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Wednesday, June 27, 2012
June Foreign Mission Monthly News
Thursday, June 7, 2012
Russia by Greg
It's a beautifully
warm, sunny Russian day here in Moscow. (I actually began this article yesterday,
and it was sunny and hot, really.. but the wifi cafe I was in was too slow
to send this article, so now it is tomorrow and it is
raining.. ugh.. but warm:) I've finally found a bit of time to myself
and so want to begin writing and editing some photos for you. I have had
literally no time for writing and the Internet has been rare or too
slow to use since my last report, which was written from
Ekaterinburg.
Since that report, brother Misha Ustjuzhanin and I have traveled to 4 different Russian republics: Chuvashia, Mari El, Tatarstan and Udmurtia. I contracted some kind of flu virus along the way and though it tried valiantly to put me down (I'm only just getting better now) I was able to slug may way through. I have only a couple days left here in Russia and will spend them in Moscow visiting friends, Christians, and former students whom I have made contact with in past years. I will also buy a toy or book and visit a young boy , Roma, whom I met in the orphange in Ekaterinburg. He is in Moscow for some kind of operation with his kidney.
Since that report, brother Misha Ustjuzhanin and I have traveled to 4 different Russian republics: Chuvashia, Mari El, Tatarstan and Udmurtia. I contracted some kind of flu virus along the way and though it tried valiantly to put me down (I'm only just getting better now) I was able to slug may way through. I have only a couple days left here in Russia and will spend them in Moscow visiting friends, Christians, and former students whom I have made contact with in past years. I will also buy a toy or book and visit a young boy , Roma, whom I met in the orphange in Ekaterinburg. He is in Moscow for some kind of operation with his kidney.
Brother Misha
Ustjuzhanin and I spent about a week in Chuvashia, in the capital city,
Cheboksary, visiting different friends and Christian groups, but the main focus
of my time in Chuvashia was spent each day with students in the Chuvash State
University. I don't remember just how many classes I visited, but each
day was filled and I was always encouragingly exhausted by the end of each
day.
One of the many
enthusiastic classes of students whom I met with at the Chuvash State
University. I truly enjoy visiting and
interacting with these students. They are very interested in both our
culture and in what I have to
say concerning faith and salvation.
As in most
countries, it is a sensitive matter to bring religion into the classroom, but
by our Father's grace, the gospel is always preached as the students and I
interact and share one another's lives and cultures.
Yulia and Dasha:
Re-connecting with many of the students whom I have met with in past visits to
the Chuvash State University
Many of you know
Esa and Natasha, university students from Cheboksary who, after coming to
know us, spent the
summer in South Carolina last year at Brian and Shana Niemitalo's home.
Esa and Natasha
even attended our ALC summer convention last year!
Meetings in
Cheboksary: Ludmila (in pink) is one of the first Christian persons I
met in Cheboksary when I traveled
there for the first time in 2004. This trip we were hosted by
Natalia Burak, the woman behind me in black
blouse with white spots. Natalia, though not yet a believer, offers us
her home to stay in and
attends some of our meetings, like this one, singing and praying with us..
Cheboksary
Christian Group: Victor, far right, is the English professor who helps arrange
visits for us in the Chuvash
State University. The young man beside me in the photo, Sergie, found
grace to repent last year when I met him at an outdoor
"Student Picnic" on the famous Volga River, which I
organized together with Victor and his church.
From Cheboksary we
traveled to Yoshkar Ola and the surrounding villages.We spent the first days at
the village home of Pastor Alexander and his wife, Anna, who serve in a Mari
village called, Shorsala. We joined in with their Sunday service and visited
different village families.We also visited the main Agricultural College and I
spoke to a number of students.This was my first visit to this college, and
though the teacher seemed a bit suspicious of us at first, by the time we left
we were being enthusiastically asked to return. "The next time you come,
said the English teacher, we will have many more students for you to talk
with!"
Pastor Alexander
Mityakov and wife, Anna, serve in the Mari villages around Yoshkar Ola
My first meeting
with English teacher, Lena (in green) and students in the Mari Agricultural
College.
Only a few of
these students really spoke any kind of English. 
