• Report from Medical Team in Mongolia
• Joplin, MO - Disaster Assistance
• Journey to the Cross
• Powerful, Potential - Cuba
• Texas City, TX - Response to Hurricane Ike
• Ocean Springs, Katrina thanks
• Lauren Kort in Africa
• Sally Ward in Mongolia
• Vicki Witte in Mongolia 
• News from Egypt

For the first time, 1st pres has sent a medical team to Mongolia to work with the Campus Crusade for Christ ministry to doctors and patients and medical personnel.  They arrived on October 14th.  What follows is a description of part of a day in Mongolia.

On Monday we visited two hospice patients.  The first was with an 84 year old man who has been in his bed for 7 years after a broken hip from an accident on a bus.  He has not been on his feet during those 7 years, and had not sat up for 2 months.  He is only able to get out of bed when his son or grandson come.  Emad Yassa (physical therapist on the team) worked with him, doing manipulations and exercising his muscles and joints, teaching Dr. Gerlee (doc from Mongolia) and the man's wife, daughter and granddaughter how to do exercises with him, as well as teaching him some exercises he could do himself.  The man was so thrilled to be up and sitting in the wheelchair.  And even though he was in obvious pain during some of the manipulations, he was eager to continue - you could see such joy and eagerness in his face.  His granddaughter was so attentive and all the family was so excited.  And he was able to stand on the one leg with assistance.  Such HOPE and excitement in his face and the families!  We shared the gospel and told him about the love of Jesus and that we came from America to share His love with him.  He said, "I don't know this America, but I am so glad you came."  They thanked Emad over and over and the man kissed him 3 times.  Emad will be going back to visit him again, reinforcing the proper exercises with Dr. Gerlee and the family.  He also said that his grandson is a Christian  - so pray that this dear family will continue to seek and know Jesus! 

The second hospice visit was with a 45 year old woman who has end stage cancer of the colon.  She is in pain and not sleeping well and was wanting peace.  We again shared the gospel and prayed with her.  She had questions, fearful that her disease was a result of her sin. Dr. Gerlee shared with her again about Christ's love, emphasizing that this illness was not punishment.  She then prayed for Christ to be Lord of her life - the time she has left.  She was tearful and joyful, and said she felt peace for the first time.  She had a Bible already, a relative had given it to her, but it was an English Bible, so Dr. Gerlee gave her a Mongolian New Testament.  Our hearts break at this beautiful, vibrant woman dying, but we also rejoice that she is entering the Kingdom!  Please pray that she will continue to have peace and comfort and for Dr. Gerlee who will continue to visit with her and give her medical care through home hospice. 

Yesterday Doug (Swanson) & Emad provided seminars to doctors at two hospitals in Ulan Bator and we made another hospice visit....God keeps blessing and blessing.  We are so thankful for this opportunity to witness the work of this medical team here and the way God is working through them, and thankful for our partnership - we are so privileged to partner with them!  And we are learning so very much through their ministry with those who are suffering and yet seeing their joy at sharing the greatest gift - Jesus love and mercy! 

God is so good!  Thank you for your continued prayers for these precious people and for the Mongolia Campus Crusade for Christ medical team.

Michelle Swanson

It was Sunday, May 29th, and a thunderstorm approached Joplin.  Since the preceding weeks had seen a record number of severe storms, the local TV forecasters and weather prognosticators all watched the storm's radar image closely. Just as the towering cloud crossed the city limits, its radar picture morphed into the signature "J shape" indicating tornado activity. 

There were three unusual things about this twister: it was LARGE -- almost a mile wide; and it had winds over two hundred miles per hour; and it moved slowly.  It was taking its time as it wrenched hundred year old trees our of the ground, twisting them off at the stump, and sucked every last drop of water from the municiple swimming pool.  It took its time to roll cars and trucks into little metal balls and to kill over a hundred and forty people.  Finally, it produced rains that lasted three days insuring further damage to exposed property and hampering relief efforts.

