LUMglobal #105 ---- 6/21/12
Posted by: lifeunlimited <lifeunlimited@...>
(Formerly Hope4Kyiv)
Bob and Jo Ann Tolliver
Life Unlimited Ministries
"Touching Nations Here and Abroad"
Number 105
June 21, 2012
Dear Friend, Family, and "In-Pact" Partners:
There is much to share with you today about many things, but we want to focus primarily on our recent trip to Cuba. Before we do that, we briefly mention a few other items.
+ NE KC Baptism: Just before we left for our Cuba trip, Living Faith KC Church baptized three new converts, Chris a former prostitute, Shaun ("Chief") a former alcoholic Native American, and David a young African American who had been raised in church but had never accepted Christ. The service was more like a big party and pep rally as these three shared their personal testimonies and were then baptized. The three candidates had invited many of their "former life" friends, and a significant number of them attended.
+ NE KC Ministry: We will save details of our ministry in Kansas City 'til later, but summarize by indicating that we continue mentoring and discipling several individuals on a regular basis, are working with Andrew Heusing in revamping the "People Teams" strategy and preparing for a big kick-off "Worldview Conference" in August, visiting churches as we are able to introduce "People Teams" to their leaders, continue developing relationships with some Bosnians, and work with existing churches in the area. Living Faith KC recently ordained two of their elders, Jason and Vince, to the Gospel ministry, and the church is currently offering formal membership and church polity documents to the congregation. "People Teams" director, Andrew Heusing and Heidi Fisher are getting married this coming Saturday.
ELEOS Coffee House has extended their hours and has added ESL classes and BILD leadership training to their ministry, so their work continues to grow. "Heard My Cry" transitional housing & intensive discipling for women continues to improve their facilities, and now has two women living there (Chris was the first one to be approved for long term residency there). There is a strong probability that a church building that is for sale will be purchased to serve as the Cross Cultural Church Planting Center in NE Kansas City, and will house several local church plants in the area (we are super excited about that.) Finally, Omar Sagovia has graduated from seminary and recently moved into the neighborhood, so we are excited to begin working more closely with him if possible.
In Summary, Things Are Progressing Extremely Well in All Areas of Our Work There. We rejoice over how God is allowing us to work directly with these great people and ministries.
+ The Farsi Work: So much is happening in the Farsi work, both in Ukraine, Germany, and Sweden, that we need to send a separate letter just for that. We will talk with "M" in Kyiv and "F" in Germany this Friday by Skype, so will have a better picture of things then. We will send a separate report on that work soon.
+ Miscellaneous Items: We both had physical exams last week, and passed (maybe "waddled" is a better word -lol) with flying colors. Both of us had lost weight, but have much more to jettison. Bob's blood test was "flawless", which irritates Jo Ann because she has to battle the cholesterol stats constantly. The doctor took Bob off his blood pressure medication entirely (had only been taking 10mg per day anyhow), but Jo Ann's doctor raised hers because her blood pressure didn't seem to remain constant through the day. Bob returns July 2nd for a precautionary biopsy on a skin spot on his face.
We keep working on projects around the house, but our extensive times in KC really limit our progress. But, little by little. Bob has been asked to preach at an associational annual pastors' conference and also the annual meeting in Illinois on September 8th, so we are trying to arrange a couple of weeks in the area for visiting relatives and perhaps doing some other meetings while there. If anyone is interested, contact us.
+ NOW THE CUBA TRIP:
> Following numerous delays and rescheduling, things finally fell into place, and we departed Springfield, MO, May 24th to Miami where we spent the night before flying the next afternoon on to Holguin, Cuba, laying over because of connection problems. Going both directions it was a "hurry up and wait" scenario. We had to leave home at 4:00 AM to catch our flight to Miami, and then spend all afternoon and evening there. Then we had to be at the airport at Noon for a 4:30 PM flight to Cuba. On our last trip we flew to Cancun, Mexico and then on to Cuba on tourist visas. This time we flew directly from the U.S. on charter flight under religious visas. We returned to Miami June 1st with the same long wait at the airport in Cuba, and then on home June 2nd, laying over again for the same reason.
