Stepping Out In Faith

Changing lives… theirs and ours.

 Mission Emphasis Sunday 07

Sunday, November 4, 2007

Africa – Mexico – Ukraine

Come celebrate with us the life changing experiences people often find on mission trips.

Mission Emphasis Sunday is the day we take up a special contribution to support our mission works for the upcoming year. Please…

Caution, if you step out in faith the life

you change may be your own!

From the Mission Committee

Faith is giving up vacation time to spend in an unknown land serving people you don’t know and do not understand. Faith is spending money you can’t really afford to spend on something that we are not sure there will be a return. Faith is leaving your family or maybe taking your family into situations you’re not sure they will be safe. Faith is putting you in a vulnerable position to strange food, awkward situations, travel inconveniences and subjecting yourself to local authorities. You will experience heartache, joy, peace, and understanding. However, you won’t miss work or have to deal with those “work issues” or that demanding boss. You will find joy in the face of a child and you will understand what Jesus saw when he looked over the crowd with compassion. Mission work is an experience you will not soon forget nor want to.

At night when you can’t sleep, you look into the sky and you realize how great our God is and that is why we are there. Listed below are the ones that took that step of faith and put Christ above all else. We also wish to acknowledge those members that have provided financial support and prayers for our mission teams.

AFRICA

West Nigeria Bible College-Student Scholarships --$2000

 The West Nigeria Bible College was founded in 1999. The college is located in the bush North of Lagos, Nigeria. The college offers a three year course of study to men and women who want to study the Bible. Men are taught to preach, teach and to be church leaders. Women are taught to teach women and children. Both men and women are taught personal evangelism. Funds provide tuition, room, board and living expenses for students in need. Travel funds are also made available so that the students can actively pursue their personal evangelism opportunities in other locations.

A typical school year will have about 80 men and 10 women attending classes. The picture shown on this page is the newest building on campus. It is a multipurpose building providing an auditorium, offices, library, computer lab and classrooms. Also, plans have begun for an elementary school to begin very soon.

Biodun Owolabi – Director of WNBC --$6000

 Biodun Owolabi is in his second year as the Director of West Nigeria Bible College. Biodun has a Masters Degree from the Harding Graduate School of Religion in Memphis, Tennessee. He is highly recommended to our Missions Committee by Jay and Ileta Beckloff of our congregation. Jay and Ileta also work with the college and have seen Biodun in action as a college administrator, classroom teacher, and a minister of the gospel in Nigeria. Before joining the school staff in 1999, he was a banker in the capital city of Lagos.

The college is directed by a Governing Board of Trustees located in Nigeria and the African Christian Schools Foundation located in Nashville, Tennessee. Biodun reports to these organizations in his position with the college. He spoke to our congregation on Mission Emphasis Sunday in 2005.

iodun’s wife and mother of his three children died of cancer in March 2006.

Kabiye Team Missionary Kids School--$6000

For the past 7 years, Bentonville has been helping to support the Kara Christian Academy, the missionary kids school of the team working among the Kabiye people of Togo, West Africa. Over the past seven years, the team has established 17 congregations among the Kabiye. Current students at the school include the children of former Bentonville member David Reeves. The school is an essential part of the work of the team as it provides a viable option for the education of their children. This year there are three students in pre-school, three in second-grade, and three in fourth-grade. Funds from Bentonville help cover the costs of rent and upkeep for the school, curriculum, and travel expenses for missionary teachers who come from the States. Recent Harding graduate Emily Dunnagan is currently teaching in the school along with Tracey Ries and Becky Reeves of the team.

A message from the team:

“We are so thankful for the blessing that Bentonville gives us by helping to support Kara Christian Academy. Without this school, our lives and work would be much more difficult as there are no viable options for education in English in our area. This missionary school frees us to dedicate our time and resources towards the evangelism of the Kabiye people.”

MEXICO

Family Medical Mission Trip—$20,000

 In July 2007, 55 members of this congregation ventured into new mission waters. We undertook a Family Medical Mission to the Colonia 89 area of Baja Mexico. This was a huge success and memorable to all whom went. The goal for the trip was to take as many families as we could and be of service to the Colonia 89 community.

The days were filled with VBS, daily medical and dental clinics, hair cutting ministry, door to door ministry, nightly ladies and men’s bible classes, nightly gospel meetings, and topped off with a final Sunday service and meal that was prepared for the entire church. The results for the week’s efforts were outstanding with hundreds being seen in the medical clinics and medicine provided to the sick at no charge. It was stated that no one was turned away and every need was met.

The Colonia 89 congregation’s attendance more than doubled with over 65 visitors in attendance on our last Sunday. The door knocking efforts and classes resulted in numerous bible studies being set up with Brother Reyes. The work continues to grow in this area and plans are underway for a return trip in 2008.

