Missions

Advent Christian Missions

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I want to take the opportunity to let you know the latest news in regard to the flooding in Bihar, and to ask firstly that you PRAISE THE LORD with me at the wonderful way God's people in New Zealand and other parts of the world have already responded to the needs of Pastor Paul Sunder Raj's Team's Christian believers in flood stricken Bihar in North India. What wonderful responses there have been already - so promptly and generously.

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Thank you to all who have prayed and to all who have given so generously so far - either used clothing and/or money: Within a day or two of my earlier message, Metlifecare Powley Chapel Committee and Hosanna World Harvest Church Central mission committee (both in Auckland), Thames Church of Christ (Coromandel), New Life Community Advent Christian Church of Baraboo (WI, USA), and a number of Kiwi individuals and familes were quick to respond - and rallied so quickly for the cause - with cash and/or clothing!!
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The first of the funds has already reached us here in Chennai and we have sent 20,000 rupees to Paul. He has received it and is buying rice, dhal and oil and other foodstuffs and giving it to the believers to literally keep them alive. We expect to receive and send on substantially more funds (at least another 54,000 rupees that we know of at this stage) in the next few days and we intend to suggest that Paul Sunder "reaches out" a little to non believers once all his believers are looked after. This will give him an opportunity to show Christian care and compassion to some of those around them who are suffering so badly.

We are aware that several large packs of clothing have already been sent to us, and although it will be a few weeks before they arrive, they will be of great blessing to the folk who have lost, in many cases, all their belongings.

I have spoken to Paul Sunder Raj three or four times since I wrote my earlier prayer request and they had further very heavy rain last week and two rivers again burst their banks and the water level which had been receding somewhat had begun to rise again. I spoke to him again later in the week and he said although it was not raining then, the water level was still rising. There was a boat tragedy midweek when an overloaded (22 on a boat that should have 10!!) ferry overturned and 17 were drowned in the raging river - only 3 bodies have been recovered till that time. They were not Christian folk but there is great grief in the area. They still need our prayers!!

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PLEASE PRAY for physical and emotional and spiritual strength for those who are distributing the aid and pray especially for their safety and health and for wisdom to make good decisions as they are literally surrounded by very needy people.
THE NEED IS STILL GREAT - Continue to pray that the Lord will move His people to send sufficient funds to sustain those in need - if the Lord leads you to help in this regard we will continue to get the funds to Paul quickly.
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Thank you for your willingness to pray with us for these matters. God bless you as you serve Him and His people in this way.

Yours in Him,

Ernie

Here are the details for sending clothing once again:

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WANTED: EXCESS CLOTHING FOR BIHAR
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Part of Paul Sunder Raj's ministry is distributing clothes to needy families. Clothing is sent to AC Mission Headquarters in Guindy and then delivered on to Bihar to be distributed to some of the needy families by Paul and his ministry team - in the Name of Jesus Christ. They are received very gratefully and we are told, "they are very, very useful".

YOU CAN HELP:
You may have excess baby, children's or teen clothing - or you'll probably know someone else who may have excess clothes.

Q: What Can I Send?
Wanted: Sizes newborn up to teen years, light/summer clothes: stretch & grow suits, dresses, skirts, shirts, T-shirts, skivvies, pants, overalls, light cardigans, sheets, cotton blankets, bibs, socks, hats, shoes, booties etc - just about anything, but keep in mind the climate - NB: Knitted or woollen blankets are too hot; Cloth nappies - as we know them are not used, so would not be very practical. Pack them tightly in standard plastic 'supermarket bags' (Aim at filling 2 bags per parcel)

Q: Why Not Send Money Instead?
In some ways sending money for clothes may be more economical, but in sending the clothing items themselves you are identifying much more closely with their needs. The recipients are told that they come from Christian people in NZ, and that is a very valuable factor. Please send the clothes rather than money, or donate* money towards sending parcels if you have no clothes to send.

Q: What About Postage Costs?
Posting as below is the most cost-effective method of sending goods: Yes, the cost of postage is quite high to India and there is some possibility of parcels going astray, but what price can be put on helping those who have such great needs? Consider Christ's words in His parable in Matthew 25: 34
on in regard to practical help for those in need in India.

