Hope Among Turmoil: Mission in Madagascar

Hope Among Turmoil: Mission in Madagascar

by | Aug 7, 2017 | Africa, Madagascar

By Kevin & Rev. Donna Steckline – Christ Episcopal Church, Gilbertsville NY, Episcopal Diocese of Albany.

When we arrived in Madagascar and got off the plane, we immediately saw poverty, garbage strewn streets, blank faces and stares at each street corner.  We realized the reality of the starving world right in front of us, the same as if we were in Sudan, Haiti or any other third world country.

The same feelings well up inside me bringing me close to tears as in times past, asking the Lord, “How can I help these people?  What can I offer in order to help this mass of poverty and illness that is before me?”

Ladies stripping the leaves from a tree to cook and put over rice – commonly used for blood pressure issues.

We soon arrived in Toliara, the 5th largest city in the country but has limited industry, and the poverty is starkly apparent, even more than it was in the Capital.  Bp. Todd and Patsy started with 3 churches in 2006. They have established 80 churches in 10 years in a diocese that is the size of Florida. It takes 6 days to travel through the diocese.  Unfortunately, the ratio is only one priest for 10 churches and transportation is mostly by foot or bicycle.  The Diocese of Toliara has 1.5 million people who are “Food Insecure.”  This means they do not know where their next meal is coming from, which became very apparent when examining the children and the elderly in the medical clinics.

We traveled to five different locations for the clinics, serving the many people who came for care.  Many of the patients, both young and old had diseases that have progressed well past the available treatments.  Many needed diagnostics that just are not available in the local area and people cannot travel to the capital nor could they afford to, so they suffer.  We saw mothers with malnourished children with no social support systems to obtain food or formula for their babies, so they are fed a rice gruel that has minimal nutritional value.

Praying for patients before they see the doctor.

We witnessed children who were 1-2 years old, not yet walking with flaccid extremities and could hardly keep their head up to nurse due to malnutrition.

Despite this turmoil, there is a community of hope, set in the midst of deep darkness and despair, severe poverty and starvation.  It is a community which has been planted by Bp. Todd and Rev. Patsy McGregor as they planted this new diocese of Toliara. Today there is a cathedral and gathering place in the diocese. Malagasy have come to worship, learn skills to start their own business, and participate in training for evangelism. They are filled with the hope of Jesus Christ and they grow in their faith and come together as a community.

The Malagasy people, as a population are in the same situation across the diocese.  Their faith gives them hope for the future.  Perhaps God’s ultimate plan for us is a ministry of presence.  We walk alongside our brothers and sisters assuring them that their toil is remembered by us, we have not forgotten them; they remain on our hearts. “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for and the conviction of things not seen,” (Hebrews11:1) so we remain hopeful.

Click here for original story and more about Madagascar.

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Are You a Sender?

Are You a Sender?

by | Jun 22, 2017 | SAMS-USA

SAMS is made up of short-term and long-term missionaries. A huge part of SAMS are those who send them! What is a sender and are you one?

Familiar words given to us by the physician Luke:

“All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.” (Acts 2:44,45)

These words give a sentimental idealism to our idea of the early church. Yet, in this era of local to global, these words are more prophetic than nostalgic. Today, Senders, those who respond to God’s call to mission through prayers and donations, sell property and give sacrificially just like those early believers.

Throughout history of the church, those who journeyed out cross-culturally always had need of spiritual, moral, and physical support. Today’s cross-cultural workers are the same. Are you one of those who gives so that others might go? Maybe you never realized that you are a member of the Acts 2:44,45 club!

This week at Assembly 2017, join SAMS in prayer about how you are called to mission. Perhaps your calling is to send! Make sure to meet us at the Exhibit Hall in the Beamer Center.

 

Mission at Home: Mentoring Millennials

Mission at Home: Mentoring Millennials

by | Jun 21, 2017 | SAMS Missionaries

SAMS will be seeing you at the Anglican Church of North America’s Assembly 2017: Mission on your Doorstep. Who is our neighbor and how are we to serve them? How is God calling us to mission right where we are? Learn about staff member, Nita, and her calling to local mission. 

