Stu Ross - June 2020 Update

Based in Kikuyu, Kenya, Stu and Annie Ross are responsible for partnering through the Mission Projects Committee of the Presbyterian Church of East Africa (PCEA) in a ministry of building schools, churches, and girls’ rescue centers as well as managing water projects. Stu and Annie help link U.S. congregations with East African partners to strengthen the church for God’s mission. We recently received the following update from Stu:

Everything in Kenya has been shut down since March 23. Kenya has a dusk to dawn curfew which is strictly enforced. There is no movement allowed between counties. This has affected our church construction work in Kenya since that would involve moving from one county to another. Consequently, construction has stopped on ten churches that were in the process of being built.

Justo Mwale University - June 2020 Update

We received the note below from Lukas Soko, Vice-Chancellor of Justo Mwale University on May 27. Through the generosity of a number of congregations and individuals, Outreach provides full scholarships to 12 Presbyterian pastoral students each year at a cost of $5,500 per student. This augments scholarships that other partners provide. The mission of Justo Mwale is “to provide quality, contextual, Christ-centered, holistic education that empowers persons to serve the church, academy, and society in Sub-Saharan Africa and beyond.” It is a leading seminary in the region.

Greetings to you in the precious name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

How wonderful and edifying it is in these trying moments to stay connected through our relationship and partnership. I am greatly indebted to you for all your efforts and would like to update you on what is going on at Justo Mwale University during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is also my prayer that The Outreach Foundation community at large is in good health and under God’s providence.

John McCall - May 2020 Update

Dear friends,

I’ve been giving a lot of thought to the concept of space recently. Living in Asia for over 20 years has transformed the way I look at space. Taiwan has the population of Australia living on an island the size of Maryland and Delaware combined. Most of Taiwan’s landmass is made up of sparsely populated high mountains, so the bulk of the population lives in tightly-packed cities along the west coast. When walking on a sidewalk in Taiwan, it is hard to practice social distancing. Even during this pandemic, with 1.5 meters distancing lines on the floor of the grocery store, there just isn’t room to find adequate space while waiting in line to pay. In spite of the close quarters, the government here has done an excellent job of containing the spread of the virus, and schools and businesses have remained open.

Asia, Missionaries, PartnershipThe Outreach FoundationMay 26, 2020John McCall, Taiwan

Bob and Kristi Rice - April 2020 Update

Greetings to you in the name of Christ our Savior!

We want to send you a quick update on our current situation. In light of the global pandemic, Presbyterian World Mission requested all mission co-workers to return to the U.S. We had prepared to 'shelter-in-place' in Juba, but realized that with the uncertain future and border closings it might be good to return. We made quick plans and left Juba to return to the U.S. We self-isolated for a couple of weeks as a precaution in case we picked up anything while traveling and are now staying in IL until we can return to Juba.

José Carlos Pezini - April 2020 Update

Portuguese-language Ministries Coordinator Rev. José Carlos Pezini sent the following update on Brazilian ministries’ COVID-19 response:

Greetings to you all with the sweet peace of our Lord Jesus Christ,

I think this is a good time to share with you what is happening in our ministry in the midst of the pandemic. I know that we are living in an unprecedented time in history. I don't remember experiencing anything like this in my lifetime. But we know that it is in times like this that we learn new things and new ways of living. This crisis has forced us to learn new ways to develop the ministry that the Lord has entrusted to us.

Todd Luke - April 2020 Update

Note from Outreach: Even during these unsettling times, Outreach partners continue sharing God’s love around the world. We received this update from Todd Luke in Mexico:

Dear friends, We had a great January and February. At the request of over a dozen families, we took our cistern building ministry to the village of Guillermo Prieto—an eighty-minute drive south of Xpujil.

We built fourteen cisterns with fourteen local families. But COVID-19 forced us to cancel a mission team scheduled to arrive on March 21.

