Engage Conference
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Jason Parmerlee (Australia)
G'day from the Sunburned Country!
The land isn't the only thing that's sunburned! It is amazingly hot here as February is the hottest month of the year! It has been so fun to see the Lord work over the last 4 weeks! Four weeks, it's unreal to think it has already been that long! God has given me a good time of transition into the Aussie way of life over the past few weeks. We began youth group two weeks ago. The first night we had 8 students and had a great time getting to know one another and seeking to find
out what the students desired from their time in youth group this year. Last week we had some different students in the group and began our new study on discipleship training and what it is to be a disciple! The majority of the students are young in their faith and I am so excited to dig into God's Word and see what He is looking for in followers of Him!
I have yet to be disowned by the Matthews as I wait for the house I have been offered to from a family in our church. The current renters are remodeling their "new" house and are running into unexpected delays! I am very eager to actually get to unpack my three monsterous bags and know where everything is and I'm sure Josh Matthews is looking forward to me getting out of his bedroom! They have been SO encouraging and refreshing to be with! They are doing a great job here and have heaps of cool ministry opportunities!
Please pray for me as I begin teaching my Scripture classes this Wednesday! I will be teaching six classes each Wednesday and Thursday. One class will contain 44 kindies! I'm so eager to get in and begin sharing the Truth with these kids who need to know Him, not merely know about Him!
I pray for Saylorville's continued ministry in Saylorville and around this world!
Cheerio Mates,
jason parmerlee
Virgil and Dolores Bunjer (Germany)
Yesterday's new snow and strong winds, causing drifting, waited with their arrival until after the travel of the past several days. We are grateful. We returned from Ankeny late Thursday night, concerned about some earlier thermostat problems in our house. Then on Friday we returned to Ankeny for the benefit of our church to participate in the all-day seminar at FBBC on building the local church, a very profitable and challenging theme. It began by establishing a solid, clear, biblical foundation showing God's purposes for the church, and then suggested methods of reaching those biblical goals by following His plan. After seeing how the Lord worked and is working in our churches in Germany, we were enthusiastic about this presentation.
Threats of icy roads preceding the arrival of the snow did not discourage our SE Iowa pastors from coming here to our church on Monday for an all-day workshop led by Prof. Dr. Ernie Schmidt from FBBC on one of the important issues of the day - Covenant Theology.
A busy week of work in our church auditorium will begin on Saturday as the piano, organ and all the old carpeting are removed from the platform in preparation for the arrival on Tuesday of the new carpeting. Sunday night after church all the pews will have be moved to one side.
The emails that arrive on my desk each week from several of our local churches in Germany stagger me with the many home Bible studies as well as a full program of services and activities. The Lord will bless that with fruit. TWO EXCERPTS: Eight couples showed up at the Krauses in Landshut for their first Valentines' event in that new church. In Ingolstadt Uschi's Bible studies with Michaela have resulted in Michaela's decision to go to the court house to have her name removed from the state church roll in preparation for her baptism, a major step for Germans.
The leaders of our churches met on Saturday to make plans for Summer Camp. Todd writes: "26 people were there to begin talking through the details and activities for the week of camp in August. We're planning on about 120 people and will be at a new camp location. It's great to see some faithful workers who have been working at camp for many years and some new faces, just getting started in this ministry." It is not too early to begin your prayer ministry for this very vital and fruitful activity among the young churches in Germany. The preparation of hearts is key also.
Virgil and Dolores Bunjer
Baptist Mid-Missions
Kristi Walker (Berlin, Germany)
Well, tomorrow is another departure day. As some of you know, I've been in the States for the last few weeks doing some recruiting for EBM on college campuses as well as presenting at churches. It may be that I start coming home every winter for a few weeks instead of every other year for 10-12. We'll see...
This particular trip went very well. I was everywhere from Scranton to Sandusky to Cedarville to Chicago to Moody Bible Institute to Purdue University to Toledo and back to Clarks Summit. The highlights for me were definitely getting to see friends and family. I got to spend quality time with my family over Christmas, including two whole weeks with my niece, Lana. J What a cutie! She's going on 9 months. Travis & Kaci (her parents) are bringing their youth group over to Berlin this July to help out with our English-speaking Day Camp. By that time, Lana will be 14-months-old and walking!
