August 13, 2009
By Jill and Alan Kropp, serving in Japan
The language school I (Jill) attend in Tokyo is highly relational and conversationally oriented. From ambassadors to housewives to businessmen, the school draws students from all walks of life, Christian and non-Christian.
One aspect of the class that I really enjoy is giving three-minute impromptu speeches, something we do nearly every session. This exercise is designed to force us to use what we have assimilated during the formal lecture component of the class. Immediately following our three-minute speech, the teacher gives critical feedback concerning word choice and grammar structure.
Because You Prayed
Recently after one of my speeches, I was able to share my faith. During one-on-one instruction time with a non-Christian teacher, I asked a question that led to a discussion about the Bible and the gospel. I had this opportunity because you prayed!
Keep praying for the Lord to use us to share the gospel with our non-Christian teachers, neighbors, and friends.
Please Pray . . .
- For continued perseverance and motivation during language study
- For more opportunities to introduce Japanese people to Jesus
- That the Holy Spirit’s sweet presence would rain down on the people of Japan
What You Can Do
Donate now to Alliance Great Commission Ministries to support God’s work around the world, including in Japan.
Learn More
Check out our Alliance work in Japan.
August 12, 2009
The youth pastor of the Encuentro Biblico Church (Alliance) in Valencia, Jose Pacheco, was killed in an August 8 auto accident. His wife, Maylin, and their two-year-old son died at the scene. Jose died early August 9. The couple was in their 30s.
Jose and Maylin were students of the Alliance Bible Institute, and Jose also served as treasurer of the Encuentro Biblico Church. “They served with love and integrity and will be sorely missed by the young people of the congregation,” says Alliance missionary Rebecca Rodriguez. “Pray for the Venezuelan Alliance church and in particular the youth of the Encuentro Biblico Church. Also, be in prayer for the families of Jose and Maylin, as many do not know Christ as their Savior.”
Taiwan has been inundated with flooding after Typhoon Morakot dumped at least 2 meters (80 inches) of rain on the island last weekend, ruining crops and leaving thousands homeless. Hundreds of people are feared dead across East Asia as water swept away homes and buried villages, according to Times Online.
“All our missionaries our fine,” reports Alliance field director Don Kramer. “Most of our churches were not directly affected by the heavy flooding, but we have three churches close to the most damaged areas. These churches have members who are from five of the worst hit areas. We don’t know if any family members have been lost yet.”
However, Li JinLing, a student intern serving with the C&MA’s Cidu Gospel Center from another denomination, lost eight family members; others are seriously injured, and some are still missing. “Her hometown is the one where it was estimated that 600 people may have been buried,” says Don. “She needs much prayer, as do Alliance workers Soo and Hannah Hwang, [who are ministering to her].”
The rains caused landslides and impeded rescue efforts. “There were reports of a school being destroyed, and officials said it appeared that about 200 homes had been buried under thousands of tons of mud, rocks, and debris,” Times Online reports. According to The Associated Press, floods and mudslides have killed about 500 people on the island, including more than 300 villagers believed to be buried in the debris of a landslide in the hardest-hit village. As of August 12, rescuers have found nearly 1,000 survivors in the area around three remote villages devastated by the typhoon.
“In Taidung where Taidung Alliance Church and FengRung Alliance Church are located, our churches have joined other churches of the city in efforts to minister to the physical and spiritual needs of these areas,” says Don.
“In Pingdung, the C&MA Enju Church has joined with World Vision and the Chinese Christian Relief Association to minister to affected areas of family members. A general plea has gone out from our church president, Rev. Silas Yang, for donations to World Vision. As churches become more aware of what is going on in Pingdung and Taidung, they may send other help.”
Alliance missionaries in Yunlin County have asked neighbors and local leaders about damage and needs. ”We live in an agricultural area of Taiwan, and many, if not most, crops have been totally lost,” says Don. “For some, it will be quite a period of time to be able to sell produce. We believe there will be ongoing needs in our communities and are seeking ways to help. Yunlin County, where our focus is, is the poorest county in Taiwan. We are hoping that the Body of Christ will show the love [that survivors] need.”