Early morning walk
in Shorsala, a Yoshkar Ola village. In the background you can see a Russian Orthodox
church/monastery
Mari Villagers,
Vadim and Nina, invite us for dinner at their village farm
The changing
"modern" sky-line in Yoshkar Ola, the capital city of the Mari El
Republic
Yoshkar Ola -
Russian Orthodox Church
From Mari El we
traveled to Kazan to participate in an outdoor evangelical Christian
concert/gathering which was held by a number of different churches.
The 1000 year old
city of Kazan lies on the confluence of the Volga and Kazanka Rivers in
the Tatarstan Republic
Here is our Mari
El group in Kazan singing Christian songs in the Mari language.
The Mari people
are part of the Finno-Ugric group of peoples.
Connecting in
Kazan with young people who attended our Udmurtian youth camp last summer.
From Kazan we
took a train to Mushga, in Udmurtia, (Udmurts are also part of the
Finno-Ugric group) where we were met by Pastor Marat of the Ingrian Lutheran
Church. Marat took us to meet with several different Christian groups in
different Udmurtian villages and in each place I was able to speak and share
the gospel. Later we traveled into Izhevsk, the Udmurt capital, and spend
a few days visiting and fellowshipping in that city.
From Mari El and
Kazan we head to the beautiful rolling green of Udmurtia!
Pastor Marat, a
truly gentle soul...
We visited several
Christian groups in Udmurita. Here is Pastor Nickoki (Big, happy man
in Red) and some of the members of his
Mozhga congregation
Early morning walk in Udmurtian village
Pastor Sergie and his wife, Lena, hosted us at their village
home.
Communion service in Gurez Pudga. Pastor Marat does an
exceptional job of uniting hearts around the gospel.
Last summer I attended sister Oksana and
brother Maxim's wedding. This year I visited Oksana in the hospital to see her beauytiful newborn daughter, Mikalina.
We were not allowed into the hospital, so visited Oksana and
Mikalina through the window. I was so happy to be able to hold this little one.
Visiting Udmurtian Christians - Grandmother Zhenya bakes us
the famous Udmurtian Perishki
Visiting Christian Grandmothers in Udmurtian village
Pastor Andrew's Lutheran Church in Izhevsk. We
attended this group's communion service and I was also invited to share
the word
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Mindanao Memories!
(Note from Dennis. This is an
article with more pictures and comments than usual. I hope you won't try to
squish it into some busy morning schedule but will take some time to enjoy it
with a good cup of tea or coffee. I have considered prayerfully and carefully
each picture and comment chosen and I would be delighted if you would have time
to do the same to the extent that it is possible. I don't think you will be
disappointed! XOXOX)
Mindanao is the largest of the islands in the
Philippines (even bigger than Ireland) and the most southerly. Our ALCA team
mission trip began there this year in the big city of Cagayan de Oro in the
north of the island. We were following the words of Jesus which he read from
Isaiah 61 in the beginning of His ministry: "The Spirit of the Lord is
upon me because because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor;
he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted....." And this year the message
of healing came very close to home when Leona contracted a serious case of
malaria which riveted our prayers and hospitalized her for two weeks. More
about that later.
One of God's many helpless vulnerable children in this
big city. Here occupying her one square meter of cardboard. Finding refuge in a
corner on a smooth tiled floor outside of the glass doors of our hotel lobby. A
comb is her one possession. She carefully strokes her lovely long hair with it,
arranging and counting the hairs that fall each time. "But even the very
hairs of your head are numbered" says Jesus. Randy opens the glass doors
and asks if he can sing for her. The music brings life into her eyes and she
begins to radiate hope. I ask if I can pray for her and she consents so I lay
my hands upon her and comfort her with the words of Jesus. Her eyes light up
further in the Spirit. Tamasen then fastens a pretty woven leather bracelet
around her wrist. Heaven truly came down to earth as we shared those moments
with her! That night when we went to sleep in our soft beds and she on her
little piece of cardboard we knew that God had touched each one of us with this
encounter. In the morning she was gone.
That Marigold Hotel was the center of our mission activities for the
next two days. A big banner outside the lobby welcomed us and announced the
theme of the Pastors and Workers Convention and Seminar as "PROCLAIMING
SALVATION".
