MISSIONS at the CREEK
The Key Objective of Our Global Impact Team is Essentially:
1. To raise the awareness of the congregation that as a Christian and Missionary Alliance church, we are expected to pray for, support and send workers into the field, including Short-term Mission Teams. The purpose of STM teams is to:
a. Support and encourage both our workers there and the national church.
b. To provide life-changing experiences for team members.
c. To encourage the next generation of international workers.
MCA on the Move
If you intend to go on a short-term mission trip, please let us know so that we can pray for you before, during and after your trip.
Our biblical mandate for missions is clear. The Great Commission of Matthew 28:19-20 commands us to “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always to the very end of the age.”
Also, Acts 1:8 states, “And you will receive power when the Holy Spirit come on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
As a start we are diving the information into 2 sections below:
Our International Workers with whom we have connections, both Christian and Missionary Alliance (C&MA), and those with other affiliations.
Some of our international workers are in “creative access” areas, and cannot appear on websites. Below are only those who, at this time, have given us permission and have sent photos and descriptions of their ministries to use on this website.
International Workers:
1. Murray & Michelle Derksen – C&MA Regional Developers for Latin America, based in Costa Rica
2. Bruce & Jenny Hansen – Wycliffe, in New Guinea
3. Joseph and Helen Lee - C&MA in Guatemala
4. David & Patti Ens – C&MA, in Cambodia
5. Ralph & Ruth Shareski – C&MA in Germany
6. Tim & Brenda Tjosvold – C&MA in Niger
1. The Derksens
Murray and Michelle Derksen are International Workers with the C&MA. They grew up in Kelowna and have been part of our church since they were young. They met and married here and have been sent out from amoung us.
Their career has taken them to Winnipeg, Guadalajara, Mexico; Cairo, Egypt and presently they are living in San Jose Costa Rica. They are giving leadership to what the C&MA Canada is doing throughout Latin America and the Caribbean.
They have four children. Their two boys are young adults living here in Kelowna and going to UBCO and their two girls are 11 and 10 and are with them in San Jose.
You can contact Derksens directly at derksens@swissmail.org. If you would like to be on their monthly e-mail PrayerNet please write them and ask to be included.
2. Bruce & Jenny Hansen
We are Bruce and Jenny Hansen and family. Bruce has been a part of
Mission Creek Alliance since the 1970s. He credits much of his
spiritual growth and training to the years spent as a youth in the
Alliance Church. Since 1992 we have had the privilege of serving with
Wycliffe Bible Translators/JAARS in the area of aviation support and
medical work. Bruce is a pilot and I (Jenny) am a nurse serving in our
clinic. We have been in Papua New Guinea since 1999. Before that we
served for 6 years in Colombia, South America until civil unrest
required that we closed down our aviation program there.
Wycliffe serves many language teams that are in remote areas inaccessible by
road. Bruce flies the translators, their supplies, their language
helpers, their kids and whatever else needs to be transported to these
remote areas. Jenny works in the clinic and serves the medical needs of
our community and the large PNG population in the valley where we live.
We are blessed to be using our God-given talents to minister to the
people of Papua New Guinea. We have 4 children: David (22-Senior at
Wheaton College), Bethany (19-Sophomore at College of the Ozarks),
Benjamin (18-Freshman at LeTourneau University), and Hannah (14-grade 9
in High School).
For current newsletters, email Bruce and Jenny at Bruce-Jenny_Hansen@sil.org.
Bruce and Jenny Hansen
3. Rev. Joseph Ting-Yu & Helen Siu-Hing Lee
Mission：The Christian & Missionary Alliance in Canada
Field：Guatemala, Central America
Field Address：Apartado 45-C, 01015 Guatemala City, GUATEMALA, Central America.
Email Address：
Children：Jayne Chuen-Oi – UBC Graduate. Married to Bob Zhu. Working in Vancouver.
Caleb Chuen-Yi – UBC Graduate. Finished 1st year, M.Div. CTS, Ambrose University.
Noelle Chuen-Lok – UBC Graduate. October 1, 2008 – August 1, 2009 – FUSION, Mexico.
Home Church：Vancouver Chinese Alliance Church.
Ministry Background: 1981-1995 – Lima, Peru, South America – Lima Chinese Alliance Church (Now Independent Church)
1997- present – Guatemala City, Guatemala, Central America - Guatemala Chinese Alliance Church
Ministry Information in Guatemala Chinese Alliance Church:-
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Building up the Guatemala Church into a self-governing, self-sufficient, self-propagating church in Guatemala.
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Up to January 2008 – 80 members
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Average attendance:- Sunday worship service: 60 adults 15 Children (1/3 Cantonese, 1/3 Spanish, 1/3 Mandarin)
- Sunday Adult Bible Academy: 35-40 adults/youths
- Friday Night Prayer Meeting: 20-25 adults/youths
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PRAYER REQUESTS:
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Continuing Evangelism, Discipleship and Leadership Training to build up a strong independent church.
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10 lay leaders just completed the Lay Pastoral Training (12 courses in 3 years).
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Paulo Ho, our member, just graduated from Ambrose (CTS) with MDiv. He’s married to Phoebe Yeung of Edmonton. He’s processing his residency in Canada before he could return to Guatemala for Spanish ministry in our Chinese Church.
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Lord willing, by 2012 when the missionaries retire, the Church will be totally self-governing, self-sufficient, self-propagating with its own pastoral leadership.
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Our 3-member Board who’s overseeing the Church while we’re on 6-month Home Ministries.
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Pastor David/Marian Ma, 2nd Mile Chinese missionaries, are ministering in pastoral and teaching ministries while we’re on Home Ministries.
