October 16, 2009
By Ken and Kathy Young, serving in Japan
Editor’s Note: Ken and Kathy Young are reaching out to ordinary people in the Hiroshima region of Japan through Hope House, a holistic ministry geared toward helping families of patients in the medical center, as well as Bible studies. The following is an adaptation of a recent update from the Youngs.
Sometimes we feel like we are living in someone else’s missionary story. Events brought on by God’s leading stun us.
Recently, we led a Bible study in the farming village of Daiwa Cho, a 40-minute drive from home up mountain roads and through valleys tiered on both sides with rice fields and pine- and bamboo-covered peaks. The drive is breathtaking, but the evangelistic Bible study is awesome.
The study meets in the home of a Christian family. About a third of those who attend are Christians. The other two thirds are not just non-Christians; until now, these Buddhists and Shintoists had never heard the gospel. Many are influential farmers in their 80s.
During the first two sessions, 12 people attended; 16 came yesterday. People bring other friends each time. In fact, we were told afterward that one of the non-Christian women publicly announced the Bible study and invited people to come during the area’s gathering for Buddhists.
Ready for Good News
Explaining the gospel to regular folks who had never heard anything about Jesus before is not just a privilege but also a thrill. For example, yesterday we read Mark 2:1-12, the story of Jesus healing the paralyzed man who was carried by four men and then lowered through the roof in front of Jesus. We emphasized what Mark recorded: Jesus has authority to heal, but more than that, He has authority to forgive sins.
In the Japanese Bible, the first page of the account ends with Jesus saying to the paralyzed man, “Get up, take your mat and go home.” I read that out loud and then asked, “So, what happened?” As everyone turned the page, I heard some of the people gasp. Then, a couple of them, filled with wonder, quietly said the next words: “He got up.”
Friends, this is fun! How privileged we are to be telling the good news of Jesus to people who really have not heard and are completely open. And, the fun increases. Maybe we are at the starting point of a movement of people to Christ in an area where, up until now, only the worship of spirits prevailed.
Please continue to pray for all of us missionaries in Japan. We work in the country. Others on our team work in mammoth cities. But all of us are taking the good news of Jesus to people who are part of the largest Unreached People Group in the world. We are witnessing for Christ to people who have never heard and likely will never hear unless we tell them.
Thank you for praying. Thank you for giving. Keep up your good work. We all will continue to do ours.
Learn More
Check out our Alliance work in Japan.
What You Can Do
Help keep Alliance workers like Ken and Kathy Young on the field. Donate now to Alliance Great Commission Ministries.
October 13, 2009
The following report comes from a field worker on the ground in Indonesia. It was originally dated October 6, 2009.
Pariaman and Sicincin are two communities that were hit hard. Almost every house either heavily damaged or completely destroyed. The communities are primarily family based with about 30 heads of families in a area. No power or public water source. Well water is fine. While some wells sustained damage or were filled with falling debris, most are functioning.
Death count is still not dependable. Govt is saying 550, however two major landslides may have claimed hundreds of victims. Also victims from the Chinese community are being buried without any report to the government.
The government is saying that over 30,000 homes have heavy damage, most cannot be repaired. We have decided to purchase and put together tool packets so that people can salvage usable materials from their houses. Tool packet contents are as follows: hammer, shovel, saw, file to sharpen saw, hoe, mallet, 3 kilos assorted nails, crowbar, pliers and two pair gloves. Initial purchase is 50 packets which we’ll distribute Tuesday afternoon. If this is received well by the community, we anticipate a purchase of 200 more tool packets.
We anticipate the arrival of a number of national workers that will help with cleaning of destruction debris and tool packet distribution. Adequate housing in the city of Padang has been secured. For the village area we’ve purchased tents and a small gen-set.
September 24, 2009
By Betsy Blanchard, serving in Granada, Spain
The following is an adaptation of Betsy Blanchard’s recent update about the Cinderella’s House ministry, her God-given vision to address the overwhelming needs of Spain’s sex-traffic victims.
An estimated 350,000 women in Spain are hidden behind the doors of more than 2,000 legal brothels called “Alternative Clubs.” Mostly illegal immigrants, these women are enslaved to satisfy the appetites of an estimated 40 percent of Spain’s male population who seek their services regularly.
Prayer!