“This is the worst flooding seen here in 50 years,” Don adds. “The total loss of life is yet unknown. More bridges were destroyed in this flooding than in the 7.6 earthquake of September 21, 1999.
“Pray that those who need Jesus would see Christ in the lives of believers all over the island in the way we respond to their needs.”
What You Can Do
- Pray for God’s blessing on rescue efforts and protection for rescue workers.
- Pray for God’s provision for all those impacted by the typhoon, including working-class people who have been hard hit.
- Pray for Alliance workers and their national colleagues as they offer spiritual comfort and practical help to survivors.
- Pray that the Lord will comfort Li JinLing and heal her family members who were injured in the floods.
- Pray that God will use this tragedy to draw many people to Himself.
Donate now to Alliance Great Commission Ministries to support our workers around the world, including those in Taiwan.
August 11, 2009
Rev. David K. Volstad, who had served as a missionary to Chile, Latin America regional director, and pastor, entered the Lord’s presence on Sunday, August 9, 2009, after a battle with cancer. He was 75.
David Keith Volstad was born in Lyle, Minnesota, on November 10, 1933, to Alliance missionaries Rev. Carl and Mrs. Pelma Volstad while they were on home assignment. Most of David’s boyhood was spent in South America, first in Peru and then in Chile when illness necessitated that his parents move to a more temperate climate. He graduated from high school in Temuco, Chile, in 1951.
David’s conversion to Christ occurred when he was 11 years old. At the age of 14, he settled the question of his future and agreed to return to Chile as a witness to Christ’s saving gospel. The years that followed were spent in preparation for that commitment. David graduated from St. Paul Bible College in 1952 with a diploma in theology. From there he enrolled in Seattle Pacific College to earn a degree in Spanish and an education certificate from Washington State.
David met Florence Lois Yearsley, from Turtle Creek, Pennsylvania, at St. Paul Bible College. They married on July 12, 1958, after David’s graduation from Seattle Pacific and Florence’s graduation from St. Paul. Together they went on to White Sulphur Springs, Montana, for two years of pre-appointment pastoral ministry.
The Volstads and their son Bruce left for Costa Rica in 1960 for Spanish language study before heading to Chile. They served two terms during which David was a teacher and administrator of the Bible Institute at Temuco and director of the field’s summer camping program. He ministered widely in Chilean churches and assisted in gospel radio broadcasts and in the editorial work at the Spanish Alliance Press. In addition, he helped establish an orphanage in Loncoche.
In January 1972, David was appointed successor to Rev. George S. Constance, retiring area secretary for South America. He served in that capacity for 27 years before retiring in 1998. As regional director for Latin America, David spent much of his time on the road visiting missionaries and national church leaders, listening to their struggles and challenges, and offering encouragement and hope. A highlight of David’s years at the National Office was a one-month trip to Chile he and Lois took prior to retirement.
David and Lois moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where David became the associate pastor for the Allegheny Center C&MA Church. Lois was thrilled that they could both be actively involved in ministry. David retired for the second time on July 1, 2009, with 10 years of fruitful and productive ministry where he was loved and appreciated.
David was known as a disciplined man, an excellent teacher and preacher, and one who worked well with both Chileans and his fellow missionaries. He had a fine sense of humor and deep spiritual resources. David was an example of integrity and faithfulness. He maintained zeal, resolve, and a love for Christ and gave sacrificially for the advancement of God’s Kingdom in Latin America. David has fought the good fight, finished his race victoriously, and kept the faith. He truly demonstrated in the most gracious way faithfulness to God, to fellow believers, to his family, and to the work. As a second-generation C&MA missionary, he has left a spiritual legacy with his children; three are active workers stateside and overseas.
David is survived by his wife, Lois, his sisters Barbara and Ruth (retired C&MA missionaries), five children: David Bruce (Amy); Mark (Barbara), former C&MA missionary to Chile and currently C&MA pastor at Iglesia Cristo Salva in Chico, California; Judy (Charles) Hardy; Steven (Christina), C&MA missionary to Russia; and Robert (Julie); and 14 grandchildren.