Missionaries, Partnership, ProjectsThe Outreach FoundationApril 15, 2020Todd Luke, Mexico

Bob and Kristi Rice - Update

Greetings to you in the name of Christ our Savior! We want to send you a quick update on our current situation. In light of the current global Coronavirus pandemic, Presbyterian World Mission requested all mission co-workers to return to the U.S. We had prepared to 'shelter-in-place' in Juba, but realized that with the uncertain future and border closings it might be good to return. We made quick plans and left Juba on Sunday to return to the U.S. We are self-isolating for a couple of weeks as a precaution in case we picked up anything while traveling, and then will be staying in IL until we can return to Juba.

It was very hard to leave! We had returned to Juba in January and were so glad to be home, then being uprooted at a time when home is a source of comfort was painful and disconcerting. On Sunday just before leaving, we read Psalm 23 in the message version, and took comfort in the concluding verse, "I'm back home in the house of God for the rest of my life." Truly, our home is with God, wherever we are, and we are grateful for His promises and presence.

Africa, Missionaries, PartnershipThe Outreach FoundationApril 1, 2020Bob and Kristi Rice, South Sudan

Frank Dimmock - March 2020 Update

In October I had the privilege of delivering the World Communion Sunday message at my ‘home church’ North Avenue Presbyterian Church in Atlanta. It provided a great opportunity to share about Outreach’s ministry with refugees from South Sudan. I also joined Nancy Fox, Juan Sarmiento and Jeff Ritchie at the Connecting Mission Leaders Conference in Minneapolis. The conference was hosted by The Outreach Foundation and Frontier Fellowship and was an occasion for networking with mission leaders and sister organizations. I traveled to Kenya and Ethiopia during November. It was exciting to collect the initial printing of 200 trauma healing books printed in the Nuer language. I carried 50 with me to Gambella, Ethiopia, to distribute among those trained and actively involved in trauma healing

Africa, Missionaries, PartnershipThe Outreach FoundationMarch 31, 2020Frank Dimmock, South Sudan, Kenya, Ethiopia

John McCall - March 2020 Update

Dear friends,

As we all join in prayer for the world community, especially the most vulnerable countries and people groups, I wanted to share a few glimpses from this part of the world:

+Taiwan has always been a mask-wearing culture. If people have a cold or are concerned about catching a cold, they will wear masks. So, this pandemic has just increased the number of people wearing masks in public to around 95% of the population. When you are in a public space, and everyone is wearing a mask, you only see the eyes. We tend to study the mouth and its expressions, but with everyone's mouth covered, you learn to study eyes. And eyes communicate a lot. They express fear when someone close to you coughs. They communicate a smile when the smile lines show at the edges of the eyes. They communicate a greeting. We are learning to read eyes here. And it is wonderful how many eyes respond to a smile with another smile. In this age of fear, the eyes communicate that we are one family on this earth. The eyes make a connection one-to-the-other. I have been grateful for the many times each day I see eyes that smile at me.

Asia, Missionaries, PartnershipElizabeth CarterMarch 25, 2020John McCall, Taiwan, China

Jeff and Christi Boyd - March 2020 Update

Mamonjy, A Human Trafficking Prevention Campaign in Madagascar

Dear friends and family,

Once rescued, survivors of human trafficking are often reluctant to talk about their experiences. This is usually because they are afraid of being blamed by family and community for the exploitation and abuse they’ve suffered at the hands of bosses and employment agencies. Juliette (not her real name), however, is speaking out. She is concerned about other women who may fall victim to profiteers. When I met her several years ago, she agreed for me to record her personal story, trusting that I would share it with sensitivity.

Juliette decided to escape Madagascar’s financial crisis after a military coup in 2009. She approached a recruitment agency that offered her employment in Kuwait. Yet the hard work, lack of free time and imposed religious observances took a toll on her health and eventually landed her in a hospital. Juliette realized it would be better for her to return to her home, but she faced many obstacles: “The agency didn’t allow me to return to Madagascar. The agency wanted me to stay and work. Then the people at the agency beat me and forced me back to work.” Complicating Juliette’s situation was the fact that her passport had been confiscated upon her arrival at Kuwait’s airport, and Madagascar has no diplomatic representation in Kuwait to advocate on her behalf. Eventually, she escaped and ran to the French Embassy, where staff helped her find temporary shelter.

Juliette is one of 235 trafficked Malagasy women rescued from working against their will in Lebanon or Kuwait over the past decade with the help of the Rev. Helivao Poget.