Many gathered in the convention hall to hear our
teaching and preaching on this theme. Fratt Aho and Randy Kinnunen enlivened
the sessions with their spiritual music.
Leona Matson and Tamasen Tervo led a happy group of
kids in stories from the bible - artfully bringing the story of Joseph's coat
of many colors close to home with a paper 'coat' for each child. Leona as the
mission veteran and Tamasen as the novice worked in perfect harmony. Leona
continued her fascinating paper crafts and engaging lessons for the children
wherever we went.
A lot of young people were present - here in lively conversation with
Fratt and Pastor Gary Bertram.
The next day it was "up them (not-so-)golden
stairs" to the Overcomers Church at the top of the mountain. There are
about 130 steps in this climb, that is up the newly installed cement stairs. In
years past they were made out of tires. A major improvement considering that a
whole congregation mounts these stairs each time there is a service and Pastor
Bert Senonis and his family actually live up there. EVERY single item that is
needed for the church, their daily life and even water for drinking and bathing
must be hauled up these stairs - earlier up the slippery mud-filled tires in
the rain. That's Fratt and Pastor Bert's son Adonis on the long haul up.
Leading the singing in the service in the church at the top of the
mountain. Pastor Bert's sons Bernie (left) and Jun-ed. All of his family are
very talented and musical. The music they sing and play is very spirited and
deeply spiritual.
Again a lot of very dedicated young people were
present. Here we have three of them portraying how Jesus sent out two of His
disciples on their miraculous mission of preaching the gospel and healing. They
made it all very realistic. The two disciples then go out and find a crippled
woman and debate whether they should actually try to do what Jesus instructed
them to do. Finally they get up the nerve and proclaim her healed in Jesus
name. To her and their utter astonishment she is healed and she begins to jump
and praise God in Jesus. The two disciples walk away and one says to the other,
"I don't know who was more surprised, that woman or me!" The young
people performed several things that night and all with obvious conviction.
Their presentations were like a complete sermon for me!
The next day we headed north and west up along the
island coast and took a ferry to the beautiful island of Camiguin.
Before we left kids climbed up the sides of the ferry
and dove from the deck to retrieve coins that people threw in the water. Here
you can see one happy little guy in midair and another climbing up the side of
the ferry with the coins he had retrieved - in his mouth!
Camiguin Island in full view. We were going there to
hold a special day of services and seminars. On the way we were followed for a
long time by a very large school of dolphins which made it quite exciting but
were very hard to photograph. There are none in this picture.
The leader and trip coordinator of the ALCA teams to
the Philippines for the past six years, Pastor Colin Kinnunen.
Pastor Bert Senonis - Head of the Overcomers Christian
Fellowship Center of the Philippines, with whom we have worked closely for
these past six years. In stature he is just a little bit of a man but in actual
fact is bigger than life in many ways with his dynamic and visionary approach
to the proliferation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ in his country. One of his
many gifts is the ability to translate.
As a part of this and other services many received
Bibles as a gift from the Foreign Mission. This girl was both proud and pleased
to have her first Bible!
And check out this animated team during a teaching
lesson on the basics of salvation. "What are we saved from?!" This
translator had no trouble either keeping up or in being expressive like someone
else I know.
And everywhere those happy, enthusiastic kids!!
Tamasen Tervo is a newcomer to the mission field but
you never would have guessed it. As the youngest member of our team she
immediately showed that she takes to mission work like a duck takes to water
and inspired us all with her open, honest, accepting and forthright approach to
everything that has to do with missions. No trouble for her to find friends or
to come up with great ideas for supporting the mission on her own. Before you
knew it she had arranged for the talented young Christian girl on her
right from Camiguin Island to have her own guitar and promised to help with a
church building project in another place. Yours truly was impressed!
Then it was back across the ferry for the long drive
up the island to Kitcharao for our next engagements. The scenes are
breathtaking, the landscape verdant but one of the vehicles that we were using
was not in top form so the trip took longer than usual - about 8 hours in all.
