Newsletter 4-07 Color

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Missions Banner Presbyterian Missionary Union & Venture Guild International 1650 Love Road, Grand Island, New York 14072 s Phone: 716-775-0442 s Fax: 716-775-3405 Email: [email protected] s Web: www.presbyterianmissions.org

APRIL 2007, #217 ‹ “Declare His glory among the nations, His wonders among all peoples!” Psalm 96:3

In Bolivia: Training, Singing, Preaching and more... The PMU Pastoral Leadership Team returned to the US from La Paz, Bolivia, on Saturday, March 31, tired but thrilled at what the Lord had accomplished in their 12 day ministry. Team members Len and Karen Pine, and George and Rita Gatis, joined with Rev. David Quisbert and the Bible Presbyterian Church leadership in La Paz in a whirlwind of various ministries designed to strengthen and equip believers and church leaders, evangelize young people and the general public, and provide examples and resources for biblical worship. All of this was also done in the context of mutual fellowship, labor, and worship with God’s people in this needy land.

Singing in Aymara at the Taraco Church The team participated in fourteen worship or Bible study services, six adult seminars, two radio broadcasts, four English seminars, three sacred concerts, one morning of tract distribution, one afternoon children’s Bible club, and much informal fellowship as well during the ministry. Part of the ministry included a two-day excursion into the Altiplano region to visit an indigenous church among the Aymara people in the Taraco area, on the shores of Lake Titicaca. There, preaching and communication required three-way translation, and most modern conveniences were nowhere to be found. However, the hearts of God’s people responded to the ministry of the Word and music, some having walked many miles in the dark to be there. On the team’s return journey, they stopped at a local school to distribute milk, bread, school supplies, and gospel

Pines, Quisberts, and Gatises tracts, which were all enthusiastically received by the children. Len and George even got up an impromptu soccer game with the kids, to everyone’s delight. The team was also excited to see the beginnings of the new sanctuary in La Paz, recently begun (nearly all done by hand) with funds donated through PMU for that purpose. The project is about halfway completed, and the church is praying that the Lord will provide the balance of the funds (about $3500) to complete the first phase of the project (a ground floor sanctuary) in the coming months. Thank you for your prayers for the team. This trip represents a fairly major investment from the General Fund for travel and ministry expenses: if you would like to help PMU defer those costs, your contributions toward that end would be gratefully received. Doing so will help make it possible to underwrite necessary ministry trips in the future to assist our brethren establish a solid presbytery in the country of Bolivia, our ultimate mutual goal. Thank you.

School children in Taraco, with big kids in back

News to Know Brazil Team Countdown Departure dates have a way of suddenly arriving! Team Timothy Brazil is finding out how true that is! Back in November ‘06 team members were selected and sent information packets detailing all they had to accomplish before departure on July 10, 2007. The intervening eight month interval is deceptive and appears to offer infinite opportunity to raise funds, get physical exams, prepare lessons, and turn in all paperwork. Now, suddenly, all that time is rapidly diminishing. From our vantage point here in the PMU office, it is a blessing to see how diligent the team has been—most of whom are employed or attend college—yet they have willingly accepted all the extra work involved in preparing to serve on a foreign field. Please pray for Team Timothy during the next two and a half months that they will be encouraged and blessed as they make final preparations to serve the Lord in Brazil—July 10 to 26th. Pray for: Team Leaders: Tito & Emily Lryo, Team Members: David Blizzard, Sharon Blizzard, Susan Blizzard, Natalie Hart, Rachel Hedges, Chelsea Hojnacki, Cameron Kalich, Tara Leaman, Ben Lensch, Charissa Lensch, Brittany Murray, Kevin O’Connor, Courtney Padgett, Jessica Parizo Banner Photo above: Sunset at Lake Titicaca, Bolivia

Presbyterian Missionary Union is a non-profit missions agency associated with the Bible Presbyterian Church. Our purpose is to advance the cause of missions that are biblically based and practiced and to stand against any compromise of the saving gospel of Jesus Christ. PMU is directed by a Council of Christian leaders who volunteer their time to guide the ministry. To learn more about missions opportunities through PMU, or about the BPC, please contact us. The Missions Banner is published ten times a year for interested individuals and churches. It seeks to promote the clear stand of the BPC by providing a biblical perspective on issues, fads, and theories in missions and church development. Editor: Len Pine. Publisher: James S. Blizzard

