Asia-Pacific Regional Communications Of the Asia Pacific Region of the Global Church of the Nazarene Around the Region Saturday, March 14, 2015 Volume 3 / Issue Number 11

Asia-Pacific Regional Communications Of the Asia Pacific Region of the Global Church of the Nazarene Around the Region Saturday, March 14, 2015 Volume 3 / Issue Number 11

ATR News...Cat 5 Tropical Cyclone Making Landfall in Vanuatu, Africa Commissions Global Missionaries for Asia-Pacific, PNG, Patients, Prayer...Papaya, Prayer Requests.

The NMI Focus for March is Preparing for EASTER!

Preparing for Easter - What does that entail? For many of our churches across the globe, there will be a special Easter service that will be attended by more than just the regular members. Friends and family come to church on Easter to celebrate together the empty tomb and our Savior's victory over death.
Easter Sunrise Service has been a tradition in many world areas. People gather outside early in the morning as the sun is just getting ready to rise. They gather to remember the women who went to the tomb to anoint Jesus' body and who found the tomb empty. Those women saw the angel who announced that Jesus was not there but had risen from the dead; they ran to tell the disciples.
The Easter songs proclaiming, "Jesus is alive" thrill the soul as they are sung across the globe. Hearts are filled with joy and peace as we remember that our Lord and King is alive forevermore!
We must not let the joy and peace end there! Many people in our world are hurting and need to know that there is a Savior that died for our sins and was raised so that we can live forever with Him in Heaven! But how will they know - unless we tell them?

This Easter, we reflect on that precious gift of salvation and the opportunity that we have to share this gift with others as we eagerly anticipate Christ's second coming. We join together with Nazarenes across the globe in the Easter Offering to ensure that the message is spread worldwide and that all are able to glorify Christ as our risen Lord.
English resources are available at this link.
In This Issue
Leadership - The Right Person in the Wrong Place.
Regional Praise Reports and Prayer Requests!
Cat 5 Super Cyclone Hits Vanuatu!
Two Sisters Find Christ - Spiritual Battle Begins!
Vision Casting - Message from J.K. Warrick.
Papua New Guinea, Patients, Prayer...and Papaya?
Africa Commissions First Global Missionaries - Headed to Asia-Pacific!
Exciting Opportunity to Join the WMC-AP Team.
Top 10 Tips for a Small Church Planning an International Missions Trip!
Asia-Pacific Nazarene Theological Seminary Graduation Announcement!

Nazarene News from Around the Globe
Armenia boy gives to NMI 100th anniversary projects.
Action taken by General Board on NPH Board of Directors' report
South Asia evangelistreleased from prison after mistaken identity.
NPH Interim Board of Directors presents 'Situational Analysis Report' to 92nd General Board
Albania: God at the garbage dump.
Retiring missionaries recognized at 92nd General Board.
Lola Brickey Elected global NMI Director.
Fullah children admitted to Ebola treatment center.
India pastor passes away while preparing for JESUS film showing
JFHP seeks candidates for development officer position
Madagascar school aims to empower students.
Ecuador church bids farewell to Extreme Nazarene Mission team.
District Superintendent publishes Lenten devotional for churches.
Global praise reports and prayer requests.
GMC employment opportunities.
In Memoriam

Leadership Moment with
Dr. Stan Toler
IS THE RIGHT PERSON IN THE WRONG PLACE?
The key to working with staff is helping them find their right place!
Wait! Let me explain. You may have an excellent staff member who fails to excel because they aren't doing what they do best. Here's a case in point:
Stacy was obviously a great hire. She had a warm personality, quick wit, excellent computer skills, and a great phone presence. Seeing her at her administrative secretary desk before any of the other staff had arrived in the morning, the HR manager knew he had hit the hiring jackpot. Her supervisor agreed. She proved time and again that her stellar resume was not a fluke.
Her performance continued to excel, but something began to change. Her supervisor noticed that she didn't have the exuberance that marked her personality at the beginning. Sometimes her colleagues would ask her if she was feeling all right. Sometimes they would wonder aloud if something was troubling her.
One day there was a turn around. Her supervisor needed someone to write a blog for the department, and mentioned it to Stacy. "I'd be glad to give that a try!" she said excitedly. She knocked the first blog out of the park! Not only was Stacy a great writer, she also had design skills. Within the week, she had developed a brand for the communication piece-including a fresh new logo and banner. Other department heads asked her supervisor if he had outsourced the blog. "No," he responded. "I just found someone in-house who wasn't doing what they enjoyed doing."
Stacy was on the office's production team all the while; she was just in the wrong role.
Building relationships must be a leadership priority. And key to understanding the building process is to understand the "building materials-people." And, that means putting them in the right place. How do you determine what it is?
* OBSERVE THEM. What tasks propel them? In what skills do they show excellence?
* ASK THEM. Use a casual conversation to gain insights on their job satisfaction.
* ASSIGN THEM. Based on their task preferences, assign a new area of work.
* AFFIRM THEM. Let them know you appreciate their skillfulness for an assignment.
Discernment is a MUST for effective leadership. Use it purposefully and productively.[Stan Toler]
Follow this link to Stan Toler's Leadership Website.

