Keeping the Main Thing the Main Thing                   By Tom Bremer, GTC Regional Rep for Europe

I have always had a love for history. Recently, I have done research in the history of my own family and discovered many things that shed light on why my grandparents did, said, and believed as they did. I discovered a large deposit of courage in them as they left the certainty of life on one continent for the dream of a better life on another continent. Then, I discovered the hard work it took to make their dreams a reality.  

One reason I enjoy history is that understanding the history of countries, organizations, and even individuals gives me a present-day context and provides me with explanations for current issues and challenges. Historical context helps answer questions of curiosity like: What events led to where we are today?  What were some of the defining moments for decisions?  I am convinced that asking the correct questions with a general understanding of historical context can help to keep us on course with the mission God has given us in Teen Challenge. It is a mission rooted in the history of the organization

Recently, while visiting one of our blossoming Teen Challenge centers here in Europe, I was able to spend some time with the young staff. To see if their sense of the mission of Teen Challenge was well-understood, I posed the question to them: "Is our goal in working with these students to get them off drugs?" And, putting some historical context to the discussion I asked: "When David Wilkerson started this ministry was his vision to build a world-wide organization?"  The response to these questions was, well ....silence.

I followed up with more questions: "Why do we work long hours raising funds, filing papers, working in the garden, house cleaning, making phone calls, counseling, teaching classes, and organizing meetings? Is it because it is our job? Is it to make Teen Challenge a bigger, more successful organization?" "What is the 'main thing' in Teen Challenge?" What followed was an exciting dialogue about what is really important in our work.

And now, I pose that same question to you. What is the main thing?

When this wonderful organization began, it was birthed out of a God-given desire to evangelize troubled young people, and to see them experience ongoing life transformation- discipleship. All of the long hours we serve, all of the papers we file and phone calls we make, all of the classes we teach, all of the work assignments we give, should be done with the "main thing" in mind: evangelism- telling them the good news- and discipleship in which we are really saying to the students, "Follow me as I follow Christ!" and, "Learn from my example." Evangelism and discipleship are two sides of the same coin; they are like the two wings on an airplane- both are necessary and equally important.

As the history of Teen Challenge reminds us, as I reminded that young staff in Europe a few weeks ago, and as I remind myself nearly every day, I encourage you to remind those around you-in Teen Challenge the main thing has not changed for over 50 years. Everything we do points to the main thing; the motivation for our work should have the energy of the main thing behind it.  Evangelism and discipleship are "the main thing." I encourage you to keep "the main thing" the main thing in your life and ministry!

Tom & Olive Kisaki

Earthquake and Tsunami in Japan

By Tom Kisaki, executive director of Teen Challenge Japan 

Thank you so much for your prayers, phone calls and e-mails.

Saturday: March 12: 

This is a general update on the aftermath of the earthquake which hit Japan yesterday, so please feel free to pass on the information.

First of all, Teen Challenge Centre in Okinawa was protected and all the staff and students are fine.  TC Headquarters in Tokyo as well as our church in Hachioji are also O.K.

I was walking down the subway in central Tokyo when the earthquake first hit, and I was among the 100,000 people who got stranded there for hours without transport or communication line. 

All the roads and railways to the northeast are closed so we cannot actually get there, but there must be something we can do to help.  And we as Teen Challenge and the Church would like to do just that. 

Please continue to pray for Japan, that the earthquakes and tsunami will stop, and that as many people as possible will be rescued and saved.

Tuesday, March 15: 

In Hachioji, all the food is gone from the supermarkets and petrol stations are closed.  Scheduled power cuts started yesterday, and the radiation level in the air today was 20-40 times the normal.  That is in Tokyo which was NOT hit by tsunami; we can't imagine how bad the situation is where the tsunami struck.

We had a meeting today to decide what exactly we are going to do to help those in desperate needs and agreed on the following.

1.    Bring food and kerosene to Iwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture.

Iwaki has a coastline of 80km which was hit by tsunami.  500 people died and 2,000 more are missing. 

Fukushima Prefecture - People in need

Over 10,000 people have lost homes.

However, the biggest problem is the radiation leak as it is only 40km away from the nuclear power station.  People within 20km of it are already evacuated and those within 50km are told to stay inside.

We have a friend in a church there where 15 people including children are staying at present.  He called tonight to ask for help as they are running out of food and kerosene among other things.  They can hold on only for another several days, but the shops and petrol stations are closed so they cannot go anywhere to get anything.

