“The most exciting apart of this mission encounter will be walking with our missionaries and partners side-by-side as they show us their ministries and how God is working in their lives and those they touch each day,” said tour leader, Chris Marziale, IM’s liaison to AB Women's Ministries.
The tour group members will be posting blogs and photos about their experiences at:
http://www.abwministries.org/resources/2011missiontour.cfm
One of the highlights of the trip, is the opportunity for the women to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ, by worshipping with 40 churches on Easter Sunday. During the week the women will meet with the leaders of the Baptist Mission of South African and the Baptist Association of South Africa – both organizations trace their ethnic roots back to India.
The Mission Encounter group will travel to Zululand and see the medical ministry of Drs. Anita and Rick Gutierrez and their work in AIDS education and prevention. The women will do some hands-on ministry with children at the iZulu Orphan Project, and tour the Thula Thula Game Reserve before returning to Durban.
On Friday, April 29, the group boards another plane to fly north to the Democratic Republic of Congo. The women will visit with missionaries Ann and Bill Clemmer, Jill and Mike Lowery, Katherine and Wayne Niles, Ed and Miriam Noyes, and Wendy Bernhard.
The group will tour the historical sights in Kinshasa, attend an all day worship experience, and see how White Cross supplies are being used to relieve suffering and bring hope in dozens of area hospitals. They’ll be involved in the women’s activities of CBCO – the Communaute Baptiste du Congo. Miriam Noyes will share how the “Literacy for Family Well-Being” is spreading throughout Congo improving the health, welfare and educational success of entire families.
In Kimpese, the group will visit the Mitendi Center, a national project funded by AB Women’s Ministries in the 1990s. Jill Lowery will talk about the alarming new trend in human trafficking and how the Mitendi Center is teaching economic skills vital to young women coming out of prostitution.
The members of group are: Ally and Laura Austin (CT), Carolyn Cook (MO), Pam Davies (MT), Sharon Farral (IL), Sarah Hicks (GA), Lori Hill (MO), Linda Lucas (CA), Linda Marshall (MI), Dottie McCrossen (KS), Margaret Rose (MI), Marcia Street (IA), Ellie Thomas (ME), Avis Triplett (DE) and Dee Ann Irvine (CA). The group is accompanied by tour leader Chris Marziale (PA), and Charles Jones (PA) area director for Africa and the Middle East for International Ministries.