Its Campmeeting Time Again!

Its that time again. Summer rolls by fast, even with hot weather and all. Chandler Camp-Meeting begins Sunday Night July 31th with our annual Prayer service. World Gospel Missions Missionary to Africa, April Hershberger will be sharing with on on Monday night at 7:00PM. John and Linda Blair will be with us 7:00PM nightly Tuesday 2nd through Saturday the 6th, then at the concluding Service on Sunday the 7th at 6:00PM. Please be in prayer as our workers travel and for the Camp-Meeting. As always, Camp will be held inside the Air-Conditioned Sanctuary of Chander Nazarene Church if weather at meeting time is 80 degrees or above.

Remembering "Old School" Technology

Don't Forget the Old-School Technology

By Jennifer Armitage |Wesleyan Life Online/ Released: Jul. 14, 2011 | In: Blog Feature

With the popularity of iPods and other mp3 players, many churches have utilized podcasts to reach out across the world with great success. But are we making sure that we are not so excited to embrace the new that we throw out the old too soon?

Not everyone has an mp3 player or streams audio online, but cars still have built-in CD players. Sermons on CD still have uses for those who are not mp3 savvy. Or just haven’t charged their iPod. It’s a cheap and easy way to put a message in the hands of your congregation.

Here are some people it will specifically benefit:

1. New People
A CD with two or three different sermons makes a great addition to a new attender packet or even to offer to new attendees. If your church has a special day with testimonies and baptisms and a first-time attender that day, they don’t really get a good idea of what the message or tone of the church is really like. You can give them the option to get a real feel for your church beyond that day’s service.

2. Absentees
When regular attenders miss a week or three, it can be easy for them to feel out of the loop and eventually drift away. By having the last sermon or the current sermon series available for free on CD, they can catch up and still feel connected.

3. Seniors
Many seniors, including the shut-in seniors who can’t come during bad weather or at all, have CD players at home. It’s most likely a technology they have mastered, and won’t take a long orientation. They can still get fed by the church they love, even if their circumstances prevent it.

4. Anyone Who Has a Car with a Working CD Player
When the iPod is uncharged or left behind, even the tech masters still have a CD player in the car. Why not give them an option to pop in a CD of [Your church name]’s greatest hits? Or let people get a copy of the sermon that particularly inspired them that they can listen to in the car when they need to hear it.

As church communicators we are tasked with reaching everyone in our church no matter age, demographic, or where they are in their relationship with God. We need to make sure we keep the same outlook on our use of technology too—even if that means going back to the cassette tape (remember the plastic square with two holes that you had to turn over to listen to more than four songs?).

Jennifer Armitage is the director of communications and community outreach at Crossroads Christian Fellowship (Wesleyan) in Sacramento, Calif. Used with permission from Church Marketing Sucks.

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Comments expressed do not necessarily represent those of The Wesleyan Church Corporation.

Wesleyan Life Online is a family friendly Website dedicated to promoting strong Christian values. Please refrain from using any inappropriate language or content in your comments, including defamation, libel or personal attack. Thank you!