Baja Men’s Trip—$10,000

 The men of Bentonville Church of Christ annually take a mission trip to Baja, Mexico, specifically to the Colonia 89 area. We assist our brethren in the church and the community. This crew of men does construction work in the area that directly affects our fellow brothers and sister in Christ. On the last trip, time was spent helping the preacher, Brother Reyes, and his family with their home. A functional kitchen was installed, work was done on their front porch and their plumbing was repaired. This included installing a water tank in the ground. The church has been meeting here for quite some time and the work we have done has helped tremendously. It is hard work, but very rewarding.

The area of Colonia 89 is a poor community; the people there are awesome and seem to love having us come and work with them. Our function is not only to build and construct, but to interact with the Mexican people and encourage our hard working preacher, Brother Reyes. The contact person for this ministry is Jim Johnson.

Ashley Churchman—$10,000

 Ashley has recognized for a long time that God has placed in her heart a desire to work with Latin Americans.  As she began to develop a
relationship with Reyes and Chanita Medina this past summer, God began opening her eyes to the need for extra support in Colonia 89.  Ashley
will be helping Chanita teach and encourage the women and children of the congregation.  She will also be helping the Medinas in their endeavor to train some of the new Christians to conduct Bible studies.
Ashley is overjoyed to have this opportunity to pursue her passions of
reaching out to the lost and encouraging the body of believers in
Ensenada , Mexico .

City of Children—$6000

Our first venture into the Baja Mexico area with mission work began with a trip to the City of Children Orphanage in 1998. Beginning with 10 people that first year, we have numbered now in the hundreds who have gone and experienced this great work. Our work of supporting the City of Children and 2 of the children there has been a blessing to many. Liliana Hernandez and Alonso Linder are the two youngsters that have become dear to us. These children are doing very well and remain some of the top students in their respective schools.

Reyes and Chanita Medina—$26,400

This year has been a banner year for the small, but mighty Colonia 89 church in Ensenda, Baja that is led by Reyes and Chanita Medina. They hosted their first two medical mission campaigns this summer. They will soon begin meeting in their new church building built by the generosity of the Pleasant Ridge Church of Christ in Arlington, Texas. They have baptized many, and more importantly, they are starting to develop some of those new converts into leaders. It is a slow process and sometimes frustrating for them, but they persevere.

Roberto and Bety Zepeda—$8900

 We celebrated the 7 th graduation of the Latin American Bible Institute (ILEB) on June 23 rd. ILEB is a branch of Sunset Bible International out of Lubbock, Texas. A total of 16 brethren graduated from three different congregations where we have branch schools. At the beginning of May, I had the opportunity to travel to David, Panama, to start a new branch school of the ILEB. We spent most of our time with those interested in studying at the Bible Institute. There are now more than 30 students that have begun their preparation at David. The first class is called Biblical Overview which is divided into 6 different courses that last about 7 weeks each. These classes were written by our dear brother, Dan Coker.

Liberto and Elodia Ovalle—$7600

 Toluca , Mexico is still blessed to have Liberato and Elodia Ovalle working with the church and School of Biblical Studies. Their tireless devotion to God is evident in their daily lives. Recently Rogelio Rubi Vazuez came to his office saying he wanted to talk to him. They talked a long time about being a teenager and baptism. This young man had wanted to be baptized for some time and wanted to be baptized in one of the lakes at the Volcano in Toluca. They invited his family and the youth group to travel up the volcano to witness the baptism. There were 32 people present to see Rogelio “put on Christ” in the almost frozen waters of the “Nevado de Toluca.”

Jorge and Latisha Serrano—$6600

 Throughout history there has been a remnant of believers who have risen time and time again to persevere and follow Christ. In Oaxaca, we are seeing the remnant begin to rise and take a new action in His church. We are seeing brothers and sisters give more of their lives to Christ and are putting a new focus on serving Him. Classes are being offered on “How to Evangelize”, and the fruit of our labor is paying off. Our brethren have been studying and talking with friends and family and the women are persevering in prayer and study. Our goal is to evangelize and make ourselves known to the community. We are looking at renovating, renewing, and revitalizing the grounds the Lord has given us.

UKRAINE

Ukraine — Dnepropetrovsk, Ukraine--$45,000

The first anniversary of the Kirov church without an American is approaching and despite some transitional issues, the church is beginning to stabilize. The church continues to work with the Dawn Orphanage and the Baby House. Julia was the first baptism from Dawn this year and Lyuba Galinkina was baptized August 19 th. The reputation of the church is spreading throughout the city and around the region and has received praise from city officials for their caring spirit. Plans are in the works to conduct weekly Bible classes at one of the teenage rehabilitation centers.

As a result of the summer campaign, the interpreters from the church will conduct English classes and Bible lessons for the teens that attended the basketball camp. One of the goals for next year is to find and hire a native Ukrainian to become the youth and family minister.

Member Mission Trips--$25,000

2007 has been an extraordinary year as over 100 members have gone on a mission trip. Men, women, teens, and entire families have taken a step on the mission field. These trips are invaluable for our mission points, our members, and the entire church. MES funds assist members in the financial cost involved for travel.

Todd Thompson
June Thompson
Isaac Thompson
Isaiah Thompson