When our team of 8 arrived on the Fourth of July, it was five weeks after the fact.  We were staying at a church that had placed itself in the poorest part of town so it might minister to the neediest.  Now, after the storm, opportunities to help were greatly needed! This church provided meals and shelter not only for us and other volunteers but also for many who had been displaced by the storm.

The true organizer for work assignments was found at a nearby church where we found "Moochy".  He had obtained a map of the area's 1800 destroyed and damaged buildings. From his church (aka command bunker) he sent parents and kids and our team to make contact with the victims and to find out what type of help was needed.

As they were leaving to canvas the area, Moochy said the first thing they needed was heavy equipment to clear lots for people without insurance.  What chance did they have, thought the team captain, of finding the equipment when needs were so great?  But at the first home he visited, a man who represented Caterpillar Equipment approached him and asked if he could guide him to someone who could direct him to people needing heavy equipment. Of course, this filled Moochy's need exactly.

"As we wandered the streets of our canvas area, we discovered people...trying to live in damaged and unsafe houses. One home, now just a concrete slab, has flowers in front and a sign that reads: 'In memory of our children.' Another roofless home says: 'In memory of my husband who is home with Jesus and Johnny Cash.' Another sign read: 'Direct Hit --- But it didn't get me!'"

The team worked on projects of all kinds -- some quite a surprise to them.  One day they chipped mortar off of bricks to the owner could re-use the bricks because they had been used when the house was built by his father. A waste of time? Rather an act of grace and mercy that brought tears to the owner's eyes.

"Beyond the emotion of seeing incredibly ciolent destruction, the heart ache of meeting the shell-shocked new homeless, and beyond the excitement of seeing people coming from coast to coast with every imaginable type of aid -- beyond all that is the thrill of watching God making things come together for those who believe in Him.  It is not a question of if or when He is gonna show -- He has been here all along." So wrote the team captain, Don Drobeck.  He goes on to say that the perfect volunteer needs to learn from Micah 6:8 "[God] has told you, Oh man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God." 

He and the team were willing to submit to whatever was asked of them without questioning or worrying about how each of them were contributing to the glory of God. In the process they learned the joy of servanthood, the sacred nature of the work they were called to do, the delight of watching God reveal His own magnificent plan one family and individual at a time.

If this kind of joy intrigues you, Don will be leading another team to Joplin on October 22, returning on October 29th.  Call him at 719-392-5315 for information.

We received this letter from Trudy Strewler, Executive Director of C.A.S.A. (Court Appointed Special Advocate) here in Colorado Springs.

I attended the Journey to the Cross Pot Luck wrap up at First Pres. mostly to hear about member’s experience, which was amazing, yet, I also became moved as I began to reflect on my experience, from the perspective of being one of the non-profits that was visited on the Journey to the Cross.

I personally was deeply touched that members of my church cared enough about the suffering of child abuse victims in our community that they would open their lives and hearts to enter into this suffering with us, and with Christ during the Holy week. Child abuse is a topic we would just as soon avoid, it happens in someone else’s family, and it is frankly easier for us to stay in our own safe and secure space.

But you who took this journey opened your hearts and minds
to learn of the pain and suffering of others and you carried that pain to the cross on Easter just as Christ did. I was deeply touched by you and spent a good part of that week weeping, because I felt your love, support and prayers. I felt my church sharing in and carrying the burden with me, which meant so much to me personally. Your caring hearts lifted mine.

These children, our community’s children and our calling are
to embrace and safeguard the well being of all children.  God Bless you all for your willingness to enter into the place of experiencing a small portion of the sin and pain Christ took to the cross, He suffered for us.

Sincerely,

Trudy

I was sitting next to Shirley Semonchik, in the aisle seat of a twin turbo prop airplane that was returning us back to U.S. soil from our week-long mission trip in Cuba. We were comparing some of our personal experiences when Shirley shared that after she returned from a mission to Mongolia, one of her fellow choir members asked her to sum up her experience in ONE WORD.

So, Shirley turned toward me and issued the same challenge – ONE WORD.

