Page 2 | Pray | Free Methodist World Missions

Missions Hotline – May 8, 2012

Click here for printable version of Hotline

EUROPE

Slovakia: Praise the Lord for the growth Josef and Lynette Sykora are witnessing in the Bratislava church. A record number of 16 people are preparing to be baptized this Pentecost. The Sykoras write, “Pray for the gospel to go forth through all of us, in our everyday lives, to those we meet at school, at the grocery store, on the playground and at the doctors’ offices. Our church of 500 people has quite a reach in this city. Pray for us to sense where God is at work and to join Him.”

LATIN AMERICA

Paraguay: Valentina Forcado de Torres, national coordinator for International Child Care Ministries in Paraguay, reports the Paraguay River in the city of Asunción has risen very high. The area near the John Wesley FM School is under water, and experts believe the river will come to within a block of this school. Many students and their families are living in the streets as a result of the flooding. Because it is autumn, these people are likely both wet and cold. Pray the Lord helps them in ways only He can during such a difficult, overwhelming time. Please pray for Valentina and Pastor Pablo as they reach out to students and their families whose homes are under water. Pray the flooding will not reach the FM church and school. Click here to see a photo of ICCM Director Linda Adams with some of these school children who are impacted by this crisis.

Chile: Because the Comunidad Cristiana Casa Grande church was willing to come alongside a grieving family who lives two doors down from the church by holding the father’s memorial service, many neighbors attended church services the next Sunday. Pray Comunidad Cristiana will have many opportunities to respond to community needs.

MISSIONS FAMILY

Family Health: Pray for James and Sharon Stillwell, parents of Laurie Yost, who have both had health issues recently. Sharon will undergo back surgery soon. The Yost family is currently involved in partnership building and is making plans to return in late summer to their ministries in Mexico.

Bereavement: Services for retired missionary Gwen Houser will be held at 1:00 p.m., Sat., May 19, at the Warm Beach FMC, Stanwood, WA. Gwen passed away Sat., April 28, in Stanwood. Gwen and her husband, Tillman, served 34-years in Zimbabwe focusing on education, evangelism and finance. They retired in 1981.

INTERNATIONAL CHILD CARE MINISTRIES

Kenya: Please join in prayer for the eight North American bicyclists and Kenyan FM Bishop Nixon Dingili as they begin a 600-mile bicycle ride across Kenya this week. Bike Kenya 2012 is a self-funded VISA team hoping to raise $40,000 for a new ICCM high school near Eldoret, Kenya. You can track their trek online at http://BikeKenya2012.blogspot.com or follow on Twitter — www.twitter.com/bikekenya2012. Bike Kenya 2012 is being led by ICCM Director of Advancement John Franklin Hay. Team members include: Jack Hughey of Alton, IL; Kevin Williams of Sorento, IL; Alex Drummond of Indianapolis, IN; Bob Burtch of Batavia, IL; Rebecca Lamp of Bucyrus, OH; and Mark & Megan Booth of Mogadore, OH. Free Methodist missionaries Vickie Reynen and Ken Myers are traveling with the team.

VISA MINISTRIES

Assignments:

David Fish and Tim Maybray, both from Titusville FMC, PA, travel to Malawi May 10. David will help with building and grounds maintenance and repairs. Tim will teach at Great Commission Bible School before he travels to Togo where he will work with a church planter. David returns May 28. Tim returns June 15.

Charles and Carolyn Seifert, members of the Wabash Conference who currently live in Pennsylvania, are teaching at Asia Pacific Nazarene Theological Seminary (Philippines) from May 2 to June 12.

Jake Elliott, Santa Barbara FMC, CA, will lead worship and teach music at the Pura Vida Church in Costa Rica from May 6 to June 18. This is Jake’s second ministry trip to Costa Rica.

Greg and Brenda Hendrick, Wenatchee FMC, WA, and Brenda Nagunst, Skyline Family Fellowship FMC, Eagle River, Alaska, will minister in Ukraine, May 2 to 15. They will work with developing churches, conduct village outreach and visit residents at drug rehabilitation houses. They will also visit and encourage the churches in the area.