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WORLD MISSIONS

Episcopal Diocese of West Texas  
August, 2015



 

A MONTH IN TURKEY   

  

 

by Duane A. Miller

 

Although we are presently based in the USA, there is no doubt that the reach of our ministry is international. As such, I spent a month in Turkey over the summer. What a wonderful country and a strategic place for ministry.

 

My first two weeks were in the city of Istanbul. There are four Anglican churches in the city: one is an expat church with service in English, one is led by a Turkish priest (and convert from Islam) and they worship in Turkish, and the other two are buildings with no congregations. I worked with the Turkish congregation. Most of these Christians are relatively new believers, so the pastor asked me to teach about the history of Christianity in Constantinople (the old name of Istanbul) and the Gospel in Islamic contexts today. I also preached the homily on the Feast of Pentecost.

 

 

WORSHIPING AT THE ORTHODOX CHURCH OF ST.

PETER AND PAUL, ANTIOCH (where believers were

first called "Christians" 

 

During this time in Istanbul I also visited some historical sites with an American student who is considering a future in ministry. He is a bright young man, a new Anglican who is almost done with his undergraduate degrees-a BA in Biblical Studies and another BA in Intercultural Studies. We delved deep into liturgical studies, Church history, contextual theologies, and so on. Finally, I enjoyed conversing with a number of young workers who are devoted to church planting there.

Shortly after giving the lectures, I was asked to record them for a local satellite station! I went in to record these lectures at the TV studio the day before I left.

 

The second half of this voyage was in southern Turkey, where many people speak Arabic (a language  I do speak, whereas I don't know much Turkish). With this in mind my student companion and I traveled to ancient Antioch, and then to the Mesopotamian city of Mardin. I showed my student how to do contact evangelism and modeled for him Christian apologetics-responding with kindness, but clarity to common Muslim misconceptions about the Trinity, the Incarnation, the Cross, and so on. So people who never would have heard the Gospel did hear, and people who had never even met a Christian did!

 

We were also intentional about visiting with, learning about, and encouraging the tiny community of indigenous Syriac Christians. Unlike the Turkish Christians who are a growing community of converts from Islam, the Syriac Christians are an ethnic minority of a once-great church that, like so many other Churches in the Middle East, are barely holding onto existence. I asked an ancient priest at one monastery what verse from Scripture touched his heart, and he said, "I have not left you as orphans." The local Christians were much encouraged by our concern for them and delighted to learn that more Muslims are coming to faith in Christ today then ever before in history. Many of them had not even considered that a possibility.

 

Special thanks to the churches and families that support our missionary work, especially Christ Church (San Antonio) and the Church of the Resurrection (San Antonio), and other churches that gave one-time gifts for this specific mission (St Mark's and Saint Luke's in San Antonio). 

 


SAVE THE DATE:  August 29, 2015 
ANNUAL WORLD MISSION SYMPOSIUM 

  

THEME:  ACCESSING GOD'S RESOURCES

KEYNOTE SPEAKER:  BARBARA SHANTZ,
Global Development Liaison,
Trans World Radio
WHERE:  Bishop Jones Center, San Antonio
COST:  $20.00

Register by phone (888/210-824-5387), online at dwtx.org, or mail,
DWTX, PO Box 6885, San Antonio 78209 


MY FIRST YEAR IN HAITI
 by Cookie Harris (St. Luke's, San Antonio)


Hey everyone.

I hope this finds you in the midst of an amazing summer.  I can't believe it has been almost a year since I moved to Haiti.  What an experience and journey this has been.  God has shown me so much throughout the past year, but most of all, he has taught me that there is nothing more beautiful than answering the call to go.

I am getting ready to return home in a couple of weeks and will be home for five weeks before coming back to Haiti for my second year.  While at home, I will be planning curriculum for the next school year and fundraising again.  I would have never guessed that I would be living in Haiti or that I would have to fundraise throughout this journey.  I have to be honest and say that this is my least favorite part of being a missionary, but Jesus has shown me so much through this act, and he has been so faithful by using all of you in his story.  THANK YOU.

Once again, THANK YOU all for being the best support group I could ever ask for.  You are the ones allowing me to GO and live out this beautiful life God has put before me.  What a gift each of you are to me.  If you would like to get a closer glimpse of what day-to-day life is like in Gressier, please feel free to watch a video I made in December.  I believe it truly captures the faces and places I get to see each and every day.

MOMMY KITS AT THE BIRTHING CENTER
Siguatepeque, Honduras

This year's Council in Action packed 525 Mommy Kits for the Siguatepeque Birthing Center, which has already distributed half of these kits to new mothers.  Here are some of the pictures.