Seven days in a communist country, worshiping and relating with hundreds of Cuban brothers and sisters in five different churches during which I took more than 125 pages of notes and countless hours spent studying the history of the nation – all in one word. I’m not a man of many words, but even I had trouble summing it up in one word.

It took me a while, but I finally came up with the word “Powerful” because we saw first-hand the Power of the Holy Spirit overcoming decades of religious persecution, atheist government leaders and economic troubles to where now the church is growing significantly. 

However, since returning, I’ve changed that one word from “Powerful” to “Potential.” Okay, I’ll admit when I get asked about Cuba in passing, I usually answer with “Powerful” because I got one too many strange looks answering with “Potential.”

All kidding aside, I was struck by how much potential the nation of Cuba possesses, contrary to its well publicized struggles. And I was encouraged by how much the church maximizes its resources despite the governmental and economic restraints that hinder its efforts. Pastor Mendez and Benito Lauzurique (who along with Don and Gael Wallace are the genesis of the relationship between First Reformed Presbyterian and First Pres Colorado Springs) are some of the most incredibly faithful and inspiring believers you will ever meet, but I was also equally as inspired by the younger generation we encountered. Especially when you consider that a large majority of their parents’ generation never heard of Jesus or celebrated Christmas and Easter

Historically, Cuba has had a tremendous problem keeping some of its best and brightest young people on Cuban soil, and I’m not just referring to the next can’t-miss baseball prospect. Mendez himself told us that in the past two years, 4 or 5 of the best young Presbyterian pastors defected to the United States. That issue is expanding right now because the Cuban government is laying off somewhere between 500,000-1,000,000 workers in 2011 and as a result, there is a lot of anxiety and uncertainty among the people.

 Yet, God is at work in Cuba.

“For years, we have been losing the best of our young people,” Mendez said. “ That’s changing. Now, there are other possibilities.”

We witnessed three examples of how it’s changing with the younger generation:

• It’s changing because of believers like Daniel Izquierdo of Nueva Paz, Cuba. He’s a 21-year-old artist and son-in-law of Maricela Gonzalez, the pastor of the Presbyterian church in Nueva Paz, an agricultural community southeast of Havana. Since joining the church (and family), Izquierdo has started up a youth sports program that’s open not only for church members but for the entire community.   Additionally, he’s spearheading a youth group art project to benefit both the church and community.   First Reformed Presbyterian Church of Nueva Paz has an average attendance of 75-80 people each Sunday, and 20-25 of those are classified as youth – that’s almost a third of the congregation - due in large part to the work of Izqueirdo.
  
  
• A new youth group began back in January in Mendez’s own First Reformed Presbyterian Church in Havana. The youth approached Mendez requesting a place for them to meet in the church – Mendez could tell their main goal was to worship the Lord, so he granted them permission. While we were there in February, that youth group had grown enough to lead a goose bump-inducing Friday night praise and worship service.
  
  
• Additionally, we met the pastor of the second-largest Presbyterian church in Cuba (second only to Mendez’s Havana congregation) – a 32-year-old named Yampier Sanchez Bravo of New Guines. Sanchez has created incredible ministries drawing folks to Christ while also enhancing their lives. This guy was incredibly intelligent and passionate for the Lord all while joking with Mendez that soon his congregation would be the largest Presbyterian in Cuba but given his fire for Christ, I wouldn’t doubt it could happen despite residing in a much smaller community.  

Finally, the word “potential” has a personal meaning to me. Anytime I think of our time in Cuba, I question whether or not I’m maximizing my potential in furthering the Kingdom of God. I don’t have the excuse of an atheist and oppressive government or food rations. This trip has challenged me to explore God’s call in my own life to meet my potential as a husband, father, friend and follower of Christ.

Friends,
Thanks again for allowing God to use you in a significant way in Texs City. We had a great team that worked together well and with remarkable skill and diversity.

We worked all week on a home for the family of Mrs. Humphries who lost her husband following Hurricane Ike in 2008. When we got there, her home had new sheet rock but was a long way from being livable. When we left, it was basically ready to move into, and her grand kids were excitedly showing us which rooms would be theirs.

