missionary updates

ASA (missions) NEWSLETTER

© 2007 Jo DiStefano Kapus March 30, 2007

SUNDAY'S GUESTS John and Sharon Harvey, of ASELSI Ministries in Guatemala, will be the guests on America's Silent Ambassadors this Sunday, April 1, at 2 p.m., on station WIBG, 1020AM radio dial. At the time the program was recorded, the Harveys were winding up their visit to this area, having been conference guests at Greentree Church's World Missions Conference, March 11-18. They have served 15 years as missionaries in Central America.

An ordained minister, who did his Master's work at the Nazarene Theological Seminary, John heads the educational branches of ASELSI (Association for "Equipping the Saints International"). It provides quality Bible education to leaders and pastors of rural communities at its permanent Bible training center and in extension centers in more remote areas in Central America.

Sharon, who is the sister of Harvey Hawn, co-founder of Gospel Outbound, Inc., grew up and attended school in Pleasantville, NJ. After high school, she earned her RN at the West Jersey Hospital School of Nursing in Camden, NJ. She runs the free Father's Heart Clinic/pharmacy at the ASELSI compound (as well as free pharmacy/clinics in remote villages), serving thousands of people annually, who would not otherwise be able to receive care and medicine. The clinic provides examinations, pre- and post-natal care, eye clinics, health education, a pharmacy stocked by donations from the states, the Milk Program, and most recently, physical therapy for the physically challenged. Too, the Word of God is lovingly shared at all times.

Remember, if you live outside the broadcast area, you can listen simultaneously online at www.wibg.com

PRAISE THE LORD! Dorothy Marketto, founder of Omie's Home for Children, (named for her mother, Oma), now has a website: www.omieshomeforchildren.com Some of the web is still under construction, but there is enough information there that will touch your heart. It all started in a rural suburb of Secunderabad, a city in southern India in the state of Andhra Pradesh when Rev. Mani R. Nadava found 10 children living on the streets of a village where he and a team were evangelizing and digging a water bore well. He contacted Dottie, a short-term missionary to India, and asked if she could help. Dottie, who lives in Vineland, NJ, brought the need to her family and friends and the rest is history. Omie's Home for Children in Secunderabad, India, is now "home for 26 children in need of God's love and care." PRAISE!

Yvonne Parr and her husband Les are missionaries in Rwanda under the umbrella of Elim Fellowship International Ministries, Lima, NY. Yesterday I received a very special e-mail from Yvonne, who wrote: "Today marks a special day for us. A landmark day since it has been one year today we disembarked off the plane and began our new life in Rwanda in which we now call home...." Yvonne will be here on furlough later this Spring. Please pray that she will be able to be on ASA at that time.

Also, please pray that Bible college student Tiffany Mills, who went on a short-term mission trip to the Dominican Republic during her spring break this year, will also be able to be on ASA soon. PRAISE THE LORD FOR HIS SAINTS!

important mission news

ASA (missions) NEWSLETTER

© Jo DiStefano Kapus March 23, 2007

PRAISE THE LORD!

T. M. and Rebecca Onkar, founding missionaries of Faith Calvary Ministry (FCM) in India, were blessed with a new baby girl, Genevieve Hanna, born March 15, 2007. Proud grandmom, Joan Weidner, told me that mother and baby are doing fine. The Onkars have two other daughters and the family is here in the States until mid-May. They are available for speaking engagements in churches, small groups and individually during this time. For more information, you can contact their NJ office at (856) 663-6668.

FCM in India is a flourishing ministry involved in Pastor support and training, Bible College, Children's Home, Churches, Cell groups. House churches, English schools, Leadership training and Relief work.

SUNDAY'S GUEST

FATHER LEONARD CARRIERI, of the Missionaries of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, will be the guest missionary on America's Silent Ambassadors this Sunday, March 25, at 2 p.m., on station WIBG, 1020AM radio dial. The day marks Father Leonard's 93d birthday! A scholar with a doctorate in Theology, he clings to Biblical belief that salvation comes only through Jesus Christ. Hear his thoughts about Lent - they might surprise you. A Roman Catholic priest for more than 70 years, his poignant answer to the question, "Any regrets?" will touch your heart.

If you live outside the broadcast area, listen simultaneously online www.wibg.com

YOUR PRAYERS ARE REQUESTED

Bob and Heidi Winslow, a young missionary couple with three small children, appeared on ASA on April 30 last year when they were home on furlough. They are currently serving in France, a nation whose government maintains that the wearing of conspicuous religious symbols threatens the country's secular identity.

