The Messenger October 28, 1988

The Messenger EVANGELICAL MENNONITE CONFERENCE

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VOL. 26

NO. 20

oct OCT. 28/88

Ministering to the Whole Person by Kenneth Haugk «

“We did it first and we do it better!” Many companies originating a specific product have found a slogan like this to be a valuable selling point. They often advertise that their specialty “was there when it all started,M ” I*, “does it the old-fashioned way,” “has lasted through thick and thin,” and most importantly, is “the best.” Christians can apply this phrase to their holistic approach to caring and relating to others. Interest in holistic health, holistic care, holistic medicine, behavioral medicine, and the like has blossomed recently as many from the medical and scientific world have sought to understand and treat the whole person. I do not minimize these 20th-century developments in holism by secular specialists. However, a com­ plete picture of the history of holism and holistic care must in­ clude the seminal teachings and practices of the Judeo-Christian tradition. Jesus Christ taught and practiced a holistic approach 2000 years ago. Earlier, the Old Testament writers emphasized the unity of the person. Depite the unquestioned usefulness of modern secular holistic theories, it is clear that the biblical tradition “was there when the holistic thrust began,” “does it the old-fashioned way,” “has lasted through thick and thin,” and can even make the audacious claim to be “the best!” Holism and the Old Testament Old Testament writers continually present a holistic view of the human being. The Hebrew understanding sees the person as a total being, without soul-mind-body divisions. To illustrate, I will treat three basic themes: creation, brokenness and healing, and the Hebrew concept of peace. Creation The account of Adam’s creation is a good example of holism in the Old Testament. Genesis 2 states that God created Adam like a caring artisan, forming him from dust. God then breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and Adam “became a living being” (Gen. 2:7). The picture of a statue-like corpse of a human, mo­ tionless and lifeless, suddenly gaining life and breath with personali­ ty, emotion, and coordinated movements is awe-inspiring. It also shows that the first person really was incomplete until the physical element was united with the breath of God. Brokenness and Healing In the Old Testament the person was viewed as a whole. Broken­ ness for the Hebrews meant spiritual, emotional, and physical brokenness all at once. The cause and result of all such broken­ ness was a broken relationship with God. Before healing could take place, the relationship with God had to be restored, or made whole. When the Hebrews were healed, they were made whole. There were no separate cures for the physical, spiritual, and emotional. Health was a divine, holistic gift.

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Peace The concept of peace provides even more insight into the Old Testament’s holistic view. Peace conveyed the idea of wholeness in relationships, health, welfare, prosperity, and spirit—all of them. The Hebrew word shalom, used by Jews and adopted by many others today as a greeting, means “peace be with you” and is us­ ed for both “hello” and good-bye.” It connotes completeness. Old Testament peace occurred when things were as they should be in the eyes of God and in the world. The peaceful life is life as it was when God created the world, life in the Garden of Eden. There no barriers existed between God and people; complete harmony existed in every aspect of life. When you greet another with “shalom,” you convey a blessing for a continued holistic life.

Holism in the New Testament lesus' Words Jesus teaches a holistic approach to our relationships with God and others. Central to Jesus’ teachings is love, which is to characterize all interactions. This love is not merely physical or emotional; it completely embraces the whole person. Jesus teaches, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind” (Matt. 22:37). Jesus’ teaching about love for God suggests complete devotion. Jesus breaks away from any distinctions in a person’s nature, call­ ing for complete, holistic dedication to God. Jesus also teaches that relationships with others need to be holistic. Following the great commandment to love God with our whole being, Jesus says that we should love others as we love ourselves (Matt. 22:39). We can have holistic love for ourselves. We don’t need to separate love for our spirits from love for our bodies. We don’t need to separate love for our social being from love for our emotional being. We love our whole person. Following Jesus’ teaching involves meeting people where they are and treating them as Jesus Christ himself: feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, welcoming the stranger, clothing the naked, comforting the sick and visiting the imprisoned (Matt. 25:35-38). The parable of the good Samaritan emphasizes this con­ cretely (Luke 10:29-37). The Samaritan first met the victim’s im­ mediate needs. Next, he took care of the man’s future needs, pro­ viding him a place to stay and someone to take care of him. Such care is holistic because it meets the needs of the whole person.

lesus' Actions Jesus practiced what he preached, providing holistic care for all people. He met people at the point of their special needs, including their spiritual needs, because they were one and the same. On the way to raising the daughter of Jairus from the dead, a woman who suffered from severe bleeding for 12 years touched Jesus’ robe. Instantly she was healed. In one action Jesus met both the needs of her body and her spirit. Her physical healing was stopping her THE MESSENGER

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flow of blood, and her spiritual healing was the gift of faith (cf. Luke 8:43-48). A similar incident occurred when a paralyzed man was lowered through the roof into the room where Jesus was teaching. Jesus made the man spiritually whole by forgiving his sins and physical­ ly whole by healing his paralysis (Mark 2:1-12). In John 7:23 reference is made to Jesus’ holos healing of a man on the Sabbath day. The use of holos with the noun hygies, meaning “healing” or “soundness,” indicates that Jesus’ healings are complete, permeating the entire person. Many other actions of Jesus were holistic, each making a lessthan-perfect person or situation whole. The feeding of the 5000, the healing of the 10 lepers, and the stilling of the storm are three examples. Even on the cross, suffering with a crown of thorns on his head, nails piercing his hands and feet, and the crowd mock­ ing him, Jesus holistically reached out to touch his mother’s broken­ ness by providing for her present and future needs (John 19:17-42). Salvation in the New Testament The salvation that Jesus brings to the world is his ultimate act of holism. Sin resulted in brokenness and separation from God. Fragmentation destroys families, friendships, and individuals. We erect walls that alienate ourselves from others and seal off hopes for reconciliation. Into the shattered remains of God’s perfect crea­ tion comes the message that Jesus Christ brings the gift of wholeness to anyone able to accept it. It is received through faith that has torn down the separating wall of sin and restored our rela­ tionship with God. The Greek word for “to save” (sodzo) also means “to heal” and “to make whole.” It is a gift of life offering to make people whole forever, beginning right now. It is this salva­ tion, this healing, that takes broken, shattered lives and recreates them infinitely “better than new.”

Overabundance Jesus abundantly offers wholeness to our world. In John 10:10, he says, “I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” There have been many translations of the Greek word perisson (to the full) in this text. I prefer translating the word “overabundantly” to express the unending, overflowing life that Jesus offers to his people.

Pitfalls in Being Holistic When holism is misunderstood or misapplied, difficulties can arise for both the caregiver and care receiver. These pitfalls need to be avoided so as not to short-circuit the helping relationship.