Usually when we do this, we do one basic task all week (like painting or sheet rock).  This week was different and, fortunately, we had a team that could do virtually anything — and did!

The kitchen went from bare walls to tile, flooring, paint, and a new counter top with running water. The living room and halls were painted and wood flooring installed. Two bathrooms were painted, trimmed, plumbed and ready to use. We installed lights and corrected electrical issues. Three bedrooms were painted and tiled, where desired.  Finally, everything was cleaned up (with windows washed, etc.).

What a joy to be able to present such a gift to this precious family, knowing what they had gone through and how long they had waited.  And you helped make it possible.

Unfortunately, the Presbyterians Disaster Relief "village" where we stayed in mobile units equipped with bunk beds, is destined to be Presbyterians no longer, for lack of funding, but evidently the local Methodists will continue to run it.  Praise God!!
In Christ's love,
Jim McKelvey (team member)

P.S. We thank this team for their hard work and Jim for taking the time to describe it to all of us.  Praise God for His provision.

Ocean Springs, MS 39564

September 1, 2010

TO OUR SISTERS AND BROTHERS IN CHRIST:

We are still praying that you are being blessed as you blessed us five (5) years ago when Katrina flooded us (August 29, 2005). We can never express how much we still talk about you and thank God for all that you did financially and for your prayers. Had it not been for the Faith based groups and family members; many Gulf Coast families would not have recovered as they have; yet, there is much to be done.

Charles and I know that we would not have been able to make it without your financial assistance and prayers. We would not have been able to fight the red tape of the SBA without your prayers. Your prayers gave us strength to face the long lines and setbacks that we faced each time we went to file paper work with SBA. Thanks! So we

truly won't complain, for God has been and is good to us.

Again, THANK YOU and keep us in your prayers as we will you.

Love and Blessings,

Charles and Wilma Jackson

This is an excerpt of an email from Lauren Kort, who recently returned from a short term mission to Zambia.  Lauren commented on many aspect of life…this portion is about work.  Thank you Lauren for sharing!

WORK–I have learned so much about working for a non-profit organization!  Since we don’t have “business hours” I’ll put in my 14 hour day, but also set boundaries and make sure I take time for myself to chill, run, or journal.  I work with great people, and really love what I am doing.  We get to bring joy to 1000 kids every day, see American and Zambian’s lives change, shape the community, and live a simple African life.  Just another day in the office!  It has opened my eyes to the needs and simple ways I can serve others.  You don’t need to be a super hero, you just need to listen and obey.  I’ve learned that even touching one child, helping one person, or inspiring one American, can make a world of difference.  Of course there is no perfect organization, but it has been great to see the inside scoop and behind the scenes process of what it takes to run a non-profit.  I truly hope that I can do more work like this in the future.  Americans always note how open Zambians are with their prayer, worship, and faith.  They are really in tune with the Holy Spirit and truly believe that God can do huge things.  I have seen God deliver children from bondage and heal people in a way that could classify as a medical miracle.  It has shown me how powerful and amazing he is.  I mean if he can do so many crazy things here, just imagine what he can do in my life!  I don’t know God’s plan for me, but I would guess it might involve Africa.

It is hard to really emphasize how much God has shown me here, and I hope I can share with many of you when I get back.

What follows is an excerpt from an email recently sent by Ed and Sally Ward from Mongolia to their support team. Ed and Sally were in Mongolia and China from May 24 – June 1 of 2010 on a short term mission.  Praise God for his guidance to Ed and Sally!  Pray for new believers everywhere that they will experience active discipleship, have access to scripture and have community in their  journey of faith.

Last Friday we went to Darkhan city where Ed presented to a military regiment group about leadership.  Anaa, a lady whose husband died of a heart attack in Sierra Leone, went with us.  Her  husband was the first commander of the regiment there.  On the way home she began to have a conversation with our translator Ganaa, a great guy who is a pastor here in Mongolia.  He and our driver talked with her for over an hour.  At one point the driver quietly shared they were talking with her about the Christian faith.  I began to pray silently, and before too long, I looked up and saw a Mongolian shepherd holding a baby lamb under his arm.  It was if the Lord was saying, "She is mine."
 
