!!! WINDOW TO THE WORLD FAITH BAPTIST MISSION WINDOW TO THE WORLD Fall 2013 Issue No. One faithbaptistwh.org/fbm Eagle POLake, Box FL 866 33839 : Declare His glory among the nations, His wonders FAITH BAPTIST FAITH BAPTIST FAITHamong all peoples. BAPTIST MISSION MISSION MISSION ~Psalm 96:3~ WEST AFRICA NEWS BENINCLINIC “I being in the way the Lord led me,” were the words of Abraham’s servant speaking of God’s sovereign control over the affairs of his master Abraham in the choosing of a wife for his son Isaac. This phrase is instructive to us as believers, reminding us that God even works through the purposed flow of events in our lives to bring glory to Himself. Jesus Christ is magnified when we take the time to reflect on Dental Care how he is working. I was sitting in my living room one day with Joshua, a Beninese brother in Christ who shares our burden for reaching the Dendi people of northern Benin with the gospel. Joshua is a registered nurse with a burden for medical evangelism. Continued on Page 2 FAITH FAITH MALIFAITH CONFLICT UPDATE BAPTIST We BAPTISThave recently been encouraged to learn Existing Medical Clinic BAPTISTOne to One Evangelism that a few pastors and believers"have returned MISSION to NorthMISSION Mali"to evaluate the devastation. After MISSION more than 14 months, the first church service The Pictures above was held in the Timbuktu Baptist Church. are recent photos There were over 150 people, mostly young people. from the Continued on Page 3 BeninClinic Window to the World, Faith Baptist Mission, PO Box 866, Eagle Lake, Florida, 33839 | www.faithbaptistwh.org/fbm WINDOW TO THE WORLD! PAGE2 BENINCLINIC established local church recognized the The Dendi are a predominately Muslim desperate need in his village for medical people group (over 99% by most estimates). care. He and his wife had lost a son to Joshua mentioned in passing (although very malaria and knew of many other families in intentionally), that he would appreciate if I the surrounding region who were losing could help him find interested sponsors who loved ones to illness that often only required would be willing to partner in a medical basic intervention. He reached out to outreach with a vision toward evangelism Joshua and together they established a among the Dendi. As church planting vision for a small medical dispensary. With missionaries we were most certainly available funds they opened the door of a interested, but the concept passed like water little mud hut near the church building and under a bridge as I considered an already began meeting the needs of the local population to the best of their abilities. Please continue to heavy ministry load. We parted ways and agreed to make “medical outreach” a As these events transpired, and we were pray for the work subject of our prayers. able to recognize God’s evident leading, the that is being Several months later a colleague from a leadership of the local Church in the completed at the village, Faith Baptist Mission and GDMM sister mission (Grace Dental and Medical BeninClinic and for Missions) wrote our field and asked about were galvanized with a goal toward the the possibility of bringing a medical team to establishment of a viable medical clinic. A the new believers’ assist in opening doors for the gospel on this medical clinic inspired and supported by faith to continue to challenging field. Once again we were the local church, resourced by locally intrigued, but more than a bit skeptical. It trained personnel with the training and grow in the Lord. is not easy to bring in a team of foreign assistance of missionaries and medical medical professionals into a former French professionals. The unified goal of the local Colony that is dominated by Islam and church and partnering missionaries is the recognized to be politically corrupt, and yet promotion of sustainable medical practice to our surprise, doors were opened wide in rural Africa with an emphasis on the and our colleagues were welcomed into the spiritual health of an unreached people region shortly after we began making group. ~ Colin Ovenell - Benin inquiry. Note: The generic title “BeninClinic” as well as Within the same span of time a local pastor pseudonyms are being employed in this article to protect in one of a very few villages with an local believers in an increasingly hostile environment. Window to the World, Faith Baptist Mission, PO Box 866, Eagle Lake, Florida, 33839 | www.faithbaptistwh.org/fbm WINDOW TO THE WORLD! PAGE3 Soldiers in Timbuktu that are believers Pastor Cisse and what is left of his car MALI CONFLICT UPDATE Institute and in church rooms, explosives Afterward, several Bibles were distributed for and ammunition were left behind. Experts those who could read. These would be the must first