Jan/Feb/Mar 2017

Jan 2017 The call in action world tour: Asia Tracks 1–5

Raj Patel (Track 2) Raj is regional manager for Asia and represented CMS at the bicentenary celebrations of the arrival of the first CMS in 200 years ago. The huge celebrations took place in Kottayam in November 2016, drawing up to 100,000 people. “Tens of thousands of people marched to the venue in earnest and vibrant celebrations of CMS missionaries 200 years ago,” said Raj. “The missionaries of old opened up a path for freedom, faith and faithfulness which was demonstrated by the commissioning of 210 Church of South missionaries on Sunday. This vitality not only provides hope for Kerala, India and Africa but also for where the missionaries of old started their journeys. We must ready our minds and hearts in order to confidently and humbly accept what God is stirring. It is apt that this new wave of mission was honoured in such a joyous and momentous manner.”

Bishop Irfan Jamil (Track 3) The Rt Rev Irfan Jamil is of Lahore in the Church of Pakistan. He visited the UK in 2016 to attend, among other events, the Asia: Prayer and Aware event “How to Roll Like Sahdu” a youth-focused event based on the life of , the Indian Christian mystic. The diocese of Lahore describes its mission as: “spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ through evangelism and the spiritual and socio-economic uplift of its members, in an Islamic context. In fulfilling its mission, the Lahore diocese recognizes the rich diversity of gifts both among men and women, and seeks to provide training where possible.”

Joel Hafvenstein (Track 4) Joel and his family are mission partners with the Church of Scotland, serving with the United Mission to Nepal from Kathmandu. Joel took over as executive director in June 2016.

Chirch Mission Society is a founder member of United Mission to Nepal (UMN), which addresses root causes of poverty as it serves the people of Nepal in the name and spirit of Jesus Christ. Established in 1954, UMN is a cooperative effort between the people of Nepal and a large number of Christian organisations from nearly 20 countries.

Joel came to UMN with substantial experience in international development, mainly in Afghanistan, with a special knowledge of disaster response work. For the previous five years, he has worked for Tearfund UK in London in a variety of roles. He is married to Fiona and they have two young sons. He spent his childhood years in Nepal, as his parents were UMN appointees in the 1970s and 1980s.

This month's reflection (Track 5) comes from Ian Adams, mission spirituality adviser for Church Mission Society. Ian’s prayer exercises are available on our website: churchmissionsociety.org/resources

Feb 2017 The call in action world tour: Africa Tracks 6–10

Rachel Karanja (Track 7) Rachel, based in Nairobi, is a CMS-Africa representative and leads Greenspan, a business-as-mission company seeking to use environmentally friendly technology. As you will hear, she pioneered the installation of biogas in the region as a sustainable way of producing clean cooking gas (instead of smoky firewood), reducing environmental damage (no more chopping down trees for firewood), and the fertiliser by-product increases crop yields.

Bisoke Balikenga (Track 8) Bisoke is the provincial youth coordinator for the Anglican Church of the Congo. Based in Bunia, eastern DR Congo, he worked with CMS mission partner Judy Acheson for many years and then took over the role from her in 2009, when Judy retired. He is Church Mission Society's longest-standing local partner in Africa. Bisoke is married to Furaha, and has three children. He has been involved in youth activities since 1989, and studied at Daystar University in Kenya. He describes his vision as reaching “young people with the gospel, enabling them to discern the way forwards and to make informed decisions”.

A local mission partner, Kenya (Track 9) A call to mission can be a dangerous thing. In some Muslim-majority areas, especially those where terrorist groups have operated, we have to be careful about naming people. This local partner works in eastern Kenya, and as you will hear, is deeply committed to witnessing to the pastoralist communities to whom he has been called.

This month's reflection (Track 10) comes from Ian Adams, mission spirituality adviser for Church Mission Society. Ian’s prayer exercises are available on our website: churchmissionsociety. org/resources

Locations featured this quarter: Lahore

Kerala Mukono Bunia Machakos

Mar 2017

The call in action world tour: Europe Tracks 11–15

Andrew and Faye Parfitt (Tracks 11–14) Our call: To demonstrate God’s love, compassion and truth to refugees and asylum seekers and to be witnesses to Christ among people of other faiths, especially Muslims.

We assist local Christians in their outreach to asylum seekers, refugees and people from a Muslim background – currently, mostly teaching English and providing friendship and practical support, advocacy and advice through a Christian advice centre.

Britain receives around 30,000 new claims for asylum every year. Of these around 3,000 are sent to Glasgow. God commands us to love and care for the stranger in our midst. Our aim is to do that and to help other Christians to do that.

Asylum seekers and refugees in the UK are typically poor. They are poor in spirit and mourning for lost family, friends, country, status and identity. The gospel proclaims blessing to such as these and we aim to proclaim that. Our work is about assisting local Christians in their outreach to asylum seekers, refugees and people from a Muslim background. Currently we do this mostly by teaching English and providing friendship and practical support, advocacy and advice through a Christian advice centre.

Our focus includes providing practical help to asylum seekers and refugees, building deep relationships and caring friendships, teaching English, visiting, accompanying and translating, helping fill in forms, sports ministry, advice, advocacy, outreach, discipleship, Bible studies for seekers and believers and assisting new believers to integrate into local fellowships.

Andrew trained in humanitarian assistance before spending time in Afghanistan and Pakistan with Church Mission Society in 2004 to 2006. He became a CMS mission partner in 2006 and returned to Afghanistan in 2008. In 2010 he re-located to Glasgow to work with Afghan refugees and asylum seekers, after re-training as a teacher of English as a second language. Faye is from and was a committed Muslim before coming to faith in Christ as a student in India. Baptist missionaries nurtured and discipled her in her faith and she has always wanted to follow their example in mission and the love and care they showed her. Glasgow

We met in Glasgow in 2009 and married in 2011. Aidan was born in October 2015. Named after “the apostle to the English” he probably doesn’t stand a chance of avoiding mission!

This month's reflection (Track 15) comes from Ian Adams, mission spirituality adviser for Church Mission Society. Ian’s prayer exercises are available on our website: churchmissionsociety.org/resources

A few ideas for when you’ve finished listening to AUDIOMISSION

Reflection questions – you could use these each time 1. What was the one thing that most struck you when you were listening? 2. What phrase or thought found an echo in your own experience or spiritual journey? 3. Were there any common threads that linked the mission work of the people you’ve listened to and the needs of your local area? 4. Does what you’ve heard inspire you to do anything in particular in response? 5. What one prayer need will you commit to carry with you over the coming month and regularly pray for?

Taking it further If you’ve been inspired by any of the people in mission you’ve heard, why not contact us and ask to receive their link letters and other news. Call Jonathan on 01865 787527 or email [email protected] Be sure you’re getting The Call – our new quarterly newspaper – as well as Prayerlines delivered every two months so you can pray for mission through Church Mission Society along with other members of our community. Ring Danni on 01865 787448 or email [email protected]

Tell us your story! If you’re involved in local mission in your neighbourhood, we’d love to hear what you’re doing, and be able to encourage others by publishing your stories – whether in The Call or on our website. Or, just write in to tell us how you use Audiomission.

Email #[email protected] or write to Jeremy Woodham, Church Mission Society, Watlington Road, Oxford OX4 6BZ.

Try out our fun new web app to put your call into action. Share the news! See churchmissionsociety.org/free

Church Mission Society, Watlington Road, Oxford OX4 6BZ Tel: 01865 787400 Email: [email protected] Audiomission was produced by Trevor Smith.