BMH Editor's Blog

From today's Somerset Co. (PA) Daily American newspaper:

Burglar bypasses donation jar

By VICKI ROCK
Daily American Staff Writer

Police forces from Meyersdale Borough, Summit Township and the Pennsylvania State Police are looking for a burglar who possibly had enough of a conscience to keep him from stealing a donation jar.

Officer Rick Brown said two burglaries happened Saturday night at 2 Sisters Hometown Pizza, 306 Main St., and Gene's Transmission, 110 Clay St. An attempted burglary happened that same night at the Sheetz store's storage room at 24 Center St. All happened between 1 a.m. Saturday and 6 a.m. Sunday. A small amount of money was stolen from each location.

Summit Township Police had two burglaries in their area the same night, according to Summit Township Police Chief Rich Good. He added that the burglar broke into the Summit Mills Grace Brethren Church between midnight and 3 a.m. Sunday, but nothing was taken. Peachies market also was burglarized.

Then, between 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. Tuesday, Main Street Inn, also in the 300-block of Main Street in Meyersdale, was burglarized. The restaurant was closed at the time.

"The odd thing is, maybe $15 was stolen, along with wine and another bottle of alcohol," Brown said. "But there was a donation jar on the bar with about $200 to $300 in it, and he didn't take it. He had to see it, but he never touched it."

Here are three news-note items from the weekly "Connections," which is distributed free by e-mail from the Grace College and Seminary campus in Winona Lake, IN by Judy Daniels in the advancement communications office. To obtain your free weekly subscription, contact her at connect@grace.edu.

YOUTH EMPHASIS WEEK was held March 22-24 with Jay Delp and Shawn McBride as speakers. One special event took place on March 23, when 220 young people from area youth groups met on campus for a rally. The students enjoyed music by Sound Investment, Grace's contemporary Christian music group, and heard a gospel presentation from guest speaker Shawn McBride. As a result of the rally, 15 teenagers made first-time decisions to follow Christ with their lives. We're thankful for this good news and ask that you join us in praying for these new Christians.

TWO MUSIC DEPARTMENT EVENTS are coming up in April and both are open to the public:

#1 - The Grace College Community Wind Ensemble will present "Circus Concert - Music under the Big Top," on Friday, April 1 at 7:30 p.m. in Rodeheaver Auditorium. This concert features well-known circus composers and their music, plus special attractions, set in a circus atmosphere. Director Martin Becker says that this is a concert for young and old alike and he encourages families with small children to attend. (No admission fee.)

#2 - Vesper Chorale of South Bend, Indiana, along with the Vesper Chamber Orchestra and the Grace College Festival Chorus, will present Mozart's Requiem on Saturday, April 23 at 7:30 p.m. in Rodeheaver Auditorium. Tickets are $12 (adults) and $6 (students) and are available at the Grace College Campus Store in McClain Hall and at the Herald Bookstore in Winona Lake.

According to a Religion News Service release by Beau Black, the next "hot thing" in Christian music may be hymns. Here is an excerpt from the release:

The oldest Christian music may again become the hottest -- if the term "hot" can be applied to hymns, that is. Over the coming months, several Christian artists will release their versions of hymns.

In the recent past, that's been a job for Bill Gaither, who appealed to a decidedly older audience. Now, folk rockers Jars of Clay and Ashley Cleveland, MercyMe leader Bart Millard and urban sister trio Out of Eden are rolling out their first takes on the classics; Amy Grant is releasing her second such project.

Trend-watchers prognosticating the next twist in modern worship may find what's next is more like "what's past." Part reaction to the worship music craze hitting a saturation point, part churchgoers' desire for more lyrical depth in their worship, hymns are poised to retake their former place in churches, and take a shot at the radio charts as well.

According to many artists, it's about time.

Dr. Lorne Sanny, second president of The Navigators, died March 28.

His death was attributed to complications from pneumonia following several months of serious health issues and a recent diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. He was 84.

Sanny, a native of Iowa, committed his life to Christ as a teen. He attended Bible Institute of Los Angeles (now known as Biola University), where he met and joined The Navigators, a Christian ministry founded by Dawson Trotman to help people “know Christ and make Him known.”

Lorne married Lucy in 1943 and started a family not long after. In the midst of their active ministry lives, they raised six children.

For 15 years, Sanny served as Trotman’s understudy, including seven years with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA) as director of counseling and follow-up. When Trotman drowned in 1956, he was succeeded by Sanny.

During Sanny's 30-year tenure as president and general director of The Navigators (which moved from Southern California to Glen Eyrie in Colorado Springs in 1953), The Navigators grew from a staff of 171 in fewer than a dozen countries to 2,580 in 71 countries.

Currently, 4,027 Navigator staff work in 110 countries, among 214 people groups and in 161 languages.

After stepping down as president and general director of The Navigators in 1986, Sanny continued as chairman of the U.S. Board of Directors until 1993. He developed and served the Navigator Business and Professional Ministries, The Navigators’ marketplace outreach.

Sanny continued to help Navigator staff worldwide, as well as being a mentor to Christian businessmen and an active participant in his local church until his death.

Jerry White, who succeeded Sanny as The Navigators' third president in 1986, said “What I've come to learn is that, though Dawson Trotman was the founder of The Navigators, Sanny was the builder of The Navigators.”

Todd Scoles, senior associate pastor of the Northwest Chapel Grace Brethren Fellowship in Dublin, Ohio, recently unearthed this little factoid.

In 1870, the Pennsylvania Brethren Sunday School came up with a plan to encourage children to memorize verses. A red card was to be given for each verse memorized and a blue card when ten verses had been learned.

One eight-year-old boy in the James Creek congregation earned an impressive set of cards by reciting 145 verses on a single Sunday morning.

The boy later became the first Brethren to earn a Ph.D. and served as Governor of Pennsylvania from 1915-1919. That precocious little person who tests the patience of your elementary workers might become the next Martin Grove Brumbaugh. (Source: The Brethren Encyclopedia, 1983.)

Roger Peugh, Grace Seminary faculty member and former GBIM missionary who was taught English Composition as a college freshman by Elener Norris Grossman, officiated yesterday at her graveside service in Mentone, Indiana. "Ellie" died Easter week at age 68 after a 31-year battle with cancer.

By Terry White, FGBC World editor

My journalism teacher just died.

As we were preparing final copy for the May/June issue of FGBC World – the week between Palm Sunday and Easter – we received word of the death of my Grace College journalism professor, Elener Norris Grossman, after her 31-year battle with cancer.

Ellie, as she liked to be called after we passed the “Miss Norris” stage, was a bright star growing up as a farm girl here in northern Indiana. From the archives of the local newspaper, you learn the following:

At age 15, in 1951, she “scored heavily” with her 4-H exhibit at the Indiana State Fair on “Be Wise, Pasteurize” (she showed electrical and quick methods of using a double boiler). That year she also won first place in the “county senior dress revue” as a member of the Franklin 49er’s 4-H club at Leesburg, IN.

In 1952 she gave her “prize winning demonstration on pasteurization” at Purdue University’s Rural Youth Club events in West Lafayette.

In 1954 she won the Daughters of the American Revolution “Good Citizen’s Contest” as a high school senior. In 1954 she won a cash scholarship at the Indiana State Fair to the college of her choice as one of five state 4-H home economics club winners. She was valedictorian of her class at Beaver Dam High School.

Elener matriculated at nearby Grace College as a student, graduating Summa Cum Laude in 1958 and followed that with a master’s degree in journalism from Indiana University and graduate theological studies at Grace Seminary.

I first encountered her, as a college freshman journalist, when she was teaching English and journalism and advising our student publications at Grace College.

Later her life moved on. She married Gil Grossman and had a son, Luke, of whom she was fiercely proud as he distinguished himself in his military career.

In recent years she gave great amounts of time to volunteer missionary service—usually with literature and bookstore ministries in Great Britain and other European countries. In all, she made 24 such missionary trips. By now she and Gil had relocated to the historic community of Jonesborough, Tennessee.

She kept in touch with many Grace grads—my wife and I had dinner with her and Gil last summer when FGBC national conference was in Kingsport, TN, and GBIM missionary Margie Hull stayed with the Grossmans during conference. By then she was severely weakened after yet another round of chemo.

The Sounding Board, the Grace College newspaper, had a 50th anniversary reunion this past November at Homecoming and she sent greetings and anecdotes from her days as student publications adviser.

I want to pay tribute to a professor who challenged us to the highest standards, and whose lifetime of occasional notes and e-mails were encouraging as my journalism career developed. Her notes and e-mails were “atta boys,” effective in bringing motivation and encouragement.

Is there anyone from your “past” you could encourage today? A note, e-mail or call might come at just the right time.

Thanks, Ellie, for your impact on several generations of Grace journalism graduates. Now…I have some notes I need to write…
 

LYNCHBURG, Va. (BP)--Liberty University Chancellor Jerry Falwell is in critical condition in a Lynchburg, Va., hospital after being admitted late March 28 for difficulty breathing.

