MISSIONS NEWS
NATE & TAMMY LASHWAY - MADAGASCAR:
“Our first term in Madagascar is quickly drawing to a close. In the midst of packing and trying to connect with churches back in America, we want to make sure that we finish strong. In the past few months we have been able to do just that. Tammy and I have worked at strengthening relationships with Malagasy pastors and their wives. We have continued teaching and training wherever possible With the help of some finances from Deer Lodge and a team from Helena, we were able to build two new tabernacles in some very poor areas. . .”
Lance & Miska Lanning-Youth Alive/Teen Aid Montana:
“Well, we are back from Sidney and another Seven Project is in the books. It was an awesome experience, and we were witnesses to God’s miracles. It was exciting to see how things happen when we allow Him to use us. . . We presented assemblies in Sidney Middle School, Sidney High School, Savage, Fairview, Culbertson and Trenton, ND. At each assembly we were accompanied by Bobby Bishop (music artist from Boston) and his team playing their hip-hop music. The students were very excited about the whole program. For us, it was a wonderful sight to watch students in their black T-shirts proudly standing out promoting the seven project and its message about Jesus to their schoolmates. What courage they displayed! Because of their commitment to reach their friends, it all happened. We had about 500 students at the night rally, running around playing games, and enjoying the music.. Then it came! Confrontation-a confrontation with the one and only God and His wonderful plan for us. Confrontation about His love for these students and His invitation to His kingdom.. We are amazed to see ALL the students stand up to proclaim their decision to accept Christ. It was unbelievable to see all of these young people giving their hearts to the Lord . . .”
MIKE & KARI NESS– TANZANIA:
“Thank you to those who have been praying for the completion of the Safari Club curriculum in Swahili. It has been a long road but we finally have the completed books in hand and are beginning to distribute them. This will be a great tool for children’s workers. Thanks to BGMC for funding this project...”
Assemblies of God World Missions:
The following are excerpts from a 2005 World Missions Relief Report. John Bueno reports: “Assemblies of God World Missions leadership had concerns about the ongoing regular giving to support our missionaries and missions projects around the world during this year of unprecedented disasters. Our concerns were unfounded. Last year ended as the greatest income year in our history-in every way. Overall, support for our missionaries did not suffer.” Randy Hurst: When news of the Tsunami reached me I contacted John Bueno, executive director of AG World Missions. I told him that I was certain that this disaster would be huge and we were really low on relief funds… Between the appeals for the devastating earthquakes in India and El Salvador in 2001 and the Sudan crisis a few months before the tsunami, we hadn’t made a nationwide relief appeal for more than two years. Without hesitation John replied, “Do whatever we need to.”...Within just three days of the fax going out, commitments surpassed the amount given for the entire Sudan appeal over a couple of months!...When a reporter for KY3, the local NBC affiliate, interviewed me for an update on the AG relief efforts, I suggested that she also interview Hal Donaldson, president of Convoy of Hope, a partner ministry of AG World Missions in our relief efforts. KY3 went a step further, joining forces with COH by airing free TV spots appealing for funds. After seeing Hal on television, businesses and individual donors in the community gave nearly $250,000.
AG World Missions doesn’t have to pay rent for distribution centers, because local church buildings are used. Laypeople volunteer long hours. Convoy of Hope multiplies the dollars because they have food contributed, and the relief funds given are used to transport the food to the countries of need, often resulting in as much as four to five times the quantity of food per dollar being distributed. The Assemblies of God’s committed network means every donor’s contribution is effectively multiplied.
The April 3 Today’s Pentecostal Evangel World Missions Edition asked readers to help families in Indonesia recover and rebuild by donating money that could supply sewing machines, tools, bakery utensils, boats and nets, bicycles, vending carts and hair-cutting shears. Tens of thousands of dollars were raised and played a crucial part in helping many Indonesians regain financial footing and establish a means of survival beyond the initial phase of relief. Missionaries provided tailors with sewing machines to get them back to work. In one city every barber was outfitted with the tools he needed to get back to cutting hair. One of the buildings the Assemblies of God is helping erect in Indonesia will be used to train farmers to grow crops more efficiently.
Following are some brief excerpts from faxes sent to the Fellowship:
December 26, 2004: If you have heard or seen any news today you probably know that Asia just experienced an 8.9 earthquake-the most devastating the world has seen in four decades...
January 8, 2005: Because of commitments that have been called and faxed in from AG churches, we have already advanced more than half a million dollars to our missionaries in Sri Lanka, Thailand, India, and Indonesia. The hungry are being fed and the injured are receiving medical treatment.
January 27, 2005: In Sri Lanka, the Assemblies of God is feeding 2,500 families daily through nine relief centers that have been established in areas worst hit by the tsunami.
February 11, 2005: We are asking at least for the time being that no additional offerings be received for the tsunami general relief fund. We believe it to be inappropriate to ask for more offerings for this effort until the need should surpass the funds that have been generously given.
February 18, 2005: Due to the overwhelming response and generosity of our Assemblies of God churches in the United States, as well as some gifts we have received from fraternal fellowships overseas, we have already been able to disburse the following amounts from AG Relief to Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Thailand and India: $500,000 –Tsunami Refugee Funds; $752,000-Eurasia (Sri Lanka and India); $675,000– Asia Pacific (Indonesia and Thailand); and $500,000-Other ministries (Convoy of Hope, HealthCare Ministries, World AG Relief Agency).
May 27, 2005: Jeff Hartensveld, who is conducting our relief efforts in Indonesia, reports that this week they put up four large buildings-one for an agricultural training center for farmers and the other three buildings for a junior high school. They have made plans to erect 28 buildings. Almost all are public schools. Convoy of Hope is shipping all the materials, and teams from AG churches in the U.S. are erecting the buildings with the help of local skilled workers.
Thank you! AG churches’ generosity has been overwhelming. AG personnel have enough funds to accomplish the projects and goals the Fellowship has committed to. When the $5 million mark was reached and initial budgets from the field were evaluated, we felt impressed of the Lord to let people know enough funds had been received.
PAKISTAN: The following excerpts are written by Kirk Noon: “On October 8, 2005, Pakistan was reeling from a deadly 7.6 magnitude earthquake that killed more than 80,000 people, flattened whole communities and left 3 million people homeless. . .Within days of the earthquake, AG fellowships throughout the world provided generously for their Pakistani brothers and sisters in Christ. Tents, food, medical supplies and blankets were purchased and sent to the region. . .More than 3,000 sturdy winterized tents complete with plastic flooring were purchased and given to thousands of families. . .”