CRC Missionaries Undergo Orientation
More than 20 men and women who plan to serve on a range of overseas mission fields underwent several days of in-depth orientation and training this week in the Grand Rapids, Mich., office of the Christian Reformed Church in North America.
As missionaries with Christian Reformed World Missions, they will serve in a variety of roles and capacities in varied locations, including Cambodia, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Mexico, Nicaragua, Nigeria, and Uganda. Some of them are already starting their work. Others hope to begin soon.
Many of those attending the orientation will be teachers. For instance, Sheila Dykstra, one of the seven career missionaries, will be helping to develop and improve primary through university level Christian education throughout Nigeria and other West African countries.
Gil and Joyce Suh will serve as "Leadership Trainer / Ministry Coordinator" in Cambodia, assisting the Evangelical Fellowship of Cambodia and partner churches to practice holistic ministry through a ministry center.
Caspar Geisterfer and his wife, Leanne, will work with the CRC and other Reformed and Presbyterian churches in Honduras to plan, implement, evaluate and sustain integral church growth.
Leanne Geisterfer was not at the orientation because she is currently participating as a rider of the CRC's Sea to Sea 2008 Tour, which is set to cross the United States and part of Canada by the end of August. Its goal is to raise $1.5 million to help combat global poverty.
Meanwhile, Mwaya and Munyviva Wa-Kitavi are serving as "Regional Leader for East and Southern Africa" and will be working in conjunction with Christian Reformed World Relief Committee to strengthen the CRC ministry in that region of the world. In addition to CRWM and CRWRC, other organizations that they will be working with include Back to God Hour Ministries International, the Pentecostal Assemblies of God in Uganda (PAGU) and the Reformed Church of East Africa.
The purpose of the training in G.R. is to acquaint new people to the mission, vision, and values of CRWM, to have them become familiar with office staff and their support roles, and to explore a number of topics that impact inter-cultural ministry, says a press release from CRWM.
"There are sessions on the stages of cultural transition, building a dynamic team with prayer and financial supporters, practical help for written communication, DVD and PowerPoint presentations, witnessing from a Reformed perspective, personal security (including a hostage simulation exercise), as well as times for group prayer and reflection," says a CRWM description of the orientation, which ended Wednesday.
In addition, this year there were two special sessions: one geared to help missionaries manage their personal investments and a presentation by Lamin Sanneh, Professor of Missions and World Christianity and Professor of History at Yale Divinity School, "Presenting the Gospel Understood From a Muslim Viewpoint."
