Around the world: Sharing food and faith on the island of Mauritius
Church potlucks aren’t confined to the United States — or the Western Hemisphere. On the volcanic island of Mauritius, in the Indian Ocean east of Madagascar, members of the Rose Hill church in Mauritius prepare their dishes for a fellowship meal following a recent service. In July the congregation hosts the first Bible Bowl of the Indian Ocean, minister Pierre Sylvio Salomon said. The event will include a Bible conference conducted by Richard England of Freed-Hardeman University in Henderson, Tenn.
BULGARIA
SUFIA
Shopping malls, casinos and expensive cars fill the streets of thisformer-Soviet city, missionary April Everhart said. But many of itspeople have little food or clothing – and huddle around space heatersduring the winter months.
Everhart and her husband, Clint, werepart of a team from Germany that traveled to Bulgaria recently. EasternEuropean Mission provided a truck with about 4,000 Bulgarian Bibles andclothes for the people of Sofia.
The team worked with missionaries Tom and Sheryl Black to distribute the supplies.
Duringthe distribution, Clint Everhart dug through piles of clothes to findwarm coats for a man’s son and daughter. The tearful father shook hishand and said something in Bulgarian.
“What he said I will never truly know,” the missionary said. “However, the look in his eyes and his face said it all.”
COLOMBIA
MEDELLIN
More than 60 youths came to Medellin recently for the second annualNational Christian Youth Camp, organized by Churches of Christ inColombia. Some traveled more than 15 hours for the event, said JonathanHanegan, missionary in Caracas, Venezuela.
Speakers included Hanegan, Edgar Ruiz from Armenia, Juan Carlos Gomezfrom Cali, Jhon Arrieta from Sahagun, Alberto Castaneda from Pereira,and Gustavo Quiceno and Gustavo Vasquez, both from Medellin.
CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC
BANGUI
Despite hardships, churches in the Central African Republic continue to grow, missionary Worlanyo Kwesi Bor said.
Rebel fighters have prevented Bor from visiting church plants in thenorthern part of the country, but church members Koissa Justin andBekoni Dimanche report “that the members are responding well to thesound doctrine,” Bor said.
The country’s capital, Bangui, is more stable. Bor teaches students atthe Biblical Studies Center at the Benzvi church in Bangui. The schoolcontinues to seek visiting instructors to train future preachers andencourage the country’s young congregations, Bor said.
INDIA
KAKINADA
More than 3,000 people were expected to attend the 22nd BibleLectureship at the Kakinada School of Preaching in late January, saidNehemiah Gootam, the school’s director. Ministers from five statesacross India were scheduled to speak. “The lectureship is the longestone of its kind,” Gootam said, and has helped Indian churches growspiritually.
KENYA
NAIROBI
A record crowd of about 600 people, representing 40 districts in Kenya,five nations and three continents, attended the annual Kenya Church ofChrist National Lectureship at the Eastleigh church, minister NyabutoMarube said. The Kenya Christian Industrial Training Institute wasturned into a guesthouse to accommodate the visitors. Lecturerstraveled to Kenya from Botswana, Congo and Cambodia.
“All speakers emphasized that any group that attempts to pattern itselfafter the church revealed in Scripture must maintain without deviationcore doctrines of the New Testament church,” Marube said.
MEXICO
COZUMEL
If you’re traveling to Cozumel, pack a hammer next to your swimsuit.
Ciudad de Angeles (City of Angels), a ministry for orphaned, abandoned,abused and needy children, has signed a purchase agreement for fiveacres of land near the Cozumel church, American Director Gary Gardnersaid.
“The two-year goal will be to construct three houses so that thecurrent angels can be moved from the rental properties as quickly as
possible,” Gardner said.
The ministry will organize service teams of construction workers, plumbers and electricians to help with construction.
For more information, see www.ciudaddeangeles.org.
MEXICO CITY
Members of the Solid Ground church in Mexico City traveled to SanAndres Totoltepec to distribute blankets and Bibles recently,missionary Sean McClue said. Church members Israel and Nelly Molinalaunched a church cell group in the city, nestled among the AjuscoMountains, and the group grew to 20 people in just a few months, McCluesaid.
NEW ZEALAND
HAMILTON
The church in Hamilton has only four children, but members passed outabout 3,000 fliers inviting kids to the church’s recent Super Saturday.
As a result 37 children and several parents attended the day of crafts,games, Bible stories and barbecue. Members of the Hamilton andOtumoetai churches and missionaries Adam and Heidi Picker coordinatedthe event. The event led to a super Sunday, with 15 visitors at theHamilton church, the missionaries said.
NIGERIA
IBADAN
Fourteen ministers in this southwestern Nigerian city recentlycompleted a year-long preacher training program, minister SundayAyandare said.
Ayandare said he prays that the students “will go into the fields to sow the good word of life into the hearts of men.”
The minister also coordinates a radio broadcast on the book of Romans.
SAMOA
VAIMOSO
Church leaders from American Samoa traveled west to the IndependentState of Samoa recently to meet with churches there and to invite themto the second South Pacific Lectureship, scheduled for July at thechurch in Tafuna, American Samoa. The team included Tia Misa and DavidWillis, of the Tafuna church, and Luaao Soli and Salimu Tamapolu, ofthe Nu’uuli church.
Members of the group spoke at the Vaimoso and Aleisa congregations inSamoa. “We met with the leadership of both of these congregations, aswell as the leadership of the congregation that meets on the island ofSavai’i,” Willis said.
SUDAN
KAUDA
Missionary Ken Grimm was scheduled to travel to the Nuba Mountains incentral Sudan in late January to assist refugees from the Darfurconflict.
