Hi Friends,
If you get our monthly updates then you will know it’s been a busy time in the virtual offices of Reconciled World. For over a year we have felt God telling us that we needed to imagine what RW would be like if we were to double or more in size and to develop the systems and structure to make that possible. Fortunately He didn’t tell us to actually grow—more that He would provide the growth at the right time.
With much prayer we have developed a new organizational structure with an expanded leadership team that gives leadership to the various areas of the organization. We have appointed an Africa and Asia Director and we developed a curriculum team. At the same time God, in His amazing providence, provided us a new Director of Ministry Support who is excited to be developing that whole area. (For the last 8 years RW has had one person working very part time, helping to raise all our funds, so someone working almost full time to develop this area is quite the new step for us.) We’ve also appointed someone as our Director of Care and Community. He’ll be making sure that everyone from our staff to volunteers feel cared for and part of the community.
God has also been confirming who He has made us to be—we’re a wholistic discipleship organization with a focus on ending poverty and injustice. We believe that, as the church is truly discipled, it should transform all parts of society. We’ve seen it happen, and we long to see the Church around the world rise to her full potential.
As always thank you so much for walking with us, for your support, for cheering us on. We so appreciate each of you.
LIVE: Stories from our Partners with Nam and Anna
You’re invited to a special live webinar on June 5th with RW founders Nam and Anna. This will be a time to hear stories of how we’ve seen God answer prayers and show Himself so faithful. You’ll have an opportunity to ask questions and to be part of supporting RW in prayer. Most of all, we think you’ll leave encouraged and praising God!
ANSWERED PRAYERS
Over the past six months, we’ve seen our intercessor team grow about 15%. We’re so grateful for those who have committed to receive several emails a month as needs arise and take time to pray for them. As they’ve prayed, God has done some things we never expected.
Since the February 2021 military coup in Myanmar, Christians have become one of the groups being targeted with violence. In January, our intercessors were praying for our program leader there as he was traveling around visiting church leaders to encourage them during this difficult time. Not only did he report divine appointments and return home safely, but his wife and son were protected at home. One night, more than a hundred soldiers rounded up everyone in the neighborhood—presumably to question and intimidate them (ten people ended up being arrested). When they got to Tun Tun’s house—where his wife and son lay in their beds—they opened the door, looked around, and then left. We’re praising God for this miracle of protection!
In November, our Africa Director, Edo, tested positive for Covid while he was in Malawi leading a TCT training. Although he was asymptomatic, he was told he would have to quarantine for ten days before he would be allowed to retest. This meant that he would miss a training that he was supposed to lead in South Africa. So we called on the intercessors to pray. After two days, they called to tell him they had lost his test results and needed him to retake it immediately. He tested negative, and so was allowed to leave Malawi in time to attend the South Africa training! We love how God worked everything out where there seemed to be no way.
Would you like to join our intercessors in praying in moments like these?
GLIMPSES OF GOD
Truth Centered Transformation recently completed an evaluation of 26 of our partners—those who have completed at least 2 years of the 5-year program. We’re praising God for the impact the program has for the churches who implement it. And the evaluation results have helped us to focus our efforts on a few key areas that will strengthen the program more—training and mentoring the 1000+ volunteers involved in the program, making sure the training gets all the way to the congregations (rather than stopping at the pastors), and raising up even more prayer. Here are a few stories we heard during the evaluations in Uganda and the Philippines.
When TCT training began in a certain church in Uganda, one of the ladies had just found out that her husband was HIV-positive. A sick, unfaithful husband who was no longer working and 4 children was too much to bear. She had lost all hope for the future. As she studied, she came to understand that God could still use her. So she decided to fight for a better future. She got medication for her husband and started to try to make a plan for the future. They had a tiny shack and a small piece of land. The soil was rich in clay, so they started to make bricks with the idea of building a bigger house. They also decided to start a piggery to earn money—they took what they had and bought one piglet. With time her husband was able to start a small stall in the village selling roast pig. They kept asking God for wisdom, looking to what they had, and working hard to build a better future. They built a new house with the bricks they’d made, to provide a better place for their children. She encouraged others that God wasn’t finished with them and helped them to follow her example. Soon the community began to change, as people realized that if this woman can change her life with God’s help, they also can. Seeing the impact she was having in the community, an organization who helps those who are HIV-positive gave her a job counseling and encouraging others. With both a salary and the profits from the pig business they were able to finish the house. As she shared, it all came from learning that God hadn’t finished with her, He hadn’t given up on her.
In another community in Uganda, there was a gang of young men who were stealing from various people. After they stole chickens and bananas from the pastor, he had them put in jail. But after studying several modules of TCT, the pastor had a change of heart. He realized that instead of seeing these young men as his enemies, he needed to show them love because they had value to God. He had them released from prison and publicly forgave them. The young men have begun to live changed lives—they’ve given up stealing, are attending church, and are telling others about Jesus.
During the lockdown, one church in the Philippines wanted to reach out to their community. Instead of being discouraged because of the pandemic, they saw it as an opportunity to serve their neighbors in creative ways. Because schools were closed down, they opened their church for children to study there. With the support of the mayor, they recruited new college graduates who were trained as teachers to tutor the students in English and math. The men in the church also wanted to do something to reach out to men in the community—the group most reluctant to come to church. They decided to purchase fishing nets for men who had small boats but no nets. The nets increased their catches (and their incomes) and the men were so appreciative. Six men have joined the church because of this Act of Love!
GROWING DEEPER & STRONGER
All of our programs have continued on with ever changing covid restrictions. They have taken these two years to grow their programs and relationships with God deeper and stronger. Here are some of things of note from the past six months.
The Create Commission (TCC) launched a campaign for a new Art Centre that they have long dreamt of. We’re trusting God to bring it to completion, and are excited for TCC to be established in their new home.
In the country where the Wholistic Development Center (WDC) is raising up youth to be godly leaders, all schools have been closed for the past year. WDC is making the most of this time by sewing into the staff. As leaders, they can only give to the students what they themselves possess—so WDC has invited various missionaries and expats to come to campus and teach the staff everything from how to have a closer walk with God to computer skills. We can’t wait to see how God will use these leaders next school year when students return to campus!
In His Image—a center for students with autism—also remained closed this school year. But they have been able to support parents with workshops, counseling, get-togethers and online classes. In November they had a sibling get-together as well.
Worldview Training Initiative (WTI) has had new opportunities to teach truth to counter the lies that hold communities in brokenness. As he has reflected on the growth, the director shared with us, “It has been encouraging to see how some of the things that the Lord had planted in our team earlier as seeds—especially issues such as Gendercide, Creative Arts, Disability and Violence against Women—have received much more receptivity. More individuals are engaged as practitioners in these concerns, and more organizations have taken up those concerns.”
In March 2022, we launched Churches Stronger 2.0—a virtual discipleship program based on the TCT curriculum. We’re excited that CS 2.0 will make these ideas accessible to many more churches than ever before. The updated program is still very new, but we’re already hearing some great snippets of how the teachings are impacting communities. Here are a couple from India.
“Today I shared The whole story with a group of pastors and got a good response from them. They said they started thinking in a new and right way about why Jesus died. They expressed their gratitude for this kind of enlightenment.”
“I was able to share the first lesson with around 80 of our pastors. The two stories of two villages made a huge impact on people’s understanding of our social responsibility!!!”
As we step into a new season at RW and look back on how God has led us over the past six months, we’re so grateful that you’re with us on the journey. Thanks for supporting the work with your prayers and donations.
