Missionary Update: Wegeners in Zambia

Vine and Branches
Volume 8, Issue 2
April 2008
“I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me, and I in him, he bears much fruit; for apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5

SINCE WE LAST WROTE

David (Theological College of Central Africa) …

• learned to adjust to continuing power cuts. Improvement may come in early 2009.
• completed his first term as TCCA’s academic dean (see below).
• watched with sadness and prayers as Zimbabwe, our neighbor to the south, descended into even greater chaos.
• pulled some near all-nighters as he typed up notes for his class on Old Testament Wisdom Literature.
• got malaria for the first time and memorized verses from the book of Revelation.

Terri (Wife, mother, homemaker) …
• hosted several missionary gatherings at our home, including monthly meetings of the Ndola Missionary group.
• continued to walk or bike nearly every morning with a friend named Sue.
• began praying every Thursday morning with Luella, an older friend from South Africa.
• prepared to celebrate her 25th wedding anniversary on 7 May.

Lizzie (Senior, Bloomington South High School) …
• brought back a hammock from her spring break trip to Mexico with the Bayly family.
• started tutoring two girls (a 7th and a 9th grader), mainly in math.
• anticipated her HS graduation in May.
• spoke briefly at a Missions Conference in Medina, Ohio at Harvest Presbyterian Church.

Mary (Sophomore, Simba International School) …
• was saddened when her good friend moved from down the street to the other side of town.
• played in a country-wide volleyball tournament in Lusaka with her school team. They lost in the semis.
• struggled with math and science classes.

John (Grade 8, Simba International School) …
• said good-bye to the rainy season in Ndola. We received nearly a record-breaking amount of rain. Cause: La Nina? With April begins our Fall. Blue skies, puffy white clouds, “cooler” temperatures.
• still comes home and gives dad a report about the goals he scored that day during break.
• watched as a huge swarm of thousands of bees settled into one of our neighbor’s trees.
• has started shooting baskets outside after school. It’s about time the Hoosier comes out in him.

Sarah (Grade 6, Simba International School) …
• was awarded the part of Helen of Troy in her class play to take place in May. Sarah is very excited.
• pretended (with Mary) she was eating Chinese take-out up on our roof. Our dogs looked at them very strangely.
• had to deal with boils breaking out on her legs, one right after the other. Unsure of the cause. It’s not diabetes.

Please PRAY for the Wegeners, serving in Zambia with Mission to the World:

1. For David's father. His health has deteriorated quite a bit lately and has been in and out of hospital and a nursing home.
2. For our children's spiritual development, especially in the context of the (non-Christian) school they attend.
3. For endurance and joy as we encounter obstacles and afflictions and our own sin.

Patriarchy, Discernment and Jail

One of the joys we get to experience here in Zambia is hosting short-term missionaries in our home. We’ve had a number live with us, and deep and lasting friend-ships have been formed.

Sometimes the encounters are more brief. The pastor of our church in Zambia, Kabwe Kabwe, recently started a small school to train ministers here in our area (the Copperbelt Ministerial College). Pastors from the States come for a week and teach the men short, intensive courses, on topics like Introduction to Preaching, Ephesians, the Theology of the Reformation, and Pastoral Theology.

Two men came this past week; we’ll call them Paul and Simon, from Kentucky and Michigan. We had them over to our home for dinner at the beginning of their teaching time and just before they left to return to America. Let me relate a few things we discussed.

Paul mentioned that he was teaching on the book of Ephesians and asked for any tips to help with that. We talked a bit about marriage in Zambia (see chapter five of Ephesians). I mentioned how Zambia was a patriarchal society but that it was not a patriarchy under the discipline of Scripture. Lots of problems come up as a result. Believers and Christian leaders are trying to address the situation but it is not easy.

Then Simon made an interesting observation. He asked if incest was a problem here. We said, yes, it was a real problem and asked why he thought that. He said he was watching the young girls walk home from school down the road past our church property. And he was pretty sure by looking at some of their faces what they had experienced; the light was gone from their eyes and he had seen the same “look” in his pastoral ministry in America as he counseled women and girls who had gone through the same thing.