Lynchburg General Hospital released a statement saying that Falwell is on a ventilator and his condition has stabilized, the Associated Press reported. Church officials and hospital officials told AP that Falwell is experiencing another case of viral pneumonia.

"Rev. Falwell is clinically stable, but he is still critically ill," Liberty University said in a statement. "He is undergoing evaluation and his physicians will have a clearer picture on Wednesday. His cardiac status is stable and there is no evidence of a heart attack. He is alert and responding to questions."

Falwell also was in the hospital for nearly two weeks in late February and early March, battling pneumonia. He recovered in time to watch, in person, Liberty's women's basketball team advance to the NCAA Sweet 16.

"He's resting comfortably and in stable condition," Ron Godwin, Falwell's executive assistant, said, according to the Associated Press. "It's a recurrence of the viral pneumonia."

The 71-year-old Falwell serves as pastor of Thomas Road Baptist, a Southern Baptist church in Lynchburg.

Pastor Dan Thornton of the Peninsula Grace Brethren Church, Soldotna, Alaska, tells of this amazing incident in his church Easter Sunday. You can keep up with Pastor Dan's blog at www.xanga.com/longhikes.

Yesterday was an Easter Sunday worship service that my church will never forget. A dear man, Dale Richard, died and was resuscitated right during the service.

The congregation was standing for prayer, but Dale chose to pray seated. Then he slumped to one side, being held somewhat by Suzanne. Keith Randall saw this and rushed to help lay Dale on the floor. Those nearby helped to move chairs and give some room. A lady offered to help (it was her first Sunday in our church) and when Keith asked her what training she had, she said she was a nurse practitioner. She promptly told someone to call 9-1-1 and checked on Dale's raspy breathing.

Since Dale was seated near the back of the auditorium, those in front were not aware of all that was happening. The brass quintet started playing and the ushers started taking the offering. So professionally and decisively did people handle the situation that any thought of panic didn't register.

Meanwhile, Dale's breathing stopped, eye movement ceased and the pulse that seconds before had been checked and felt in the neck was now non-existent. Jeannie McNutt had alerted Keith Hamilton (Captain of the local fire service volunteers) and Melody Newberry had elbowed her husband Bill (Physicians Assistant) to let them know of the emergency. Somehow Tim Cooper (Paramedic), Randy Milliron (nurse) and Dr. Bob Bauder (dentist) were at Dale's aid as well. Our church was likely the safest place to be in Alaska, other than at a hospital.

Though Janet St. Clair said the visiting nurse practitioner was probably an angel from the Lord, and though I still don't know her name, I have received reliable reports that she is indeed a real person. She commenced with CPR. Bill did mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. Tim was relaying information to the enroute CES personnel. Keith Randall sent Jim Webb out to K-Beach road to direct the ambulance to the correct building and entrance.

The offering having ended, my Dad led the congregation in prayer for Dale, an elderly man who had collapsed and was receiving medical attention. This was now the only thing that much of the congregation knew about what had caused the "commotion" in the back. I had been playing in the brass quintet and all I knew was that it sure seemed to be taking the ushers a long time to take the offering and I had to somehow communicate to Sam, Allan, Aleks and Stephanie that we needed to play "O Sacred Head, Now Wounded" one more time.

Dale's eyes came back to life, his heart resumed beating and the "angel nurse" stopped doing CPR. It wasn't long before Dale asked why he was on the floor and those helping him needed to convince him to stay still and that he did indeed need to go to the hospital. I stood to preach and then dismissed the children to go to the Youth Center for Children's Worship. Before they reached the doors, the ambulance had arrived. Justin Franchino and Jeannie corralled the children to make way for the paramedics with their pack board, medical kits and oxygen bottles.

I chose to pray for Dale again, then, not quite sure what else to do, started preaching. I did my best to keep everyone's attention, though the activity and noises from the back still drew many looks and questioning expressions. About 10 minutes into the message the ambulance was on its way to the hospital.

During the closing song, Keith Hamilton walked up to the front row where I was standing and gave me the report. He said, "Well, it's resurrection Sunday" and then let me know that Dale had indeed been dead for a short time, but now he was alive again. I interrupted the song and told the congregation, giving one more reason to praise God on Easter morning.

Dale was transferred Sunday to Anchorage hospital where he remained under observation. His heart stopped again this morning, leading the physicians to schedule a pacemaker implant for 9:00 AM tomorrow. We praise God that both times Dale was with people who had wisdom and skill to help him in his time of need.

Pastor Mike Tabor, of the "Happy Church" in Jackson, Kentucky, sends along the following report:

T.J. and Kimmie Molands have taken over the teens and are doing a fantastic job. T.J. was baptized today (Resurrection Sunday) in the river and both of us were numb when we came out!

T.J. said the weather wasn’t going to stop him and he said “What if Jesus would have said ‘it is too cold to be crucified today?’. You have to love the fervor of youth.
 

Many have been praying for Pastor Howard Mayes of the Clinton, MD, Grace Brethren Church, who has had a lengthy hospitalization for a mysterious illness. There is good news--this report was received Easter Sunday evening:

After nearly six weeks in the hospital and rehab facility, I am grateful to be home expecting full recovery. It was great to be able to attend our Easter Musical Drama this morning.

I have been greatly blessed by the tremendous outpouring of prayer so many shared in my behalf. The doctors are still perplexed--believing that an unidentified virus infection struck my entire system and suggest that we may never know much more detail. It was frightening at best and "life-threatening" at worst.

Thanks for helping me communicate my appreciation to all who prayed. I know that the Lord still has more for me to do. --Howard

GBIM board member Miriam Pacheco this weekend concludes six weeks of ministry in the Central African Republic with GBIM missionary Barb Wooler. Here is an edited version of her final report:

This will be the last update from me in CAR.

We made our fourth visit of this month to the established orphan care group and it was a blessing. The leader was reviewing last week’s lesson on the crucifixion and the meaning of Easter. The French word they use for it is the same word that means Passover.

One of the young teenage boys stood and gave a very good spiritual application of what the Passover was and how that ties in with the Lord Jesus Christ being the Passover lamb of sacrifice. It was powerful. Sounds like a connection that the English language misses and one we should emphasize more than we do.

Several children gave testimony about how the orphan group has helped them and how grateful they are for their partners in America. They sang with great enthusiasm and joy. And almost every kid, even the very young ones, can clap in rhythm without making a mistake.

We were privileged to meet with a group of ladies at a church a little bit outside the main city. It’s in a neighborhood close to the mountain and it’s quiet there! They treat their children more gently than we’ve seen in the other neighborhoods. It was a refreshing time all the way around even though the meeting lasted three hours.

They want to start an orphan care group in their church and that was so encouraging. They asked very good questions and seemed to have a good sense about what it would require of them. It is a huge undertaking for a group of widows and/or a church, but they realize how important it is to care for these kids and train them in the things of the Lord. Their rewards in Heaven will be great!

The missionary team here has been like a big, happy family. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed being with them as we’ve shared many meals together, worked together, and had some good conversations. There are many difficult things about living here, but there are also some nice aspects to life in CAR. And each one of them knows this is where the Lord has called them to minister, so they are joyful in that ministry.

I am grateful for your prayers and interest. You will never know what a blessing it is to be able to count on family and friends to pray for me. I’ve known many times that our loving Father responding to your prayers is what has made the difference at the moment. Thank you so much!

"Just For You" was the title of the musical drama produced for Columbus, OH, area residents this past weekend by the Grace Brethren Church of Worthington, OH. (dress rehearsal photos by Liz Cutler Gates) 

The backstage orchestra, directed by Arts and Media Director Randy Kettering, gets a view that the audience never sees. 

Most Grace Brethren churches this Easter week are observing the threefold communion service that is one of the distinctives of the Grace Brethren movement. Based on scripture, the communion service includes footwashing, the fellowship supper, and the bread and the cup.

Pastor Scott Distler of the Lititz, PA, Grace Brethren Church, shares this response from someone who participated in communion with the Lititz congregation:

“I wanted to share with you regarding the message that you gave to the congregation on Palm Sunday. I was so profoundly touched by the Holy Spirit when your words reached my heart. I feel that I have found a true Church where God is clearly making his presence known to me. I am filled with joy about coming to Grace Church and I look forward to every Sunday.

"This past Sunday, I participated in Communion. I was so at peace when I left church that night. The whole day was a blessing and I thank you and your family and the whole church family. I want to shout to the rafters the glorious 'Good News' of Jesus and I am so looking forward to Easter Sunday.

"I have been to many different churches in my lifetime. I studied with the Jehovah Witnesses for two years. I have studied Buddhism, Taoism, Hinduism, attended many different Protestant churches, as well as Catholicism. But, finally I feel that I have found the Lord. He has led me gently to Grace.”  

