Missionaries from Latin America, to Latin America
MARIANO ROQUE ALONSO, PARAGUAY — Winning souls for Christ in…
Around the World: VBS in Albania, prison ministry in Zimbabwe and more quick takes
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Around the World is our monthly rundown of news briefs, links and quotes from Churches of Christ all over the globe. Got an idea for this column? Email Erik Tryggestad at [email protected].
Featured photo (above): Prabhu Kumar, left, prays with a family in rural India.
ALBANIA
KORÇË — “The language barrier was a non-issue as long as smiles and hugs were available,” said Vickie Dudley, who traveled with her husband, David, from their home in Maryville, Tenn., to work with the Korçë Church of Christ and minister Albert Çepi. The couple helped with a Vacation Bible School.
Children in Korçë, Albania learn about Jesus at Vacation Bible School.
COLOMBIA
LA HORMIGA — Jairo Marmol Muñoz and his wife, Andrea, braved “the Trampoline of Death” to visit a newly planted Church of Christ in Colombia’s southern Putumayo state. The road that zigzags through the Andes Mountains to reach La Hormiga is notorious for wrecks and deaths. After the couple arrived safely, they found a church of more than 40 souls that barely fit into its small rented facility. Andrea trained women in the church to teach classes for children, which meet in the facility’s kitchen.
“This church would be helped forward toward more growth with financial assistance toward renting a larger space,” said Bob Young, a longtime missionary to the Spanish-speaking world.
During their return trip to their home in Túquerres, Colombia, a wreck on the “trampoline” stalled the couple for six hours, Young said.
Worshipers squeeze into the meeting place of a Church of Christ in La Hormiga, Colombia.
CÔTE D’IVOIRE
ABIDJAN — Bible studies and baptisms resulted from a 10-day mission trip to this French-speaking West African nation, also known as Ivory Coast. Workers with the Church of Christ Plants ministry and World English Institute participated. The institute, which uses the Bible to teach English, hosted a reception for 51 students, inviting them to additional Bible studies. This is the “Reception Model,” said WEI president Tom Langley. He accompanied Murray Stewart of Church of Christ Plants and six other teachers on the mission. The team worshiped with the Il Plateaux Church of Christ in Abidjan.
“Over the course of the week, 71 hours of Bible studies were conducted with two baptisms,” Langley said. Another student was baptized five days after the team returned to the U.S., Stewart said.
INDIA
BALANGIR — In India’s Odisha state, a hub of militant Hinduism, ministers from Churches of Christ continue to preach and teach, said Prabhu Kumar, a ministry trainer from Chennai who recently conducted Bible studies in Balangir.
“We face much opposition still in Odisha,” he said. “People fear to attend to the worship services.”
Prabhu Kumar, left, prays with a family in rural India.
PERU
IQUITOS — After six months in what’s known as “the capital of the Peruvian Amazon,” a three-family mission team coordinated by Great Cities Missions has found a location to rent for worship services and begun classes for children and teens.
Learn more at greatcities.org.
Related: Missionaries from Latin America, to Latin America
ZIMBABWE
HARARE — Prisons in this southern African nation overflow with souls hungry for the Gospel.
In the past year, two ministers for Churches of Christ reported nearly 900 baptisms through the New Life Behavior International curriculum.
Stanley Shereni and Eric Mangisi visit 19 prisons and teach nearly 9,000 prisoners and prison staffers each month, said Mike Biggers, president of New Life Behavior. The ministers work in partnership with the Graham Street Church of Christ in Stephenville, Texas.
A recent “Family Week” at the prisons allowed relatives and ministers to visit inmates who aren’t otherwise allowed to have visitors. Shereni and Mangisi, along with Christians Donivert and Josephine Khata, counseled the inmates and provided supplies including toiletries and blankets.