Simos Family Ministry Update-July 2011

On the Field! Hola everyone from San Pedro de Macoris, República Dominicana! (Here is a picture of San Pedro from our apartment.) On June 14th, we safely arrived after a somewhat adventurous day of traveling. Despite leaving 6 packed bags with Josh's family at the airport (which involved repacking the 10 bags we did bring while in line @ check-in), unpacking & packing through security, losing a gift on the plane, & being delayed in Miami, we were thrilled to set foot on the Dominican ground and call it home. It is true that we might have been a little frustrated, but we knew where these attacks were coming from. After 2 years of anticipation, the trials we went through on this day were not able to take our focus off our God who had brought us to this day! Actually, our God who gifts us each & every day! Since we have arrived, we have been busy setting up our apartment. Everything from getting hot water to beds to a stove to window screens, etc. We praise God for His provision of these items and for teaching us patience as we adjust to the Dominican culture, both emotionally & physically. Just this past week, Josh and I began Spanish classes and let me just say Dios te bendiga! It is and will be our number one priority, so please join us in prayer as we learn. We are so blessed to have our teachers (a husband & wife team)! While school has just started for us, the kids are currently enjoying their last week of summer break before we start the 10 week VBS. Speaking of the kids, they have already made alot of new friends in our apartment complex, not to mention reconnecting with the Hilgeman kids. While Josh and I are starting at what feels like ground zero with our Spanish, the kids have just jumped right in. There is not much of a language barrier with their friends. Thank you all for praying for our family and especially for our kids. God has certainly blessed by allowing our kids to transition well! Again, thank you and thank God! Thank you for your prayers! Josh, Toni, Kinsey, Elle & Gabe Home phone 317.402.6407 (free calling from the U.S.) joshsimos@itisforfreedom.com

Freedom Update Equipping people to engage culture according to their design. On Monday, July 11th, we will begin a 10 week VBS in 2 bateys here in the Dominican. Bateys are villages consisting of Haitian families of sugarcane workers. We are excited to start teaching from Creation to Christ as a foundation will be laid for discipleship. The Hilgeman's, Cline's, and Simos kids will be involved in all 10 weeks. In addition, our team will be joined by missions groups for four of the ten weeks! We will also be joined by the Mitchener's, the other members of our team who are currently in deputation. Josh & I will be in language training every day, but we hope to assist on our days off. Please join us in prayer as we begin this phase of ministry. Pray for many people to attend, safety, clear communication, accessible roads (if the roads are flooded, then we will not be able to get a vehicle back to the bateys), and for God to be glorified in each & every aspect of this ministry! Freedom Ground Team 2011 Financial Support Give online or Mail Support to: Freedom International Ministries 2905 E 46th Street Indianapolis, IN 46205 note “Simos Family” on check

Special Day of Prayer & Fasting

We read of times in the Old Testament when days of Prayer and Fasting were called by the leadership of communities and nations. Jesus tells us in the New Testament that some things will only come to pass by fasting alone. God has a perfect will for our life. However, the Bible, History, Reason and Experience (The Wesleyan Quadrilateral) demonstrate that God will move through the Blessed Holy Spirit when His people humble themselves through Fasting and Prayer. We have seen many miracles of late within Boonville Wesleyan.

We are calling on those Christians who believe this to Fast and Pray for Jim (Teresa Knirs) Walker and Jim's sister Theresa (Walker) Bratcher. Jim has been battling liver cancer since December 2010. Theresa had major brain surgery in February and was given a 10% chance of recovering at that time. God touched her then, and she is having part of her scull replaced Wednesday. Jim is also having major (no such thing as minor) Wednesday July 6th also to remove an abcess on his liver. Please join with us and consider this prayerfully...Blessings keith 1 Cor 13

BWC Gospel Sing at Warrick 4-H Fair Saturday

Boonville Wesleyan Church will be singing again Saturday July 16th at the Warrick County 4-H fair in Boonville from 7:00pm-8:00pm under the open pavilion by the lake. Free bottled water for those who stop and see us.

Turning Bad into Good!

Taking Advantage of Hidden Opportunities in Controversy

By Jennifer Armitage -Wesleyan Life Magazine Online| Released: Jun. 24, 2011 |

Did you know that Christians are not perfect? Okay, so maybe you didn’t fall over in shock, but it’s something Christians regularly have to have conversations about. There is regularly some controversy in the news about Christians, typically having to do with a pastor’s scandal, political lobbying, or the end of the world.

We are called to witness to non-Christians in our daily lives, but there aren't clear guidelines on how to handle those conversations.

With a group of people so broad and diverse in beliefs, theology, interpretations of the Bible, meaning of religion, and even what Jesus’s teachings mean, it’s understandable that there will be Christians with whom you will not agree.