Kay Day - February 2020 Update

Dear family and friends,

Blessed New Year to you all. There is something gracious and hopeful about a new year. This was demonstrated to me recently as I sat on my porch with the rain pouring off the roof. It had been raining off and on for days, a most unusual event here in Rwanda. The end of December should have been the end of the rains with only occasional showers as the dry season approaches. But that has not been the case this year. The heavy rains continued throughout December. The last Sunday of Advent the rain began about 3 a.m. and by 8 a.m., when we were gathering for worship, it was coming in torrents. People do not brave going out in the heavy rains. They are smart enough to wait them out, if possible. I did not wait. I was responsible for the service, so I forged through the downpour, soaked by the time I reached the chapel, just a block away. Seven of us gathered for worship as the rain pounded the windows and roof and seeped through to puddle on the floor. Only in the late afternoon did it let up.

On Christmas Day just as my dinner guests arrived, the rain began again. We had 38 diners from 13 different countries sharing the joy of Emmanuel’s coming. We were blessed to have no water damage but in Kigali, seven people were swept away in the flooding and many houses were damaged. The next day, I heard something that surprised me - the song of a lone bird. Many birds nest in the trees in my yard and sing me awake every morning unless it is raining. These birds do not sing until the rain stops. But this morning, in the downpour, a song rang out. There, in the midst of the storm, rang out a voice of hope. The rain did not stop for several hours, but the song and the hope continued in my mind. Since then, the rains have begun to taper off.

Missionaries, PartnershipThe Outreach FoundationFebruary 6, 2020Kay Day, Africa, Rwanda

Frank Dimmock - January 2020 Update

Dear friends,

Elizabeth and Hawida are two of my heroes, whose lives have deeply inspired mine this past year and whose stories it is my privilege to share. Elizabeth fled the ravages of the civil war in South Sudan with 30+ children in her care and managed to bring them to safety across the border in Kenya. She is currently raising 10 of the children and has shared the care of the others with a group of foster widows. Her Presbyterian congregation has stepped up to help the widows with moral support and encouragement and by sharing their food rations. Sewing machines and training to help sustain the widows’ foster-care program have been provided by generous donors through The Outreach Foundation.

And what a privilege it was to meet Hawida during a November visit, a 20-year old young woman who fled fighting in the Nuba Mountains and walked for many days before reaching safety in Kakuma camp in northern Kenya. She was raised in the Muslim faith and is not of the predominant Nuer tribe. She was lonely and hopeless and isolated. She longed for hope and a sense of belonging. Last June she was chosen to take part in an Outreach Foundation facilitated trauma healing training and found faith, hope and a sense of belonging in the Christian “tribe” that gathered around her. She is redeemed, and God has a future and a hope for her!

Africa, Missionaries, PartnershipThe Outreach FoundationJanuary 30, 2020Frank Dimmock, Kenya, South Sudan

Bob and Kristi Rice - Update

How can I repay the Lord for all his goodness to me? Psalm 116:12

At the end of November, we finished our visits to churches for this year. We reflected on all the ways God has encouraged and blessed us as we have traveled around, reconnecting with so many of you who partner with us. We are truly grateful to God and to all the people we encountered along the way. Here are a few pictures and highlights of things we are grateful for in this season:

1. Safe travel…about 10,000 road miles logged and a few flights. We prayed extra hard on the curves and hills of West Virginia in the driving rain!

2. All the people who expressed an interest in South Sudan and the work of the church there – who asked probing questions and wanted to learn more.

Africa, Missionaries, PartnershipThe Outreach FoundationJanuary 6, 2020Bob and Kristi Rice, Nile Theological College

Todd Luke - December 2019 Update

Dear friends,

Every year Victor, Felipe, and I drive from village to village to meet with our cistern owner partners. This year, these visits are in early December. Hundreds of men and women from a couple of dozen villages will tell us about the state of their rainwater catchment systems and pay back a portion of what they owe for the building materials. Not only cistern owners attend these gatherings. Families without cisterns often come to ask how to join this movement. We meet in churches, town halls, basketball courts, streets, and front yards. We do business at tables, benches, and the hood of my car. Flashlights required. The December visits add new strands to and reinforce the existing fibers of our partnership web.

