Metropolitan Missionaries

1) June 28th our Summer Leadership Training Institute begins!
* It looks like we will have the equivalent of 17 students with possible 12 children for the entire Institute . There are 6 only coming for the first 7 weeks and 5 coming only of the last 5 week (as they finished the first 7 weeks last year). Pray for their preparations to come/ and that God provide enough volunteers for the child care. (with 12 children from 4 nations: Belarus (do speak English), Finland, Belgium - but speak Hungarian/ German, Cyprus)
*Martha is revising the student notes for her classes on Visual Aids. Pray that this project get done on time. Pray that she also be able to finish the administrative work that needs to be done before Institute.
2) Monday, May 26th Martha will have minor surgery to remove the metal plate in her left arm. Pray for a quick recovery.
3) June 18-20 The Kilchzimmer staff will have a Retreat together for spiritual emphasis - pray that God speak to our hearts and draw us together as a team.
4) In May we had a very successful pilot training for teachers of Preschool children. Pray that as
those trained take this teaching out to others - they will give us feedback to help us see where further adaptations need to be made. Then the notes will be provided to all the countries of Europe for translation. A very capable writer, Jennifer, will be revision the texts for the USA preschool materials to be used in Europe. I am a part of a special literature checking committee; to go over what she writes and make sure it agrees with the principles we are teaching in the course. THIS IS EXCITING! and can open many doors for CEF as there has been many requests for help in reaching the preschool child in Europe.

Dear MBC family,

Please pray for us – a small team – planning to leave May 30 – June 3 for Nicaragua to pass out shoeboxes and enroll children in The Mailbox Club. Yes, Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes are passed out most every month of the year! We are so glad Tarpley McColl is on the team. Pray that this will be a great and life-changing experience for him as this is his first mission trip!

Have a great Memorial day!

John Mark Eager

Health matters.
Norma has Alzheimer’s Disease. She is  experience massive loss of short term memory. We are having quite good times these days, God is giving is grace to preclude worry and fear. In addition, she has high blood pressure until we changed medicines and now she has low blood pressure. Today she was so weak and tired and out of breath that she couldn’t do anything. We (really I) considered a visit to the ER, but did not do it.
Pray for a healing, a cure, or for me to last long enough to meet her physical needs.

JIM has Parkinson’s Disease. If you have read on this, you will know that PD does not shorten your life. The main symptom is tremor. I do not have have tremor but do have tiny hand writing that is illegible. I also have swallowing difficulty. I have had voice therapy and it restored my strong voice. I have recently had three surgical bouts for five Basal  Cell Carcinoma. I have considered getting a ultra light and thin computer that I have always have with me to make notes of all meetings and calls. I have a good friend who enjoys providing equipment for missionaries. I am praying whether to approach him on this matter or not.

Ministry
I have four responsibilities:
1. Team Leader of the DFW Metro ministry team. One of our staff is outstandingly fruitful and to meet with him every two weeks and more frequently by phone for equipping and training is a great privilege.
2. Team Leader of the South Central Region. WE are providing influence, awareness, and leadership for the 202 staff in this area. Pray that each of us on the Leadership team (7 staff) will be creative in learning how to lead without authority. The is a wonderful team of men and woman.
3. Local ministry mainly to business people. Making disciples who will in turn pour out their lives for the next generation. I  am just starting a small group using materials developed by Virgil Coffee. Pray that I can get squarely in their concerns and meet those needs as a representative of God.
4 Fund Raising. We now have deficit of S2,900 , and a monthly shortfall of $1900. Right now, I am contacting ones I know and making this need known. AND the summer slump is on its way. August is generally my lowest month.

Another ministry that demands my first class attention is the various matters associated with Norma. Arranging medicine, interpreting symptoms, Taking her to doctor’s appointments, taking notes on her phone calls and other matters related to her treatment. This takes first priority since I am currently the only one who can be her primary caregiver.

Thank you for being rope-holders, Held up by God,
Jim and Norma

But the wisdom that comes from heaven is
first of all pure and full of quiet gentleness.
Then it is peace-loving and courteous.
It  allows discussion and is willing to yield to others;
It is full of mercy and good deeds.
It is wholehearted and straightforward and sincere. James 3:17 LB

Jim Kennedy

Please begin to pray (if you aren’t already!) for the Kids Across America Kamp which will be 6/1-6/8.
We are requesting prayer for our Kaleos: Katie Mickle, Curtis Reddick, Will Lightfoot, Marcus Smith, Diana Pierce, & myself.

Our responsibilities include training and being encouraged for working with inner city youth, being available to the counselors if they need any information concerning the campers, providing devotion and encouragement to the kids during the Harrumbe times.

