ARGENTINA (8 workers)

Mike & Sherry Borstad: visited rural churches in the northwest and confirmed the isolation among rural church planters and pastors and their invitation to the Borstads to work with them. When the Borstad's return from home assignment in 2010, they will focus on resourcing rural pastors instead of ministering in their churches. In preparation for this transition, Mike turned over the lead pastor role to a team of church leaders.

• The seminary year is off to a good start, with 10 enthusiastic students in Mike’s “Introduction to Missions” course.
  
• Sherry’s monthly English conversation class is growing and opening doors to testify. For the church youth, Mike is teaching two workshops on cults.
  
• The evangelism/discipleship team is working with nine couples, most of whom do not regularly attend services. Each couple has relational stresses or should clarify their commitment to each other by marriage.

Paul & Ana Hill: To attract more youth, the church in Santiago del Estero held its second youth fest, with the theme “Black for White.” Entrance required dressing in black and white. The event, attended by about 40 teens, included loud music, games, humorous video shorts, karaoke and food and lasted from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. Javier de Jesus, worship leader and a CanZion staff member, shared about how God can change individuals from black to white. Javier meets with the church youth every Friday night and on Saturday helps train 150 CanZion Institute students for music ministries. Recently they participated in Extreme Day, an outreach event in the church neighborhood and at the children’s hospital, main plaza and other sites. Music, tracts and sharing were the main emphases.

BRAZIL (13 missionaries)

Ellie Lundquist: Having arrived on the field in February, Ellie is in language study in Campinas, near São Paulo. She rooms with seven Brazilian girls, six of whom are believers and most are students at the University of Campinas, third largest university in Brazil. The believers are involved in campus ministry and hold a church service/Bible study twice a week in their home with about 30-35 students. Living with the girls has helped Ellie with her language progress. She attends language class weekdays, three hours a day. The instruction is one-on-one, allowing her to proceed at her own pace. She also connected with a deaf group at a Nazarene church. Her primary focus now is to learn Portuguese, but she is eager to learn LIBRAS (Brazilian sign language).

CAMBODIA (2 workers) Picture withheld by request

Paul & Mai Stern: The Cambodian government recently granted Non-Governmental Organization status to Converge Worldwide (BGC). This gives important legal foundation to the Village School Program and to other directions God may take the Converge ministry in the future. Currently the Sterns have spearheaded the creation of three small schoolhouses in villages. These promote literacy and help build community trust. A short-term missions team from Arizona helped construct the third school, which opened May 18. 

Gary & Ruth Stephens: return to Cameroon Baptist Theological Seminary in July and will work with Dr. Paul Mokake, the school’s first president. He is returning to the school after having recently completed studies in the U.S.

• As funds are available, the school will add to its facilities. The foundation is in place for a new building, and the goal is to add at least four classrooms. Some classes now are held in the grade school. Staff and student living facilities also will be improved.
  
• Ruth will restore the Women’s Institute for Ministry and lead the program for a while before turning it over to CBTS graduate Fonge Monica.
  

Philemon & Linda Yong: The Rain Forest International School, attended by high schoolers of missionaries, needs house parents for the 2010-2011 school year. The current house parent assistant leaves this June, and the house parents leave in June 2010. Unless replacements are found for these, the Yongs will have to take a year’s leave from Cameroon Baptist Theological Seminary, their calling, to become house parents for RFIS. Also, teachers are always needed. It usually takes at least two years to apply and raise support. So this is crunch time. Please check the school at www.rfis.org  A construction professional also is needed to oversee building new housing for students. A one- to two-year commitment is needed.

CANADA (2 workers)

• About 100 members from nine BGC churches in Montreal met April 24-25 for a successful weekend conference.
  
• The Masongezis will return to the U.S. July 6 for a three-month home assignment.

MEXICO (11 workers)

Lynn & Barb Conner: Since February 2008 Barb Conner and Converge missionary MeLinda Nelson have been hosting periodic breakfasts for pastors’ wives. The purpose of these multidenominational events is to let the women know they are appreciated and to encourage them in their ministries. June 5-6 Converge LEADNET team member Janet Johnson traveled from Chicago to Guadalajara to lead 12-15 of the pastors’ wives in an overnight training session to help them form their LEADNET group, called Entretejidas (meaning “knit together”). Like all LEAD groups, its purpose is to provide mutual support and accountability.

Tim Nash: As of January 4, 2009, Tim reached his full support and was relocated to the Converge Central Mexico team for four months. There he received special training in the Spanish language and ministry. The time was very intense and packed, allowing him to acquire new skills and ideas for his ministry in Tecate, where he is serving now.

