Dear friends,
Nathaniel, chosen by Jesus to be His disciple, said to Him, "Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!" (John 1:49). At this season we are humbled to realize the Baby born in Bethlehem is our King, the Son of God, the Savior of the world, and our Savior. Throughout this year He has gently revealed Himself in more wonderful ways, and our longing is to be like Him, to reflect His light as we realize He has chosen us to be His disciples.
The year, soon to be behind us, has been full of victories and joys. Cyprian's time in Nigeria this year was marked by fruitfulness. As of October there are over 27 correctors in Kano, 12 in Benue, and some in Bassa local government of Kogi State. The Lord is raising capable and enthusiastic correctors and leaders. Progress is remarkable in the distribution of these courses which have proven to be a valid and useful tool in evangelism and discipleship. Cyprian, D.V., returns to Nigeria the end of January 1997 for the remainder of the year. Pray constantly for all of the ministry there: the work of encouragement and challenge in the assemblies, university fellowships, evangelistic outreaches, film ministry and the continuous counseling that takes place. Endless miles of travel will be undertaken in less than good traveling conditions. Pray that all will truly be blessed by God's wisdom.
Joy's health is great, and she continues nursing where times of sharing and prayer with the residents are numerous. Teaching Sunday School and occasionally ladies' fellowships are a joy for her. She will be involved in coordinating the Emmaus mail from Ghana for follow-up in Cyprian's absence. Jessie has rapidly recovered from the October accident that caused injury to her spine and is still wearing the brace. Pray for her as she continues studies at Loma Linda University. Stephen continues engineering studies at USC, and we see God's hand of protection and love continually. Access to the Internet is an additional blessing from the Lord through USC.
As we have seen God's hand throughout the year, we know we must thank each of you again for praying for us. Please continue--we are helpless without your prayers.
The heart of our God is seen in this expression of love: "Oh, that they had such a heart in them that they would fear Me and always keep all my commandments that it might be well with them and their children forever!" (Deuteronomy 5:29).
All Glory to the King,
The Kia Family
Sunday, December 15, 1996
Wednesday, October 30, 1996
PrayerLetter-Sept/Oct 1996
Dear friends,
The glorious gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, who is God, is the power of God unto salvation to all who believe. God will continue to save souls even though we seek to proclaim this gospel with all our inadequacies. Ray and Jan Downing, contemporary missionary doctors serving in Kenya, recently identified some of our inadequacies as: the wrong use of our resources, an unhealthy focus on differences, and our attitude that we have all the answers and therefore cannot listen or learn from others.
Resources will always be part of mission, but they do not have to be barriers. The gap they create can be narrowed by "keeping our resources from stealing the show so that we can truly do what we are sent to do." We are sent to evangelize and disciple.
The gospel we bring is a gift from God to them although it is wrapped in our human person and expressed through our limitations and culture. Presenting this gift will lead to "... hours of making friends, hours of unwrapping the gift together. For when we unwrap it together we can decide what to do with the wrapping and together we might be able to see the gift we are becoming to each other." Thus we will appreciate our human differences and commonalities which in Luzbetak's words "will go a long way towards reducing our ethnocentric tendencies. Our attitudes make it hard to listen to those we go to help. If we listen, the people there will tell us what doesn't fit, where, and even why. Yet we are willing to listen to the summaries of anthropologists and researchers if we have the chance. These people write their summaries by listening. Then why can't we listen ourselves and learn? Perhaps the people we go to are not worth listening to, for they are not like us (Downing, 1996).
This gospel of Jesus Christ is relevant to all ages, cultures, and peoples, but its communication must be contextualized in order for it to be experienced as the living message of God. It is the wonderful news to all the people of the world, who finally may come to God and to life without hindrance. It remains our task to so closely follow the Spirit of the risen Christ that we do not hinder His work in our complex age.
Please pray:
"And Thine is the Kingdom," oh Lord!!!
Ever in His mercy,
Joy and Cyprian
The glorious gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, who is God, is the power of God unto salvation to all who believe. God will continue to save souls even though we seek to proclaim this gospel with all our inadequacies. Ray and Jan Downing, contemporary missionary doctors serving in Kenya, recently identified some of our inadequacies as: the wrong use of our resources, an unhealthy focus on differences, and our attitude that we have all the answers and therefore cannot listen or learn from others.
Resources will always be part of mission, but they do not have to be barriers. The gap they create can be narrowed by "keeping our resources from stealing the show so that we can truly do what we are sent to do." We are sent to evangelize and disciple.
The gospel we bring is a gift from God to them although it is wrapped in our human person and expressed through our limitations and culture. Presenting this gift will lead to "... hours of making friends, hours of unwrapping the gift together. For when we unwrap it together we can decide what to do with the wrapping and together we might be able to see the gift we are becoming to each other." Thus we will appreciate our human differences and commonalities which in Luzbetak's words "will go a long way towards reducing our ethnocentric tendencies. Our attitudes make it hard to listen to those we go to help. If we listen, the people there will tell us what doesn't fit, where, and even why. Yet we are willing to listen to the summaries of anthropologists and researchers if we have the chance. These people write their summaries by listening. Then why can't we listen ourselves and learn? Perhaps the people we go to are not worth listening to, for they are not like us (Downing, 1996).
This gospel of Jesus Christ is relevant to all ages, cultures, and peoples, but its communication must be contextualized in order for it to be experienced as the living message of God. It is the wonderful news to all the people of the world, who finally may come to God and to life without hindrance. It remains our task to so closely follow the Spirit of the risen Christ that we do not hinder His work in our complex age.
Please pray:
- That we will be humble in our judgments.
- That we always have a learning attitude and total submission to Christ.
- That we will always bear in mind that "the work" will go on without us.
- That we will not let personal interest and ambition get in the way of the moving of the Spirit of Christ.
"And Thine is the Kingdom," oh Lord!!!
Ever in His mercy,
Joy and Cyprian
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