Semi-Annual Update
It’s been another busy six months here at Reconciled World. We’ve done lots of traveling and training, had an organization wide virtual week of prayer, and several of us have also been able to gather face-to-face. In this semi-annual update, we wanted to focus on updates from our partner programs in Asia. Read on to find out what is new with Reconciled World and our partner programs.
WHOLISTIC DEVELOPMENT CENTER
The Wholistic Discipleship Center (WDC) operates in a country very opposed to missions and evangelism. Every two years WDC welcomes a new group of students to live and learn together. In fall 2022, the WDC staff welcomed a group of 24 students (12 men and 12 women) from 6 different tribal groups as well as the majority ethnic group in their country. All of the recruiting for the center happens through word of mouth, so many of the students who come to the center are from Christian backgrounds. In this class, four of the students arrived as non-Christians, but after less than one year, two of them have given their lives to Jesus. A huge part of life at the center is discipleship. The goal is that graduating students will understand how their Christian faith impacts every area of life and will be ready to share that faith with others.
Here’s a story about a current student at WDC
In a rural area, there was a family of 11 people living together in one small room after being forced out of their village because of their Christian faith. A church leader and mother of a former student contacted WDC about the situation and asked them to take in one of the girls, Leah*. They agreed, but when Leah arrived on campus, the WDC leaders discovered that she had never attended school and didn’t even speak the national language. Leah’s first semester at WDC was difficult. She did language study every day, while staff relied on miming and hand gestures to communicate with her. This semester is a different story. She is working completely independently! She is able to read and write on her own. Leah will now have more opportunities because she knows the national language. She is a smart, hard working young woman who loves Jesus. God surely has great things in store for her.
*name changed for security reasons
- Please pray for all the students at the center, that they would all come to know Jesus and allow Him to be Lord of every aspect of their lives.
- Pray for the staff as they teach and disciple the students.
- There are many ongoing health struggles among the WDC staff. Please pray for health and healing.
THE CREATE COMMISSION
The Create Commission is an art ministry that focuses on discipling and cultivating relationships with artists. Over the past 18 months they have started raising funds in order to purchase land and build an art center. Having an art center will allow them to grow even deeper relationships with more artists–with space for artists to work, gather, learn, and explore how their art can impact their communities. Raising money and finding a suitable plot of land for the art center is an ongoing process. If you would like to learn more please click here.
In June, The Create Commission will hold its annual International Artist Residency Program. This year’s theme is “The Nature of Difference” and focuses on stewarding creation. There are 15 artists joining the residency program this year—8 international artists and 7 Indian artists. Together they will explore what it means to be stewards of creation as they create art that will be exhibited at the end of the two weeks.
Another team member, Anthony, is currently exploring what it could mean to run a program similar to The Create Commission in Hungary. After working with The Create Commission in India for several years, Anthony has spent the past four years living and working as an artist in Budapest, Hungary. For most of his time in Hungary, he has been seconded to another organization, and he just officially rejoined RW late last year. He has been part of a small studio, working alongside 8 other artists and building relationships with them. It has been an opportunity for him to celebrate, cry, and grow with others, in a space among artists where the Church doesn’t normally get to.
Anthony has been learning first hand the role having a vocational presence can play in the mission field. In September, he held his first solo show at a local gallery. It was a show that came from his life in Hungary, and so he was able to celebrate that with the artists he’s been working alongside for the past several years.
- Pray for the residency preparations, that God would have His hand on the logistics and planning.
- Pray for the leaders of the residency as they prepare to lead the artists in meaningful dialogue around stewarding creation.
- Pray for the art center as the TCC team raises funds and continues to search for the right location for the center.
- Pray for Anthony as he continues to live and work in Hungary and seek out what God has in store for him.
WORLDVIEW TRAINING INITIATIVE
Worldview Training Initiative (WTI) has continuously been ‘ahead of the curve’ trying to help the church in India embrace a biblical view of issues like wholistic ministry, gender, and the caste system in India. For about four years they have had more focus on the caste system, and now other organizations and churches are starting to focus more and more on this issue as well. Over the past six months, the leader of WTI has had the opportunity to speak specifically on topics related to integral mission, engaging in the world as a Christian, gender, and caste.