remove"these to avoid danger. first after all known Bibles and Christian Would the Lord be literature" had been" burned and/or The pastors and believers lost most of their burdening you!to destroyed. Most of the believers are waiting possessions. Pastor Cisse looks over the until democratic elections are held on July charred ruins of his car. Believers' houses as give toward the 28. By then they hope that security and well as church-run orphanages and training return of the centers" were looted. Two erosive rainy resources will be available to"go back home believers and the to" rebuild their lives and ministries. It is seasons without repairs to roofing and walls doubtful that American missionaries will leave buildings vulnerable to even more rebuilding of their ever go back to live there again. Will you damage. lives and churches? pray that God will allow national believers to return? It is said that over 100 of the peacekeeping The Mali Refugee soldiers working in Timbuktu are believers. Fund!that They are" worshipping and" collecting tithes The multipurpose building on the grounds and" offerings while joyfully anticipating the was!established at where the Haynes family lived for 13 years, return of the local pastors and believers. Faith Baptist was later given to the national church and Mission is able to was turned into the first Christian radio MALI PRAYER REQUESTS station in North Mali. The building receive and direct There are plenty of unknowns as we move was"looted by terrorists who"broke windows your gifts for this and ripped off the doors. Afterward, town to a new ministry in Niger/Benin. We’ll be residents destroyed electrical installations, in a similar setting on the river that brings purpose.!Make gifts ripped out wires and boxes, removed the physical life to people of both countries. It’s payable to FBM. electric meter and cut off most of the the same Niger River we knew in Mali, only coaxial cables to the transmitter and we’ll be a thousand miles down river. We ask antenna." the Lord to open hearts before us, that living water would abound unto eternal life. "In Gao,"the church"was vandalized, gutted ~ Dan Haynes - Niger/Benin and literature/gospel films destroyed. In some of the believers houses, in the Bible Window to the World, Faith Baptist Mission, PO Box 866, Eagle Lake, Florida, 33839 | www.faithbaptistwh.org/fbm WINDOW TO THE WORLD! PAGE4 Joe and Amy Marshall and Family Benin Flag WELCOME TO THE FBM FAMILY CURRENT FBM MISSIONARIES Above are pictured Joe & Amy Marshall Chris and Diane Marine – (Regional and their beautiful family. They are Coordinators) currently raising funding in order to reach Ken and Sarah Beckley – Mali/Benin their field in Benin; once they arrive they will be ministering to the Fulani people. Cindy Faile – Mali/Benin Their current address is 170 N Cooper St, Each issue of the PO Box 53, Russiaville, IN 46979. Their Dan and Marsha Haynes – Niger/Benin Window to the World, email address is [email protected]. David and Comfort Jacobs - Nigeria we will highlight one Joe and Amy Marshall – Benin of our FBM Missionaries and Rich and Anna Marshall – Mali/Niger their ministry. Rich Melvin – Niger There will also be a Kathy Miller – Niger continuously Pete and Faye Obgartel – Mali updated listing of Colin and Teena Ovenell- Benin prayer request and field needs for each Tim and Janice Phillips – Niger FBM missionary. Tim and Richelle Wright – Niger Window to the World, Faith Baptist Mission, PO Box 866, Eagle Lake, Florida, 33839 | www.faithbaptistwh.org/fbm WINDOW TO THE WORLD! PAGE5 Field Updates and Field Needs CINDY FAILE MALI - PETE & FAYE OBGARTEL Presently serving in Benin with Ken and Action Missionnaire resolved a big problem Sarah Beckley. Recently met with the pastor in rather a unique way this month. We who is regarded as the leader of the council have a lot of new Christians that needed to of Baptist churches in northern Benin. Will be discipled. How do we have further discussions regarding specifics accomplish this at a minimal of the ministry in Benin how she will fit in cost? The idea surfaced that with developing children’s and women’s since the people here in Mali ministries. Cindy will be working on the love summer camps, we would Dendi language. Although the languages have a one week camp of are similar and Cindy can do shopping intensive discipleship training. Each of 7 pastors would teach without difficulty, she asks prayer as she at least two subjects during this would like to be as precise and understood week. When the news went as possible in teaching God’s Word and His out, 110 people signed up for Niger Desert truths. the camp. With the help of MALI - GENERAL INFORMATION one of our supporting churches, who fed everyone for this week, Elections in July.