the Missions Banner

Presbyterian Missionary Union

& Venture Guild International

1650 Love Road, Grand Island, New York 14072 s Phone: 716-775-0442 s Fax: 716-775-3405
Email: pmu@bpc.org s Web: www.presbyterianmissions.org

APRIL 2007, #217 ‹ “Declare His glory among the nations, His wonders among all peoples!” Psalm 96:3

In Bolivia: Training, Singing, Preaching and more... News to Know

The PMU Pastoral Leadership Team
returned to the US from La Paz, Bolivia,
on Saturday, March 31, tired but thrilled
at what the Lord had accomplished in
their 12 day ministry. Team members
Len and Karen Pine, and George and
Rita Gatis, joined with Rev. David Quis-
bert and the Bible Presbyterian Church
leadership in La Paz in a whirlwind of
various ministries designed to strengthen
and equip believers and church leaders,
evangelize young people and the general
public, and provide examples and re-
sources for biblical worship. All of this
was also done in the context of mutual
fellowship, labor, and worship with
God’s people in this needy land.
Singing in Aymara at the Taraco Church
The team participated in fourteen
worship or Bible study services, six adult
seminars, two radio broadcasts, four
English seminars, three sacred concerts,
one morning of tract distribution, one
afternoon children’s Bible club, and
much informal fellowship as well during
the ministry. Part of the ministry in-
cluded a two-day excursion into the Alti-
plano region to visit an indigenous
church among the Aymara people in the
Taraco area, on the shores of Lake Titi-
caca. There, preaching and communica-
tion required three-way translation, and
most modern conveniences were no-
where to be found. However, the hearts
of God’s people responded to the minis-
try of the Word and music, some having
walked many miles in the dark to be
there. On the team’s return journey, they
stopped at a local school to distribute
milk, bread, school supplies, and gospel
Brazil Team Countdown
Departure dates have a
way of suddenly arriving!
Team Timothy Brazil is
finding out how true that
is! Back in November ‘06
team members were se-
lected and sent information
packets detailing all they
Pines, Quisberts, and Gatises had to accomplish before
departure on July 10, 2007.
The intervening eight
tracts, which were all enthusiastically re- month interval is deceptive
ceived by the children. Len and George and appears to offer infi-
even got up an impromptu soccer game nite opportunity to raise
with the kids, to everyone’s delight. funds, get physical exams,
The team was also excited to see the prepare lessons, and turn in
beginnings of the new sanctuary in La Paz, all paperwork. Now, sud-
recently begun (nearly all done by hand) denly, all that time is rap-
with funds donated through PMU for that idly diminishing. From our
purpose. The project is about halfway com- vantage point here in the
pleted, and the church is praying that the PMU office, it is a blessing
Lord will provide the balance of the funds to see how diligent the
(about $3500) to complete the first phase team has been—most of
of the project (a ground floor sanctuary) in whom are employed or
the coming months. attend college—yet they
Thank you for your prayers for the have willingly accepted all
team. This trip represents a fairly major the extra work involved in
investment from the General Fund for preparing to serve on a
foreign field. Please pray
travel and ministry expenses: if you would
for Team Timothy during
like to help PMU defer those costs, your
the next two and a half
contributions toward that end would be months that they will be
gratefully received. Doing so will help encouraged and blessed as
make it possible to underwrite necessary they make final prepara-
ministry trips in the future to assist our tions to serve the Lord in
brethren establish a solid presbytery in the Brazil—July 10 to 26th.
country of Bolivia, our ultimate mutual
goal. Thank you. Pray for:
Team Leaders: Tito & Emily
Lryo,
Team Members: David Bliz-
zard, Sharon Blizzard, Susan
Blizzard, Natalie Hart, Rachel
Hedges, Chelsea Hojnacki,
Cameron Kalich, Tara Lea-
man, Ben Lensch, Charissa
Lensch, Brittany Murray,
Kevin O’Connor, Courtney
Padgett, Jessica Parizo
School children in Taraco, with big kids in back Banner Photo above:
Sunset at Lake Titicaca, Bolivia

