at Glenview Alliance church in Glenrock, Pennsylvania, a few years ago. Dan Kidd, a member of a biker outreach ministry through the church, caught the vision to raise funds through the club for the three-wheeled cycles to give to Burkina’s disabled. We’ve partnered with this club since.
Expansion, Outreach
Originally, funds raised were used to build the cycles. (We’ve worked with a local Burkinabe Alliance pastor to locate those who would most benefit.) As our ministry developed, the need arose to repair the trikes; we also began supplying grains to the disabled.
Several Glenview Alliance short-term missions teams have visited us during the past few years. During each visit we’ve sponsored a trike-giveaway, combined with a time of evangelism.
Compassion Inspires Self-Help
On a recent Saturday afternoon I was called to the church where we’ve typically held the giveaways. Gathered were a large group of people who had received the cycles through our ministry, along with the village chief, and a teacher of the predominant religion in Burkina.
First, their spokesman thanked my Christian brothers and me for thinking of them and helping them over the years. Then he said, “Since others have helped us, we would like to help ourselves-we no longer want to be beggars.”
They then told us about an association they had created to help themselves earn a living! Each member will learn a craft or trade (some will raise sheep; others may process Shea butter to sell, etc.). Proceeds from the monies they earn will be deposited into an account from which all will benefit.
We also were asked to pray that this new association would glorify God.
As I left the meeting, some of the disabled called me over to give me two beautifully hand-stitched pillow covers. I was humbled to receive a gift from people who have absolutely nothing.
Learn More
Check out the Brokopp’s Web page to see how you can support their work in spreading God’s love among Burkina’s most needy.
Read “Hands Across the Water“-the inspiring story of Glenview Alliance Church’s partnership with our Burkina Faso field-in the December 2008 issue of alife.
What You Can Do
Pray! “We were promised a piece of property with the stipulation that we would build a center on it that will house medical services, physical therapy, and skill training,” says Alice. “But it’s still in the ‘dream stage.’” Please pray that this dream will be realized!
Pray also for the Brokopps who are undergoing a challenging ministry transition, working part-time with our Short-Term Missions Office, requiring them to now raise half of their own support, while continuing their present service in Burkina.
June 8, 2009
With nearly 2,000 attendees as witnesses, Dr. Gary Benedict was elected to another four-year term as president of the U.S. Christian and Missionary Alliance at General Council 2009 in Louisville, Kentucky.
Dr. Benedict is serving as the eleventh president of the U.S. C&MA. Having received an honorary doctor of divinity degree from Nyack College in Nyack, New York, Benedict became the thirteenth president of Crown College in 1997. During his tenure, enrollment at Crown increased by 60 percent.
Sleeping Giant
Benedict’s vision for the future of The Alliance includes healthy people leading healthy churches that will multiply themselves and reap a grand harvest. He also envisions a strong laity, which he refers to as a “sleeping giant.”
“There remains a huge, untapped ministry potential among our laity,” says Benedict, who believes that the “true” headquarters of The Alliance is the local church. “Our mandate at the National Office is to serve the local church and to assist it in carrying out its Great Commission ministries. Grassroots ministry flows from our local churches to U.S. neighborhoods and to the nations of the world.”
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - The Board of Directors for The Christian and Missionary Alliance (C&MA) in the United States announced that Dr. Gary M. Benedict has been reelected as the denomination’s president.
Dr. Benedict is serving as the eleventh president of the U.S. C&MA. Having received an honorary doctor of divinity degree from Nyack College in Nyack, New York, Benedict became the thirteenth president of Crown College in 1997. During his tenure, enrollment at Crown increased by 60 percent.
In 2004 Benedict was elected corporate vice president for the U.S. C&MA. He was chosen to serve as president of The Alliance during General Council in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 2005.
Benedict’s vision for the future of The Alliance includes healthy people leading healthy churches that will multiply themselves and reap a grand harvest. He also envisions a strong laity, which he refers to as a “sleeping giant.” He says, “There remains a huge, untapped ministry potential among our laity.”