Word has been received in Winona Lake of the death, at 9:40 a.m. today, of Elener Norris Grossman, who taught journalism and English and advised publications at Grace College for a number of years.

Mrs. Grossman, who had been fighting cancer for several years, died in Tennessee. In recent years she and her husband, Gil, lived in Jonesborough, TN, from where they both traveled widely around the world doing volunteer mission work. Elener was particularly active in bookstore and literature ministry, often in Great Britain.

She was a 1958 graduate of Grace College with a B.A. in English Education (secondary) and a minor in French.

A memorial service will be held in Tennessee on Easter Sunday, and burial will be in Mentone, Indiana, which was Elener’s home. Grace faculty member Roger Peugh will conduct the graveside service on Tuesday.

Elener had been unconscious since Monday night. Her daughter-in-law, from Germany had arrived to spend some time with her before her death, and the Grossmans’ son, Luke, is currently on his way home from Afghanistan.

Messages of sympathy may be sent to Gilbert Grossman at 690 Hwy 81 North, Jonesborough, Tennessee 37659.

Pastor Kary Oberbrunner of the "Driven" conference committee sends along this urgent reminder of a registration deadline for the Twenty-Somethings conference, to be held on the campus of Kenyon College in Ohio this June 15-18.

We are pleased to announce the tremendous support from the national organizations regarding our first-ever national young adult conference DRIVEN. This conference is funded by prayer, a vision to reach young adults, and dollars from people who believe in reaching emerging leaders.

GBIM, CE National, GBNAM have contributed a generous amount of dollars and hours to make this dream a reality. The DRIVEN committee is not making a dime and has invested hundreds of hours to make this conference happen. Now all we need is you.

Our guess is that each pastor knows of a young adult between the ages of 19-29. Please, Please, Please. You are the link between them and this conference. We need you to give them the vision that is much larger than themselves. Our vision is to: gather a generation to become catalysts for Christ within Church and culture.

We cannot keep the early-bird registration price much longer. The price jumps after March 31st. Please contact a young adult today and strongly encourage them to attend DRIVEN. This conference exists for no other reason than to sow into this generation and connect them with local churches. It is the largest segment of people leaving the church.

Visit our website for more information and registration. www.driven05.org Please don't delay. Thanks for your partnership.

The DRIVEN Committee

The Terri Schiavo case in Florida is giving some Christian spokespersons opportunity to comment in the media on this issue which has biblical and ethical implications. This morning's Hagerstown, MD Herald newspaper contains the following quotes from a Grace Brethren pastor:

Pastor Dean P. Pryor of Hagerstown Grace Brethren Church said Michael Schiavo gave up his rights as a husband by living with another woman and having children with her despite being married to Terri Schiavo.

Pryor said Terri Schiavo seems to have faint reactions to stimuli, which means she can think and function to some degree.

"If someone is able to breathe on their own and needs help being fed, that is still life," Pryor said.

Dr. Martin Gallagher, who founded the Community Free Clinic in Hagerstown, said it is not an issue for Bush or Congress to decide.

"This was a totally inappropriate intervention of government," Gallagher said.

He said Schiavo appears to be in a state known as coma vigil, in which a person is "in a coma, but appears awake."

But, to Chukla, Schiavo's condition is not clear.

He said she doesn't fit into the categories of terminal, persistent vegetative or end state because all three "usually rely on the idea that a person is getting artificial life support."

Terri Schiavo can breathe on her own and is not on a heart monitor, Chukla said.

It's also not clear if she could get better, Chukla said.

"You can't just rule it out across the board," he said.

Gallagher and Chukla agreed that the debate is a reminder of the importance of a living will, in which a person spells out his or her end-of-life wishes.

Gallagher said it's not a perfect case study, though.

"This is very muddied by politics," he said.

Regardless, Pryor said, Terri Schiavo should be thought of in prayers - which his congregation did Sunday morning and evening.

Recent Grace College art graduate Sarah Pratt (left) and Grace College Art Department chair Prof. Art Davis (right) display several of the illustrations Sarah has done for a forthcoming BMH Book entitled "Heroes Who Live On, Vol. 2." The illustrations shown here are of Dr. Orville Jobson and of Frances and W.A. Ogden.

The Grace College Art Department and the Brethren Missionary Herald Publishing Company (BMH) of Winona Lake, Indiana, have recently formed a joint partnership to provide publication services while giving hands-on experience to current students and recent graduates.

Terry White, Executive Director and Publisher of BMH, explained that the BMH Books division is using student interns and recent graduates from the college to set and proof type for books, to create illustrations, and to design covers for certain products. BMH is the communication/publishing arm of the Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches.

“It’s a great working relationship for us,” White said. “Because our offices are only three buildings apart, we can easily harness the creativity of the students along with excellent faculty supervision from Professor Davis.”

Prof. Art Davis, chair of the Art Department, said the arrangement presents a unique opportunity for his students and recent graduates.

“Students have the advantage of face-to-face communication with the client,” Davis said, “and they are building a portfolio of published work that will give them a distinct advantage in marketing their creative skills.”

A new visual identity for BMH was developed through a contest conducted in a senior graphics class last year. Students submitted designs for logo, stationery, business cards, and other promotional items. BMH staff met with the students several times to refine ideas, narrowed the submissions to several finalists, and eventually adopted the design concept of senior Laura Hoffard as the company’s new corporate logo.

More recently, a series of twelve portrait illustrations for the book Heroes Who Live On was drawn by graduate Sarah Pratt, who is also designing the cover for the paperback. In addition, students and alumni of the Art Department are typesetting and designing a number of other books and publishing projects for BMH.

For more information about Grace College, log onto www.grace.edu or email Prof. Art Davis at davisaw@grace.edu. BMH Books’ website is www.bmhbooks.com.

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Shawn McBride, pastor of New life Community Church in the Washington, D.C. area, is one of the speakers for this week’s ‘Youth Emphasis Week’ at Grace College in Winona Lake, IN, sponsored by CENational, The National Institute, and Grace College.

The week focuses on drawing attention to the importance of youth and youth ministry. Special guests at Grace's chapel include Jay Delp of Jay Delp Productions on Tuesday and Shawn McBride of New Life Community Church in the D.C. area on Wednesday and Thursday. Both will speak on "Being Relevant in a Changing Culture."

McBride is a well-known speaker and senior pastor of New Life Community Church in Bowie, Maryland. He also is professor and chairman of the Youth and Family Ministries Department at Washington Bible College. Pastor McBride has the skill, integrity and passion to effectively communicate God’s truth to today’s generation of young people with a message of inspiration, challenge, motivation, and encouragement. His unique style, humor and energy have made him one of the most requested speakers for youth retreats, conference, revivals, and seminars both locally and abroad.

Pastor McBride has over a decade of experience in ministering to young people. His ministry has blessed thousands of youth across the United States, including various ethnic groups and denominations. For information about his ministry and a complete biography, go to www.truthforyouth.net .

Wednesday night, TNI will host a free special service with Shawn McBride for area youth groups from 7:-8:15 p.m. in McClain Auditorium. McBride (who will be at BNYC this year) will be the speaker and Sound Investment will lead worship. All are invited to attend. Call CENational’s Courtney Cherest @ 574.267.6622 for more information.
 

FGBC pastor Chuck Winter (Sunnyside, Washington) sends along this invitation to anyone interested in amateur radio:

Grace Brethren amateur radio operators are invited to join other Christian hams on a daily 20 meter Fellowship net. The net is sponsored by the ARMS Christian Fellowship Group, formerly the Amateur Radio Missionary Service Fellowship. This world-wide net meets Monday-Saturday on 14.3075 MHz at 1500 Z (ST), 1400 Z (DT). Sectional nets on 40 and 80 meters meet weekly in all parts of the U.S.

The ARMS group was organized in 1957 by several hams at the Philadelphia School of the Bible and continues to provide on-the-air and in person fellowship opportunities. For more information you may contact the ARMS Fellowship Group at 708 Hillcrest, Grandview WA 98930. You may also obtain information at the ARMS website: www.armsfellowship.org/

GBIM board member Miriam Pacheco this week concludes six weeks of ministry in the Central African Republic with missionary Barb Wooler among the Pygmies and with orphan-care. Here is an edited version of her report from yesterday. More information and photos are at www.womenofcharis.net.

THURSDAY ~ MARCH 17

Balo-o, lango ndjoni? ~~ Hello, did you sleep well? (a common greeting in the morning which also asks “how are you?”)

I want to tell you about a little boy I’ve met. His name is Dieu-Beni (God Bless), 12 years old, and he is in one of the orphan groups we’ve been visiting. His story is tragic! Both of his parents died of AIDS. Because of the deaths of some aunts and uncles, he lives with a single aunt, Ester, two of his dad’s younger brothers, another aunt, and seven others who are a mixture of siblings and cousins. At one time there were ten children altogether, but two have died.

