Newsline, October 11, 2013

Newsline The Church of the Brethren e-mail news service

Quote of the week: “In the midst of a crisis when we don’t really know what to do, we thought, ‘Let’s read the Bible and hear what God has to say.’” -- Bread for the World president David Beckmann, quoted in the “Washington Post.” He was one of the Christians who read scripture on a street corner across from the US Capitol during a “Faithful Filibuster” that beganWednesday. The effort is to remind Congress “that the government shutdown is hurting poor and vulnerable people,” the report said. It is organized by the Circle of Protection, a coalition that planned to read more than 2,000 Bible verses that pertain to poverty and other relevant subjects. Brethren staff in the Office of Public Witness took part in a telephone call with Washington religious leaders to plan how to supplement the Faithful Filibuster. Find the news report at www.washingtonpost.com/national/on-faith/faithful-filibuster-christian-leaders-read-scripture-exhort-congress-to-care/2013/10/09/6bc05018-3123-11e3-ad00-ec4c6b31cbed_story.html . This photo of the Faithful Filibuster is  by Bryan Hanger, an intern in the Office of Public Witness. Oct. 11, 2013   "Happy...are those who hear God’s word and put it into practice" (Luke 11:28b). 1) Registration fees for Annual Conference 2014 include new family friendly discount. 2) Enroll in dental, vision, and other insurance products in November through BBT. 3) ‘Pioneering’ is the subject of a three-webinar series. 4) Haitch to present Professorial Lecture at Bethany Seminary. 5) Entries sought for Bethany Peace Essay Contest. 6) Lerch concludes her work with TRIM and the Brethren Academy. 7) McElwee returns to Manchester University to guide fundraising. 8) Humanitarian curbs on deadly weapons boost new UN treaty, sharpen old debates. 9) Brethren bits: Personnel and job opening, deadline for NYC youth worker, ENGAGE at Bethany, WCC virtual conference for “youth,” church anniversaries, Juniata’s celebration of new president Troha, lots of college and university news, more. Read the full text of this Newsline in one document at www.brethren.org/news/2013/newsline-for-oct-11-2013.html     ******************************************** 1) Registration fees for Annual Conference 2014 include new family friendly discount. “Given this is budget preparation time for many congregations, we’ve had calls and e-mails asking about the registration fees for Annual Conference next year,” said a note from the Conference Office, which highlights a new “family friendly” change made by the Program and Arrangements Committee. Read the full story at www.brethren.org/news/2013/registration-fees-for-annual-conference.html 2) Enroll in dental, vision, and other insurance products in November through BBT. Employees of Church of the Brethren-affiliated organizations who work 20 hours or more may enroll in certain insurance plans through Brethren Benefit Trust (BBT). Open enrollment for Dental, Vision, Supplemental Life (for current Basic Life members who are eligible to add up to $10,000 of additional coverage), and Short-Term Disability insurance through Brethren Insurance Services happens Nov. 1-30. Read the release from BBT at www.brethrenbenefittrust.org/news/enroll-dental-vision-and-other-insurance-products-november 3) ‘Pioneering’ is the subject of a three-webinar series. Congregational Life Ministries is offering three new webinars on the topic of church pioneering. The webcast presenters are leaders from the Anabaptist Network in the United