A couple of days ago, Heidi wrote: "I write you all asking for prayer this morning because we have a battle to fight for the heart and purity of our children and for France." She went on to explain that each day, her husband and their little girl are forced to walk by a certain convenience store, on the way to the child's school, that displays a very inappropriate poster/advertisement in front. Although Heidi does not describe the poster, she added, "It is quite offensive because you feel like they have violated your kids with such a blatant display (but this is the sin-sickness of the whole culture because no one seems to care about children seeing sexual images."

Heidi went on to say that she intended to see the store's owner that day to ask the owner to please take down the poster. If that didn't work, she thought she would approach the mayor about it. Please pray for Heidi and Bob and the children, as they seek to serve the Lord in a country that, although many believe is Christian, is in reality atheistic.

Also, please pray for Mike Clark, founder/director of Casa Para Niños Aleluya, a home for hundreds of abandoned, abused and homeless children. He is asking anyone in the pharmaceutical/medical field, who can help, to please donate the following meds for one of the home's little girls scheduled for a kidney transplant in mid-April: Prograft, Cell Cept and Prednisone -- (for post-operative long-term care).

latest missions news

ASA (missions) NEWSLETTER

© 2007 Jo DiStefano Kapus March 16, 2007

SUNDAY'S GUEST SHARON TUDOR, Township of Hamilton resident and member of the Tower of Hope short-term mission team that served in Uganda, Africa, last February 16 - 28, will be the guest on America's Silent Ambassadors this Sunday, March 18, at 2 p.m., on station WIBG, 1020AM radio dial. Sharon has appeared several times on ASA, and always shares her experiences in a candid, articulate manner.

Sharon has a heart for the people of Uganda, a country devastated by poverty, war and AIDS, and where life expectancy is 45. Hear how Tower of Hope is building a home and clinic for many desolate, homeless children, how they conducted free pharmacy/medical clinics in small villages, how there is a hunger for the Word of God, and how she and her husband, John, who also went on the team (as one of the construction workers), have been dedicating themselves to fulfilling the Great Commission in Uganda.

PRAISE THE LORD! Greentree Church's World Missions Conference is in full swing! A record number of women attended Girls' Night Out on Thursday, March 15, to hear Sharon Harvey, R.N., of ASELSI Ministries in Guatemala. She shared her years of experience as founder and director of The Father's Heart Clinic, where she has saved hundreds of at-risk babies from malnutrition, birth defects and disease.

Also on the program was Lucinda Wills, who served as a missionary with her husband, Robert. She brought with her their adorable adopted 20-month-old toddler, Jaden, an African baby boy abandoned by his tribe. The stories of these two women touched many hearts.

Sharon's husband, John Harvey, co-founder of ASELSI Ministries and Director of ILIO (Equipping the Saints, International), which offers a degree program in Bible to Guatemalan men and women so they can return to their villages as pastors/leaders, will join the Men's Breakfast on Saturday, March 17, 8:30 a.m. at Greentree's Zion Hall. He will also be the guest speaker at the church's Sunday morning (8:45 and 10:30) worship services.

Rev. Terrol (Terry) W. Jones' book, "Extreme Adventure - Experiencing the Word of God," is now available. Terry, a missionary, educator and pastor, has dedicated the book to the youth and young adults of South Jersey. IT IS A BOOK FOR EVERYONE!

(See the March 9, 2007 ASA Newsletter.)

YOUR PRAYERS ARE REQUESTED Alan Bender, who has been a guest on ASA with reports of his evangelistic work overseas, and home prison ministry, called to ask for prayer. Said Alan, "A friend of mine is coming from Portland, Oregon, and staying from March 29 through the beginning of April. We're going to try to go to prisons in Camden and Philadelphia. Please pray that doors will be open and that God will bless our efforts in this ministry."

"...I was in prison, and ye came unto me. ...Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." Matt. 25:36,40

new young adult book + latest

ASA (missions) NEWSLETTER

© Jo DiStefano Kapus March 9, 2007

Heads Up!

SUNDAY'S GUEST Rev. Terrol (Terry) W. Jones, who has a Master's Degree in Theology and is a missionary with International Missions Network, out of Dallas, Texas, will be the guest on America's Silent Ambassadors this Sunday, March 11, at 2 p.m., on station WIBG, 1020AM radio dial. When he is home from the missions field, Terry is Assistant Pastor of Covenant Life Christian Fellowship in Seaville, NJ, and a substitute teacher in our public school system. His first appearance on ASA was in May 2005.

Terry relates his experiences in northern India and also in Sri Lanka, where he serves at the evangelical Lanka Bible College in Peradeniya, Kandy.