Before his parents died, Ester (dad’s sister who could not bear children so her husband left her) came to live with them and they had all pooled their resources and purchased a home together. After Dieu-Beni’s parents’ deaths, Dieu-Beni’s father’s older brother came and took the house away from them and kicked the whole bunch out! That’s one of the tragic “approved” customs of this society. So Dieu-Beni and the collection of relatives who have become his family live in a rented home.

Ester has a job at an orphanage not too far from the Mission so she has a source of income, but it’s not near enough to take care of all the kids, rent, and needed medicine. Some months ago she took out a microenterprise loan from a program that GBIM has available and bought a pouspous (a two wheeled cart used to haul things to market) to be able to sell something (I don’t know what product she had in mind), but the older brother came and took that, too. Sometimes it’s hard to understand why God’s payday doesn’t come around every Friday! But who among us hasn’t benefitted from His loving mercy?

Another tragic component of this little guy’s life is AIDS ~ he’s very sick. He looks like an 8- or 9-year-old, and is often too tired to even smile. Project Hope & Charite, the GBIM orphan & window care program, is supplying him with some meds and vitamins and some nutritious food. His aunt is very concerned about him and seems to take good care of him as much as she is able. We visited with him in his home and he seems comforted by his loving family and their care.

Last week when we had the orphan group coloring pictures for their Stateside sponsors, I saw Dieu-Beni smile! He was having a wonderful time and entered into the project with enthusiasm. His pictures are quite good and I will be privileged to take them home to the kids at WLGBC who are his sponsors. Pray that this little man will learn to love & trust God.

The effects of the political troubles in recent years are still being felt by the believers here, especially those whose burden is evangelization. There are no Sango or French Bibles available in the city. They were all destroyed or confiscated during the war. The only thing that the African-run bookstore located here at the Mission has available is a few French New Testaments.

There is a Bible Society here where they used to be available, but the supplier in the States (and maybe Canada and/or Europe as well) will not deal with them any more because of irregularities in their way of handling finances. This kind of thing is a continual problem here.

I guess the Society in the States has given the ICDI NGO permission to get orders from all the missions here in Bangui and they will ship them direct. I hope it happens soon because there is a great need for them here. I know GBIM has earmarked some money for that purpose with the goal that the profit from them will be put back into the literature work to enable that work to stabilize and be productive once again.

Your part in the ministry is so important! Pray that we will finish well with the orphan care things that need to be done before we leave. It’s just a little over a week now until we board the plane!

Barb returns from the forest tomorrow (Friday) and she will need to tie up some loose ends with the Project Hope & Charite committee before we go. We have been able to spend time with the first group that was established last fall, register all the 150+ kids in the three new groups to present them for sponsorship when we return to the States, and prepare the way for another group to get started.

God is working in the hearts of the African ladies to fulfill their mission of caring for these dear children. Pray that they will remain strong in Him, be able to keep up with the physical demands of their work, and be encouraged in their labors of love.


 

The Grace Community Orchestra,under the direction of Professor Ardis Faber, will present its annual Children's Concert on Saturday, March 19 at 4 p.m. in Rodeheaver Auditorium in Winona Lake, Indiana.

Appearing in the concert will be the winners of the GCO Concerto Competition, held in January. They include: Junior Division winner, Benjamin Meulink, 7; Senior Division winner, John Leszczynski, 17; and College Division winner, Rieko Koyama.

Also featured in the concert will be Dr. Rik Lovelady, James Baad, and members of the fourth and fifth grade classes from Warsaw Christian School. The concert is free and open to the public. Doors open at 3:30 p.m.

Grace Theological Seminary professors Herb Bateman and Brent Sandy are attending the Midwest meeting of the Evangelical Theological Society in Kansas City today and tomorrow, March 18-19.

Sessions are being held at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Dr. Bateman is secretary/treasurer of the society and Dr. Sandy will be presenting a paper. Part-time Hebrew instructor, Ben Thomas, will also read a paper as part of the graduate student competition. This meeting will be held at Grace Seminary in Winona Lake, IN in 2007.

Replacing flooring in the home of GBIM missionaries Wayne and Ellen Patton was one of the work projects done by the Brazil GO team from Ohio. 

These pictures are from a GO Team that is serving in Brazil this week. The team is a cooperative effort of the Huber Heights and Centerville Grace Brethren Churches in Ohio. GBIM missionaries Wayne and Ellen Patton are from the Centerville GBC.

The team is doing an "extreme makeover" of the Pattons' residence as well as
making contacts in the Belem community and visiting several of the Grace
Brethren Churches in the area. Yesterday three of the men paddled a canoe
upriver into the jungle to visit one of the more remote churches. The team
is due to arrive back in Dayton, Ohio on Saturday. (photos courtesy Steve Makofka) 

Dr. Patrick Kavanaugh, of the Grace College music faculty and MasterWorks festival, spoke on "St. Patrick of Ireland" last night at the Winona Lake Community Appreciation Dinner, held at Lakeland Christian Academy in Winona Lake, IN. Jeff Carroll, CEO of Grace Retirement Village and a member of the Winona town council, was emcee. This year's William Reneker Memorial Community Service Award was given to longtime Winona resident and benefactor Blaine Mikesell. 

Dr. Patrick Kavanaugh, director of the MasterWorks Festival in Winona Lake, IN, has released the following schedule of works, performers and dates for this coming summer's festival. All performances are free and open to the public, and most will be in the Rodeheaver Auditorium in Winona Lake. For more information click here.

THE MASTERWORKS FESTIVAL 2005

Sunday, June 19 - 7:30pm - MasterWorks Faculty Recital (program to be announced)

Friday, June 24 - 7:30pm - The MasterWorks Orchestra, Andrew Sewell, conductor
- Bach: Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 – Mary Irwin, violin soloist,
- Pamela Adams, Joyce Anne Wilder, flute soloists
- Dvorak: Symphony No. 9 (“From the New World”)
- Dvorak: Carnival Overture

Saturday, June 25 - 7:30pm - The MasterWorks Orchestra, Andrew Sewell, conductor
- Vaughan Williams: Concerto for Tuba – Anthony Kniffen, tuba soloist
- Dvorak: Symphony No. 9 (“From the New World”)
- Dvorak: Carnival Overture

Sunday, June 26 - 7:30pm - MasterWorks Faculty Recital (program to be announced)

Friday, July 1 - 7:30pm - The MasterWorks Orchestra, Patrick Kavanaugh, conductor
- Prokofiev: Cello Concerto – David Hardy, cello soloist
- Beethoven: Coriolan Overture
- Respigi: The Pines of Rome

Saturday, July 2 - 7:30pm - The MasterWorks Orchestra, Patrick Kavanaugh,conductor
- Tchaikovsky: 1812 Overture
- Sousa: Washington Post March
- Shore: Lord of the Rings Suite
- Suite of Broadway Songs

Sunday, July 3 - 7:30pm - MasterWorks Faculty Recital (program to be announced)

Friday, July 8 - 7:30pm - The MasterWorks Orchestra and Dance Troupe, Anthony Spain, conductor
- Prokofiev: Peter and the Wolf (complete ballet)
- Strauss: The Bourgeois Gentleman

Saturday, July 9 - 7:30pm - The MasterWorks Orchestra, Miriam Burns,conductor
- Winners of the MasterWorks Concerto Competition
- Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 4
- Debussy: Fetes

Sunday, July 10 - 7:30pm - MasterWorks Faculty Recital (program to be announced)

Friday, July 15 - 4:00pm - The MasterWorks Theatre Troupe – Shakespeare: Much Ado About Nothing

Friday, July 15 - 7:30pm - The MasterWorks Orchestra, Daryl One, conductor
- Rachmoninoff: Symphony No. 2
- Tchaikovsky: Concerto for Violin – David Kim, violin soloist

Saturday, July 16 - 4:00pm - The MasterWorks Theatre Troupe – Shakespeare: Much Ado About Nothing

Saturday, July 16 – 7:30pm - The MasterWorks Orchestra, Daryl One, conductor
- Rachmoninoff: Symphony No. 2
- Beethoven: Piano Concerto – Christopher Harding, piano soloist

(PROGRAMS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE – Call our office at 574-267-5973 or 888-836-2723)
All performances will be at the Rodeheavor Auditorium except the two Theatre Troupe performances, which will be at the Hillside Amphitheater.
We have also confirmed master classes with Steve Clapp (violin, Dean of Juilliard), David Kim (violin, Philadelphia Orchestra), David Hardy (cello, National Symphony Orchestra), Hugh Sung (piano, Curtis Institute of Music), and others to be announced.

