The vision unfolds

Global Lutheran Outreach missionaries Dale and Cheryl Talsma (Serving in Jos, Nigeria) write:

We’ve been here largely isolating in our home in Jos, Nigeria as the government tries to mitigate the spread of Covid-19 with orders like in much of the world – stay home, etc. “But the Word of God is not in chains” (2 Tim 2:9), Paul asserted while forced into the lockdown of prison in Rome! How can we engage this world in need with the life-giving Word of the Gospel?

I have been filled with a sense that reminds me of the surprising impression I experienced 20 years ago immediately after my body was burned in a fire in Obot Idim, Nigeria. As the pain was searing and I could see flesh dangling from my arm, I felt an almost joyful anticipation that God was at work in this for a good purpose and opportunity. God works in way impossible to humanly program. I have, since the beginning of this outbreak of the coronavirus, had a similar anticipation that God is at work to open a great opportunity to save souls.

We are sending here a Report that attempts to summarize 18 months of Cheryl’s and my ministries as GLO missionaries. Many aborted attempts over the last months have reduced us to sending this Report which while too short to do justice to all God has been working, is yet too long for easy reading.

Click here for more details from the past 18 month!

Travel tally

I decided to tally up some stats on what was probably the most extensive travel itinerary in my 8 years serving as International Missionary Developer for GLO. Due to scheduling difficulties, what was meant to be two trips were compacted into one of 39 days in 2019 (20 Oct. to 28 Nov.)

Countries: 6 countries (in two continents). Would have been 7, but denied entry into the DRC.
Flights: 14 flights, 29,937 kms, 13 different airports, 102 hours (including layovers)
Buses: 16 buses, 3,143 kms, 83 hours.
Different sleeping places: 16, not counting planes/airports

I thank God for making such travel possible and making complicated scheduling actually work out! Yet it was a bit grueling, and not least for Cheri managing my long absence.

Cheryl’s ministries

Hillcrest School teachers can once again attest to the grace of God that was solely responsible for enabling the successfully completion of the 2019-2020 school year! These months have been like no other in my four years of teaching in Jos!

The last quarter of the year brought another unexpected change as across the world school buildings were closed. In one short and frantic week, learning moved online for most of Hillcrest including me and my 20 fourth graders. I have never been busier as a teacher than in those weeks! I also worried more because appraising students’ comprehension and integrating the necessary aspect of socialization in the elementary years seemed impossible as students tried to learn in the isolation of their own homes.

Our school and so many other Christian organizations persisted in doing what we were called to do, even as our circumstances changed and we were unsure of the outcomes. We still don’t know what the situation on ground will be once school is to begin anew, but we do know Who is in control and Who loves us and promised to be with us, guide us and give us the wisdom we need at the time we need it.
Leaning on the Lord and learning to trust Him is certainly not a “one and done” thing. I need to practice it daily, sometimes situation by situation.

Hillcrest Administration wants to preserve some of the positive aspects of distance learning for our community of education at Hillcrest. Many of us feel we have gained some new skills and insights that could add some benefits to our students’ learning. If we need to start online, we know that is doable, but we sure would prefer having our new students with us in class to get to know who they are, personally interact, and form our new community.
As we look to August 5th, the first day of school regardless the circumstances, we first must rest and recharge, then do some additional reflection and training, before we focus on preparing for new students.

Click here to read the latest newsletter from the Talsmas!