“The Christians there are overwhelmed,” Grimm said. Thousands of refugees — including children — need blankets and supplies.
Lifeline of Hope, a Montana-based ministry, raised about $24,000 forrelief. Grimm plans to assess other needs in the region during hisvisit.
BULGARIA
SUFIA
Shopping malls, casinos and expensive cars fill the streets of thisformer-Soviet city, missionary April Everhart said. But many of itspeople have little food or clothing – and huddle around space heatersduring the winter months.
Everhart and her husband, Clint, werepart of a team from Germany that traveled to Bulgaria recently. EasternEuropean Mission provided a truck with about 4,000 Bulgarian Bibles andclothes for the people of Sofia.
The team worked with missionaries Tom and Sheryl Black to distribute the supplies.
Duringthe distribution, Clint Everhart dug through piles of clothes to findwarm coats for a man’s son and daughter. The tearful father shook hishand and said something in Bulgarian.
“What he said I will never truly know,” the missionary said. “However, the look in his eyes and his face said it all.”
COLOMBIA
MEDELLIN
More than 60 youths came to Medellin recently for the second annualNational Christian Youth Camp, organized by Churches of Christ inColombia. Some traveled more than 15 hours for the event, said JonathanHanegan, missionary in Caracas, Venezuela.
Speakers included Hanegan, Edgar Ruiz from Armenia, Juan Carlos Gomezfrom Cali, Jhon Arrieta from Sahagun, Alberto Castaneda from Pereira,and Gustavo Quiceno and Gustavo Vasquez, both from Medellin.
CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC
BANGUI
Despite hardships, churches in the Central African Republic continue to grow, missionary Worlanyo Kwesi Bor said.
Rebel fighters have prevented Bor from visiting church plants in thenorthern part of the country, but church members Koissa Justin andBekoni Dimanche report “that the members are responding well to thesound doctrine,” Bor said.
The country’s capital, Bangui, is more stable. Bor teaches students atthe Biblical Studies Center at the Benzvi church in Bangui. The schoolcontinues to seek visiting instructors to train future preachers andencourage the country’s young congregations, Bor said.
INDIA
KAKINADA
More than 3,000 people were expected to attend the 22nd BibleLectureship at the Kakinada School of Preaching in late January, saidNehemiah Gootam, the school’s director. Ministers from five statesacross India were scheduled to speak. “The lectureship is the longestone of its kind,” Gootam said, and has helped Indian churches growspiritually.
KENYA
NAIROBI
A record crowd of about 600 people, representing 40 districts in Kenya,five nations and three continents, attended the annual Kenya Church ofChrist National Lectureship at the Eastleigh church, minister NyabutoMarube said. The Kenya Christian Industrial Training Institute wasturned into a guesthouse to accommodate the visitors. Lecturerstraveled to Kenya from Botswana, Congo and Cambodia.
“All speakers emphasized that any group that attempts to pattern itselfafter the church revealed in Scripture must maintain without deviationcore doctrines of the New Testament church,” Marube said.
MEXICO
COZUMEL
If you’re traveling to Cozumel, pack a hammer next to your swimsuit.
Ciudad de Angeles (City of Angels), a ministry for orphaned, abandoned,abused and needy children, has signed a purchase agreement for fiveacres of land near the Cozumel church, American Director Gary Gardnersaid.
“The two-year goal will be to construct three houses so that thecurrent angels can be moved from the rental properties as quickly as
possible,” Gardner said.
The ministry will organize service teams of construction workers, plumbers and electricians to help with construction.
For more information, see www.ciudaddeangeles.org.
MEXICO CITY
Members of the Solid Ground church in Mexico City traveled to SanAndres Totoltepec to distribute blankets and Bibles recently,missionary Sean McClue said. Church members Israel and Nelly Molinalaunched a church cell group in the city, nestled among the AjuscoMountains, and the group grew to 20 people in just a few months, McCluesaid.
NEW ZEALAND
HAMILTON
The church in Hamilton has only four children, but members passed outabout 3,000 fliers inviting kids to the church’s recent Super Saturday.
As a result 37 children and several parents attended the day of crafts,games, Bible stories and barbecue. Members of the Hamilton andOtumoetai churches and missionaries Adam and Heidi Picker coordinatedthe event. The event led to a super Sunday, with 15 visitors at theHamilton church, the missionaries said.
NIGERIA
IBADAN
Fourteen ministers in this southwestern Nigerian city recentlycompleted a year-long preacher training program, minister SundayAyandare said.
Ayandare said he prays that the students “will go into the fields to sow the good word of life into the hearts of men.”
The minister also coordinates a radio broadcast on the book of Romans.
SAMOA
VAIMOSO
Church leaders from American Samoa traveled west to the IndependentState of Samoa recently to meet with churches there and to invite themto the second South Pacific Lectureship, scheduled for July at thechurch in Tafuna, American Samoa. The team included Tia Misa and DavidWillis, of the Tafuna church, and Luaao Soli and Salimu Tamapolu, ofthe Nu’uuli church.
Members of the group spoke at the Vaimoso and Aleisa congregations inSamoa. “We met with the leadership of both of these congregations, aswell as the leadership of the congregation that meets on the island ofSavai’i,” Willis said.
SUDAN
KAUDA
Missionary Ken Grimm was scheduled to travel to the Nuba Mountains incentral Sudan in late January to assist refugees from the Darfurconflict.
“The Christians there are overwhelmed,” Grimm said. Thousands of refugees — including children — need blankets and supplies.
Lifeline of Hope, a Montana-based ministry, raised about $24,000 forrelief. Grimm plans to assess other needs in the region during hisvisit.
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