So the question becomes, how do we deal with the public controversy?

We first need to look at it as an opportunity. When conversations about Christian controversy arise at the water cooler, family reunion, or at the bus stop, it’s an opening for you to tell the truth. One of the big problems is that there are a lot of false beliefs about Christians. Through these conversations, we can start to write these wrongs.

The key to utilizing these opportunities is to bring it back to your church and your beliefs. Instead of focusing on the negative, you can guide the conversation to the truth.

When Harold Camping set a date for when he thought the world would end, it caused quite a stir. Everyone was talking about the world ending. They were, in a round-about way, talking about the Bible. What an amazing opportunity this could be to inform them what the Bible does say!

If the conversation is about Christians hating a sinner, it’s an opportunity to explain what sin really is, that God hates the sin and not the sinner, that Christianity is so much about forgiveness, and that even Christians may sin. A big, secular misconception is that Christians don’t consider themselves sinners or struggle with issues of sin.

If the conversation is about another church’s negative actions, then bring it back to what your church does. Try something like, “I really like my church because they don’t do protests. It’s cool because every Saturday my church goes out and feeds the homeless.”

By moving the conversation to positive examples from your own church, you could change minds and hearts. At the very least, you are showing that not all Christians are alike, nor do they always agree with each other’s actions.

I do want to point out that Jesus calls us to be kind and loving . . . and that means to other Christians who are doing things with which we disagree. Bashing and attacking others is not what we are called to do. No matter how frustrated we get.

None of this means that you can’t have a sense of humor about ridiculous things other Christians are doing, or that you have to talk about your church all the time. I especially don’t want people to feel that they need to be “preachy.”

My point is, we don’t have to be scared when Christian controversy comes up. We can turn tough conversations into opportunities to do our job—to introduce people to Christ.

Simos Family Ministry Update-June 2011

Praise God for all He has done! Here's a short update just to let everyone know that we arrived safely in the DR and we're working on settling in. Last Tuesday night we arrived in the DR! We were greeted by the Hilgeman family and then spent the rest of the week setting up our apartment. Things move slowly here so please continue to pray for patience. We do have internet and so email or facebook is the best way to reach us right now. We also have a home phone that actually has a US number (so it is a free call) 317.789.8986, feel free to try it. Just remember, we're in and out alot right now. We were told that some people had trouble accessing the messages from our commissioning service, so here it is again. Click here to listen to Commissioning Sermons Thank you all for your prayers! We couln't do this without you! Josh, Toni, Kinsey, Elle & Gabe 317 789 8986 joshsimos@itisforfreedom.com

Prayer Requests Transition - that we adjust well to a new culture & home. We attended church for the first time in San Pedro, all in Spanish! We couldn't understand much of what was said but definitely felt welcomed by our Dominican brothers and sisters in Christ. Patience - that we continue to wait upon the Lord as we settle into our new home and as we learn Spanish. Mail Support to: Freedom International Ministries 2905 E 46th Street Indianapolis, IN 46205 note “Simos Family” on check

