Mission Activities
Missions is an important part of the region’s focus. Read about the various ways that the region is involved in missions.
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MISSION PARTNERSHIPS
Chile
Dwight and Barbara Bolick and their two children serve in Chile alongside the churches of the Convention of Baptist Churches of the Chilean Mission in ministries of economic and leadership development. Learn more and download bulletin inserts...
FBC South Bend Visits Chile
The Missional Church, South of the World
Three years ago, a Terremotto (earthquake) and Tsunami brought destruction to the coast of Chile. Three fishing villages near the city of Coronel were completely wiped out, killing many and driving terrified survivors to the mountaintops where they camped for two months while awaiting the construction of their temporary housing—provided by the Chilean government. For three years now, these survivors have been living in these temporary homes called “Mediaguas”-10 X 20 structures with wooden floors and heavy plastic walls. This coming March, work is to begin on their permanent homes. But houses were not the only things that washed out into the ocean. Livelihoods have been forever changed as individuals lost their fishing boats and the canneries destroyed. Now, many dive for shellfish without proper gear in order to “get by”.
In the midst of this loss and overwhelming destruction, a handful of pastors and missionaries from the Chilean Baptist Convention and the American Baptist Churches USA saw a lot of pain, strife and need. They responded to God’s call to reach out immediately following the earthquake to meet the villagers’ basic physical needs. Then as the communities began to stabilize, these servants of God were able to step back and ask, “How can we best help now?” “What resources do we have and what do they need most?” One pastor in particular, Rev. Lord Merino, a recent seminary graduate (and with his wife, my host in the city of Temuco, during our recent trip to Chile) recalled a very important part of his seminary education that had already influenced his work as a local church pastor at El Salitre Bautista Iglesia in Temuco. With encouragement from Rev. Dwight and Barbara Bolick, he developed a strategy to go into the communities, door to door (mediagua to mediagua) to ask these people, “How can we help?” What do you need most?”
With specific responses from the villagers and funds from One Great Hour of Sharing, these pastors and missionaries made small but significant changes to these mediaguas. A small room was added on to allow a little more space and privacy for sleeping. Windows were added as well as insulation, because though it doesn’t often snow in this area, it does get unpleasantly cold and rainy during their winter months. Now, Pastor Merino from Temuco goes with Dwight Bolick for periodic visits to encourage the area ministers who carry on this work. One pastor in particular, Miguel Sandoval Basso, has captured the vision for the people in these communities—nurturing their spirits along with their basic needs. Pastor Miguel goes to these villages two times a week to be with the people, to worship with them and encourage them. As they look forward to the construction of their homes, they also look forward to the construction of a permanent church home as land has been set aside for Pastor Miguel to construct a church building.
Other groups have come into these communities and just randomly started constructing mediaguas without any consideration that this is something the government was already doing, and with out any consultation of the villagers to see what their most pressing needs might be. Others have come in and preached messages of further death and destruction and judgment against those who make poor, often destructive choices. In the midst of these spiritual Tsunamis, God’s grace is being lifted up, hope is being restored and love is flowing freely in the name of Christ, our Lord.
Spain
Carlos Bonilla and Mayra Giovanetti with their children are in Spain alongside the churches of the Baptist Evangelical Union of Spain in their Ministries to Migrants. Learn more and download bulletin inserts…
To learn more about the ABWM State Project for 2012, which is providing support for the Women’s Shelter in Spain, click on the inserts listed below. They are provided by Mayra Giovanetti. New inserts will be updated on a periodic basis in 2012.
ABWM State Project Insert No. 2 – English
ABWM State Project Insert No. 2 – Spanish
ABWM State Project Insert No. 1 – English
ABWM State Project Insert No. 1 – Spanish
Mission Covenant Relationships
Following our Region’s Chile Mission Encounter in 2004, The American Baptist Churches of Indiana and Kentucky initiated a Mission Covenant with The Convention of Baptist Churches of the Chilean Mission. Click here CHILEAN MISSION COVENANT to read more.