4. David and Patti Ens
We have only been together as a whole family for half a month. It is great to have Stephanie here with us again, but we haven't taken a recent picture as a family. We still like the grad picture we took last year, so here it is.
Click October Update for "Ens of the Earth" newsletter.
The ministries we are responsible for are in the three categories below.
Tum Nup Tuk Church:
Theological Education by Extension (TEE)
Evangelism Explosion (EE)
Adult Sunday School Teaching
Pulpit Supply
Care Group
Hospital Visitation
Witnessing Team
English Teaching
District Ministries:
Church Maturity Seminars
Promotion of EE
Statistics Compilation
Church Visitation
Pulpit Supply
Dorm Ministries:
Theological Education by Extension (TEE)
Mentoring
Thank you for your support,
David & Patti Ens
5. Ralph & Ruth Shareski
Dear Prayer Partners
In a couple of weeks we will celebrate a belated Canadian Thanksgiving with Stephen and Uli and two other young couples. And even though its belated ( I was at Hillsong Conference in London on Thanksgiving weekend) we are full of thanks for God's faithfulness and goodness shown to us in so many ways.
Fellow meets God:
Many of you have prayed for this outreach of our church in Mannheim. It took place again on Sunday evening and was amazing. The café was packed full, in fact we had to get some chairs from outside. There were many guests who came with friends from HdH as well as some who walked in off the street when they heard the music. There was great live music, relaxed atmosphere, lots of chance for conversation. The theme was "God speaks today" and there was an opportunity to come and get one of the postcards from a central table, ask God for a verse or an encouragement to write on it in addition to the "message from God" that was already printed on it, and to give it to whomever God directed you to. So it was our first attempt to take prophetic ministry outside of the context of gatherings of the church. It was so amazing to see how many people took part, and how touched people were, especially guests, to receive assurances of God's love and His desire to bless them and to communicate with them. There were also Bibles available on each table for people to use and/or take with them after. Please continue to pray for lasting fruit from this minsitry and for a continued open door....there is another new manager now who was going to see how things went this time and then decide if he wants to keep allowing us to come. We believe God opened that door and will keep it open for us.
Haus des Herrn:
Please continue to pray for the Leadership Team and the House Group Leaders as they serve sacrificially in their various ministries. Most of them are also working full-time. Pray for wisdom, grace and direction as they lead. They are an awesome group of people. Even if you don't understand German, you may want to take a look at a video introducing the leadership team and the DNA ( values) of the church and showing you a bit of our city!! Here's the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NGoq65mvfMA
Ralph's health:
We know so many of your are praying with us for Ralph's health, and we are encouraged that chemo #5 is behind him, and the final one is scheduled for November 8 & 9. He has been experiencing some upset stomach and loss of appetite again after the most recent treatment, but generally is feeling and looking better, has re-gained some weight and his blood values are good! the Doctor was especially amazed that his red cell count has stay up and even increased this time without a blood transfusion..he is out of anemia for the first time in 6 months...Yay God!!
Thank you so much for your prayers that have accompanied us on this part of the journey. Because of God's presence and comfort, because we've been able to worship and sing, to take communion often with whoever is at our table, to be reassured by many friends, family and neighbours of their care for us, we are not discouraged and are assured of the future plans God has for us. We are learning to declare over our future the things God has put on our heart, and to trust Him, as He has promised through His word and many prophetic words that He is preparing us for a new season of ministry, with accelerated momentum. He has promised us that He will open the right doors at the right time and will increase our influence when and where He wishes....so we are excited!
We recently made a 3 minute video showing our new location. Have a look :
Bless you and thank you so much for partnering with us.
6. Tim & Brenda Tjosvold
Greetings from the Niger Team retreat in Niamey where our crew is experiencing some encouraging worship, teaching and fellowship with a couple of visiting friends, Gerry Gould and Joanne Beach from the Toronto area.
I want to give you some good news and put a couple challenges before you tonight. The good news: we have found a nice house and will move in next week, Lord willing. Thanks for your prayer as we await final touches on the place and get installed. We’ll be sending pictures soon.
Next, I want to tell you about a great prayer opportunity. Under the energetic leadership of our colleagues, Paul & Chantelle McIver, we are beginning a training centre for girls at risk. Lord willing, we will have 60 young girls taking training in sewing and life skills. Chantelle McIver, the motor behind this great adventure, is looking for prayer partners for each girl in the course. Check it out online at http://impactniger.org/trainingcentre. If you would like to sign up to pray for one of these girls, please let us know and we will get you set up to receive occasional updates on their progress.
The other challenge tonight is for all those who attend Alliance churches. The bread and butter missions fund of the Alliance in Canada, the Global Advance Fund, is in dire straits. It is the fund that provides for our ministry except for the special projects that we are involved in. This Sunday a special offering will be taken in Alliance churches with the hope that a million dollars will be raised to correct the problem. We would ask that you seek the Lord as to any involvement that He would want you to have in this offering.
We are SO grateful for all those who have supported us financially and through prayer over the years. We want to make sure that our gratitude is well understood as we put this request before you. We are certainly not whining. God has always provided and He will continue to do just that. We are wildly grateful. We just put the challenge before you to ask the Lord if He would have you help out.
That’s it for tonight. Thank you again for your involvement with us in reaching the Tuareg and Western Fulani of Niger. May Jesus give you an ever increasing joy in this involvement and in all that you are doing to see disciples made for Jesus around the world.
Grateful in Jesus,
Tim for us all
Brenda for the African Tjs
For updates, email tbtjosvold@impactniger.org