Anaa had been on a spiritual search after her husband died, exploring many faiths.  At one point in her life, she and her husband had lived in the US where she was impressed with the character of the Christians she met.
 
As part of the search, she saw the Jesus film three times and had heard the gospel presented a number of times.  Well, all of a sudden our driver announced we were stopping for lunch.  Both Ganaa and he said Anaa was ready to accept Christ and asked if I would talk more with her.  With my heart in my mouth, I agreed.  We decided that after lunch, in the van, I would pray with her for that. I told her about seeing the shepherd and how our Sunday School class had prayed for her after her husband died. Anaa did accept Christ, and for me it was the first time of praying with someone to receive the Lord.  I can't imagine a greater privilege in this life!  Anaa was so joyful at that time, saying with tears that this was a day that she would always remember, and I joined her in that feeling! That evening she came to a Bible study that Ed led at the Centurion's office for senior military officers, both active duty and retired. 

Dear friends and family:
Thank you again to all who supported my mission trip to Mongolia financially or with your prayers! Those of us who go do so only with your strong support. God calls each one of us to join in His mission around the world, either as goers or as senders. God used us all – goers and senders alike – and I want to tell you how.

First Pres Church supports the country director of Mongolia Campus Crusade for Christ, and it was by MCCC’s invitation that we went to teach English to teachers at four camps. Each day we taught worship songs in English, we each taught two English classes daily to small groups of teachers, and we had some sort of conversational workshop time. Those times could and did include anything from the Hokey Pokey, Simon Says, and Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes to jewelry making and creative drama competitions. We ate our meals with the Mongolian teachers, each sitting at a different table to better get to know them. In the evenings we led what was essentially like a youth group time: we played silly games, sang worship songs, and one of us gave a spiritual message, which was simultaneously translated into Mongolian. After the evening message, the teachers would return to their rooms for small group time, led by Campus Crusade staff or other Mongolian believers. There they would discuss in their own language what they had heard, asking questions in a safe environment. Every morning during our team devotions, we heard about how things had gone in the small groups the previous night.



I can only speak for the two camps that I participated in. What we saw at both of those camps was the amazing, mysterious, powerful work of the Holy Spirit in many people’s lives. After the first evening, most people had claimed to be firmly Buddhist, or that they had things all together themselves and did not need this Creator God that we had told them about. But every evening hearts were softened and seeds were already sprouting. By the fourth night of each camp, when I had the privilege of speaking about Jesus’ free gift of eternal life, the teachers were responding aloud to my rhetorical questions, always in the affirmative. Nearly every person attending these two camps made a decision to accept Jesus into their heart, or to recommit their life to Jesus! The few that did not yet make that decision indicated that they thought they would soon, and they wanted to maintain further contact with the MCCC staff. From the two camps that I participated in, God brought 39 new believers into His kingdom!

Perhaps the most exciting part of this story is that our 2.5 weeks in Mongolia is only a tiny part of the larger story. MCCC staff has been preparing the ground with these particular teachers, building relationships with them, for many years. And already now they are following up with them. They are already studying the Bible with the new believers and integrating them into appropriate local churches. There are “believer teachers” in many of the schools who will disciple the new believers. And the new believers are already telling their families and friends about Jesus!



What personally blows my mind is the way that God allows, even invites us into His work in the world. God does not need any of us to help Him carry out His plan – after all, God is God. He can do whatever He wants, however He wants. And yet He is so gracious as to include us in the process and in the joy! God can use anyone – even me! And if you gave or prayed, God is using you too.
I’ll probably be writing more Mongolia stories over the next few weeks, more like e-postcards telling about specific aspects of the trip.

In Christ,
—Vicki

Ramaz Atallah, the General Director of the Bible Society of Egypt wrote:
Dear Friends,

The eyes of the world have been on Egypt, wondering if a very courageous revolt demanding the resignation of the President, reforming the constitution, and ending corruption, would possibly succeed. Protected, and yet not assisted, by our armed forces, these hundreds of thousands of protesters, at great risk to themselves, persisted stubbornly in their revolt for 18 days until Friday, February 11, when President Mubarak resigned and the Army promised to fulfill the protesters' demands. They have already dissolved both houses of parliament, suspended the constitution, and are now working towards the rebuilding of both in time for presidential elections in September.