Please pray for TCCA, that we could train pastors who would convey the healing that only Christ can give. Pray especially for the Rev. Joe Simfukwe, our principal, who teaches the Counseling and Pastoral Theology courses.

Simon also had a different story to tell. He was out for an early morning walk and happened by the large home where the president of Zambia stays when he is in our area. He took a few pictures of the house and was promptly arrested and taken to the local jail. It took the better part of the morning to get sorted out but it showed the kindness of so many Zambian believers, their affection for those who come to teach the gospel and the importance of relationships.

So … What Exactly Does The TCCA Academic Dean Do?

He figures out which courses need to be taught … Lines up lecturers to teach those classes, either from our staff or visiting lecturers from Zambia, the U.S., or Australia, etc. … And if they’re from overseas or out of town, where will they stay? And how will they get around? And what will they eat? … Puts together the class schedule so that students and lecturers aren’t required to be in two places at the same time. Kinda tricky, that … Helps students figure out which classes they need to take … Makes sure that students are on track to graduate when they’re supposed to … Gives and approves independent studies classes to help students fulfill their graduation requirements … Oversees the evaluations that students give of our lecturers and courses … Makes sure we offer some evening courses for community residents to take … Deals with cases of plagiarism or cheating … Disciplines … Extends grace … Gives advice and Dutch uncle talks … Shepherds the students through tough times … And about six other things I forgot.

Missionary Update: Taperas in Zimbabwe

Missionary Update: Thorntons in Ukraine

April%202008%20Newsletter.pdf

Missionary Update: Cummings in Mexico

Dear Friends and Family,

Once again we find ourselves sending out a one and a half month newsletter. Sorry! God has been very good to us in providing us with a new home to sufficiently house our growing family, homeschooling and provide for hospitality and ministry needs as well. We are truly enjoying have more space, although we are lacking in furniture! But that will all come in time! The last two weeks have been spent moving into our new home and out of the old one. As a result, we have also had our internet connection down during this time as well.

Tessa and Hannah are adjusting very well to living with us. We have seen great changes in them over the last three weeks, especially in their physical appearance. There were difficult concerns that came up at the doctor’s office as we found out that Tessa had been abused. We also started a treatment on Hannah for parasites, and about a week later started seeing 8 inch long worms coming out in her diaper. To date there have been thirteen that we have seen, which explains why she is so underweight and small for her age.

PLEASE PRAY!!!!!!!! We have had quite a few problems with the mother of the girls recently. Yesterday she arrived at our church during the service with some of her family and the police. She was accusing us of stealing her children and caused quite a scene. She was very aggressive towards the people that confronted her, but God was so good in providing for Susanna to be escorted away to Larry’s office before she could get to her. She was able to remain inside as the police did not have a warrant for her, so they did not enter the building. (Jon was at home with the kids and Susanna was at church playing for the Spanish service.) Our church family responded so lovingly in having some stay with Susanna, some talking to the police and others coming to get me and the paperwork. The policemen were very kind and professional through all of the proceedings, and once we produced the paperwork from the lawyer, they were satisfied of the legality of things. They began to get quite annoyed with the mother as she continued to make accusations of us and was rude to them. It was very difficult for us to hear all of her lies and accusations. Please pray for wisdom in dealing with this situation! Jon is going to meet with the lawyer today and also get a report from the doctor in regards to his medical examination and opinion of the girls. We will not be returning to Santa Ana for a little while to try to take some time to figure this out. It is a dangerous place to begin with, and we cannot chance being there as she is talking/lying to so many about the situation. They have been searching for us everywhere. Please pray for the safety of the girls through all of this! The policemen indicated to the mother that the children could stay with us or go with the government, but based on what has happened, they would never be going back to her.

There is a simple song that our family loves, and it has been on our hearts and we’ve been singing it a lot lately and wanted to share it with you!

GOD IS A GOOD GOD!

HE’S A GREAT GOD!

HE CAN DO ANYTHING BUT FAIL!

