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Around the world: From Ecuador to Indonesia
QUITO, ECUADOR — What do the South American nation of Ecuador and the South Asian islands of Indonesia have in common? Cesar Basantes, an Ecuadoran minister and graduate of the Quito School of Biblical Studies, has served as missionary to the Indonesian province of Papua for seven years.
Basantes has planted a church in the city of Manokwari and teaches at a Bible school in Urei Faisei. He also works with churches in other parts of the province. The Meadow View church in Mesquite, Texas, sponsors his work.
Two years ago, Basantes married Tini, an Indonesian. The couple and their infant daughter, Sanchay, visited Quito recently. Basantes introduced his family to the staff of the Quito School of Biblical Studies.
“It was a delight meeting them,” director Kent Marcum said, “and hearing about how God is using them in that Muslim country to preach the good news of Jesus.”
CANADA
BEAMSVILLE
“Obligated, Eager and Not Ashamed” was the theme of the recent Vision Canada 2007 seminar at Great Lakes Christian College in Beamsville, Ontario. Keynote speakers were Geoffrey H. Ellis, of Waterloo, Ontario; Tim Johnson of Edmonton, Alberta; and Michael Mazzalongo of Montreal.
“It’s a chance to get brethren, literally from across the country, and a few from the U.S., to encourage and challenge one another,” said Wayne Turner, minister for the Central church in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The Strathmore Boulevard church in Toronto hosted the seminar.
ISRAEL
JERUSALEM
Orthodox Jews and rabbis voiced opposition to a building permit for the Netivyah ministry during a recent committee hearing, said minister Joseph Shulam. Several Churches of Christ support Netivyah, a group of Messianic Jews in Israel.
The ministry seeks to expand its facilities, Shulam said, but the committee has not yet reached a decision. Some Orthodox Jews argue that the ministry is trying to rob Jews of their heritage, Shulam said. “We have no desire to take Jews outside of their Jewish heritage and make them into Protestants or anything other than disciples of Yeshua,” he added, using the Hebrew name for Jesus.
ITALY
NAPLES
Six students from Harding University in Searcy, Ark., helped at nursing homes, performed puppet shows and skits at children’s homes and helped with gospel meetings during a recent mission trip to Naples, missionary Jennifer De Marco said.
Meanwhile, De Marco and her family — husband Giuseppe and children Lorenzo, Luca, David and Rachel — are mourning the departure of Harding student Jeremy Daggett, who recently completed an internship with the missionaries.
“His influence on the church and the young people in Naples is amazingly strong, and he has left his mark,” De Marco said.
MALAYSIA
SEREMBAN
More than 300 Christians from China, India, Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore, the Philippines and Malaysia gathered at a resort in Seremban recently for the 14th annual church camp, sponsored by the Pasir Panjang church in Singapore. The theme was 1 John 1:7, “Walking in the Light,” said Ken and Estelle Sinclair, missionaries in Seremban.
MEXICO
SALTILLO
Fifty-two members of the Newark, Del., church, Three Chopt Road church in Richmond, Va., and Glen Rock, Pa., church traveled to Saltillo for a week-long mission trip recently, said Newark minister Steve Mahoney.
The group helped missionary Rick Owens with construction of a church building and spent time with Mexican Christians and ministers, Mahoney said.
NETHERLANDS ANTILLES
SABA
Twenty members of the Oakhill church in Rome, Ga., and two students from Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tenn., traveled to this small, Dutch-owned island in the Caribbean, 28 miles south of St. Maarten, for mission work.
Michael and Aletha Thomas led the team. The couple spent two years in Saba while Michael Thomas was a student at the Saba University School of Medicine.
Team members taught classes in the secondary school, read to students at the elementary school and conducted a Vacation Bible School and nightly devotionals. The Thomases hope to make the mission an annual event through support from the Oakhill church.
SOUTH KOREA
SEOUL
Church members recently celebrated the 25th anniversary of the Kang Nam congregation — and the 50th year of ministry for missionary Malcolm Parsley.
“Kang Nam is a congregation of peace and love in hearts of its members,” Parsley said, adding that the church has grown 25 percent in the past year and is in need of additional space. The church has four part-time ministers training to be evangelists, Parsley said.
UKRAINE
DONETSK
Sixty-four church members from seven cities in eastern Ukraine attended a recent youth seminar hosted by the Petrovsky church in Donetsk, said church member Leonid Kruzhanovsky.
