Gratitude
Monday morning came. I awoke long before daylight. Thoughts of this past weekend were rich. Sleep fled.
Think about the joy of going to church. Every week is exciting. Every week is an experience of inspiring music, private and corporate prayer, worship in giving, study of God’s Word, and stirring sermons to challenge the mind and heart.
Think about going to Covenant Church on a weekend with missionaries representing at least five different organizations. “Better than Christmas!” is how some of our Covenant people described it.
Think about meeting missionaries who individually speak between 3 and 12 languages. Think about listening to, talking with and touching a missionary from Benin, Swaziland, and Republic of Congo, Africa; Jamaica, Siberia, Bulgaria, Philippines, Sudan and Mongolia.
There were stories to capture the imagination. In Benin there are villages built on water, thus a church has been built on sticks in the water. Brother Claude Sosa of Benin shared that more than 1,440 shrines of worship to Voodoo gods have been counted, i.e., places where sacrifices of animals and humans takes place. Yet, God is proving Himself more powerful than Voodoo gods.
Brother Mikhail Kindruk from Russia shared how God had sent him to a city of 400,000 people after communism fell, and he did not find one church. Within eleven years he had 11 churches, with one averaging 2,000 people. God opened doors to rescue street orphans. Now God is opening doors for him to encourage pastors who are tired and worn-out.
Brother Deo Mwamba told of the Congo that has been ravaged by war. A former Muslim Iman and teacher in an Islamic university, he now uses the same skills to evangelize Muslims to Christ. Now the Lord is opening doors for him to reach Pygmies with the gospel.
Three of our deacons, Luka Maluk, Suzy Peter and Deborah Ware shared from their heart about the ministry in Juba, Sudan. A dedicated pastor is working with the support of Covenant Church to plant a church and build a building that will minister to the people there.
Ernie and Ellie Deomampo shared how God has used them to launch a Bible study in Ernie’s ancestral home. Today the growth with support of Covenant Church is about 10 churches, a school, sewing factory, and multiple outreaches to jails, hospitals, and other communities.
Wayne and Phyllys Wozniak, missionaries to Peru, shared from their heart about what God is doing. They work with the jungle tribes as well as lead a bible college in Lima. They excel in training pastors and ministers in the precepts of the gospel and in practical aspects of ministry. Of 99 graduates, 97 are in ministry or furthering their education for ministry.
Fabian Bronstroph from Jamaica told of battling demonic forces. As he has sought to promote Jesus he has been stoned, threatened, and otherwise persecuted. Yet, off to the streets he goes as God’s “little stick of Holy Spirit dynamite” to preach and teach, pick up orphans, and minister to the persons who live in adverse poverty.
Brother Mandla Moltsa of Swaziland spoke with such gentleness and kindness. His country is experiencing a rapid increase of Hindus and Muslims. A nation of very poor people, Swaziland desperately needs trained ministers. He will soon finish a graduate degree in theology and return home to his people to teach pastors and Christian leaders.
Brother Bayarjargal Gombosuren Of Mongolia is from a very cold country of about two million people. Illiteracy is about 97%. Christianity did not come to Mongolia until about 16 years ago. Poverty is a way of life with little room for hope.
Brother Assen Christov is a Gypsy, former communist persecutor, and leader among Gypsy pastors. With forty million Gypsies in the world there is no translation of the Bible in their language. He wants to return to his people in Bulgaria, get the Bible translated into the Gypsy language, and see revival and hope come to his people.
The blessings brought to us by these missionaries are beyond words. One of the missionaries said: “Touch a missionary, and you touch a million people!”
Covenant and friends intend to touch the lives of many missionaries with prayers and giving.
Thank you for your faithfulness,
Pastor Bare
Romans 10:10-14