Please download the MONTHLY MISSION STORY for your church bulletin/newsletter:
May 2008: pdf or text only or espanol
June 2008: text only

To download the WEEKLY PRAYER for Sunday worship, click here: Myanmar

Are you coming to Missionworks/MMI in Cleveland October 2-5, 2008? Missionworks/MMI

Looking for a special project for VBS this summer? Click here: VBS

GM in Contact with Chinese Partners After Devastating Earthquake
Xiaoling Zhu, Global Ministries Area Executive for East Asia and the Pacific and Susan Sanders, UCC One Great Hour of Sharing Administrator, have been in contact with Global Ministries partners in China, at the Amity Foundation and Sichuan T.V. & Radio University to convey our prayers and offer support for relief and recovery efforts. An initial grant from the One Great Hour of Sharing International Emergency fund is being wired to the Amity Foundation to support Amity's efforts to distribute relief including shelter materials, rice, water, quilts, clothes, and medicines to survivors. Additional support will be shared as the needs for relief and recovery become clearer.  Likewise, Week of Compassion is readying a response to an anticipated appeal from CWS/ACT in support of Amity's efforts. To read the complete report, click here: China Earthquake

An Update on Cyclone Recovery in Myanmar
GM Partner, ACT International, has established a rapid support team in Yangon and Bangkok. The team is assisting with coordination and communication for ACT members and supported local organizations, which are meeting daily in the region. "This is a major disaster and we are working as quickly as possible to get resources and support to communities that need it the most," said ACT International Director, John Nduna. A preliminary response in the coming days will aim to assist at least 10,000 families through water, shelter and cash for work programs. To read the rest of the report, click here: Myanmar Update

GM Missionaries, Jim and Jayanthi Wilson, Share an Update on their Ministry in Botswana
Jim & Jayanthi Wilson are missionaries with the Kgolagano Theological College in Gaborone, Botswana.  Jim serves as a teacher of theology at Kgolagana Theological College.  Jayanthi serves as seconded staff to the Mabogo Dinku Advice Centre in Gaborone, Botswana.  She works in community development at the Mabogo Dinku Advice Centre. Jim and Jayanthi write: "We never fully know the paths that we will take; nor how we will be influenced by the countless people who come "in-and-out" of our lives; but we have reason to give thanks to God, whose knowledge is whole and complete…" To read the rest of their update, click here: Jim and Jayanthi Wilson

GM Partner in Nepal Participates Actively in the Construction of a New Nepal
Last year, the Rev. Cally Rogers-Witte, Co-Executive of Global Ministries, and the Rev. James Vijayakumar, Global Ministries Southern Asia Executive, spoke to a Napalis audience of 350 local church leaders gathered by the National Council of Churches of Nepal, a new GM partner. They said that God created the whole world, that all persons are God's children, and that the Christian faith calls Christians to work for peace and justice and democracy. One Maoist leader in a similar church gathering responded that 11 years ago he personally had ordered that a church be burned. At that time, he said, the Maoists were fighting capitalism, feudalism and imperialism – and he saw the church as a visible symbol of western imperialism. So he ordered it burned. But now, he said, I see that the church is interested in human rights, poverty, human dignity and freedom of speech. These are our fundamental values, too. To read an article written by Evan Golder, click here: Nepal

Judy Chan, GM Missionary in Hong Kong, Reflects on her Faith Journey
I always find it interesting that people I meet – whether in Hong Kong or the U.S. – assume I grew up in China. It's plausible given that I look like I belong with the 1 billion other Chinese living in Asia. Even with my distinct American-accented English and distinctly non-native Chinese, people give me the benefit of the doubt…. To read the rest of Judy's story, click here: Judy Chan

If someone forwarded this e-mail to you and you would like to receive directly to your inbox these weekly Global Ministries updates, please send your name, e-mail address, physical address, phone number, and home church to: bshebeck@dom.disciples.org

Connect with Global Ministries Staff at Regional Assemblies and Annual Meetings:
JAMRA in Kalamazoo, MI: May 16-17 – LaMarco Cable lcable@dom.disciples.org
Northwest Regional Assembly, Yakima, WA: May 16-18 – Bob Shebeck bshebeck@dom.disciples.org
Illinois Conference Annual meeting, Bloomington, IL: June 5-7 – Cally Rogers-Witte, Mary Kuenning Gross, Sandra Gourdet, Felix Ortiz and Susan Sanders sanderss@ucc.org
Virginia Regional Assembly, Lynchburg, VA June 6-8 – Bob Shebeck bshebeck@dom.disciples.org
Pennsylvania Regional Assembly, California, PA June 20-22 – Bob Shebeck bshebeck@dom.disciples.org

Find a Missionary Visit in your State: (new visit added this week!)
Penn SE: April 6 to May 31, 2008, Dale and Bethsaba Nafziger (National Churches Fellowship of Nepal) Contact: Geneva Butz butz@psec.org
IA: May 1 to June 30, 2008, Linda and Bruce Hanson (The Christian Development Commission (CCD) and The Theological Community of Honduras (CTEH) Contact: Selva Lehman selvarl@mchsi.com
Southern CA: May 1 to June 30, 2008, Jeffrey Mensendiek (Council on Cooperative Mission, assigned to the Emmaus Center in Sendai, Japan) Contact: Virginia Arroyo arroyo@scncucc.org
WV: May 1-31, 2008, Krista Johnson (Sabeel in Jerusalem) Contact: David Chafin dchafin@wvdisciples.org
WA: May 10 to June 30, 2008, Ana and Tod Gobledale (Churches of Christ Theological College in Melbourne, Australia) Contact: Marvin Eckfeldt marveck@comcast.net
TN: June 8-30 and July 13-20, 2008, Krista Johnson (Sabeel in Jerusalem) Contact: Glen Stewart glenjstewart@bellsouth.net
IN: July 6-10, July 14-22 and July 28 – August 10, 2008, Alex Morse (Caminantes in the Dominican Republic) Contact: Cheryl Cloar: cheryl@ccindiana.org
Penn Central: August 24 to October 10, 2008, Steve and Lisa Smith (EKU in Germany) Contact: mcoons-torn@pccucc.org
CT: September 1, 2008 to April 30, 2009, Tim Rose (Reformed Church of France) Contact: Cecile Gilson cecileg@ctucc.org
NC: May 1 to June 30, 2009, Tim Rose (Reformed Church of France) Contact: Janelle Bunn janellebunn@soc-ucc.org