From the Field: Annual Review
On Saturday, February 16, the sixteen-person RBC Missions Committee met for 10 hours to review the 76 international missionaries that RBC supports. (The committee will review the 136 national missionaries that RBC supports on March 10.)
Each year, the Missions Committee sends each of our missionaries an update questionnaire so they can report on their finances, their accomplishments for the past year, their goals for the coming year, their prayer concerns and their children’s needs. Every committee member thoroughly reads through these updates prior to the annual review and comes to the meeting prepared to discuss each one.
The consistent theme of all the updates is that our missionaries need our prayer support more than anything else. The RBC missionary family is experiencing some painful things, both in ministry and in their personal lives. Several have grown children with marital problems and looking towards divorce. Some have children with medical needs. Some have elderly parents with issues and they are far away. Some of them have some serious health issues themselves. There are issues in their ministries. They all need our consistent prayer.
After determining the financial position of the missions budget, the committee looks at each missionary’s support shortage, if they have one. The committee always considers the needs of those missionaries RBC has sent out first. Praise God, the missions fund had enough money to give $1750 in increases to 28 of our missionaries. The committee was encouraged that the average missionary we support receives 89% of their current support need. This is an increase of one percent over last year.
The committee also looked at other issues facing our missionaries beyond financial needs. The committee will address these issues and needs over the course of the next few months. As well as thoroughly examining our missionaries, the committee also reviewed the policies that guide the missions program and discussed updates and/or changes to some of those policy guidelines. Any changes or updates made to the policies will go to the RBC council of elders for their final approval.
The most important thing the committee accomplished at the annual review was the extended time spent in prayer for our missionary family. The committee prayed through 18 pages of prayer requests we received through the update questionnaires.
If you do not yet have one an RBC Missionary Guide, please stop by the Welcome Desk in the lobby and pick one up and begin praying for our missionaries. They are in some serious spiritual battles, and many serve in some seriously dark areas of the world. Your prayers are essential as they bring forth the light of the gospel of Jesus Christ to the nations.
If you have any questions about missions at RBC, please drop us an email at missions@restonbible.org.
FROM THE FIELD: New Missionaries in Zambia
Give thanks to God with us for Mark and Esther, who are the newest members of the RBC-supported missionary family. They minister in their native country of Zambia.
Mark was born in a religious and church-going family, but they did not know the Lord as their Savior. He indulged in sinful habits and was tormented by evil spirits. He was taken to witch doctors for treatment, but it was all futile. His mother eventually accepted Jesus as Lord, and through the influence of her changed life, Mark accepted the Lord in 1980 and was freed from the torment of the evil spirits. Since that time, he has become a strong witness for Christ.
Mark joined AFCI (Ambassadors for Christ International) in 1986 as a team evangelist. After receiving further studies at a Bible Institute and developing the ministry, he has since become the Country Director. Mark and Esther are involved in organizing and conducting evangelistic gospel crusades, Christian leadership seminars and revival meetings in both rural and urban areas of Zambia.
People in Zambia are very open to the Gospel. Zambia is a very poor country with 86% of the population living below the poverty level. About 40% of the people do not have access to clean water and 50% of the children are malnourished. The AIDS crisis overwhelms the health services and the economy. Most of the children who are orphaned due to AIDS. Almost 75% of Zambian households care for a relative orphaned by AIDS. Illiteracy in rural areas is close to 90%. Christianity is widely accepted even in the public institutions, and freedom of all religions is practiced. Zambia is landlocked country and is relatively stable and peaceful but is surrounded by countries rocked by war and strife.
One out of every four children in Zambia in an orphan. Abandoned by his father at an early age and growing up in a broken home, Mark developed a great compassion for the vulnerable children in Zambia. Part of his ministry today involves helping orphans, especially in helping meet their educational needs. Mark has also formed and developed a group of 26 leaders a cross the country that meets periodically for mutual encouragement and growth.
Mark and Esther also have an ongoing pre-marital counseling program and conduct regular Family Life Enhancement Seminars for married couples. They seek to train others who can offer the same type of training and counseling as solid families are the real key to the future of Zambia.
Please pray for Mark and Esther and their three children (ages 15,13 and 11) as they boldly proclaim the gospel of Jesus in Zambia.