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The Splitting Pitfail This pitfail is encountered when a caregiver attempts to split apart the person receiving care. For example, a caregiver who treats the spiritual separately from the physical and the emotional, has stumbled into this pitfail. An example is the caregiver who keeps all Scripture, prayer, and talk about God separated from the care receiver’s personal problems. When this occurs, the spiritual has been split apart from the physical, emotional, and mental aspects of the person. As caregivers, we can also stumble into this split­ ting pitfail in dealing with ourselves. We can compartmentalize the various aspects of our own personhood. For instance, at one time we might let emotions dominate our behaviour when we are extremely angry. At another time, we might let the spiritual part of us dominate, while suppressing physical or emotional needs. A holistic perspective unites all aspects of the person, while neither denying part of self nor artificially emphasizing some aspect of self. The Ranking Pitfail This includes the compartmentalized approach, but also involves setting the compartments against one another by ranking them. The tendency for us Christians might be to rank the spiritual nature

OCTOBER 28, 1988

over the mental, emotional, social, and physical. To call this rank­ ing a pitfall is not to say that being spiritual is in any way wrong, since God wants your relationship with him to be foremost in your life. But we also need to remember that God does not simply want your spiritual self. He wants your heart, soul, and strength (Deut. 6:5). God wants your whole person because we are whole persons, not parts that rank one over the others. The Perfectionistic Pitfail The perfectionist pitfall is the most pernicious of all for Chris­ tians. Concentrating on the way life ought to be, we may continual­ ly strive for perfection. We might try to be all things to all people. We may want to be the infallible spouse, friend, neighbor, employer, employee, church member, or Christian caregiver. Many of us are seduced by perfectionism—seduced into thinking that since we ought to be perfect, we therefore can be perfect. Perfectionism then becomes the driving force in our lives. As a Christian caregiver you need to realize that you cannot be all things to all people. Perfection is impossible. You are probably not a combined physician, business person, psychologist, teacher, farmer, provider of every need, all wrapped up into one. Neither can you be a perfect caregiver. Thinking along these lines all too easily leads to the perfectionist trap. Caught in the impossible mis­ sion of trying to make every aspect of your person and vocation perfect, you become dejected—even burned out—in your caring and relating. The Self-Punitive Pitfail There is no question that holistic thinking and treatment is therapeutic. Holistic treatment is successful. Its benefits are ob­ vious. Because of its positive effect, some holistically oriented caregivers feel a tremendous responsibility for their own continued health and healing. Since they take the holistic approach serious­ ly, they know that their own physical health is largely under their control. Therefore, when a disease like cancer strikes, there is the tendency to blame themselves for failing to be in touch with their whole person, for having too much stress, or for exposing themselves to carcinogens. And if healing does not take place, there is a further tendency to blame themselves for not holistically ef­ fecting a cure. This results in self-blame and guilt. These people become victims of the self-punitive pitfall. It is important to understand the grace of God and the concept of forgiveness. When Christians stand under this comforting blanket, freely given to them out of love, the Christ of the cross shoulders the pain, the responsibility, and the consequences of the pitfall. Christians are free to live, care and be cared for holistically.

Christian Caregiving Is Holistic It ought to be clear by now that a Christian must be holistic. The Christian caregiver follows the example of Christ, who was holistic as he cared for others. A Christian caring relationship meets people at the point of their unique needs, just as Christ himself did. A holistic Christian caregiver would not provide what would be considered spiritual care alone to someone in desperate need of food or water. Here, a specifically physical need, rather than a traditonally spiritual need must be satisfied immediately. Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs illustrates how caregivers can recognize priorities in care. Maslow suggests that there are essential needs that must be met before the motivation to satisfy other needs arises. He formulates five levels of need: physiological needs, safety needs, belongingness and love needs, esteem needs, and self-actualization needs. Before one can be motivated for safety needs, basic physiological needs such as hunger, thirst, oxygen, and sleep must be met. (continued on page 4)

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By Don Thiessen

isicallv Musically

Spsakint!

Hymnbook Evaluation #1 The Singing Church - Hope Publishing Company, 1985 This hymnal contains the following approximate proportions of the various types of songs: Hymns - 33% Traditional Gospel - 35% Chorales - 8% Contemporary Gospel - 11% Choruses - 3% Ethnic/Folk - 5% Liturgical Service Music - 4% Total number of songs - 575 Total number of readings - 80 In determining the category of a song the decision is often arbitrary, but the above does indicate at least approximate proportions. The book has adequate indexing for the songs (tunes, metres, alphabetical, topical, author/composer), the readings (subject, scriptural), and includes several other related indexes. One very useful addition in this book is the index of copyright owners. The book appears to be bound well and is generally attractive. Hymnbooks have become larger and heavier and this one follows that trend; it is not unmanageable, however. The layout of the songs on the page is clear, on good quality paper, and has large enough print. Large print titles and numbers, and clear topical headings (at the top of the page) stand out well. The main topical heading appears on the left-hand page and the sub-heading on the right-hand page. Each song features an appropriate Scripture verse below the title. It has been common for the poet/author’s name to be placed on the left side and the composer’s name on (continued from page 3)

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/Self-\ actuali­ zation Needs

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Esteem Needs

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Belongingness and Love Needs

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Safety Needs

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Physiological Needs

In this hierarchy, religion would be a self-actualization need, one of the higher needs for which one would be motivated. Thus, we

the right just below the title. This hymnbook has placed these below each hymn and added the name of the copyright owner, if there is one. The readings are taken from eight different translations and paraphrases. One version conspicuous by its absence is the New International Version. An index indicates the version utilized for each reading. It would be more convenient if this were indicated with each reading. Light and dark print is alternated strictly by verses. This hymnal includes only Scripture passages as readings. Hope Publishing Company has published a standard hymnal at least once a decade for a long time. They have continued to be fairly conservative in their approach and have had some very successful hymnbooks. The Singing Church follows that conser­ vative tradition and is a very standard, conventional hymnal that many evangelical churches could purchase without causing a great stir. The editors were careful not to include too many contemporary songs but did include many of them; there are some choruses, but it is not a chorus book. There is no one composer or author that has a disproportionate number of songs in the book. Songs by contemporary writers are included but great care has been taken to represent a wide spec­ trum of current music. In checking through the book I found that I knew about 65% of the songs. Few churches will sing that many different songs in the lifetime of the hymnbook. Some hymnbooks now have some innovative features such as key changes, alternative harmonies, interspersed readings, descants, choral endings, and brief services. This one is still very much a hymnbook with some Scripture readings. There is some wisdom in this - another publishing company has simplified its latest hymnbook from its previous edition. Topically, the book is adequate, except for a few areas. Our distinctives such as the mode of baptism, footwashing, and nonresistance are not dealt with by the songs in this book. There is, however, a section on social concern and one on national days; these do contain some songs on peace and social action. A church that would like a conventional, fairly current hymnal can safely purchase this one. If you need it, more detailed infor­ mation is available from me. Dr. Thiessen, a minister in the Ridgewood EMC Church, is Music Professor at Winnipeg Bible College.

see the importance of meeting persons at the point of their own need. That need must be fulfilled before purely spiritual motiva­ tion can exist. This is an essential part of holistic care. A Christian caring relationship touches the whole person. It is not limited to the physical, or the mental, or the social, or the emo­ tional, or the spiritual. Christian caregivers follow the example of Jesus Christ and cannot avoid being holistic to the best of their abilities. Christian caregivers understand that the whole person needs ministry. Christian caregivers realize that some needs are more immediately compelling than others. Christian caregivers know that God alone is the one who takes broken individuals and makes them whole. KENNETH C. HA UGK, a pastor and clinical psychologist, is founder of the Stephen Series system of lay caring ministry. He is executive director of Stephen Ministries, an interdenominational organization based in St. Louis, Missouri. Dr. Haugk maintains a part-time psychotherapy practice and is an active author, consultant, speaker, and educator. Reprinted by permission from CHRISTIAN CAREGIVING, A WAY OF LIFE by Kenneth Haugk, copyright ® 1985 Augsburg Publishing House.

