STORIES & IMPACT UPDATES OF OUR WORK TOGETHER
ISSUE 02 | Spring 2021
Outpouring of Love
Jennifer Lau · Executive Director
It is with excitement that we share another issue of CBM Responding with you.
In the last several months, I have been encouraged to see the outpouring of love and generosity from Canadian Baptists.
Even in a time when COVID-19 has impacted our work, churches, family, and personal lives, it has not stopped us from caring for the most vulnerable in our world. When we put out an emergency appeal last year after the Beirut, Lebanon blast, you responded. When we hosted our very first walk/run/bike-a-thon to raise money for building latrines in El Salvador, you responded. A youth group from North Burlington Baptist Church in Ontario even organized a delightfully creative online fundraiser. You can read all about these efforts and more, in this issue of CBM Responding.
It is your support that allows CBM to respond immediately whenever a crisis hits or wherever there is need. Our programs, projects, and support of local churches around the world have continued even through this pandemic. In this issue, we also explore how CBM’s work contributes toward the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. This is no small feat. It is all because of your generous ongoing partnership to act as the hands, feet and hope of Jesus across the globe, in all seasons. We hope you are enjoying this new CBM publication. Please reach out to us if you have any comments, suggestions, or questions. Just e-mail us at communications@cbmin.org.
Thank you for your ongoing support. We hope this issue helps keep you better informed about the impact of the work we do. Please continue journeying with us as we faithfully share and live out the gospel together.
Grace and peace,
Jennifer Lau Executive Director
Most of CBM’s programs are aligned with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
CBM Causes
Poverty
Kids at Risk Justice
Build the Church
For more information about the importance of the UN’s SDGs, see the inside back cover and read the enclosed letter.
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CBM Responding is published four times a year by Canadian Baptist Ministries. Copies are distributed free of charge. Bulk quantities available by request.
Integral Mission in a Time of Crisis
Julia Bowering · Team Lead of International Programs
Integral mission is holistic participation in God’s work in the world. It acknowledges that we cannot separate the proclamation of the gospel from acts of meeting practical needs. The impact COVID-19 has had on the places where CBM’s partners work saw entire economies grind to a halt. Severe lockdowns prevented people from leaving their homes or driving their vehicles unless they held special permits.
Food relief programs scrambled to meet the increasing need while also navigating rapidly changing policies around personal protective equipment and travel. As offices and churches closed, our partners suddenly lost access to crucial files and systems for administering the development projects they had been planning all year. Entire families began to contract the virus and many said sudden and heartbreaking final goodbyes to loved ones, colleagues, and trusted community leaders. But instead of shutting down, our partners demonstrated the strategic role of the local church in times of crisis by moving forward. We saw this unfold in three key areas: Prevention and Awareness, Emergency Response, and Recovery.
PREVENTION AND AWARENESS
Throughout history, local churches have played a critical role in health crisis prevention and awareness. A pastor who is prepared to educate their congregation on disease prevention and treatment can make a life and death difference in that community. When the pandemic began last spring, CBM’s partner the African Christian Church and Schools (ACC&S) in Kenya quickly shifted their project plans to include COVID-19 education and theological reflection for their pastors. At the heart of this work is the theology of integral mission which sees human flourishing in creation as central to God’s mission. The work ACC&S has done to equip local pastors in this way enabled a rapid and unified program of prevention in 52 parishes, impacting thousands of Kenyans.
EMERGENCY RESPONSE
An effective emergency response is contextual and collaborative – operating with a strong knowledge of local needs, assets, and risks while connecting effectively with others. Our local church partners in Wuhan, China exemplified this approach to relief work during the world’s first COVID-19 lockdown. Unable to leave their houses to check on the vulnerable members of their community, pastors began to pray for a miracle. When one of the pastors was unexpectedly given a permit and allowed to drive the church van, they saw this as an answer to prayer. Using his local knowledge and community connections, this pastor began a COVID-19 food relief program that kept 270 needy families fed and safe during the lockdown. Through this response, 43 people came to faith for the first time.
