October STORM Report: Teaching Under Lockdown
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Volume 9 No. 11
October 22, 2020
Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling....
Blessed are all who take refuge in him. Psalm 2:11, 12b
A summer missionary associate shares her experience of teaching online this summer.
Because she has been working in a sensitive area the follow testimonial does not
include any identifying information.
My missionary associate service last summer was quite different than this year’s. Last year I was physically on the mission field. My tasks included living in a campus dorm room with five female students and teaching an English course at a university, while assisting the mission’s work at the local church and with community outreach activities. There were many opportunities to meet people and share our faith, so the mission itself required significant time and energy from every one of us. We met for team meetings and prayer time. We also worked closely with the team leader and were able to observe his example.
...This year, with the school under lockdown, my experience was quite different. I taught a language class online from the other side of the world. My challenge was preventing class content related to our Christian faith from falling into the wrong hands while making it a priority to share the gospel through my class. I had to pre-record two-hour long lectures per day, conduct one-on-one interviews, and daily interact with test-based assessments, and use a secure internet platform to avoid the risk of being scrutinized. I prayed continually for my students as they endured the hardship of remote learning and isolation under lockdown. I prayed that God would bring fruit through this unconventional class taught during my night and their day.
The Latest
Hurricane Delta:
Presbytery of the South: We thank the Lord for His watchful care of the saints in OP churches in Louisiana after suffering from a second hurricane less than two months after weathering Hurricane Laura. The report is that all is well.
Tropical Storm Isaias
Presbytery of the Mid-Atlantic: All donations designated for the Tropical Storm Isaias effort continue to be greatly appreciated! In Maryland, the clean-up/decontamination work is now complete, and this project is into the rebuild stage. Recently, a construction consultant evaluated the progress on the home of David Bowles and his elderly mother.
Flooding in Midland, Michigan
Presbytery of Michigan and Ontario: We are praising the Lord for his provision in Midland! The Disaster Response effort continues as drywall installation and finishing is nearly complete. Site coordinator, Mike Greene, is looking for an experienced carpet installer and painting volunteers in November. You know what that means—the end is in sight! Please contact Sam Phillips at Midlandvolunteers@opc.org if that sounds like you! Lord willing, the home could have an occupancy inspection by Thanksgiving!
COVID-19 Pandemic Response Fund
The Committee on Diaconal Ministries’ COVID-19 Pandemic Response (CPR) Fund has received over $52,000 in generous donations to date! With these gifts, the Committee on Diaconal Ministries has been able to respond to requests for financial assistance from Kenya, Uganda, Haiti, Uruguay, Bolivia, and Ethiopia
Continuing the Work
in Midland
by Judy Hirdes
OPC Disaster Response Volunteer & Member, New Life OPC, Holland, MI
Cary Hirdes (right) working with Josh Reynolds (Grace OPC, Lansing, MI) on installing HVAC (prior to the drywall installation)
Our work in Midland, MI continues, following the devastating flood from the dam breakage on May 19. We drove there on August 4 to check on the Moots' home project for some details Cary needed to get all the parts ordered.
We returned on August 14 and again parked our fifth wheel trailer at Christ Covenant OPC. On Friday morning, as we traveled to Midland, we came upon some sheet metal lying on the highway. We soon learned it was some of the parts being delivered to the Moots’ home for our work.
Will you commit to pray for OPC Disaster Response, to donate funds to serve those in need or to volunteer your time? We need 30 more volunteers in less than a month to meet our goal of 300 volunteers by the end of hurricane season. Register now so we'll be ready for the next disaster!
Snapshots
News
The Boardwalk Chapel Band 2021
The Boardwalk Chapel Band is going on tour in the Great Lakes region this winter, raising awareness and support for the Chapel as they prepare for next summer!
The Band has concerts booked in Michigan, Chicago, Wisconsin, and Indiana. They are looking for churches in Ohio, Western PA, and Central PA to finish out their tour dates. If your church would like to host them this winter or would like to make a donation to the band, please contact them via their Facebook page.
Need a printable version of this report?
Short-Term Missions
OPC Disaster Response
Committee on Diaconal Ministries
David P. Nakhla
Short-Term Missions and
Disaster Response Coordinator
215-935-1007
david.nakhla@opc.org
Trish Duggan
Communications Coordinator,
Short-Term Missions and Disaster Response
Trish.duggan@opc.org
Sarah Klazinga
Administrative Assistant
Short-Term Missions and Disaster Response
Sarah.klazinga@opc.org