THE MESSENGER is published every other week by The Evangelical Mennonite Conference Board of Education and Publication, Box 1268, Stein­ bach, Manitoba, ROA 2A0. Second Class Mail; Registration Number 0591. Undelivered copies, change of address and new subscriptions should be mailed to the above address. The Messenger is a member of Meetinghouse.

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THE MESSENGER

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Letters

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/is the first load of wheat donated to Grain Drive '88pours into the elevator, Foodgrains Bank executive director Bert Loewen (left) and Dufresne elevator manager Rene Morin (right) explain the procedures followed in collecting and shipping Canadian grain to the federal minister in charge of CIDA, Monique Landry. (Photo: Allan Siebert)

Grain Drive '88 Launched at Dufresne, Manitoba A grain elevator on the CN railway line at Dufresne, Manitoba earned the distinction on October 17 of being the first to receive a load of donated Manitoba wheat for the Canadian Foodgrains Bank’s 1988 grain collection drive. First across the scales at Dufresne, 20 kilometers southeast of Winnipeg, was Jake Dyck of Artel Farms. With a satisfying roar and a billowing cloud of grain dust, he dumped 500 bushels of number one wheat into the elevator chute as his contribution to the fight against world hunger. On hand to witness the event was Mo­ nique Landry, the federal minister in charge of the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), and representatives of the CFGB. Dufresne is one of over 1,500 elevators across Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba which are authorized by the Canadian Wheat Board to accept Grain Drive ’88 donations of canola seed and above-quota wheat on behalf of the interchurch Foodgrains Bank. Taking part in Grain Drive ’88 are elevators owned by the Alberta Wheat Pool, Saskatche­ wan Wheat Pool, Manitoba Pool Elevators, Cargill Grain, Pioneer Grain and United Grain Growers. For Landry, a Montrealler visiting Western Canada on government business, the trip to Dufresne provided an opportunity to see firsthand the commitment of Prairie farmers to the Foodgrains Bank program. Through CIDA, her government has backed the Foodgrains Bank with matching grants of $16 million for each of the past three years. She watched with interest as the grain disappeared through a grate in the elevator floor. Elevator manager Rene Morin explain­ ed the procedures followed in grading and storing the wheat for shipment. After CIDA matches Jake Dyck’s donation on a three-to-bne basis, his 15-metric-tonne gift, valued at about $2,800.00, will be multiplied to a value of $11,200.00. Those 15 tonnes of wheat will feed 100 people for an entire year on an emergency ration basis in a country like Ethiopia. OCTOBER 28, 1988

Landry described the Canadian Foodgrains Bank as “the association which has the best participation of volunteers” among Canadian voluntary agencies working at international food problems. Also delivering wheat donations that day were Emil Reimer and Ike Thiessen of Twin Creek Farms and George Rempel of Steinbach. Dyck said he brings donations to the CFGB grain drive each year because “it’s a good pro­ gram. You feel closer contact with the needy when you’re sending what you actually pro­ duced on your land. It’s more personal.” Emil Reimer informed the federal cabinet minister that he regarded the CFGB as “a very good program, one of the best,” because of its low administrative overhead and its efficien­ cy in delivering food to the hungry. “When you see those starving people on TV nearly every day, you have to have com­ passion and do something for them,” he said. Grain Drive ’88 will continue until late in November. The collected wheat will then be moved to Montreal for export. The value of canola donations will be used to purchase refined cooking oil for feeding programs in needy countries. Last year some 2,000 farm families donated 11,152 tonnes of wheat. The devastating impact of the summer drought may reduce the average size of donations in 1988, but CFGB supporters are hoping that the increased number of depots accepting donations (almost all the licensed elevators in Western Canada) will increase the number of donations. Also, areas with a good crop like northwestern Alberta are being encouraged to take up the slack. The Canadian Foodgrains Bank is a ninemember interchurch umbrella which collects and ships Canadian food aid to areas of need. In its last fiscal year, the CFGB shipped 76,000 metric tonnes to 11 countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America. The nine Canadian Foodgrains Bank part­ ners are Canadian Baptist Federation, Cana­ dian Lutheran World Relief, The Christian and Missionary Alliance, Christian Reformed World Relief Committee of Canada, Men-

MEANINGFUL BIBLE VERSIONS As soon as I open The Messenger I look for the Letters to the Editor. I am disappointed when I don’t see any. I also enjoy the In Touch section, especially in the August 19 issue. May I make a few additional comments about Bible translations. Our eight-year-old daughter memorized Isaiah 41:10 for Sunday school, “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of My righteousness.” Besides the thees and thous, she did not know the meaning of most of the other words. And, although the verse is quite long, she memoriz­ ed it to get her ‘points.’ She has forgotten the verse by now. A paraphrase, ‘Don’t be scared, because I am right here. Don’t panic, because I am your God,’ might have been more helpful for her. 1 do not believe that we should all make our own paraphrases. In fact, I appreciate the many good translations that are available. I would like to see Sunday school departments using one of these, and I would also love to hear people give recognition to the transla­ tion they are using when reading in meetings, instead of the often heard, ‘My translation puts it like this’ or ‘My Bible says . . . ’ Most of us have had very little part in Bible translation. Let’s give recognition to the ones who did. Elma Koop Blumenort, Man.

CONTRIBUTORS: Lesley and Marianne Fast (Blumenort) are involved in lingusitics and translation work in Papua New Guinea, with Wycliffe Bible Translators. Julia Funk (Prairie Rose) is serv­ ing under the EMC Board of Missions in Paraguay. Bruce Derksen (Braeside) is involv­ ed in translation work at La Esperanza in Paraguay. COVER: This group of mailboxes caught our attention near Madison, Wisconsin. We had stopped for lunch and were on our way back to the highway when the name The Messenger leaped out at us. Apparently ours is not the only “Messenger.” I wonder what kind of a message the one in Wisconsin brings.

nonite Central Committee Canada, The Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada, The United Church of Canada, Church of the Nazarene Canada, and Evangelical Church in Canada. For further information or interviews contact: C. Wilbert Loewen, Executive Director Chuck Stephens, Director of Operations Toll-Free: 1-800-665-0377

Local: (204) 944-1993 PAGES

Missions PAPUA NEW GUINEA

Music in Tungag Society Integral Part of the Culture

As we have studied Tungag culture, we have learned something of the history of the people. We are trying to understand the changes which have taken place and how the people have reacted to and incorporated these changes into their lives. Music is a very vital part of Tungag culture. Like any part of the culture, it too has undergone considerable change and develop­ ment. The music that is being composed and sung today is not the same as it was thirty years ago. Many changes in the society have affected Tungag music. Parallel with overall development the people have made adapta­ tions to their music. Listening to older members of the society is one way to discover what music was like before larger influences of European culture took place. It is important to remember that contact with European culture dates back almost a century. The oldest people living to­ day cannot remember when there was not a church or some government administration in the area. Traditional music consists of songs and dances, usually with a rhythmic accompani­ ment played on slit-gong drum. This music was composed for and performed at many special events in the culture. ‘Performed’ is not an adequate description because everyone is involved in ‘doing’ the music and there is no real difference between the listener and performer.