I have been doing intensive research and strategic planning to best meet the needs of these women in crisis. God has given me many important insights. What has been overwhelmingly clear is that when God calls one to this ministry:
- He opens doors that no man can close
- It’s slow and hard work; and
- In order to succeed PRAYER, PRAYER, PRAYER is needed.
If you embark in this type of ministry, make sure you have many praying people supporting you in this spiritual battle! This is the only way forward, for it is only Christ who can break the bondage and bring new life among those ensnared in the sordid sex-trafficking business.
As I continue to learn about the horrors of sexual exploitation and the situation in Spain, God has reminded me as well of two things I’d like to share with you.
Our Biblical Heritage
In the late 1800s, Alliance founder Dr. A. B. Simpson was moved by the unmet needs of the marginalized. Leaving a lucrative pastorate in a well known church, he established the Gospel Tabernacle in New York City. God led the church to embark on new approaches for that day to reach the lost, including a number of street prostitutes. Many of these destitute women found new life and hope in Jesus as a result.
My prayer is that Cinderella’s House will follow not only this heritage, but the mandate of our Savior, who also loved and cared for prostitutes!
Divine Healing for the Whole Person:
Dr. Simpson also believed whole-heartedly in Jesus as our Divine Healer; this, too, is part of our Alliance heritage. Women caught in prostitution and sex trafficking-the overwhelming majority of whom have suffered physical, emotional, and especially childhood sexual abuse-desperately need Jesus’ healing touch.
Lied to from their earliest memories, many of these women have distorted thinking that has trapped them in a cycle of hopelessness and vulnerability hard to understand and harder still to break. Since their life experiences define “love” in destructive ways, the “Good News” is a concept almost beyond their comprehension. A lasting demonstration of God’s love through a deep, divine touch from the Holy Spirit to open the eyes of their hearts and to heal the most damaged places in their lives is desperately needed.
Prayer and Fasting
In order to break such bondage our Heavenly Father calls us to fast, “to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness,” (Isaiah 42:7).
The 4th Annual International Weekend of Prayer and Fasting for the Victims of Sex Trafficking is September 25-27. Will you join me and believers worldwide to fast and pray for at least one meal that weekend on behalf of the victims of today’s slave trade-sex trafficking? If you are led to do so, please pray for
- God’s leading in the building of the Cinderella’s House ministry, and
- Freedom through Christ amongst the 350,000 women caught in sex trafficking in Spain.
Your faithful giving to Alliance Great Commission Ministries allows me the privilege and joy to serve in Spain, as we “Live the Call Together!”
You can also donate online to the Cinderella’s House project to help make this vital ministry a reality!
Learn More
Read another article about the Cinderella’s House ministry.
For additional suggestions on how to pray Sept. 25-27, check out the Salvation Army Web site
Please note that by clicking this link you will be leaving The Alliance website.
September 15, 2009
By Dan and Melody Taube, serving in Argentina
Editor’s note: In their ministry through the Buenos Aries Professional Project (BAPP), Dan and Melody Taube are building relationships in hopes of introducing professionals to Jesus. The following is an excerpt from one of the Taubes’ prayer letters.
”Lord, teach us to pray.” That was a request of Jesus’ followers on one occasion (Luke 11:1). Some of you will remember what it was like learning to pray. I (Dan) don’t. Since prayer was a part of the home in which I grew up, I learned how to do it just as I did many other things like brushing my teeth after eating. I don’t remember “learning” either activity. It is just something I’ve always done.
An Awkward Beginning
I do remember learning to pray in Spanish. At first, I didn’t know the vocabulary. I didn’t know the grammar. I didn’t know how to form questions or how to express deep feelings and desires. I didn’t even know what form of the personal pronoun “you” to use when addressing God. It all seemed so foreign to me. When I prayed in Spanish, God felt so far away—I couldn’t communicate my heart to him. Can you imagine living without praying?
Recently, Melody and I have had two people cross our path who find prayer to be “foreign” to them. It’s awkward. It is something they have never done before. They have to be taught. They don’t know the terminology. They don’t know the grammar, and most of all they don’t know the God to whom we pray!
God at Work
Ricardo* stayed after our Sunday night Bible study to talk about spiritual matters. God is at work in Ricardo’s life. He stated in a matter of fact way that six months ago he wouldn’t have been willing to even participate in such a conversation. In the course of our discussion I asked him, “Have you ever prayed?”
His response left me cold. “I don’t remember ever praying.”
I probed a bit further. “You mean that in a moment when you were afraid or when you found yourself in a difficult situation, you never whispered a prayer to the God who might be there?”
