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International Christian Ministries

Training Thousands to Reach Millions

Teamwork and Synergy

Africa Rising: Investors Speak Out


By Dr. Phil Walker, ICM President ynergy is an interesting but over used word, sometimes used without much thought. The right definition provides a powerful illustration. First, what synergy is not. Synergy is not about a good team working well together. It is not about putting all the pieces together and then producing a great outcome. Its more than that.

ewsleer
SUMMER 2012
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something that was not explained by merely looking at the players. In the same way ICMs phenomenal outcomes cannot be explained by simply looking at the staff or trained leaders or investing partners.

ICM is about synergy. The staff, the leaders being trained and those who make it possible together make ICM into something that is unexplainable simply based on looking at the parts. Working Out of real synergy emerges something that cannot together in community emerges a movement that is changing Africa. This newsletter highlights a few be explained by simply looking at the individual of the people investing in ICM and its vision. The pieces. In the 1980 Olympics, the American outcome of their and your investment is a synergy hockey teammade up of college kidsdid the that makes ICM more than the sum of its parts! It is impossible: they won the gold medal by beating synergy that is changing the world! 4 the Russians. Together American team produced

My Investment in Tanzania
BY Jeff Affonso My knuckles were white as I gripped the seat. It was still cool at 5:00 am, but I was sweating and praying profusely, and I remember laughing nervously and actually saying Yee Haw out loud as we raced head-on against much traffic on one of the few freeways in Dar Es Salaam. Pastor James Kamau, Director of

ICM Tanzania and our driver, host, and guide for the week, was at his usual place behind the wheel. The words he used on our first ride together were, To be a passenger in Tanzania is to have faith! Yes James, Yes! I BELIEVE! (continued inside)

IN THIS ISSUE
MY INVESTMENT
In ICM Tanzania

UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL


With ICM volunteers

Riverlakes Church Missions Pastor Angelo Frazier sharing photos with children in Tanzania.

MISSIONARIES UNLEASHED
Hodges moving to Burundi

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A Mans Steps

By Scott Hodges ver the past several years, God has shown me the need for the Gospel in the world. Recently I visited Burundi and spent time with Painito Ambuka, ICM Director and graduate of Africa Theological Seminary. On this trip, the Lord made it evident to me the great need for service among the Burundian people. Upon returning home, I shared my desire to go and serve in Burundi with my wife, Karen. We spent weeks in prayer asking for direction. Soon after, we shared our longings with the family and began to pray together every Sunday evening. The Lord has been putting all the pieces of His plan together ever since. Karen and I now are preparing to move to Burundi to work with Painito in January 2013. Excited that God uses ordinary people like us, we also are thankful to ICM for the opportunity to be obedient to Gods call to serve. We are grateful for our church, Living Grace, and I am thankful for the support of all involved, especially for my wife sharing the same desires to go and serve and leave the comforts of home and our family. Yet after thinking about it, we are not giving up anything. We are on the receiving endgaining Gods peace and love through obedience. One of my favorite verses is Proverbs 16:9 The mind of man plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps. Thank you for your prayers as we follow His orders. Im excited to see what God will do! 4

Tanzania (continued from cover) I was traveling in Tanzania with Riverlakes Church Missions Pastor Angelo Frazier and Rod Feil. We were there to check on the construction status of a seminary project. I am so thankful to have had the opportunity to see first-hand and better understand what is happening there. Dar Es Salaam is a front line battle ground for the spiritual heart of Tanzania. While Christians comprised less than 10 percent of the Tanzanian population at the turn of the 20th century. That number has increased to over 50 percent today and yet 40,000 villages lack a single church. In numerous church services and meetings, we were consistently impressed with the quality and enthusiasm of the pastoral and lay leadership. What they require is structured training and discipleship, a need ICM is poised to fill. There is much work to be done, but the Tanzanian body of believers is rising to the task. Ours is not an investment in buildings or land but in people and ministry. Resources placed here will pay Kingdom dividends until Christ returns. 4

ICM USA REGIONAL EVENTS:


August 21, 2012Bakersfield, California Africa Rising Fundraising Banquet Chairperson: Sheryl Giesbrecht sherylg@icmusa.org September 20, 2012Denver, Colorado Evening with the President Hosts: Pastor Duncan and Angie Sprague dsprague@mho.com October 23, 2012Montreat, North Carolina Evening with the President Hosts: Skip and Letta Jean Taylor lifeschgsem@aol.com

Scott and Karen Hodges are moving to Burundi to serve full-time with ICM. If youd like to support the Hodges, please send Scott an email at wisetechs1@ yahoo.com.

