Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Mobile clinic opens doors in Tanzania
CMF’s Tanzania team is working to put “hands and feet” to the Gospel and bring about whole life transformation for the people they serve. Their new mobile medical clinic is one project they are using to effectively meet this goal, according to a recent report from Scott and Annelle Price.
The people living in the Maasai area of Matale had not received immunizations for 10 years. So in February, the CMF team collaborated with the government clinic to offer mobile medical clinics to the people in their villages. As of September, 3,660 children have received important immunizations, 54 women have received prenatal care, 290 children have been treated for eye infections and 447 have attended health education classes.
The Maasai church planters of Matale participate in the clinics so they can reinforce the health education presented in the clinics; as a result, doors are opening for the Gospel. One new area in which immunizations were offered has even requested the CMF team to help start a church. The team is considering how and when they can do this.
CMF’s Tanzania team is working to put “hands and feet” to the Gospel and bring about whole life transformation for the people they serve. Their new mobile medical clinic is one project they are using to effectively meet this goal, according to a recent report from Scott and Annelle Price.
The people living in the Maasai area of Matale had not received immunizations for 10 years. So in February, the CMF team collaborated with the government clinic to offer mobile medical clinics to the people in their villages. As of September, 3,660 children have received important immunizations, 54 women have received prenatal care, 290 children have been treated for eye infections and 447 have attended health education classes.
The Maasai church planters of Matale participate in the clinics so they can reinforce the health education presented in the clinics; as a result, doors are opening for the Gospel. One new area in which immunizations were offered has even requested the CMF team to help start a church. The team is considering how and when they can do this.
Labels: Church Planting, Clinics, Tanzania
¶ 11:49 AM Friday, October 31, 2008
Nairobi Reflections 2008
Keith Ham, leader of the Nairobi Urban Poor Outreach team (NUPO) in Kenya, recently took a break from his hectic schedule to look back over a year of unbelievable blessings and amazing growth for the team’s ministries. Here are a few of the highlights he shared with their supporters:
• At the end of 2007 four Hope Centers had been opened: Pangani, Kosovo, Bondeni, and the Academy (boarding school) in Joska. More than 1,200 families attended a huge Christmas celebration and took home food baskets. The HIV/AIDS outreach delivered Christmas hope and joy to many of those house-bound with AIDS, and the microenterprise department was in full swing, making regular loans to small businesses. “Everything about the faithfulness of God was all around us,” said Keith.
• However, 2008 began with a jolt of ethnic violence, the like of which had only been hinted at during all the Hams’ years in Kenya. They were “up country” at the time of the outbreaks, and returned to a Nairobi that was fraught with torment and pain.
• A supporting church had committed together to have a “Different Kind of Christmas” by encouraging its members to share some of their holiday funds with the Bondeni Hope Center. The church more than doubled its goal of $60,000. When it became apparent that the NUPO team would need to offer emergency food to the internally displaced people in Mathare due to the ethnic violence, the church sent the money immediately so the team could begin offering help. Another church raised $50,000 for food and shelter on one Sunday. With the help of these churches and others, the team never ran out of money to feed people and help many families move out of the refugee camps into ‘safe” dwellings. The team was even able to pay a few months rent for these families and help them furnish their homes.
• During this difficult time period the team was amazed at the people’s incredible openness to the Gospel. Every single day people were turning to Christ. Two more churches were planted, and ‘seed’ Bible studies established for the next churches to be planted.
• Two more new Hope Centers opened in 2008: Madoya and Mathare North. Plans are underway to open two more in early 2009. At last count, there are more than 2,3000 children attending school, receiving spiritual nurturing, food and clothing and giving the team access to their families through the Hope Centers.
• God continues to bring short-term teams of people who want to be involved on all levels of the work here: evangelism, leadership training, construction, working with children, medical clinics, etc. Two families have affiliated with CMF as permanent members of the team and another family is on the way.
• The HIV/AIDS program has also grown tremendously in 2008. The ministry is focusing on post-test clubs, where the members provide spiritual support and physical encouragement to one another. Hospice care is also available for those who are close to death.