Remember those who led you, who spoke the word of God to you; and considering the result of their conduct, imitate their faith. Hebrews 13:7 (NASB)

Staff member Nita Dempsey is the SAMS Office Manager. What you may not know about her, though, is that she has a call and a passion for youth. What started as a casual conversation to offer some extra help to the youth ministry turned into almost a daily commitment for Nita as a mentor for high school students. Now five years later, she leads formal Bible studies, takes students on retreats for relationship building, and travels to West Virginia every year on a mission trip with them.

“We go to the same town and help the community with restoration,” says Nita. Restoring homes isn’t the only thing this youth group is doing; they are building lasting relationships in the name of Christ. “As a youth group, we built relationships on our first mission with three sisters in the community that have grown through all these years. Although they knew Christ when we met them, these women shared their difficult background and struggles. The one sister is working towards being a paralegal and another sister is involved in ministry work. Our youth over the years see God at work in the community and in our team as they reach out and participate with God and each other. Last year after our mission, we had seven youth give their lives to Christ. It was beautiful and humbling to see how God had touched these lives.”

Inter-generational ministry can be good for not only youth but also those who engage with them. Christianity Today explains that people over 40 years old experienced meaningful service, worship, and connections when their church focused on inter-generational ministry. How do we engage with youth in our church? Nita says, “Youth respond to how invested you are in them. There is a lot happening at that age, and they are confronted by many things that challenge their faith. They want to feel like they belong to a community, someone to listen to them, and someone to challenge them to step up and take the lead in their spiritual growth and in their community. You might even be surprised how much you learn about yourself and your faith along the way.”

 

SAMS Family Member Serves in Her Own Community

SAMS Family Member Serves in Her Own Community

by | Jun 11, 2017 | SAMS-USA

This year’s Assembly is all about mission on our doorstep. SAMS will be in attendance, and there will be plenty of opportunities to connect with members of the SAMS community to inquire about serving through mission. A member of the SAMS community shares how she got involved in mission right where she lives. 

Crossing the doors of my church this year people came from Central Asia, Latin America, Europe, Asia, North Africa, and the Middle East. My church is not in some exotic location but in the heart of Rust Belt America. It has been my privilege to be involved in teaching English as a Foreign Language at my church.

I have been able to sit in on Bible studies where several of these students have come to inquire about Jesus and the Christian faith. God provides many of us who live in North America with wonderful opportunities to establish friendship and share His love with people from around the globe. Local can be global.

If you are interested in a ministry like this, inquire with your local literacy groups if there are refugees who need conversation practice, contact the international student department of your local college or university and find out if you can host students for Thanksgiving or other special events. Or you can volunteer with a refugee resettlement agency. As individuals and as churches, many avenues are open to welcoming the world to our own doorsteps.

Are you attending Provincial Assembly 2017: Mission on our Doorstep? 

Mission on your Doorstep: SAMS Missionary Serves in her Hometown

by | Jun 4, 2017 | SAMS-USA

Assembly 2017 will draw Anglicans together from North America and across the globe. SAMS will be attending and looks forward to meeting you and your interest in missions on your own doorstep.

Recently, SAMS Missionary, Mary McDonald, put her mission experience and enthusiasm into an outreach ministry near her home in Blacksburg, Virginia. Mary regularly mentors veterinarian students at Virginia Tech and asked a couple of her mentees to help her start an Alpha course for some of the international students at Virginia Tech.

Students from Muslim, Atheistic, and other non-Christian backgrounds came together with Mary and her helpers each week for 10 weeks to explore basic tenets of the Christian faith, eat a meal together and form a community. Mary opened up her house and farm to host the group for a special weekend of friendship and learning about the Holy Spirit.

Perhaps you are wondering how you could befriend someone from another culture from right where you live. Ask a SAMS Missionary for help. Many of your SAMS Missionaries know that the people they work with on a daily basis have friends or relatives living in the U.S. who would welcome a U.S. friend. Your missionary can also give you cultural advice and help you as you make connections.

Let your church know that your SAMS missionaries would love to come talk to your congregation about their ministry and ways you can get involved in your community. There will be plenty of opportunities to talk to SAMS Missionaries at the 2017 Provincial Assembly. Come by the Beamer Center Exhibit Hall to chat with Mary and other missionaries. We would love to pray for your calling in missions at your own doorstep.