I also got to see so many friends that have spent time with us in Berlin (several youth pastors and students that were part of the World Cup outreach; many short-termers and interns now back at Cedarville, Purdue & BBC; my teammate, Brittany Good at Moody; and several pastors, BBC faculty members and EBMers that were instrumental in getting me to the field. I thank God for the friendship and partnership of all of these people! It's hard leaving them all behind to go back, not sure when I'll see them again – definitely one of the hardest parts of being a missionary!
I am returning to an exciting spring and summer in Berlin. Here are some upcoming things to keep in your prayers:
Feb. 14-19 EBM Germany Field Council Meetings
Feb. 24 – March 3 Friends and fellow BBC Alumni, Matt & Alicia DeWever visiting
March 31 – April 5 Friend, Trisha (Rudolph) Amos visiting
April 20-30 My parents visiting!
April 28 Mom speaking at our ladies' retreat
June 13 or 14 Dyes leaving for furlough
June 15 Marty Dittmar & family arriving for a month of ministry
Moody student, Ashleigh Burdick, arriving for a 6-week internship
June 16 "CSI: Berlin" (final youth event/outreach for the spring)
July 2-7 English youth ministry in Poland
July 13 Teams arriving from Harbour Shores Church in Noblesville, IN &
Northeastern Baptist in Kalamazoo, MI
July 16-20 English-speaking Day Camp (led by Harbour Shores)
July 18-21 ESDC Teen Camp (led by Northeastern Baptist)
These are a few of the things that will be keeping me busy over the next 5-6 months, on top of the normal ministry activities a part of CrossWay Church. I'd greatly appreciate your prayers as I fly back tomorrow and dive back into life and ministry in Berlin. Again, I'm leaving with bittersweet emotions – excited to be going back and sad to be leaving people I love.
I have chosen Galatians 1:24 as my focus verse for 2007. It says simply, "And they glorified God because of me." This is my heart's desire and prayer as I leave the States and return to the field. I want so much for the people I'm leaving behind to glorify God because of the ministry I've had while I've been home. I'm also crying out to God for those I'm returning to in Berlin. Please pray that my life brings God the glory He deserves! Thank you. For those of you who have encouraged me, loved me, and ministered to me while I was home – God bless you. I love you.
Kristi
In EVERYTHING Give Thanks
I started my previous e-mail with a different verse before the computers blacked out and I had to start again...I think this one is more appropriate in this situation. I am sorry that this will have to be brief, I had so much else written, but please get a hold of my parents for more details.
I want to start out again with a big "thank you." We don't take your prayers for granted and I know that they are covering us. We made it out to Dixiville (Daniel Hoover's Orphanage) this last Monday. It's been a change is so many ways, but actually it hasn't been as "bad" as people were telling us it would be. Maybe we got so many horror stories in our heads that we were pleasantly surprised. :) The orphans are precious. I wish I could describe each one of them to
you, but I'm still learning all of their names and personalities as well. Kids never change no matter what country your in. Christie and I had our very first medical client yesterday. That was an experience, one that I wish that I could go more in detail with.
The school system at the orphanage is almost none existant. Liberian's have been struggling just to survive and live for the past 15 years that trying to get a school running is hard. They don't have enough teachers and all the kids do is sit with a book in their lap in mass confusion. Christie and I are assigned K-1st. There are about 80 kids in a room no bigger that my dining room at home. School is out now till March, but prayer that we'll find a way to take small groups of the kids and get them started on a more 1 on 1 basis.
Christie and I are leaving Sunday for ACFI's annual conference which is 3 hours away. It should be a good time to praise the Lord, worship and get some spiritual food. Pray for direction in our lives.
Linda, I keep thinking of you when I see the kids. I would love to bring some home. The need is so huge. Each of them are so precious and individual. We've been jamming on our guitars and singing with them everyday. They are all fantastic singers and have so many talents.
I got a touch of fever earlier on this week. Thank you for the prayers for my health. I just dosed up on my pills (i joke that i'm a walking pharmacy) and after a good nights sleep I felt completely
normal. God is good.
I killed my first spider this week!! Ok, i had to say that first while you all still had the image of a spider as big as a plate. Did it work? Really, it was only the size of a quarter.....doesn't sound
too impressive, does it?
Again, wish this could be longer, and wish I could go into more detail.
Hope to update you all soon.
Much love,
Rachel (or "lorpu" my liberian name.)
Rachel Swanson (Liberia) - Thank You
Friends and Family,
Thank you all for your encouraging e-mails and notes these past
couple of days. It's a blessing to know that there are so many prayer
warriors at home covering us with the Lord's protection.
