Typhoon Strikes Philippines Conf.

Entire villages were washed away as Sendong (Washi) pummeled south Philippines in the early hours of the Sabbath, leaving a trail of flattened homes, broken bridges and upended vehicles in the poverty-stricken country. In southern Mindanao, a region unaccustomed to typhoons, Sendong killed more than 1000 people in eight provinces. Rescuers are still searching for hundreds missing. Flash floods and landslides swept entire homes into rivers and out to sea.

Seventh Day Baptists have churches, members, and family members located in this area. You may have noticed in the Conference Services mailer a place for to give to the SDBDRF (SDB Disaster Relief Fund). If you have not already, please consider donating to the conference or to the Missionary Society to help in our united efforts to support our brothers and sisters in this time of crisis. And please, keep the victims and rescuers in your prayers.

One of our oldest conferences, the work in the Philippines includes the T.I.M.E. program for pastors, medical work, orphan support, and general Christian education. The pastors are dedicated and travel by many means to their churches. They hold vacation Bible schools and camps for the youth and Bible studies and prison outreach for adults.

The SDB Conference and Missionary Society are committed to seeing that together these funds are delivered quickly with accountability and to those that need it most.  Donate button above

 

Guyana Leadership Training

Our Seventh Day Baptist congregation in Washington D.C.’s pastor, Paul Andres is a son of Guyana and one of their strongest advocates for a financially independent and spiritually equipped Guyana conference.  With wife, Diane, his Aunt Elnora, and their church, he has been working to help equip the leadership and enhance the vision of the SDB conference in Guyana.

 Paul and Diane have started the work, but time constraints in their last visit did not allow them to complete all the essential leadership they were hoping to accomplish.  Though an established conference, there are now only a few pastors, with any kind of training, whether formal or informal in Guyana. The Andries believe if the leaders received training, they would then be much better equipped to minister to both their congregations and the community, as a whole. The leaders there are hungry for training.

 Paul has worked out a plan for training in July 2012 and is asking for our support in any or all of these four areas:

       1. Pray for their preparation to do this work for the Lord.

2. Pray the pastors and spouses be encouraged to attend training.

3. Contribute financially for the mission of this ministry.

4. Thank God, for the success that would stem from this training.

Haiti Church Construction

Hait Congregation Starts Well But Needs Help To Finish - Nov 2011

  Recently, I was reminded of a project directed by Andrew Samuels, the pastor of the Miami Seventh Day Baptist Church. He is leading a continuing effort to build the first place of worship and ministry for Seventh Day Baptists in Croix Des Bouquets, Haiti. Though their pastor Jean Lucas Julien has faithfully shepherded the congregation since 1994, they have never had a building of their own. Funds have been generously donated from across our conference to help them start building and construction began in July of this year. A well-constructed place to operate their ministry in a country so shattered by destruction and poverty will be a real blessing for that SDB congregation and to the community in which they serve.

This project still needs a few thousand dollars to see it to completion. At this time of year when we reflect particularly on how much we have been blessed, we would ask you to consider if there is any way that you can support them through prayer or donations. It would be greatly appreciated. Funds may be sent directly to the Miami Seventh Day Baptist Church at 10185 NW 7th Avenue, Miami, FL 33150 or through designated donations by way of the SDB Missionary Society.  See donate button above.

Uganda Report

(Revised Summary of Letters)  9/26 & 10/10/2011

  Thank so much for the funds in support of the orphans and desperately needy kids in our care. They were almost dying of hunger and going with no clothing and no mattresses and blankets. We thank God for the large family of Seventh Day Baptists and we are glad to be part of God's large family and thank you for the evident LOVE.

  Keep praying, especially for the children, the HIV/AIDS patients and more so for the children we have who are HIV positive having received it from mother at birth and whose mothers are already dead. Few people are willing to help and even to touch them. The funds you sent helped a lot towards that.

  The future of the Seventh Day Baptist Church in Uganda greatly depends on children. We have many and they learn and they will hold our heritage. By helping us leave them well and able to train the children, we are planting a strong future church.

  Pass our thanks to all those people who have sacrificed a lot to help the Uganda conference in our desperate situation and our love to all those who support the Missionary Society. If you see people who are willing to come and work with us as volunteers in areas of helping children, nursing, teaching and construction we shall appreciate it. Uganda is a good country.

  The big challenge as a third world country is people are desperately poor and some live in grass houses. It would be good if some people could help take care of individual children on a continuous basis. Each child may need $50 a month to both be in school and eat two good meals a day. If so, I can send you the pictures and the names and their problems. Many are too sick and they may not live long, but that short time they have they need food and medicines.

  God bless you so much and I will write more later on.

Yours because of Calvary,
Daniel Nsubuga, General Secretary
Uganda Conference of SDB