Tungag choirs, such as this one, learn the introduced hymns by rote. Each year choirs from several villages sing at the Thanksgiving Festival.

Different events have different genres of music. For example, certain mortuary feasts have music that is only sung. Other events call for singing and dancing in a circle around the drum, which contrasts with dancing in rows that is done on many other occasions. Often music was composed under the influence of spirits. Introduced music has been in the society for a long time. When missionaries first came to the islands of Papua New Guinea they brought their western hymns with them. They translated the hymns into Tolai, the language of the area in which they first worked. The Tolai language was chosen by the missionaries to be the vehicle of evangelism and teaching and it became a church language for many

A group of Tungag men, doing a traditional song and row dance, are accompanied by drummers in the foreground.

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different cultures. When the Tungag people first learned church music they learned it in this foreign language and in the European melodic idiom. In later years the education system changed from Tolai to English, with the result that today only the men who are over forty can understand the hymns. Introduced hymns are probably no longer seen as foreign because they have become an integral part of the culture over the years. The melodies have been changed slightly at places in an attempt to make them fit better into the indigenous melodic system. Choirs and con­ gregational singing are integral to worship in the church today. Another type of introduced music is the contemporary Melanesian music which is composed and performed all over Papua New Guinea. This music is heard readily on local and national radio stations and in perfor­ mances by popular groups. It is sung to guitar and rhythm accompaniment. Its development has been influenced by western popular music, as well as traditional Melanesian music. Having looked briefly at traditional and in­ troduced music, let us look at how music is being used in today’s society. There are numerous ways in which the people are in­ corporating music into their lives in the con­ text of changes in their society. First of all, lest the reader think that tradi­ tional music is strictly a thing of the past, we can report that it is used today and even com­ posed. There are certain people who are recognized as gifted musicians in traditional music. They in turn teach others, especially younger people. One man has spent con­ siderable time teaching young men the art of drumming and these men are called upon to drum for group dances. Perhaps the strongest example of traditional music used today is at the mortuary feasts. Traditional music is therefore very imporTHE MESSENGER

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s'SW,."K* IWI 1 tant to many people because they see it as part of their heritage that is fading away. They want it to be preserved so that their identity and culture will be preserved as well. Traditional music has also been introduc­ ed into one aspect of Tungag church life. Every year there is a thanksgiving festival and at this festival the main event concerns gifts and offerings. There is a church service in the morning, then a time for choirs to sing and the collection of gifts. After a community meal, the afternoon and evening are taken up with dancing of traditional dances. The people view these dances as an expression of joy and thankfulness. In this way the peo­ ple are incorporating music into their worship. Although this practice was likely introduced by missionaries, it is a true expression of the present-day culture. It has developed into a very important event in the church calendar and much effort goes into its preparation. Another way in which people are chang­ ing in respect to music is the translation of hymns. There is a realization that the church language is not the best for singing hymns with understanding and conviction. As a result many traditional hymns have been translated into the vernacular and are often sung in ser­ vices or upon special occasions. Many peo­ ple have tried their hand at translating hymns and the preferred way of singing a hymn is in the vernacular language. There is also a group of young people who have expressed their revitalized faith by com­ posing and performing scripture songs and other inspirational songs. The style is contem­ porary Melanesian music and the songs are sung in the vernacular language, as well as in English. This discussion of music in Tungag society has of necessity been very brief. It cannot cover all of the details which we have observ­ ed. As development and change continue the people will, in various ways, also continue to incorporate music into their life and faith. Lesley Fast

PARAGUAY

Dreams ... But How Real? Idealistic Views Dashed Dream 1: “Three storks circle overhead.” Mateo, a Sanapana Indian youth, describes his drcam as he visits me for the first time. The storks, representing the Holy Spirit (he told me later), indicate God’s desire for him to attend Bible school. Dream 2: “A black duck is in the midst of a large, placid pond as God’s hands descend over it.” Mateo returned with even more vigor to evangelize his Sanapana people, many of whom prefer their old shamanistic customs and new sinful ways to the Bible. Dream 3: “A gigantic grapefruit,” represent­ ing the fruit God will provide Mateo in His service. Drcams arc not just a night out at a drivc-

OCTOBER 28, 1988

Mary and Art Reimer

Susan and Neil Wiebe

FIFTY-ONE PARTICIPATE IN MCC ORIENTATION

AKRON, Pa. — Fifty-one workers par­ ticipated in an orientation held at Mennonite Central Committee’s (MCC) headquarters here September 6 to 16. Twenty-six are beginning overseas assignments and 25 are beginning assignments in North America. Art and Mary Reimer of Steinbach, Man. are beginning four-month Mennonite Central Committee assignments in Akron, Pa. Art will work as order processor and Mary as packer with SELFHELP Crafts. The Reimers were last employed as co­ owners of a store in Steinbach. They are members of the Evangelical Mennonite Church in Steinbach. Their children are Morley Reimer, Barbra Kroeker, Donna Dokuchie and Darrel Reimer.

Neil and Susan Wiebe of Steinbach, Man. are beginning four-month Mennonitc Central Committee assignments in Akron, Pa. and Ephrata, Pa. with SELFHELP Crafts. Neil will work as a stock clerk and Susan as store clerk and teller. The Wiebes previously served with Red Rock Bible Camp. Susan was last employed as department head and teller at a houseware, hardware and lumber store in Steinbach. Neil is retired from teaching high school in Steinbach. The Wiebes are members of the Evangelical Mennonite Church in Steinbach. Their children are Dennis and Joanne Wiebe, Bren­ da and Ron Koop, Jolene and Randy Dyck, and Rhonda Wiebe.

