August 31, 2002
Vol. 10 Issue 2
Adobe PDF Version
EDITORIAL
Philippians 4:19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
When I consider the poverty and needs of those on the mission fields I am reminded of our need to pray and rely on our Lord to supply. Our God can do anything. He is not limited like we are. The needs of the mission fields are so great and overwhelming to man but God can do anything. Pray that He will be moved in a mighty way to help all those in need. Editor
WORLD MISSIONARY FELLOWSHIP (WMF)
The WMF annual meeting was held at the Licking County, Ohio Camp Meeting on July 18, 2002. New members were welcomed to the organization. 29 of 41 delegates were present.
Reports were given by the Secretary & Treasurer on the status of mission support to Nigeria, The Philippines, Cuba and other places. Bro. Rube Gayheart reported on Liberia. Bro. J. B. Wood gave a report of the work in India.
The following actions were taken:
Additional support was approved for the Info+ newsletter to alleviate the publishing costs.
The Basic Principles and Policies presented by Bro. Kenneth Yoder was adopted.
Bro. John Collin's letter of resignation as vice-chairman was read. The Executive committee appointed Bro. Wiley Cash to fill the rest of the term.
Bro. Stanley Rexroth was elected Chairman.
Bro. Dale Rexroth was elected Secretary.
Date for the Executive Committee meeting was set for February 1, 2003.
Meeting adjourned.
Continue to send offerings identified for specific missions to the Treasurer:
World Missionary Fellowship
C/O Bro. Steve Yoder
P. O. Box 418
Sugarcreek, OH 44681
I am available to visit congregations or groups to present needs and discuss WMF, Nigeria or the Philippines. Bro. Stanley J. Rexroth, Chairman.
NIGERIA
Reports For July 2002
Ikot Inyang, Pastor Udobong Essien: Sunday attendance: 43 to 58. Two souls saved. Four days revival, 18 - 21 July.
Eket Township, Pastor E. David: Sunday attendance: 10 to 15. Three souls saved. Seven days powership prayers with many prayers including breaking of evil covenants.
Umuahia, Pastor Cyriacus Nwachukwu: Sunday attendance: 69 to 98. One soul saved. Two days revival and 3 days praying and fasting. Congregation went to Abam/Abala for the foundation laying block of their Church Hall. Praise God!
Calabar Cross River State, Pastor Bassey E. Ekpe: Sunday attendance: 15 to 18. Evangelistic Movement took place from house-to-house some Wednesday & Saturday. This could have paid off with a lot of people accepted Christ and were willing to come to church, but for the heavy rain experience which hinder their coming.
Ikot Edibon, Pastor Okon Jim Ibok: Sunday attendance: 8 to 11. Three days revival July 18-20. House-to-house evangelism were conducted.
Aba, Pastor James: Sunday attendance: 6 to 8. Our weekly activities: Monday: Tarry night, Tuesday: praying and fasting, Wednesday: Bible studies, evening evangelism & Friday tarry nights are progressing as the Lord wills.
Akpaa Mba-Ato, Pastor Ronald C. Iheanacho: There were no activities held due to the arrangement towards the burial of my late mother. It reached to the extent of delaying me my studies in the school. We have nobody to plan the burial ceremony for us. We are only two young men from my mother's womb and both of us are ministers in addition the cost of our people's custom in burial is so high. This led us into too much expenditure. But, I still thank God that everything has been done accordingly. As my Lord, Jesus Christ, liveth, I am going back to my ministry and my studies intensively. Please Sir, as I use to include in my monthly reports, evangelical equipment is so necessary for WMF church of God Nigeria to wax stronger. We are still praying for WMF USA.
Uyo, Pastor Johnnie Austin: 6 days seminars at Calabar and one day evangelism at Uyo. My problem is lack of finance to pay for a hall to start worship in Uyo. There are members on ground now. The rent is $1,253.00 for two years. I therefore appeal for assistance from well spirited individuals and groups to enable us carry out the task of the great commission of our lord Jesus Christ to the dying souls.
Abam/Abala, Pastor Christian Ogbuka: Sunday attendance: 43 to 61. Greetings to all our brethren in the WMF caucus. My sincere thanks to all of you contributing their quota through WMF for Missionary outreach in Nigeria and the world at large. "It is not of him that willeth but of God who worketh it in you".