> Whereas our previous trip had been to western Cuba (closest to U.S. Florida Keys) and had centered on Havana and Pinar del Rio, this trip took us to far eastern Cuba to Holguin, Bayamo, and Santiago, the three main target cities for Castro and his revolutionaries when they made their first attempt to overthrow the Batista regime in 1953. NOTE: If you do not get Bob's weekly "Shoulder To Shoulder" article, he has a very good background report on Cuba and the revolution that you should read. You can do so by going to http://welovegod.org/groups/shoulders/0::879read.html to read it. It includes Cuba's earliest years, the 400+ years of Spain's domination, the struggle for independence, the revolution, and the phenomenal rise and growth of the Church through it all. It is really worth reading. We can also send it to you by regular mail if you prefer; just let us know.
> Cost of the trip actually exceeded what we had anticipated, particularly in air travel, but because of the phenomenal generosity of numerous people, we had funds on hand, and were actually able to give extra funds to two pastor-missionaries and one of our translators who is a seminary professor. This was such a blessing for us because the average income in Cuba is $19 (yes, that Nineteen dollars) per month. Additionally, the government will not permit pastors and missionaries to hold secular employment, so they must depend on the meager offerings and support of their churches. Most of the churches are small "house" churches consisting of less than 30 people, though there are a number of larger ones as well.
> This trip was not as "teaching intensive" as the trip two and a half years ago, so the four of us (Richard and Stephanie Blake) had far less time to share vital information with the pastors and their wives. Unfortunately, because of economic restraints, each conference was less than one day in duration, and we actually had less than four hours of actual teaching time in each location. When you share that with your teaching partner, and then cut that in half again for translation, you can feel extremely limited. However, in virtually every conference God made His presence known, and the lives of strategic Cuban leaders were impacted. What man could not accomplish, the Holy Spirit did. Only in Santiago did there seem to be any spiritual dullness at all, and that only in a few who seemed very tired.
> The theme of the conferences was "Encouraging, Envisioning, and Equipping". Stephanie and Jo Ann met with women while Richard and I taught pastors and missionaries. (Missionaries there are people whom local churches have trained and sent out to share the Gospel and plant churches in other areas.) Stephanie spoke on "The Prayers of Paul" and Jo Ann spoke on "God's Purpose Fulfilled In Us and Through Us." Richard spoke on "Being Prepared To Share The Gospel" (a great summary through Acts), and Bob spoke on "Vision -- Seeing What God Sees". The attendance in each location was especially good, but still smaller than we had anticipated. One reason for that may be because of something we learned on the final day . . . one of the pastors told Richard and Bob that they thought it was going to be a marriage conference! We still don't know how that happened. It was never our plan on this end.
> The conditions in eastern Cuba are much worse than in the western areas. While certain conditions have improved island-wide because of governmental policy changes, we saw much more suffering, inconveniences, and poverty. On the one hand, individuals are now permitted to have their own business, own their own homes, and own land. On the other, the income level remains the same at about $19 per month. On one hand we saw many more late model cars, but we also saw many more people traveling by various means of "hodge-podge" public transportation, horseback, bicycle, and even ox cart. (Bob is preparing two or three photo albums for Facebook that you can access by going his Facebook page at lifeunlimited01. and clicking on his "Pictures" link.)
On one hand certain food commodities are a little easier to find, but on the other certain rations have been reduced because the governmental system is going broke. For example, the month's allotment for beans now is less than two hands full. The beans and rice dishes we were served was probably 98% rice and 2% or less beans. Yet, these dear people could prepare things in such ways that you felt you were eating a king's feast. We always go away from these trips wondering just how much of their rations did they use for us at their own lack for perhaps weeks before or ahead. It is a humbling experience.