Praise God, all the funds were raised to send 39 kids to Kamp.
Thanks,
Helen

Piasek, May 19, 2008

Dear Friends,

Greetings from Poland.

In our previous letter we asked you: Pray for our daughter Dorota as she will become a mother soon! We are happy to announce that today God gave Konrad and Dorota a wonderful daughter named Natalia Sara. She is 54 cm long and her weight is 3.350 G. Pray for the happy parents and for us happy grandparents as we dedicate the new baby to the Lord.

During the last few weeks (since our last letter from March 26) I had a great joy of proclaiming the precious Word of God in Europe, Central Asia and America.

Europe

Poland. I preached during the wedding of Michal and Ewelina in Piasek and during the funeral of Tadeusz my oldest brother in Kolobrzeg. May I say thank you to all of you who have sent the words of sympathy for my family and me. I also preached in the churches in Piasek and Tychy and during funeral in Zywiec and the Gospel meeting in Oswiecim (Auschwitz).
Czech Republic. During the Easter time I preached during the Conference of Christian Assemblies in Trinec. More than 600 attended!
Germany. In Germany I have attended the meeting of the Advisory Group of Sebastian, who leads the CEF ministry in Central Europe. I preached in the church in Hutturm.

Central Asia

I have been teaching Galatians during the last week of the Leadership Training Institute took place in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. What a joy to see those believers ready to evangelize the new generation in their own countries in Central Asia and Caucasus. I also preached in churches and Bible College.

America

In USA I was privileged to share God’s Word with the CEF Regional Directors representing 158 countries of the world. I preached in the church in Waynesville. I was privileged to present our ministry of ‘Proclaiming the Word’ to more than 1.000 participants from 86 countries during the International CEF Conference. Our son Bogdan did seminars on MultiMedia in reaching the new generation.

Pray for my next trip to Kiev in the Ukraine this week (for Teachers Congress) and for our trip to Eger in Hungary for the European Leadership Forum next week.

In Him

Czeslaw and Helena Bassara

Dear,
Thank you too much for the support, we appreciate it too much. The basketball tournament is going well, we have a full opportunity to preach the Gospel to all of the top players, as for the last Saturday I preached in front of the four teams who were there, they are amazed of the truth of the Gospel and when I challenged them to make decision to repent from their sins and accept Jesus as their own Savior, 17 of them raised their hands and commit their life to Jesus. My goal is to make them disciples and train them to be mature Christian to lead others to Jesus. I continue to run the weekly practice with kids, on Wednesday pm and Saturday  from 7.00 to 9.00 am this month 7 kids commit their life to Jesus. My method is like this: I preach in mass then I ask kids if they have a questions from my preaching or teaching, I explain and challenge those who  come to me and pray with them. I also continue to preach Gospel to the poor people around us in Social Actions and train leaders from churches on Leadership and Discipleship. There are 8 families have been visited and led to Jesus, they are  families that we ministered during the hurricanes. I received three books, one Old Testament commentary, one New Testament Commentary and one Bible Dictionary from Gary Walvoord which are helpful to me for the preparation of Sermons and trainings even our couple Bible studies. We appreciate his gifts too much. I learn English in the Malagasy Army Base on Tuesday and Thursday am from 8.30 to 10.00 because I want to improve my English. It is the Network of the US Army and Embassy with the Malagasy Army. Thank you for praying for us and supporting us. Till now we see fruits of our ministries, Only to God is the Glory.

Please see in attached two photos: one of the Sports Outreach and one of the poor families evangelism.
God bless, these are our prayer requests:
Praise: for the fruits of the Sports Evangelism: basketball Tournament
for the Books OT, NT Commentary and Bible Dictionary
for the good health God gives us to serve Him
for the support: prayer and financial
Pray for: the Sport Outreach so that people come more to assist the game and so that the Lord touch the heart of the rest of the top players who are not commit their heart to Jesus yet, we will have three Saturdays to reach them the May 24th, 31st and June 7th 2008.
pray for the Evangelism we are doing to the poor people so that we may have wisdom how to meet their needs so that the Gospel may be evident to them.
Pray for the studies in International Sports Leadership in South Africa so that I may be accepted.
Pray for our Goal to focus all our ministries in Ambohimangakely from next July above all the Sports Outreach.
Pray for the new box of books Gary Walvoord will send this week
NJaka

Dear Friends,

Urgent Prayer and supplies are needed in Myanmar. Here is the latest Myanmar story from Trans World Radio.

