The Sunday after Easter, I had the opportunity to speak
in our Dutch church's Missions Sunday. There could be no more fitting time to
talk about sharing the good news that Jesus is alive. The women who came, sad
and disheartened, to the tomb were the first ones to pass on this message. They
didn't have far to go--just a quick walk or a hurried run to where the
unbelieving apostles sat, shocked and scared, behind locked doors.
When was the last time you took similar steps to bring
hope and new life? More recently, probably, than you realize, and often without
even leaving your own home. Every intercessory prayer brings the Good News
closer to those who need to hear it. This includes each of you who pray for us
and our work regularly, especially for the media prayer team who prayed daily
during Keith's recent recording project.
Just last week Keith finished the audio recording of the
New Testament in Eastern Slovak Romani. They did the audio recording before
printing this new translation because they knew they would find corrections in
the text as they recorded. And they did. The audio recording should be available
via Faith Comes by Hearing (look under "Romani") within the next few months. For
people like most Roma who would rather listen than read, it is especially fine
to have the New Testament in both written and on CD/MP3/audio
format.
Why was Keith able to trek over to Slovakia to do this
recording? Because a number of you gave to the Offering for Global Missions. Our team member Shane
McNary has written more extensively on what the Offering makes possible (see below).
When Keith drove back to Slovakia two weeks before
Easter, Ellen and I went with him. From there, we two
women drove about 4 hours south to visit our friend and ministry partner Alina
Ivan in Romania. Alina has a keen interest in Romany education. But she was
very discouraged and about burnt out. She needed prayer, but she also needed
personal encouragement. A number of you have often given us a much-needed doses
of encouragement by e-mail, regular post, or actual visit.
Two weeks after that, Alina came here for a time of rest
and reflection. She not only received prayer and encouragement, but some
brothers and sisters in Christ also gave her practical help and advise from
their area of expertise. Several of you have helped us in similar ways--ranging
from drawing illustrations to consulting on small business development to
sending our daughters care packages to serving on CBF's member care team.
Practical help does not always involve travelling a long way and bringing a
toolbox along.
Though some of you have also been called to share the
Good News by taking a trip considerably longer than the one those women took on
the first Easter Sunday. People have done childcare at team meetings or gone
with us to Moldova. People have even joined the Romany Team briefly (one
semester to one year) or longer term (3+++ years). In fact, we are currently
praying for someone to coordinate economic development projects (long term). An
8-person team from our local Dutch church (+ Alina) is also currently planning
to go to Moldova for two weeks to do ministry with a Romany church there.
Going that far to bring news of hope and new life is
made possible by a lot of other people who don't stray that far from
home--people like yourselves who pray, who encourage, who share of your time and
talents and material gifts in countless ways.
He is risen!
Mary van Rheenen