RECOVERY
Women and girls around the world have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic, which means that recovery efforts that fail to address their needs will not be sustainable in the long run. CBM’s partner Asociación Bautista de El Salvador (ABES) in El Salvador, is a small denomination of local churches that works to encourage women in leadership and support those who find themselves in vulnerable situations. When the lockdown began, they were one of our first partners to respond and immediately identify women and children as primary beneficiaries. Their response was rapid, extensive, and personal, with the president herself visiting many of those who received aid. While it may be too soon to talk about pandemic recovery, partners like ABES are already laying down the sustainable groundwork for when the time comes.
As the COVID-19 pandemic engulfed the world, we got to see our partners live out the beauty and power of integral mission on a whole new level. The resilience, perseverance and love that is being shown through local churches and communities is evidence that God is always at work, through the hands and feet of his people. His work doesn’t end, and so neither will ours.
United Nations Policy Brief. “The Impact of COVID-19 on Women.” April 2020. Last Accessed on Nov. 28, 2020: https://www.unwomen.org/en/digital-library/publications/2020/04/ policy-brief-the-impact-of-covid-19-on-women
Picking Up the Pieces –the Witness of the Local Church
The Beirut Blast and the Aftermath
It has been almost a year since the massive explosion in Lebanon’s capital, shook a nation that was already in political, economic, and pandemic turmoil. Canadian Baptists responded quickly and generously, enabling our partners on the ground to act immediately.
Right after the explosion, CBM’s partner, the Lebanese Society for Educational and Social Development (LSESD), along with Arab Baptist Theological Seminary (ABTS) and MERATH, distributed hygiene materials to help protect against COVID-19, the spread of which was accelerated after the blast while decreasing resources for health care workers. Psychological support to help children and adults cope with the trauma was also provided, as well as ongoing investment in family livelihoods and community economic recovery through small business development.
• 82 victims of the blast received shelter and care at the ABTS dormitory after their homes were destroyed.
• 246 meals were provided for victims of the explosion (3 meals a day x 82).
• 82 people were assisted with finding permanent shelter after the blast or assisted with repairs and replacements that allowed them to return home.
• Over 200 health care workers were given refuge at ABTS since the beginning of the pandemic (which CBM helped support both before and after the blast).
• Over 500 indirect beneficiaries were assisted by ABTS’ partner churches during this project as they began ‘adopting’ families in their neighbourhoods.
• 290 victims were identified among the most vulnerable in various neighborhoods through MERATH, a partnership of local churches, and received home repairs so families could move back in. 99 homes, 1 small business, and 2 community centres were repaired and improved for shelter.
Elie Haddad, CBM’s Team Leader for the Middle East and North Africa Region, describes this time as a period of transformation, as churches that were silent after the war were going out into the streets to help, and coming together to pray.
“These ministries are working directly with impacted individuals and families to help them recover not only physically and materially, but also spiritually. One of our partner churches, for example, is serving through a back-to-school program for the children of families impacted by the blast to help them continue their education. All backto-school home visits build and maintain relational bridges with the people they serve,” says Loulwa El Maalouf, Director of Partnerships at ABTS.
With ongoing support and recovery underway in Beirut made possible with your generous giving, there is a glimmer of hope. The LSESD’s slogan is “Eyes on the Lord, hands on the plow, planting seeds of hope,” and Canadian Baptists have echoed this same sentiment through their stance of solidarity with our brothers and sisters in Lebanon today.
Read more on how CBM’s partners responded immediately to the explosion in Beirut, in Legacy of Presence: adobe.ly/3aULdCF
Shortly after the blast Canadians rallied to help the people of Lebanon. The Humanitarian Coalition is made up of different member agencies, which includes the Canadian Foodgrains Bank, of which CBM is a part. The Coalition, in partnership with Global Affairs Canada, mobilized the generosity of Canadians and raised $19 million, which included an $8 million matching fund from the Government of Canada.
The matching funds were distributed among the Coalition member agencies with detailed reporting according to which agencies could raise the matched amount.
With your generosity we raised $300K which the government matched, going to programs in Lebanon. We could not have done this without you.
