Things Still Unresolved in Kenya

According to a report from Mission Network News, there is still no actual resolution to the crisis in Kenya. The violence and economic instability is greatly hindering the ministry of many organizations. If a power sharing agreement is not reached soon, it is very possible the violence will resume.

With all of the focus on Darfur and Kenya, it is easy to miss what is going on in other parts of Africa. Sunday's Parade Magazine had a short article about the genocide occurring in Congo (look under the heading "World: The Other African Genocide").

It is sobering to realize that a hundred plus years of missions work has not stopped these atrocities. I don't fault the missionaries and mission agencies. There are a lot of political and economic factors beyond their control. Rather, I think it is important for us to step back and realistically assess what we are doing in Africa and what adjustments might be needed.

Pray for peace. Pray for revival. And pray for God's guidance for the many missions agencies working in Africa.

Kenya Rivals Make Deal

It appears there may be hope for calm to return to Kenya. In a news story today, it is reported that the rival factions are willing to write a new constitution which would allow a power-sharing arrangement. While this is welcome news, pray for the deeper reconciliation that still must happen for true peace and revival to come to this country. Many have lost their homes, businesses and even loved ones in the violence. Their economy has suffered greatly, and with many businesses damaged or destroyed, finding jobs may be difficult. It will take a while for Kenya to recover from the last few weeks and months.

Poland Team Safely Home

The Poland Team arrived safely back in Cedar Rapids this evening. For anyone interested, they will be sharing about their trip this Sunday night, February 10 at 6:30 PM down in the Senior High room at New Covenant.

30-Day Challenge

Today is the launch of our Embracing Faith 30-Day Challenge at New Covenant where we are inviting everyone to spend time daily meditating on the selected passage and in prayer. If you are not already doing so, I invite you to take part. Here is how you can join the challenge: Pick up your Journey Guide from church on Sunday and turn to the Reading Journal section in the guide. There is a selected passage and a place to journal your thoughts for 6 days each week, and a prayer and memory verse for the week.

To complement the journal, you can also go to our Embracing Faith 30-Day Challenge blog. You will find a devotional to go along with each day's challenge and a place to share your comments and thoughts with others on the journey. Pastor Bob's devotional to kick off this journey is already posted.

Being a Kingdom Partner is all about embracing faith. Our goal with this Embracing Faith Campaign is not focused on raising funds for a facility but on finding a way to allow us to continue to make disciples both here in Cedar Rapids and around the world. That focus has led us to grow by an average of 10 percent each year, and that growth has helped give us added resources to support four new kingdom partners. So Embracing Faith is truly about Kingdom work. I can't wait to see what God will do in the future to build his kingdom as we remain obedient to Jesus' command to make disciples of all people groups.

Poland Team In USA

According to the United Airlines Website, the plane with the Poland Team has arrived in Chicago. Their flight to here is still scheduled to arrive at 5:49 PM.

To check on the status, look up United Flight #5858 on the United website.

Poland Team Return Info

The Poland Team will be returning on Saturday, February 9 at 5:49 PM on United FL# 5858. If you want to greet them, join us at 5:30 PM at the Eastern Iowa Airport.

Pray for Kenya on Friday

I know many of you have been praying for peace in Kenya. Empowering Lives International suggests it would be good for all of us to join together in a united time of prayer. Their staff in California will be praying on Friday, February 8. They ask people all over the country -- or even the world -- to join together at Noon California time (2 PM Iowa time).

For more information and specific prayer requests, go to the Empowering Lives International blog.

Poland Team Tuesday Update and Video

Here is an update from the Poland Team:

To the 216 people on our Poland Prayer Team,

I've tapped into Gina's "Poland Team" Distribution List to send out this email update. I didn't realize how many we had praying, so thank you all so very much!

I believe only about 6 of the 40 people here avoided getting sick to some degree or another. The only one on our American team who never got sick was Ben Struik. Thankfully most of the sick ones have started recovering now.

The three right now who remain pretty sick are Lexi Forstrom, Ben Ziegler and Allyson Male. Keep them in your prayers. They had to miss classes today and stay in bed. Chills, sore throats, headaches, coughing etc. are their symptoms. We're giving them Theraflu, sore throat lozenges, clementines (for vitamin C) and chicken soup. Hopefully tomorrow will be better for them. It has been a real disappointment to all three of them to be sidelined this way. Prayer for healing and encouragement.