“Yes, that’s right,” he confirmed.
Pray First, Pray Always
Recently, a woman we know telephoned Melody, barely pausing to catch her breath as she unburdened her heavy heart. Melody let Maria* know that she could call anytime and share her concerns and that, more importantly, she could share her burdens with Jesus at any time in prayer (Matthew 11:28-31).
“Now how do I do that?” Maria asked. Melody explained that all she had to do was “talk” to God. Her next question was, “And what should I call Him?”
It is so easy for those of us who grew up praying or who have been praying for many years to take it for granted-so much so, we don’t do it enough. Perhaps some of you feel like you wish you could do more than pray for people like Ricardo and Maria. The fact is, there is NOTHING you can do that is more important!
*Names have been changed.
Learn More
Check out our Alliance work in Argentina.
What You Can Do
Pray that those with whom Dan and Melody are building relationships will be drawn to Jesus and receive Him as Savior.
Donate now to Alliance Great Commission Ministries to ensure that our worldwide team of workers, including Dan and Melody, can continue to faithfully serve.
September 8, 2009
By Donnie Mason, serving in Russia
Excerpts here from Blythe and Donnie Mason’s September 2009 prayer letter describe frustrating cultural challenges similar to what many Alliance overseas workers daily face. However, the Masons report, ministry partners who “pray that we’ll stay inspired and focused and close to our God” are key to sustained, loving service among the lost.
For anyone who knows us well, what I’m about to say will not come as a shock. For others of you, it may be surprising. Here it is: Missionaries are imperfect people with normal weaknesses, frustrations, and failures.
Before I became a missionary, I think I really believed that somehow there was something inherently different about missionaries that made them never yell at their spouses, never worry over trivial matters, never resent the inconveniences of life, never get disappointed with God. Well, I was wrong.
Everyday Struggles
Missionaries struggle with the same big and little shortcomings you have. In fact, some days we may struggle more.
We deal with life frustrations accentuated by being in a different culture and language context. Additionally, missionaries live in cultures where individual rights are not catered to or protected like they are in the United States. Basic services/conveniences we take for granted in the U.S. are inefficient or non-existent, which ups the stress level.
This past week was “one of those weeks” for us. A simple fender bender (not our fault) led to literally days of running around the city to maneuver our way through a confusing insurance system. A mistake made by a drugstore employee (who then refused to correct it) left us out $100. A run-in with local traffic police left us feeling violated and controlled.
Daily Ministry Choices
In each situation, we are faced with choices:
- Judge and resent this culture, or recognize it as sinful and fallen, just like every other, but has points of beauty there for those who choose to see them
- Respond to unfair treatment with resentment and anger, or return it with kindness and mercy
- Cultivate a negative attitude toward Russians, or gain empathy for the things Russians have to deal with daily
- End the day feeling beaten down and discouraged, or allow God to fill us with renewed strength and inspiration
- Long for the good ‘ole familiar U.S., or embrace even more strongly the calling God has given us to reach the lost.
I would LOVE to say that we always choose the second options, but it’s just not true. Because, remember, we’re imperfect people. We’re not super-Christians!
Secret to Faithful Service
But there is something that makes us different. It’s you! It’s the fact that we, unlike many Christians in the United States and across the world, have a large group of people praying regularly for us, praying that we’ll choose those second options, praying that we won’t lose heart, praying that we’ll stay inspired and focused and close to our God.
You and your prayers help to keep us faithful in serving Russia with love! (By the way, even if you’re not in full-time ministry, there’s no reason why you can’t raise up your own group of prayer supporters!) Thank you for your part in our ministry-keep it coming!
Learn More
Learn more about why prayer is central to The Alliance in all we do.
Watch a video of Blythe Mason describing what it means to be The Alliance in her community. (Produced in 2006)
August 26, 2009
By Bruce and Stephanie Beers, serving in Ecuador
We have experienced God’s faithfulness in many ways in our lifetime, and recently we had the opportunity to look back at His faithfulness in the country of Ecuador. We had the privilege of being part of a “thanksgiving service,” initiated by the national church, as the mission officially “passed the torch” to our national brethren. It was gratifying to see many of our seminary students, now in full-time ministry, and listen to testimonies of God’s steadfast love throughout the years.
