The Whip... (Country withheld for security reasons)

The screams where heard by many as the electrical wires laid open the flesh of the young pastor’s back. Huddled on the ground the brutal beating by the local police official was objected to even by those who resented the pastor and didn’t believe. When the pastor finally lost consciousness the official spit on him and walked away.

As a young man pastor "B" was resolute in this small community evangelizing and proclaiming the love of the gospel. He daily sowed into lives of those around him living only on what he could make from occasional work and the gifts provided by new converts.

Pastor "B" will be the first to tell you he is no hero but a humble servant of God. Over forty years hundreds of churches have been planted due to his courage. In this nation churches are started with no existing believers... all new converts, people give from what God provides... not from their surplus and worship is conducted with minimal instrumentation due to their lack of resources.

After the beating people gathered up the pastor placing him on a cart for the trip to the hospital. Those who witnessed the savage brutality urged the pastor to bring charges against the official. Pastor was worried that his initiating court action would place a barrier between the official and the cross. Though physical persecution was common in private this public brutality could cost the official to loose his job and perhaps go to prison if convicted.

As the pastor recuperated he made his decision and forgave the official. This act of grace triggered a turning point in the ministry. He now leads one of the largest churches in this island nation and is a symbol of God's mercy to a lost people.

As I sit with this man and ask what motivated him to make such a decision he simply stated, "If a corn seed isn't willing to be planted and die it can't grow into nourishing food for others. My Lord was willing and so am I."

On this partnership trip the team trained 105 missionaries and were able to supply funding for 18 new churches from which proven leaders will start other new churches. Wow!

I can’t name the place where this took place but please pray for those believers who are in prison and persecuted. Today, more than 200 million Christians suffer for their faith, each day threatened with murder and other acts of violence according to persecution.org.

This is your investment. This is your joy.

Mark Szymanski
www.mszymanski.com
mski1957@gmail.com
Cell: 704.517.0255

Won’t you please consider joining our financial support team? You can send contributions to: United World Mission, PO Box 602002, Charlotte NC 28260-2002 and write ACCT# 11013 in the memo line. Further info about on-line giving and other programs see www.uwm.org. Thank you to our present supports that allow us to impact the many lives across the planet. Again, THANKS!

Island on Fire

In a few days I head back to C*ba where I will be facilitating a group focused on training national workers as they reach people, make disciples and start new churches.

Today when you visit the island you see horse pulled carts, shells of 1950 cars, government regulation at every level, food fuel, sugar, and coffee, medical treatment and hundreds of other items all rationed by the government and a church on fire! This is the world of C*ba, which sits just 90 miles from our shores.

United World Mission started when a group of churches in Ohio banded together (united) to establish a ministry (mission) around 1945. A training center was built; churches were planted, national leaders trained, and a vision for sending C*ban missionaries established. Then power shifted from one dictator to another and along with it came the invitation to all missionaries to leave… well it was more than an invite, they were thrown out. This resulted in United World Mission moving into other nations from Latin America to Africa to Asia. Today our work spans 35 nations.

Today, though C*ba is still restricted, I get a chance to help see churches multiply across the island by facilitating North American business people, churches, and other groups work together with national denominations. Recently as I began a discussion with a new North American church interested in C*ba I recounted the ministry work to them… as I looked back I was amazed. Sometimes I don’t look back and savor enough of what God is doing.

One C*ban group is made up of more than 20 denominations working together to identify areas of need resulting in 90 new churches planted in just the last two years, wow!

Now, we like to talk about churches planted but we must remember that each of these churches are filled with individuals, families like you and I who were once lost, troubled, broken, and without hope. 

“ Eduardo”, not his real name, was one such person. His family was struggling and fighting was a daily part of family life. “Things were always bad. I guess we were looking to each other to fill deep needs we both had. But this was not possible. Then a person came to us and talked about Jesus Christ. He explained that Jesus came to forgive and to help us to be filled with love, joy and peace. We needed something and Jesus became our savior and answer to our family need. Things are getting a lot better.”

Cathy and I want to thank you for your help as we see people healed, whole and growing in a knowledge of who they are in Jesus. Would you stop today and take five minutes to pray for the many Eduardos and their families living just 90 miles away for the United States?

This is your investment. This is your joy.

Mark Szymanski
www.mszymanski.com
mski1957@gmail.com
Cell: 704.517.0255

Won’t you please consider joining our financial support team? You can send contributions to: United World Mission, PO Box 602002, Charlotte NC 28260-2002 and write ACCT# 11013 in the memo line. Further info about on-line giving and other programs see www.uwm.org. Thank you to our present supports that allow us to impact the many lives across the planet. Again, THANKS!