- Pray that there would continue to be open doors to teach and share in churches and organizations throughout the country.
- Pray that churches in India would stand up against the various pressures working against them.
- Pray that the Indian Church would be a beacon of grace and truth for those oppressed by the caste system or domestic violence.
IN HIS IMAGE
The In His Image (IHI) center opened in 2007 to provide education and services for children with autism in India. Over the years, the center has evolved to also provide services for young adults with autism and has graduated several students into the workforce. At its peak, before Covid, there were approximately 40 students at IHI, with plans to grow to 60 students. Like with many others, Covid derailed those plans. The center was closed for a full two years due to government restrictions. Teaching moved online, and enrollment dwindled down to just 15 students.
Now that schools have been allowed to reopen, IHI is in a rebuilding time, working with various organizations in their city to identify families who would most benefit from their wholistic approach to helping children with autism reach their full potential. A church IHI is partnered with has been hosting a program one day a week in a slum community for children who are differently-abled. When they identify potential students, they are invited to apply for a scholarship. Another partner organization is working creatively through mediums like street theater to help families in slum communities understand the value and potential of their differently-abled children.
- Pray that God would help families who need help most to connect with IHI. Pray that parents who have no hope for their children to take the leap of faith required to enroll them at the center.
- Pray for stable funding.
- Pray for God to bring the right staff and volunteers to the center to fill needed roles.
EQUIPPING CHURCHES
Bible distribution in DR Congo
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is a predominantly Christian country with Christians constituting more than 90% of the population. And yet not everyone has access to a Bible. In some areas even pastors don’t own a Bible. They often tear one Bible into pieces, sharing it amongst many pastors and then regularly exchanging pages. Even more surprising, 70% of Christian pastors who do have a Bible are using a Jehovah’s Witness version. That’s why it became a priority to get a full version of the Bible to all the volunteer pastors that work with the Truth Centered Transformation (TCT)program in DR Congo. Thanks to some generous donations, 820 Bibles were purchased and distributed in five areas where we work. Many of the pastors even brought their old Bibles which were missing entire books to exchange.
BUILDING THE TEAM
The past year, we have spent a lot of time focusing on growth. That has meant restructuring parts of the organization, shifting people into new roles, and bringing onboard several new team members, especially on the Equipping Churches team. Thankfully, God has also brought us several new support staff members who are helping to keep things running smoothly.
At the beginning of 2023, Wendy joined our Curriculum Team. She has been integral in helping develop some of our Equipping Churches curriculum, and we intend to keep her very busy with many more projects on the horizon.
Adrienn recently joined our Staff Care Team, bringing her background in counseling and her thoughtful communication style. She is helping provide one-on-one support to staff and to brainstorm and develop systems and resources for the organization in the area of staff care.
Chinky just joined RW in April as the Equipping Churches Operations Coordinator. She will be taking on a huge amount of responsibility as she helps manage the work of the EC Team and handles many of their day to day operational needs.
- Please pray for these three women as they learn and develop in their roles.
- Pray for workloads of the entire support staff team, that God would help them to prioritize, balance, and serve with all His strength.
- Pray that all the support staff would feel appreciated and valued as part of the RW family.
PRAYER NEEDED!
In the past six months we have seen God answer our prayers in many amazing ways—from the provision of visas and travel permits to connecting with new TCT partners. However, with the variety of activities, increasing travel, and continuous hiring and onboarding, we strongly feel the need for more prayer. It feels like we are growing beyond our current prayer coverage and need a bigger umbrella!
We’d love to have you join our team of prayer intercessors. This is a group of people who receive a handful of emails each month with timely prayer requests from throughout the organization. We are also hoping to create more opportunities for times of virtual prayer together. If you’d like to join our team of intercessors, you can do so here (just be sure to tick the box next to ‘Intercessor’ on the form), or you can send an email to Lizzie. She can get you signed up and answer any questions you might have.
Thanks for reading along. As we move into the second half of 2023 we look forward to celebrating our 10th anniversary in October and we’re so grateful that you’re here to be part of our journey.