1 Use NZPost Handi Bags - HAS10 (505 x 735mm): Cost is approximately NZ$4.20 per satchel & it holds at least 2x plastic 'supermarket bags' stuffed full of clothes 2 Fill in a NZPost Consignment Note
3 Address to Receiver EXACTLY as follows please:
Ernie Schache
PO Box 3164 Guindy
Chennai 600032
India
4 On Customs Declaration tick 'Gift' and a nominal value - say $50 (per parcel)
5 Send Economy International Parcel rate to Zone E. (Approximate
Guide: 2-3kg = NZ$55-77)
6 Delivery time is between 10-25 days.
7 IMPORTANT: Please advise Ernie Schache or Garry Schache
(garry.schache@acmissionz.org.nz) that you have despatched a parcel(s) and the date you despatched, so that they can be expecting delivery at Guindy.

Thank you for partnering in Paul's ministry in such a practical way!

In recent years, there has been a trend toward encouraging people to give money instead of "things." But Mr. Schache knows something that can be illustrated with the following story.
Florence Lay, an Advent Christian who was a long time member of the Pasadena Advent Christian Church, tells the following story.

After World War II, I mailed dozens of packages containing food and clothing to our Advent Christian Churches in Japan. Although I received many letters of thanks, and pictures of pastors, congregations, and individuals, one special friendship developed with a young Japanese mother in Kurayoshi Tottari, named Midori Komatsu. We corresponded for several years until difficulties in getting her letters translated discouraged me. Also about the same time some personal problems in her home caused her to stop writing. This was a disappointment to me (and to her, too, I later was told). We had shared our faith and talked of the hope we had at seeing each other when Christ returns.

Clarence Kearney put an article in our denominational paper, telling of the need for food and clothing for our Japanese A.C. Christians following the war.

My father showed it to me, offering to pay the postage if I would pack up some boxes. Soon we were really "in business", because word spread around in church and people gave money to buy food, and they donated clothes too. It was very exciting! The people in our Japanese churches were so very grateful. They sent letters and letters, expressing their thanks, and many included pictures of their families.

My heart was really touched by one young mother, named Midori Komatsu. I wrote asking her about her special needs. She requested more powdered milk for her baby and all the mothers who had babies. By the way, she found someone there in Japan who would write her letters in English as she, Midori, dictated them in Japanese.
Can you believe we have kept in touch with personal letters for over 50 years? She calls me her "American sister," and her "big sister in Christ"? We have shared our faith, prayed for each other, and are looking forward to being together again when Christ returns!

There were a few gaps in our correspondence: (1) Once she was ill in the hospital and could not write, and as I said, (2) for a while I could not get her letters translated. (3) She told me one time she would not be writing, because she had to go to her father-in-law's home (some distance away) and help take care of him. (That is a Japanese custom.)

Before Midori was married, she and a friend of hers, Tomie, worked with the young people in the Kurayoshi church. And I do not know why in the war years, Tomie and her husband and tiny baby were in China, but I do know they barely escaped, and got back to Kurayoshi with just the clothes on their backs! Midori shared my care packages with them, and said the powdered milk saved the little baby's life: Tomie was so grateful, she started writing to me also! She said she would come to America some day to thank me for saving her babie's life.
She did just that! - Floyd and Musa Powers brought her and her daughter (now the grown-up baby whose life, they said, was saved by the powdered milk I had sent). They came to Dowling Park, and what a time we had! Midori wanted to come with them but was not well enough to travel. It has been the thrill of my life to have known these two dear and wonderful Christian Japanese women.

When Steven (Florence's son) and his family went to Japan on a short-term assignment in 1986, Floyd Powers helped them find Midori. So hope sprung anew in Midori's heart and mine that we might after all get to meet, and not have to wait for Christ's return. We started corresponding again. (Steven and Ann found friends who would translate our letters.)

We missed Steven, Ann, and the grandchildren so much that we packed our bags in March 1987, and flew to Japan for a three weeks visit. What a thrill - what a trip! We enjoyed the sights, their friends, and several Japanese Advent Christian Churches we visited. One of the highlights of the whole trip was the day we went with Floyd Powers to Tattori, where I met my friend Midori!!

I thought Midori might be shy about meeting me, but she threw her arms around me and said, "My American Sister" - that is what she called me in some of her letters.

