A letter from Cindy Easterday in South Africa
October 5, 2007
Dear Friends, church Partners and Supporters of all kinds!
October is already upon us and with it a major event called Mission Challenge ’07 is unfolding in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). During October nearly 50 PC(USA) missionaries from around the world will be sharing the stories of their ministries in 144 of our PC(USA) presbyteries—that’s over 80 percent participation!
It is expected that about 700 churches will hear how, through their committed and faithful support and partnership, lives are being saved, wells are being dug, movements of solidarity for justice and peace are being forged, and the hope and love of Jesus Christ are being shared through action, word, and deed with peoples all around the world.
Part of Mission Challenge ’07 also entails an appeal to every church in the denomination to support Presbyterian missionaries like me.
A packet of materials was sent to every church in the denomination. By now your church should have received it. It includes a letter, bulletin inserts for use at worship on a Sunday in October, and a DVD with two short videos. The materials make the case for the excellence of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) as a mission-sending agency that’s been doing effective evangelism for 170 years. We’re hoping that every church will contribute to the financial support of Presbyterian missionaries.
Hunter Farrell, the new director of Presbyterian World Mission, just got back from serving with his family for nine years in Peru. He also served through the Joining Hands program of the Presbyterian Hunger Program. Their local network has brought to the public’s attention some shocking discoveries in huge smelter in city in the Andes (try googling “La Oroya, Peru”), which allowed their partner presbytery in the United States to advocate with them for environmental and health changes to an industry affecting both countries.
My work in Lesotho, and on an interim basis in South Africa, is also with Joining Hands, formerly called “Joining Hands Against Hunger.” In Sesotho, our network is called “Kopano ke Matla Toant’song ea Bofuma Lesotho,” which translates “unity is our strength in our fight against hunger.” In South Africa, the network is called “Sisonke Masilwe Indlala,” which means “together let us fight hunger.” It’s an exciting movement led by local organizations to bring about long-term changes to systems impacting poverty and hunger in their countries. Presbyteries from the PC(USA) partner with these networks for mutual education, exchange, advocacy, and transformation.
We now have a Web-based newsletter describing the activities and involvements of the nine Joining Hands networks around the globe.
To get back to Mission Challenge ’07, I do hope your church is one of those involved in this event and that you are able to hear from one of us mission workers that you support through your mission giving. If not, I hope the information you receive will encourage you to see how valuable your support has been and continues to be to those of us who feel called to live and work with people in various parts of the world. For me, it’s a gift beyond my imagining, and even though it can present its own challenges at times (what can’t!), there is nothing else I would rather do than to serve my Lord and God as He would have me in this place at this time. For that I am deeply grateful and thankful to each one of you for your support through prayer, personal interest, concern, care, and finance.
“Simplified Giving” Web site
The PC(USA) has just put up a Web site to make it easy for individuals to (1) give an undesignated gift to support mission co-workers like me (2) to designate a gift to support missionaries serving in one of seven regions (3) or to designate support to an individual missionary. It has always been possible for churches to do this (through Directed Mission Support), but now individuals can do so if they’re moved. This is an answer to prayer! Those of you who attempted to give through the old system are probably shouting in celebration, as are we!
If you are so moved, you can contribute to my support safely and easily by clicking on the “give” button beneath my name and address on my home page on Mission Connections.
I’m sorry I couldn’t be there to be part of this personally, but I will be home next summer for several months and look forward to seeing some of you then.
With blessings in the Hope that is to come,
Cindy
The 2007 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 330