He believes that the “true” headquarters of The Alliance is the local church. “Our mandate at the National Office is to serve the local church and to assist it in carrying out its Great Commission ministries. Grassroots ministry flows from our local churches to U.S. neighborhoods and to the nations of the world.”
The Alliance is a fellowship of evangelical believers joined together in local churches, dedicated to fulfilling Christ’s command to make disciples of all nations. The Alliance has a thoroughly evangelical doctrinal statement and encourages believers from diverse backgrounds and theological traditions to unite to complete Christ’s Great Commission.
CONTACT:
Mark Failing, Assistant to the President
The Christian and Missionary Alliance
Ph (cell): 719-660-2876
E-mail: failingm@cmalliance.org
www.cmalliance.org
# # #
June 5, 2009
Mongolia made history recently when the first democratic president was elected. “We wish to congratulate the people of Mongolia on their recent presidential election,” said U.S. State Department spokesman Ian Kelly. “In a free and peaceful democratic election on Sunday, May 24, Mongolian voters elected Democratic Party candidate Tshahiagiin Elbegdorj.”
“So many of you prayed for this election,” says an Alliance worker in Mongolia. “Thank you! We are unsure as to how this will affect us and our ability to be here. Please continue to pray.”
“We applaud the people and government of Mongolia for conducting Sunday’s election in a fair and transparent manner, in accordance with the Mongolian constitution,” said Kelly. “Preliminary evaluations of independent observers indicate election problems were minimal, and there have been no reports of election-related violence. This election is a clear demonstration of Mongolia’s continued commitment to democratic reform and represents a real achievement for such a young democracy.”
What You Can Do
Praise God for a free and peaceful election! Pray for divine wisdom for the new president and that he will govern justly.
Learn More
Check out our Alliance work in Mongolia.
June 3, 2009
We are thrilled to announce the following names of those that have answered the call of Christ and have been appointed to overseas service.
They answered the call of Jesus and were commissioned at General Council in Louisville, KY on Sunday, May 31, 2009. Those gathered watched as these newly appointed workers walked through the “open door of service” that had been constructed on the stage and filed into the crowd that was waiting to pray for each one. In addition to those listed, six additional people were appointed to Creative Access Countries.
Rev. Ronald J. Morrison, Chairman of the Board, lead the gathering of believers in a commissioning prayer. Please continue to pray for these workers—that Jesus Himself would be there protection, care, and power.
Andrew and Lora Brake
Indonesia
Robert and Lisa Burns
Balkans
Laura Eckman
Balkans
Jason Foster
Mali
Kristen House
Mali
Joseph and Kay Kong
Cambodia
Michael and Suzanne Marczak
Jordan
Wyman and Carma Nelson
Republic of Congo
Constance Seale
Balkans
Joseph and Andrea Zanayed
Israel
After a long battle with cancer, Mrs. Joyce Caston, former missionary to Argentina, went to be with the Lord on May 14, 2009.
Joyce Ann Sykes was born on October 5, 1941, in Renovo, Pennsylvania. She attended Nyack College in Nyack, New York, and graduated with a bachelor’s of science in missions. She met Vernon while at Nyack College, and they married in June 1962 in Erie, Pennsylvania.
Vernon continued to pursue his MA from Wheaton Graduate School, and they were appointed as missionaries to Argentina in 1970. The couple left for Costa Rica first for one year of Spanish language learning and then proceeded to Buenos Aires, Argentina, where they were involved with church planting.
The Castons returned to the United States in 1980 so Vernon could pursue his doctorate at New York University. Upon completion of his dissertation, they returned to Argentina for a final four-year term before Vernon and Joyce accepted teaching positions at Crown College in Minnesota. Joyce was also actively involved in the District Alliance Women Ministries Executive Team. She served faithfully and will be greatly missed.