Joe Bridi
Beirut, Lebanon
Based in Beirut, Lebanon, Joe Bridi works as a Ministry Development Coordinator for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. He primarily works with graduates from the Arab Baptist Theological Seminary (ABTS), supporting students in their ministry plans and working on finding possible partnerships through their local churches back in their respective countries.
Joe has supported students and different ministries in many countries, including Sudan, Morocco, and Lebanon. Born and raised in Lebanon, Joe has a background in the tech sector but felt a strong call to be in full-time ministry over the past several years. He has a heart for people and serves Syrian refugees in his area by leading Bible studies and discipleship groups. Joe is married to Alexandra, who serves as the HR and Administration Manager at ABTS. They have two young boys, Jad and Rami.
INTERVIEW
Q: How did you navigate the decision to work for CBM as National Field Staff?
Before joining CBM I was leading a successful career in sales with a company I worked for over 11 years, but as of December 2015, I started ‘hearing’ a voice deep inside calling me for a radical change in my life. I shared with my wife that God was asking me to leave precious things behind and follow him. By mid-2018 it became obvious that my place wasn’t in the company I was working for, and that’s when CBM’s MENA Region Team Leader, Elie Haddad, approached me and offered me a position. It was the easiest decision for me.
Are you interested in joining CBM as Global Field Staff?
Are there other people you know who might?
If you are passionate about how God’s love transforms people’s lives, and want to join our team, contact Member Care: membercare@cbmin.org OR call 905.821.3533
We welcome the opportunity to talk with you.
For more details, visit cbmin.org/job-opportunities
God had given me peace and clarity towards it, and the same for my wife, who told me that a couple of weeks before she had written a prayer in her journal specifically asking that CBM would offer me a job.
Q: What is one thing God has been revealing to you as you work in Lebanon? Lebanon has been in multiple economic, social, and political crises for 10 years now. With the Syrian refugee crisis, then the political and economic collapse that started with the revolution in October 2019, then the COVID-19 pandemic and the Beirut explosion on August 4, 2020. Through all these and being involved with the relief work on the ground, God has revealed to me that social justice and the gospel are complementary. We have seen people more receptive to the gospel as they see the Church on the ground caring for the needy and speaking against injustice.
Q: Lebanon is a major hub for different religious and cultural backgrounds. How do you share the gospel within this context?
Trust is key. That’s why we work on building a personal relationship through frequent visits and providing for needs. We make it clear that the support we provide is unconditional, that the only motive for us is to share the love of God. This leads them to ask more questions about the Christian faith and want to learn more about Jesus. Those who have come to faith through the ministry of our local church have asked freely to join an existing Bible study or for us to start one in their house. God is at work through his Holy Spirit in the lives of many and that we are privileged to be part of this amazing work. To God be the Glory!
PRAYER POINTS FROM JOE
Pray for Lebanon, as the socioeconomic crises worsens day after day, leaving many families to struggle to put food on their tables. Pray for the COVID-19 crisis as the numbers of infections and deaths are still high.
Pray that travel can resume soon so ministry among ABTS alumni can grow.
FOLLOW FOR UPDATES
cbmin.org/joe-bridi
jbridi@cbmin.org
Holding Fast to Faith
Finding Hope After the Beirut Blast
My name is Liliane and I am 74 years old. My husband passed away five years ago. I have no children and my only relative is my sister who I care for, because she is ill. I used to work as a seamstress, but since I broke my wrist and had surgeries for both of my knees, I have not been able to work at all. I have no income, at a difficult time when I am also struggling with cancer.
This apartment is where my husband and I lived most of our life, but I can no longer afford to pay rent. I have just enough to pay for the electricity provided by the government, but have not been able to pay for a private generator for a long time now. There are electricity cuts for several hours every day.
When the explosion happened, I was lying down on my couch. All the glass from the windows shattered, and I thought I was going to die. I hurried downstairs because no one lives in this building but me. There were many people in shock in the street, and no one knew what was going on. How could we have imagined what just happened?