The funeral service will be held on Wednesday, August 12, 2009, at the Allegheny Center C&MA Church, 250 East Ohio Street, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15212. Rev. Robert Fetherlin will represent International Ministries. Cards can be sent to Mrs. Lois Volstad, 148 Marwood Road, #1217, Cabot, Pennsylvania 16023. International Ministries is receiving donations on behalf of the family for their use. If you would like to participate in this love gift, please contact Esther Hsu.
August 7, 2009
Editor’s Note: TEAM Isaan is an Alliance church-planting initiative among the Isaan people, a largely unreached group in northeast Thailand. The Alliance has a long history of ministry to the Isaan dating back to 1929. Because of that investment, today there are at least 30,000 Isaan believers in 650 local churches from various denominations. TEAM Isaan was mobilized to help bring Christ’s message of salvation to the 2.5 million people among this group who have not yet heard.
The first time EQ heard the gospel in a Thai prison, he wasn’t ready to ask Jesus to be his Savior. His friend Montri, who did receive Christ, took it upon himself to share with EQ on his own time the Bible stories he was learning from members of TEAM Isaan, which has been ministering in several prisons. To date, approximately 80 inmates have received Christ through this outreach.
Because Montri poured himself into EQ, he eventually received Jesus as his Savior. Since then, both men have been released from prison and have brought the truth of the gospel back to their home villages.
EQ and Montri spent weeks sharing the story of God with EQ’s family and friends, who received Jesus and have since been baptized. Recently, a leader of a neighboring village approached EQ’s mother and asked that TEAM Isaan come and share God’s truth with his village as well.
“Last year we prayed that entire families would come to Christ, and we praise God that EQ and his family have all come to know the Lord,” says Alliance worker Kathy Sappia, who serves with TEAM Isaan. “We also prayed that whole communities would be changed because of Christ. EQ’s village has been so changed by God that surrounding villages are taking notice and are asking us to come [and teach them about the Lord]. We praise God for the many ways He has been answering our prayers!”
Since then, prisoners have continued to put their trust in Jesus through TEAM Isaan’s ministry. Last month, a number of believers in the prisons were baptized. “For lack of a baptismal tank, we borrowed a large-size ice chest-minus the ice!” says Kathy. “It worked great!”
To watch a video of the baptisms, click here.
This spring, TEAM Isaan began renting property to establish a Job Training and Development Center for Isaan believers who have been released from prison. “It is our prayer to use this center not only as a place to teach and equip the Isaan to share the truth of Jesus with others but also as a job training site,” says Kathy.
“One of the main hardships the Isaan face is finding legitimate sources of income in their own villages, so we are researching viable forms of micro-businesses such as mushroom and pepper farming or raising pigs to use their dung to sell as fertilizer. We pray that they can implement these methods in their own villages and thus have a stable income,” Kathy adds. “This way, they will not need to relocate to the cities to seek work.”
A recent obstacle to TEAM Isaan’s ministry has been the virus epidemic. Alliance workers have been denied permission to enter both the Sakon Nakhon and Sawang Daen Din prisons until further notice for fear that the virus may enter the prison and cause an epidemic. Pray for a quick end to the spread of the disease so that Alliance missionaries and their national partners can minister freely again.
What You Can Do
Pray that God will watch over believing prisoners who have been transferred to other prisons and provide them with Christian fellowship and the continued opportunity to share His love with others.
The Kut Khao Poon Church (a member of the Gospel Church of Thailand, the C&MA national church) has a growing vision for prison ministry. Pray that this church and others will have an increasing burden to minister to “the least of these” in area prisons and that the movement of God among prisoners will continue to grow.
Donate now to Alliance Great Commission Ministries to support God’s work around the world.
Learn More
Check out our Alliance work in Thailand.
August 6, 2009
By Andrew Schaeffer,
Serving in Burkina Faso
A few months ago Nicodemus, the director of the Alliance Bookstore in Bobo Dioulasso, asked me to help order 4,000 Jula songbooks from China Alliance Press in Hong Kong. (Jula is the local dialect in Bobo and surrounding western Burkina Faso.) Nicodemus’ songbook stock was depleted; China Alliance Press still had the songbook stencils from a previous printing-and the best price.