Barb Wooler, GBIM missionary to the Central African Republic, is currently involved in church-planting among the Pygmies in the forest. Here is an edited version of her experiences of the last two days:

Yesterday I left Bangui at around 9:30 a.m. headed for Moale via Nguma. In
spite of plenty of experience to the contrary, I left with hopes that it
would be an uneventful, relaxing trip, but, well, let's just say that I had
yet one more humdinger of a trip.

CALL ME LITTLE CHOPPER
Driving down to the ferry on a heavily traveled road, I came upon a hardwood tree blocking my way. As I walked back from examining situation and grab the axe and machete out of the truck, I fully expected to see one of God's angels happen by. It ALWAYS happens that way. But, the angels not having appeared yet, I set myself to chopping.

Halfway through the main branch across the road, I spotted three men walking toward me, bearing heavy loads on their backs. I say to myself, "Well, there they are! Thank you Lord" assuming they were the dark-skinned angels I was waiting for.

Well, if these were angels sent by God, they weren't listening very carefully, because after greeting me and asking what I was doing, they continued on their way. I couldn't believe it! That never happens. So I continued chop-chop-chopping. Finally, with one good-size cut yet to be made, three men drove up on small motorcycles. Within ten minutes the road was clear, and I was on my way.

FERRY POWERED BY "PULL-IES"
Down to the ferry. The motor is broken. The guys are willing to pull me across "for a price." They pulled me across the 200-meter river by rope, with a constant flow of gripes about how little I was paying them for all their hard work. Driving off the ferry and into the shallow water, I climbed the bank of the river and was on my way to Nguma.

NGUMA
Back in October we sent a team to Nguma (about 45 miles from Moale) to minister to the Pygmy people there. Some of these folks had already received some teaching from us in the past; others were "Grace Brethren" because they had been baptized at a local Grace Brethren church in 1989 when I was just starting the Pygmy ministry.

As a result of that visit, the people of Nguma decided that they wanted to have a Grace Brethren church in their village. Problem is, several years ago the village was taken over the Catholics who, understandably, want all the people to be Catholics. But our people don't WANT to be Catholic; they want to stay Grace Brethren.

The issue came to a head a couple months ago when some of the people of Nguma started raising a building to house a new Grace Brethren church. When they "planted" the first sticks in the ground, that's when it got crazy. In the end, the new church building ended up as a pile of sticks on the ground.

You’d have to be here to catch the humor and drama in all this. But you aren't, so let's just leave it at this: if you ever hear of someone wanting to do a film entitled, "The Keystone Cops Go A-Church Planting," please refer them to me; I have more than enough material for a full-length film with several sequels.

NOT A LAUGHING MATTER

+ PRAY for me and the pastors as we will be going to Nguma to resolve this
situation this Thursday and Friday (March 17-18).

+ PRAY especially for wisdom in knowing who, if anyone, we should place there to minister to these people, to lead many of them to salvation, and others to maturity in Christ.

+ PRAY that a crafty, slick-willy, smooth-talking, not-to-be-trusted former disciple of ours will not be allowed to dominate that church. Let's just say we don't hold him up as one of our prize former students.

LEAVING NGUMA
Back on the road again, and I take on board a friend who wants a ride back to Moale. Now I'll have help with the trees and company on the journey. Drive a little further, pick up a small family; the husband is one of our students. Drive a quarter-mile more, come around a bend to find a monster tree across the road. It happens to be right where a small group of Pygmies and a tall African live.

THE BIG GULP
As the twilight grows deeper, the men search to find a way through, over, under or around the monster tree. The tall African walks around with them giving his doom-and-gloom assessment, "I've been looking at this since it fell three hours ago and there's no way through this without a chainsaw! No escaping it: you're here for the night!" To be honest, I was certain we'd be sleeping there, as well.

Well, they decided that if all the forest people would pull together, we could cut our way around it, but it would require dismantling the villager’s chicken coop, and driving a little east of his outhouse (consisting of a deep hole without a "house") and clearing foliage, trees, brush, and finally, making eight cuts in 12" - 18" diameter, hardwood tree trunks.

That's what stood between us and our own beds back at Moale Those dear folks sure put their backs to the task! In a little under two hours, I was putting the Pygmy-mobile, a Toyota 4x4, to the test, pulling it through the detour they had hacked through the forest. It wasn't pretty, but the truck and I both made it in one piece, and when I rolled out on the road and got out of the truck, we all exploded into cheers and applause.

LAST OF THE BIG TIME SPENDERS
I was happy to give them 1000 cfa ($2 US) to party with -- although there is no place to buy anything out here. The head guy said, "Mama, we accept this as your thanks, not as pay, because that's not why we did it. We did we did this because we don't want you to be uncomfortable tonight; This was work we did for God."

Isn't that neat? It meant a lot to me to see that kind of heart, especially after my experience with the guys on the ferry.

Please remember us in prayer Thursday and Friday, that if God wills it, we
soon will start a new Grace Brethren church at Nguma, and if so, that God
will show us who should lead that new work. PRAY that it will be done in a
non-combative, non-threatening way that will please the Lord and bring
resolution to three months of tension.

God's best to you all and THANK YOU for your partnership in prayer for the
People of the Forest.
 

It may have saved one woman and inspired an alleged killer to give up. What is the message in "The Purpose Driven Life"? Paula Zahn hosts a special edition of "NewsNight" tonight at 10 p.m. ET on CNN. 

GBIM announces decisions concerning Tsunami Relief efforts:

(updated March 15, 2005)

Immediate Response (January – February):

Within days of the disaster, funds were quickly sent to ministries in Thailand and India. Personnel were sent to these regions to assist with tsunami relief efforts and to assess opportunities for continued ministries. The FGBC was alerted and many special offerings were received for tsunami relief.

Intermediate Range Response (March – August):

After careful consideration and prayer, we feel that God is leading us to pursue the following intermediate range ministry opportunities:

Thailand:

Two short-term relief teams are being deployed (March and May) to assist in clean up and restoration of villages destroyed by the tsunami.
Several additional teams are being planned for later this year. It is likely that they will focus on constructing new housing, evangelism and prayer.
$80,000.00 will be released immediately to construct twenty modest homes in the Phuket region. Up to sixty more homes have been requested. If you would like to sponsor a home, please see information below.

India:

$37,000.00 will be released to assist in outfitting villages with ten fishing boats. This donation is made in response to a request from the Hindustan Bible Institute. Each boat will be outfitted with motor and fishing equipment.
Long Range Response (September and beyond):

After careful consideration and prayer, we have decided to aggressively pursue an invitation to partner with Thailand Campus Crusade for Christ (TCCC), in evangelism and church planting in the tsunami-affected region. In many ways, this is a logical choice:

GBIM has been pursuing the possibility of ministry in Thailand for the past seven years. We have a good track record of partnership with CCC. Mike and Judy Christian (GBC of Waterloo, IA) are a part of the CCC staff in Thailand. At this time, it appears that few other mission agencies are targeting the area we have selected.

Our preliminary strategy includes the following elements:

Redeployment of a GBIM missionary family for one year to Bangkok, Thailand, to oversee our tsunami relief efforts and to investigate church-planting possibilities in this area and other areas of the country.

Deployment of numerous short-term teams to assist in tsunami relief efforts, evangelize and prepare for the arrival of a permanent GBIM team.

Recruit, train and deploy a church planting team to partner with TCCC staff in evangelism and church planting.

How can you participate in these ministry opportunities?

PRAY: We invite you to join us in praying earnestly that God will continue to make his will clear concerning these efforts. Pray for those who will be involved in short term teams to Thailand. Pray for funding to meet the ministry opportunities that have been presented to us. And pray especially that God will raise up a permanent team of church planters for deployment to strategic areas in Thailand.

GIVE: Finances are needed for intermediate and long term ministry development. Single family housing units can be sponsored for southern Thailand for $4000.00 each. Gifts of any amount can be used to help sponsor Thai relief workers and for the emergency redeployment of GBIM staff to the region.

GO: Several short-term teams are being scheduled for later this year to assist with various aspects of relief and restoration. Missionaries are also being recruited to form a permanent church-planting team. Please contact Kip Cone at kcone@gbim.org, or consult our website for additional information.

Hostage reads 'Purpose-Driven Life'
to alleged Atlanta courthouse killer
By Erin Curry

ATLANTA (BP)--Ashley Smith, the Atlanta-area woman taken hostage by the subject of the largest manhunt in Georgia history March 12, calmed the alleged killer by reading an excerpt from "The Purpose-Driven Life" and talking with him about God. She escaped by persuading him to let her pick up her daughter from an AWANA children's program at a Southern Baptist church.

"I asked him if I could read," Smith, 26, said in recounting the ordeal to reporters outside her attorney's office March 13. "He said, 'What do you want to read?'

"'Well, I have a book in my room.' So I went and got it. I got my Bible, and I got a book called 'The Purpose-Driven Life.' I turned it to the chapter that I was on that day. It was chapter 33. And I started to read the first paragraph of it. After I read it, he said, 'Stop. Will you read it again?'