Kingdom, an organization that models dynamic ministry strategies and creative processes for new church development. The three webinars are hosted by the Church of the Brethren and organized together with Urban Expression, Bristol Baptist, and BMS World Mission. Read the full story at www.brethren.org/news/2013/pioneering-is-the-subject-of-webinars.html 4) Haitch to present Professorial Lecture at Bethany Seminary. On Saturday, Oct. 26, Russell Haitch will present a professorial lecture at Bethany Theological Seminary in Richmond, Ind., commemorating his promotion to full professor of practical theology. Free and open to the public, the lecture will begin at 7:15 p m  (Eastern time) and will be webcast. Read the Bethany release at www.bethanyseminary.edu/news/haitch 5) Entries sought for Bethany Peace Essay Contest. Bethany Theological Seminary is encouraging seminary and graduate school, college, and high school students to think creatively about peacemaking and to share those thoughts for the greater good. The Bethany Peace Essay Contest is being reinstated this coming January as part of the peace studies program at the seminary. Read the Bethany release at www.bethanyseminary.edu/news/contest 6) Lerch concludes her work with TRIM and the Brethren Academy. Marilyn Lerch, coordinator of the Training In Ministry (TRIM) program of the Brethren Academy for Ministerial Leadership, will conclude her half-time position on Dec. 31 as a result of staff reconfiguration at the academy. She will continue as half-time pastor of Bedford (Pa.) Church of the Brethren. Read the full story at www.brethren.org/news/2013/lerch-concludes-work-with-trim.html 7) McElwee returns to Manchester University to guide fundraising. A 1978 Manchester peace studies and religion alumnus with broad and deep experience in the university’s mission soon will become vice president for university advancement. Timothy McElwee will re-join the President’s Cabinet on Nov. 11, Manchester University president Jo Young Switzer announced. Read the Manchester release at www.manchester.edu/oca/advancement/McElweeReturns.htm 8) Humanitarian curbs on deadly weapons boost new UN treaty, sharpen old debates. World leaders at the United Nations (UN) at the end of September backed two steps in relation to the Arms Trade Treaty, promoted by churches, to make people safer through new laws to control deadly weapons. The biggest event came as the United States, the world largest exporter of arms, signed the new Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) during a high-level phase of the UN General Assembly, Sept. 24-26. Read the WCC release at www.oikoumene.org/en/press-centre/news/humanitarian-curbs-on-deadly-weapons-boost-new-un-treaty-sharpen-old-debates 9) Brethren bits. In this issue: Personnel changes at BBT and Gather ’Round, job opening at the Brethren Service Center, deadline for NYC youth worker applications, invitation to ENGAGE at Bethany, a WCC virtual conference for “youth,” church anniversaries, Juniata’s celebration of new president Jim Troha, lots of college and university news, and more. Read the full Brethren bits at www.brethren.org/news/2013/brethren-bits-for-oct-11.html Contributors to this issue of Newsline include Deborah Brehm, Stan Dueck, Jon Kobel, Donna March, Wendy McFadden, Nicole Pressel, David Radcliff, Donna Talarico, John Wall, and editor Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford, director of News Services for the Church of the Brethren. The next regularly scheduled issue of Newsline is planned for Oct. 18.

