March 8, 2010
Twelve ministry teams, comprised of 95 Dakar Academy students and 38 adults, traveled to Senegal’s Tataguine region Feb. 26-28. Dr. David Hayward and his wife, Barbara, accompanied the Dakar Academy group to oversee the dental ministry team. The following adapted excerpt from Dakar Academy staff workers, Evan and Jewel Evans, recounts the weekend’s highlights.
We have never felt the effects of prayer support as strongly as we felt them this weekend! Never has an outreach weekend run so smoothly with so few logistical difficulties. Each ministry/work team accomplished its task, and the response to the gospel was the greatest we’ve ever seen!
100-Degree Days
A strong sense of unity prevailed within the Dakar Academy community and among our Senegalese brothers and sisters. Students eagerly worked in the hot sun during 100-degree days and ministered in evangelism campaigns that lasted until midnight. Many Senegalese commented on how impressed they were by the students’ desire to serve and spoke highly of their compassionate hearts.
Top 10 Outreach Highlights
More than 2,000 people heard the good news- 300 prayed for salvation
- 440 received medical treatment
- 65 patients had 92 teeth pulled, collectively
- Ten villages were ministered to by our drama team
- Our VBS team preached the gospel to more than 500 children
- One church was roofed
- A foundation was dug and cement poured for one church
- A church mural was painted
- 18 church benches were built, and 490 bricks were handmade
We praise God for His protection-in light of all the projects that took place as well as our convoy of 15 vehicles that travelled more than 5,000 kilometers (3,100-plus miles). After such an exhausting weekend, would you believe that all 95 high school students showed up for school on Monday? What awesome kids!
Please pray for everyone who heard the gospel message this weekend and for the Senegalese believers who live in Tataguine to continue in effective ministry.
Learn More
Check out our work in Senegal.
Read “A Mosaic Mended” to learn about historic “Bridge Senegal 2009,” in the February 2010 issue of Alliance Life magazine.
Read about a Dakar Academy outreach that took place last February.
February 19, 2010
By Jay and Beverly Bellamy
Jay and Beverly Bellamy teach at Christian Alliance Bible Institute (Institute Biblique de l’Alliance Chrétienne), located in Pointe-Noire, Republic of the Congo. The following is an adapted excerpt from the Bellamy’s February prayer update.
This past month we saw God at work in wonderful ways.
Immediately after we received reports of the earthquake in Haiti, our Alliance-supported Christian radio station in Pointe-Noire, Radio Sangu ya Mbote (”Radio Good News”), announced a prayer gathering for Christians to pray for Haiti. There was a tremendous response. Many came to plead for God’s mercy and help for a people whom they had never met.
The Poor Give out of their Need
We were touched to see how Pointe-Noire’s Christian musicians were moved to put on a concert-again, in conjunction with our radio station-to raise money to send help to the people of Haiti.
About $5,000 was raised at the concert, Sunday night, February 7. Several Pointe-Noire businesses donated to the cause; but about half of the amount was given by those who typically live on about $2 a day, wondering where their meals will come from and how they can provide for their own families.
To really understand the poverty here, you have to understand that the infrastructure is poor-even those with salaries spend a lot to buy clean water and treat health problems resulting from poor sanitation. Much of the time, most of Pointe-Noire’s population also lives without electricity, which complicates everything from lighting and fans to refrigeration and recharging cell phones.
It is amazing to us that people here were able to look past their own problems and reach out to others.
More Donations
Nicaise, the radio station director, is visiting other business owners in Pointe-Noire who have promised to add to the Haiti donations, so the final total could well be more than $5,000. Because of his good reputation, the government has also asked Nicaise to oversee the fund-raiser to ensure that the funds will all go to Haiti.
Pray that this project goes smoothly and that God will bring glory to Himself through this generous outpouring.
What You Can Do
- Give to Alliance Great Commission Ministries to ensure that dedicated workers like the Bellamy’s can remain on the field doing cutting-edge ministry.
- Staff workers and friends of Sangu ya Mbote Christian radio are seeking to raise some $9,000 to erect a new antenna tower that will enable the station to extend its vibrant ministry beyond Pointe-Noire into southern Republic of the Congo. You can make an online donation to this worthy project.
January 13, 2010
Inmates in a Cambodia prison learned the meaning of Christmas recently through an outreach led by Alliance international worker Joyce Johns and local church leaders. Joyce and her colleagues have been building relationships with the prisoners as well as the prison director during the past year, helping to renovate some bathrooms and a meeting hall that will be used for teaching literacy and basic health education. Joyce also partners with Prison Fellowship in making low-cost distributions such as toiletries, blankets, and food stuffs.