"So I read it again to him," Smith said.

On Day 33 of the book, author Rick Warren, a Southern Baptist pastor in California, writes, "We serve God by serving others. The world defines greatness in terms of power, possessions, prestige, and position. If you can demand service from others, you've arrived. In our self-serving culture with its me-first mentality, acting like a servant is not a popular concept."

The alleged gunman, Brian Nichols, overpowered an Atlanta courthouse deputy as he was being escorted to court for a rape trial March 11. He then shot and killed the presiding judge and a court reporter before killing another deputy as he left the courthouse. Later he killed a federal agent in an attempt to flee authorities.

Nichols, 33, held Smith at gunpoint outside her Duluth apartment around 2:30 a.m. March 12, apparently having chosen her at random as she returned from a trip to a nearby store. Once he removed his hat, she recognized him as the man wanted for the killing spree and chose to cooperate with his demands. He tied her up and then began to converse with her.

Smith asked Nichols not to kill her because she was scheduled to pick up her 5-year-old daughter the next morning. Four years ago, Smith's husband died in her arms after being stabbed in a knife fight, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and Smith was concerned that her daughter would become an orphan.

M. Allen Hughes, administrative pastor at Hebron Baptist Church in Dacula, Ga., told Baptist Press he was under the impression Smith planned to pick up her daughter at the church's AWANA function Saturday morning.

"My understanding was that her little girl was participating and that she was supposed to come pick up her little girl and obviously didn't get to do that because of the situation," Hughes said. "Some relative picked up the little girl for her, and ... when the relative found out that she did not pick the little girl up, that's how they knew something was going on. That's pretty much all we know on this end."

As time passed during the early morning hours at the apartment, Nichols and Smith talked about God, family and life experiences while the fugitive apparently became more comfortable with the hostage. She began to help the gunman consider the families of the victims he had shot that day and asked him if he thought about how they might be feeling.

"After we began to talk, he said he thought that I was an angel sent from God and that I was his sister and he was my brother in Christ and that he was lost and God led him right to me to tell him that he had hurt a lot of people," Smith told reporters. "And the families -- the people -- to let him know how they felt because I had gone through it myself."

Nichols held photographs of Smith's family in his hands and said repeatedly that he did not want to hurt anyone else, according to a CNN transcript of Smith's statements to reporters.

"He said, 'Can I stay here for a few days? I just want to eat some real food and watch some TV and sleep and just do normal things that normal people do,'" Smith said.

As they continued to talk, Nichols mentioned that he considered his life to be over.

"He needed hope for his life. He told me that he was already dead," Smith told reporters. "He said, 'Look at me. Look at my eyes. I am already dead.' And I said, 'You are not dead. You are standing right in front of me. If you want to die, you can. It's your choice.'

"But after I started to read to him, he saw -- I guess he saw my faith and what I really believed in. And I told him I was a child of God and that I wanted to do God's will. I guess he began to want to. That's what I think," she said.

When he was hungry, Smith made pancakes for Nichols and they talked more about God.

"I said, 'Do you believe in miracles? Because if you don't believe in miracles -- you are here for a reason. You're here in my apartment for some reason. You got out of that courthouse with police everywhere, and you don't think that's a miracle? You don't think you're supposed to be sitting right here in front of me listening to me tell you, you know, your reason here?'

"I said, 'You know, your miracle could be that you need to -- you need to be caught for this,'" Smith continued. "'You need to go to prison and you need to share the Word of God with them, with all the prisoners there.'"

By 9:30 a.m., Nichols agreed to let Smith leave to pick up her daughter. When she reached the first stop sign on her route, Smith dialed 911 and within minutes a Gwinnett County police SWAT team had surrounded the apartment with Nichols inside, according to The Journal-Constitution. Nichols waved a white piece of cloth to signal his surrender and was taken into custody.

"I believe God brought him to my door so he couldn't hurt anyone else," Smith said.

Sandi Avey, wife of FGBC Coordinator Tom Avey, was suprised at noon today with a party at Byers Music Hall on the Grace College campus honoring her 50th birthday. Sandi is secretary in the music department--those attending included her children and grandchildren, music faculty and students, college administrators, and personnel from the FGBC and BMH offices. 

Ted Rondeau, chief development officer for Grace Brethren International Missions, sends the following open invitation to a web/phone conference:

Grace Brethren International Missions would like to invite you to participate in a free, interactive web conference, hosted by one of our ministry partners, PhilanthroCorp. For some time now, GBIM has benefited from a relationship with PhilanthroCorp, “America’s Planned Giving Outsource.” The web conference topic is: "How to minimize taxes at death on your qualified retirement plan."

Many professionals use their qualified retirement plan as a chief method of accumulating wealth. However, they are frequently unaware of combined income and estate taxes at death that can exceed the 70 percent bracket. This web conference will provide insight into the problem and offer creative solutions.

The web conference will take place on March 29, 2005 at 1 PM at the GBIM offices conference room and will last about an hour. Or if you would be interested in taking part from your own internet location (office, home, etc.), please contact PhilanthroCorp representative Tara DeWitt [tdewitt@plannedgift.com]. PhilanthroCorp will follow up with you and provide you with the link to the website and phone number for the conference call (you must be able to be logged onto the internet and receive a phone call at the same time).

This morning's Fort Wayne (IN) Journal-Gazette newspaper carries the incredible faith story of a Grace College alumnus and her husband. Larry and Cheryl Lawlor have been through separation of conjoined twins (Journal-Gazette photo), job loss, destruction by tornado of their home, and diagnosis and treatment of life-threatening cancer. Cheryl sums up, "God has never promised an easy life. He does promise to be with us, and that was our hope. That's what we had to hang onto." To read the entire story, click here. 

Miriam Pacheco, who is currently in the Central African Republic assisting GBIM missionary Barb Wooler in Pygmy and orphan-care ministries, is sending periodic e-mail reports of her visit. Here are excerpts from her latest, dated Friday, March 11:

Bala mingi ~ (bah lah MEENG ghee, Many greetings)

We have been having fun getting to meet with the orphan groups. Yesterday we took paper, crayons, colored pencils and stencils and had the group of about 35 kids draw pictures for their sponsors in the States. They had a wonderful time and were absorbed in the activity for at least an hour!

There are some good artists in that group, but at the end we came up with 19 missing crayons. They were nowhere to be found and no one admitted to tucking them away in their bookbag or pocket. So the leader told them when they get home “if they find them somewhere” (that way of thinking and handling a situation is very prevalent here - as if they just happened to appear in my bookbag!) to bring them back next week. We’ll see what, if anything, turns up

Please pray as the [CAR presidential] election is now only two days away. There is so much good that could be done in this country if the leaders who are elected are men and women of integrity who really care about the people. We’re all staying put that day though ~ not planning to go anywhere. I guess most of the city is shut down except for the voting, which in many neighborhoods takes place in the churches. We’ve been told that the Grace Brethren churches are not having regular services that day, but will have a very early service about 7 am and it will be a ½ hour prayer meeting. Sounds like a wonderful idea to me!

We have heard that in the southwest area of the country, a couple hours away from Bangui, there are some mercenary soldiers from the north (Chadians who speak Arabic) left over from the coup that happened a couple years ago and they are upset that they haven’t been paid what they said they were promised, and the rumor is that they are threatening to get what’s coming to them. But that rumor hasn’t been validated by more than a couple people, so it’s questionable. Could be they are just plain bandits who are following the cattle herders, because the herders are the one who have access to lots of money just by selling their cattle.

This has been a more relaxing day as far as the orphan work goes. All we had to do this morning was some shopping for groceries and Barb had a long meeting with a couple of the fellows who are working with the new recording studio being set up.

Tonight is pizza night! One of the African house helpers made the crusts and the sauce, and we brought some pepperoni and mushrooms with us. One of the other gals has green peppers and onions and we bought some edom cheese today, so it promises to be a good supper.

We’ll all eat together ~ Tim & Ginger Hock, Janet Varner, Barb and I (all with GBIM), and Jim Fultz with SIL. He’s renting one of the apartments here at the Mission. Who knows? Maybe we’ll even play a game after supper.

Thanks for praying for us. God is answering in some very wonderful ways. You are having a part in that work and I so appreciate your interest and partnership.

Jim Hocking, long-time missionary to Central African Republic, recently returned from a four-week trip to Africa. Hocking heads Integrated Community Development International (ICDI), a non-governmental non-profit organization working in healthcare, AIDS awareness, literacy, orphan care and well drilling. Here are excerpts from his report of his most recent trip. For more information on ICDI, click here:

This trip to the CAR was at times nearly the highlight of my missionary career and at other times the deepest discouragement as I faced insurmountable odds.