Bits & Bytes for Bagley Backers-June 2011

	Bits & Bytes for Bagley Backers June 2011
THEY DID WHAT THEY COULD On the edge of the small village of Kunsho in northern Sierra Leone stands a silent testimony to the dedication of the first Wesleyan missionaries to serve in Africa. It is a cemetery with ten graves of missionaries and their children who lives were given in the early effort to reach Sierra Leone with the gospel. During the war years in Sierra Leone the grave site became overgrown and neglected. However, recently the Sierra Leonean church gave direction to its restoration as a continuing memorial to the price paid so the church could be planted in Sierra Leonean soil. On May 22, 2011 members of the Wesleyan Church of Sierra Leone gathered at Kunsho to remember the sacrifice of the early missionary pioneer and to rededicate the cemetery. In his comments at the dedication service, National Superintendent Rev. Usman Fornah stated: Indeed, these people are true friends for us Sierra Leoneans. They have done their part in the ministry - the rest we have to do. Friends, let us continue to demonstrate greater sacrifice and commitment than this so that people will come to know the Lord and be saved from eternal death. These pioneer missionaries certainly "did their best" (Mark 14:8) and gave their best without realizing the return on the investment of their lives. Today the Wesleyan Church of Sierra Leone is a powerful church with some 190 churches, more than 115 schools, 4 clinics, a Bible College, a 96 bed hospital and more than 30,000 members. The sacrifices they made were the seeds that have grown into a flourishing church making an impact on the lives of thousands. VISIT TO SIERRA LEONE Bob spent the last two weeks of May in Sierra Leone visiting our work there and participating in a number of events. For most of the trip he was accompanied by Dr. H. C. Wilson, General Director of Global Partners. High points during his visit included the following: One day was spent in an inter-faith consultation with key Muslim and Christian leaders hosted by the Tony Blair Faith Foundation. Their aim is to address public health issues (in this case malaria) through religious leaders in their communities. (Rev. Usman Fornah, National Superintendent of the Wesleyan Church, is a key leader in the Inter Religious Council, which co-sponsored the consultation with the TBFF.) Director of Health Ministries, Brimah Samura, gave a tour of the facilities of Kamakwie Wesleyan Hospital during which Bob was also able to spend time with our missionaries there, Drs. Tom & Karen Asher and nurse Bethany Morse. Located in a remote area of the country, KWH is making a very positive impact on the area in the name of Christ. Visits were made to both Gbendembu Wesleyan Bible School and The Evangelical College of Theology. The facilities at both institutions are showing the ravages of the war but are working hard at restoring the institutions. Rev. Maurice Bangura, Principal of GWBS, and Rev. Abu Conteh, Principal of TECT, are highly competent and dedicated leaders giving solid leadership to these institutions. A number of visits were made to secondary and primary schools operated by the church. Adequacy of facilities varied considerably from place to place but the schools are providing a much need ministry in their communities. Many churches were also visited. A significant amount of construction was underway to accommodate the growing church. Dr. Wilson and Bob were privileged to attend the Sunday worship service at Rogbane Wesleyan Church in Makeni. On Saturday May 21st they participated in the rededication of the national church headquarters in Makeni. During the war the property was damaged significantly and the headquarters was moved to Freetown to escape rebel activity. However, Makeni is geographically more central to our work in Sierra Leone church so the church undertook a restoration project to reestablish the headquarters in Makeni. The President of Sierra Leone, Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma, a Wesleyan church member, was scheduled to bring the dedicatory address, but due to national responsibilities was unable to be present and was represented instead by Hon. Alimamy P. Koroma, Minister of Works, Housing and Infrastructure. The dedication of the historic missionary cemetery at Kunsho took place on Sunday afternoon, May 22nd. The Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporation included a lengthy report on the cemetery and headquarters dedications in both their radio and TV news broadcasts. The TV report included a sizeable section of Bob's remarks at the headquarters dedication. We enjoyed