PARAGUAY

The Capital of Santa Teresa! Only a Handful of Christians It’s 8:30 a.m., Monday morning. Here I am at the Sta. Teresa “Supermarket.” It’s so dark I can hardly tell the money apart. The rain that we have been waiting for so long has finally come. I only pray that it will continue raining for quite a while yet. This past winter and spring we have received very little rain. If the dry spell had kept up much longer the Indians’ gardens and crops would have been in bad shape. The gardens, to a certain ex­ tent, are still the Indians’ main food source. in movie, as we in Canada may so often assume. They are reality to the SanapanS and, as such, must not be taken lightly. To them they are a vital part of reality, just as much as our conscious state. Unfortunately, Mateo returned home at the saddest, loneliest time of year - the dry season. During the many months of dryness the majority of SanapanS leave to work in the neighbouring Mennonite colonies. Mateo’s idealistic views of desiring hundreds of SanapanS to stay at La Esperanza with home gardens have been dashed by the reality of survival and the yearly migration to the Men­ nonite colonies. Pray that God may grant truth to Mateo’s third dream and keep him enthused with reaching out to his own people. Bruce Derksen

Due to the rain the activity at the ‘Sta. Teresa Capital’ is at a minimum today. We as workers jokingly call our small center at Sta. Teresa the ‘Capital.’ We have a supermarket (small dry goods outlet), college (two small school buildings), hospital (small medical dispensary), fashion boutique (used clothing store), and a church. The church building, which was started this year, is not finished yet. The major part of my work consists of managing the small dry goods store. Sometimes I wonder if having the store here is really a help to the Indians. But then I have to think over the purpose for starting the store in the first place. One reason was to supply goods at a cheaper price than the local stores do. Another reason was to keep the Indians from going to other stores at which liquor is available. My two-year term is fast drawing to a close. Although I may not be coming back, the work here will continue and will need continued prayer support. There has been mission work going on at Sta. Teresa for about 17 years and there is only a small group of Christians. Of this small group only one couple seems to be standing firm. Other people are looking at Luis and Juanita and saying that in their lives they can see that Christ has made a dif­ ference. Pray for this couple, who arc pioneers in living a Christian family life. Julia Funk

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Messenger News ttxirws

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New members accepted at the La Crete church on September 18. Back row {left to right): Peter Braun, George Remple, Jake Banman, Simon Froese. Front: Lisa Braun, Betty Braun, Betty Remple, Verna Banman, Susie Froese.

NEW MEMBERS AN

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A baptismal service took place at the La Crete church on September 18. Back row (left to right): Raymond Wiebe, Walter Krahn. Front: Eva Wiebe, Barbara Driedger, Victoria Krahn.

ENCOURAGEMENT

Driedger and Raymond and Eva Wiebe. We had communion in the afternoon and faspa following that. An encouraging day for all of us! We thank the Lord for His goodness to us. Our Social Committee planned a wiener roast and sing-song for the afternoon of Oc­ tober 3. It turned out to be a cold windy after­ noon, so some people chose to stay at home in the warmth. A few brave ones ventured out and enjoyed the activities and the hot dogs and the braver ones stayed for a short sing­ song.

La Crete, Alta.: On July 3 Melvin Peters left for Columbia. South America to work as a summer missionary under New Tribes Mis­ sion. He had a very enjoyable summer. We hope and pray that the summer experience will be a benefit to his studies at SBC this winter. Also studying in Manitoba this winter are Lawrence Wolfe and Billy Driedger. This is Lawrence’s second year at WBC and Billy’s third. We wish them a good year of studies.

Bobby Driedger is studying at Prairie Bible In­ stitute. where he is taking his final year of high school. September 18 was a highlight for our church when fourteen people gave their testimonies and joined our fellowship. The transferring candidates were Jake and Verna Banman, Simon and Susie Froese, Betty Braun. George and Betty Remple and Peter and Lisa Braun. The baptismal candidates were Walter and Victoria Krahn, Barbara

CHURCH CAMPOUT ENJOYED Roseisle, Man.: A busy personal schedule has resulted in no report from Roseisle for about six months. I’ll try to cover the highlights. 1 suppose old news is better than no news. In May we had a child/parent dedication service where Brian and Elaine Friesen dedicated their daughter, Jackie Renee, to the Lord. We wish them much joy and wisdom as they raise their family. This year we had a Children’s Crusade in June instead of a summer VBS. Shirley and Rose, who are with CSSM, came to serve us for the week. Their songs, stories, puppets and chalk drawings were enjoyed by the children as well as adults. We thank God for Shirley and Rosie and for the love and con­ cern they have for the children’s spiritual welfare. In August we held a church campout at our local Stephenfield Lake. Our guest speaker was Cam McKenzie of Winnipeg. It turned out to be a super weekend of fellowship, fun, ex­ ercise and heat! I think we as a congregation would recommend other churches to try a weekend campout like this.

This fall several young people again left home to continue their education. Brian Pen­ ner returned to Saskatoon to continue his studies toward becoming a vet. Dale Friesen is attending Steinbach Bible College. Karen Penner is in Brandon taking nurses’ training.

Ang Penner is also in Brandon, continuing her studies as a Child Care Worker. Charlene Enns entered nurses’ training in Winnipeg. All the best in your studies! Eleanor Friesen

A parent/child dedication service took place at the Roseisle church in May. Left to right: Pastor Wilbert Friesen, Elaine and Brian Friesen and daughter Jackie.

Rosie and Shirley, with two of their many puppet friends, at the Children’s Crusade in June at the Roseisle Church.

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Miss L. Koop

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THE MESSENGER

MISSIONS CONFERENCE HELD

Wymark, Sask.: A missions conference was held at our church, beginning October 9 with an EMC Board of Missions report, follow­ ed by introductions of the participating mis­ sionaries; Harry and Tina Neufeld, who serv­ ed at Radio ZP-30 in Paraguay; Violet Giesbrecht, who has been involved in women’s work, teaching Bible and health classes in Paraguay; Arnold and Eleanor Tracey, with Village Missions, involved in church planting in Saskatchewan; and Ran­ dall and Faith Krahn, missionaries to Mexico, where they are serving as church planters. The guest speaker. Rev. Abe Unrau, spoke on “Letting Go.” Following the morning ser­ vice a Thanksgiving dinner was served in the church basement. The evening service consisted of a children’s story by Viola Giesbrecht, a mis­ sions report by Arnold Tracey, and the message, “Showing Compassion.” On Monday evening Eleanor Tracey had the children’s feature. Randall and Faith Krahn reported on their work in Mexico. Abe Unrau spoke on the topic “Praying.” Faith Krahn presented the children’s feature on Tuesday. The mission report was brought by Viola Giesbrecht (Paraguay). Mr. Unrau’s subject for that evening was “The Church.” The audiovisual, “Growing Together,” por­ traying the origin and growth of the E.M. Conference, was shown on Wednesday. Harry Neufeld reported on the work of Radio ZP-30 in Paraguay. The message that even­ ing was on “Personal Witness.” “Meet Your Missionaries” coffee times were held on Tuesday and Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. in various homes. Our speaker, Abe Unrau, was born in

An installation service was held at the Wymark church on September 18 for Gerald and Esther Hamm. Left to right: Ruth Kehler, Pastor John Kornelsen, Esther Hamm, John Kehler, Gerald Hamm.

Larisa, Erik and Lyie Reimer presented special music at the installation service on September 18 for Gerald and Esther Hamm in the Wymark church.