It was a month before my windows got fixed. Thankfully, my eye surgeon told me about the local church and advised me to reach out to them for help. When I found them, they warmly received me and have been supporting me ever since. First, they rehabilitated my home by replacing the windows, fixing my kitchen and bathroom, and insulating the roof that started leaking badly after the explosion. For the past four months, the church has also been sending me three cooked meals a week, and they gave me several food vouchers. Without their help, I would not have anything to eat.
Despite it all, nothing has been able to shake my faith so far. I rely on the Lord for everything because He is all that I have. I have no one but God and the church to help me.
Meals for blast victims are being prepared in the kitchen of Arab Baptist Theological Seminary.
A Canadian Baptist Response to Hunger GROW HOPE
For nearly 40 years, CBM and Canadian Baptist farmers have been working together with 14 other denominations and church agencies in partnership, to end global hunger through the Canadian Foodgrains bank.
Through agriculture, sustainability, development and advocacy, the Canadian Foodgrains Bank has been helping rebuild and reinvest in the lives of hungry people across the world.
Through Grow Hope Projects, you can assist farmers to grow crops for a hungry world. Following the sale of the harvest, the proceeds will contribute to global food aid and assistance projects. Canola, wheat, soya beans and even livestock are part of these projects, in Nova Scotia, Saskatchewan and Alberta.
PLANT SEEDS OF HOPE FROM YOUR HOME! Become a ‘virtual farmer’ and support a Grow Hope project today. cbmin.org/growhope
The World Needs to Change. We Must Bear Witness to Who Can Make It New.
The Apostle Paul reminds us in 2 Corinthians 5:19 that God has committed to us a message of reconciliation of all to him through Christ. We serve a God that seeks the restoration of all creation. CBM believes this happens through the body of Christ, present in the communities and context that the Spirit has planted them. That means in local churches around the world! We are witnesses to real and sustained transformation through word and deed.
The world recognizes the need for change. In 2000, the United Nations proposed eight Millenium Development Goals to be achieved by 2015. These goals were revised to create the new Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 2015. All 17 goals propose a universal call to action to protect the planet, eradicate poverty and improve the lives of all people. The goals were adopted by all UN Member States as part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
CBM’s projects share many of the same goals. We work to accomplish them through local churches who are doing the work on the ground. Mainstream media often does not report on the work of local churches, but we recognize their importance in reaching communities, by working in partnership with them. As they serve communities holistically in word and deed, with the help of the Holy Spirit, together the local church has made a lasting impact in the work that CBM does.
Let’s embrace compassion and work together to care for the least of these, through the local church.
These UN goals and their implementation on the ground can seem distant and abstract. Yet, they are not to us and our partners. Every one of them is connected, with names, faces, and hopes.
Read the enclosed letter to meet three of them.
Sustainable Development Through the Local Church
ACCORDING TO THE UN...
What is sustainable development?
It is defined as development that meets present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs as well.
How can sustainable development be achieved?
Eradication of poverty is the first marker towards sustainable development. It requires a joint effort of all participating countries, governments, organizations, and individuals to build an inclusive, resilient and sustainable future. A harmony of economic growth, social inclusion, and environmental protection is crucial for the well-being of our planet and its people.
How do the SDGs lead to sustainable development?
The goals represent a compass for countries to align with their global commitments. Its implementation and success rely upon individual countries to strategize, mobilize and contribute to meeting those goals.
How are the SDGs any different from the MDGs?
They are broader in scope, focus on implementation, address climate change as a major contributing factor, and are universally applied to all countries instead of in developing countries only.
health and well-being
education
Gender equality
Clean water and sanitation
Affordable and clean energy
Decent work and economic growth
Industry, innovation, and infrastructure
Reduced inequalities
Sustainable cities and communities
Responsible consumption and production
Climate action
Life below water
Life on land
Peace, justice, and strong institutions
Partnerships for the goals
The work we do at CBM aligns in whole or in part, with the goals that are bolded.
Praying Together
Support God’s Work Around the World Through Prayer
WHAT IS PRAYERLINE?