Newsline is produced by the news services of the Church of the Brethren. Contact the editor at cobnews@brethren.org. Newsline appears every other week, with special issues as needed. Stories may be reprinted if Newsline is cited as the source. Forward Newsline to a friend    Subscribe to Newsline

eBrethren, October 9, 2013

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October 9, 2013   Support Children's Disaster Services Click here. CONTENTS Peace begins at home Invocation Transforming peace Here are some ways you can take action during Domestic Violence Awareness Month:- Learn about domestic violence: www.brethren.org/domestic-violencewww.thehotline.orgwww.nrcdv.org/dvamwww.faithtrustinstitute.org - Educate your church about domestic violence. Invite a local expert to speak; include information in your newsletter and on your bulletin boards. - Become a safe space for people to talk and to seek help and support. Provide meeting space for community support groups. - Volunteer with your local shelter or become a trained crisis volunteer. Statistics about domestic violence are sobering:- One out of every four women will experience domestic violence in her lifetime. - Witnessing violence between one’s caretakers is the strongest risk factor of passing violent behavior from one generation to the next. - Boys who witness domestic violence are twice as likely to abuse their own families when they become adults. - 30% to 60% of perpetrators of intimate partner violence also abuse children in the household. Peace begins at home Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Do your best to live in peace with everyone (Romans 12:10 NIV and 12:18 NCV). Home should be a sanctuary, a refuge from the cares and concerns of the world. But for too many, home is just the opposite. Instead of a place of peace and harmony, it is a battleground where words and fists damage body and soul. We can’t always see the emotional and spiritual—or even physical—scars that domestic violence leaves on its victims. So we may be lulled into a false sense that domestic violence is not a problem in our community, congregation, or even our family. But we would be wrong. Nearly three out of four Americans personally know someone who is or has been a victim of domestic violence. We may be unaware that someone in our own family or a parishioner sitting in our church pew is a victim. Jesus was acutely aware of the hurts of the people around him. Remember how keenly he felt the needs of the woman who barely touched his cloak; how he responded with love and concern (Mark 5:24-34)? As followers of Jesus, how can we be any less concerned about domestic violence in our midst? October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Now is a great time for you and your congregation to take action on behalf of those who are in need. Abuse is never okay. If you are currently a victim of domestic violence, please call the National (U.S.) Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233 or TTY 1-800-787-3224. Kim Ebersole is director of Family Life ministries, a core ministry of the Church of the Brethren. For more information about Domestic Violence Awareness Month e-mail kebersole@brethren.org , or visitwww.brethren.org/domestic-violence . To support the important work of this and all other Congregational Life Ministries, visit www.brethren.org/give . Forward to a friend Back to top www.brethren.org/jrhighsunday Invocation Loving God, may we continue to open ourselves up to your Spirit and allow you to continue the work of perfecting your love within us so that we become the people you created us to be. By your grace, help us to live in your love and continue to extend that love to the world. Amen. This prayer by John Keller is a worship resource for Junior High Sunday on November 3. Visit www.brethren.org/jrhighsunday for more resources. Jillian Foerster, a Brethren Volunteer Service volunteer in South Sudan.  Photo by Jay Wittmeyer Sister Mercy leads a counseling class with students from six secondary schools in South Sudan last November. Students practice counseling together.Photos by Jillian Foerster Transforming peaceBy Jillian Foerster There’s a tall, unkempt man who paces the half mile between where I work and live. We often cross paths, and he’s attracted to my different, un-African look. Several times I’ve deflected hugs and his methanol-scented breath by relying on the speed of my bike, or assistance of a friend. This man is certainly not the only person who suffers from alcoholism in South Sudan. Many indulge in the strong, cheap sachets of low-quality alcohol that litter the ground. It’s easy to look at these individuals and ignore their suffering due to the threat they pose, or to criticize those who buy alcohol instead of paying their children’s school fees. Still, this is a symptom of a larger societal problem. The impact from war is overwhelming and everyone has a story to tell—even those who seem to be in better health. Generations have been permanently altered from decades of fighting. The fabric of South Sudanese society has seen so much trauma that it’s torn almost beyond repair. This results in behaviors such as substance abuse, depression, suicide, violence in the home, and, more fatally, conflict amid communities. As we say, “trauma that is not transformed is transferred.” It has been inspiring to be a Brethren Volunteer Serviceworker in this community for the past two years, and to learn from my colleagues at RECONCILE, an indigenous, faith-based, peace-building organization. RECONCILE is intent on patching the broken pieces of this society through education, counseling, and other activities. RECONCILE’s work has already seen a reduction in suicides and gender-based violence, as well as transformation of individuals who were on the brink of becoming another town drunkard, or wandering the streets with mental illness. Many of those whom we have trained are working in their communities as peace builders, struggling to mediate inter-ethnic conflict, and talk to their church communities about the effects of trauma. It will take years for South Sudan to rebuild, but the work of RECONCILE and other peace builders around the new nation gives hope and proves that no place, no matter its history, is Godforsaken. —Jillian Foerster is one of many dedicated volunteers working on behalf of the Church of the Brethren around the world, carrying Christ’s love through service and partnership. To support the life-changing work of Global Mission and Service ministries, including Brethren Volunteer Service, visit www.brethren.org/give . Forward to a friend Back to top www.brethren.org/messenger “My dream for this coming year is that we will take steps toward living out the beginning of our denominational vision statement, which is: ‘Through scripture Jesus calls us to live as courageous disciples in word and action.’” —Nancy Heishman in the October edition of Messenger magazine. Do you have a story about how you and your congregation practice stewardship? E-mail it to mgarcia@brethren.org ! eBrethren: Stories of Brethren Stewards, is produced every other week by the Church of the Brethren's donor communications team. Send feedback to mgarcia@brethren.org or call 847-742-5100 ext. 361. Thanks for reading!  Watch for our next issue on October 23, 2013.