> In addition to the three conferences held in Holguin, Bayamo, and Santiago, we also visited some churches (including house churches), pastors, and missionaries. In one setting the church building might be nice and fairly modern (though small), and in another it might be a tiny lean-to added to a run down house. The two or three features than ran through every experience, though, was their love to worship the Lord, their joy in the midst of struggle, and their passion to share the Gospel and plant churches. If you will read Bob's "Shoulder to Shoulder" letter we noted above, you'll see that in around 1997 a great revival swept through many of the churches in Cuba and, in spite of seemingly insurmountable odds, churches began to grow and multiply. The latest report we have received is that there are well over 25,000 house churches on the island, and more continue to crop up.
> God has put it in our hearts to try to raise funds for two specific missionaries and their ministries. One is church planter Joyel (Joel) who in two years has planted 15 churches in the province. He also pastors the church meeting in the shed in the above right picture. His vision is to see a church planter training center in his region. We saw one building that was for sale for under $16,000 or less, including 5 acres and some out buildings. It would be perfect for the center and also for a place for him to live. Joyel, his wife, son, and mother currently live in a "shed-like" shack behind the worship area seen above right.
The second missionary, Jose Naranjo, left the comforts of western Cuba and is investing his life, along with his pregnant wife, Yubenia, and two little girls, in a run down house that most Americans would use for animals. The pictures below, left to right, show Yubenia and the girls standing in the church's worship area, a possible living room or new meeting room, their kitchen shed, Jose's office, the family bedroom, and their toilet wash room. Notice the fan lying on the bed to keep it out of water that flooded the floors from a flood the day before. Also notice the water marks on the cinder block walls. You can imagine the mildew and other problems they face regularly. We were heart broken to see how they are living.
We can build them a fully furnished house for only $3,500. That includes not only their living quarters, but also a worship area and appliances, beds, and toilet. Even though we have said almost nothing about it, we already have over $700 in hand, and a Kansas City church has made a commitment to help support as many as 12 missionaries and pastors for a year, beginning with between three and six. We welcome more help! Another American evangelist is going to Cuba next month and would be willing to take the $3500 for the one project if we can get it to him fast enough. If we could do that, the construction work could begin later this Summer or Fall. Contact us if you would like to help with this project through a tax deductible contribution.
+ Prayer Requests:
> For continued success as we expand the work in Kansas City through "world view" conferences, mentoring/training groups, continued penetration into specific people groups, ongoing support to Living Faith Church, and other matters.
> For the strong possibility of the purchase of a strategically located Presbyterian church building in the area to be used as a Cross Cultural Church Planting Center.
> For ongoing need for increased financial support.
> For "M" and "F" and the other Farsi guys leading an ever-expanding Farsi ministry (will write about that in another letter soon).
> For the two special Cuba projects ($16,000 for the Church Planting training center and housing for Joyel and his family, and $3.500 for a small house and worship center for Jose and his family).
> For wisdom in making good decisions in an ever-increasing demand.
> For continued health improvement, continued weight loss, Bob's upcoming biopsy on July 2nd for a spot on his face, and continued stability to Jo Ann's blood pressure.
+ Finally:
Friends, there is so much more to tell you about the Cuba trip as well as other exciting areas of ministry, but space is more than gone. So, we'll have to wait for another time. We are preparing to share these two special Cuba financial projects with key people and see if God will bless our efforts with great success. In the meantime, thank you so much for your faithful prayer and interest in the ministry God has given us both here and globally. We look forward to sharing more details about the exciting and growing work in Kansas City. We're so grateful to Immanuel Church in Independence for letting us live in their missionary house, for those who have stepped up and helped with the increased ministry expenses, and those who generously responded to our recent trip to Cuba.
We look forward to hearing from you. You can reach us through our e-mail addresses at lifeunlimited@pobox.com and grandma12@pobox.com, our cell phones at 417-693-5149 and 417-693-5313, and Bob's Facebook page at lifeunlimited01.
In His Bond, By His Grace, and For His Kingdom,
Bob and Jo Ann
The Tollivers
Life Unlimited Ministries
LUMglobal
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