As for my knee, it is a bit better. I can walk on it without much pain, so I doubt that anything is torn or severely damaged. It's still tender to the touch, but I think I'll be ok. I was even able to play a round or two of "Dance Dance Praise" yesterday!

Thanks, everyone for the prayers.

Tomorrow (Wed) is our final full day, ending with our awards banquet. We've really bonded with these Polish students and it will be sad to say goodbye.

We should leave Czchow after breakfast on Thursday and return to Krakow. We plan to go visit Auschwitz, the concentration camp, on Friday and fly out first thing Saturday morning, arriving in CR the same day. Weather permitting of course. Sounds like Cedar Rapids has a lot of snowy weather coming for the rest of the week.

Thanks again for the prayers,

For the team, Mark

Be sure to go to YouTube to check out their videos. Here is a recent one they posted:

Saturday Poland Team Update

Hello prayer warriors. We need some heavy duty prayer!

The most important need is physical health! There are only three on the team who are not sick: Ben, Ben, and Lexi. Everyone else has something, each one different, ranging from coughs (some dry, some wet), chills, lack of energy, running noses, or fever. Could this indicate a spiritual attack? Quite possibly. Pray that Satan would not deter us from reaching these Polish students in any way. Could it be that God is making us weak so that his strength is made perfect in our weakness? Quite Possibly. Pray that God's will be done and that we fully experience what He has for us.

We had a great day in Krynica (ker neet sa) yesterday. Some went shopping and tasted the famous stinky Zuber water. Others of us went skiing. The mountain was 4,000 meters (13,000 ft), so it was just like Colorado. Ben S, Bree, Ethan, Charlie and I had gone before and Allyson and Lexi got to ski for the first time! They did great (the bunny hill kept them near the top, don't worry parents!)

Thankfully the only injury happened to me. I wrenched my knee the last time down the big mountain--it was a glorious wipeout! You could pray that this would not inhibit my ministry to these kids and that I would enjoy fellowship with Jesus to a tiny degree as I hobble around a bit while it heals. I'm sure nothing is broken, but it is tender--on stairs especially. I'm so glad it was me and not anyone else!

Mark

The Church in Kenya

Christianity Today Magazine has a thought provoking story called "Post-Mayhem Woes." It points out that 80 percent of the people in Kenya consider themselves Christian. Even more shocking, many churches failed to speak out against the violence when it first started.

Should we be surprised? Perhaps not. While it may seem unthinkable to us here in America, I am not so sure we are that far removed. Jesus' command is to make disciples. While many called themselves Christians, I am not so confident they were all his disciples. That is equally true here.

I am not judging anyone, nor claiming I am superior. My point is that "the proof is in the pudding." A true disciple will be so clearly different he or she will stand out as a follower of Christ. A disciple might make mistakes in the heat of the moment, but the true disciples will step forward in the weeks and months ahead to demonstrate the love of Christ and what it means to bear the cross of Christ. I pray that I will be such a disciple.

Poland Team Tour of Facility

Poland Team Schedule and Requests

Here are some current prayer requests from our team members as well as the schedule, so you can be praying specifically. Thanks, everyone. We can feel the prayers on our behalf! Keep it up!

Mark

Allyson Male: Pray that the language barrier will not stop some people from opening up to our team. Pray that I have the courage to open up to the campers and that I will be able to find a balance between spending time with them, planning lessons, and spending time alone with God.

Lydia Jorgensen: For physical health; I need to sleep. For camp itself, that I can figure out with Charlie what our class needs to learn (we have the advanced class).

Bree: That I would realize that while I'm here It's not about me.

Emma: Stay in God's image while I'm here.

Ethan: Pray for brother Daniel & Kristin. (late term miscarriage)

Mark Forstrom: I have developed a little cough and headache yesterday. I'm perfectly content with it, but just don't want it to hinder any ministry. Pray God's will to be done. Pray for some "couple issues" among the Polish-that it wouldn't be a distraction.

Ben Ziegler: Pray that the lessons go well and I am able to connect with the students in my class.

Kristie: Pray for walls to continue to come down with the students. Pray for the health of the kids as some are battling colds. Pray for continued unity of the NCBC group. Pray for the missionary family that we are serving with.

Lexi: Willing to help Przemek and Julie in any way (babysitting especially), and any other staff member or camper.

Ben S: That I will be more humble during my experience with Polish students and I will understand to be more loving to others and not so bashful. I pray for unity and the strength to love all of my team mates and also the polish students.