I asked you to be praying for the final permission for the radio station at Boali, CAR. We did not receive those from the government. We did receive some good encouragement but we did not receive the permissions as yet. (2) We asked you to be praying for the transfer of title on the property and equipment for the well drilling company. Although this is not completed it has been started and the documentation signed. (3) We asked for prayer for the True Love Waits seminars and I was able to watch two of those take place. (4) As for the construction site of the orphan care center, we now have the security wall completed and the gates mounted. They have gathered the stone, gravel and sand for the foundation as well as bricks for the walls. (5) The visit by Dave and Jean Vittum as well as Bob Belohlavek was a tremendous boost to me as well as the national team there in Bangui. It has been decided that it will be essential for Bob to return with me in June.

Orphan Care in the CAR:

As we have become more and more involved in the lives of these orphans and destitute children we realize how little love they have had in their lives. It has been a thrill to see them singing, memorizing scripture and listening to Bible stories at their group meetings with their leaders. We now have nearly 250 children in the orphan care program, only a handful which are currently sponsored.

The orphan care center continues to move ahead and the care committee has decided to call this the Mercy Care Center. The third phase will happen in mid June when we have the work team arriving from the USA. People are already signing up for this team so if you are interested please write to Dave Vittum soon at davevittum@icdinternational.org for more details on what is going to be happening with this work team.

Well Drilling and Well Repairs:

It was truly a joy to be able to visit some of the sites where wells have been repaired by our well repair team. This team collects the monthly repair fees and do whatever repairs are necessary for each of the nearly 200 wells in our care. When I see the faces of children and adults alike enjoying the pure drinking water that they themselves have helped pay for, it is truly a blessing to invest in this ministry. Pray for the funding for next year of $6,000 in order to continue to expand this ministry to villages which have wells but no maintenance program to keep the well working.

Pray for a video projection set up (projector, generator, screen, videos and loud speaker system) for this ministry. In France, I purchased “the Passion” with subtitles in French to show in the CAR. It was amazing to see the impact this made on the people watching it. One lady said, “I have not been able to sleep for two nights thinking about what my Savior suffered on my behalf!”


Village Training for 2005 wells:

Currently in the area surrounding the capital city, Andre Yakota and Josué Mbami are doing training in the villages to help the people understand not only how to care for their pump and well, but also to teach them how to care for their families’ health care needs. Community health care, latrines, True Love Waits and well maintenance are all part of the three months of training which is taking place right now.

At the very end of our trip we were able to get down to Moale where Barb Wooler and Miriam Pacheco have been working with the Pygmies. We left early in the morning and had a seminar there on True Love Waits as well as did some survey work for drilling the well. One of the Pygmy evangelists translated into the Aka language to be sure all understood what was being said.


Radio Station property and permissions:

On our return from the Pygmy village, we stopped to visit the future site of the short wave radio station. Dave Vittum, our short term team administrator, also handles the technical aspects of the radio station and he indicated that it was a perfect site, located above the town on a nice hill with a direct line of sight to the capital city but not far from electricity. The mayor of the town of Boali is very pleased with the prospect of a radio station in her town and is doing all she can to help in the accomplishment of this goal. Please continue to pray for the final paperwork and permissions to come through.


Security and Elections:

Both of these are items for prayer. We do not yet know what all is going to happen with the elections but I can tell you that we traveled three different times on the heels of bandit activity. God was good and provided protection for us. Please be praying for the elections and the following weeks after the election as there is as much importance in what happens after the elections as there is in the elections themselves.

No Bibles in the CAR!

In a country where going to church is the normal thing to do on Sunday there are no Bibles available! Because of a property takeover by the government as a result of the construction project by the Chinese government to build a new soccer stadium, the French United Bible Society was displaced and never received compensation for their property. The administration for the Bible Society in the capital city of Bangui has broken down completely. Because ICDI is a non-denominational organization we have offered to broker a multi-mission order for Bibles which the UBS has agreed to send to us for distribution to the different missions. Please be praying for the financing for this project as well the logistics in seeing it come to pass so that those in the churches in CAR can again have access to the Word of God.
 

MasterWorks Festival and Christian Performing Artist Fellowship, headed by Grace College music faculty member Dr. Patrick Kavanaugh, have set Monday, March 14 as a day of prayer for the spiritual impact of the MasterWorks Festivals and invite interested believers to join them in prayer that day.

Praying every five minutes on the hour from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., MasterWorks officials are asking prayer for the following:

1. That God will bring the right students and interns to the festivals in Winona Lake, IN and Europe this summer.

2. Bible Study Leadership Programs being held in major schools of music around the U.S. and in some other countries. Pianist Jennifer Jackson is designing the curriculum—samples are available on the CPAF website.

3. Financial resources – Many students need scholarships to attend the summer program, and there are significant costs in attracting world-class faculty.

4. Prospective students – Some of the finest young Christian musicians in the world are planning to attend MasterWorks either in Winona Lake or in Europe this summer, but many need to raise a significant amount of money for tuition and travel.

5. Faculty – For many of these world-class musicians, it is a significant hardship to take time away from their regular work and pay to come to MasterWorks. Pray for their families and that God will prepare them spiritually and emotionally for the Festival.

6. Staff – Pray for the interns and staff who work year-round to make MasterWorks happen. Several are remaining for another year, but several others have had auditions and are awaiting news as to whether God is moving them on to other studies or performance venues.

7. Blessings for Grace College and the Winona Lake community – pray that MasterWorks will continue to be a blessing to the college and the community. Pray that Christ will be clearly presented and evident in all performances, activities and relationships.

A prayer/worship event for those in the Winona Lake area will be held in the CPAF offices (west end of the Gordon Recreation Center) from 12:30-1:30 p.m. on Monday, and all are invited to participate.

The MasterWorks Festival will be held in Winona Lake, IN, the dates of June 19-July 17 this summer. There are free performances and master classes virtually every day, with major orchestral performances each weekend. For more information click here, and to see more specific prayer requests, click here.
 

Miriam Pacheco, shown here playing educational games with orphans in the Central African Republic, is currently on a six-week trip to the CAR to assist GBIM missionary Barb Wooler in her ministry with Pygmies and orphans. Here are excerpts from Miriam's latest e-mail report:

Let me tell you a little bit about what's happening around the city of
Bangui. The elections are scheduled for this coming Sunday and there has
been a lot of campaigning, with 11 candidates. Some of the Africans who work at the Mission say they’re having trouble getting a bus to come to work because the campaigns have rented a lot of the buses. Some of the neighborhoods have had political rallies going on so that's made it a bit difficult to get through.

We heard that one of the candidates was giving away free fabric in exchange for your voting card number. Would a candidate really buy votes?!

The buildings around the city are looking better than I've ever seen them. The gas station just up the street from the Mission used to look like a run-down, forgotten shed with a cracked concrete driveway. But now it is a beautiful red and white building in good shape with a landscaped driveway area and a couple pumps that look fairly new. The attendants even wear red uniforms and look right spiffy.

And I've counted traffic lights in at least four intersections! Buildings are being repainted and walls rebuilt with very nice decorative touches. Corners and monument circles are being landscaped and painted. Small but sturdy, permanent booths for shops are being built along some of the main streets instead of the little wooden tables and booths built from scraps of plastic or tin.

In one of the grocery stores the other day we saw convenience food--a box
of hamburgers in buns ready for the microwave. There were four in the box and it cost $12. We'll be making our own, thank you! But the shelves are well-stocked and with some interesting Western things like Pringles, cans of diet coke, and small frozen pizzas. There are also many Arab foods because a lot of Islamic Arabs are here now. And some Syrians and Lebanese are also opening stores here.

A very important man in the CAR government lived right across the street from the Mission. He had been an Ambassador to France, Germany and the USA. He died sometime in the past week, and I've heard 2 stories--1) he died in America or 2) he died in France. Wherever it was, his body was flown here on Sunday and the mourning began—mostly includes loud music for days - all 24 hours of each one! So Sunday night was a no-sleep night.

Thanks for your prayers about the orphan care being set up here. It really is going well and I am getting to know the four gals working with Barb & Ginger. You can see them on the web at www.womenofcharis.net They are really neat gals and they are getting the vision for how they can influence the lives of the orphans in their churches and neighborhoods. Pray for them to have wisdom and strength--all of their husbands died of AIDS so that puts them in great jeopardy. But they have a heart for God and these kids and He will use
them greatly.
 

Billboard Magazine released its list of top ten contemporary Christian albums in this week's issue. They are:

1. "The Beautiful Letdown," Switchfoot. Sparrow. (Platinum - signifying more than 1 million copies sold)

2. "WOW Hits 2005: 31 of the Year's Top Christian Artists and Hits," Various Artists. Word.

3. "Casting Crowns," Casting Crowns. Beach Street. (Platinum)

4. "Restored," Jeremy Camp. BEC.

5. "Sunsets & Sushi," David Crowder Band. Sixsteps.

6. "The Best Is Yet to Come," Martha Munizzi. Martha Munizzi.