Newsline, October 4, 2013

Newsline The Church of the Brethren e-mail news service

Oct. 4, 2013   "What good is it if people say they have faith but do nothing to show it?" (James 2:14b, CEB).   1) Children have disaster consequences too: CDS serves in Colorado following floods.   2) Nigerian Brethren die in more violent attacks on communities, churches.   3) Webinar series to give information about Brethren ministries for young people.   4) New resources include calendar to learn Philippians, Domestic Violence Awareness, Children’s Sabbaths, more.   5) Curriculum helps youth develop beliefs on peace, conscientious objection.   6) Workcamps schedule is announced for 2014.   7) US church leaders renew emphasis on immigration.   8) Bethany’s ‘Explore Your Call’ 2014 to be held in Colorado prior to NYC.   9) Brethren bits: Remembering Duane Ramsey, BDM honors Helen Kinsel, job openings at the WCC and Camp Swatara, difficult court decision for Haitians in the DR, and much more.     Read the full text of this issue of Newsline in one document at www.brethren.org/news/2013/newsline-for-oct-4-2013.html ******************************************    1) Children have disaster consequences too: CDS serves in Colorado following floods. The following report on the work of Children’s Disaster Services (CDS) in Longmont, Colo., following the extreme flooding in the state, was provided by the American Red Cross. A team of CDS volunteers has been serving at the Multi-Agency Resource Center (MARC) in Longmont. The team will finish up tomorrow and travel home on Sunday, reports Roy Winter, associate executive director of Brethren Disaster Ministries. “Disaster relief services are not just for grown-ups. The American Red Cross is continually aware that one of its biggest challenges is providing services for the most fragile and dependent members of an impacted community. That means looking out for the children....” Read the full story at www.brethren.org/news/2013/children-have-disaster-consequences-too.html   2) Nigerian Brethren die in more violent attacks on communities, churches. Leaders of Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria (EYN--the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria) have reported recent violent attacks that have taken lives of church members and destroyed many homes and some churches in northeastern Nigeria. The Global Mission and Service office requests prayer for people who have lost loved ones, those who have lost their homes and churches, and for EYN and its leaders. Jay Wittmeyer, executive director of Global Mission and Service, is sending a grant of $10,000 to the EYN fund that aids church members affected by the ongoing violence, and is requesting donations to the EYN Compassion Fund. Read the full story at www.brethren.org/news/2013/nigerian-brethren-die-in-violent-attacks.html   3) Webinar series to give information about Brethren ministries for young people. New “non-event” resources from the Youth and Young Adult Ministry this year are a series of webinars by denominational staff whose ministries relate to youth and young adults. These staff have teamed up to provide informational and educational webinars geared toward those who work with Church of the Brethren youth and young adults as advisors, pastors, or parents. The first introductory webinar is this Tuesday, Oct. 9. Read the full story at www.brethren.org/news/2013/webinar-series-on-youth-ministries.html 4) New resources include calendar to learn Philippians, Domestic Violence Awareness, Children’s Sabbaths, more. The month of October offers congregations the opportunity to participate in two national observances promoting the welfare of families and children: Domestic Violence Awareness Month and Children’s Sabbaths Celebration. A calendar for learning the book of Philippians by heart also begins in October, offered by the Annual Conference moderator as a focus for Bible study in preparation for the 2014 annual meeting. Read the full story at www.brethren.org/news/2013/new-online-resources.html 5) Curriculum helps youth develop beliefs on peace, conscientious objection. Call of Conscience, a Church of the Brethren web-based curriculum, is available to download fromwww.brethren.org/CO . Written by Julie Garber, this resource is designed to help youth develop their beliefs about peace and conscientious objection to war. The curriculum focuses on developing a personal peace position based on biblical teaching and the traditions of the church. Read the full story at www.brethren.org/news/2013/resource-helps-youth-develop-beliefs-on-peace.html 6) Workcamps schedule is announced for 2014. The schedule for the 2014 summer workcamps offered by the Church of the Brethren is now available online atwww.brethren.org/workcamps/schedule . Workcamps will be offered for junior high youth, BRF senior high youth, young adults, and an intergenerational group. Because senior high youth will be attending National Youth Conference in July 2014, a full slate of workcamps for senior high youth will be offered again in 2015. Read the full story at www.brethren.org/news/2013/workcamps-schedule-is-announced.html 7) US church leaders renew emphasis on immigration. Christian leaders representing the breadth of Christian churches and denominations in the US have renewed their emphasis on the issue of immigration. Immigration was the main topic at the annual meeting of Christian Churches Together earlier this year, and the CCT steering committee has announced that the urgency of the matter--particularly in light of congressional delays on immigration reform--will keep it in front of the organization’s annual meeting through 2015. Read the full story at www.brethren.org/news/2013/us-church-leaders-renew-emphasis-on-immigration.html 8) Bethany’s ‘Explore Your Call’ 2014 to be held in Colorado prior to NYC. Rising high school juniors and seniors are invited to Colorado State University next summer for Explore Your Call on July 15-19. Sponsored by the Institute for Ministry with Youth and Young Adults at Bethany Theological Seminary, this event is held the week prior to National Youth Conference (NYC), also at Colorado State. Interested youth will be able to attend both events, and will connect with their youth groups as they arrive for NYC. Read the Bethany release at www.bethanyseminary.edu/news/EYC14 9) Brethren bits. In this issue: Remembering Duane Ramsey, Brethren Disaster Ministries honors longterm volunteer Helen Kinsel, job openings at the World Council of Churches and at Camp Swatara, a difficult court decision for Haitians in the Dominican Republic, and much more. Read the full Brethren bits at www.brethren.org/news/2013/brethren-bits-for-oct-4.html Contributors to this issue of Newsline include Linetta Ballew, Jan Fischer Bachman, Kim Ebersole, Mary Kay Heatwole, Jeri S. Kornegay, Nancy Sollenberger Heishman, Becky Ullom Naugle, Walt Wiltschek, Jane Yount, and editor Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford, director of News Services for the Church of the Brethren. The next regularly scheduled issue of Newsline is planned for Oct. 11.