Presbyterian Missionary Union is a non-profit missions agency associated with the Bible Presbyterian Church. Our purpose is to
advance the cause of missions that are biblically based and practiced and to stand against any compromise of the saving gospel of
Jesus Christ. PMU is directed by a Council of Christian leaders who volunteer their time to guide the ministry. To learn more about
missions opportunities through PMU, or about the BPC, please contact us. The Missions Banner is published ten times a year for
interested individuals and churches. It seeks to promote the clear stand of the BPC by providing a biblical perspective on issues,
fads, and theories in missions and church development. Editor: Len Pine. Publisher: James S. Blizzard
Mark: At Home in Cambodia
Some 30 hours after I boarded my flight in American, my plane landed
in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. The scorched scenery reminded me of how
blisteringly hot it can be in the dry season. The forecast had been for 105°
to welcome me back. Despite tiredness from a sleepless flight, I was eager
to see how different the city might be after my 15 month absence. My ho-
tel provided a ride into the city but the driver took a route I had seldom
traveled and I found myself scanning faces and sights like a first time tour-
ist. Once we arrived in more familiar stomping grounds, I was comforted
to find all the familiar landmarks—but I was also struck by one obvious
change. The noon hour traffic looked like rush hour traffic: not just
‘motos’ on the road, but far more cars than I remembered. It was obvious
that the wealthy class had continued to grow despite the multitudes that are
as poor as ever. I was encouraged to find that there has been a shake up in
the Phnom Penh police department and foreign drivers now find it safer to drive (as opposed to the former kidnapping
and extortion of foreign businessmen). This news has emboldened me to consider renting a moto to test getting around.
Once I’m in my own apartment, I might consider buying one ($500-$600). Soon after my arrival, I was pleased to be
asked to preach every 4th Sunday at a Khmer service. This will give me a chance to practice Khmer and will not prevent
me from my own Sunday labors once they develop.
This coming week I plan to look at schools and tutors and get started in earnest on formal language studies. I’ve been
studying the language material I brought with me and a Khmer instructor would be most helpful. Please keep my health
in prayer—first the heat, then a bump on the head leaving a nasty scar, then some bad duck—all this has left me feeling
sore and tired and I’ve only just begun my labors. — Mark Baldwin, March 2007
My language tutor, Socheat, suggested I increase my class load up to 2 hours to include writing. This change will
come after the Khmer New Year (April 14-16). I finally managed to find a Khmer-English dictionary, but what I really
needed was an English-Khmer dictionary for English speakers. It will help in my studies, but I’ll need to turn to my lan-
guage book’s bizarre 1960’s phonetic transliterations back into Khmer to look up anything. Makes me wish I was study-
ing a language popular enough to have some decent learning materials On Wednesday, Socheat did not arrive for my
lesson. My friend, Brian, phoned to say that Socheat had been in a moto wreck and would be recovering for a couple of
weeks. Please keep Socheat and his family in prayer. In the meantime I have plenty of vocabulary work and will begin
learning the alphabet based on the words I already know.
I was bored with the basic fare I was eating at the nearest restaurant, so I ordered the “Khmer Curry” one night this
week. It was nothing like the spicy Indian and Sri Lankan curries I’ve had but was a delicious soupy concoction with
coconut milk, peanuts, green beans, pumpkin or squash, and a hint of sweetness. The next evening, I tried “Amok”, a
Cambodian curry that is thick and served in a coconut. I recommend both to anyone who comes over. I continue to
eliminate local restaurants based on digestive distress, so finding more variety at a local restaurant is a good thing.
Returning to Phnom Penh is an answer to prayer. It was a long road ‘back home’ with many hours spent in the US
traveling on deputation, resolving health issues and studying for exams. The Lord graciously provided the energy, re-
sources, and physical healing I needed. In His perfect timing, I’m now back in Cambodia, able to serve as an ordained
Bible Presbyterian pastor. Please continue to pray for my Khmer language studies, for permanent housing, and for op-
portunities to spread the gospel of Christ in Cambodia. — Mark Baldwin, April 2007

The Westminster Confession of Faith Recently Completed in Myanmar

The publication of The Westminster Confession of Faith and The Shorter Catechism is done and the translation of
the BPC Church Government and Church Discipline is almost finished. Our Summer Camp was held April 11-18 at
Namhu village, one of the three villages (others are Aung Tha Pyi and Kellar) in Shan State
where we preach. We shared with unbelievers who have never heard the Gospel, clearly, and
also taught new believers to strengthen them and help them grow in grace. Several of our church
members are also sharing gospel tracts. Our Yangon BPC made the decision to move the or-
phanage center to Yangon hoping that the children will enjoy better care and education as well
as for improved security.
Please pray with us for God’s direction and blessing as we start a Bible study in North
Dagon, Yangon. Also pray for our future goals of training key leaders to be ordained as elders
as soon as possible, the translation of the BPC Church Government and Discipline into Bur- Orphanage Children
mese, and the establishment of a theological training school for equipping future BPC leaders and missionaries.
— Rev Khawl Ro Kim

News from the Paauwes and a Request for Prayer

Continue to uphold Ed and Lehia in prayer as they persevere in their many minis-
tries in Australia: the Bible Institute, Ed’s pastoral responsibilities, their various speak-
ing engagements at retreats and camps and their travels to encourage and help other
missionaries such as their recent trip to Myanmar.
Dr. Paauwe has suffered from back and sciatic pain for some time, and was under-
going physical therapy, but a recent MRI has confirmed that the problem cannot be
corrected by therapy. Surgery has been scheduled for May 11, and he asks for the
prayers of the Body of Christ on his behalf.
Evangel Bible Institute