We sense that the Lord is guiding us to bring food and kerosene to Iwaki.  We will help those in the church first so that they can organize themselves to help those in the city.  Please pray that there will be no more explosions at the nuclear power station.

2.    Make a long-term commitment to help rebuild a church and a community in Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture.

Sendai is the largest city in the north-east and thus has the greatest number of casualties; 1,900 dead and 10,000 gone missing so far and the number is expected to increase.

We'd like to help a church which is desiring not only to rebuild its building but also their community.  We don't just want to help them re-start but actually want to see through till they complete.  That means we need to make a long-term commitment, but we believe that is important and that is what the Lord wants us to do.

We know a church in part of Sendai which was COMPLETELY wiped out by tsunami.  We knew the pastor's son because he used to attend our church when he was a student in Tokyo a few years ago.  I managed to get in touch with him tonight.  He and his family are saved but have lost absolutely everything.  They are now staying in a school with 800 other people.  I am asking him and his father how they are thinking about re-starting in Sendai.

So we are thinking and planning in terms of both the immediate relief and long-term reconstruction.  In both cases, cash will be most helpful as we do not have a large vehicle to carry loads of stuff.  I will open an internet bank account soon as it is much quicker and cheaper than bank-to-bank transfer.

Thank you again for all your prayers and help.

Love and prayers,

Tom & Olive Kisaki

Executive Director

Teen Challenge Japan

Tel & Fax: 81-42-668-3306

Mobile: 81-90-4835-0956

 http://teenchallengejapan.blogspot.com  

GTC Visit to Chile

There are an estimated 1.2 million addicts in Chile with a total population of about 17 Million.  Chile

Los Andes Center Students and Staff

has just been named as the second most drug consuming country in South America. Earlier this month, Norbert Schenhals traveled to Chile representing Duane Henders and Global Teen Challenge with the purpose of visiting  four existing drug rehab centers all desiring to establish a relationship with Global Teen Challenge.  Earthquakes and scheduling conflicts had previously caused a delay in responding to invitations from AG Missionaries and the Chilean AG Executive leadership to come and review and provide training for the four programs that operate independently, but under the umbrella of the Assemblies of God in Chile.   The delays allowed for developments in Chile to make this the right time for this visit. Norbert was able to meet with the top leadership of the AG while there. He had the opportunity to make three different presentations including one to a group of about 100 Pastors from the Santiago area. All were found hungry for what GTC can offer them in training, development and fellowship. 

Casa Alfarero Staff & Students

Norbert then visited four centers and had the opportunity to get to know the directors and leaders and  also to minister in  chapel services.  Three of the centers are in the Santiago area and another in the Los Andes area, about an hour outside of the city at the base of the Andes Mountains.  At an evening chapel service at the Los Andes Center, the Lord moved powerfully with three new students giving their hearts to the Lord, one being a 40 year old Psychologist who had just come into the program due to his severe alcohol problem.  The director Rudelindo has been ministering to addicts for 27 years and has a very developed program and just opened up another center and plans are in the works to open a Women's Program in Rancagua. 

Casa Alfarero in Santiago

Of the three centers in the Santiago area, one of the centers, Casa Alfarero, is the most developed program and has about 20 students.  There was a strong presence of the Lord and a sense that this is Teen Challenge! The director, Ivan Reyes, has a wonderful spirit and is a man of great vision with an openness and desire to learn from what Global Teen Challenge has to offer.

Based on this visit and evaluation process, both the Los Andes program and Casa Alfarero program  meet the basic standards of operation for Teen Challenge and will be recognized by GTC as Teen Challenge programs in Chile.  Training is the number one need in these centers in the area of curriculum, administration, program and sustainability.  

The week of June 13, 2011 has been scheduled for GTC to send a team to Santiago, Chile to provide a week of training led by Duane Henders, Gregg Fischer, Norbert Schenhals and Claudio Ghiringhelli of Argentina.  Pray for this training to help reach the estimated 1.2 Million Addicts in Chile!   

 
 

Gdansk, Poland is the location for this years Europe Teen Challenge Annual Conference.The theme for this year is "Life, Family, Ministry" and the speakers will be from the ETC family and will include Tom Bremer, Joao Martins, Zbigniew Urbaniak, Ewa Urbaniak, and Gianfranco Giuni.

Don't lose the oportunity to enjoy and be refreshed during these days (April 14 to 17)!

For registration click here.