Your Global Ministries Update: March 27, 2008

Disciples and UCC... together in God's global mission.

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

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

Calming the Storm: Register now for Churches for Middle East Peace Advocacy conference, April 20-22.

Hope is Global: Join Darfur activists around the world in a Day of Action on Darfur, Sunday, April 13. Visit Save Darfur to join an event in your area. Plan a Tent of Hope event with your congregation, school or community.

Request for Prayer for the Election in Zimbabwe
March 29, 2008 marks a momentous occasion in the political history of Zimbabwe as the people go to the polls to elect leaders for the country. Given the past history of Zimbabwe's elections, there is great concern that the elections are carried out in a manner that fosters free and fair democratic elections. As Christians this is an opportunity for us to pray with our brothers and sisters as they exercise their constitutional right to vote. To read the entire request, click here: Zimbabwe Elections

Death of Former Missionary to the Philippines, Lynn Keyes
Word has been received of the passing of Lynn Keyes, 86, on Monday, March 17, 2008. Lynn and his wife, Lillian, served as educators in the Philippines from 1951-1967. To read the entire obituary, click here: Lynn Keyes

Global Ministries Council of Theological Students Publish Latest Newsletter
The following students are a part of Global Ministries Council of Theological Students for the 2007-2008 school year: Geoffrey Brewster-Phillips Theological Seminary, Carla Dietz Carroll-Yale Divinity School, Cheryl Cloar-Christian Theological Seminary, Sage Crary-Hartford Seminary, Evan Dolive-Lexington Theological Seminary, Diane Faires-Vanderbilt Disciples Divinity House, Cara Gilger-Vanderbilt Disciples Divinity House, Donna Goodnow-Chicago Theological Seminary, Stephanie Haskins-Andover Newton Theological School, Robin LaBolt-Eden Theological Seminary, Mark Pettis-Lexington Theological Seminary, Aaron Wade-Howard University School of Divinity. To read their newsletter on "Mission Praxis", click here: Newsletter - March 2008

The National Interreligious Leadership Initiative Sends Letter to Secretary Rice
28 Christian, Jewish and Muslim leaders, including Sharon Watkins and John Thomas faxed a letter to Secretary Rice on March 20th. The letter begins: "We write to commend your active support for current diplomatic efforts led by Egypt to turn what was for several days an informal, temporary and fragile cessation of hostilities between Palestinian forces in Gaza and the Israeli Defense Force into a formal, permanent and comprehensive ceasefire covering Israel, Gaza and the West Bank." To read the rest of the letter, click here: NILI Letter

Project M.A.E.S.T.R.A. in Paraguay Shares Stories of its Workers
Project M.A.E.S.T.R.A. is a program of Friendship Mission. Friendship Mission was founded in 1953 by the United Christian Missionary Society (predecessor of the Division of Overseas Ministries) and by graduates of the International School in Paraguay. (The International School was the first Disciples mission in Paraguay and was founded in 1917.) The Spanish word "maestra" means "teacher" in English. Project M.A.E.S.T.R.A. uses the acronym for the Spanish description, which, when translated into English means "Friendship Mission Extension of Health Services Through Relationships and Aid." The goals outlined for the project are to provide medical services including medications to people in areas where there is no local access to said services; and to offer classes and workshops to teach about diabetes, hypertension, disease prevention, hygiene, etc. Services are provided by a team of four which includes a social worker/receptionist, a nurse, a medical doctor, and physician assistant. To read the stories, click here: Delia Lopez and Nelida Lopez

If 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

Find a Missionary Visit in your State: (new visit added this week!)
WA: February 1 to March 31, 2008, Doug and Liz Searles (English teachers with the Sichuan TV and Radio University in Chengdu, China) Contact: Mary Margaret Pruitt marympaul@foxinternet.com
IL: February 1 to March 31, 2008, Linda and Bruce Hanson (The Christian Development Commission (CCD) and The Theological Community of Honduras (CTEH) Contact: Lois Whitaker JandLWhit@consolidated.net
Penn NE: March 21-31 and April 6 to 30, 2008, Jeffrey Mensendiek (Council on Cooperative Mission, assigned to the Emmaus Center in Sendai, Japan) Contact: Alan Miller alanm@pnec.org
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: Thad Allen tallen@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