        
What a difference this will make in all those little lives as they receive many necessities packed by loving hands.  

LOVING HONDURAS

Dear Mission Partners,

When Elvin's parents took him home from Hospital Escuela, he was dying. All of his family came to tell him a final goodbye. Later, after his life was saved through open-heart surgery from Helping Hands for Honduras, he had an enormous appetite.

When we got the In-School-Feeding-Program in San Lorenzo, he was eligible to participate as a special needs youth, even after he had graduated from sixth grade. He loves the food from the school kitchen. As a result, he has grown. This year he went with his parents to pick coffee and proved to be very adept. He also is helping to build his family's house, making and carrying the heavy adobe blocks.
He is waiting to grow to adult size to get the valve replacement he needs.

When we talked recently, he announced how glad he was to participate in the ISFP, "especially since July is the hungriest month." I knew July was the month when some subsistence farmer fathers abandon their homes because they can't bear to hear their children crying from hunger, but I didn't know why July.  Curious, since the harvest doesn't come until November, I asked him, "Why July?"
"Why not August?" His response was swift. "There are avocados in August. And in May, there were mangos. But now there are not even mangos," he said.

There's nothing like having a 15-year-old explain hunger to you to teach you humility.

from Jeannie Loving, long-term missionary to Honduras 



WE'RE STILL LOOKING FOR A FEW GOOD MISSIONERS

 
The Rev. Nancy Springer (St. John's, McAllen, [email protected]) announces three new mission trips.  Team members are needed for all three. Please contact designated persons (below) if you are called to serve on any or all of these:

  

  

August 9-15: Construction Mission

We build cinder block houses for widows and install ONIL stoves in homes in the indigenous Mayan region of Guatemala.  We need folks with and without construction experience.  For more information, contact Lorena Rojas ([email protected]).  The estimated cost for the trip is $1300 per person (a more definite cost and commitment deadlines will be available as the trip draws closer).  

 

September 12-19:  Surgical Mission

We need general surgeons, CRNAs, anesthesiologists, OR nurses and technicians, recovery room nurses, circulating nurses, and non-medical support people.  We will work at a hospital in Chichicastenango.  If you are interested, please contact Jim Chase ([email protected]).  The cost for the trip is approximately $1300 per person (a firm cost will be available in a few weeks).    

  

November 1-7: Medical Dental Mission

We provide dental and basic medical care for people in the indigenous Mayan regions of Guatemala, setting up temporary clinics in churches and schools.  We need dentists, dental assistants, doctors, nurses, and non-medical people.  If you are interested please contact Lorena Rojas [email protected] or Jim Chase [email protected].  The estimated cost for the trip is $1300 per person (a more definite cost and commitment deadlines will be available as the trip draws closer).


DID YOU KNOW...
      
There are THREE components to world mission:  GOING, GIVING, PRAYING.  
  
You know about GOING AND GIVING, but did you know that Virtual Mission is a group of PRAY-ERS who participate in team trips by attending team meetings, reading the team devotional books, staying connected with the team as they go, and PRAYING daily for the team?  If you'd like to be part of Virtual Mission, contact Libby Templeton for more information ([email protected]). 


PRAYER GUIDE & TEAM LIST



DATES  PLACETEAM   DESCRIPTION
TBAUgandaGinger GinesWork at Rafiki Orphanage
August 3-13 UgandaMarthe Curry, Team Leader
Kaitlin Reed, John Hill
Micro enterprise for men
August 9-14
 
Guatemala Jorge & Lorena Rojas, Team Leaders, Nancy Springer Construction (St. John's, McAllen) 
September 12-19
 
  
Guatemala Jorge & Lorena Rojas, Team Leaders, Nancy Springer Surgical (St. John's McAllen)  
November 1-7GuatemalaJorge & Lorena Rojas, Team Leaders, Nancy SpringerMedical/dental mission (St. John's, McAllen)
 
                MEMORIALS AND HONORS                            

Given by:
In Memory of:
Linda Seeligson
Billy Chumney
Martha Ann Franco
Billy Chumney
Kate Vetters
Billy Chumney
Betsy Simpson
Billy Chumney
Mary Parker
Billy Chumney
Marthe Curry
Billy Chumney




  






 


TO MAKE A DONATION TO WORLD MISSIONS:  
(You may give to specific designations or "Where Most Needed.")
 
 
Or make checks payable to DWTX and note "MISSIONS" on the 
memo line.  Mail to DWTX, PO Box 6885, San Antonio, TX  78209.

Or call Betty Chumney 888/210-824-5387.


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Episcopal Diocese of West Texas World Mission