Here at Abam/Abala it has been a very busy time since the last two months. The land purchase has reached a finished stage, but it has taken much of my time and that is to the glory of God. What was left from the purchase we used to start erecting a small place of worship which also needed help. House-to-house and house fellowship worship has been going with tremendous success.
On the 19th - 21st prayer camp coupled with foundation laying ceremony was scheduled. The prayer camp was a huge success even though our brethren from Calabar and Akwa Ibom could not attend. So with the brethren from Umuahia the foundation was laid on the 20th. It was laid by two Elders from Umuahia, Elder Ebule Nmerole and Pastor Cyriacus Nwachukwu. After which there were some refreshments and that brought the fasting and prayer to an end. The closing ceremony was characterized by a church service at the site. That 21st was the first day that we held the first service at the purchased land.
So at the end of the service Elder Ebule suggested of a dedication service, stating that the church building and the land needs to be dedicated wherein both individuals and congregations should make a vow of what to contribute to help for the building project both of the church and Pastor's parsonage. This was generally agreed and for that last Sunday of August was fixed for it and that also involves a combined service to grace the Dedication Service.
We thank God immensely for that prayer camp and the foundation laying ceremony and the spirit, which the Umuahia brethren used to attend it.
More Application For Help for Abam/Abala Building Project: We thank WMF the more and we appreciate our need being published in the Info, but we want to appeal more under the above caption so we need that brethren over there should consider us the more.
We are all peasant farmers and petty traders, some in the church are even jobless to say the fact. The effort of WMF gave us the courage to embark on the project we now have and it is God that created room for the project. Many around here are happy seeing us embarking on such a huge project. It is huge to us because of the few people that are not handy doing it. We started it with faith because God is bigger and huger than anything we are or doing. For we walk by faith not by sight. For though we walk in the flesh but we do not war after the flesh, for our weapon is spiritual not carnal pulling down every stronghold.
We appeal that no man should compare us with those in the township who have men and women in government offices and regular business transactions.
When we got the money from WMF, we approached the land purchase issue with the method the villagers buy their land here in the locality. That is why we had enough balance and we have no option that to go into such a project. In the photograph you will see that we used a local beam for the pillars. It is long trunk of palm tree logs cut down in the land. While we are supposed to use iron poles or rods and this beam according to the carpenter will only last for two months. The zinc remains to complete for our money enabled us to get six bundles at the start.
We need men to come from Macedonia and help us.
Pastor Christian Ogbuka
16 photographs from Nigeria have been posted on the Internet: churchofgodcv.org
Abam/Abala Church
Bro. Cyriacus
INDIA
August 29, 2002
To Respected & Dear Father & Mother J. B. & Gail Wood,
Precious and hearty greetings to you in the highly exalted name of Jesus our only hope. Received your love offering for the Lords ministry; many thanks for your kind help to meet the needs in extending the Lord's Ministry.
We have successfully finished the camp meetings in D. V. Palem. Two outstanding pastors named K. Martin & Asirwadam preached the word of God. Two days people gathered in big number to hear the word. Though this village is in very interior and there are no transportation facility people interested to attend. But we could arrange only a tractor vehicle to transport people and goods.
The first day message concept was "The Church of God passing through the wilderness". The second was "Sufficient Jesus". As the word passing through the sound system people likes to come near to hear. The Church of God in D. V. Palem also strengthened spiritually. The Lord had done great things in our midst.
There is much more ministry to do and in many villages are not reached by the Gospel of Jesus is our burden to take the Gospel to unreached, for that we need your precious prayers and valuable supports. We need more missionaries to send to new villages with Gospel for them. We should give minimum support because who are working with us are poor.
We remembering you in our prayers every day. We explained to our people about your love support, they too praying for you and felt happy. With this letter I enclosed some pictures. This is all done by only your valuable prayers and supporting help. For this we are very much thankful to you forever. Please give my thanks to all the saints over there.
Closing with prayers and praises.
Your Servant,
K. B. Emmanuel
Camp Meeting D.V. Palem
YOUTH CORNER
Hello all, it's time again to catch up with the news on the corner. As summer is coming to a close, many of you are facing the winter blah's thinking about school and all the things that go with it. Thinking about new classes, new schools, college, it can be pretty scary. It can almost be overwhelming at times, but we must remember that God is in control. You know many times we can allow fear to stop us from experiencing what God has for us. The children of Israel were scared to go into the land of Canaan because of Giants (Numbers 13-14) Joshua and Caleb and Moses told the people that God was in control and He would give them the land but they were still afraid. We must not let fear rob us of the blessings God wants to give us. We may be afraid but we need to let God calm our fears. Remember God has not given us the spirit of fear.