The the next morning we were all bright eyed, bushy
tailed and ready for the big crusade service at the open sports center. Pastor
Gary Bertram opened the services and was able to take this picture in the time
that his text was being read in the local dialect. Many different churches in
the area were represented in this unity service. The music was very good and
again the youth involvement was remarkable.
The spiritual food was rich that day, as was the
luscious meal served after the service for the team and leaders at a local
restaurant. Check out the scrumptious crispy chicken, the fluffy rice, tasty
cooked vegetables, pork bits in a kind of sweet and sour sauce and the whipped
cream/pasta/fruit/ salad plus fresh mango for desert. Not all of our meals were
this sumptuous since most of them are basically chicken and rice. But I would
say as a whole we have eaten well.
At a service at the local Overcomers Church the next
day the youth were in abundance. Enthusiastic, exhuberant, committed!
Pastor Gary Bertram and Scott Hakala, both first
timers on a mission trip, with two little Senonis girls. Both of these men
showed real adaptability, sensitivity and a responsiveness to the leading of
the Holy Spirit during their time in the Philippines.
Scott Hakala with the same two girls. Scott is a man
of amazing potential which he powerfully demonstrated by preaching a
heaven-oriented and Spirit-filled sermon at one of our stops.
And then the six hour drive back to Cagayan de Oro. I always marvel at
how God blesses the life of a missionary - even in the smallest details. Here
we are rolling along a fairly bumpy road with a lot of construction detours and
when we stop in our van to wait in line for the flagman I look out and suddenly
realize I am looking at a very beautiful view and feeling so blessed that I
could be just at that place just then. A simple stop for construction folks,
but isn't God always with us if we just look up (or out)?!
Back in the city, this time out at the church on Igpit
Island. This is where Pastor Bert's son Bernie and his wife Daisy have an
active ministry with the locals, especially the children. The building in this
picture sits very near the sea and houses this ministry. It was recently roofed
by contributions through the Foreign Mission.
The men of the ALCA team drinking the juice of
coconuts inside the Igbet church. These coconuts are a gesture of genuine
hospitality. From left to right Fratt Aho, yours truly, Scott Hakala, Randy
Kinnunen, Gary Bertram and Colin Kinnunen.
For four years Bernie Senonis prayed for a motorbike
to get him and his family back and forth to their ministry and even the place
where they stay on Igbet Island. The place is quite far and completely
inaccessible by car. Only a motorbike can make it the last distance onto and
around the island.
Would you believe his joy and thankfulness when members of the mission
team this year took him to a bike dealership and presented him with this new
Honda. He just threw up his arms and cried out "Thank you, Lord!.....Hallelujah!
The fearless and tireless leader of the ALCA Team
Philippines, Pastor Colin Kinnunen. One of the greatest strengths that a man in
this position can have is flexibility and of course patience. Colin is blessed
with both. "Rolling with the punches," as he puts it. Now as a member
of the Central Board of the ALCA his responsibilities may shift but we hope and
pray he will never forget his commitment to the Philippine mission.
The week after the rest of the men in the team left
two Vacation Bible Schools were scheduled. That's when Leona went down for the
count and Tamasen had to take over together with our new arrival Brooke Seppala
from Greer, South Carolina. Those two gals just hit the ground running in the
strength of the Lord and did a fabulous job. That's Brooke standing up and
Tameson down to the right.
Here is Brooke with a passal of the happy young
students ay their VBS in Igpit..... taking a pause out by a bay of the South
China Sea. Brooke is such a natural child magnet and a true servant of the Lord
who just glows in their company. She spent two weeks with us. She and Tamasen,
who had never known each other before, made a wonderful team in bringing the
life of Jesus into the lives of these children with egaging Bible stories,
songs, games and crafts. Both of these young women were also a wonderful help
for Leona in her time of trial.
Leona's trial
And what a trial it was! For many agonizing days as Leona landed in the hospital and got worse and worse, the doctors were stymied as to what actually ailed her. Of course malaria was suspected but it wasn't showing up in the battery of lab tests that she underwent. It was also thought that it be another Asian plight - Dengue Fever. Dr. Frias hardly slept making sure he was doing everything for Leona possible but struggling with a quandry. Violent headaches, high fever, chills, stomach pains, no ability to eat and the like filled her days and endless nights. A dropping blood count made transfusions necessary and had us making night trips to the Red Cross blood bank and bringing back units of blood in little cardboard boxes to the hospital.