HE CAN MOVE SO MANY MOUNTAINS OUT OF OUR WAY!

OH GOD IS A WONDERFUL GOD!

Mexico is wonderful in that there is a two week break from school around Easter. We truly enjoyed having the children home from school, and spending a lot of time together as a new family of seven! Lily and Ian have greatly enjoyed having this time off and it was a good time for them to get used to having new siblings. Each time Ian prays, he thanks God for his new sisters. One of the highlights of the weeks off was going to see Chuy and Amy in the home they are serving in five days of the week on the other side of Lake Chapala. They were able to ride horses, climb rocks, play with dirt, sticks and leaves (Ian’s favorite!). Lily is becoming more and more the artist of the family. She draws about twenty or more pictures a day for various friends and teachers. This past month also saw Elijah taking his first steps, and now he is always roaming the house! He has almost grown into the large Cummings head of his, which has definitely helped with his balance!! And we’re very excited to finally see some hair…which is curly…and red! He is also talking up a storm…although all in Spanish, which is definitely his preferred language.

Susanna has been very busy adjusting to life with five children and packing and unpacking! She has many plans for the new house and is looking forward to having the space to set up for homeschooling. She has also started playing piano again on the worship team and is glad to use her talents again in this way. She was able to lead the women’s English Bible study this past week and share about joy, and also was able to participate in a bi-monthly women’s breakfast last Saturday. We are so thankful for these times of encouragement and sharing to build us up and encourage us in our Savior!

Jon has been busy supervising the construction progress on the second classroom, which you can check out at http://www.eirenemexico.org/blog. We are hoping to have this finished by the beginning of May. There has also been a lot of work this month in trying to finalize groups and interns for this summer and figure out exactly what their projects are going to be. Also, because Kristin will be heading back in the fall and will no longer be directing the school, we have been doing a lot of work to prepare for her departure and figure out how the ministry will continue this coming year and in the future. We have been working with a couple more families in regards to caring for their children. There are eight children with two sisters as their parents. The mothers are 18 and 21. The children have severe problems with malnutrition, but thankfully, there doesn’t appear to be any abuse. We are working with Chuy, Amy and the parents to have the children live with them for a while and work to help the parents provide an adequate living situation for the kids and themselves. We are begging for your prayers and support for the many hurting children in Mexico!

ANSWERS TO PRAYER/THANKSGIVING:

1. For Tessa and Hannah being added to our family!
2. For God’s protection of our family and moving the hearts of the policemen who came to the church.
3. For God’s provision of a good, caring lawyer to help us with the legal process.
4. For God’s provision of a new home for us.
5. For the progress in the construction on the second classroom.
6. For a well-done Easter program at the school and a clear presentation of the gospel.

PRAYER REQUESTS:

1. For the adoption process and the mother of Hannah and Tessa. Please pray for wisdom in dealing with this situation and for the peace of God to rule in our hearts. Please pray that we would be able to get the paperwork done quickly and that the girls would be able to stay with us and not have to go to the government. Above all, please pray that through this God would bring salvation to this family that has lived in darkness and hatred for so long!
2. For a quick settling in period into our new home and for strength for Susanna as all five children will now be home due to Ian and Lily no longer being able to go to the school in Santa Ana.
3. For the planning of the future of the school and the interviews we will be having this month to look for new teachers and a new director.
4. For the families of Santa Ana that God would work in them and they would understand the importance of caring for their children.
5. For Susanna as she participates in the worship team. Please pray that God would use this ministry to assist the congregation in glorifying Him through music.
6. For Jon as he is taking part in the deacon training being given to the three men elected this past fall. Please pray for wisdom as we seek to work together, through the deacons and Eirene, to minister to the physical needs of many and that we would be able to encourage many in the church to be involved in reaching out and ministering in this way.
7. For the preparations that are being made for this coming summer. For the teams that will be coming to serve as they meet and prepare and for us as we develop projects for construction and locations for VBS.
8. That God would provide the funds necessary for us to complete the remodeling of the existing structure we have for the school by the beginning of the next school year.
9. For Jon as he tries to develop internal policies and procedures for Eirene so that we can be good stewards of the human and financial resources that God has blessed us with.
10. Please pray that God would begin to work in the hearts of teachers who would be willing to come and serve in our school and someone to direct an ESL school
11. Please pray for continued healing within Jon’s family that only God can provide and that He would refine and use us for His glory.
12. That God would raise up the men of the church to be leaders, both in their homes and in the church.