Most exciting will be Terry's introduction of his book, "EXTREME ADVENTURE - Experiencing the Word of God," which he has dedicated to the youth and young adults of South Jersey in memory of Covenant Life Christian Fellowship's Pastor Andrew Surace's son. The book should be available in book stores and on the web in about two weeks. Terry, a missionary, educator and pastor, whose undergraduate work was in Education, History and Social Sciences, is married and a father, and well qualified for a work of this depth and magnitude. THINK! It is between the years of 18 and 30 that we all make our most important decisions in life -- those which not only impact our own lives, but those of our parents, spouse, children and grandchildren. THIS IS A BOOK FOR EVERYONE!

(See Terry's website: www.impactasiaministries.com)

PRAISE THE LORD! Alan Bender, former Philadelphia electrician, who has dedicated his life to spreading the Gospel, called me last Saturday, March 3. He had just returned from Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic, and in his usual ebullient way, shouted "Jo, you now have 2,000 more brothers and sisters in the Lord!" PRAISE!

"You just don't get this kind of information anywhere else!" .. "I enjoy listening to your program!" These are the two most frequent comments I receive from listeners. I ask all missionaries, long or short-term (overseas or home missions), to please share your experiences on our program so that you can inform, educate and encourage others to walk with the Lord. This May 1, we shall begin our third year of broadcasting on WIBG. PRAISE!

YOUR PRAYERS ARE REQUESTED Would you believe? According to "CLC Heartbeat", Winter 2006 edition, a bookmobile is becoming a reality in Burma! The population in Burma (Myanmar according to the ruling military junta) is about 50 million, 89% of whom are Buddhist and 6% Christian. The bookmobile will be used to deliver books and Bibles to previously unreachable areas. CLC began its work in Burma 15 years ago with a Christian bookstore, and have now published over 100 books in Burmese. Currently there are 75,000 Burmese Bibles waiting at the border to be shipped in, as well as over 20,000 books. PLEASE PRAY FOR THEIR SAFE PASSAGE. They are desperately needed, but must be prayed in!

World Missions Conference March 11-18, 2007, Greentree Church, EHT, NJ

Israel 2 p.m. Sunday+news

ASA (missions) NEWSLETTER

© Jo DiStefano Kapus March 2, 2007

SUNDAY'S GUEST Alecia Brennan, who has been a missionary to Israel, will be the guest on America's Silent Ambassadors, this Sunday, March 4, at 2 p.m., on station WIBG, 1020AM radio dial. Remember, you can listen simultaneously online at www.wibg.com if you live outside the broadcast area.

Heads Up!

Alecia, a Cape May County social worker, will be of enormous interest to those who are burdened with the conversion of Israel. You may be more than a little surprised at her candor when she speaks about her experiences there. Even more riveting is her admission that she disobeyed the two rules missionaries must never break, and how she survived.

Of special note is Alecia's interest in Messianic Judaism, citing New York Times best-selling author ("The Last Days" and "The Last Jihad") Joel C. Rosenberg's non-fiction book, "Epicenter: Why The Current Rumblings In The Middle East Will Change Your Future," published 2006.

PRAISE THE LORD! John and Sharon Harvey, of ASELSI Ministry in Guatemala, Mexico and Ecuador, will be featured at Greentree's World Missions Conference that will run from Sunday, March 11, through Sunday, March 18, 2007. Also featured will be missionary Lucinda Wills, plus special presentations and events. Conference schedule brochures are available at Greentree Church.

This past December and January, the Father's Heart Clinic, run by Sharon Harvey, RN, was able to help seven of their Milk Program children (more than 260 were seen each month last year) with "one of the greatest Christmas Gifts of all -- a fixed lip or a new palate." The cost of running the clinic last year, not including medications or vitamins given, was $27,096.

YOUR PRAYERS ARE REQUESTED We look forward to the safe return of the Tower of Hope evangelism/medical/construction mission team that went to Uganda last month. Please pray that their efforts are blessed and that they will have many inspirational moments to share with us. Praise!

Yvonne Parr is overjoyed that her sister will visit with her and Les very soon. Yvonne reported that their H.E.L.P. program in war-torn Rwanda, Africa, now has 53 students in the program. They were anticipating only 24 and, needless to say, they are short of supplies. Please pray that the Lord will supply the needed finances for supplies.

Richard Walton, of SEND International, returned home last month after his recent trip to Bulgaria to teach Missions at the United Theological Faculty program in Sofia and Varna. He has asked for prayer for the staff at UTF "as they carry on the program and see the students develop for effective ministry in Bulgaria, the Balkans and Beyond."

"...Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." Matt. 25:40