• The micro-enterprise loan ministry now has more than 500 clients who have taken out small business loans. All the new business owners belong to accountability groups where members help one another with their challenges, both physical and spiritual.
• At the end of 2007 four Hope Centers had been opened: Pangani, Kosovo, Bondeni, and the Academy (boarding school) in Joska. More than 1,200 families attended a huge Christmas celebration and took home food baskets. The HIV/AIDS outreach delivered Christmas hope and joy to many of those house-bound with AIDS, and the microenterprise department was in full swing, making regular loans to small businesses. “Everything about the faithfulness of God was all around us,” said Keith.
• However, 2008 began with a jolt of ethnic violence, the like of which had only been hinted at during all the Hams’ years in Kenya. They were “up country” at the time of the outbreaks, and returned to a Nairobi that was fraught with torment and pain.
• A supporting church had committed together to have a “Different Kind of Christmas” by encouraging its members to share some of their holiday funds with the Bondeni Hope Center. The church more than doubled its goal of $60,000. When it became apparent that the NUPO team would need to offer emergency food to the internally displaced people in Mathare due to the ethnic violence, the church sent the money immediately so the team could begin offering help. Another church raised $50,000 for food and shelter on one Sunday. With the help of these churches and others, the team never ran out of money to feed people and help many families move out of the refugee camps into ‘safe” dwellings. The team was even able to pay a few months rent for these families and help them furnish their homes.
• During this difficult time period the team was amazed at the people’s incredible openness to the Gospel. Every single day people were turning to Christ. Two more churches were planted, and ‘seed’ Bible studies established for the next churches to be planted.
• Two more new Hope Centers opened in 2008: Madoya and Mathare North. Plans are underway to open two more in early 2009. At last count, there are more than 2,3000 children attending school, receiving spiritual nurturing, food and clothing and giving the team access to their families through the Hope Centers.
• God continues to bring short-term teams of people who want to be involved on all levels of the work here: evangelism, leadership training, construction, working with children, medical clinics, etc. Two families have affiliated with CMF as permanent members of the team and another family is on the way.
• The HIV/AIDS program has also grown tremendously in 2008. The ministry is focusing on post-test clubs, where the members provide spiritual support and physical encouragement to one another. Hospice care is also available for those who are close to death.
• The micro-enterprise loan ministry now has more than 500 clients who have taken out small business loans. All the new business owners belong to accountability groups where members help one another with their challenges, both physical and spiritual.
Labels: Kenya, Nairobi, Urban Poor
¶ 6:42 AM Thursday, October 30, 2008
Come “Get Your Hands Dirty!”
CMF Executive Director Doug Priest is serving as president of the 2008 National Missionary Convention, which opens in just three weeks in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Main speakers for the event, which runs from Thursday evening, Nov. 20, through Sunday morning, Nov. 23, include Florence Muindi, Mark Moore, Doug Priest, Ash Barker and Fernando Soto. Dozens of interesting and challenging workshops will be available, as well as a huge display area featuring hundreds of organizations and ministries, including CMF. Look for us under the big blue banner with the CMF logo and stop by and say hello! For more information about registration, housing, and a complete list of workshops and other events visit the NMC website.
¶ 8:48 AM
Friday, October 10, 2008
New field opens in Germany
After several years of planning, CMF Globalscope opened a new field in late September with the arrival of Beth Jarvis and Chris and Stef Coleman in Tuebingen, Germany.
The three will spend their first months in Germany studying at the Goethe Institute, an intensive language school, and interacting with German people and culture. After the class work is completed, they will begin their ministry to students at the University of Tuebingen, a prestigious, well-known university. Their plans include completing some renovations on a building that they are sharing with the European Evangelistic Society so they can open a campus house. The house will serve as a base for getting together with students, holding Bible studies, starting small groups and building relationships.
Beth Jarvis, 27, is the team leader. Beth is a graduate of Atlanta Christian College and recently completed her master’s degree at Emmanuel School of Religion, Johnson City, Tenn. Chris Coleman, 25, graduated from Georgia Tech and his wife, Stef , 23, is a graduate of Agnes Scott College. The Colemans spent one year in classes at Emmanuel School of Religion. The three will be joined soon by an additional three teammates: Chandler Creel, who plans to leave in 2-3 weeks; Tyler Crawford and Lindsay Hunter, who are still raising support.
