Friday, November 20, 2009

South Africa

Hello Dear Ones Near and Far!


My tour of duty in South Africa for this time soon draws to a close. It has been an absolutely wonderful three months, but oh how fast it has gone. I am sure you can understand that, however, since together with Bishop Louis Mphahlele and many dedicated co-workers we have had a scheduled daily program for almost a week at a time in thirteen different congregations.

While in those communities we have also worked extensively in schools, clinics, a prison, kindergartens, hospitals, a center for handicapped children, homes for the aged, a meeting of mine workers and prayer in many many private homes as well as holding Bible studies and Sunday services with Holy Communion. Below I would like to share with you some special glimpses of the last weeks. I have tried to enclose as many interesting pictures as possible and otherwise to bring you with me into these experiences. Hang on when the lightening makes a direct strike!! And as usual I am happy to hear from you, too.

I'll be back in Finland on November 29, God willing.

With love in God's wondrous peace!

Dennis 


SHACK STORM!
In the life of a missionary many things are real blessings and positive highlights, but not all. Take the night I stayed in Elias's little tin shack out in the village of Wittranjies. Actually I stayed there eight nights in all as I worked in the village but one night I will never forget. Shacks like his are quite incredible. They are made of rusted sheets of corrugated metal fastened together in a rather haphazard fashion on crude poles...sometimes painted, sometimes not. The sheets for the roof are held down with big rocks. You would definitely not approve of the way the wires to the radio and single light bulb hanging from the ceiling are connected to the only outlet.

And then came the storm - a violent thunderstorm that hit with rain and hail thrashing the ceilings and walls with an ear-splitting din and at one point that awful thud which sent the heart-stopping message that the whole shack had shifted in the wind and then at the height of the storm the single lightbulb suddenly exploded in a direct hit of lightening and we were plunged into darkness. Darkness punctuated by eery flashes of light through the two small windows and many cracks in the walls. The next day, still trembling, I tried to gain consolation from the locals. "Oh that was nothing, you should be here when it gets BAD!" Thanks but no thanks.

A dear friend of mine Uriah Hilman, a cousin's son from South Carolina, had a better way of putting it when he heard my story: "Even this declares the glory and majesty of God amen. God continues to work during the storm. Some days that's all I feel like; God pulling us through the storm. We and our little tin sheds weathering out the worst nature can throw at us but knowing the power of Christ residing within us holding everything together. He is my gravity. When I think there is no way He provides, sustains, and exists. By the Grace of God I grow." And to that I can only say "Amen!"


                                                    Elias in front of his little tin shack



CHILDREN OF THE HEAVENLY FATHER
It was one of those usual mornings in the mission, if there are such things. I had been invited to the Korekile Center in the township of Simunye where we have a congregation. I was only told that I would be asked to pray for some handicapped children. In the very first room I walked into something over my head.....maybe 30 or 40 children in an exercise room - all with various stages of cerebral palsy. Some were sitting or lying on mats around the walls but many came to meet us making odd outbursts of strange sounds, pressing in with unfamiliar jerking movements, grabbing our hands and staring right into our eyes with distant unconnecting gazes. Loving caregivers moved easily among them making me more painfully aware of how really uncomfortable the situation was making me. Summoning all the strength I could muster and deeply moved in my soul I pronounced a short prayer over the children and the caregivers....and for myself as my heart pleaded with my Lord, "Why, why. why?!"

And that was just the first of five rooms!!! This center serves the whole province. Different ages and different severities. In each room a heartrending prayer that God would lift and strengthen these special children. And in each room I saw more of little Komlanvi and Komi, the children I have worked so hard to help in Togo, who obviously are cerebral palsied children. I just thought somehow they were so preciously unique, but HERE - 120 cp children being cared for in one place!! It was truly overwhelming.....and then we got to the last room where there were older children - up to 18. They were all gathered around a table and when they heard that I was a pastor who had come to pray for them they all broke out in a spontaneous gospel song in English. It was their own version of course, but I think it was the most beautiful spiritual rendition I've ever heard! God has not forgotten these precious children. Someday He will explain "why?"


(P.S: Today, one month after I first wrote this, we visited the center again, this time with a youth singing group from one of our local congregations. How the children loved the music! It was like God opened my eyes to a new world where I was comfortable this time as we sang and prayed with them. It helped me very much with the "why" part of it!)

This is Korekile - the cerebral palsied child after whom the center is named - full of joy at our singing!

