Missions Conference
2005 Workshops
 |
| A
colorful photographic display of 250 or more students
and their teachers. We got a glimpse into how the
school is run and what the needs are for GES teachers. |
Teaching the "4
Rs" in Ghana: Reading, Writing, 'Rithmetic, and Redemption
A passerby might see a booth plastered with pictures of
students and say, "Someone was camera happy."
But if he would stop and read the poster, "It's All
About People", he would realize that those hundreds
of faces represent eternal souls that are getting a Christian
education.
The "4 Rs" booth
gave supporters a glimpse into two educational programs
of Charity African Missions. One is the G.E.S. program where
pairs of young people are placed as phonics teachers in
needy government-run village schools. The booth included
excerpts from the G.E.S. teachers' letters, a display of
the curriculum they are using, and information on how to
apply as a teacher.
Victory Christian School was
also highlighted. This is a private school with nearly 300
students run by our mission. Many displays highlighted the
students' academic and spiritual progress over the past
five and a half years. The workshop included slides showing
everyday scenes at the school, and some personal stories
of student successes and failures. Educating children-really,
it's all about people and their souls.
 |
This
booth inspired us to pray for the men’s Bible school
and the training leaders. They used a village scene
and some willing helpers to help us visualize it. |
Karaga—And
Beyond
Daryl Nolt provided an update
of the church work in Karaga and the surrounding villages,
inspiring us to pray. Children in each group were invited
to take part in greeting a Dagomba chief as he sat in front
of his mud hut. Adults were amazed by the simplicity and
repetition of the Bible teaching needed to effectively reach
the illiterate village people. They experienced a bit of
the thrill of seeing village people sing gospel songs and
study God's Word together for the first time!
Missionary
Mothers—
At Home and Abroad
This was a two-part workshop
especially for the women! First, they were invited to a
typical missionary kitchen portraying the daily opportunities
and challenges of a missionary wife and mother. Rebekah
Nolt talked about some of the
different twists of missionary
homemaking. Women and children were able to experience a
few minutes of "normal" life in a missionary mother's
day, including simple provisions, callers at the door, and
the unexpected "lights out" of Ghana's electricity!
When this power shortage occurred, visitors were invited
next door to an American home.
There Jackie Kenaston and
Helen Leibee presented ideas for awakening the hearts of
our children to God's commission for evangelizing the world.
MANY practical pointers were given: bring a world vision
into your homeschooling, write missionaries and send little
gifts, minister to those from other cultures, and use the
realities of life to teach valuable lessons--to name but
a few. It all starts with presenting our children with a
living, vibrant faith in a real Savior!
Languages:
Learning All Over Again
A
captivating teaching showing some of the difficulties our
missionaries face as they move into a new area and try to
learn a new language from the people. It aptly portrayed
the attitude the language learner must have to cross cultures
and bring Christ to others.
Weston and Charity Leibee,
missionaries to the Konkomba tribe in northern Ghana, shared
with us from their experiences the last year and a half
that they spent in language learning. They showed us the
method they used, and demonstrated what one of their language
learning sessions was like. We saw how their commitment
to learning the language gave them countless opportunities
to also learn the culture of the Konkombas, which will aid
them in more effectively communicating the gospel to their
people.
Serving
As Senders
The heartbeat of this booth
was to equip and encourage us on the home front in our role
as senders, so that we can be a blessing to those who are
sent. We could pick up various printed materials that served
to involve us in the lives of our missionaries and to stir
us to pray. A map of "The Northern Outstations"
was available that enables us to see the locations and progress
of the work there. On the "children's table" there
were profiles of some of the different missionaries’ children
on the field.
We want to get the children
involved in ways that they also can bless our missionaries.
Other informational handouts included: bookmarks for a reminder
to pray, a 30-day prayer guide, and profiles of each of
the individual families (who they are and what they do).
Oh, may we be no less of a soldier here than they are over
the ocean! Call for your prayer poster and bookmark.
 |
Have
you thought about the mission field that lies at your
doorstep? This workshop gave insight into that field
and a glimpse into what others are doing about it. |
God's Heart for
the City
What do you think of when
you think of the "city"? Do you think of buildings,
traffic, crime, and an undesirable place to live? Or do
you think of people-souls that will never die, many hurting
from broken relationships and lacking direction or purpose
in life? The focus of this booth and workshop was to convey
a vision of God's heart for those who live in the city,
especially as it relates to our street and children's ministries
in Lancaster city.
 |
| Peep
into a Haitian home and look at slides of the work
there. God is at work in Haiti, too. |
Gospel to Haiti
An update was shared on the
mission in Haiti and the vision for meeting spiritual needs
by working from the mission base in the mountains and by
discipling other small churches. They shared about opportunities
to support local and remote schools through the child sponsorship
program. Additionally, there is an ongoing ministry to meeting
physical needs at the clinic. (This mission has now been
taken over by Gospel to Haiti, W10572 State Hwy 33, Hillsboro,
WI 54634.)
A Day in the Life
of a Villager
This booth presented some cultural
insights into village life and showed us how very real the
spirit world is to the people, creating many taboos and
superstitions that bind them. They portrayed what it would
be like when a missionary comes to a village to preach for
the first time-from greeting the chief and getting his permission
to introducing God to a people who have absolutely no Biblical
foundation.
This
unique set-up of huts and sitting area was done so realistically
that you felt like you got an actual peep into real village
life. The young folks that did the workshop presented us
with a great picture of daily life: women carrying water
on their heads, cooking, men eating a real breakfast, visiting
in the kinaboom, and a white missionay greeting
the chief. The onlookers were quite fascinated.
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