Joyce is survived by her husband, Vernon, and their three children: Karis, Constance, and Cristina. In lieu of flowers, gifts can be sent to The Christian and Missionary Alliance, The Great Commission Fund, PO Box 35000, Colorado Springs, CO 80935-3500.
June 2, 2009
Miss Evelyn Marie Rychner went to be with her Lord and Savior on May 20, 2009.
Evelyn was born on February 4, 1919, in Platte Township, Morrison County, Minnesota. She was saved at the age of 12. In 1939 she enrolled at St. Paul Bible College (now Crown College, St. Bonifacius, Minnesota, as an academic student. While listening to a missionary, Evelyn was called to South America. Following graduation she served with the American Sunday School Union in Montana.
In order to qualify as a foreign missionary, Evelyn enrolled in the University of Minnesota, majoring in practical nursing. After on year at Nyack in 1946, she went to Texas to work among the Mexican people for three and a half years. She received her appointment to Ecuador in 1950.
Evelyn was involved in extensive vacation Bible school ministries, Bible studies, teaching at the Bible Institute in Los Cerros, working the bookstore Libereria Realidades, and serving among the Otavalan and Quechua Indians. She also worked in clinics, literature and book distribution, visitation, gospel movie ministry, translation work, and publication of the Indian hymnal. She helped teach music and start a musical group at the institute. She retired in 1988 after 38 years of faithful ministry in Ecuador
Evelyn was predeceased by her parents, Theodore and Emma, and brothers Harvey, Edwin, and Philip. She is survived by brother Merle and sister Bernice.
A celebration service will be held on June 6 at 11 a.m. at the Rose Hill Alliance Church, 2105 Roselawn Ave. W., Roseville, MN 55113. Memorials can be given to The Christian and Missionary Alliance’s Great Commission Fund in lieu of flowers.
Rev. Mahlon Sunday Amstutz went to be with the Lord on May 23, 2009. Mahlon was born June 28, 1915, in Springtown, Pennsylvania. He accepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior while in his early teens in Akron, Ohio. He attended Asbury College and the Missionary Training Institute (now Nyack College) in Nyack, New York. He married Ruth Nelda Behnke on December 30, 1941, in Bushton, Kansas. They were appointed to serve as Alliance missionaries to Chile in June 1943 while completing their home service in Florida and Nebraska.
Ruth and Mahlon departed for the field in 1945 and were stationed in Temuco, serving in teaching ministries at the Bible Institute and itinerant evangelism. They also produced a weekly gospel radio program and were involved in field leadership ministries at various times. In later ministry years, they were engaged in church planting and were the first Alliance representatives in the city of Antofagasta, where they established fruitful churches. Most of their service took place in Chile, except for six months in Argentina overseeing the Buenos Aires Bible Institute.
They retired in 1988 but continued to travel overseas periodically in various ministry capacities, including serving in the orchestra and choir at the Bradenton Missionary Village. They volunteered at the Bible Alliance, Inc., preparing Scripture cassettes for distribution in 45 languages. Mahlon was involved with a weekly prison ministry through which many inmates came to know the Savior.
The highlight during their retirement years was a return trip to Chile in 1997 to participate in the 100th anniversary of Alliance missionary activity in the country. They were able to stop in Quito, Ecuador, to visit their daughter Nelda and son-in-law Paul Johnson, who are missionaries with The Alliance.
The funeral service was held at Eastminster Presbyterian Church in Wichita, Kansas, on May 30. Dr. Steven Marsh officiated. Maholn was predeceased by his wife, Ruth Nelda; he is survived by his five children: Carolyn Mizzau, Mark, Nelda Johnson (missionaries to the Dominican Republic), Samuel, and James. Cards can be sent to Samuel Amstutz, 2831 Wilderness Ct, Wichita, KS 67226-8813. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be sent to The Christian and Missionary Alliance, Approved Special 44-26-01041, PO Box 35000, Colorado Springs, CO.
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