Along with the church leaders from Sen Monorom, Mondol Kiri, Joyce held a Christmas celebration with the 70 inmates. Besides providing a meal, Joyce and her team also distributed 12 Bibles. The men shared the Bibles and are eager for more. ”Several prisoners accepted Jesus that day,” says Joyce.
The ministry team had a meal with the prison director and continues to build bridges into this prison. Local believers plan to continue basic supply distribution each month. They also teach literacy classes each week in the prison. ”Building people up will provide them with a better chance of reintegration into life when they are released,” says Joyce’s coworker, David Strong. “Having Jesus in their hearts, whether in prison or after their release, will give them true freedom.”
“I was in prison and you came to visit me” (Matthew 25:36b).
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.
August 21, 2009
Whether taking out garbage, setting up tables, or moving equipment for church events, self-proclaimed surf bum and Alliance layperson Jim McCleary was always looking for ways to serve God at Deltona Alliance Church in Florida. But when he met an Alliance missionary to Indonesia, Jim learned that God’s call on his life was tailor made just for him.
“In 1996, George Hobbs (now retired) was speaking at our weeklong Missions Conference, and I was asked to pick him up at the airport,” Jim says. The two stopped at a restaurant on the way back to the church, and Jim asked George about the surfing in Indonesia. George’s answer ignited in Jim a passion for a unique ministry.
“Surfers are like Indonesians,” George told Jim. “They wear funny clothes, have crazy hair styles, and speak a language all their own. They may have strange customs, but the main thing about surfers and Indonesians is that they are both going to hell if they don’t know Jesus.”
The Challenge
“When I went to Indonesia,” George continued, “I had to dress and look like the Indonesians. I had to learn their language and their customs. Basically, I had to become one of them to gain their trust.
“But you see, Jim, God created you to look like a surfer, talk like a surfer, dress like a surfer, and actually go out and ride the waves. No surfers are going to listen to me, but God can use you to get through to them. Why don’t you take a few kids to the beach, teach them how to surf, and share God’s Word with them. Do you think you could do that?”
Crosswaves
Jim’s first ministry outing a couple months later involved a few boys. “I taught them to surf and told them about Jesus walking on water,” says Jim. “And Crosswaves was born.”
Crosswaves is a Christian surfing ministry designed for all family members. Crosswaves leaders are believers, using the gifts God equipped them with to reach out and serve those in their local communities. Outreaches include beach activities and Bible studies, as well as supporting other ministries in their efforts, including those outside the United States. Crosswaves seeks to create an environment in which everyone will feel welcome and where the love of Jesus will be revealed.
Phil Risoldi and his family experienced the Crosswaves welcome firsthand. “My two sons and I met Jim at a Christian skateboarding event,” says Phil. “He had a tent there, representing his surfing ministry.” The meeting came just five days after the third surgery on Phil’s right arm, which was left completely disabled. “The doctors said I would never use my arm again.”
But Phil sensed God’s call to join Jim in ministry. “Crosswaves has fortified our family’s faith,” he says. “I thought, I can teach those kids to surf.” Though one arm is disabled, Phil ventures out on his surfboard to give surfing lessons, and “God enables me to stay in the water all day.”
Crosswaves outreach events—including surf lessons, lunch, and drinks for the day—are free. “All you have to do is listen to Jim talk about Jesus,” Phil says. “It is such a dynamic ministry; if you weren’t a Christian when you got there, you will be when you leave.” Currently, 1,250 workers facilitate Crosswaves chapters in three Florida cities as well as in Puerto Rico and Nicaragua.”We’re looking forward to the next town where God will start another Crosswaves chapter,” Jim says. “Is God calling you? Pray about it, let us know, and we will do anything we can to help you get started.”
A spinoff of Crosswaves is a youth basketball outreach called Crossover. Both Deltona Alliance Church ministries represent the heartbeat of The Alliance-mobilizing fully devoted disciples to reach lost people who matter to God. He wants them found, and Crosswaves is finding them on the beaches of Florida.
What You Can Do
Pray for safety and good health for Jim and his team as they ride the waves of the Atlantic Ocean.
Pray that God will prepare hearts to receive the truth.
Donate now to Alliance Great Commission Ministries.