Share The Story!

Regional Praise Reports and Prayer Requests

Asia-Pacific Region
Prayer Requested for Longtime Member of Nazarene Team in Philippines.
Missionary to Tonga Diagnosed with Dengue Fever - Prayers Needed.
Praise! Free Methodist Missionary Kidnapped in Nigeria Has Been Released!
Prayer Requested for Myanmar Pastor's Wife.
Prayer Request from SE Asia Team member.
Most Up-to-Date Prayer Requests & Praise Reports for the Global Church - Prayer Mobilization Line.

Category 5 Super Cyclone hits the shores of Vanuatu - Please Pray!
South Pacific

As of Friday afternoon March 13th, local time, Cyclone Pam began battering the shores of Vanuatu. Winds have been steady at 160 mph (258 kph) with gusts to 195 mph (314 kph).
Your prayers for the people of Vanuatu and the neighboring islands are so greatly appreciated. Please see the below link for updates from missionaries David and Sylvia Potter, who are living on Vanuatu.
Current Updates...
Prayer Request for two sisters in SE Asia
Southeast Asia Field

One of our team members is requesting prayer as a spiritual battle is raging in his country.

Last January, during a mission outreach that was held in a country where the traditional religion is prominent and very influential, two sisters came to a personal knowledge of Jesus Christ.The spiritual battle has begun...prayer is needed.
Click on this link to see how you can pray...
BLOG, NEWS, SOUTHEAST ASIA, URGENT PRAYER REQUESTS
PRAYER REQUEST FOR TWO SISTERS IN SE ASIA.
Southeast Asia Field: One of our team members is requesting prayer as a spiritual battle is raging in his country.
Last January, during a mission outreach that was held in a country where the traditional religion is prominent and very influential, two sisters came to a personal knowledge of Jesus Christ.
Their father, who is a leader in the traditional religion, was away at the time. When he heard that his daughters had decided to follow Christ, he made the decision to return home to “save” his daughters.
Understanding the potential issues at stake, the two daughters chose to leave home and are currently in hiding.
Please pray that God would protect these two sisters, the local pastor, church, and members. Pray for the blood of Jesus Christ to redeem the land.
Vision Casting
Board of General Superintendents

J.K. Warrick
"If people can't see what God is doing, they stumble all over themselves; but when they attend to what he reveals, they are most blessed" (Proverbs 29:18, MSG).
Leaders lead through vision casting. It is the leader's responsibility to help others see what God is up to and how they can partner with Him in what He is doing. From Proverbs 29:18 we learn that, "if people can't see what God is doing, they stumble all over themselves." Another translation suggests that where there is no vision (direction) the people go their own way. It is too true!
Follow this link for great leadership tips...
BLOG, CURRENT, EDITORIAL, FEATURE, LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT, NEWS
VISION CASTING by J.K. Warrick
“If people can’t see what God is doing, they stumble all over themselves; but when they attend to what he reveals,
they are most blessed” (Proverbs 29:18, MSG).
Leaders lead through vision casting. It is the leader’s responsibility to help others see what God is up to and how they can partner with Him in what He is doing. From Proverbs 29:18 we learn that, “if people can’t see what God is doing, they stumble all over themselves.” Another translation suggests that where there is no vision (direction) the people go their own way. It is too true!
I am indebted to Doug Carter for a very helpful word about leadership and vision casting. He simplifies it for us in this acrostic:
L – lay out the vision
E – explain the strategy
A – ask them to invest
D – deliver what is promised
To lead, then, is to help people understand where they need to go, show a way to get there, ask people to join the effort, and deliver on what is promised. In this context leading is not coercing people into surrender; rather, leading is to ignite the imaginations of others with the promises and purposes of God.
I heard a pastor say that change generally moves at the “pace of our relationships.” That is true of leadership as well. For the leader to cast a vision, he or she must have “seen” something that others cannot see and must have the confidence of those who follow.
Two workers were standing in the middle of Walt Disney World when one turned to the other and said, “Too bad Walt Disney didn’t live to see all of this.” The other replied, “He did see it. That’s why it is here.”
What have you “seen” that others do not see? If you cannot “see” it, you cannot bring it to pass!
Papua New Guinea, Patients, Prayer...and Papaya???
Nazarene Health Ministries - Papua New Guinea

The medical teams at Kudjip Nazarene Hospital never know what they might encounter. There is no "typical" day. 