Power Verse : 2 Timothy 1:7 "For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."
Summer in the Son
Has God done something great for you this summer? Was there an outing that was especially good, or a camp meeting that really meant a lot to you? Let us know, we would love to hear from you! Send it to me.
Well that about wraps it up for this time. Remember to Live God LOUD, and serve Him with ALL YOU GOT!
Bro. Brian Bridges
123 Lambert Drive
Manassas Park, VA 20111-1829
E-mail: badleg@juno.com
Phone: 703-368-0805
HAITI TRIP REPORT
On August 10th a team of seventeen from Joy Acres Church of God, Lancaster, Ohio left for Haiti. We went to join Children's International Lifeline in their ministry with the people of Haiti. There is one thing that really sticks out in my mind after returning from this trip. Why did I wait so long to go.
Elizabeth Laporte, one of our team, recorded her experiences while in Haiti. I would like to share this with you.
My life is anything but dull. My exciting ventures have found me. For instance, right now I sit in a chair looking at the stars over Haiti. I stare at the black horizon while listening to the rustle of palm trees, crickets, locusts and the clumsy moths hitting the light next to me. There are faint laughs of Haitian children in the distance. The rooster cried out in the night at 10:05 and even though the ocean is miles away I can still hear its' waves beating at the shore.
For a moment I stared at the twinkling stars; that sparkle like diamonds, before picking up my journal. I will spend a few minutes reading over the events of the past seven days in La Digue, Haiti.
Today is the first full day in Haiti. At the moment I'm being serenaded in song with words I can't understand, but a melody I'll remember for the rest of my life! In a room full of native people intermixed with aliens to this country. I find myself mesmerized by the words the pastor is saying even though I can't understand him. I sit on the edge of my seat listening to every word. A small child comes and sits on my lap. She studies my face as if she had never seen a blonde hair, gray eyed, big boned person before. She looks at my hands then her own. She touches my face; going over my eyes, nose, lips, ears and then my hair. She eventually falls asleep on my lap and remains there until the service is over.
A man on the team is in love. He doesn't think anyone is watching him, but it's the kind of love that can't go unnoticed. I watch him by moonlight as he looks over mountainous land. His hands on the bared walls and his face pressed between, almost, as if he were anticipating something. The only movement he makes is when he shakes his head in disbelief while he looks over the land of Haiti; the island of his dreams! I took notice to him because of this deep and sincere love I see in him. The same love I'm beginning to feel. The kind of love only God could bestow.
There is a storm rolling over tonight. It amazes me how much we take for granted: family, friends, loved one's in general, transportation, food, water, jobs, or schooling. In this nation of Haiti these things are far, few, and limited, but yet many of the people are content. I feel this mist from the strayed rain, as it hits my face. I close my eyes and listen. I hear all the people around me. They are exchanging their dialects; like the language the people are beautiful. Every once in awhile when lighting streams across the ocean and mountains I hear them shout with excitement and see the look of awe in their faces. The comments about the island, the mission, the work of God's hand, the people, the spirit of the team; they never end, and never will.
I lay down my journal and ponder over the memories I recall. Some memories make me laugh-like the native people trying to teach me Creole. Some memories make me sad-the poverty in Haiti is great, and every time I thought about what I have to go home too, and what they lack to go home too-it puts a pain in my heart. Many more emotions were relied on in my short trip to Haiti. Some memories I can't express or begin to explain the complexity, but at the same time the simplicity of the beautiful, but poor island of Haiti.
The stars now shine brighter than before. There isn't a cloud in the sky; just the vast, beautiful, explicit painting God provided for sixteen others and myself. In a few hours we are crossing the ocean to go back to the United States. I pick up my journal and start to write my last entry about my trip to La Digue, Haiti. Elizabeth Laporte
If you are interested in planning a trip yourself you can contact Bro. Arnold Lemke at Children's International Lifeline at (616)695-2300.
Bro. Bryan Fox
740/689-0257
Joy Acres Church of God
Lancaster, Oh 43130
DEATH
Sister Altha Mae Ferguson, wife of Pastor C. H. (Bill) Ferguson, Phoenix, Arizona passed from this life July 6, 2002. Remember the family in prayer.
Maintained by: Brian S. Rexroth, Sr.
Copyright © 2006