Songbooks Arrive in Burkina
Songbooks are still in great demand among Christians in Burkina Faso. Pastors encourage their members to come to church with their Bible and songbook in hand so that they can fully participate in worship.
Two weeks ago we received word that the 4,000 Jula songbooks had arrived at customs in Ouagadougou, Burkina’s capitol. Please pray that they will clear customs without expense and will be a great blessing to Jula-speaking believers throughout Burkina Faso.
2,200 Pairs of Shoes
A friend from Grace Church in Cleveland is responsible for screening brand name shoes, pulling them off of the market if they aren’t authentic. Since these imitations can’t be sold, he is able to donate them to Grace Church for distribution in impoverished countries through a partnership between Grace Church and World Vision.
Two years ago, we received 1,450 pairs of shoes-each pair carefully tied together and lovingly bagged by Grace Church volunteers. Another church member who works for a transport company shipped the shoes to port at no cost [to us]. As a result, each Alliance pastor and Bible school student in Burkina Faso received at least one pair of shoes.
This summer Grace Church blessed us with another 2,200 pairs of shoes, enough for each student at our three Christian secondary schools to receive a pair. What joy these free shoes are going to bring to these students!
100 Computers
Two years ago, we also received 20 refurbished computers for our new library at Maranatha Bible Institute, thanks to Stephen Beck at Global Tech Ministries. This year, he helped us obtain 100 more computers to update and replenish the computer labs at each of our three Christian secondary schools in Burkina.
Last week the container left port and is now en route to Burkina Faso. Please pray that the container arrives safely and will pass through customs easily.
Andrew and Esther Schaeffer are on a one-year home assignment, living in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.
August 4, 2009
By David Thompson, MD
Serving in Gabon
David Thompson is a missionary surgeon who has served at Bongolo Hospital for more than 31 years; his wife, Becki, an RN, directs the nursing school. Here is his report about the fire that erupted Saturday night, August 1, at the hospital’s warehouse.
At 7:30 tonight I got a frantic call from one of our nurses with the alarming news that our hospital warehouse was on fire. Becki called around the station for others to come while I raced to the hospital.
Lights, Action
When I arrived, about 200 people (mostly the local youth group, which was meeting in the church next door) were screaming and running around, trying to get into the locked building to put [the fire] out. I could see the glow of flames through the windows. Since it was dark, I parked my car with the headlights on the door.
I grabbed the fire extinguisher from my car and ran to the steel door with my keys. When I cautiously opened the door, I could see flames reaching to the ceiling from behind a six-foot high stack of boxes-our most recent medicine order. The ceiling was already on fire, along with about 10 boxes; at the center was a refrigerator that was burning like a torch. I sprayed it with my car extinguisher, but it ran out after about 10 seconds.
Pandemonium and Prayers
About 10 young men from the youth group and hospital crowded in, and I shouted for some to bring buckets of water and the others to form a chain to drag our medicines out.
In seconds, we had boxes flying out the door and buckets of water flying in-half the time colliding! What pandemonium! Above it all I could hear women singing praises and prayers to God!
I was soon elbowed aside by younger firefighters who threw the buckets of water on the fridge and through the burned out ceiling and up onto the burning rafters. Keir Thelander arrived and took charge of that effort, so I worked on getting most of the boxes around the fire out of the building.
Then I went outside and discovered the fire was spreading to the waiting area roof of our new lab, which is right next door. I got some good throwers working on that one, and in a few minutes we doused it. The water coming out of the hospital faucets seemed like a trickle, but after 30 minutes or so, Keir and his team gradually got the fire inside under control.
Losses
We may have lost 10 to 20 boxes of medicines and supplies and a refrigerator full of we’re not sure what. The roof has a huge hole in it, and there is extensive damage to the ceiling and rafters for about one-third of the building. But we could have lost the entire building, with over $200,000 of medicines and supplies in storage!
Praises
We praise God that the youth group was there and that so many volunteers rushed to help. And nobody was burned or hurt.
Praise God with us for protecting these precious medicines and supplies and helping us to get them out. Please pray with us that God will help us replace what we lost and repair our warehouse.
How You Can Help
Donate now to help replace the losses and repair the damages sustained in Bongolo Hospital’s warehouse fire.
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