In this particular instance, after stones were flying, one man decided that the best solution for healing his wounded leg included...fruit.
The true illness encountered in the highlands though isn't of a physical nature - it is spiritual.
Check out this unique look into a day in the life of a missionary doctor then pause, reflect, and pray!Click here to visit the highlands of Papua New Guinea!
BLOG, FEATURE, MEDICAL MINISTRY, MELANESIA SOUTH PACIFIC, NEWS, UNREACHED PEOPLE
PAPUA NEW GUINEA, PATIENTS, PRAYER…AND PAPAYA?
Nazarene Health Ministries, Papua New Guinea:
“A guy limps into my clinic room, obviously favoring his right leg. I ask him what happened and he tells me how he was selling vegetables on the road when people started throwing stones and he got hit with one. This was over a week ago, but his leg is still hurting him and he thought it was broken, so he came to get it checked.
Each day I hear all kinds of stories about injuries. Some of them are very hard to believe, but knowing there was a fight that broke out a few weeks back near the market, I believed this man’s story. Seeing him limp into my room and the grimace on his face, I also believed that he was in pain.

I went to examine his leg, but it was all wrapped up, so I took him to the ER so we could unwrap it and get a new dressing at the same time.

A leaf and papaya wound dressing.
As I watched him unwrap his leg, something very bright orange in color began to appear. I asked the patient what it was and he said it was papaya!
Papaya is a fruit! I had never seen anyone use it as a dressing, so I asked him why he put it there. He started laughing and then told me. His leg was really hot, and so as he was eating his papaya, he cut off a few pieces and put them on his leg to help cool it off. He then wrapped his leg in leaves, which have some medicinal pain properties and came to the hospital.
It took a little bit of effort, but he was able to remove the leaves and the papaya and then I discovered that he had an infection in his leg causing the pain and the hotness. Thankfully it wasn’t broken and the antibiotics and pain medicines that I was able to provide should help him in the days ahead. I am not sure I can recommend the papaya leaf wrap for leg pain, as his leg was infected, but it did seem to keep it cooler, which helped him, so maybe I should.”
Dr. Erin Meier

Dr. Jim sews up a wound.
Our medical missionaries at Kudjip Nazarene Hospital, daily, see a vast range of illnesses and trauma. In 2014 alone, they saw 59,223 outpatients, admitting more than 6,000. In this same period they delivered 1,615 babies, completed 266 C-sections and completed over 1,200 major and minor surgeries.
The greatest illness they see though, is spiritual. The transformational power and indwelling of the Holy Spirit is truly the only long-term solution to the needs of the Highlands.

Please continue to pray as our medical teams across Melanesia and the South Pacific use medicine and compassion toopen the door to introducing their patients to the one true Great Physician, Jesus.
Are you up to the challenge ofbecoming a medical missionary?
Africa Commissions their first Global Missionaries to serve abroad...they are headed to the Asia-Pacific Region!
Africa

It was a great night of celebration at the Africa Regional Conference as they commissioned Africa's first Global Missionaries to serve abroad!
"Though we will miss them dearly, we are overjoyed to send Reverends Collin and Shireen Elliott to serve on the Asia-Pacific Region." (Post on Africa Region's Facebook Page)
Details of their assignment on the Asia-Pacific Region will be coming in the days ahead!
Follow this link for more pictures from the Africa Regional Conference!
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Church-of-the-Nazarene-Africa-Region/250500901712568
Are You Looking for a ministry opportunity?
Manila, Philippines

Are you a Computer Geek?
Do you love writing code?
Do you speak computer languages foreign to most humans?
We need your help!
God has given each one of us different talents and we are responsible to use those talents wisely and for Him. If you recognize that God has given you the ability to speak another language and you have a love for technical details, you can join our team and together we can make Christlike Disciples in the world using technology.
Click here to read more about the incredible opportunities that could await you. BLOG, FEATURE, NEWS, OPEN POSITIONS, REGIONAL ANNOUNCEMENTS
EXCITING OPPORTUNITY TO JOIN MULTI-NATIONAL MEDIA TEAM!
Do you have:

Passion, training and expertise in the area of web and mobile applicationdevelopment?
Passion for the Lord and for sharing the Gospel across borders, boundaries, and barriers?

A dream of working with a multi-national media center producing media projects for clients around the world?
Desire for a cross-cultural experience in one of the megacities of the world?

Interest in checking out a short-term missions assignment?

New Media Team, Ernalynn Longcop and Kenaz Nepomuceno working on FEBC web development.
If this sounds like you, don’t delay! World Mission Communications Asia-Pacific has openings in our New Media department.
There are openings for both full-time national staff and for Mission Corps Volunteers.
If you want to be part of making a difference in the world for Christ, through the gifts and skills of media and technology, then don’t delay.
Fill out the below form and begin the journey to seeing where God will lead you!
Top 10 tips for a small church planning an international missions trip!
Engage Magazine

Are you a smaller church that is planning to get involved in an international missions trip? Pre-planning is one of the most important things that you can do to insure the successful outcome of your mission experience. 