Learn More
Visit www.crosswavesweb.com and www.deltonaalliancechurch.org
April 7, 2009
Editor’s note: The following testimony of healing comes from Dan Kidd, a member of Glenview Alliance Church in Glen Rock, Pennsylvania. Dan, 46, had a stroke five years ago that took away his speech function. But all that changed recently when God miraculously intervened with His divine touch.
Five years ago, I suffered a stroke and lost my ability to speak, forcing me to communicate with a dry-erase board. Sunday, March 29, marked almost five years of praying for God’s divine healing in my life. As the youth worship band sang “How Great is Our God,” I struggled to think through the words in my head. Suddenly, I felt a “presence” or wave flow through me. I starting mouthing the words, then verbalizing them, and sound was coming out of my mouth. The first words I audibly sang were “How Great is Our God.” I began crying and walked outside, knowing my speech was returning at that very moment.
Some family and friends followed me out and asked what was wrong. I told them on my dry erase board that something just happened during the service, and my speech was coming back. I asked them to sing something-I wanted to see if I could follow along. With each song they sang, my words became clearer. I knew at that moment God had healed me.
We went back inside the church, and during the closing song, I walked up to the front and asked the pastor if I could say something from the pulpit. I said, “Hi, this is Dan. I am back.” I shared with everyone what had just happened and thanked them for praying for me for so long. As I told them that this is truly a miracle, I held up my dry erase board and said, “One more thing.” Then I broke the board in half.
Since then, I have been to three doctors, including a neurosurgeon, all of whom said that my healing is a true miracle. They have never seen anything like this before.
Many times I cried to the Lord, vowing that if He ever returned my speech, I would tell everyone and give Him the glory. I thank all who prayed and never gave up on me, and I give praise to God for what He has done. How great is our God!
Read more stories of divine healing in the February 2009 issue of alife. Also, look for “God’s Healing Arsenal” by Paul King, to be published in the July issue of alife.
November 14, 2008
On November 14, 2008, Alliance Radio in Hong Kong, a ministry of The Alliance, celebrated its 30th anniversary. “Throughout all these years, our gospel radio has become a vital spiritual mentor for many followers [of Jesus], especially those in remote areas,” said Lillian Lau, executive director for Alliance Radio.
After China was closed to active Christian ministry, The Alliance began preparing gospel messages to be aired over the facilities of Far East Broadcasting Company (FEBC) in Manila. “These broadcasts started humbly, with a few hours of programming that have significantly increased in number of hours and variety of programs,” said Anthony Bollback, former C&MA missionary to Hong Kong. “As a result, those programs have enabled faithful pastors and Bible seminary students to be spiritual mentors to thousands upon thousands of new believers.”
“During the 1980s, our recording studio headed into its golden age,” said Lau. “More and more Chinese people were seeking truth, and gospel radio became their close friend.” Several preachers regularly recorded their sermons in the studio, including Rev. Phillip Teng. “I personally feel that gospel radio is our top priority in ministry,” said Teng. “Broadcasting is the best medium to preach to more than 1 billion nationals without time, space, or [personnel] restrictions. The relevance and effectiveness of gospel radio can be witnessed by all.”
October 22, 2008
by an Alliance missionary to West Africa
For many years I had a Fulani “grandma.” I called her Pati. If she and I had been the same age, we would have been best friends—she was that cool. Over the years I picked up bits and pieces of information, understanding that for some undisclosed reason, her family had abandoned her—her children, her husband, her sisters and brothers. In this culture, to abandon an elderly mother is unheard of.
As Pati began to lose her eyesight and was unable to care for herself, she was shuffled from one home to the next. During her last two years, she spent most of her days and nights reclining on a hard, wooden chair in the corner of her nephew’s front porch. All her worldly goods were either under her chair or in a little pile next to her “home.”
Sometimes when I went to visit, I couldn’t see Pati’s toenails or fingernails because the grunge was so thick. It made me want to cry. Her clothes smelled, and her hair was matted. I would bundle up her dirty clothes (there weren’t many), lead her to my car, and take her home with me. With the help of a friend, we would bathe her, wash and braid her hair, and do her nails while her clothes were being washed. At the end of the day I would return Pati to her chair on the front porch, where she would watch the dark shadows of children playing around her feet.
When total blindness set in and I would visit, I tried to sneak up on her if she was resting under the mango tree. I would tiptoe quietly and slowly sit down on the bench next to her. Within a couple seconds, Pati would get all excited, give a little jump, grab me and say, “Biddo an arii! Biddo an arii!” (My daughter has come! My daughter has come!) She said she could smell me!
