World Partners Update July 2012
World Partners Update: July 2012
by Judy Daniels
Watching God bring people together to build His church is always an incredible experience. One recent illustration of His creativity can be seen in the Grace Brethren Church in Chile and two of its National Ministry Partners, Adriana and Juan Sáez.
Juan Sáez was born in Chile and raised by his mother and stepfather. Following high school, he went to Argentina to visit family. He hoped to go to the university there— “But,” he says, “the Lord had other plans for me.”
Juan started attending the Grace Brethren Church in Rio Cuarto, Argentina, where he met Pastor Walter Testa. Through Testa’s guidance, Juan became a believer with a strong desire to serve the Lord, eventually working with young people in two churches. 12 years later, Juan returned to Chile for a visit. While there, he met Adriana Camandona, a National Ministry Partner wich Encompass.
Adriana, a pastor’s daughter, was actually from Argentina. After accepting Christ at age seven, she wanted to be a missionary. Adriana attended Word of Life Bible Institute in Argentina and Grace Seminary in Winona Lake, hoping to serve in the Philippines someday. But the Lord closed that door. Then Steve Bailey, Encompass’ Latin America Regional Director, asked if she would go to Chile as a church planter.
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by Dave Guiles
In May 2012, Sue and I had the privilege of circling the globe, visiting ministry sites in Japan, SE Asia, Central Asia, Western Central Asia, and England. While changes in time zones took their toll on our bodies, we experienced far deeper discomfort from moving between the Shinto, Buddhist, Muslim, and secular worlds. While security issues prevent me from sharing many details, here are a few impressions from our journey:
Bikes, bowling balls, and barbeques can all be great tools for accelerating the Great Commission! This summer, many churches are hosting cycling tours as a fun way to raise funds to support National Ministry Partners through the Day of Generosity.
The Grace Brethren Church in Tracy, CA wanted to fundraise for Olive Ledesma, a National Ministry Partner in the Philippines. However, their congregation did not have many cyclists, so they decided to find an alternate plan. Catching the vision, member Mike Bruckner rallied people together for a Bowl-a-thon, which raised $900! Continue...
Chile, the longest country in the world, is situated between the Andes Mountains of South America and the Pacific Ocean. On average, it is only 109 miles wide. It is 95 percent Hispanic, with Spanish as its official language. Chile is one of the more developed countries in Latin America, yet there is still widespread poverty. Following the brutal Pinochet dictatorship of 1973-1989, the country now has a democratic government. The Catholic Church has a strong influence on society; however, the number of evangelicals has grown over the past 40 years and now forms 18 percent of the population. Continue...
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This spring, the Bible Institutes in Batangafo and Bossangoa saw 11 students graduate, many through assistance from the Timothy Project. All will now return to pastor churches in their home villages. Praise God for providing these churches with leaders! Sam and Tracey Schwartz are transitioning to Lisbon, Portugal after 10 years in the city of Porto. Pray for all the details of such a big transition, and for their work with National Ministry Partners Alfredo and Rita Abreu. Also, praise God with the Schwartz family for the salvation of a man with whom they’ve been working for over 5 years! |
For more updates and news from around the world, visit EncompassWorldPartners.org.
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