Engage Magazine and contributor Ellen Decker have taken some of the mystery out of the pre-planning and preparation. Don't miss this informative article about how you can get ready for a life-changing, kingdom-impacting, missions experience!
Click here for the Top 10 Tips! Top 10 tips for a small church planning an international missions tripBy Ellen Decker

1. Research the country.Know as much as you can about where you are going. Find creative ways to let the congregation know about the people you will be ministering to so they can be praying for them and learning along with you how to best reach them with the gospel.
2. Get – and Keep – Leadership on Board. Give the Church Board detailed monthly updates so everyone feels a part of the ministry and no one is blind-sided by unexpected developments. After the trip, give a detailed accounting of the funds spent and the ministry accomplished.
3. Inform the Congregation. Give monthly 5-minute Mission Moments. These should be specifically geared toward the project or area your church is involved in. These should NOT be fundraising opportunities. Be creative. We wrote some of our own skits, used simple props like safari hats for fun announcements, and invited a retired missionary from Swaziland to speak. If you share the passion, the interest and funds will follow.
4. Use the Resources You Have. It’s amazing how God dovetails all the details. We found several stories in this year’s NMI books that tied in with our plans and generated enthusiasm for the project. This year’s 2-minute WEF Thanksgiving video clip also dovetailed beautifully into our theme of thankfulness and plans to be ministering in Swaziland on Thanksgiving Day. Stories from the weekly Out of Africa e-newsletter also stoked the fire. Asking the prayer warriors of the church to pray daily for the trip and the ministry made a significant difference.
5. Be Gracious About Differing Opinions. Someone in the congregation donated hundreds of Valentine cards, so we tried a fundraising effort of selling the cards. One person felt strongly that Missions should not do fundraising but should rely on God to provide through donations. Through listening to all the sides and talking and praying about it, everyone reconciled to the difference of opinions. The Valentine card sale raised $40. The person who objected later donated $700 toward the JF equipment.
6. Reach Out to Others as You Create the Team. Local church members are vital to the team, as they will have long-lasting impact on the congregation. However, there are also other Christians in the community, in other small Nazarene churches, on the district, or extended family and friends, who might jump at the chance to go and who might possess the gifts needed to fill out the team. We had the daughter of a church member who is a medical doctor in North Carolina, and four members from a Nazarene church in Florida join our team. Since our team came from different geographical areas and some had never met before, we had identical T-shirts made up for each team member. The front read “I love Swaziland” and the back read “Adventure Africa: Sharing Jesus and His love.” In Swaziland, the shirts also served as a great ice-breaker with the local people and also easily identified us as a team there to minister.
7. Create an Identifiable Logo. A logo that can be used on every bulletin board, brochure, bulletin insert, website, letter, etc., helps everyone in the congregation begin to identify with the missions trip, even if they are not going.
8. Build Unity. Not everyone can go. But everyone can participate by praying, loving, giving, and sending. Look for intentional opportunities to help the congregation feel a part of the international ministry. When our church packed boxes of groceries for a neighborhood trailer park in Dover, we used the opportunity to talk about how the missions team would be packing bags of groceries on the other side of the world for grandmothers raising AIDS orphans in Swaziland.
9. Equip the Team. In all your efforts to draw in the entire congregation, don’t forget that team members need special attention. Particularly if they are not familiar with international travel, they will need to know about things like different electrical plugs, driving on the left side of the road, and dealing with jet lag. Give them a sample fundraising letter if they want to try to get donors. Shepherd them in the months leading up to the trip, and be alert to special prayer needs. 
10. Have Faith. There is no doubt that Satan will do whatever he can to prevent the trip from happening and team members from going. In the few months leading up to the trip, our group of nine team members experienced: two rejected passport applications, five major surgeries, childcare that bailed a week before the trip, a sister passed away unexpectedly and the funeral was the same day we flew to Africa, a bad case of poison ivy the week before, two team members that needed teeth pulled, and one team member that needed a complete blood transfusion and almost died a few weeks before we left. Yet by God’s grace all nine of us went. Expect both setbacks and miracles if you are doing the will of God.

This newsletter is a ministry of your Asia-Pacific Regional Communications Office. Please submit questions or comments to: Regional Communications Coordinator
Connie Aebischer - Editor - Around the Region News
World Mission Communications Asia-Pacific
Ortigas Avenue Extension
Taytay, Rizal, Philippines
Around the Region is released each week on Saturday. If you have news to share, please forward to our office by Friday at noon (PHT).
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