Newsline is produced by the news services of the Church of the Brethren. Contact the editor at cobnews@brethren.org. Newsline appears every other week, with special issues as needed. Stories may be reprinted if Newsline is cited as the source. Forward Newsline to a friend    Subscribe to Newsline

Minute for Mission, October 7, 2013

"That is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us. So we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us; we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.” —2 Corinthians 5:19-20
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Minute for Mission  Issue 14 October 7, 2013   Please lift up in prayer all leaders and attendees of the first annual Assembly of the Church of the Brethren in Spainon October 11-12. Pray for sacred listening and wisdom as all involved prayerfully discern God's plan for the church. Pray for the two individuals being ordained and the two individuals being licensed for ministry, that God may direct their leadership. Expanding learning: Montessori and EYN Children at work in the Montessori classroom of Brethren Schools. Photo courtesy of Carol Smith. Carol Smith recently settled in Abuja, Nigeria, to consult teachers and parents on using Montessori methods in the pre-schools of Ekklesiyar Yan'uwa a Nigeria (EYN). The plan is to create a model classroom where teachers from schools throughout EYN can eventually visit and learn different ways of teaching and where parents can learn about and collaborate with the efforts of the teachers. Carol explains the Montessori method as a scientific approach to education that is based on the developmental needs of children using observation, experimentation, and analysis. The method embeds meaningful contexts that provide frameworks and motivation for acquiring knowledge. Given the values of peace, service, logical thinking, problem-solving, and empowerment that Montessori shares with EYN and the Church of the Brethren, Smith believes a Montessori system of education can help to raise children with the values of EYN. She states: "In view of the violence that currently faces the EYN church in Nigeria, it seems especially appropriate to consider moving towards a system of education that promotes peace and nonviolent problem-solving." Teachers of the Montessori classrooms. Photo courtesy of Carol Smith. Here are Carol’s thoughts as she began work at the school: I am happy to be back in Nigeria and on the brink of fulfilling a dream that I have had for a long time—a dream of bringing Montessori education to EYN. Yesterday I met with the teachers of Brethren Schools Abuja, and we practiced some simple presentations: how to roll a rug, how to take care of a book, how to do a puzzle (without dumping it), and The Pink Tower. We discussed potential parental concerns, which led me to write couple of additions to my series of daily parent-education fliers that we will send home with the children during the beginning weeks. It seems that parents the world over think first of academics, often failing to appreciate the value of balancing academics with assets like a love of learning, initiative, decision-making skills, self-control, respect, problem-solving, confidence, independence, service, peace studies, creativity, and tools for learning. Carol Smith The teachers want to start on Monday, and that is our plan. The children were ready to start two days ago when some of them saw me unpacking books and enticing materials! They called them toys and found it funny when I explained that the materials were not for playing but rather for working. I can't remember any time when I tried to do something for which I felt more affirmed or affirmed by more persons, be it friends from church or strangers that I met while traveling. I am grateful to God, to the Church of the Brethren, and to EYN for giving me this opportunity. I pray that ultimately it will help to promote peace in Nigeria. Program volunteer Jillian Foerster (right) with RECONCILE colleague. Photo courtesy of RECONCILE International. Transforming peace: A reflection from program volunteer Jillian Foerster as she enters her final months of service with RECONCILE International There's a tall, unkempt man who paces the half mile between where I work and live. We often cross paths, and he's attracted to my different, un-African look. Several times I've deflected hugs and his methanol-scented breath by relying on the speed of my