We just received news of the additional support from Central Baptist. Thank you so much. Sowing in a time of famine, the Bible tells us, produces great fruit. Thank you for continuing to sow into missions even when the economy suggests otherwise.

NightLight continues to grow and see great fruit of new lives in Christ and transformation. We continue in faith knowing that there are faithful such as you who are obedient and generous to God’s call. We consider you partners in the work.

This last week (from Sunday to Sunday) we celebrate 5 new decisions for Christ. Two were adults, one teenager, and two children. These are friends or relatives that NightLight women brought to church with them. There were also 6 deliverances this last week. There is so much spiritual bondage here and very often the worship and outpouring of the Holy Spirit causes the evil spirits to manifest. It is a freedom much needed and we celebrate the steps to freedom. 

We have also been able to help a 14 year old boy who is a cross dresser. He has been used and hurt and is very wounded and confused. We found him selling himself on the street. It has not been easy finding a shelter for him because of the gender confusion and the deep psychological wounds. Today, my staff are meeting with his parents to send him to a shelter God has provided. This would not have come through without prayer. It has been a battle as he has run away from several government places and his home environment is unstable. Please pray for little Gino. He is a very intelligent boy with a great memory and an even bigger imagination. He needs a lot of healing.

Saturday afternoon, I invited a man from the House of Prayer in Jerusalem to visit our outreach center in the red-light area. Our vision is to eventually have a 24 hour prayer center on the rooftop. This man brought his Shofar with him and blew it from the rooftop. We pray for breakthrough as we declare God’s glory and salvation from the rooftops!

This is a time of transition. We are in process of building and re-modeling our new buildings to accommodate more space, a store front for the jewelry, and an outreach center in the red-light area. While the economy has made it difficult we trust God is faithful to carry out His plans and that His people who listen to His voice are faithful to give and pray. Thank you for being faithful and generous.

Many Blessings,
Annie and Jeff Dieselberg, Missionaries to Thailand
www.internationalministries.org

 In Children’s Church, I was playing a game with the 9-12 year olds. Three groups had each been given a handful of (play) money with which to purchase the “canasta básica”, the basic needs of their family for the month. One group received ¢100,000 colones (about $200), another ¢50,000 colones ($100) and the third ¢10,000 colones ($20). They had items on the table and a purchase order to add up their expenses. The third group, as you can imagine, finished rather quickly, buying only rice and beans and tuna fish, with no money left to pay the electricity or water bills, much less to buy meat or new clothes or to pay the medical bills. But the first group asked me for help. “We have bought everything we need, but we still have money left over. What should we do with it?”  Faithful to the game, I told them that they had to spend all the money. A bit uncomfortable with my answer, they nevertheless bought cable TV and internet.

Afterwards, we discussed the game. How had they felt? The group with ¢10,000 was upset. How could they possibly manage on so little money? What would they do without water? When I asked if this related to real life, they all agreed that this was the situation in Costa Rica, many people without jobs or income, struggling to survive on almost nothing.  So I asked, “How could we have changed the game to have it come out differently?”  Instantly the first group responded, “We could have shared, because we had more than we needed. Then the others would have water and electricity.”  They understood that this is the way it works in real life too, because they have experienced it in their church. Some of them have received and others given, as various families have faced unemployment and others abundance.  The concept of solidarity is fundamental to the Christian community, sharing our abundance that others might live with dignity.

I met some Christians a while ago who said that they were trying to earn more money. . . so that they could give away more because the needs are so great! That’s a couple who lives in the heart of God, who understands what God wants for our world.

I am so grateful that you give, some of your abundance and other sacrificially, so that my missionary colleagues and I can serve around the world. The World Mission Offering is approaching in the midst of an unprecedented number of natural disasters that only deepen the misery of people already living on the edge.  As the children at the church understood, there are enough resources for all if those who have plenty share with those who have little.

Together with you in ministry,

Ruth Mooney, Missionary in Costa Rica, Central America

Parents or guardians, make sure to register your children before the registration party on Wednesday, September 8.  Also make sure to fill out a new medical release form for each child,  Medical Release for Children 2010-2011.

cforms contact form by delicious:days

Here is an update for the coming week.  I’ll try to send pictures and a more detailed report of “summer vacation” activities from Kinshasa, early next week.
 
The Baptist Community of the Congo, our sister church which was founded by American Baptist missionaries in 1878, will be holding an executive committee meeting and two general assemblies in Kinshasa, starting August 23.  The Community has been ravaged by an administrative conflict that began in 2004, and this will be the first attempt to hold an assembly with delegates from both factions to hammer out the details of a plan for reconciliation.  The province of Bas Congo, where I work, has been the major battlefield in the conflict, with a rival general secretary controlling most of the city and village churches.  The result has been a decline in membership and service activities throughout the province for the past six years!  Please pray for the meetings, that there will be a spirit of harmony and a sincere desire to bring the Community back together again!  Missionary Glen Chapman needs your special prayers, as he will be serving as chaplain at the assemblies.
 
It has often been said that where you have two Baptists together, you’ll have three opinions.  In other words, Baptists are known for disagreement and conflict!  Our American Baptist denomination in the U.S. is no stranger to conflict.  How our Lord must grieve to see His children at each other’s throats!  I picture Him, together with the apostles Paul and John (who wrote a lot about love), banging their heads against the wall, pounding it with their fists, and crying, “Why are they wasting their time destroying each other, when the whole world still needs to hear the Good News, and see it lived out in the lives of Christians!?!?”
 
I’ll be in Kinshasa for the assemblies.  Personally, I lost hope for reconciliation in 2005, so please pray that I’ll be proven wrong!  I would love to “eat crow” on this one!
 
Shalom,
Wendy
Missionary Partnership Network with Wendy Bernhard
Missionary to the Democratic Republic of Congo

“And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others.”   2 Timothy 2:2