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February 1989 Newsletter
COLOMBIAN CHRISTIAN MISSION
Dale and Jeanie Meade
In the jungle and prairie of Southeastern Colombia
Volume 17, Issue 2 February, 1989
A HIGH CALLING
A missionary calling has always been a dangerous but rewarding line of work. From the very beginning those called to a missionary ministry have had to face the risks involved with this type of a ministry. Things have not improved with the passing of time. Three missionaries have now been kidnapped in Colombia. Kidnappings have been running at a rate of four per day! The missionaries know the risks and have chosen to stay. The doors of opportunity are open.
(PHOTOS)
Kidnapped: Roy Libby (left) and Richard Gover knew the dangers of their calling.
In spite of great danger, their love for the work and the Colombian people compel them to keep on preaching the Word. One of the missionaries, Bruce Olsen had been kidnapped and tortured before. Another, Roy Libby, had talked about the danger of being kidnapped with his mission board only weeks before being taken. All three had accepted the possibility of calamity and had been willing to put their lives on the line for His kingdom. Mark Stringer has also chosen to stay, in spite of the possible implications.
Those of us who are out of harms way, here in the relative safety of the United States, have a tremendous burden of responsibility on our shoulders. We need to be in prayer daily for the workers who toil in such dangerous fields as Colombia. Please remember our own Mark Stringer, together with is family, in a special way. Please keep the hostages in your prayers too. Our first prayer is that God work a miracle and have them released. But we need to pray for their faith and testimony while they are under such duress. Let us all faithfully stand behind those who are standing on the cutting edge of Christianity.
THE HIGH COST OF HIRING IT DONE.
For years now, we have been front line missionaries. We have never asked anyone to do something we have not been doing already. We taught the people by example first, then through lessons. Only then did we send them out on their own. Since we did so much of the work ourselves, little money was needed for salaries for the nationals. Most of the mission money was spent on our own travel and living expenses. For that reason, we have worked for years in Colombia on far less support than what is normally received by most missionaries. Given the opportunities to continue that way, we would not want to change for anything.
But things do not always work out as we would hope. That is certainly the case in Colombia right now. Life has become very perilous for the missionaries remaining there. Mark Stringer has chosen to continue the work at great personal risk. But there are many things that he simply cannot do right now. At the moment, he does not dare travel into the countryside. He must limit his contacts with non-believers. He must be very careful about even simple things like teaching a Bible study. A person never knows who might be in the crowd. Two of the missionaries kidnapped were taken while they were at church camps for leadership training. The third was on an evangelistic trip. As a result, Mark must spend a great deal more time at home, where he is relatively safe. This time has been beneficial for working on written teaching lessons that can be distributed among the nationals. But there is still a great deal of need among the churches. How is that to be done?
For the first time, we find ourselves having to hire the work done. There are many mature Colombian leaders. But since most of them work full time at a job, they can not take off for a trip anytime the need arises. In order to have someone make the trips that Mark and I used to make, we have had to pay salaries. This is done by the day, week, or month, depending on the need. Travel expenses must also be paid. We have our house in Villavicencio rented. That money has been going to the work. I have sent additional money to Mark on two occasions. But we have not been able to send help more frequently. We still owe about $350 on our return trip. That should be all paid off this month. But there is a critical need right now in Colombia. The work in Colombia needs additional funds so that the missionaries can avoid travel and remain somewhat safer.
Besides this, we have an opportunity to purchase a special lot for the Church in Compartir. (Compartir is a new housing development in the western section of Bogota.) This church has grown rapidly in recent months. The western side of Bogota is mushrooming rapidly and its people are open to the Gospel. But if we need to use all of the income for expenses, we might not have a place for this growing congregation to meet. It is crucial that we take advantage of open doors, before they close! If you can possibly help with an additional gift, the work in Colombia would be benefitted. The lives of our missionary family there would be somewhat less exposed. And the great opportunities in these uncertain times could be seized. Please consider these great needs prayerfully, and then do what God places in your heart!
(PHOTO)
Bruce Olsen was kidnapped once before.