by Paul Thiessen
BURKINA FASO – Dictionary Day; I didn’t even know there was such a day! I discovered it was October 16—the birthday of Noah Webster. Here’s my own dictionary story: Continue reading Dictionary Work Preserves Siamou Language
Category Archives: With Our Missionaries
The Time I Was Almost Famous
by Alex Reimer
GERMANY – Let me tell you about a time I was almost famous.
A few years ago, some of my friends and I made a YouTube channel. For a year we wrote and produced a short video every two weeks. We tried westerns, we tried superheroes, we dabbled in comedic horror and bad puns. Some of it was funny; everything was original.
Empowerment the Key to Self-Sustainability
by Gordon and Sharon Skopnik
UGANDA/SOUTH SUDAN – The people of South Sudan have witnessed incredible violence, fled their homes, and suffered immensely because of lack of food, clean water, and shelter. Many continue to suffer or are paralyzed with fear and poverty. Serving South Sudan will bring a church planting model that promotes, sustainable development to grassroots communities providing clean drinking water, economic empowerment, social integration, church empowerment, and education.
What is Your CV?
by Harvey Thiessen
OCEANIA/NORTH AMERICA – From time to time I am asked for my curriculum vitae (CV) to introduce me to a whole new set of people that have not known me. Presumably, this is meant to help the readers understand what value I bring to the activity or discussion for which I am being considered.
I Didn’t See a Fox
by Alex Reimer
GERMANY – Let me tell you about the time that I didn’t see a fox. It was a Saturday after a long, hot week of German language school. I was really looking forward to it because Ted, Freddy and I had planned to get together and go over our plans to film our latest film project, The Josephine Project. Normally we don’t work on Saturdays, but between language school and travel plans this was the best day. So I hopped on my bicycle and biked to the office.
Missionary Fellowship and Recognition Banquet
by Tim Dyck
Blumenort, Man. How do you celebrate a lifetime of service in cross-cultural ministry? What is an appropriate response to those who have sacrificed so much in service to the mission of the Church? This September, EMC Missions attempted to do just this, as we recognized Paul and Lois Thiessen for their ministry of Church Planting through Bible Translation for the Siamou people in Burkina Faso. Continue reading Missionary Fellowship and Recognition Banquet
Barbeque Celebration for Missionaries
by Tim Dyck
Blumenort, Man. We took affordable air travel for granted. Each year for decades, the number of passengers traveling by air has increased significantly. Many of us in Canada have benefited from this affordable and available travel for work or vacation. But the applecart has been upset by the arrival of the coronavirus. Continue reading Barbeque Celebration for Missionaries
Kings and The King
by A Missionary
West Asia-Kings are not loved by the Mountain people. Until the early 1970s, they lived under a monarchy. The kings were not kind. They taxed the people heavily and forced them into labour building roads, canals, and terraced fields. In one village, an elder reported to me that each year he had to pay the king seven or eight goats, bushels of wheat and potatoes, and large quantities of butter. Whatever the people produced, that was taken, so that they were only left with what they could hide in secret holes and caves in the mountains. When the monarchy was dissolved and the area was folded into the rest of the country, the people rejoiced. “All of that is finished now,” he told me. “Now things are easier, praise God!” Continue reading Kings and The King
Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, and the Ends of the World
Are you interested in cross cultural missions? EMC Missions is currently recruiting for the following fields:
Minga Guazú, Paraguay
Many of the national Paraguayans in the neighbourhoods of Minga Guazú are unreached by the Gospel and do not have an active church. Often the communities have a few believers who are open to and desire a Bible study in their homes. This has proven to be an effective way to reach the community. Continue reading Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, and the Ends of the World
Expectations: What Do Missionaries and Churches Say to Each Other?
A missionary and their sending church need a strong family bond, and yet, like a family, can suffer from misunderstood needs and expectations. Each needs to communicate expectations and serve their partner well. Even a supporting church should clarify its expectations and might need to assume a larger role. If your church is welcoming a missionary for home assignment (HA) or sending a new worker, be open about your expectations. Circulate your commitments. Perhaps these examples will help. Continue reading Expectations: What Do Missionaries and Churches Say to Each Other?