bike or the assistance of a friend. This man is certainly not the only person who suffers from alcoholism in South Sudan. Many indulge in the strong, cheap sachets of low-quality alcohol that litter the ground. It’s easy to look at these individuals and ignore their suffering due to the threat they pose, or to criticize those who buy alcohol instead of paying their children’s school fees. Still, this is a symptom of a larger societal problem. The impact from war is overwhelming, and everyone has a story to tell—even those who seem to be in better health. Generations have been permanently altered from decades of fighting. The fabric of South Sudanese society has seen so much trauma that it's torn almost beyond repair. This results in behaviors such as substance abuse, depression, suicide, violence in the home, and, more fatally, conflict amid communities. As we say, "trauma that is not transformed is transferred." It has been inspiring to be a Brethren Volunteer Service worker in this community for the past two years, and to learn from my colleagues at RECONCILE, an indigenous, faith-based, peace-building organization. RECONCILE is intent on patching the broken pieces of this society through education, counseling, and other activities. RECONCILE's work has already seen a reduction in suicides and gender-based violence, as well as transformation of individuals who were on the brink of becoming another town drunkard or of wandering the streets with mental illness. Many of those whom we have trained are working in their communities as peace builders, struggling to mediate inter-ethnic conflict and to talk to their church communities about the effects of trauma. It will take years for South Sudan to rebuild, but the work of RECONCILE and other peace builders around the new nation gives hope and proves that no place, no matter its history, is forsaken by God. Spreading God’s love in France Collin and Kim S. with their sons Micah and Zachary Kim S. of Florin Church of the Brethren in Mount Joy, Pa., and her husband Collin have been serving as church planters in northern France since July 2011. With support from the Church of the Brethren, Kim and Collin work with Greater Europe Mission to spread the word of God through daily interactions in their community and outreach efforts such as English classes, children’s activities, and coffee distribution. They describe their latest ministry and how Church of the Brethren members can lift them and their two young sons up in prayer: We're very excited about our newest outreach initiative which is a Discovery Bible Study in our home. What we especially love about these events is that we can present the entire gospel message to a small group of seekers and then open it up for honest discussion. The attendees ask some of the most insightful questions and we do our best to introduce them to Jesus. As we go about all of these activities, we pray that God will bring us into contact with those individuals whose hearts are ready to receive Him. You can pray for us, for effectiveness in our work. You can pray for safety for us and our family as we live in a very lively neighborhood. You can pray for God's Spirit to move in northern France and for many individuals to come to know Him. Go to ablutionandatonement.wordpress.com for more information and regular updates about Collin and Kim's ministry. Please print and distribute the October 2013 missions prayer guide. Find it atwww.brethren.org/partners Service opportunity John Braun, a Church of the Brethren pastor working to support trauma healing in the African nation of Burundi, invites you to join the THARS International Burundi Mission Work Camp (PDF) from February 12 to March 1, 2014. THARS (Trauma, Healing, and Reconciliation Services) International provides micro-finance grants, coordinates mission partnerships and work camps, and facilitates cross-cultural trauma healing training. The workcamp gives opportunity for many different tasks during construction of the THARS Training Campus near Gitega, Burundi.
"Minute for Mission" is published by Global Mission and Service, Church of the Brethren, 1451 Dundee Ave., Elgin, IL 60120; 800-323-8039 ext. 362;www.brethren.org/partners © Church of the Brethren Church of the Brethren is a non-profit religious and educational organization recognized by the Federal and State governments. Donations are tax deductible as allowed by law. Share this message with a friend