Floyd Powers was kept busy translating what I said to Midori, and what she said to me, back and forth. She had arranged a lovely tea party for us at the hotel where we stayed. It was cherry blossom time and we walked through a beautiful part, arm in arm together, trying to realize our dreams of meeting each other had come true! She and a friend of hers stayed and had dinner with us at the hotel. Then we had to say "good-bye." We hugged and hugged and hugged - and almost cried. A very happy day for Midori & me - one I'll never forget. ~~F. Lay

Exciting things are happening in Advent Christian Missions. Lives are being won for Christ. Courageous Christians are sharing the salvation plan in countries where just to acknowledge Christ puts one's life at risk.

Listed below are the countries where we have missions. Our mission department have broken the list down into four levels. The face of missions for Advent Christian's is truly changing. This is as of 3/14/03. Stay tuned.

LEVEL 1: (Mission Fields) China Croatia Ghana Honduras	India Japan Liberia Malaysia Mexico	New Zealand Nigeria Philippines South Africa		LEVEL 2: (Affiliated A.C. Ministries) Kenya Malawi Mozambique Namibia
LEVEL 3: (Potential Affiliates) Angola Bosnia	Belgium Cameroon Dem. Rep.Congo	Ivory Coast Romania Sierra Leone Ukraine		LEVEL 4: (Ongoing Contacts) Benin Botswana Brazil Bulgaria Chad	England France Germany Italy Kosovo Lesotho Macedonia	Mauritius Sudan Thailand Zimbabwe

One of the major national fund raising programs for mission is the Penny Crusade - created in the 1950s when a penny was worth something. Well, some still are: If you think a penny is not really worth anything, here's an example as to how valuable it can be. Mrs. Pat Iriana, from Sea Road ACC in Kennebunk, ME, writes, "Our Penny Crusade is an increase from last year. We discovered that many of the pennies were valuable and we are taking them to a collector. Some are worth up to $10 each. I will never again question the name Penny Crusade. God has shown me he is able to use even a penny."

There is something startling about being the one who remembers when instead of being the one who has to listen to those stories. But I admit to having turned 60 this past year and as I read about the famine in some of our mission fields, I recall when I was a young girl in Bellingham, Washington, there was a program called

Meals for Millions. I don't recall all the details of course. I was young then - it was back in the 1950s. I do remember that in every Sunday School classroom there was this little box that we put our pennies in (at that time pennies were worth something) every Sunday to help feed people overseas, I think it was India, where there was a famine and people were starving. I also remember my parents telling us to eat everything on our plates - there were children around the world who were starving and would love to have our leftovers. All these years later I remember working for pennies so I could help those starving children. May I suggest that we need to make the famine in our mission fields that personal to our children and adults again. We need to put the pictures as this one in front of our people and explain that this rice is all some will have to eat. ~~ Roxanna Sieber, Webmaster

What happens on a mission trip? What does it take to get there? Can you go? Ah, as Lyle Frink says - ...BUT GOD,
April 24, 2002

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

I am writing this to share with you all the great experience that many of us here at the Vernon Christian Advent Church have just had during or recent Mission Trip to San Felìpe, B.C. Mexico. For the many of you that contributed money, food, and/or other supplies go much of the thanks, because you are the ones that made the trip possible.

After flying into San Diego we drove in three large vans to San Felìpe, B.C., Mexico. During the week that we were there we did construction work during the mornings from 8 AM to about 12:30 PM. We finished building some cement block walls around the Mission compound, built a roof over a new room at the public school to be used as a library and we ran electrical wiring to a new missionary house being built there. We also did many much smaller projects such a repairing leaking drains, toilets and some drywall work.

After cleaning up and eating lunch, we got ready for our afternoon Evangelism projects. This consisted of holding four Health Fairs in different locations as well as some one on one contacts as much as each one’s Spanish would permit, which in my case was very little. We set up a 10 station Health Fair including registration and the exiting ditty bag station. Two of our stations were specifically directed at Spiritual Health while the rest checked the Physical Health of those who came.