At CBM, we believe prayer is vital to our work. Prayerline is a free, weekly prayer resource in print and video, which you can use to guide your prayer individually or together as a church.
Join us as a different CBM Field Staff member leads us in prayer every week.
PRAY WITH CBM’S FIELD STAFF
May 4: Conrad and Fiona Kwok · Chinese Ministries Team Leaders
May 11: Polisi Kivava Baudouin · DR Congo National Field Staff
May 18: Xiaodan Gang · Germany National Field Staff
May 25: Michael and Melanie Waddell · Philippines Global Field Staff
June 1: Darrell and Laura Lee Bustin · Rwanda Global Field Staff
June 8: Emad and Almess Botros · Lebanon Global Field Staff
June 15: Lilian Yang · Golden Triangle Region National Field Staff
June 22: Suraj Komaravalli · India Team Leader
June 29: Carla Nelson · Educational Specialist and Strategic Associate
PRAYER FOR CBM FIELD STAFF
Dear God, we are so thankful for our Field Staff. We thank you for their commitment and dedication. They have answered your call to enter overseas ministry. As God’s witnesses to those living in the margins, we pray for protection, peace, provision, and good health. May they feel your presence wherever they are.
In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.
May 16: International Day of Living
Together in Peace
Pray for the hurting and broken, for comfort in the midst of global and civil conflict.
Pray for an end to conflict, persecution and discrimination.
Pray for peace, respect, and harmony among all societies in our world today.
June 12: World Day Against Child Labour
Pray for an end to child labour.
Pray that families find reliable income so children do not have to work.
Pray that laws and cultural practices would help protect children from abuse, suffering and injustice.
June 20: World Refugee Day
Pray for refugees, that they find safety, opportunity, and community where they are.
Pray for strength, provision, protection and peace, especially for people living in camps.
Pray for CBM programs that help provide some relief to refugees in camps.
June 23: International Widows’ Day
Pray for provision, comfort and peace for widows in the midst of their grieving.
Pray for greater community support in caring for widows and their families.
Pray for CBM’s program in India which seeks to empower widows and their families.
New Online Fundraising Platform for Your Church
Creative Ways to be Generous Year-Round
God’s gift to the world in the coming of Jesus was when the Word became flesh and he made his dwelling among us (John 1:14). It is in God’s gift that we, as his people, can find hope in all things. It is this hope that we offer to others as we serve. Traditionally, Christmas has been a season when local churches across Canada extend this hope practically to others through special offerings. Year after year we have seen church communities raise funds to offer hope to the poor and the vulnerable through the ministry we do alongside our global partners.
HOPEFUL GIFTS FOR CHANGE CHURCH CAMPAIGN
During COVID-19, the mission heart of local churches in Canada continued to beat strongly. We heard from churches across the country who wanted to support ministry globally, but were unsure how to do so when meeting in person was not an option. Previous methods of engaging their members in special projects would not work in this new reality. It is in this context that CBM launched the Hopeful Gifts for Change Church Campaign (HGCC).
Through this new resource, churches were invited to support global mission and received personalized webpages to promote their project. This included video content, pictures, and stories of how the funds raised were being used to offer hope in Jesus’ name. Individual members could create their pages and promote their church’s project through peer-to-peer fundraising and social media. CBM looked after all the technical details.
Here are a few stories of how local churches in Canada used this resource to offer hope through our global church partners, from CBM’s Regional Representatives –Dennis Shierman (Western Canada), Sonya Tetley (Central Canada), and Randy Stanton (Atlantic Canada).
GIFTS FOR FARMING
West Vancouver Baptist Church, BC
I (Dennis) am thankful for the congregation of West Vancouver Baptist Church, a church with a long history of partnership with Rwanda. As an urban church, they have little direct involvement in agriculture, but through the Hopeful Gifts Catalogue they invited their people to be ‘virtual farmers’ and sponsor acres of land through CBM’s Canadian Foodgrains Bank growing projects. Canadian farmers use the seed funding to grow a crop, donating all proceeds after sales to CBM’s account at the Foodgrains Bank.