Giving Thanks to God for the Murrays
As we ramp up for our annual missions conference, we have the great joy of giving thanks to God for Andrew & Ruth Murray this weekend during our worship services (November 4). Andrew & Ruth are long-time RBC missionaries who are retiring from the field after many years of faithful gospel-centered service in Papua New Guinea.
The video above is raw footage showing them delivering printed New Testaments in the native language of the Nimo tribe early in 2011. For the first time in history, the Nimo people are able to read the Word of God for themselves.
When Andrew speaks to the Nimo people in the video, this is what he says: “Today is a very important day in the history of the Nimo people. God’s word is always the same. If God’s word stays in your string bag, it has no use. When you read this New Testament, you will learn God’s talk to strengthen you. We can’t work our way to heaven, but God’s word shows us the way.”
This short clip is the culmination of many years of faithful ministry and Bible translation. We praise God that Christ is being made known to the Nimo tribe. We praise God for the faithfulness of His servants, who heeded His call to the field and labored in faithful, obedient love to their Savior. May Christ be glorified as we celebrate what He has done in and through Andrew & Ruth.
FROM THE FIELD: Voz & Vida in Brazil
In early October, a team of five from the RBC went to Brazil to partner with Mike Meyers, RBC Children’s Ministry Associate and founder of Open Arms, in an event called Voz e Vida. Voz e Vida, Juntos Pelas Crianças (Voice & Life, Together for the Children) is an annual benefit concert held in Assis, Sao Paulo, the base city for Open Arms in Brazil. This gospel music event seeks to cross over denominational lines and bring together Christians to reach every child with the gospel of Jesus Christ through the work of Open Arms. The event also has gospel proclamation component both within the concert itself as well as throughout the promotion phase leading up the concert during radio, television and newspaper interviews. From Mike & Patricia Meyers:
Whenever we engage in short term missions, the question arises about what kind of impact was made and whether or not it was worthwhile. Let me answer that question here. In the space of two weeks, we were able to share with the city of Assis, Brazil about the work that Open Arms has done and is doing among the children of this city and throughout the region in the name of Jesus, via radio (nearly a dozen interviews, four of them with the guys from the band), television (2 stations), newspapers (3 papers published 6 quarter page stories), the schools (2 grade schools, 1 technical school and one university) and all culminating in a concert before a very enthusiastic crowd.
Several billboards throughout the city advertized the Voz & Vida event.
Look closely and you may see some familiar faces!
This massive exposure was in large part due to the participation of five very humble servants of Christ from Reston Bible Church. Erik & Elisa Palmer, Jesse Trask, Brian St. Andre and Carter Keeton took Assis by storm and left here with a city full of new friends, and fans. Besides their busy promotion schedule during their week in Assis, they came prepared to work with our kids at their schools and in a Children’s Day party which was to be held on October 12th. The party got rained out but the team still was able to minister to 600+ children in two of the public schools we are partnered with.
The gospel was preached in word by our team and in deed by the RBC Five. Their example of joyful, sacrificial service, not to mention the music which was an immediate hit, has opened doors for the ministry more than we could have imagined. Since they left, our staff and I have been running non-stop responding to new donors, volunteers and business leaders who want to get involved in what God is doing among the children here.
This is the RBC “One Voice” band being interviewed by a radio station in Assis as part of the promotion for Voz & Vida.
On behalf of the staff, volunteers and children of Open Arms in Brazil, we have only thanks to give. Thanks to God for bringing this event together, thanks to Reston Bible Church for standing by this ministry and sending your very best to us, and thanks to the team for encouraging our staff here with their music, their laughs, and their example.
Mike & Patricia Meyers
FROM THE FIELD: Update from Venezuela
From Chelsea, our missionary in Venezuela:
“We are not made for the mountains, for sunrises, or for the other beautiful attractions in life—those are simply intended to be moments of inspiration. We are made for the valley and the ordinary things of life, and that is where we have to prove our stamina and strength.” – Oswald Chambers
Now that the exciting adventure of living in a foreign land has worn off, and this is my day-to-day life, I wonder how much longer I am going to be in Venezuela. It is nice that I can commit one year at a time as the Lord graciously leads, but every year seems to have its own challenges. This year, I think the challenge will be persevering in the valley. It seems to be a dry season for me as far as God’s work goes, and I don’t seem to have much zeal for ministry. I am sharing the Gospel and discipling others out of sheer obedience rather than passion or holy delight. I am thankful for Oswald Chambers and his writings, for God often uses him to speak to me right where I am. Recently, Chambers has helped me see that the valley is not necessarily a trying circumstance, but the “ordinary things of life.” The above quote was extremely eye-opening for me and comforting at the same time. I am not sure if what I am experiencing is missionary burn-out or not, but I am beginning to see that it doesn’t really matter. I must believe that if I am abiding in Christ (which I am), my obedience through this dry season has a purpose and can glorify my Father just as much as when I am on top of the mountain.