To Zambia and Back II

Claire Devereaux was at the Whitestone church last Sunday to share her story about her trip to Zambia this past summer.

She brought some of the simple items which had been to Africa with her, and which had taken on so much meaning for her: work gloves, a hard hat, a bucket--all symbolic of the hard and joyful work of serving others in God's name.

Claire told us about her lifechanging trip. We learned how those work gloves and that hard hat were used in the building of a concrete bridge with culverts from start to finish--all by hand. We learned how that bucket and many others were used to carry the concrete--load after load--from where it was mixed--by hand. And we learned how that bucket was also used for personal laundry and bathing.

We learned about the daily tasks necessary for keeping life in their "tent city" going, like fixing meals and pumping water through a filter--by hand--for hours on end. We learned about their study time and prayer time. We learned about opportunities to teach the children, and to worship in the local churches. We learned about the chance to travel into the bush to see giraffes and elephants and hippos and crocodiles, and how their trip ended up at the breathtaking Victoria Falls.

We also learned about the culture shock experienced by Claire and every one of her team when they returned to the United States. Claire just shook her head, still trying to cope with a new perspective on the world and her own country's way of life. Her father, Dale, who went on a similar mission trip with Teen Missions 35 years ago, knows something about what Claire is going through. He said, "Most people here think you go over there to a country that's broken, and then come back home to the way things should be. But you come back here and realize your country is the one that's broken."

What's broken in this land of plenty is our ability to experience the depth of faith of people who depend on God for everything. As Claire said, "They're so thankful!...I just wish my friends here, when they complain about things, could just get perspective."

Thank you, Claire, for going to Zambia, and for coming to our church to tell us about it and to help us gain some of that perspective.