Manitoba and is presently residing in B.C. with his wife Mary. They have two married children, a daughter in Oregon and a son in Saskatchewan. Mr. Unrau has many years of experience in pastoral work, church planting and as field coordinator. He is now devoting himself largely to Bible and missionary con­ ferences, both in Canada and the USA. It is our prayer and expectation that God will work mightily through him, for the blessing of many. An installation service for Gerald and Esther Hamm took place September 18. Gerald is taking over as the new associate pastor. Jake Knelsen, church moderator, had scripture reading (John 3:1-11) and prayer. Ervin and Lisa Reimer’s family, Larisa, Erik and Lyle, sang two numbers, “Sing a Hallelujah Song Again to Me” and “Welcome to the Family,” with Esther playing the piano. Marvin Hildebrandt played guitar and led in a number of songs and choruses. Pastor John Kornelsen spoke on Ephesians 4:1-16 — living a wor-

thy life; being humble, gentle, and patient; forbearing in love. He then gave the charge to the congregation. The service closed with prayer and a fellowship lunch. Jacob Fehr

ACE CONVENTION ATTENDED

Burns Lake, B.C.: Indian summer is here - lovely weather, gold, red and green leaves - awesome to look at! Our first day of school, September 7, started out with a bang! Our new supervisor dived right in and is doing a great job. We have 57 students this year, all the way from kindergarten to grade 12. There is a good spirit in the school, for which we are very thankful. ACE had a convention September 15 and 16 in Vanderhoof, B.C., which was well attended by our staff. Some of the men from Texas (ACE headquarters) spoke at the workshops. Rev. Ralph Rice presented one message at an evening rally: “If Jesus doesn’t get them, the devil will” - a challenge to parents to make sure Jesus has our children. Our worship service on September 18 was started by a praise service where many thank­ ed and praised God for His faithfulness and forgiveness, for friends, and one excited father had an item of praise - his five-year-old son Marco had accepted the Lord that morning. New Christians bring responsibility, so our OCTOBER 28, 1988

pastor, Abe Leiding, started a discipleship Bi­ ble study for new believers. It is great to see them (Paul Perry and Laura Wiebe) ask ques­ tions on how to go on from here. Soon the snow will come so our supervisor, Mr. Zurcher, decided to have a bike hike and a wiener roast with the older students. The younger students stayed at school, played games and also enjoyed a wiener roast later. Our tennis year ended with a tournament, which some of our young people and adults entered. Two of the young people won first prize, a trophy. All had lots of fun, even if they didn’t get a trophy. Mr. Robert Stonelake of Los Angeles shared a very moving testimony on September 25. God has different ways of teaching us to trust him and in his case it meant giving away all the millions of dollars he had to good causes and now learning to trust only Jesus for everything. It was truly a moving message; it is still part of conversa­ tions here. God is still at work and we praise Him! Joellen Leiding

I'm very thankful that I took a week off from my busy schedule to teach at Tompkins. There were four teachers, three helpers and Mrs. Lena Hamm was the coordinator. She also did the driving and the song leading. I had always had a burden for Tompkins and this gave me an insight into how little those children knew about Jesus Christ. Our theme was “Being Champions for Jesus,” so I wanted to know if they knew who Jesus is. I told them who Jesus is and what He came to do for us. The only boy in class opened up and told me how he always felt, “I always feel so guilty,” and said he wanted this Jesus too. Then the girls said that they also wanted Jesus. They all prayed a prayer for forgiveness on their own and accepted Jesus as their Saviour. They were all so eager to serve the Lord. We had an offering for Pakistan and Jamie brought the $20.00 he had in his bank. He wanted so much to give and also to memorize all the verses. It was so amazing to see how eager they were to do something for Jesus. We had 19 students who attended very regularly, and did they ever make a good choir! On Friday we had a closing program, which was well attended by the parents. A lunch was served after the program. Nellie Dyck

Missions Conference Braeside EMC 1011 Munroe Ave. Winnipeg, Man. November 13-15 Nightly at 7:30 Hear missionary reports, and messages by Abe Koop, New Tribes Mission, Brazil. All Welcome

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CAMP RALLIES CONDUCTED

Pon, Souk, Thuoy and Sing Oun.

TENTH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATED Kola, Man.: September 11 was a special Sunday for Sing and Thuoy Oun and their two boys, Pon and Souk. It was also special for the folks in the Kola, Elkhorn and Maryfield area. We were all celebrating a special event - the Oun’s tenth anniversary. Ten years ago this couple was married in Bangkok, Thailand - Sing, the refugee from Kampuchea, and Thuoy, his lovely Thai bride. Sing had the required amount of money requested by Thuoy’s family after negotiating for her hand. Many interesting experiences were discuss­ ed in the question and reminiscing period we had. Sing was born in Kampuchea, where he received his education in the Khmer language. Thuoy grew up in Thailand in a Khmer home. Her country’s language is Thai. The main crop grown is rice. “Ninety-nine per cent of the farmers grow rice,” Sing told us. Green beans and corn are also grown. Sing’s jobs at home were helping on the farm and in his mother’s store. He was the transport driver, hauling a few hundred pounds of groceries, medicine, clothes from town or a live pig into town. He had no big fuel bills. Transportation was cheap - his vehi­ cle was not a truck but a bicycle! Because the Communists were moving far­ ther and farther into his country. Sing kept moving closer and closer to the neighbour­ ing country of Thailand. Eventually he crossCradle Roll graduation at the Kola church. Left to right: Terry Schellenberg, Jeremy Siemens, Darcy Koop.

Birch River, Man.: The busy summer is over, with harvesting, canning and also camprelated activities. Follow-up for all children having attended Bible camp is being pursued by way of camp rallies, which are conducted in the different areas from which the children came - The Pas, Cormorant, Pelican Rapids, Birch River and surrounding localities. Ferlin and Liz Abrahamson, who faithfully served as camp director this year again, plan and lead these rallies. Thank you to all who helped at Steeprock Bay Bible Camp, serving the Lord as counsellors, sports directors, arts and crafts supervisors, life guards and cooks. On June 5 John and Becky Hiebert were ordained to the ministry. They gave their testimonies on how the Lord had guided them to a desire for taking on this position in pastoring a church. Our Conference Pastor, Ed Friesen, spoke encouraging words to them on the importance of this position in leadership.

as well as challenging the congregation to uphold them in prayer. After the message and the vows, Ed and members of the church board with their wives laid hands on them and prayed. Following the service we gathered as a church family for a love feast. Our congregation has been saddened by the sudden death of a dear sister in the Lord and faithful worker, Virginia Watts. She was seriously sick for only five days. She was treated first for pneumonia, but later in Win­ nipeg was diagnosed as having lung cancer. We are rejoicing with her that she is over with life’s struggles and instead is beholding her Saviour and Lord, whom she loved dearly. We miss her faithful attendance at church ser­ vices, her cheery smile and her helping hands. The community as well knew and appreciated ■her for this. Helen Kroeker

ed the border. He learned the Thai language and became a Thai citizen. The first meeting of Sing and Thuoy took place in a temple in Thailand. After their wedding they relocated. They moved into a refugee camp and applied to immigrate to various countries, one of which was Canada. Their first baby, Pon, was born in Thailand. Thuoy was taken to a hospital, outside the camp, by the missionary, for the birth. Things really moved fast after that. They transferred to Bangkok, where they prepared for the move to Canada. The baby was only about six weeks old when they boarded a large plane for Canada. Their first stop was Montreal on September 24, 1979. In Montreal, Sing left the terminal to check up on the weather. When he came back in, he reported to Thuoy that it wasn’t really that cold outside. But they hadn’t experienced a Canadian January at that time yet! From Montreal they travelled on to Win­ nipeg. In Winnipeg they were put on a bus to Brandon. Exhausted, carrying a tiny cry­ ing baby, strangers all around them, no one to communicate with, they sat in the Bran­

don bus depot, feeling very forlorn. Finally the sponsors came to take them to their new home in Kola. It was September 25, 1979, nine years ago. That was the beginning of a whole new way of life for Sing and Thuoy and Heng. Heng was the third adult in the group of young Khmer people and he has since moved on to Red Deer, Alberta. To find better employment. Sing and Thuoy soon moved to Brandon. There another little boy. Souk, was born. Now Sing and Thuoy are both working. They’ve bought a home, a car and a truck. Their two boys are attending school. They all speak English well and they are all Canadian citizens. At the service there was much reminiscing, as well as singing, messages and finally a lunch, which was enjoyed by all. For gifts. Sing and Thuoy received some lovely pieces of crystal. Sing expressed his thankfulness to the sponsors for their help and his gratefulness to God for His guidance.