Mark: At Home in Cambodia Some 30 hours after I boarded my flight in American, my plane landed in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. The scorched scenery reminded me of how blisteringly hot it can be in the dry season. The forecast had been for 105° to welcome me back. Despite tiredness from a sleepless flight, I was eager to see how different the city might be after my 15 month absence. My hotel provided a ride into the city but the driver took a route I had seldom traveled and I found myself scanning faces and sights like a first time tourist. Once we arrived in more familiar stomping grounds, I was comforted to find all the familiar landmarks—but I was also struck by one obvious change. The noon hour traffic looked like rush hour traffic: not just ‘motos’ on the road, but far more cars than I remembered. It was obvious that the wealthy class had continued to grow despite the multitudes that are as poor as ever. I was encouraged to find that there has been a shake up in the Phnom Penh police department and foreign drivers now find it safer to drive (as opposed to the former kidnapping and extortion of foreign businessmen). This news has emboldened me to consider renting a moto to test getting around. Once I’m in my own apartment, I might consider buying one ($500-$600). Soon after my arrival, I was pleased to be asked to preach every 4th Sunday at a Khmer service. This will give me a chance to practice Khmer and will not prevent me from my own Sunday labors once they develop. This coming week I plan to look at schools and tutors and get started in earnest on formal language studies. I’ve been studying the language material I brought with me and a Khmer instructor would be most helpful. Please keep my health in prayer—first the heat, then a bump on the head leaving a nasty scar, then some bad duck—all this has left me feeling sore and tired and I’ve only just begun my labors. — Mark Baldwin, March 2007 My language tutor, Socheat, suggested I increase my class load up to 2 hours to include writing. This change will come after the Khmer New Year (April 14-16). I finally managed to find a Khmer-English dictionary, but what I really needed was an English-Khmer dictionary for English speakers. It will help in my studies, but I’ll need to turn to my language book’s bizarre 1960’s phonetic transliterations back into Khmer to look up anything. Makes me wish I was studying a language popular enough to have some decent learning materials On Wednesday, Socheat did not arrive for my lesson. My friend, Brian, phoned to say that Socheat had been in a moto wreck and would be recovering for a couple of weeks. Please keep Socheat and his family in prayer. In the meantime I have plenty of vocabulary work and will begin learning the alphabet based on the words I already know. I was bored with the basic fare I was eating at the nearest restaurant, so I ordered the “Khmer Curry” one night this week. It was nothing like the spicy Indian and Sri Lankan curries I’ve had but was a delicious soupy concoction with coconut milk, peanuts, green beans, pumpkin or squash, and a hint of sweetness. The next evening, I tried “Amok”, a Cambodian curry that is thick and served in a coconut. I recommend both to anyone who comes over. I continue to eliminate local restaurants based on digestive distress, so finding more variety at a local restaurant is a good thing. Returning to Phnom Penh is an answer to prayer. It was a long road ‘back home’ with many hours spent in the US traveling on deputation, resolving health issues and studying for exams. The Lord graciously provided the energy, resources, and physical healing I needed. In His perfect timing, I’m now back in Cambodia, able to serve as an ordained Bible Presbyterian pastor. Please continue to pray for my Khmer language studies, for permanent housing, and for opportunities to spread the gospel of Christ in Cambodia. — Mark Baldwin, April 2007

The Westminster Confession of Faith Recently Completed in Myanmar The publication of The Westminster Confession of Faith and The Shorter Catechism is done and the translation of the BPC Church Government and Church Discipline is almost finished. Our Summer Camp was held April 11-18 at Namhu village, one of the three villages (others are Aung Tha Pyi and Kellar) in Shan State where we preach. We shared with unbelievers who have never heard the Gospel, clearly, and also taught new believers to strengthen them and help them grow in grace. Several of our church members are also sharing gospel tracts. Our Yangon BPC made the decision to move the orphanage center to Yangon hoping that the children will enjoy better care and education as well as for improved security. Please pray with us for God’s direction and blessing as we start a Bible study in North Dagon, Yangon. Also pray for our future goals of training key leaders to be ordained as elders Orphanage Children as soon as possible, the translation of the BPC Church Government and Discipline into Burmese, and the establishment of a theological training school for equipping future BPC leaders and missionaries. — Rev Khawl Ro Kim

News from the Paauwes and a Request for Prayer

Evangel Bible Institute

Continue to uphold Ed and Lehia in prayer as they persevere in their many ministries in Australia: the Bible Institute, Ed’s pastoral responsibilities, their various speaking engagements at retreats and camps and their travels to encourage and help other missionaries such as their recent trip to Myanmar. Dr. Paauwe has suffered from back and sciatic pain for some time, and was undergoing physical therapy, but a recent MRI has confirmed that the problem cannot be corrected by therapy. Surgery has been scheduled for May 11, and he asks for the prayers of the Body of Christ on his behalf.