Would you take a moment now to pray for Chelsea? Pray also for her ministry and for Venezuela as the Gospel continues to go forth in that country.
FROM THE FIELD: Update From Croatia
From an RBC missionary at work in Slavonski Brod, Croatia:
One bright spot from this past summer has been the surprising response of Slavonski Brod youth to the gospel. As short-term teams came and went throughout the summer, we held a number of outreaches and Bible studies for Croatian teens. A few teens have stuck around and shown great interest in spiritual things. Until the end of the summer, a group of 6 youth formed a core group that came together regularly for both social outings and for times of Bible study. One of these 6 placed her faith in Christ in July. Three others have shown that they are close to making a similar decision to become followers of Jesus.
Please pray for these teens. The start of school has presented challenges to the momentum that was going during the summer. Other commitments are causing some to scale back their involvement with the group, and we see each other less frequently. Pray that they would continue to be interested in spiritual things despite the busy, demanding schedules of high school students.
Would you take a few minutes right now to pray for our missionary, these teens, and other gospel seeds planted in Croatia this past summer?
Summer Review: Youth Missions in Croatia
This summer, a team of 20 students and adults went to Slavonski Brod and Nova Gradiska, Croatia to work with RBC missionaries Garret Prestwood and Darko Mikulic and the Pioneers Team that Tony Pedroni, RBC’s Shepherd Groups pastor, used to lead. In these cities, we did a Kid’s Club (think outdoor VBS) for younger kids, and ran camps where we taught Croatian teens how to play baseball. God was amazingly gracious to us, bringing out the perfect number of participants and providing us with great weather, even though the forecast was bleak. The videos below will give you a glimpse of what these events looked like.
Through these events, we were able to build relationships with many Croatian students. In the evenings, we would meet up with the friends we had made in the town square and hang out in small groups. It was in these times, I saw the Lord so powerfully work. Our team would regather late at night, and the stories were just amazing of how this student got to share their testimony of how God has changed their life with two Croatians, or how a Croatian opened up about the struggles in their life and we got to share about the hope we have in Christ. Every night we seemed to have another five stories of God at work.
I have had the privilege of being a part of many overseas missions trips, but I have never before seen the Lord open up so many opportunities for His Word to go forth in personal one-on-one relationships as I saw this year in Croatia. We were truly blessed to be a part of God’s plan and work in that country. Thank you for your prayers and encouragement along the way.
Please continue to be in prayer for the many seeds planted in Croatia, the new believers to be connected with the body of Christ, the students still exploring their faith with the long-term missionaries there, and for our teens to catch a vision that conversations about God can happen not just when we travel halfway around the world, but wherever God has placed them.
FROM THE FIELD: Update from Mozambique
Our missionaries in Africa, the H’s, have spent years learning the language and culture of a particular tribal people group in the Mozambique area. Recently, they were able to begin teaching the Bible chronologically from creation to Christ. Last year, several tribal people trusted Christ as their Savior for the first time in history.
The H’s missions agency recently sent this report from a tribal man there who accepted Christ as his Savior:
“I believe there is only one God. He is the Creator of heaven and earth. I believe that He send His only Son, Jesus, to pay the price for my sin. He saved me! He is the Redeemer. He is my Redeemer.
“Now, I am not afraid of death anymore. Sure, I am afraid of the pain and sickness and what that can do to this body of mine, but this is only temporary. Now I know where I am going when I die. I know the footpath to God. I know I will be with Him one day I am going to Heaven!
“There are only two footpaths in this life: one goes to God, and one goes to the eternal fire. I have found the right path, the one that leads to God! I am saved!
“Thank you so much for coming to tell us this. I did not know the right way. Now I know! I am saved!”