The church raised over $6,300 – covering the input cost for over 21 acres of land in Canada. This amount could grow to $10,500 when the crop is harvested. Through a matching grant from Global Affairs Canada, this can result in up to $52,500 of food relief when it is used in places like Lebanon or South Sudan. The church was thrilled with this result and is hosting a similar campaign for Easter 2021.
GIFTS FOR KIDS IN BOLIVIA
North Burlington Baptist Church, ON
I (Sonya) want to highlight North Burlington Baptist Church who raised funds for kids at risk in Bolivia. Having been a long-term partner with CBM in Bolivia, in faith the church decided to host a fundraiser to raise funds for Bolivia despite challenges due to the pandemic. Tanner, a youth at the church, wanted to use his tech skills to help, and he and his dad settled on a 24-hour video gaming event. Says Wayne Dewhurst, a pastor at the church and Tanner’s dad, “Tanner could not stop dreaming of how this would work. We set a target of $1,000 and created some ads. A sleepless night did not stop Tanner. He was joined through the night by friends eager to play and whose parents joined in and made donations to the cause.”
Not only did they reach their goal, they surpassed it by raising $1,500 in 24 hours. By the end of the campaign, the church had raised over $9,000! Without a doubt, Tanner inspired many in the church.
[left] West Vancouver Baptist Church’s Virtual Farmer fundraising campaign. [right] Tanner’s gaming fundraiser.
GIFTS TO FILL STABLES
Billtown Baptist, NS
I (Randy) was impressed by the response from Billtown Baptist in the Annapolis Valley of Nova Scotia. This rural church community rallied their people around ‘Filling a Stable’ and supporting animal projects globally. Pastor Chris Johnston helped his church by running the campaign entirely online using CBM’s platform. He says, “In Billtown, we know that farming can transform a community, so ‘Fill the Stable’ was a great fit. When you match a cause that people are passionate about with a simple but effective media campaign and easy-to-use donation platform, it changes the lives of people worldwide and right here in our neighbourhood. We saw, once again, that you don’t have to be a huge church to make a huge impact. Thanks, CBM!”
As a church, they exceeded their goal and raised $2,495 to provide livestock for families around the world, not only to feed families but as a source of income as well.
Your CBM Regional Representative can help make YOUR goals happen!
If your church has an idea for a fundraiser and wants the support of using this new platform, your Regional Representative is here to answer your questions.
WESTERN CANADA
Dennis Shierman dshierman@cbmin.org
Did you know? Dennis is licensed to bring gas to your house, and can also explode fireworks in public places. He is the definition of jack-of-all-trades.
Billtown Baptist’s Fill a Stable campaign site. ATLANTIC CANADA
Randy Stanton rstanton@cbmin.org CENTRAL CANADA
Sonya Tetley stetley@cbmin.org
Did you know? Sonya and her husband, Jordan, served in East Asia for over a decade, pastoring an international church.
Did you know, Randy builds boats? Aside from pastoring, Randy has also been deeply involved with the Armed Forces as a Unit/Brigade Chaplain since 1988.
Each of the 5 lessons focuses on a specific justice issue and contains the following:
• Stories from the Field
This year’s theme is Just Choices: U+I Can Choose. We hope the resources will spark conversations about justice, and help children consider how our choices affect others. We worship a God who is just, and we can join him in creating a just world!
• Bible Time Discussions
• Engaging Activities and Games
• Snack Ideas Inspired by the Field
• Ways to Help Your Kids Live Justly
Kids Care Vids: Download the educational videos to better engage your students.
and your church’s mission
CBM’s Kids Care curriculum is back with brand new resources to help kids learn about global issues from a biblical perspective and respond to God’s love through giving.
• Questions to Help Your Kids Dig Deeper
Subscribe to CBM’s YouTube channel for recent updates, prayer requests, and content: youtube.com/CanadianBaptistMinistries . Don’t miss our recent workshop video, Acting in Faith; Mission in the Age of COVID, cbmin.org/acting-in-faith-part-1 which discusses the impact of COVID-19 on churches around the world. Join us also in prayer every week through Prayerline: cbmin.org/prayerline .
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