Last week, like in July of 1952 when young army officers overthrew the King and declared a Republic, Egyptian history was re-written and we all believe we are in a new and exciting phase of this great nation's destiny.

Thank You
I would like to Thank You on behalf of the Bible Society and the Christians of Egypt. We were overwhelmed during this time by a flood of emails, phone calls, and Facebook messages from all over the world, assuring us of your prayers and the real desire to help (I am sure you will appreciate why it has been impossible to answer each of you personally).

On the "night of rampage", January 29th, when many businesses, shopping malls, vehicles and police stations were vandalized and destroyed, a bunch of hooligans approached the Bible House in the middle of the night. Our security guard had fled and the Muslim neighbors guarding their homes told us that they were preparing to protect our beautiful building when suddenly, for no apparent reason, the gang stopped in their tracks and returned from whence they had come! The neighbors were convinced that this was divine protection of the Bible Society and told us so! We were sleeping at the time, but undoubtedly some of you, in different time zones were praying for us!

How is the current situation in Egypt?
People feel empowered; they have broken the bonds of fear from a totalitatian system. Much goodwell and unity has been expressed. However, some costly damage has been done like the stealing of valuable archeological treasures from the Cairo Museum, the destruction of many government properties, and the escape of many prisoners. There are also dozens of strikes and demonstrations by varied groups of society who believe they were unjustly treated by the previous regime and now feel free to demand their rights. All this continues to create a feeling of insecurity among many. On the positive side there is a massive, spontaneous "clean up" campaign going on in which Christians and Muslims of all classes of society are working together to clean up and rebuild Cairo and other cities across the nation.

I am sure you can imagine that with the country having come to a standstill for 18 days and with most foreigners (including businessmen and tourists) having left, it will take a lot of time and effort to restore Egypt to the economic stability we had begun to enjoy during the last year.

The present situation is extremely complex. It seems obvious to me (but not to many others) that the kind of "democracy" which could eventually be achieved by this revolution will be within the framework of a country whose main ideology is based on unwavering loyalty to a major religion. (A 2009 Gallup poll indicated that Egypt is one of the most religious countries in the world!) There will, hopefully, be much more freedom of expression and a more democratic governing system. But like all the nations in our region, there will still be restrictions for us as Christians which we will not be able to easily ignore.

Bringing the core message of the Bible to Egypt
While most Christians are encouraged by the "winds of democratic change", many others fear that the well-organized Muslim Brotherhood could win in a free election, and that if this happens the status of Christians in Egypt might be worse than before. Many believers in Egypt are used to equating God's blessing with physical comfort and even prosperity. Most expect a relatively peaceful life, and are not equipped to handle difficulties within a Biblical framework. Some Christians have not hesitated to flee the country, while many of those remaining wish they could leave as well.

The Christian faith was born in unstable political circumstances and has usually thrived most when threatened. Our vision at the Bible Society of Egypt is to take a deliberate role in affirming to Christians of all classes and persuasions basic Biblical truths. We are on the precipice of opportunity, and feel that there is an incredible spiritual gap that must be filled. The Bible Society is in a strategic position to address the whole church (Orthodox, Catholic and Protestant). Our urgent desire is for the Word of God to speak. We cannot fail to seize this opportunity to share the relevance of God's Word during this momentous time in Egypt's history.

The Bible speaks to the Revolution's aspirations
Nearly all the dreams and aspirations of the youth who began this revolution are basic Biblical values. Unfortunately, some of the corruption and injustice against which they are revolting was perpetuated by so-called Christians as well. We know that, unless people's hearts are changed by the Holy Spirit, all hope of a real "reformation of life-style", to which many Egyptians now aspire, will be impossible to achieve. There has never been a time when God's voice is more needed.