We held four Health fairs and attended four Spanish church services during our week in San Felìpe. Many of us gave our personal testimonies through an interpreter, which was a real blessing to do. I guess the high light of the trip was being able to hold a Health Fair in the Ejito Indian Village, where no Evangelical mission event had ever been permitted before. We had only 40 villagers that came to the Fair, but of the forty, twenty-five committed their lives to Jesus Christ, and with great joy and exhilaration we gave and give God thanks for that. We are3 believing God for much fruit and for a new church to be established there, by the time we go again next year.

Now, on a more personal note, I am a 61 year old person, with a bad lower back; was deeply in debt because of having been out of work for two years with no possibility or hope of ever being able to go on a mission trip; BUT GOD. I had a deep desire and longing for many years to be able to do this type of thing, but as I said it was humanly impossible. Following what I felt was the Leading of the Lord, I signed up for the mission trip last summer. Being a handyman/carpenter by occupation I had no idea what I would be able to do in Mexico, only a long list of things that I couldn’t do, but God. I have learned the meaning of Paul’s verse, "no soldier goes to war at his own expense." God not only provided the money for the trip, but provided money to pay up my overdue bills and enough to put some into the pool and some extra as well.

I guess my whole message to anyone who might read this is this; "faith comes by hearing and hearing by hearing from God." When God leads or when you feel like He wants you to do something or you feel like you should do something, trust God. There is a book entitled, ‘You can’t walk on the water if you don’t get out of the boat." He is able to make all things possible; in fact He specializes in the impossible. Ruthlessly put your faith and trust in Him and He will……. Whatever it is, when it’s according to His Desire and for "His Names Sake."

If you have taken the time to read this, may God "bless you indeed." And give you the faith to step out and surrender yourself to Him each moment and He can use you. He used us Greatly in Mexico, as His chosen vessels for that moment in time and He WILL do the same for you. His desire is much greater to use you than your desire to be greatly used by Him. Let Him in so He may accomplish His desires in you.

May His Peace be multiplied unto you all and may your grow in the Grace and Knowledge of the Lord.
In and Because of Christ, Lyle Frink

Not everyone is called to "go" to a foreign land but are called to help those who are called to go. Churches and individuals often commit themselves to provide support for a missionary or a missionary family. As a church, when we include the Penny Crusade in our church budget, we are making that kind of a commitment only for Advent Christian Missions on a whole basis instead of for a single missionary. Not long ago I heard about a young man who was considering a job change that would have reduced his income. One of his considerations was the financial commitment he had made to provide support for two who were serving on a foreign mission field. He did not take that commitment lightly. It was not just a commitment to a person but to God and though he very much wanted the job change he is waiting on God to make the provision so he can meet his financial "call." I think eventually this young man will indeed say as Lyle Frink said above - BUT GOD.

He was a Harvard graduate, graduating with honors. He had the opportunity to "make something of his life" by society's standards. He was brilliant. Instead of becoming a chemical engineer, he became a missionary.

I asked Austin Warriner to tell his story - to share what it was that caused him to be a missionary. He sent it expecting a rewrite but I'm leaving it as it is. I couldn't tell it better. You can't make it shorter because you loose how God worked things out in Austin's life. The waiting, the struggling with what God wanted was just God working things out so Austin and Dorothy, his wife, would be used in the way He intended. And they are indeed snowflakes - one of a kind in God's service.

Childhood: I was reared in the home of John and Charlotte Warriner in Bellingham, Washington with the Bellingham Advent Christian Church a central part of my life. We were always at all of the services and mother was a very active member in the Women's Home & Foreign Mission Society. In fact the Missions Circle she was in was named after my grandmother, Clara Cloud. From my earliest memory foreign missions was a big influence. I was also taken to Campmeeting at Nooksack every summer from the age of 8 months onward. It was at Camp Nooksack that I committed my life to Christ at the age of ten and was baptized. Harold Wilson was the evangelist and it was in response to his 6th message that I went forward in tears to the altar at the invitation and accepted Jesus into my heart. I can remember how relieved I was not to have to worry any more about what to do on the Judgment Day when Christ returned.

Teenage years: Frequent rededication of my life to Christ every year at Nooksack YPI summer camp. At about the age of sixteen I went forward with several others to say that I would serve the Lord full time if he gave me the call. When I was 18 years old I got a four year scholarship to Harvard College and planned to major in Chemistry and become a chemical engineer. Both of my sisters had majored in Chemistry at Aurora and I also felt drawn in that direction, probably because of the outstanding Chemistry teacher at Bellingham High School, Miss Gertrude Scott. But during the summer between my freshman and sophomore years I received an unmistakable call to offer myself for foreign mission service in India.