It made me happy to give Pati so much joy because I knew she didn’t have much of that. As the months passed, she got weaker, and I kept waiting for someone to come and tell me that she was sick and asking for me. But no one did. Two days after Pati was buried, I heard from a passerby that my grandma had died. It hurt that they hadn’t told me that she was sick, so that I could go be with her. Years before, my daughter had said, “Mama, don’t let Grandma die without Jesus.” But Pati never seemed to understand when I told her that Jesus loved her.
It has been two years since Grandma died. The other day, Pati’s granddaughter, Iliasou, came to visit me. Although the family had abandoned Pati, Iliasou had taken care of Pati while she was dying. She was the one who closed Pati’s eyes. Before she died, Pati told Iliasou to find me after she was buried.
Iliasou came by to visit yesterday. And so we talked. We talked about Grandma, and we talked about Jesus. And Jesus has touched Iliasou’s heart somehow in these two years. She’s no longer the same hard woman she was before. She even has a glow about her face and a soft, sweet smile that she can’t seem to stop. During our time together, Iliasou told me about a conversation her uncle and older brother had this week. They were discussing the fact that Iliasou wasn’t practicing a local tradition. Her older brother was accusing her of following those “white Christians” like Rougi (that would be me) who only take people away from God. But Uncle chimed in and said, “Rougi isn’t a Christian. She follows God.”
In this culture, “Christian” is almost a dirty word. It is a major insult to call someone a Christian. So for Uncle to say, “Rougi is NOT a Christian—she’s a God follower” was the highest complement that he could have possibly paid me.
Let’s ALL be God followers.
Donate now to support the work of Alliance churches and missionaries around the world.
September 12, 2008
Since 1997, Alliance workers in Mongolia have ministered Christ’s love to hurting people through practical acts of compassion. Today, seven churches are flourishing in a land that had been untouched by the gospel for 700 years.
In July, 110 young people attended the first-ever CAMA (Compassion and Mercy Associates) Mongolia International Youth Camp. During the event, 10 participants made decisions to follow Jesus, and 90 youth committed to “running the race” for God’s glory. A seven-member Youth Council was selected from among the youth leaders for the purpose of encouraging and equipping youth leaders and planning future events for the CAMA churches in Mongolia.
As of this writing, Alliance missionary Bernie Anderson and his colleagues have been working to renovate a building to be used as a student ministry center in the heart of Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia’s capital. Dubbed the Grain of Wheat Student Center, its close proximity to several major universities will enable our workers to reach thousands of young people with the gospel.
“I cannot share all of the amazing things God is doing in these far corners of the earth,” said Alliance missionary Jeremy Fields. “There is purposeful excitement [among our team] for what we believe God can do in our communities this coming year.”
November 29, 2007
Christian and Missionary Alliance congregations around the United States are taking new approaches to ministry, moving beyond just talking about Christ’s love to actually showing it. Medford Neighborhood Church in Medford, Oregon; Crossroads Church in Perry, Iowa; New Beginnings Christian Fellowship in Maywood, Illinois; and Acts 29 Fellowship in Hamtramck, Michigan, are causing their communities to take notice.
Medford Neighborhood Church hosted a “Meet and Greet Your Public Servants” night, featuring a free barbeque dinner. Pastor Lee Gregory described the event as a way of saying thank you to those who provide public services to the community. The mayor, city manager, sheriffs’ deputies, and city council members attended, along with police, search and rescue personnel, and firefighters. Police Chief Randy Schoen told one local TV news reporter, “This type of event builds community. It makes [our city] a better, safer, and more fun place to live, so I encourage [these kinds of gatherings].”
Crossroads Church Pastor Rick Gates shampooed carpets at a local school. Other church members cleaned windshields at a grocery store and distributed complimentary water bottles at community functions. Since these outreaches began, many civic groups and individuals have solicited the church’s help.
At New Beginnings, Pastor David Torres met with the mayor of Maywood and several other public officials from nearby Chicago suburbs to discuss how the church can best serve the community. Of the 80 churches in the city, the mayor told Torres that none has ever offered its services. “He was excited about working with our church and agreed to shut down the church’s street for a day to hold a back-to-school festival,” says Torres.
Acts 29’s outreach to Hamtramck, a suburb of Detroit, involves numerous programs. From hosting summer camps for inner-city kids, restoring dilapidated houses, teaching English to Middle Eastern immigrants, and offering after-school homework classes, the church has earned the respect of residents and community leaders alike.
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