John & Lori De Cleene: The New J television station they began recently in Cagayan de Oro has a new partnership with Good TV, which targets the Chinese community. The partnership came about because The New J had an extra broadcast frequency it literally did not know what to do with. Good TV has the programming — music, English, cooking classes, dramas and many preaching programs — but had no broadcast frequency. The Chinese community now is generously supportive of both stations. For the hundreds of thousands of Filipinos who don’t have cable TV, Good TV is the only Christian broadcasting available. The two stations are working together to further the gospel.

SINGAPORE (2 workers)

Chris & Faith Creech: Chris is mentoring Tunji, a Nigerian at East Asia School of Theology who pastored for 10 years in Nigeria and the Seychelles Islands, in the Indian Ocean. Tunji also is a highly educated veterinarian. He was raised as a Muslim by his grandparents but accepted the Lord through the church of a loving friend. An accomplished speaker, he recently conducted evangelistic meetings in Korea. He is working on a master of divinity degree, and his wife Rhonke attends a Partners in Ministry class taught by Faith. They  have two adorable young daughters.

THAILAND (8 workers)

Steve & Nopaluck Cable: Fourteen members of Peace Fellowship Church and the Santisuk English School attended the 7th Thai Congress on Evangelism May 4-8. Held every five years, the event attracted nearly 3000 pastors and leaders from all over Thailand and other countries.

• A few months ago, no short-term teachers were committed to help at SES in May and June. But praise God for answered prayer: one man volunteered for May and three for June.
  
• The April annual sports camp had 23 attendees, and the May friendship camp, 43. A guest at the friendship camp prayed to receive Christ, as did another soon after attending a cell group meeting.
  
• The Phang Nga church plant in eastern Bangkok, led by Don-don and Carol, a Filipino couple, and Joy, a Thai, is now in its new site. The team is praying for quality contacts.
  
• To be self-supporting, Peace Fellowship Church channels money from property rentals (a restaurant, 14 small shops and the church and SES facilities) into its “Expanding the Kingdom” fund. Since 2005 this fund has allowed them to pay off a $35,000 loan in Thailand, assist the new church plant, make a down payment and monthly payments on a van, expand the PFC nursery and help support a church member studying in the U.S. to become a pastor to serve in Thailand.

Lisa Harris-Hall: About 90 people, 15 of them guests, participated in the Peace Community House Church Network weekend family camp. Each day Lisa and a team of five, including three Thai church members, led 12 children ages 1-12 in games, activities, songs and stories. A highlight of the camp was the baptism of two youths, a brother and sister. Their entire family witnessed the special occasion, held at the beach at 7:30 a.m.

• Easter Sunday the church had a full house, including 30 children that Lisa led in worship and activities. Everyone joined in a wonderful time of worship and, after the service, enjoyed lunch together.
  
• Lisa continues to teach English to a neighbor girl and leads a Bible study at the international church.
• She is seeking God’s guidance about finances. Some neighbors ask for money, and though willing to help, she has difficulty discerning if they’re actually in need.

Kevin & Cynthia Walton: The following occurred in the past few months in the Peace Community House Church Network: in a desire for spiritual renewal two house churches joined for a season of combined worship; three youth who had been part of PCHCN’s scholarship program graduated from college, two of whom may become interns in PCHCN’s youth ministry (see below); two couples who attended a marriage encounter retreat  experienced improvement in their family life; and a couple who filed for divorce reconciled as a result of participating in Good Friday activities.

• PCHCN recently began a one-year focus on community outreach and evangelism during its monthly in-service training day.
• In May the church revised its Foundation youth scholarship program to focus on developing youth leaders. It also added a one-year youth internship, with three youths currently participating. This will increase opportunities to host youth evangelistic events and follow up new believers. Filipino missionary Rusty Padel heads the youth ministry.

URUGUAY (2 workers)

Dick Young: Last fall King of Peace Church made its third major move since its beginning. This latest move was to smaller, more affordable facilities just around the corner. There was not as much disruption in ministry or attendance as compared to the other moves. KOPC still needs about $15,000 to complete its remodeling.

• The move was stressful for Dick, who experienced some heart problems, compounded by poisoning from red eucalyptus sawdust. He was exposed to the dust when helping build a roof over part of the patio. He is back to good health.
• Many KOPC members were touched when they attended the Franklin Graham Festival of Hope. Two long-prayed for conversions resulted, a follow-up of years of testimony and praise.
  
• The Youngs’ son-in-law, Glenn Molina (married to Shanti), graduates from Fuller Theological Seminary in June.

Lynette Young: God provided a great planning team for renovating KOPC’s new meeting place. Andrés, considered one of Uruguay’s best interior designers, helped envision how to best use the space. Earlier, his wife Álvara had found the rental property. Marcos, an excellent architect, determined what interior walls could be safely removed. And church members provided much hands-on help, including painting the interior and building a patio. Evangelistic events have resumed, such as a professionals’ book/art study and coffee get-together. And several high-quality concerts were held.

• In August, Lynette returns to the U.S. to visit supporting churches and study at a seminary for a year before becoming a career missionary.