November 2007 Print E-mail
pdf Click here to download the November 2007 MBMSI Newsletter 330.43 Kb 1. HELLO AND GOODBYE...
by Selwyn Uittenbosch

This past week, we said "farewell" to Tammy Genzale who has handled Compensation and Benefits at MBMSI for the past several years.
 Originally hired by James Nickel in DMI, we celebrate her five and a half years of service with MBMSI. We especially appreciate the exemplary flexibility, organization and overall helpfulness she contributed to our office all these years. Her heart for and dedication to the missionaries and staff really shone through all of her years of service.
Our faith was bolstered by her testimony of God's provision as she launches into this new journey. Tammy has always been keen on being part of something with enduring value and purpose,  so her new role with the hospice in Chilliwack, BC is a natural fit.
We have admired her courage in the face of new challenges and opportunities and celebrate with her as she accepts her new position.

I would like to introduce you to Dianne Schroeder. She has recently joined our team as the new Compensation and Benefits person.
Our prayers for a detail-oriented, accurate and experienced candidate to take over for Tammy have been answered in Dianne. She comes to us from MCC where she has administered the payroll and benefits package for their Employment Development department for over 10 years.
A long-time resident of Abbotsford, Dianne lives just down the corner from our office, with her husband, Rudy.  Dianne is excited about working with MBMSI!   She writes,  "To be part of an organization whose focus is claiming the nations for Jesus is not something a detail oriented, numbers person often has an opportunity to even dream about."
~ Selwyn Uittenbosch, Lead Team Finance

2. ASIAN RETREAT AND CONSULTATION
by Carissa Youssef

Last week, our Asian Retreat and Consultation [ASRAC] wrapped up in Phuket, Thailand where MBMSI had the privilege of supporting, resourcing, encouraging and building up our missionaries serving throughout Asia. Eight church planting teams were present at ASRAC and engaged in many sessions together as a larger group.
MBMSI provides these retreats in one of three global regions every year so that missionaries have the opportunity for spiritual renewal and practical resources from us, their sending team, at least once during their three year term.
This year, the ASRAC team focused on the book of Ephesians and found this to be an incredible time of encouragement and learning. Prayer counseling was provided as one off the many resources available during this retreat.  Many spoke of tremendous healing and greater unity among their team after these life giving sessions of prayer. 
We are so grateful for the humble, faithful servant leaders God has sent out through MBMSI. We praise the Lord for such incredible teams!

3. COMING SOON: CELEBRATION MISSION NIGHTS

Saturday, Nov. 3rd:  North Fresno MB, Fresno, CA. 6pm Sunday, Nov. 4th:  Reedley MB, Reedley, CA. 6pm Saturday, Nov. 10th:  Glencairn MB, Kitchener, ON. 7pm Sunday, Nov. 11th:  Gateway Christian Fellowship, St. Catharines, ON.  7pm
Join us as Randy Friesen, MBMSI General Director, shares compelling, first-hand accounts of how God is building His church in South-East Asia, despite severe persecution.     
"Glorify the LORD with me; let us exalt his name together." Psalm 34:3                      Want more info?
          www.mbmsi.org/cmn                                                           
Do you have a desire to pray for MBMSI missionaries? We have Daily Prayer Guides available online, email or post. Contact This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it to be added to the mailing list.

4. A NEW BROTHER AND SISTER!
by Laurence and Leona Hiebert

Dear Praying Friends,
 
Last night I had the privilege of praying with a man and helping him find Jesus! Please pray for assurance of salvation, God's healing work in his life, and for strength to follow Jesus in a society that often smothers faith. Here's the story.
About three weeks ago I took a call from a gentleman regarding our church's ESL program. As a result of our conversation, this man started to attend our ESL classes.
Last week, while waiting for class to start, he sat in his car reading. I felt led to walk over and talk to him. He was reading Power for Living, a book of Christian testimonies. (Photo above, Toyota MB Church)
I asked how he was doing and he openly shared that he was emotionally and spiritually weak. I told him I was too and that it was good he was coming to this place because God especially seeks to help those who recognize their weaknesses.
Tears started to flow down his face! I didn't realize I had touched on something so significant. With only a few minutes until class, I asked if he had time to meet with me to talk. So we arranged to meet the next day.
When we met, he gave me his entire life story. In the past several years, he has suffered from depression and received numerous sessions of counseling and treatment. To lift his spirits, he often listens to pop music and in hopes of understanding the lyrics he thought about studying English.
An acquaintance told him about the classes we have at our church. One night after a class he picked up the Power for Living book as well as a Bible so he could read the passages listed in the book.
He showed me the notes he had taken in his notebook and a list of requests for God. He was hesitant yet pleased to tell me that some of them had been answered. He wondered, "How can it be? Would Jesus consider my requests?" I assured him He would.
He also showed me the salvation prayer that he had copied from the book. I asked if he had prayed it yet. "No." He said, "I just copied it!" So I shared the way to giving his life to Jesus and receiving salvation. We studied Matthew 11:28-31.
Then he was ready to pray his prayer and to follow me in another prayer after that! When he raised his head he said he felt so much better. The look on his face seemed to say, "Could this really be true?"
He told me he had just found out that morning that a man from his office had died on Saturday. He was convinced he had committed suicide as he had missed work for a month recently because of depression and had only been back a short while. He expressed regret that he had not talked to the man more, as he himself had contemplated the same recently.
Please pray. He has suffered years of depression and is on medication. My past experience with people similar to this tells me to be very cautious, but I also believe God is able to intervene and give him the hope he needs to live and even to heal miraculously. I will meet him and continue to study with him. He seemed pleased to know that we are now brothers in Christ!              
Mrs. Ishiguro, 40 something, loves Korea and likes to eat at the Korean restaurant two of our church members operate. They witnessed to her and encouraged her to come to our church. Both they and I have prayed with her and we believe she has come to faith already!
She has come three times in the last month and has bought a Bible. Please pray that her roots will go deep and that the devil will not steal the seeds that have begun to grow in her heart.
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Do you have a desire to pray for MBMSI missionaries? We have Daily Prayer Guides available online, email or post. Contact This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it to be added to the mailing list.
 
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