Charlie: I can't always sleep well which is no different than at home but it would really be nice if I could here because I am starting to feel the effects of no sleep. Also just pray that we would all be a unified group that would not be one that does as little as possible or that is not outgoing but one that really wants to get involved in these peoples lives and that we would have the courage to start conversation even though sometimes it is obscenely awkward and when they don't understand they just kinda laugh at you just pray for courage strength and understanding. Remember the song "Give Me Words to Speak" by Aaron Shust and pray that for us too!

Here's the daily schedule (Iowa time)

1 am Staff meeting

2 am Breakfast

2:45-3:45 am English Bible Reading Time

3:45-7 am Free time

7 am Lunch

7:45-9:45 English Classes (there are four levels)

10 am Optional Bible Study (Mark leads this. Dealing with questions atheists ask about God.

11 am Conversation groups (to get them talking in English)

12 pm Supper

1-2:30 pm Evening Activities (games, worship, testimonies)

4 pm Quiet hours

5 pm Lights out

Here's the weekly schedule, fyi

Mon, 28^th. Team devotional: Emma.

Tues, 29^th. Team devotional: Bree. Testimony: Ben S.

Wed, 30^th. Team devotional: Ben Z. Testimony: Bree.

Thurs, 31^st. Team devotional: Allyson. Testimony: Kristie.

Fri, 1^st. Team devotional: Lydia. Testimony: Allyson. Day trip to Krynica. "ker neet sa"

Sat, 2^nd. Team devotional: Charlie. Skit night.

Sun, 3^rd. Team devotional: Ethan. Testimony: Ben Z. Church service: Mark leading.

Mon, 4^th. Team devotional: Ben S. Testimony: Emma. Gospel night.

Tue, 5^th. Team Devotional: Kristie. Campfire.

Wed, 6^th. Team Devotional: Lexi. Banquet night.

Poland Team Leading Worship

Tuesday Poland Update

Team is doing fabulously. Much more unity than usual. Temp has been about 35 consistently so far. Snow is melted. Today begins the first full day of camp with Bible reading, English classes and conversation time.

Mark

New Video from Poland Team

Here are some additional Poland Team videos.

Monday Poland Update

Good Monday Morning Poland Prayer Partners,

Just a quick note to let you know all luggage DID arrive :>) and the team is truly appreciating your prayers. I talked with Mark very briefly at 10pm Saturday Poland time and the team was crashed and sleeping. Mark wasn't too far behind them! Sunday they were sleeping in then driving to Czhow, where camp is held.

They've posted a couple of videos on You Tube so check them out. I will keep you posted as updates come to me.

Keep on praying!
Gina

Poland Video on YouTube

Mark has already posted some videos of the team on YouTube. Enjoy.

Saturday Poland Team Update

After an hour an a half delay leaving Chicago, we arrived in Munich with only 45 minutes till departure. We made it just in time.

Arrived in Krakow safe and sound. All luggage here except for 4 peoples: Chase, McVey, Ziegler, and Jorgensen. No problem though because theirs will be on the next flight which lands in 3 hours and they will deliver it to our hostel.

Team is in great spirits. Going out for lunch and sightseeing in Krakow.

Mark

Poland Team Info

Hello, Poland Team Supporters!

We are truly overwhelmed by the support our Poland Team has received. In a relatively short amount of time, God has put a team together and raised $18,144.84 to send us on our way for the cause of Christ. So many of you have assured us of your prayers and have said you'll be setting out the "Poland Spring" water bottles as a way to keep us in mind.

Some of you will be interested in getting reports from the field. We're planning to communicate the following ways.

1. Gina, our Administrative Assistant, will be sending out a few brief emails, briefing you of major developments in our trip. These will automatically come to your inbox. For most of you, that is the extent of the detail that you will be interested. James Wartian, our Missions Pastor, will also post these on his Missions Blog. [But you know that because you are already here!]

2. For those of you family members and others interested, we plan to upload video reports, hopefully daily, on Youtube. The most recent video will be enlarged and at the top.

3. We will upload the best of the best photos to my Flickr account for anyone interested.

4. For those of you wishing to leave encouraging messages for our team or post comments on the videos, you'll need to establish your own Youtube username. (Note: to avoid becoming distracted by concerns of home, the team will not be checking personal emails, Facebook, etc, during the camp, so this will be the means of communicating with us.)