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Up Close and Personal with ICM Volunteers


By Dr. Sheryl Giesbrecht, ICM Executive Director How good and pleasant it is when brothers can live together! Psalm 133:1 This verse is painted on the wall of the chapel at Africa Theological Seminary in Kitale, Kenya. It reminds me of how pleased God is when we serve Him in harmony. At ICM, unity through the Holy Spirit is our choice in every partnership regardless of theological differences, cultural dissimilarities and varied spiritual gifts. The principle of partnership applies to ministry in the ICM USA office and around the world, from the Congo, to Canada, California or Colorado; we choose love and set aside our differences. We focus on whats really important: to love God, serve Him and allow Him to use us.

Neiman Mc Duff and Sara Hodges prepare ICM Banquet ticket packets.

Summer 2012 Intern, Neiman Mc Duff, has been invaluable in organizing our office and assisting as needed. Cheerful Sara Hodges is updating our donor base, so dont be surprised if you receive a phone call from her confirming your address information. One of Sheryls favorite local Regularly, we experience an army of volunteers partnerships is our released for sustaining our ministry, with even ICM 2012 Banquet more volunteers emerging to help us with our work. Committee, Wikipedia defines volunteering as: an unselfish pictured at left. activity, serving the society through own interest, personal skills or learning, which produces a (L to R) Jerilyn Stewart, feeling of self-worth and respect, instead of money. Jeff Affonso, Sheryl Volunteering is also famous for skill development, Giesbrecht, Phil Walker, Kaye Camp, Jackie Shipto socialize and man, Sara Hodges, Karen to have fun. Hodges, Debbie Walker, Look at the fun Patrice Bussell. (Not pictured, Caroline Reid, we are having Caroleen Devries, Amy at ICM USA!
Coulter, Sandy Sanford, Neiman McDuff and Scott Hodges).

Alvin & Florence Bowser stuffing ICM envelopes.

Alvin and Florence Bowser serve on a weekly basis in the ICM office, preparing the monthly receipt letters for mailing since 2007. Thanks Alvin and Florence!

Would you like to join the fun by volunteering at ICM USA? You will be glad you did! And the benefits are out of this world. Send me an email: sherylg@ icmusa.org. Its not too late to join in with our ICM 2012 Banquet Committee! We love our volunteers! 4

Africa Rising!
Hope of Africa
Fundraising Banquet

August 21, 2012


For tickets please call

661

832-9740

International Christian Ministries


Lets Make August: Africa Rising
By Dr. Phil Walker, President of International Christian Ministries Ten years ago the Economist declared on a front page issue: Africa: the Hopeless Continent. Ten years later the Economist apologizes and declares Africa: Continent Rising (December 2011). August 21 is our annual Hope of Africa Fundraising Banquet. This year we are blessed to have our North Africa/Middle East partners, Drs. Wahid and Laila Wahba, join us as our guest speakers. They will be sharing about the major events in North Africa and the impact on Christians.

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Fundraising Banquet
5:00 p.m. Hors Doeuvres & Silent Auction 6:30 p.m. Dinner & Program
Olive Knolls Church of the Nazarene 6201 Fruitvale Avenue Bakersfield, California

Hope of Africa
Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Africa Rising!

Tickets $30 Table of Eight $200

For tickets please call

661
Sponsors

For those outside of Southern California we would like to challenge you to help us reach our Hope of Africa fundraising goal of $100,000. These funds help us train and equip pastors and Christian leaders in Africa and beyond. We have thousands of leaders enrolled in our Christian Leadership Institute and nearly 1,000 enrolled in our Africa Theological Seminary. We believe that the best way to help the Church in Africa is to invest in leaders who learn how to empower their churches to solve Africas problems with Gods solutions. Lets Make August: Africa Rising. 4 4 4

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INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN MINISTRIES

ICM, founded in 1986, is an interdenominational nonprofit organization, dedicated to the training and equipping of men and women in Christian ministry and service. ICM exists to serve the church by discipling and equipping her leaders through providing quality, in-service, culturally relevant theological educational and training.
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