a brief visit with President Koroma's mother at her home in Makeni. Mrs. Koroma is known throughout the church as a true saint and prayer warrior. We participated in a day long seminar for District Superintendents and pastors from the Freetown District focusing on the subject of "Maintaining Ministerial Integrity." Bob's assigned topic was "Maintaining Ministerial Integrity in the Home." Dr. Wilson and Bob were honored at a farewell dinner in Freetown and were presented with Sierra Leonean garb that proclaimed them as being honorary paramount chiefs. (They are pictured here with Rev. Usman Fornah, National Superintendent.) A slideshow made of photos Bob took during his visit can be seen by clicking on the following link: Sierra Leone slideshow SIERRA LEONE IMPRESSIONS Being Bob's first visit to Sierra Leone, he developed a number of lasting impressions of the country and our church there. The country is working hard to reverse the ravages caused by the civil war that ended just nine years go. Flags were flying all over the country and it was evident that things had been spruced up for the recent celebration of their 50th anniversary of independence from colonial rule. Public works projects were underway both in the capital of Freetown as well as up country in what appears to still be an overwhelming task of rebuilding infrastructure. Private enterprise and investment was also evident, particularly in the mining sector. A spirit of optimism seemed clear despite the fact that many still live in poverty and need. Muslims make up over 60% of the population, but Islam & Christianity seem to coexist without the tensions experienced in many other African countries. There is good reason to be righteously proud of the Wesleyan Church of Sierra Leone. The church is blessed with a strong corps of capable, dynamic, and hard-working national and district leaders. The health ministries and educational ministries of the church are making an important contribution to the welfare of the nation. Aggressive evangelistic and church planting efforts are underway under the direction of the National Director of Evangelism, Rev. Warren Fornah. Extensive church construction and restoration projects are ongoing across the country. The impact of World Hope International and World Hope Canada was seen frequently be in in the form of community wells, school buildings, or the new free enterprise zone. Wesleyans, raised in the church and educated in our institutions, are having a powerful influence for good throughout society, from the President's office throughout all levels of government, educational and health sectors, and business sectors. The Wesleyan Church of Sierra Leone is a vivid example of what it means for the church to be salt and light within society (Matt. 5:13-16). AFRICA AREA PRAYER CALENDAR A prayer calendar with requests for every day for July - September, 2011 is now available by clicking the following link: Africa Area Prayer Calendar Feel free to share it with others who are interested in praying for God's work in Africa. PRAISE POINTS Praise God for a very positive visit to Sierra Leone and for the evidence of God's blessing on the church there. Praise God that Szmaras have secured residence permits for Mozambique. Efforts to secure our permits have gone smoothly and promises are that they will be issued within a couple of weeks. Thank God for reports that the Liberian church has recently planted the first Wesleyan church in Ganta, Nimba Province. Rejoice with Jim & Karen Pickett that their support has been raised and they have received clearance to return to the field. They expect to travel back to Mozambique in July. PRAYER REQUESTS Pray for stability and peace in African countries suffering unrest following contested elections - Uganda, Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Sudan. Please pray for Rev. Bill Niemack, District Superintendent of Transkei District, South Africa and Dr. Abraham Katwebe, National Superintendent of the Congo, both of whom are facing serious health issues. Pray for God's help as the Wesleyan Church of Liberia tries to retrieve or repurchase church land in Virginia, Todee, and Sinoe that have been under dispute. Please pray that our residence permits are issued as promised. Please pray that God will give us wisdom and discernment as we work daily with national leaders and missionaries about critical issues affecting the work of the church and Global Partners across Africa. SUPPORT REPORT Thank you so much to all of you who continue faithfully to stand behind us financially. Your faithfulness and generosity is amazing! Donations or monthly commitments can be made online here.

