Christian Africa!

I received a newsletter from a young missionary family who is not in language and culture learning mode in a south-central African country. They had recently attended a conference at which they met African Christians from several surrounding nations. They were somewhat surprised by the fact they most of the Africans taking part were much better educated than they. Most had masters and doctors degrees from prominent colleges and universities. It set me to thinking.
When Greta and I went to Africa in 1971, Africa was just emerging from European colonization and was still known as the "Dark Continent". Most of Africa's fifty-some nation-states were less then 10 years old and struggling with their identity. European powers had drawn the boundaries of these countries with little regard for the topographical realities on the ground. Many tribes (nations) and some of the more than 2,000 language groups were on both sides of some of those national borders. In almost every measurable area of life, Africa has declined since those days including health, education, peace, or standards of living. The one area of booming growth has been the Christian church. Africa today is no longer the "Dark Continent" but has become predominantly Christian or about 47%. In 1970 there were about 250,000 Christian congregations across the continent, today the number is more than 550,000. In other words, the church seems to be Africa's one "growth industry."

Help Enlarge the Harvest

Most of you who follow the Meeces know we work for a mission sending organization in Louisville, Ky - Team Expansion. Wayne is the Field Coordinator for teams working in Europe and West Africa and Greta is the Member Care Associate and Volunteer Coordinator. Recently we moved to our new office facilities we call Emerald Hills. The site is well named, beautiful old 60 acre farm of rolling green hills in eastern Jefferson County - Louisville, KY. More than 320 Team Expansion full-time workers serve in 50 countries, among peoples of the world who are the least reached with the Christian message.
Greta and I have joined with our staff in an effort we call "Enlarge the Harvest". To truly Enlarge the Harvest, we need your help. Would you join us in building a solid future for His glory? Would you help us build our mutual capacity for tomorrow's harvesters, while stepping up efforts today for the sake of the world's "least-reached" peoples? This new thrust, "Enlarge the Harvest," will provide for...

• The launching of 25 new outreach projects among unreached peoples.
• Stipends and scholarships for new missionary trainees to build ministry partnerships with local churches and to get the equipping they need prior to going overseas.
• Completion of the new Prayer Center & Atrium at Emerald Hills.
• Regional "member care retreats" for workers in far-flung places.
• Bi-annual Team Leaders' Summit, to train and encourage our mission team leaders.
• A desperately-needed missionary guest housing "East Wing" at Emerald Hills
• Special field projects among our various ministries around the world such as: fresh water wells for Mongolia, a goat herd in Bosnia, a home for battered women and neglected children in Peru, etc.

We are looking for Partners who will pray for God to grant them the ability, when asked, to send a one-time gift for a specified amount (e.g., $100) no more than twice a year for three years. We're saying up front that each Partner will be asked once a year but never more than twice in any given year. This will enable Team Expansion to increase our ability to serve the next generation ofmissionaries, unreached peoples and church members.

If you are willing to do this you can, please log on to the Team Expansion web site, (Use the link at the right.)on the "Involvement" tab look for "Enlarge the Harvest" and fill out the form provided. If you do not do the internet, please contact us (phone 502-412-5877) and we will take care of it. If you fill out the internet form, be sure to put our name in the box "The person who told me about Enlarge the Harvest" We will keep all of you informed of the progress of this effort

Jury Duty

I am 71 years old and have never been called to jury duty until two weeks ago. They told us that it was an important part of our "civic duty" and likely the only time we would be directly involved in government service. We were actually subpoenaed by the court, so it was far from voluntary. Our "pay" was $5 per. day plus $7.50 expenses. It actually cost $6 per day for parking and we had to provide our own lunch. There was not even coffee!! So when you do the math, it's not the highest paying job I ever had.
On the other hand, I did learn a lot about our justice system and how the courts actually function. I also met some interesting people. The jury pool is supposed to by a sample of the entire community. I served on one jury with a former basketball star from the University of Louisville and met a lawyer who had played on the same team with him. I learned that almost no one is exempt from jury service, police, doctors, business people, even judges.
It was a good education, mostly in patience as we spent most of our time sitting and waiting (I did finish reading one entire book), a lesson in human nature and a "once in a lifetime experience" that I can wait for 71 years to do again.

Snow Bound

I don't think I ever read all of Whittier's "Snow Bound" but last week I had time to do it. Our family was snow bound in, of all places, Louisville, KY. We were far more fortunate than many of our friends and neighbors who had no electric power, heat, and sometime no water. We shared our home with our son James and his family for 3 days and spent a lot of time finding things to do. The kids got out grandma's sewing stuff and we even started putting together a 500 piece puzzle. We had not done that for years. Even the kids enjoyed it.
During our years in Africa, we almost always had a puzzle going on a table in the living room and there was always a kerosene lamp ready to go. For over a year, Greta and I lived in a rural village with no electricity. We had solar pannels and deep cycle 12 vold batteries for our ham radio and travel trailor lighting at night. Our kerosene refrigerator worked well and we had no need of heat. I even built Greta a charcole stove with an oven. It seemed fun in those days, but it is much different to be snow bound.

Time Gets Away

I have been away from this for too long so I won't try to catch up on everything. Christmas and the New Year were great and we had a good time. We did not do much this year and the family all did their own things. Next year we plan to get together here in Louisville.
Last week Greta and I did a Sharpening Your Interpersonal Skills workshop with OMS in Greenwood, IN. I was under the impression that I needed to do a better job of confronting people about problems but learned that I probably need to work on listening skills. Life would be a lot easier if we didn't have to deal with people all the time. :-)
Another blessing of the workshop was to meet people involved in missions with other groups and organizations. People who have a heart for the lost among the nations and who are willing to put their life on the line for it are special people and it is always good to share with them.