7. "All Things New," Steven Curtis Chapman. Sparrow.

8. "Healing Rain," Michael W. Smith. Reunion.

9. "MMHMM," Relient K. Gotee.

10. "Welcome to Diverse City," tobyMac. Forefront.

Switchfoot is currently working in San Diego on their next album which is planned for release in July. The popular rock band has been on the top 50 Billboard sales chart for the past eight months and its fourth record, "The Beautiful Letdown," has been certified Double Platinum.

Grace Brethren chaplain James Schaefer, serving in Afghanistan, has sent along this photo of some children at an orphanage in Kandahar, Afghanistan, which his troops have “adopted” for long-term friendship and communication. This was “Friendship Day”on March 3 at the Shaeed Abdul Karzi orphanage in Kandahar when 3-7 Field Artillery (one of the units attached to Schaefer’s brigade) officially offered permanent friendship and support for years to come to the orphanage, wherever the 3-7 FA may be located in the future.

Schaefer says he has researched, and believes this to be the first-ever permanent “friendship relationship” offered by any American military unit in Afghanistan.

Schaefer concludes with, “God bless you for your prayers and support, and God bless our soldiers and Afghans!”
 

We have had several requests for updates on the physical condition of Pastor Howard Mayes of the Clinton, Maryland, Grace Brethren Church, reported on this blog several days ago.

According to the secretaries in the church office, with whom we have just talked, there is essentially no change in his condition.

He is still in Washington Hospital Center in Washington, DC, and pastors and staff members of the Clinton church visit with him daily. Cards or messages of encouragement are best sent to the church address, which is 6501 Surratts Road, Clinton, MD, 20735. His wife, family and the Clinton church family appreciate all the prayers and concern on his behalf.

A forthcoming concerted prayer effort and resources for churches and individuals in the FGBC will soon be announced by Grace Brethren International Missions, Winona Lake, IN.

Ron Guiles has been named coordinator of the new effort, which will include materials and emphasis of a Day of Prayer on Sunday, May 1.

A prayer video will be released to all churches in April, and coming soon will be an “opt-in” pushed e-mail service called “Pray Now” which will enable individuals to voluntarily receive prayer updates and missionary news early in the week so those requests can be incorporated into church programming and publications the latter part of the week.

Be watching this blog for more information, or log onto the GBIM website at www.gbim.org for updated information.

Allen Robinson (right) was installed this morning as assistant pastor of the Valley Grace Brethren Church in Hagerstown, MD (Dan Pritchett, pastor). Robinson previously was involved in a camping ministry. The dedicatory prayer was offered by Ray Shirey, a founding member of Valley GBC and the father of GBIM missionary Vicky DeArmey. The church's vice-moderator, Jeff Semler (at left), conducted the installation service. 

We continue with reports from Miriam Pacheco, GBIM board member, who is assisting missionary Barb Wooler for six weeks in the Central African Republic with her Pygmy and orphan-care ministry.

SATURDAY, MARCH 5 -- Yesterday was a hard day! We took a day trip up-country to Yaloke. We left around 6:30 am and it was relatively cool. That was a blessing because the air conditioning in the vehicle we took wasn’t working right, so we used the back-up 455 air system ~ 4 windows open at 55 MPH. There were 6 of us (2 Africans) in a 3-seat Nissan (which means no trunk and very little room behind the 3rd seat), with a 100-pound sack of rice, plus some baggage, plus a water cooler, plus chicken and rice for our lunch, plus backpacks.

About 2/3 of the way there, the African gentleman wanted to stop and buy fish--fresh fish! When we drove into the next village and pulled over to the side of the road, there were ten boys at our windows holding up strings of fish to sell. You can probably guess that it began to smell.....well....fishy! Thankfully, one of the missionaries’ policies is “no fish inside the car.” And since there was no trunk on this vehicle, they had to tie the two strings of fish on the rack on top. Twice we had to stop and rescue the fish as they started to come undone and were hanging down by the window.

We got there and were greeted by the James Gribble High School (the Lycee) band playing and everyone in a festive mood, but not because we were there. It was because the President of CAR was coming soon. There is a helicopter pad right in the middle of the campus and that’s where he was going to land. We soon saw the motorcycle entourage--about 20 of them--come roaring in with balloons. Several official cars and men in officers’ uniforms were milling around.

Before long the director of the school came to get us and have us stand in line with the school officials and professors to greet the President, telling us that when he shook our hands we were supposed to say our names. Of course this line was formed away from the shade and in the full sun, which by now was very hot. A soldier with orange lenses in his sunglasses was standing guard in front of us with a bottle of water and munching on something. Good security! The helicopter flew over and turned a little like it would head into the wind and then land--and then it was gone. We still waited in line. Pretty soon an army jeep came into the area and in a few minutes the director of the school came and told us that the President was landing somewhere else closer to the main part of town. Well, standing in the sun wasn’t that pleasant to do for nothing.

We then were taken on a tour of the buildings and grounds and that was one of the hardest parts of the day! It was very discouraging to see how things have deteriorated. The good people who oversee the school and teach there have very little to work with in the way of resources and they have 106 students right now, most of whom can’t pay all their bill. I think the profs have not gotten a salary for several months now. During a recent windstorm, roofs of several buildings were damaged and one cooking station right beside the kitchen building was completely demolished, walls and all.

One of the delightful moments of the day was lunch in the director’s home. His wife is vivacious and delightful and she and her girls fixed the chicken and rice, and the fish, with delicious recipes. We had a good time visiting with them and the professors.

Another hard part of the day was to see the missionary homes and the large maintenance garage vacant, ransacked and overgrown. Nothing refreshing or relaxing about it anymore. It seemed harsh and desolate. It will be interesting to see what future plans God has for all of this area.

The trip home was hot and long, and no fun. By God’s grace we made it back to the Bangui Hilton, and Janet Varner had some supper waiting for us. Bless her!

Your continuing prayer support is requested for the health needs of Howard Mayes, pastor of the Clinton Grace Brethren Church in Clinton, Maryland.

For the past two weeks he has been hospitalized with infection, fever, and pneumonia, and doctors have not been able to pinpoint the cause of the problems.

According to the Clinton church staff, Pastor Mayes is being transferred today to Washington Hospital Center in Washinton, DC, where more specialized staffing and expertise are available. His pneumonia is somewhat better, but he is quite weak. Prayers are requested for a good diagnosis, for effective treatment, and for his wife, Nancy, the family and the Clinton church at this time.

Here is the latest report from GBIM board member Miriam Pacheco, who is currently in the Central African Republic assisting GBIM missionary Barb Wooler in ministry with orphans and Pygmies. For a more complete report and photos from the Women of Charis website, click here:

We’re getting into the orphan part of the ministry time here. Yesterday we visited a couple of the ladies who are on the Project Hope & Charité to check about getting their orphans together to get pictures and start gathering their bio information. Neither of the ladies was home, so we left messages. The usual convenient ways of communicating with people in the States are not too prevalent here, so it takes a lot of running around to get things set up and get ready to do what you want to do.

There are some refreshing things about living in Bangui. We usually are able to go to the American Ambassador’s residence and swim in the pool. But when the trouble started the Ambassador left, and so far no one else has come since the war. But there is a sports club place that has a pool and we’ve been able to get memberships there for two weeks, so we’ll be enjoying the pool for awhile. A couple of the other missionary gals have memberships, too, so we’ll all go together. It’s right on the river and the view is spectacular ~ we can see across to Zaire, or Congo as it’s now called.

There is a nice veranda with lots of shade and picnic tables that look out over the river. When we went yesterday it was so clean. No grit on the deck around the pool or in the dressing rooms. “No grit” is very difficult to accomplish during the dry season when the dust is everywhere and the wind takes it into any crack or crevice.

We went to a French restaurant last night to celebrate Janet Varner’s birthday. Les Relais des Chasses has little gazebo-type places under grass roofs, or you can choose a table on the veranda. Their food is excellent!

TUESDAY~ MARCH 1: What a wonderful time we had this afternoon visiting a new orphan group! We got there to see 23 well-behaved kids sitting on mats waiting for us. There were all ages. We got pictures of all and bios for most of them. And of course we drew quite a crowd of other neighborhood children who wanted to see what was going on. For the last half-hour I had the fun of doing some puzzles and matching games with them. They are sharp kids and we learned several things that will help us in working regularly with these groups of kids.

The heat is building again and it’s draining our energy. We did have a slight shower this evening, but not enough to cool it down a lot. Thanks so much for your interest and prayers. Pray that we will be able to connect with all the orphans we need to get information on before we leave the end of March.

A panel of pastors closed the South Focus Retreat on Wednesday morning with a discussion of "How to Run and Not Lose Heart." Participating (from left) were Denny Brown, Sebring, FL; John Nelson, Ft. Lauderdale, FL; Jesus Munoz, Brandon, FL; and Roland Maust, Millersburg, OH. <