Our Wesleyan Heritage

By Edward Coleson

When John Wesley began his ministry in 1738, morality and religion had collapsed in England. In May of that year, Wesley had his Aldersgate experience and went out to minister to the multitudes in the open fields. A century later, the social and moral climate of England had changed dramatically. Queen Victoria was on the throne and "Victorian" became a synonym for piety and morality. Conditions can change for the better.

It has happened. The Fight Begins Of the many moral and social reforms resulting from the spiritual awakening of the eighteenth century, perhaps the abolition of slavery was the most conspicuous. In 1772 England freed her slaves. This was partly the work of Granville Sharp, who pressed the "King's Bench" (England's Supreme Court) to make the decision that liberated slaves in England--but not in British colonies. His Lordship Judge Mansfield noted that the court did so because slavery is contrary to God's law. Great Strides in England A couple of years later, Wesley wrote his famous essay on slavery, in which he said: "Notwithstanding ten thousand laws, right is right and wrong is wrong still."

Soon thereafter, a gifted young Member of Parliament, William Wilberforce, took up the abolitionist cause. Just a few days before he died in 1791, Wesley wrote his last letter to this Christian statesman, urging him to continue the fight. It was an almost impossible assignment, but in 1807, Wilberforce did get the government to forbid British ships to engage in the lucrative slave trade. Wilberforce died in 1833, one month before Parliament passed the law liberating all slaves in the British Empire. In his book Saints and Society, Dr. Earle E. Cairns wrote that English evangelicals accomplished more for good than any reform movement in history.

That is a precious part of our heritage. Why do so few Christians today know about these great achievements? The Cause in America The American Wesleyan Church came into being in 1843 because the mainline denominations refused to take a stand on the issue of slavery.

Presidents Washington and Jefferson had been apologetic for the ancient evil and wished it to go away. Indeed, another Virginia slave holder, Colonel George Mason, urged the Founding Fathers to abolish slavery when they were drafting the U.S. Constitution in 1787, and he warned them that God would judge the nation if they failed to do so. By the 1830s, the South had begun to justify its "peculiar institution."

Defenders of slavery claimed that the Bible actually approved of that practice, and it was not expedient to disagree with them. The situation was not much better in the North. In 1837, Elijah P. Lovejoy, who published an antislavery newspaper, was killed in Illinois. William Lloyd Garrison, the publisher of The Liberator, was dragged down the street in Boston with a rope around his body and would probably have been hanged if he had not been rescued and lodged in jail for his own safety. Our Great Heritage This was the atmosphere in which a few courageous Christians, including Orange Scott and Luther Lee, founded our church.

Their purpose was both to spread "scriptural holiness over these lands" and to secure justice for their fellow human beings. "I am not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ," Paul wrote (Romans 1:16). In the same way, let us be thankful for our Wesleyan heritage.

Weekly News and Prayer Updates...

• Pictured on the right are those who traveled to Paoli Indiana Tuesday as delegates voting in District Conference. We also enjoyed a great meal together at Spring Mill State Park just north of Paoli. I hear that media guy talks a lot...
• Please continue to keep Jim & Teresa Walker in your prayers this week...
• A Praise! Robynn Yoder got a good report on her medical tests and Benjamin is missing some baby teeth...
  

Simos Family Ministry Update-May 2011

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This past Sunday our home church, Harbour Shores Church, held a commissioning service for our family. Our Elders prayed for us and officially released us into full time vocational missions ministry. We were truly encouraged by the service and by friends and family that shared the day with us.

Click here to listen to Sermons from Sunday

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As our deputation time is coming to an end we're excited for our next phase of life. In less then a month we'll be living in San Pedro de Marcoris.

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10 weeks, 50 days! of a VBS-like program will begin this July in the sugarcane villages. From this program (a chronological study of the Bible, Creation to Christ ) we will seek to build relationships, start discipleship and from there start churches and a school. We still need many hands to join in this ministry, long term and short term. Please contact us for information about planning a missions trip!

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Thank you all for standing with us!
Josh, Toni, Kinsey, Elle & Gabe
317.402.6407 joshsimos@itisforfreedom.com

How do you like me now?

Most of you have probably seen the fast food chain commercial with the talking lemon. The lemon tells us how he has always gotten the bad rap. defective, no good, he goes on to tell us.

This is a commercial for lemon with strawberry added for a new drink for summer. Sounds quite good. We have often been told that when life gives you lemons, to make lemon-aid. At the end of the commercial when an attractive lady is drinking this new beverage, the lemon yells,"How do you like me now?"