Pray for a powerful experience for us, the missionaries Przemek and Julie, the struggling Polish believers whom we will encourage and for the Polish unbelievers who will be hearing the gospel soon! And pray for the remaining $6,485.16 that would come in to complete our full support.

OUR ITINERARY

1/25 (Fri) Team flies to Krakow

1/26 (Sat) Arrive Krakow, Przemek to meet team at airport, overnight in Krakow Hostel

1/27 (Sun) Travel to Czchow ("choove"), camp planning

1/28 (Mon) Camper registration until lunch, camp begins with lunch at 1:30

1/28-2/7 Evangelistic English Language Camp

2/1 (Fri) Day trip to the quaint village of Krynica (home of Zuber Water!)

2/5 (Tu) Ben Ziegler's birthday

2/6 (Wed) Banquet in evening

2/7 (Thu) Camp ends with breakfast, team travels back to Krakow

2/8 (Fri) Debriefing, rest, shop, sightsee (perhaps to visit Auschwitz)

2/9 (Sat) Team flies home from Krakow. Scheduled to arrive in Cedar Rapids at 5:49 pm on United Flight 5858

2/10 (Sun) Poland report for anyone interested at 6:30 pm in the Sr. High room.

The time in Poland is 7 hours ahead, by the way.

Blessings on you all!
Mark Forstrom

Poland Team Departure

Our Senior High Poland Team will leave in roughly 12 hours to lead an English Camp. If you want to see them off at the Eastern Iowa Airport, their flight on United to Chicago is scheduled to leave at 1:34 PM. You can meet them at the airport around 12 Noon on Friday, January 25.

Planned Violence

The Dallas Morning News Religion Blog alerted me to a chilling story in the New York Times that suggests the killing and violence in Kenya may have been at least partially premeditated. Please continue to pray for peace and that the truth would come to light.

Kenya Post Election Updates

Ushahidi.com is a website that was created for people who witness acts of violence in Kenya in these post-election times. I don't know that the things posted are independently confirmed, but it is a quick way to see what is being reported all over that country.

Global Prayer Digest

“When man works, man works. When man prays, God works.”

Do I really believe in prayer? The opening quote is a real challenge to me. I pray. I have preached on the importance of prayer. I help put out a monthly prayer update for all of our Kingdom Partners. But there is something about the unseen hand of God that I sometimes don’t trust. Prayer can easily become a routine rather than a fervent pleading with the God of the universe who is actually in control of absolutely everything (see Colossians 1:15-20). I find it hard to pray and then rest, secure that God has heard and will answer (Philippians 4:6-7).

I can remember back when I was a student at Moody Bible Institute in the mid-80’s. I was part of a weekly prayer group focused on the Soviet Union and other countries behind the iron curtain. Each week I prayed that the iron curtain would fall and that there would be freedom to share the gospel in the Soviet controlled lands.

Ten years later, I went to Russia on a mission trip. When I stood before a Baptist church on a Sunday evening, I had to confess that I had very little faith my prayers would be answered. Even though I was standing in their very presence, it was almost like a dream. I couldn’t believe it was really happening.

I have learned three things about prayer. When I pray, I need to only have faith the size of a mustard seed (Matthew 17:20). When I pray, I must be persistent and not lose heart (Luke 18:1). When I pray, I should be specific.

Jesus commanded us to go and make disciples of all people groups (Matthew 28:19). But that was never meant to be done in our own strength. He specifically reminds us that he is in control of everything (28:18) and that he is with us to the very end (28:20). It is crucial that we do more than just send and support Kingdom Partners. It is essential that we are praying for those who do not yet know Christ.

If you want to join me in praying specifically and daily for those who have yet to be reached with the Gospel, go to www.global-prayer-digest.org. It may very well revolutionize your understanding of how God uses prayer to change the world.

MAF in Kenya

Christianity Today's website has a great article about the work Mission Aviation Fellowship is doing in Kenya during the current crisis. I encourage you to take time to read it.

If you want to help make a long term difference, I suggest you check out the ministry of African Leadership and Reconciliation Ministries (ALARM). I have been friends with Celestin Musekura, the founder and president of ALARM, for many years. He has seen firsthand how tribal violence can turn even those who claim to be Christians into lethal enemies. As the Christianity Today article mentions, ALARM plans to be actively involved in helping bring the true peace and reconciliation that can only be found in Christ.