Thank you so much for serving with us and being part of our ministry. It means a lot to know that you’re praying for us, and that we’re laboring together for the Lord. Thank you for your faithfulness to Him and to us!

Again, we’re praying for you, and may God bless you as you serve Him and proclaim His name – no matter where you are!

In Christ,

Jon, Susanna and our 5 little missionaries:

Tessa, Lily, Ian, Hannah & Elijah

Missionary Update: Adams in Bolivia

Cummings Update & Prayer Request

The Cummings have recently sent out the following email update:

Dear Family and Friends,

We wanted to write to you as God has unexpectedly answered our prayers in a very wonderful way!

Last newsletter we wrote about our desire to adopt. We had no idea how quickly God would answer this request.

We have known about a situation in Santa Ana for about four months now. Our friends told us about a lady who had two girls who were in a terrible living situation. The girls were being abused by other family members and severely malnourished. One night, the girls’ uncle came back drunk and cut the hair of the youngest girl with a kitchen knife. The mother has tried to put the girls up for adoption before, but because they don’t have birth certificates, the government wouldn’t accept them. The three have been taken to safe homes before, and done well while there, but continue to return to the bad situation. We are not sure exactly what issues the mother has. We do know that she has three children by three different men. The oldest, a boy, the family wants and cares for, the two girls, the family calls “bastard children” and many times they won’t feed them because of this. About two weeks ago, we talked to our friends who know the mother, to see if she still wanted the girls adopted. She indicated that she did, so we went and talked to an adoption lawyer to get help and to see about getting the girls, Teresa (6) and Hanna (3), into our custody as soon as possible. This past Thursday morning, we went with the mother to the lawyer’s office and she signed the children over into our custody with the purpose of adopting them.

The girls had a rough first hour after they came with us, but settled into playing after a while and the youngest tired herself out and fell asleep. They also had some trouble going to sleep the first night as the mother had told them nothing. The next morning, we heard Teresa crying and Jon went into the room and she said “No te vayas.” “Don’t go.”

We had a wonderful day on Friday and no crying Friday night. By Saturday, both girls were calling us Mami and Papi! There will definitely be more adjustments to go through, but we are so thankful to God that things are going so well so far. We should find out from the lawyer soon what exactly we have to do in order to get the girls their birth certificates and start the adoption process. We took them to the doctor on Monday. Hanna has parasites and they both need a lot of lab work done in order to know exactly how they are medically. We are praying that God has spared them from any serious diseases.

We would appreciate your prayers for us over the coming days and weeks for the adjustments that will take place and for all of the paperwork that needs to be done. Please pray for the mother, Lourdes, as she is staying with our friends who are trying to help her turn her life around as well. Please pray for Lily, Ian and Elijah as they go through this big transition. They seem to be doing well for now, but it will be difficult sharing all the toys and sharing their time with mommy and daddy.

Thank you for all of your faithful prayers for us!

The Cummings (Jon, Susanna, Tessa, Lily, Ian, Hanna and Elijah)

For more, please visit our blog: www.xanga.com/cummingsinmexico

Work website: http://www.eirenemexico.org/

Tapera Update

Here's the latest from the Taperas...

Tapera_Update.pdf

The Latest from the Thorntons...

Thornton%20Jan%2008.pdf

Wegener Update...

Here's the latest from the Wegeners in Zambia:

WegenerDecember07.pdf

Adams Update...

Adams_Update.pdf

Latest from the Taperas...

20071204123628936.pdf

Latest from David and Terri Wegener...