We are a lot like that lemon aren't we? Born defective, no good, without Christ in our life. Then we meet the Savior. Jesus makes old things new. We should be yelling to the world this good news that He can change us from bitter lemons....and our loved ones will probably like us better now too!...keith

Bits & Bytes for Bagley Backers-May 2011

	Bits & Bytes for Bagley Backers May 2011
EASTER IN AFRICA Easter is a high celebration time for the African church. This year was no different. A few of the highlights of this Easter's celebrations include: Nine pastors (5 men, 4 women) received ministerial licenses in a service at Mount Frere, South Africa. (The photo at the right shows District Superintendent Bill Niemack and missionary Mike Helvie praying for one of the ministers during the service.) They also baptised 33 new believers in a chilly early morning baptism. The Swaziland District raised over R 80,000 (+/- US$ 12,000) for missions in its annual Malihambe offering during Easter celebrations, setting an all time record for the offering. The Wesleyan Standard Church of Ghana celebrated its anniversary of 20 years of ministry in its country in services over the Easter weekend. One highlight was the granting of ministerial licenses to 23 ministerial candidates. Recent graduate from Pilgrim Wesleyan Bible College (Zambia), Pastor Evariste Mazeaza from Congo reported that "on the Saturday before Easter we baptized 19 people and received them as church members on Sunday." We shared in a joint Easter service of Wesleyan Churches from around the Johannesburg area who had gathered in Soweto for a weekend of celebration. (In the picture on the right Bob is visiting with Gauteng District Superintendent, Rev. Victor Nyalungu following the Easter service.) VISIT TO SWAZILAND We just returned from two weeks spent at Emmanuel Wesleyan Bible College, the place where we began our missionary service over 29 years ago. High points during our visit included the following: Bob taught an intensive church administration course to second and third year students. Brenda spoke in the college chapel once and Bob spoke twice. Brenda visited the nearby children's home and had an opportunity to visit at length with the Director, Mrs. Thabsile Thwala, a couple of times. We enjoyed good fellowship with a number of our missionaries over the two weeks: Dorcas Croft and Fred & Carol Cromer, stationed in Swaziland; Orai & Linda Lehman, stationed in Mozambique but at EWBC to teach a course to 1st year students; and Zach & Lyndy Szmara, stationed in Mozambique but in Swaziland for a couple of days working on Mozambique residence permits. Bob introduced each of the missionary units to a new bookkeeping software program for keeping mission financial records. Brenda worked in the EWBC library assisting Carol Cromer. Bob had good opportunities to consult with African leaders of the college as well as of the church in Swaziland about their work. PRAISE POINTS Praise God for reports of victories won and positive signs of church growth and development in Easter celebrations across the African church. Praise God for His help and a very profitable visit to Swaziland. Thank God for the help He has been giving Zach & Lyndy Szmara through the initial adjustment period on the field and their initial introduction to language study. PRAYER REQUESTS Pray for Bob and Dr. H. C. Wilson as they visit Sierra Leone May 17-26 to confer with church leaders and missionaries. Included in the visit will be rededication services for both the national church headquarters in Makeni and the historic missionary graveyard in Kunsho, both restored after the destruction and deterioration suffered during the civil war. Please pray for God's help for us as we work on securing residence permits for South Africa and the Szmaras as they work on their permits for Mozambique. Pray for God's blessing on a meeting of the International Partnership Team for Ghana meeting in Brockville, ON in early June to strategize for the work in Ghana. The plan is for Bob to attend the meeting via Skype. Please pray that steady progress will be made on the construction of a new outpatient department at Zimba mission Hospital, Zambia so it can be completed before Drs. Dan & Joan Jones leave for home ministries in mid July. SUPPORT REPORT We praise the Lord that this month our monthly commitments hit the 75% mark of the amount we need to meet our budget. Thank you so much to all of you who continue faithfully to stand behind us financially. Donations or monthly commitments can be made online here. FORWARD TO A FRIEND You can help us by forwarding "Bits & Bytes" to friends who will be interested in the work of Global Partners in Africa. Just click on the link below. Friends who receive the email will also be given an opportunity to sign up to receive it in the future. Forward this message to a friend
PRINTABLE VERSION An easy to print version of this email can be found here. Thank you for sharing a print version with others. Bob & Brenda Bagley rbagley112@gmail.com