After several years of planning, CMF Globalscope opened a new field in late September with the arrival of Beth Jarvis and Chris and Stef Coleman in Tuebingen, Germany.
The three will spend their first months in Germany studying at the Goethe Institute, an intensive language school, and interacting with German people and culture. After the class work is completed, they will begin their ministry to students at the University of Tuebingen, a prestigious, well-known university. Their plans include completing some renovations on a building that they are sharing with the European Evangelistic Society so they can open a campus house. The house will serve as a base for getting together with students, holding Bible studies, starting small groups and building relationships.
Beth Jarvis, 27, is the team leader. Beth is a graduate of Atlanta Christian College and recently completed her master’s degree at Emmanuel School of Religion, Johnson City, Tenn. Chris Coleman, 25, graduated from Georgia Tech and his wife, Stef , 23, is a graduate of Agnes Scott College. The Colemans spent one year in classes at Emmanuel School of Religion. The three will be joined soon by an additional three teammates: Chandler Creel, who plans to leave in 2-3 weeks; Tyler Crawford and Lindsay Hunter, who are still raising support.
Labels: Campus Ministry, Germany, Globalscope
¶ 6:39 AM Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Maasai churches report good news
Dan Crum, leader of CMF’s Maasai team in Africa, recently shared the latest report from a meeting of the Maasai Advisory Committee, and it was full of encouraging news about the Community Christian churches there.
There are now 85 churches in 15 geographical clusters in Maasailand, 10 more than at the last report. Around 150-200 baptisms have been performed in the last six months alone.
The cluster of churches in the Elangata Enterit area is undergoing a significant revival. There are now seven churches there. This had been a very resistant, slow-growth area, so this news is particularly welcome. Several of the new and revived churches are still small and struggling, yet they are meeting consistently and are shepherded by the current leaders. Elders that were ordained several years ago are being referred to as leaders of these small churches. The Olepishet church is doing particularly well, and runs about 100 people, up from about 20 only six years ago.
Women’s events continue to be very popular in Maasailand. Nearly 200 women attended a conference at Olchurrai in August, and about 200 are expected at next month’s women’s conference at Miton.
About 2,000 people attended a five-day, area-wide fellowship held in Tumpelian in the area of Siria last month. It was well-received by the area councillors and chiefs; even the Chairman of the TransMara County Council (a local government representative) attended. Some chiefs, councillors and laibons (traditional African spiritual guides) gave their lives to Christ.
One of the outcomes of the gathering in Siria was that people agreed that a church building should be constructed for Ole Kimanu, one of the four elders of Siria who was ordained in 2000. Kimanu is a simple, friendly man, full of faith, who is very evangelistic and well respected. He was not interested in the church when it first began in Tumpelian; his testimony is a good account of how God is working in Africa, just with Africans.
There are now 85 churches in 15 geographical clusters in Maasailand, 10 more than at the last report. Around 150-200 baptisms have been performed in the last six months alone.
The cluster of churches in the Elangata Enterit area is undergoing a significant revival. There are now seven churches there. This had been a very resistant, slow-growth area, so this news is particularly welcome. Several of the new and revived churches are still small and struggling, yet they are meeting consistently and are shepherded by the current leaders. Elders that were ordained several years ago are being referred to as leaders of these small churches. The Olepishet church is doing particularly well, and runs about 100 people, up from about 20 only six years ago.
Women’s events continue to be very popular in Maasailand. Nearly 200 women attended a conference at Olchurrai in August, and about 200 are expected at next month’s women’s conference at Miton.
About 2,000 people attended a five-day, area-wide fellowship held in Tumpelian in the area of Siria last month. It was well-received by the area councillors and chiefs; even the Chairman of the TransMara County Council (a local government representative) attended. Some chiefs, councillors and laibons (traditional African spiritual guides) gave their lives to Christ.