A Fruitful Harvest
The Alliance entered Ecuador in 1897. Over the past 112 years, His faithfulness has been amazing. Thousands of people have come to the Lord, and 300 Alliance churches have been established throughout the country. Those of us on the platform that night felt humbled and unworthy to be standing there. The real heroes were the first missionaries who came in those early years, suffered persecution, or laid down their lives for the sake of the gospel. We have been reaping what they sowed.
Fishers of Men
Last month we spent most of the day in a boat with a group of friends, some of whom would never walk through a church door. We visited an island in the Gulf of Guayaquil, and I was reminded of a fishing analogy. A fisherman once told us that they always have to wash their nets really well after they haul in a catch; if they don’t, the fish can smell “death” in the net and will swim away as fast as they can.
Sometimes I think that if we use the same old methods while “fishing for men,” the people can smell us a mile away and will run for the hills. The Lord has been challenging us to use creative means to reach others who really have no plans for being “caught.”
We are aware that over the years, not only has God been faithful, but all of you also have been faithful in praying for us, and we are so thankful for that. Please keep up the great work! We wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for your prayers and giving to Alliance Great Commission Ministries. Many people have met the Great Fisherman and lives have been transformed as a result of your sacrifice.
We will finish out our four-year term next year and expect to be reassigned to another Latin American country after home assignment. We can transition from there, knowing that God’s faithfulness will continue, that He will continue to build His Church, and that the gates of hell will not prevail against it.
Thanks again for being our fishing buddies.
Learn More
Check out Alliance work in Ecuador.
What You Can Do
- Praise God for His faithfulness to Alliance missionaries and their national colleagues in Ecuador.
- Rejoice with them for a strong national church that is fully committed to completing the Great Commission.
- Pray for God’s continued blessing on the Ecuador national church.
Donate now to Alliance Great Commission Ministries.
August 20, 2009
By Sarah Rowley, serving in Russia
Missions experts claim 84 percent of those who accept Christ do so between the ages of four and 14, making this group one of the world’s most strategic mission fields. Sarah understands God’s love for children and the urgency of reaching them with the gospel, as evidenced in this adaptation of her recent prayer letter.
As God promises in Jeremiah 29:11-12, He has a plan and it is for our good.
While preparing for youth camp in June, I was told the children from the orphanage in Nizhniy Novgorod would not be allowed to attend. Discouraged, but still trusting, our team stepped out in faith and held camp for only 11 kids.
No Joke!
Camp with just 11 children might sound a bit like a joke. In retrospect, it was great for our church. We have never held a camp before, and most of our workers had never been to a Christian camp. It became a year of learning for the adults as much as for the children.
As I have already stated, we were blessed with 11 children, six of whom attend church regularly, two who have attended a few times, and three who had never been to church and had never even heard of the Name of Jesus. These youth spent a week learning about and experiencing God’s love for them.
Campers’ Needs
Brahim,* 12, is out of control at home. He is already smoking and drinking. Although I was concerned when he was put in my group, I quickly found a great kid who just needs love and attention.
Galena* and Lena,* also 12, arrived at camp not knowing anything about God. They come from alcoholic homes, and you could see them relaxing more each day, realizing nothing bad was going to happen.
On the day we talked about sin and its consequences, I took them aside to see if they understood. When I realized they didn’t, I sat down and talked with them about sin and forgiveness. It was the first time I had really shared so deeply in Russian-I was sharing the gospel with two girls who had a foundation of zero.
The final day of camp, two girls, Natasha and Inneta, prayed to receive Christ! They both attend our church regularly and come from great Christian homes, but that does not lessen my joy. I believe too often we take the salvation of children in our churches for granted.
Children’s Ministry Plans
School begins September 1. So, the first Saturday in September we have scheduled a camp reunion-a party. We really want to encourage Akmal, Katya, and Anya to join us. They are each 12 years old, and last year that was the cut-off for our Kidz Club. We are making changes so they can join us; they want to, but their parents need to give approval.
We haven’t seen the children from the orphanage for two months. The last half of July and all of August they were at a state camp for orphans. This does not mean our ministry to them has ended. We just received a phone call from the orphanage director asking for help.
In years past, the Russian government provided orphans with basic school supplies. Due to the financial crisis this year, they are unable to help at all. So Anya and I get to go on a huge shopping spree for the kids tomorrow. I’m sure we’ll have fun.
God is at work in Nizhniy Novgorod, and you are a part of it. Thank you for your prayers and your support of the Great Commission Fund. Without you I could not be here.