Vine and Branches
Volume 7, Issue 4
November 2007
“I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me, and I in him, he bears much fruit; for apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5

SINCE WE LAST WROTE…

David (Theological College of Central Africa) …
· killed a black mamba, one of the world’s most dangerous snakes. See below.
· taught four Saturdays of Historical Theology at the Preacher’s College of the Reformed Baptists in Lusaka.
· negotiated difficult waters at TCCA as a severe conflict broke out between the staff of the college and the board that supports and oversees our ministry.
· was saddened to learn that one of TCCA’s missionary lecturers will have to leave Zambia due to health problems.

Terri (wife, mother, homemaker) …
· taught 1 & 2 Timothy to TCCA Wives and joined David’s Doctrine of the Church class.
· reveled in the wonders of Mac/Skype technology whereby we can call Lizzie in the States, from computer to computer, and see her on our screen.
· started a MEG for women: Missionary Encouragement Group. They meet each Friday morning. She’s picked up the Zambian affinity for acronyms.

Lizzie (Senior, Bloomington South High School) …
· planned a trip to visit her family in Zambia over the Christmas holidays.
· enjoyed buying Christmas presents for her family on the other side of the ocean.
· finished making a drawing of one of Monet’s paintings for her drawing class.

Mary (Sophomore, Simba International School) …
· made the school volleyball team after learning how to serve.
· began her Friday afternoon Bible studies with other teen-age girls. Terri leads the SPRITZ group.
· didn’t grow taller. Ha, Ha, sweetie. Love, Dad.

John (Grade 8, Simba International School) …
· welcomed the return of fruit bat migrations over our house on late fall evenings. They’re big, like a squirrel with wings.
· started to grow his hair a bit longer, using old pictures of his father in high school as ammo.
· dealt with a painful injury to his foot. It is healed now but he had to forego soccer for a few weeks.
· grew taller.

Sarah (Grade 6, Simba International School …
· was named one of the prefects at her school. That is a position of leadership wherein she oversees younger children and keeps them in line.
· shrieked when she discovered a gecko lizard riding around on the back of her shorts.
· enjoyed swimming during our 90-100 degree days this hot season.

Please PRAY for the Wegeners, serving in Zambia with Mission to the World:

That the current tensions at TCCA would be resolved in a way that will strengthen the school’s future ministry of training Christian leaders.

For persistence as we ask those responsible for damaging our home while we were in the States to be financially accountable. This is still unresolved and we are hurting financially.

For God to use this year’s graduates of TCCA to build His kingdom in Zambia.

Graduation and After …

TCCA was turned over to an African board of directors over two decades ago. Tomorrow morning (Saturday, 1 December) we will have our 24th graduation ceremony.

The ceremonies are always fun though a bit long. We use the local Anglican Cathedral about a mile from our campus. The ceremony is probably similar to a lot of graduation exercises you might find in the USA, except that the students, when they march down the aisle, don’t march; they dance, and not to music like Pomp and Circumstance.

A few years ago, I was sitting up on stage next to our graduation speaker for that year, Pastor Conrad Mbewe. As the students danced down the aisle, I leaned over and said to Conrad, “do you know why American students don’t come in like that? … Because they can’t.”

What will some of this year’s class be doing after they graduate?

Eddie will be moving to a large city in the eastern province of Zambia, near Malawi. It is almost a pioneer mission work he’ll be doing for his denomination since there are a lot of Muslims in the area and they make things difficult for church-planters like Eddie. My students also tell me that Satanism is very prevalent in the area as well. Eddie’s wife, Greeness, was a key leader for the wives on campus and we often referred to Eddie as the “village headman.” They will be greatly missed.

Grant is an Australian Anglican (Sydney diocese, for those who might be interested) and he will be returning to Australia to do a master’s degree in Biblical studies and raise prayer and financial support so that he can return to Zambia as a missionary and teach in a small Bible school in the northwestern province. Grant and Melanie came with two young boys and they leave with three. Wonder how their youngest, Timothy, will make it through the ceremony tomorrow?

Stella will be teaching evangelical Christianity in a public school about an hour from here near the border with Congo. Her husband, one of last year’s graduates, is a pastor in that border town.