 
LOVER'S ROCK

Two years ago we organized a group of young men to go into training for important positions of responsibility in different congregations here in South Africa since there is such a crucial lack of active men here who are willing or able to do so. Since then five of these young men have assumed preaching roles in their congregations. The training and guidance of all of these young men continue. A favorite place for them to get away for this training is called Lover's Rock - a beautiful little nature camp by a small river not too far from here with very reasonable accommodations in multiple bed cabins. They cook all their own meals. This year I prayed intensely that God would give me insights to facilitate profound and lasting changes in their life and calling. On the second day He had me give each of them a little green notebook in which they were asked to make a list of their problems, doubts, fears and sins. These notations were not to be read by anyone else, but there was adequate time given.

In the next session I ask them to write down things from the past that influenced the problems of the present. Many of these young men carry a LOT of baggage with them even as they come to these training sessions. Again they were asked to verbalize whatever they wanted to. It was heartrending to hear some of the accounts. Finally they were asked to write down their hopes and fears for the future. In the last session we all gathered round on chairs under a big tree and I told them that it was time to turn over to Jesus what they had written and to do so in their own words - committing their problems, sins, guilt and fears, as well as past baggage and future concerns to Him by tossing their little notebook onto the grass in the center of the circle. There was no rush, no pressure but in the end each of us had made such verbal confession and commitment and had dropped our notebook onto the grass. Immediately I went around the circle, laid my hands on each bowed head and

assured them in no uncertain terms that Jesus had heard them and they could believe in His wondrous name and the power of His blood that He had taken all upon His cross and now we could leave it in the sea of grace. On inspiration the Bishop then leaned down and artfully arranged all of the notebooks into the form of a cross. But what to do with those little notebooks? Somebody suggested we tear out the pages that we had written on and burn them. Each one of us did that. It was very symbolic and comforting.
And so we left Lover's Rock rejoicing, with Jesus the Lover of our souls and the Rock of our salvation!


                             The little green notebooks forming the cross of Christ.

Some of the young men in training for service in the United Lutheran Church - with the Bishop

  

BIRGITTA'S BOX


When Birgitta left us she left behind a great many beautiful personal things. Like her clothes. She had such good taste. When Maria, Dana, Sonja and I had the difficult task of deciding what to do with her things we chose to pack up all of her best clothes and send them to her friends in South Africa. The ladies here waited until I came to open the box. They did so with a touching little ceremony. Each member of the Women's League who was present held a moving little talk in memory of "Mother Birgitta". All remembered how lovingly she had spoken to them as the key speaker at their annual conference just two years ago this month - also held at Lover's Rock. They remembered how she had thoughtfully brought a little something for each one of them. Naturally it was not really easy for me and one lady truly brought tears to my eyes as she spoke of Birgitta's life as a beautiful flower that had fallen to earth in an untimely fashion and was now blooming in the gardens of heaven. Then as we opened the box it was as if her generous spirit was really with us once more as each woman chose lovely garments that they would keep and cherish always. Nothing could have been more fitting than the spiritual songs of joy these needy women sang as they clung to the pretty things they had chosen from the box. "Did e'er such joy and sorrow meet?" The legacy of love lives on.


Sharing clothes from the box with friends of Birgitta in the church's Women's League.  


LEONA AND AMANDA


On the 3rd of November my cousin's daughters Leona and Amanda Matson from Canada arrived in Johannesburg from Thailand, via Malaysia, Sri Lanka, the United Arab Emirates and Cape Town. This is the fourteenth month of this particular world mission tour for them. Among their many gifts, they have truly marvellous contact with children - of all languages and cultures. As soon as they see a child they pull out pieces of colored paper which they fold artfully into little frogs that jump and wiggle to squeals of joy and laughter... and soon all of the children are in their arms experiencing the love of Jesus and His admonition to "suffer the children to come unto me and forbid them not for of such is the kingdom of heaven!" We will leave South Africa together on November 28 - I for Finland and they for Ghana and an extended tour of Africa.



Connecting with children and their mothers - race, culture and language are no barriers



Leona and Amanda with Chris and his brothers and sisters. The frogs again and their unmistakable connecting touch.



Newly erected church structure in Maskiet, South Africa, with it's congregational committee and the Bishop.




A feeding and care program for orphans and vulnerable children coordinated by members of our Bethlehem congregation.

Monday, November 9, 2009

From the field in Guatemala!

Hola from the beautiful country of Guatemala! La Paz de Dios! May the peace of God be with you!



Well, I cannot speak Spanish, but it is fun learning a little here and there as we go. Practicing helps connect you to the locals, as they appear to appreciate when one tries, even if it is poorly!

So far we have been very blessed on this trip. As you may know this is a special place to my wife and I to visit since we have a son that lives down here as a full time missionary. On this particular trip our son Bruce was also able to join us.  As administrator of your Foreign Mission it is good to visit countries so I can report back to the Foreign Mission Board of the happenings on the ground, as well as to get the know the people from the heart that I am in constant contact with from my office.