One of the outcomes of the gathering in Siria was that people agreed that a church building should be constructed for Ole Kimanu, one of the four elders of Siria who was ordained in 2000. Kimanu is a simple, friendly man, full of faith, who is very evangelistic and well respected. He was not interested in the church when it first began in Tumpelian; his testimony is a good account of how God is working in Africa, just with Africans.
Labels: Church Planting, Kenya, Maasai
¶ 12:35 PM Tuesday, September 2, 2008
News from Bangkok
Michal Ruth Penwell (Globalscope Thailand) wrote today to share an update about the political situation in Thailand and its effect on the team's ministry and daily lives. Thailand's Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej has declared a state of emergency in the capital city of Bangkok after clashes with the supporters of the People's
Alliance for democracy (PAD) left at least one person dead and dozens injured in the worst violence seen in Bangkok in 16 years. This situation is rooted in a bloodless coup by the military in Sept. 2006, when Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was removed from office. Thaksin and his wife were tried in Bangkok in July 2008, but fled into exile in the UK. PAD supporters say the new government is a front for Thaksin.
Meanwhile, the CMF's team's ministry activities have continued regularly and they anticipate that they will continue without problems. Living north of Bangkok has helped the team members avoid the crowds of protesters, but PAD did hold a small public meeting on the campus of the university on Monday.
"The students in the ministry are concerned about the situation, but talk very little about it," writes Michal Ruth. "Most people would rather not become involved. We feel safe and will continue to remain away from the demonstrations. We also hope that we can show an attitude of respect and peace. We do appreciate your prayers for Thailand, our ministry and our students."
Alliance for democracy (PAD) left at least one person dead and dozens injured in the worst violence seen in Bangkok in 16 years. This situation is rooted in a bloodless coup by the military in Sept. 2006, when Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was removed from office. Thaksin and his wife were tried in Bangkok in July 2008, but fled into exile in the UK. PAD supporters say the new government is a front for Thaksin.
Meanwhile, the CMF's team's ministry activities have continued regularly and they anticipate that they will continue without problems. Living north of Bangkok has helped the team members avoid the crowds of protesters, but PAD did hold a small public meeting on the campus of the university on Monday.
"The students in the ministry are concerned about the situation, but talk very little about it," writes Michal Ruth. "Most people would rather not become involved. We feel safe and will continue to remain away from the demonstrations. We also hope that we can show an attitude of respect and peace. We do appreciate your prayers for Thailand, our ministry and our students."
Labels: Campus Ministry, Thailand
¶ 8:05 AM Thursday, August 14, 2008
Grapevine Goes "Green"
The CMF Globalscope team in Bangkok, Thailand, recently used a "Go Green" theme for a series of studies at their Grapevine campus ministry. Team leader Greg Coley asked his friend Bank, a Thai "tree-hugger," to give the students some simple suggestions on how they can be better stewards of God's creation. Bank, who is very serious about his commitment to the environment, jumped in and organized a tree-planting day in association with Thammasat University. The event was scheduled for 8-8-08, at 8:88 a.m. (or 9:28 a.m.) and Bank had 888 trees ready to be planted. The Globalscope team showed up that day expecting to have to work very hard to plant 888 trees, but about 100 Thais showed up to help, as well. It was a good job, well done, and provided our Grapevine team with great exposure in the campus community.
The CMF Globalscope team in Bangkok, Thailand, recently used a "Go Green" theme for a series of studies at their Grapevine campus ministry. Team leader Greg Coley asked his friend Bank, a Thai "tree-hugger," to give the students some simple suggestions on how they can be better stewards of God's creation. Bank, who is very serious about his commitment to the environment, jumped in and organized a tree-planting day in association with Thammasat University. The event was scheduled for 8-8-08, at 8:88 a.m. (or 9:28 a.m.) and Bank had 888 trees ready to be planted. The Globalscope team showed up that day expecting to have to work very hard to plant 888 trees, but about 100 Thais showed up to help, as well. It was a good job, well done, and provided our Grapevine team with great exposure in the campus community.
Labels: Campus Ministry, Thailand
¶ 5:48 AM 