I could go on, but this will have to suffice. It gives you an idea of where our graduates will be going and what kind of work they will be doing.

Do pray that God would use them to build His kingdom.

Snake Story:

While driving back from Lusaka several weeks ago, we were going through a section where there was knee-high grass on either side of the road. All of a sudden, I saw a large snake rearing its head up about a foot and a half off the ground. It was moving its head back and forth as if it was looking to cross the road.

As we passed by, I turned to Terri and said, “Did you see that snake? It looked like a black mamba. Should I go back and run over it?” So I turned the car around on the highway, drove back about one hundred meters, turned around again, made sure all the windows were rolled up and headed toward the snake.

As I ran over it, Terri screamed and the kids shouted when they saw it writhing around on the ground. I had to run over it two more times and then some passersby finished the job with a make-shift spear, a reminder that someday, “the God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet” (Romans 16:20).

CONTACT INFORMATION

David and Terri Wegener

Mission to the World
1600 N. Brown Road
Lawrenceville, GA 30043
(678) 823-0004
Please make checks payable to: Mission to the World. Our account # is 018178.

From the Taperas...

TaperasUpdateOct2007.pdf

From the Thorntons...

October%202007.pdf

Read the Wegener's Latest Letter

Wegener_Letter_Sept2007.pdf

Just in from the Thorntons...

Dear Andrew,

Thank you for posting our prayer request on the web page. Right now we are scrambling to make necessary arrangements to go to Vienna as the insurance company and a local dr determined this was the best place to get the medical care Julia needs. From what I understand from Andy Folley and the drs here, they will induce her and she will deliver the baby. There is some risk of hemorraging which is the reason they are sending us to Vienna. That is all for now. I will update you when I can.

Love,

Jamie

Please Pray for the Thorntons

Marc and Renee Brunner received a call from Jamie and Julia Thornton this morning with difficult news. Julia has lost her baby and has requested prayer. Though I have not spoken with the Thorntons, I'm sure this loss will be doubly difficult with the medical care in the Ukraine. If you haven't been following Julia's diary, you will find a chronicle of her recent trips to the doctor:

http://thorntonsinukraine.blogspot.com/index.html

Please lift up our dear brother and sister in prayer.

The Thorntons' Latest

The Thorntons' latest newsletter arrived in my inbox this afternoon. Download it here:
June%202007%20Newsletter.pdf

Wegener's May Newsletter

Vine_And_Branches_May.pdf

Praise from Jamie and Julia

Just received this email from the Thorntons:

Dear Prayer Partners,

Just wanted to give you the opportunity to hear how God has answered our
prayers. We closed on our house last Friday, May 4th. Give thanks to the
Lord for He is good.

Love,

Jamie and Julia Thornton

Thornton's New Letter

I just received the Thornton's latest newsletter in my inbox. You can download it here: April_2007_Newsletter.pdf

Wegeners' Newsletter

David and Terri Wegener--our missionaries to Zambia--publish a monthy newsletter called "Vine and Branches." It's an excellent newsletter and will quickly update you on how you may support them with both your money and your prayers.

Wegenerpage1.pdf

Wegenerpage2.pdf

What's Up with the Thorntons?

The following is from the Jamie and Julia's blog...

Saturday, March 24, 2007

We have been in Kherson one week. It's been a big adjustment for all of us. We are in temporary housing: it's a 2-bedroom apartment on the 7th floor. Yes, the elevator works, though one has to buy an elevator card to make it work. One ride is about 3 cents. We are very grateful for a big grocery store right next to our apartment complex... continue reading here.

The Thorntons Have Arrived!

The following email just arrived in my inbox:

We safely landed in Odessa yesterday. The trip was very good and uneventful. All our bags made it, and though 3 or 4 were over the weight limit, we did not have to pay anything extra. We are still tired and sleepy but it's getting better.

Tomorrow we will leave for Kherson. It's a 4-hour trip, probably close to 5 hours with stops.

We have started a blog to chronicle our life here.

Thank you for all your prayers and support.