Dennis Ford
TWR ~ Retired

Ministry offers faith amidst misery in Myanmar
Myanmar (MNN) ― Myanmar’s government is accused of hoarding emergency cyclone relief, frustrating attempts to help survivors.
The supplies are beginning to bottleneck at the airports because the junta regime refuses to allow aid teams in to distribute them. Add to that a crumbling infrastructure, and every minute lost in getting food and shelter dispensed could be a life.
Trans World Radio’s David McCreary says that’s why their response is coming through radio. They’ve dedicated 30-minute broadcasts that will provide biblical counseling and care five days a week for the next year.
But with homes washed away and large tracts of land under water, nearly two million survivors are facing disease and starvation. So what good is radio when survival is minute to minute?
“They are suffering daily. Things like trying to find clean water, food, shelter, getting medical attention–these are all things that we are trying to address through our programs. [We can] tell them where they can go to get these needs [met]. People that have battery-powered or solar-powered radio become a vital link for these storm survivors.”
McCreary says the broadcast provides more than a map to physical help. The programming will be specifically designed to help restore the lives and spirits of Myanmar’s people. “Typically, they just try to cling to the hope that the Gospel can provide, so that’s what we’re doing: providing them hope through the Gospel broadcasts.”
TWR’s Andrew Sundar, ministry director for Southeast Asia, says, “Currently, we are broadcasting existing shortwave programs to Myanmar in both the Burmese and Sgaw Karen languages. But the new relief-focused broadcasts will be vital when it comes to addressing the victims’ ongoing needs.”
Please pray that God will provide the $58,000 in necessary funds to produce this special series of programs for the spiritually-needy residents of Myanmar.

Dear Metropolitan Baptist Church,

Greetings from Poland.

We thank God for you and for all that you do for the glory of the Lord. You are very dear to us.

Can we ask you to pray for Dorota our daughter who since last Wednesday expects a baby in hospital in Tychy. Please pray for the safe delivery of the baby which was due on May 7. God is teaching us patience.
In His love

Czeslaw and Helena Bassara
Proclaiming the Word

Visit: www.proword.eu

We had many good heart to heart times, the three of us did: Victor Almendarez, Ambrosio Cordova and myself.
We have known each other for 14 plus years and seen the Lord move us from young slender new fathers to graying middle-agents field soldiers.
We traveled to QUITO this past fortnight, and the audience of 250 pastors from Ecuador and 15 countries were surprised that I would share my CP teaching time with Victor & Ambrosio. Victor took the lions share of teaching, followed by Ambrosio.
We had a “just for fun” over-night in the highland, colonial town of Cuenca , where the Pope had once visited. But my design was to also see more of the country. Victor and Ambrosio led a pharmacist to the Lord in Cuenca, and now Victor has another entry and contact there. Shoot up a prayer for Miguel.
In southern province Loja, we spent 4 days with the CB work and saw a couple of rural needy areas…Ambrosio and I led a store owner in a prayer of faith, accompanied by lunch for the day (a can of tuna, an aspirin, three liters of water and two bags of chips!)
On the plane home…

Loja to Quito to Panama to Honduras:

· Ambrosio returned to Honduras with new and renewed sparks for heading up the Extension Bible Inst here.
· And all three of us gave ourselves “home work ministry assignments” for ministry application here in Honduras.
· Victor gets real happy when asked about Ecuador.

Let’s be clear: Ecuador has a massive need (1% evangelical in the southern province) and Victor may be the man of the hour. He was invited to do pastoral training in Quito at the end of the year, and so we hope that the Lord and life say YES. He was also invited for church planting in Guayaquil and Loja. And so Victor is talking with the Lord r/ that. For now, it is a wait and see.
Thank you for upholding us up to the Lord.
How can we pray for you?
Thank you, too, for the support sent toward this trip!

Patrick O’Connor

Friends of ABWE in Myanmar Affected by Cyclone

May 6, 2008

On Saturday, a deadly cyclone struck the southwestern part of Myanmar (formerly Burma). News reports have listed at least 14,000 dead and possibly a million homeless in Yangon (the former capital) and four other districts of the third world country. The total scale of destruction is unknown and information hard to get as the military-controlled government continues assessing the damage to the tribal villages and outlying areas.

For many years ABWE has assisted dear Christian friends in this country through our Global Access Partnerships (GAP) ministry. Telephone and mobile phone service have been severed by the storm, and we have not yet been able to contact our friends through email. We are very concerned for the people of Yangon, especially these Christian brothers and sisters we know personally. News reports say food and clean water is lacking. ABWE has opened an account to assist our brothers and sisters in the recovery efforts. Teammates in neighboring countries are preparing to visit Myanmar as soon as they can get visas and seats on a plane. They will contact our partners, assess the damage and determine what we can do in the wake of this national disaster.

For more information please contact Beth Isbell at gap@abwe.org or (717) 909-2309.