I was nineteen and a boys counselor at YPI [Young People's Institute]. Dwight and Ruth Banks were furloughing missionaries at Nooksack Camp that year. In their talks to the youth they emphasized that our Advent Christian Denomination had been assigned a large area in the province of Tamil Nadu south of the city of Madras by the Comity Committee of Foreign Missions. Ruth Banks said, "We Advent Christian missionaries have the exclusive responsibility of taking the gospel to hundreds of thousands of people and we present missionaries will not get the job done before we have to retire. More missionaries are needed. How about it, young people?" Right then I knew that God wanted me to give up my plans to be an engineer and prepare for foreign missionary service in India. And I made a public announcement of my decision there at the 1947 Nooksack Campmeeting. Yes, there were some that thought I was foolish, but others, especially my parents, were thrilled that I was accepting this call.

Preparation: Back at Harvard for my second year I changed my major to history and after graduation in June 1950 went on to Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena for three more years. During that time I was married to Dorothy Boles and together we looked forward to service in India. After graduation from Theological Seminary we served as interim pastor at the National City, California AC Church while waiting for processing to be completed for our assignment as missionaries to India. We had expected to be able to sail by January of 1954 but the reply to our visa application didn't come for 6 months and then it was refused by the government of India. A lady from India attended General Conference that June and she assured us that if we waited another six months and applied again, some other official would probably grant our second application for visas. But the answer again was delayed and when it finally came after three months it also was a refusal. Still feeling that we were called to India we waited another two years and applied again. This time the replay came back almost by return mail saying, "The necessity of your presence in India has not been established. Visas refused!" We were disappointed, but concluded that we were meant to stay and pastor in the States.

Directed to go to Japan: While wondering if our pastorate in National City should be formalized by a call from the healthy congregation that had been developing over the several years we were ministering to them, a call from the Japan Mission asking us to consider going to Japan to assist in the formation of a Bible institute for training Japanese AC pastors. We felt no inclination to go. Our call had been to India and we felt no burden for Japan. But when we tried very hard to say "Yes" to a call from a church in Washington to be their pastor, we got no approval from God to go there. In the course of a three weeks struggle in prayer, the only way we could get peace was to say "Yes" to the call to go to Japan. We closed out our ministry in national City 6 months later and left California to spend a month each in Oregon and Washington with our folks and then went to Japan in August 1959. Our daughter Terri was five and our daughter Beth was one as we sailed off in the Hikawa Maru Japanese Passenger Liner.

Academic Accomplishments and Missionary Service in Japan: Japan is a country that puts a lot of stress on the prestige of the university that a person has graduated from. So my being a graduate of Harvard stood me in good stead when talking to people in Japan about organizing our own Training Institute. And my Theological Degree also was a help in developing a curriculum. The six years of pastoring a church in the USA also gave me some practical wisdom in the training of pastors for ministry in Japan. It was also a help to us in our planting of three churches in Japan and pastoring them before turning them over to Japanese pastors that were trained at our AC Bible Institute. It was a long time between my call to missionary service as a 19 year old and the arrival on the Japan field at the age of 31, but all of the schooling and experiences along the way were definitely in God's plan for us. Our part is to "trust and obey, for there is no other way to be happy in Jesus."

Advice to Young People Today: All earnest Christians are subject to a possible call from God to enter the full-time ministry. It is right for us to make ourselves available to the Lord for such a call. And we should do all we can to learn various skills and apply ourselves to the various schooling and active church service opportunities that come to us along the way. But we must make very sure that we have a call from the Lord to enter the full-time ministry. The pastoral and missionary calling is a very difficult calling and many temptations to abandon the ministry will face you from time to time. Woe to the person who has entered upon this course without the assurance from the Lord that it is he who is calling you and it is he who will guide you and give you the strength to persevere. But blessed is the one who hears the call and heeds the call and experiences the faithfulness of God to his promises. We have enjoyed the Lord's faithful presence in our ministry over a period of nearly fifty years. Praise his holy name! Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift.

Austin Warriner, March 18, 2002