Births

WIEBE - to Peter and Cheryl Wiebe of La Crete, Alta., a daughter. Savanna Rochelle, on May 24, 1988. SIEMENS - to Dave and Sharon Siemens of La Crete, Alta., a daughter, Jocelyn Michelle, on May 26, 1988. CRAWFORD - to Greg and Wendy Crawford of Aberdeen, Sask., a chosen daughter, Megan Nicole, on September 11, 1988. DEARBORN - to Allen and Emily Dearborn of Blumenort, Man., a daughter, Katherine Diane, on October 8, 1988, BERGEN - to Abe and Kathy Bergen of Kleefeld, Man., a son, Derek Abram, on September 16, 1988. KAUENHOWEN - to Ben and DeAnna Kauenhowen of Winnipeg, Man., a daughter, Brit­ tany Jayne, on July 21, 1988.

BARKMAN ■ to Arley and Tina Barkman of Fisher Branch, Man., a son, Charles Donovan Paul, on August 22, 1988. DRIEDGER - to Peter and Martha Driedger of La Crete. Alta., a daughter, Tara Lee Nicole, on June 23, 1988. KNELSEN - to Raymond and Ann Knelsen of La Crete. Alta., a daughter, Janette Gaydine, on September 1, 1988. SCHELLENBERG to John and Dyan Schellenberg of La Crete, Alta., a daughter, Dana Chantelle, on July 14, 1988. FROESE - to Henry and Martha Frocse of La Crete, Alta., a daughter. Miranda Chantal Janae, on May 28. 1988.

Laura Siemens

THE MESSENGER

VIRGINIA WATTS 1946-1988

Virginia Watts was born on July 16, 1946 in Birch River, Man. to Anthony and Mary Zolinski. When she was still a child the family mov­ ed to Flin Flon for a few years. Later they moved to Lenswood, where they have lived since. She started her schooling in Flin Flon, then transferred to the Lenswood School and finished at Birch River. On May 23, 1964 Virginia married Alex Watts. They lived on a farm in Lenswood. Virginia died on Friday, October 7, 1988. She leaves to mourn her husband, Alex, three daughters, Laura (Swan River), Lisa and husband Gary Bresky and daughter

Weddings KLASSEN - EPP: Nika, son of Mrs. Katherine Klassen of Mission, B.C., was married on September 10, 1988 to Denise, daughter of Henry and Kathy Epp of Portage la Prairie, Man. The wed­ ding took place at the Highway Tabernacle in Por­ tage, with Otto Hamm of Portage officiating. The couple is making their home in Winnipeg, Man. FEHR-SCHELLENBERG” Frank, son of Frank and Nettie Fehr of Grande Prairie, Alta., was mar­ ried on September 25, 1988 to Edith, daughter of John and Dyan Schellenberg of La Crete, Alta. The wedding took place at the La Crete Christian Fellowship, with Charles Koop of La Crete officiating. PENNER-WATTERS: Gordon Penner of Calgary, Alta, and Susan Watters of New Brunswick were married on August 6, 1988 at the La Crete Christian Fellowship in La Crete, Alta. Charles Koop of La Crete officiated. The couple is making their home in La Crete. WIEBE-MARTENS: Raymond, son of Mr. and Mrs. Jake K. Wiebe of La Crete, Alta., and Eva, daughter of Mr. John Martens of La Crete, were married on June 26, 1988. Charles Koop of La Crete officiated. The couple is residing in La Crete. KRAHN-WIEBE: Walter, son of Mr. and Mrs. Ben Krahn of La Crete, Alta., and Victoria, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Sam Wiebe of La Crete, were manied on August 27, 1988, with Charles Koop of La Crete officiating. FORBES-REIMER: Andrew Murray, son of Mur­ ray and Joan Forbes of Kelowna, B.C., was mar­ ried on August 20, 1988 to Darci Lou, daughter of Dayton and Eunice Reimer of Kola, Man. The wedding took place at the bride’s home, with Wilfred Highfield of Peachland, B.C. officiating. The couple is making their home in Fort Whyte, Man. OCTOBER 28, 1988

Nicole (Lenswood) and Andrea (at home); her mother, Mary Zolinski (Lenswood); two brothers, Edward (Kelowna, B.C.) and Larry and wife Joan (The Pas). She was predeceas­ ed by her father, Anthony Zolinski, in January 1986. Virginia was a busy person. For the last six years she drove school bus and worked at Birch River Meat and Grocery. She was also involved with church work and taught Religious Instruction at the Birch River School ever since it first started. For Virginia there was purpose and mean­ ing in life. About twenty years ago she realiz­ ed her sinfulness and she accepted Jesus as her personal Saviour. It was a struggle for her. In 1976 she recommitted her life to Jesus Christ and she never looked back. She was an unselfish person, always thinking of the needs of others. Many lives have been touch­ ed by her and are the richer for it. God makes no mistakes. Virginia’s work on earth was done and He called her home. She left behind many pleasant memories and much pain. We know God can and will, in time, heal these wounds. The funeral service was conducted in the Birch River Legion Hall on Thursday, October 13, with a large attendance. Pastors John Hiebert and Ralph Unger spoke words of comfort to the family and also brought into focus the way of salvation - how to prepare for death by receiving Christ. Lunch was serv­ ed in the Hall after interment at the Birchwood Cemetery in Swan River.

ANOTHER STAR IN HEAVEN There'S another star in heaven in the far and distant sky, God saw fit to place her there, Though we wait and wonder why. She was a daughter, wife and mother And, oh yes, a grandma too. She was a friend to all who knew her. Always thoughtful, kind and true. Virginia was by nature lovely. Calm, gentle, sweet and kind, And if one were deep in trouble A truer friend was hard to find. NOW She'S gone and we in waiting Will go some day the self-same way. we must all go meet our Maker, When comes at last our final day. Years may pass, or it may be tomorrow, That our final day may come. And we'll go home to meet our saviour When Cod calls us safely home. H. Marjorie Krahn Birch River, Man.