Please continue to pray for the H’s, for this tribe, for the new followers of Christ there, and for many more to come to know Jesus and make Him known.
FROM THE FIELD: Missions Update from Brazil
Six years ago, Eduardo de Mello Ribeiro was released after serving 18 months in a juvenile detention facility in Brazil. He was saved by Jesus from a life of violence and crime. Shortly after his release, he began volunteering with Open Arms in his town. Open Arms Worldwide is an RBC-supported organization that mobilizes, prepares, equips and aids Christian leaders and volunteers in implementing transformational, faith-based, children and youth outreach projects among the world’s poor.
Today, Eduardo is a full-time missionary with Open Arms in Brazil. He has started three outreach projects, has led countless young people to faith in Christ and also works as a counselor with men struggling with chemical dependency. In 2011 Eduardo, after years of stubborn perseverance, succeeded in opening a door for Open Arms back into the facility where he served his time. He put together an “A-Team” of Open Arms volunteers and began ministering to the boys (between 12 and 18 years old) in that facility.
It is my great joy to have walked with Eduardo over the years and I anxiously look forward to his reports. Last month was a special joy. Let me share with you some details from a recent correspondence with Open Arms:
“In early July, twenty-nine (29) new inmates arrived at the facility. On Saturday, July 15, during a visit from the Open Arms team, Eduardo was blessed to lead twenty (20) of those young boys to faith in Jesus Christ! He and his team are now actively discipling them in the Word. This is what we all are laboring for, friends. This is what our prayers and gifts each month mean in the lives of real children. God is using you to change the future of these young people. Praise God! I give thanks to Him for each of you and your faithfulness. May we all never tire of doing good!”
How to Pray for Missionaries
An many of our missionaries point out each year during the missions conference, without faithful prayer support from their sending churches, much of their labor is in vain. Prayer fuels the fires of the Gospel as it goes forth into the nations.
Yet, you may ask, “How do I pray for missionaries? What are their needs? How do I pray for someone so far away whom I do not know and perhaps may never see?” Below are some helpful suggestions for how you can generally pray for our missionaries.
WAYS YOU CAN PRAY FOR OUR MISSIONARY FAMILY:
1. Pray for the missionaries’ personal relationship with God.
2. Pray for the missionaries’ physical and emotional needs. Pray against discouragement, depression, loneliness and homesickness.
3. Pray the missionaries can make the necessary adjustments to living on their fields of labor.
4. Pray that God will open doors of ministry, blessing partnerships and friendships and that those who serve will be led by the Holy Spirit and recognize open-door opportunities.
5. Pray for revival in each nation and region of the world.
6. Pray that the Spirit will provide them with words that commuicate effectively in other cultures and languages.
7. Pray that the missionaries would find favor in the eyes of those in high places that can help to further the kingdom.
8. Pray that the missionaries will have the boldness to overcome the fear of embarassment or failure.
9. Pray for the freedom to preach the gospel and that the people will be responsive
10. Pray for strength and stamina as missionaries encounter antagonistic spiritual forces.
11. Pray that God’s Word will indeed spread rapidly and be honored.
12. Pray that God will change the hearts of those who are resistant to His Word.
13. Pray that God will keep Christian workers safe from those who seek to hurt them.
14. Pray that the missionary’s ministry and attitude will be worthy of acceptance.
15. Pray for good relationships among co-workers and the national workers.
16. Pray that the Lord will help the missionaries develop good national leaders that will multiply their efforts.
17. Pray for clear guidance from God regarding travel decisions.
18. Pray for protection and provision during their travels and for necessary permissions to travel.
19. Pray that God will provide opportunities for missionaries in lonely areas to spend time with other believers.
20. Pray that God will provide times of peace and relaxation to refresh His workers.
EMAIL PRAYER CHAIN: If you are interested in receiving periodic e-mail prayer requests from missionaries and those within our local congregation, send an email to prayerchainatrbc@gmail.com and put the word “Join” in the subject line. You will then be added to our email distribution list to received regular updates of prayer requests.
MISSIONARY PRAYER GUIDE: You can also stop by the Welcome Desk during weekend services and pick up a Missionary Prayer Guide. The Missionary Prayer Guide is an excellent resource that has a comprehensive list of our missionaries, including photos and personal prayer requests.