Representatives of the North Atlanta church also attended the seminar, which stressed ways for young people in churches to become leaders, Kruzhanovsky said.
Basantes has planted a church in the city of Manokwari and teaches at a Bible school in Urei Faisei. He also works with churches in other parts of the province. The Meadow View church in Mesquite, Texas, sponsors his work.
Two years ago, Basantes married Tini, an Indonesian. The couple and their infant daughter, Sanchay, visited Quito recently. Basantes introduced his family to the staff of the Quito School of Biblical Studies.
“It was a delight meeting them,” director Kent Marcum said, “and hearing about how God is using them in that Muslim country to preach the good news of Jesus.”
CANADA
BEAMSVILLE
“Obligated, Eager and Not Ashamed” was the theme of the recent Vision Canada 2007 seminar at Great Lakes Christian College in Beamsville, Ontario. Keynote speakers were Geoffrey H. Ellis, of Waterloo, Ontario; Tim Johnson of Edmonton, Alberta; and Michael Mazzalongo of Montreal.
“It’s a chance to get brethren, literally from across the country, and a few from the U.S., to encourage and challenge one another,” said Wayne Turner, minister for the Central church in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The Strathmore Boulevard church in Toronto hosted the seminar.
ISRAEL
JERUSALEM
Orthodox Jews and rabbis voiced opposition to a building permit for the Netivyah ministry during a recent committee hearing, said minister Joseph Shulam. Several Churches of Christ support Netivyah, a group of Messianic Jews in Israel.
The ministry seeks to expand its facilities, Shulam said, but the committee has not yet reached a decision. Some Orthodox Jews argue that the ministry is trying to rob Jews of their heritage, Shulam said. “We have no desire to take Jews outside of their Jewish heritage and make them into Protestants or anything other than disciples of Yeshua,” he added, using the Hebrew name for Jesus.
ITALY
NAPLES
Six students from Harding University in Searcy, Ark., helped at nursing homes, performed puppet shows and skits at children’s homes and helped with gospel meetings during a recent mission trip to Naples, missionary Jennifer De Marco said.
Meanwhile, De Marco and her family — husband Giuseppe and children Lorenzo, Luca, David and Rachel — are mourning the departure of Harding student Jeremy Daggett, who recently completed an internship with the missionaries.
“His influence on the church and the young people in Naples is amazingly strong, and he has left his mark,” De Marco said.
MALAYSIA
SEREMBAN
More than 300 Christians from China, India, Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore, the Philippines and Malaysia gathered at a resort in Seremban recently for the 14th annual church camp, sponsored by the Pasir Panjang church in Singapore. The theme was 1 John 1:7, “Walking in the Light,” said Ken and Estelle Sinclair, missionaries in Seremban.
MEXICO
SALTILLO
Fifty-two members of the Newark, Del., church, Three Chopt Road church in Richmond, Va., and Glen Rock, Pa., church traveled to Saltillo for a week-long mission trip recently, said Newark minister Steve Mahoney.
The group helped missionary Rick Owens with construction of a church building and spent time with Mexican Christians and ministers, Mahoney said.
NETHERLANDS ANTILLES
SABA
Twenty members of the Oakhill church in Rome, Ga., and two students from Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tenn., traveled to this small, Dutch-owned island in the Caribbean, 28 miles south of St. Maarten, for mission work.
Michael and Aletha Thomas led the team. The couple spent two years in Saba while Michael Thomas was a student at the Saba University School of Medicine.
Team members taught classes in the secondary school, read to students at the elementary school and conducted a Vacation Bible School and nightly devotionals. The Thomases hope to make the mission an annual event through support from the Oakhill church.
SOUTH KOREA
SEOUL
Church members recently celebrated the 25th anniversary of the Kang Nam congregation — and the 50th year of ministry for missionary Malcolm Parsley.
“Kang Nam is a congregation of peace and love in hearts of its members,” Parsley said, adding that the church has grown 25 percent in the past year and is in need of additional space. The church has four part-time ministers training to be evangelists, Parsley said.
UKRAINE
DONETSK
Sixty-four church members from seven cities in eastern Ukraine attended a recent youth seminar hosted by the Petrovsky church in Donetsk, said church member Leonid Kruzhanovsky.
Representatives of the North Atlanta church also attended the seminar, which stressed ways for young people in churches to become leaders, Kruzhanovsky said.
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