EMC Ministers' Study Fund Deadline for applications for Winter 1989 is NOVEMBER 30. EMC Ministers’ Study Fund Box 1268 Steinbach, Man. ROA 2A0 Tel. 326-6401

CHRISTMAS AUDIO VISUALS FROM THE EMC RESOURCE LIBRARY Enhance your Sunday School, club or church program with one of the following audio-visuals: IT BEGAN IN BETHLEHEM. A Biblical ac­ count of the events surrounding the birth of Christ as recorded in Luke 2:1-20. Con­ centrates on a reverent and devotional presentation of the birth of Christ as one step in God’s master plan for the salva­ tion of man. Filmstrip, record, leader’s guide (15 min.) STORY OF JESUS. Series of six filmstrips, with accompanying records and leader’s guides (app. 15 min. each). 1. The Annunciation 2. The Nativity 3. The Presentation 4. The Story of the Wise Men 5. The Boyhood of Jesus 6. The Baptism and Temptation CHRIST IS COME. Series of four filmstrips, with accompanying cassettes and leader’s guides (app. 8 min. each). 1. The Baby Who Was Born in a Stable (Pre-school-Elementary) 2. Behold the Star (Upper ElementaryAdults) 3. Christmas - Take it Personally (YouthAdults) 4. Merry Christmas, World (Youth-Adults)

CHRISTMAS FOR ALL AGES. Filmstrips, cassettes, manuals.

1. Christmastide (15 min.) 2. The Christmas Story (15 min.) 3. Holy Night (15 min.) 4. When the Littlest Camel Knelt (10 min.) THE SURPRISE GIFT. Kathy and Ted can’t understand why Dad should be surprised about his Christmas gift - after all the clues they’ve given him. When Mom tells them the first Christmas gift ever given was a surprise too, they have a mystery to solve. Filmstrip, cassette, leader’s guide (10 min.)

NEW TESTAMENT STORIES. Filmstrips and cassettes 1. Jesus the Saviour is Born (12 min.) 2. Jesus’ Boyhood (10 min.) REJOICE! CELEBRATE! IT’S CHRISTMAS. 1. Annunciation - Luke 1 2. Nativity - Luke 2 Includes filmstrips, cassettes, a 15-minute 16 mm film and guidebook. A thorough study suitable for all age groups and community outreach. New Media Bi­ ble Series. Rental fee: $15.00 per showing. Avoid the rush. Reserve your choice now. Contact; EMC Resource Library Box 1268 Steinbach, Man. ROA 2A0 (204)326-6401

PAGE 11

From the Editor Guest Editorial

The bad news and the good out of Seoul A BODY TUNED to perfection, every muscle working in harmony as he takes the 46 strides between the start and the finish of the most spectacular race of the 24th OImpiad. That’s the picture that I will always carry of Ben Johnson’s breathtaking win in Seoul. Suddenly, it has all turned to ashes. The athlete who thrilled every Canadian is accused of doping himself with a forbidden drug. It seems incredible. I would like to believe that he isn’t guilty of wanting victory so much he was willing to cheat. A part of me says it can’t be true. He knew the rules and he had so much to lose. Such a superbly conditioned athlete didn’t need to stoop to something like this. Whether I can believe the charge against him or not, he has been stripped of his world title, his medal taken from him, his record eras­ ed, and he has come home in dishonor. It’s a tragedy of genuinely olympian proportions. I don’t recall ever hearing and reading so much dismay directed at one person. The tragedy of Ben Johnson has only just happened and in the weeks and months to come we will learn much more about what really happened. We should guard against jumping to too many con­ clusions and I think it is unfair to heap a great deal of blame on one person’s shoulders. We should give this great athete as fair a hear­ ing as is humanly possible. What can we learn?

We should also ask ourselves what we can learn from an ex­ perience such as this. The values that lead someone to violate the rules as appears to have happened here are everywhere in evidence. He has had plenty of encouragement to bend the rules, shade the truth or take the way of expediency. It’s done all the time. We may say we are for living by the rules. We may even have a hand in creating the rules. But the bent of our hearts will soon reveal itself. For weeks now we’ve seen the leaders of our govern­ ment touring the country doling out tens of millions—even billions— of dollars. They are buying an election with the nation’s money, ad­ ding to an already unconscionable national debt. They know it isn’t morally defensible. But they want to win the election, and if a dose of “monetary” steroids will do it for them, they’ll try it. It reflects the same sense of ethics that the Alberta government displayed when it withheld its knowledge of the sickness within the Principal group of companies ignoring its own rules, because it wanted so badly to be seen to be an economically strong province. It seems to me that at the core of many of the failures that hap­ pen in public life, there are several issues. Value of character One is that we’ve come to depend a great deal on laws and regula­ tions and enforcers to maintain a good direction, but we’ve forgot­ ten the value of character. We may make all kinds of protests about our intentions, but our character will eventually carry the day. Christ said that it is “out of the heart” that what we really are is revealed. The truly sobering truth is that this holds for all, those who pro­ fess to be followers of Christ included. Sadly, we find many occa­ sions when Christians grievously disappoint us too, because their

PAGE 12

behaviour falls far short of what one would expect of someone whose life has supposedly been transformed by Christ. The enormous encouragement to think only of what would benefit ourselves over against what might be for the common good figures very highly in the debacle in Seoul. It was virtually impossible to think of Johnson as part of a team. Stars apparently don’t stay with the rest of the athletes, at least that’s the message that his presence in Seoul conveyed. Much of it revolves about money, fabulous sums of it. It is not unthinkable that some of Johnson’s aspiring sponsors were quite willing to conupt the athlete in their hopes of gaining him for their products. Their headlong rush to abandon Johnson once it became clear that his win was besmirched is a demonstration of how authentic the connection between the star and the product is. There is a lesson that all of us can take from Johnson, though some may find it difficult to accept. Johnson’s tragic fall at Seoul is a testament to his humanity. Even the most superbly conditioned are weak in some places. All have the potential

The truth is that we all have the capacity and the potential to disap­ point others. In this day of scientific approaches to virtually everything—including preparation for Olympic competitions—we may be tempted to believe that we are able to do whatever we real­ ly wish to do. The fact is we’re bound to disappoint ourselves and others at some point. The Bible tells us all “have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23). That is no idle statement. It is a profound reminder of our inability by ourselves to rise to the purpose for which we were created. There is a warp in our nature which always betrays us. We need someone greater than ourselves to help us be what we were meant to be. A humble confession of our need, daily and hourly, not only makes good sense, it corresponds to the reality of our existence. In many ways, whether we live our lives far from the limelight or in places where many others depend on us, we need God. Such a confession acknowledges that we need God for strength to do the right. Just because we know the right is no guarantee that we will do it. We need God for that. We need God for wisdom. We need His Word to really understand ourselves and our situa­ tion. We need the Spirit of Christ to help us appropriate that Word for our path. We need God to renew us when we fail. We fail often. But our God is a God of hope. He provides a reason for living and promise for the future. He lifts us when we’re down. Ben Johnson, that’s good news for you too! Harold Jantz Editor of ChristianWeek, Winnipeg, MB Reprinted with permission from the October 11 /88 issue.

ChristianWeek is a bi-weekly tabloid of news and comments about Chris­ tian faith and life in Canada. Can. subscription is $23. for one year. Box 725, Winnipeg, MB., R3C 2K3.

THE MESSENGER