Archive for September, 2009
A Word of Thanks
Tuesday, September 29th, 2009
From Dan Brokke
My mom and I (and our whole family) would like to thank you for your tremendous love and support during these past days. We have received hundreds of messages of appreciation for “Pastor Brokke’s” impact in lives through his teaching, personal care and ministry, and for being a man of consistent integrity and pursuit of God. Last night we were able to view the video of the funeral that J. Swan took. It is so moving to see our many friends worshiping God and celebrating together. Dad is rejoicing in God’s presence. He is experiencing the fullness of life “in Christ” as never before.
Bethany International Ministries
Paul and Theresa returned from Europe September 24. Here is a report Theresa sent while there: “We are enjoying our time with the interns. This is a great group! We’ve completed individual debriefs with all of them and have one more morning of class. Tonight is team meeting and tomorrow night will be prayer and communion, along with a challenge and encouragement for them to finish well. The weather here is warm and dry like home. The Adriatic Sea is beautiful, blue in color and clear. The mountains are just a little ways behind the town and some of the group will go hiking in the national park on Wednesday after the meetings are finished.”
Crisis in Honduras - Please Pray
Bethany workers in Honduras emailed this last week: “If Honduras-happenings happened to make it to your news channel (apparently, Ex-President Mel Zelaya has returned to Honduras and is in the Brazilian embassy) we just wanted to let you know that we are fine, at home, 20 minutes out of the city, behind our high walls. I just heard 30 minutes ago that there is a curfew from 4:00 PM today until 7:00 AM tomorrow. I think they are just trying to get everyone in as soon as possible so no one is on the streets after dark. The country has shut off cell phone service in the past 15 minutes so I thought I should send out an email before they decide to turn the internet off, too.” Then a follow-up email the next day: ”We have a wonderful medical team of 35 people here this week. They are scheduled to leave on Saturday AM. Due to the ousted, ex-president coming back into country undercover, the city is in a difficult time. They have announced a second day of curfew for tomorrow.
While medical people are being permitted to be out, we decided not to go today. It is a great disappointment for the team but they heartily worked on other projects around the mission house.”
GlobeServe
Tim F. attended the Mission Exchange conference last week in St Louis, MO where long-time Bethany friend, George Verwer, was presented with a lifetime achievement award.
George received the award with his typical humor and self-deprecation. In the midst of his humor there was always a strong thread of passion for the world that was so evident.
When he first asked Dreena to marry him he warned her first, “If you marry me you’ll probably be eaten by cannibals in New Guinea.” They’ve been married now for 49 years. Steve Moore, the Mission Exchange CEO, told him that’s the most creative pick-up line he’s ever heard.
At more than 70-years-old, George laments that he’s slowing down. He used to speak more than 600 times a year but so far this year has only spoken 270 times. What an amazing guy!
STEM
A lesser known part of STEM (Short-term Evangelical Missions) is the teams they take to the 10/40 Window. Earlier this year a team shared their life witness of Jesus in word and deed with Africans as they interacted with them in University English classes, English clubs, in Sahara tents, and treks through the desert. Their simple prayers were to call on the Lord to “let your kingdom come, let your will be done, here, in this land, as it is in heaven.”
In one country, God opened spontaneous opportunities to share the Lord with the people as the team was on the streets prayer walking. Many times we don’t see visible results from our prayers, but recently a prayer group, at the Spirit’s leading, walked into a girl’s school and ended up sharing the Lord over tea with the principal and several of the teachers.
Please pray as our next team is in preparation to go November 7-21.
Harold Brokke
Thursday, September 17th, 2009
Pastor Harold Brokke, who served at Bethany since 1948, passed away on Tuesday, September 15.
To view his obituary, please click on this link.
The family wishes to say “thank you” for the testimonies and words of love and sympathy sent from around the world.
Transitions
Monday, September 14th, 2009
It was a “sad” week for us with the resignations of Ken Krause and Richee Parks from BCOM and BHOP. They are men we respect deeply—men we have so enjoyed working alongside.
These kinds of transitions are difficult, especially at the start of the new school year. Ken and Richee are taking the next three weeks to finish off some of their key projects and to help Dan Brokke in transition (Dan will oversee the college).
We pray for God’s best to Ken and Richee and their families in this next season of their lives.
Dan Brokke will be on campus most Mondays through Fridays. He is looking forward to diving into deeper relationship with the BCOM and BHOP staff, and with mentors and students while he serves as Director of the College during these weeks and months ahead.
Advancement
A Christian foundation in Texas recently learned about Bethany through this website. They sent us some information about who they are. In light of this, a proposal for the College was sent to them and now has been funded. Besides gifts from several foundations this year, two new ones have now started giving to Bethany. Your ongoing prayer support is appreciated as proposals are before several foundations and donors.
STEM
Please pray with us as Short-Term Evangelical Missions seeks to form a team to work with Bethany Global interns in Kenya later this year. So far they have four applications and could take twelve or more. Prayer is the biggest need right now:
- That God will bring the right mix of people together for this outreach
- Preparation of heart for goers and field facilitators
- Setting up for those divine encounters God has for us as we prepare to go, on-field, and after returning home
- Logistical set-up, raising funds, getting visas, etc.