And what a trial it was! For many agonizing days as Leona landed in the hospital and got worse and worse, the doctors were stymied as to what actually ailed her. Of course malaria was suspected but it wasn't showing up in the battery of lab tests that she underwent. It was also thought that it be another Asian plight - Dengue Fever. Dr. Frias hardly slept making sure he was doing everything for Leona possible but struggling with a quandry. Violent headaches, high fever, chills, stomach pains, no ability to eat and the like filled her days and endless nights. A dropping blood count made transfusions necessary and had us making night trips to the Red Cross blood bank and bringing back units of blood in little cardboard boxes to the hospital.
Not until Friday night, seven days after she had
contracted the fever, did a very tired Dr. Frias show up in Leona's room with a
blessed piece of paper in his hand from the Provincial Examination Center
laboratory with proof that she actually had malaria. He was very relieved. Now
he could immediately begin the malaria medication which he had with him. He had
had trouble finding the quinine he would have preferred to use but he got
started anyway. We even scouted all of the major pharmacies in the city that
night but to no avail. He finally located the quinine, however, the next
day. He then very confidently told us that the worst symptoms should begin
abating the very next day and she should be considerably recovered within three
days. It was hard to believe, but then with God all things are possible. Dr.
Frias is a believer.
On the third day Leona and all of us here were blessed
both by a remakable recovery and by the arrival of her brother Milo from
Canada. A real day of rejoicing!! Milo has proved to be a virtual marvel of
brotherly kindness and know-how. And we are not alone in our rejoicing. The
whole Senonis family rejoices with us. For the entire first week they provided
round the clock vigilance at Leona's bedside since the other three of us were
quite fully occupied with the VBS programs. One who deserves special mention is
young Jun-ed who proved to be a servant far beyond the call of duty during that
week.
Many of the happy Senonis clan arriving at the
hospital in their little yellow cab truck with Brooke and Tamasen to share the
joy with Leona on "Recovery Day Three". Pastor Bert and his wife
Aludie are all but hidden under the canopy. Standing on the right is the driver
and oldest son Adonis Senonis who established the first contact with Pastor
Colin Kinnunen and our church in America back in 2006. Since then Pastor
Colin has led 6 mission team visits to this country.
The lovely Philippines filled with the promise of a
new day for Leona and all of us who love the Lord.........an unforgettable
sunset over the rice fields.
(Note: The photos in this
presentation are a very limited selection of those taken by almost all of us on
the mission team. I am really proud of these pictures. The technical support in
gathering and attaching the pictures was all done by Leona Matson - which she
actually finished at the end of her hospital stay!)
Leona is scheduled to be discharged from the hospital in two days, on Saturday. Brooke has now returned to South Carolina. Next week Leona, Tamasen and I are scheduled to depart the Philippines. I know that this has been a long report with many pictures but for some prayerful reason I don't feel that there is anything that could have been left out in an account of this month of indelible memories. I know that none of us who were here on this mission will every forget it. I send this report on behalf of all of us. We are just so very very thankful for all the prayers that have been sent our way even as we hope you will continue to pray that Leona's strength will have returned sufficiently for her to leave, too, at the appointed time.
In all these things we are more than conquerers through Him that loved us! Romans 8:37
In God's love and wondrous peace,
Dennis
Leona is scheduled to be discharged from the hospital in two days, on Saturday. Brooke has now returned to South Carolina. Next week Leona, Tamasen and I are scheduled to depart the Philippines. I know that this has been a long report with many pictures but for some prayerful reason I don't feel that there is anything that could have been left out in an account of this month of indelible memories. I know that none of us who were here on this mission will every forget it. I send this report on behalf of all of us. We are just so very very thankful for all the prayers that have been sent our way even as we hope you will continue to pray that Leona's strength will have returned sufficiently for her to leave, too, at the appointed time.
In all these things we are more than conquerers through Him that loved us! Romans 8:37
In God's love and wondrous peace,
Dennis
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