Christie and I will be headed to Dixiville (the orphanage) this next
Monday. We would appreciate your prayers for that transition as we
will be missing the brothers and sisters that we've come to love here
in Monrovia. We are excited, though, to begin the work at the
orphanage and start forming new relationships there as well. We will
keep you updated as much as possible, though we won't have the luxury
of coming into the internet cafe everyday like we've been enjoying
here in town.
No more encounters with our furry spider friend...your prayers must
be working.:) we'll keep you posted on our bug friends, though.
I just wanted to write and short e-mail and thank you again for your
prayers and encouragement. The Lord is answering and we are very
blessed to be His children. Christie's and my desire down here is not
just to survive, but to "settle" and make it home.
Love you all. In His mighty name,
Rachel
Rachel Swanson (Liberia) - Joys of Liberia
Hello Friends,
"Wait on the LORD, Be of good courage and He shall strengthen your heart, Wait, I say, on the LORD!"
Well, I am happy to say that after the first few nights here being really difficult, the Lord has brought joy. We feel like our hearts have been strengthened and we are excited for what is ahead. We got here last Friday night and were greeted by a giant hairy spider about the size of the palm of Christie's hand in our bathroom. We tried to catch him and missed him and then a few nights later we tried again and missed him again. I like to say this one was Rachel's fault. We will let you decide since Rachel captured
both episodes on the video recorder. We're getting lots of practice in so by the time we are home again North American creatures shouldn't be too much of a problem. According to Sarah, the other American girl who is teaching at the ACFI school and college here in town, there was a rat that she found in the toilet one morning as well... We haven't met him yet but we are feeling pretty tight with our spider friend as she has come out 2 out 5 nights (that we've seen her). We did feel a little bad when we found out the next morning that Mommy Longlegs was a friend of Sarah's. :) Ooops!
Other than that we have been here at ACFI Headquarters in Monrovia since we got here. We will be spending the rest of this week here. During this time we will have the opportunity to visit some of ACFI's other ministries (ie. the Deaf School, Shepherds Village (for older boys)). We kind of feel like we are living the high life as the pests aren't nearly as bad as we've heard they are at the Dixville orphanage. Headquarters is located right on the beach and we've enjoyed amazing walks on the shore (although you have to watch where you step because Liberians have been using the beach for a toilet). Gross! But it's still amazing and we got to see our first brilliant African sunset tonight. We've also met some great people here at Headquarters. We've enjoyed spending some time with Sarah. She has been here five months already and will be here almost until we leave. She's a trooper. We are also
making friends with the Liberian women who are taking care of our basic needs (ie. food, washing, getting water etc). We would love to help with these things but they seem to be pretty adamant about doing it themselves.
We are also going to be getting guitar lessons from a Liberian man who is on staff here at ACFI. He is just another example of how hospitable these people are. He is showing up here tomorrow morning!
On another note, thank you all SO MUCH for your prayers for Rachel's luggage. We got it yesterday (the 29th). Please join us in praising the Lord! Nothing was missing although it looked like it had been tampered with. God is good!
Sunday we got to enjoy a delightful Liberian church service. For those of you who have never been to Liberia we will try to hit some of the high points. The Liberian people are very expressive in their worship. They dance up to the offering plate because giving is supposed to be with joy. They have many choir songs and many people dance. The service is not on a time schedule at all, so it could go anywhere from two hours to three or four. During the greeting time we were approached by many Liberian
people who introduced themselves to us and welcomed us warmly to Liberia (as well as giving us the secret Liberian handshake). :)
We will be heading out to the orphanage in Dixville next week, probably Monday or Tuesday. Please be in prayer about the transition. The United States to Monrovia was a transition and the transition from town out to Dixville will be big as well. Please pray for that. Pray that we would use this time in town to be filled up with the Holy Spirit and ready to just pour out all that He gives. We are excited because it is in our weakness that He is strong but that makes us nervous as well. So pray that He
would receive all the glory that is due HIM and that He would be blessed as we love on the children who are His heart.
Please pray that tomorrow we would be able to get our business done at the US Embassy. We've been there twice already and haven't been able to register there. So pray that tomorrow that will work out.
Thank you for your prayers and emails. They have been encouraging! We are blessed... so blessed! We love you all!
for HIS glory.
rachel and christie