MBMS International. Transforming Lives In Mission

The current global economic crisis is exposing some significant weaknesses in our profit driven and debt burdened financial system. The resulting restructuring and consolidation of companies and regulatory bodies will change the economic landscape of our world.

This Vision for Mission is being written from meetings in Peru with our Latin American workers and partners. This consultation has brought together both North American workers serving in Latin America as well as Latin American church leaders committed to mission. What's encouraging is that Latin American workers are increasingly going to Muslim regions such as North Africa and Central Asia to join mission work there.

I was recently at a mission leaders event at which Ralph D. Winter was honored for a lifetime of achievement in global mission practice, reflection and leadership. The William Carey Center for Global Mission Training in Pasadena, CA, which he founded, continues to resource and train workers from across the globe in cross cultural mission.

The world's attention this past month has focused on China as many of the world's best athletes competed. Interestingly, the western Church's attention has also focused on China as we witness the amazing growth and impact of the Chinese Church.

Summer provides an opportunity for some vacation reading. Here's a brief window on some of the mission related reading I've been doing lately that you also might be interested in.

"Safely Home" (Randy Alcorn). With the upcoming Olympic Games focusing the spotlight on China, you might be interested in a fascinating story of both the growth and challenges of the Chinese house church movement. This novel is based on many true stories and is a reminder that faith grows stronger in the fire.

I visited last month with "PK", our evangelist to the Khmu. He shared in more detail his experiences in jail a year ago in Southeast Asia. His arrest stemmed from a church meeting that he had attended. In prison, his roommate was a notorious killer who routinely confiscated anything of value from new prisoners. When he found out that PK was a Christian leader, his cell mate gave him his bed mat and blanket rather than have PK sleep on concrete. As PK worshipped and prayed, the Lord called him to fast for the first 6 days.

The recent earthquake in the Chengdu region of western China has filled our TV screen once again with images of devastation and suffering. Thousands of people have lost everything they own and those they love the most. We have had a team in the area responding through the distribution of clothing, plastic tarps, water buckets, and essential survival items.

I've been reading the life story of Annie (Dyck) Buhler this week. She served with MBMS International in Colombia and Panama for almost 40 years. Her gifts were in education and discipleship. Annie's adventure in mission led her to the jungle on the border of Colombia and Panama where she supported our church planting efforts in that challenging region. Her good friend Herta Voth (who also served with MBMSI for many years in that region) remembers her as a gifted servant who lived generously and with humility. Annie finished the race well. Although Herta is officially retired, she continues to run a good race.

CBC television (a Canadian network) recently ran a story in follow up to the tsunami rebuilding work in Southern Thailand. They profiled a number of Christian groups working in the area including the Mennonite Brethren. The story suggested that the beauty and cultural history of Thai Buddhism are now being eroded by Christianity - a foreign belief system. More than that, the story implied that conversions are being bought or manipulated by unscrupulous missionaries in exchange for rebuilding work. One of our workers, Rob Griffioen, made a clear statement that our compassionate aid in the name of Christ is never done to manipulate conversions. He went on to state that biblical conversion is an experience of someone's free will response to Christ's offer of forgiveness and freedom.