I would just like to share with you briefly what the typical weekend here is like for Ryan,  Lynn Wirkkala,  Pastor Solomon,  our faithful translator Vivian Salguero, and other church members. On Saturday, after getting ready, it is off to Peitro Azules for a church service.

This place is about an hour or so away. The travel there is not too bad, much better than some other countries I have visited.

However, since several are making the trip, the truck or trucks are usually so full that the box is also full of people. It is best to get to the location of the church early enough so one can walk through the village and ask new people to come to church. The village that the church is in is very poor, and walking along the cement or dirt paths, leads you from tin hut to adobe houses, and maybe an occasionally block house. These are usually one room with blankets hung for dividers inside.


These treks through the villages are an experience all in itself. Here one learns that happiness does not depend on possessions. In these poor environments there is all manner of people, and they cannot be lumped into one group. One thing is for sure, when walking through the poor villages here or anywhere in the world, do not go as one would in a zoo; to see what you can see, but rather go as Jesus would, looking to share His love!

Once the service begins, (which may or not be on time, as exact timing is more of an American phenomenon) the service if very similar to what we are used to in the USA.

The singing is seldom accompanied by an organ or a keyboard due to lack of money for such, and lack of players. Usually a guitar is used since this is the instrument that is available more people know how to play. There are the prayers and a sermon or two. On this particular Saturday, I had the sermon which Ryan translated and then one of the very old pastors from the village had a message also. Afterward, 95 year old Pastor Ernesto had the prayer and songs at the end.

We then packed (instruments, speakers, etc) into the truck and were off to the next service. We stopped at a bread store along the way for a quick hot piece of bread. The church at Juan Ponce is twenty minutes away. The church is currently just a thatched roof which is now inside the future ALC church in this village. It is off the main road a few minutes on very poor village trails. Here the process of unloading and setting up starts all over again. The service here has the same format except Vivian translated.

After the service, load everything up again and head back to Zacapa. After this kind of a day one is exhausted. Once a year is hard work, but these faithful servants down here do it week after week all year long. Believe me; faith is being lived out here in Guatemala.

On Sunday, Sunday school starts at 9:30. When Ryan showed up at 8AM to pick us up, I thought he was crazy. Boy was I wrong, because by the time the multiple trips with the truck to the villages were done, the last of the children arrived exactly on time at 9:30. They have several classes into which the children are divided. Sunday school is similar to ours in the states and lasts about the same length of time.
The Worship service begins at 10:30. The format is the same as above. There were about 50 or so people including the children. The text was Isaiah Chapter 12 but a lot of the sermon was about Jesus and the woman at the well. I pray that the people were fed and nourished, and that our Lord was glorified. After church starts the returning of the people to the villages and homes.


This process is finally over about 1PM.

I know that this article is too long,  but at the same time, if ones gets tired reading this, imagine how tiring this work is week after week for years on end. Please pray for our missionaries down here in Guatemala. Lift them up and encourage them. Do not discount what they do, and do not think these souls in Guatemala are not worthy of hearing the Gospel.

Jesus loves each soul here in Guatemala and around the world! He died for them! Please help the Foreign Mission to continue the work in His Kingdom! Your prayers and action are most coveted as the FM endeavors to be obedient to the word of our Lord when He said “go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.”

Remember, this is just a two day snapshot of what goes on every weekend. The weeks are very busy as well with other church events and other acts of love that must be done because that is what Jesus would do!

May God Bless you and thanks for reading!

JR

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Monthly Budget

The Foreign Mission Monthly budget email was sent out this morning. Would you like to be added to the mailing list? If so email foreignmission@comcast.net
Summary of November Budget email:
Donations have been very strong and for this we are very grateful. However, for November we are $4602.81 short in order to fund all of our obligations for the month. Details are available on the email!

Could you please help? Any level of donation is huge: Remember the widow's mite!!!
Just click here to donate via PayPal or Credit Card http://themissionsite.com/need.html

You can also donate by mailing a check with a special note on it saying: For Nov. Budget gap. Make check out to: The Foreign Mission and mail it to: 1601 NW 4th Avenue Battle Ground, WA 98604
Please view all that the Foreign Mission does at http://www.themissionsite.com/ When you are there, click on all the various blogs and buttons to see the various ministries!

Please note: Between Nov. 6th and 17th the communications back from the Administrator may be slower than usual due to the fact that he is on a mission trip to Guatemala. Please continue to communicate as usual and he will catch up whenever email and time is available.

Thank you and may God Bless You!