* Names have been changed.
What You Can Do
Praise God! “Kids camp was great,” says Sarah, “and Natasha and Inneta prayed to receive Christ.” Pray that the three youth at summer camp who just learned about Christ will be allowed to attend Kidz Club this fall to learn more about Him.
Learn more
Read “A Crack in the Door,” an article in the March 2009 issue of alife about another successful summer youth camp in Russia.
Familiarize yourself with important Alliance youth ministry resources.
Check out our Russia team’s Web page.
View several videos about The Alliance in Russia.
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 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.
July 22, 2009
By JJ Spurling
Editor’s Note: The following is an adaptation of a recent prayer letter by JJ Spurling, who serves with The Alliance in Paraguay.
A friend and I were talking, and he told me he was struggling again with “holy jealousy” (envidia santa). When you hear something new in a new language, it takes some time to process what has been said. While he continued to explain his struggle, I was thinking: “‘Envidia’ means jealousy, and ’santa’ means holy. I must not have heard him correctly because these two things do not go together.”
“Excuse me,” I said, “but did you say ‘envidia santa’?”
“Yes,” he replied.
“You will have to explain this one to me because this is the first time I’m hearing of it.”
My friend told me that holy jealousy is a term that he believes to be popular throughout Latin America and is not unlike a white lie. “Many people believe that white lies are acceptable, even though you and I know that they are not,” he explained. And apparently, “holy jealousy” is viewed similarly. He continued by relating an example:
“Let’s say that someone has a spiritual gifting that I desire, such as the ability to lead worship. When I question the Lord as to why I don’t have that gift and even resent my sister because she has it and I don’t, this is holy jealousy.”
The struggle my friend is having reminded me of a conversation that I had in our youth group one evening when discussing Romans 12. In verse 15, Paul writes the following: “Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.” The group told me that it is easy to mourn with those who mourn, but it is difficult to rejoice with those who are rejoicing. Because this perspective is the opposite of my experience, I asked them to explain.
One of the young people shared an example of a friend receiving a new bicycle. Although the friend is rejoicing because of his great fortune, it would be difficult for the young person to rejoice because he does not have a bicycle.
This discussion has provoked a lot of thought over the past several months. Why can I rejoice so easily over the good fortune of others? And why is it not as natural for me to mourn with others?
I believe that I rejoice over the successes and blessings of others because my cultural context has programmed me to believe that I, too, can be successful and blessed if I work hard for it. For example, my boss here in Paraguay is receiving a new Mac laptop today, and I am genuinely excited for him. I want one too, but I’m not jealous. To be completely honest, in the back of my mind I’m thinking, “I’m going to get me one of those when I get back to the States.”
The Paraguayan does not have the same opportunity. I have learned that the blessings we have in the States are not the reality everywhere. There is not always a reward for hard work. At the end of a hard day’s work, it is possible (I almost want to say probable for those of a lower economic station) that you will not receive the reward that is due and oftentimes promised. Would I struggle with jealousy if I grew up in a culture like that?
The Paraguayan has been formed in a culture of hard knocks. Most have experienced great disappointments. And I believe that because of this, they are a compassionate and empathetic culture. They don’t find it hard to mourn with others. I will mourn with others, but it is definitely more uncomfortable than rejoicing.
Which culture is better?
It’s not a question of either/or-it’s both/and. What can I take away from my Paraguayan experience? What can I learn, and how can I grow? I hope that part of it is a greater compassion and sensitivity for those around me. Hopefully, one thing I will have instilled in the Paraguayans is a joy for the successes of their brothers and sisters in Christ, because God is the giver of all that is good.
The Holy Spirit is using my cross-cultural experience to further form me. My prayer is that I will rejoice because God is the source of all that is good in my life and I will mourn because He has given me His perfect love. My contentment or sorrow is not dependent upon how hard I can work or how much I’ve been disappointed in the past. I am now programmed by a new culture: Kingdom culture.
I prayed with my friend about his struggle and explained the interdependent plan that God has for the church-how the gifting of every believer will help us accomplish the good works that the Lord has given us as a unified whole.
Learn More
Check out our Alliance work in Paraguay.
What You Can Do
Join JJ Spurling in praising God as the source of all goodness. Pray that Alliance missionaries in Paraguay and around the world will convey Christ’s love and compassion for those who mourn.
Donate now to Alliance Great Commission Ministries to support God’s work around the world.
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