N&Ctrl America Caribbean, MissionariesThe Outreach FoundationDecember 18, 2019Todd Luke, Mexico

Kay Day - December 2019 Update

Dear family and friends,

Greetings from Rwanda. Yes, I know this is late in coming. I had hoped to have the news I want to share with you sooner but I had details to coordinate. Finally, I can tell you that I will be returning to the States from April until June for visits with churches and individuals. Then, the Lord willing, I will be returning to Rwanda in July for another term of service. This visit has been arranged around Alumni Days at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary where I am to receive the Alumni Distinguished Service Award for Mission in April. This has meant working with PIASS to rearrange my teaching schedule to allow for three months away. Praise God, that has been accomplished.

Africa, MissionariesThe Outreach FoundationDecember 11, 2019Kay Day, Rwanda

Don and Martha Wehmeyer - November 2019 Update

Dear brothers and sisters,

Here is a picture of the Followers of Christ, the congregation in Sitpatch where Martha and I are serving. The people here have a wonderful commitment to serving in the community. Every Saturday they serve a hot meal to neighborhood children along with teaching Bible classes. We have excellent music on Sundays, the folks meet twice a week for teaching or activities and they are opening a new mission in a nearby town.

In mid-October, we went for ten days to Valdivia, Chile. Our intention was to spend time with Ricardo Silva and his wife Magaly. They are a lovely couple who are moving from the big city of Santiago to a quieter life near Valdivia. They bought a lot on a very tiny island called Mancera and want to build their house there. In the picture we are on a cliff of the island looking out into the Pacific Ocean. For us the temperature was cold, about 50 degrees. Ricardo is a welder by trade and Magaly has long been a caregiver for children who cannot leave their homes because of serious developmental problems. While in Valdivia we began friendships with the brothers and sisters of a new church startup, Christ the Rock Presbyterian. This house church surprised us. We went to their Wednesday night gathering, dinner, and teaching and found twenty people, four women and sixteen men.

N&Ctrl America Caribbean, MissionariesThe Outreach FoundationNovember 26, 2019Don and Martha Wehmeyer, Mexico

José Carlos Pezini - November 2019 Update

Dear brothers and sisters,

Greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is hard to believe that 2019 is almost over. It was an intense year in our ministry here in Brazil. The Lord guided us and opened many doors. Through SARA Ministries, Odete and I spent time caring for pastors and helping them in numerous ways. We saw the lives of many pastors from different denominations being transformed through mentoring and as a result of this transformation, we saw their churches grow in enthusiasm and membership.

The mentoring program includes monthly video conferences and participation in two annual retreats. Through these we work on three fundamental areas in the pastor’s lives:

The pastor and his life with God
The mentee sets aside at least one hour a day, five days a week to be with God, to hear from him, to know him, to develop intimacy with him, and to understand his purpose for their life and ministry. This is not a time for exegesis or sermon study, but a time to feed on God's word and nourish the soul.

Dustin and Sherri Ellington - October 2019 Update

Dear friends,

A theme I’ve often found significant for my relationship with God is strength in weakness; the two seem to go closely together in the Christian life. I’ve always been intrigued by the apostle Paul’s words, “When I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:10

A goal in 2019 has been to draw closer to God and to learn more about how Justo Mwale University and Zambia can be a place where that happens for me. One “action step” toward this goal was to attend a nine-day retreat called “Breathe” in July. The setting of the Breathe retreat was one of outdoor beauty, and the point was to give everyone space to get refreshed and take a deep breath of God’s presence through the times of worship, teaching, prayer, reflection, and conversation. Meanwhile, Sherri and I, and especially Sherri, were quite sick throughout the retreat. It felt ironic that we were attending a conference called Breathe, and she could hardly breathe, and we both felt miserable.

Something I didn’t realize ahead of time was that the focus of the retreat would be how our weaknesses and wounds can be the very things that open our lives to God’s presence and grace.

Partner Updates

Portuguese-language Ministries Coordinator Rev. José Carlos Pezini sent the following update on Brazilian ministries’ COVID-19 response: