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Why Overseas Work?
Well, there is an East African proverb describing short-sightedness: "I pointed out to you the stars, but all you saw was the tip of my finger." This statement speaks to us because we believe it's wisdom is a faint echo of what Jesus said, "Whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my name and the gospel's, will save it." Jesus' life, teachings, death, and ressurrection all point us to the stars and say, "Take up your cross and follow me. You can have a life as beautiful as those stars in the heavens, but if you try to live on your own terms, without following me, then you will be short sighted and only able to focus as far as the arm can reach." We're going to Africa because we firmly believe Jesus wants us to take risks and sacrifice for him when he calls us.
Jesus wants to show us how great his power is to protect us through anything. Jesus wants to show us how significant salvation is to save all people from the pain and punishment of sin. This is why Sarah and I look forward to seeing more of Jesus' greatness as we venture out in obedience to Maputo, Mozambique.
Why Mozambique?
We know that we will only truly live, when we are in obedience to him. We have seen both the spiritual and humanitarian needs in Africa. We feel that God is calling us to help out.
Mozambique was a Portuguese colony for over four centuries, but in 1962 several anti-colonial political groups formed FRELIMO and initiated an armed campaign against the Portuguese in September 1964. After ten years of sporadic warfare, FRELIMO had not made any progress.
When independence was achieved peacefully in 1975, FRELIMO rapidly established a one-party state allied to the Soviet bloc. This resulted in a prolonged civil war between communist and democratic militia groups.
After the brutal civil war ended in October 1992, improvements were excellent until Southern Mozambique was hit by a major cyclone in 2000. The BBC News reported nearly one million people were left destitute in need of clean drinking water, food, medical supplies and temporary shelter. This was another major set back, but out of the intense suffering and new religious freedom, God created spiritual hunger and congregations of indigenous Christians mushroomed all over the country.
Presently, a lack of scriptures and biblical understanding leads to widespread legalism or syncretism. This is why training for church leadership is an urgent priority in Mozambique!
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What's Mike's Story?
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I grew up in a Christian home in Guelph, Ontario, where we attended Crestwicke Baptist Church. I love my parents and sisters. I put my faith in Jesus Christ as my Lord at a young age, but struggled to see the faithfulness of God in my life. Regretfully, I failed to resist sin throughout my teenage years and my life was full of significant contradictions until about the age of nineteen. At that time, I was greatly convicted by God about my life style. I felt guilty about my sin, but trusted the truth in 1 John 1:8, "If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. But if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." I rededicated myself to God and asked Him to remove me from my surroundings. Interestingly, I lost my job soon after the experience and was offered employment by my brother-in-law. I found myself moved to a new city and quickly removed from the places that tempted me most.
Throughout the summer of 1996 I continued to change, especially due to a series of sermons by a local pastor named Doug Watson. He preached, "Life is like a book. Turn the page and start a new chapter." "Life is like a lamp and an electrical outlet. The lamp is you and the Bible is the outlet. If you don't plug in to the Bible, you will never have power and be a light." And, "If you can serve full time, serve God full time." It was at this time that I committed to full-time ministry.
Sarah and I were married in 1998. Later that year we began to serve together at Grindstone Valley Bible Church, in Waterdown Ontario. During these years, our passion for ministry grew as our passion to follow the Lord grew. I was the Youth Director and Sarah was the Director of Children's Ministries.
In 2000 we moved to South Hamilton, Massachusetts. I received a Master of Arts in Religion Degree from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and Sarah worked as a nanny. Upon my graduation, we travelled to Maputo for a short-term visit. We prayed for God's leading and felt that God was not opening the doors to the field at that time, although we have "never shaken the African dust from our sandals."
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What's Sarah's Story?
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My name is Sarah Thiessen and this is how God has worked in my life to glorify him. I became a Christian at the age of six when I was sent to my room and grounded for taking the Lord's name in vain. My mom explained to me again what sin was and why we need Christ. That was when I prayed to God and thanked Him for Jesus.
I grew up active in the church because my parents were good role models. I was baptized when I was twelve. At Brant Bible (now Compass Point Bible Church), I enjoyed serving in the nursery, Pioneers, choir, Sunday school, nursery, and child's club to fulfil my passion to work with younger kids.
However, in my teenage years, I met a guy at church, we became friends, dated, and I started to become selfish with my time and ambitions. The world started to revolve around me and my goals. I didn’t serve God. In 1996, he died of Leukemia when I was finishing my Early Childhood Education Diploma at Sheridan College. During that time the Lord, through His grace, revealed to me a lot of things. He showed me that I was not in control of my life and that my pride was ruining me and affecting others around me. I realized I could not be half a Christian. “I am either a child of God or not. There is no in-between.” I chose to serve God whole heartedly in September of 1996, starting by going to Heritage Bible CollegeI become spiritually fulfilled there as I learned so much about how God's presence in my life is enough to sustain me. My favourite verse is 2 Corinthians 4:8-9, “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.”
Mike and I were married, travelled to seminary, and in 2002 we moved to Barrie. Presently, God has blessed us with two wonderful boys. Simon (3) and Gabriel (1 year) are gifts from God and we cherish them very much. Our marriage grows as we learn more and more to love another. We serve at Emmanuel Baptist Church. We have been serving at Emmanuel for four years. Michael is the Pastor of Integration, Discipleship, and College Ministries. I direct the Nursery program and our benevolent meals program along with fully supporting Michael in his role.
We are excited to take the next of obedience to see Africa again.
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SIMON
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Gabriel
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