[EAPTC Update] – May 2010

Dear Friend,
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He who stands firm to the end will be saved (Mt. 24:13)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This is what our Lord Jesus said.

“You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. (Matthew 24:6-7)”

Recent earthquakes in Haiti, Chile and China, landslides in Uganda and Peru, ongoing conflicts in Sudan and Korea … it seems that in these days we’re increasingly hearing about what the above scripture foretold that we would hear in the last days. But the same scripture also reminds us that “the end is still to come” when we see such things happen. And the context reaffirms in verse 14 that the ultimate condition for the end to actually come is the evangelism taken to the whole world.

“And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.”

“Research shows that despite the extraordinary missions efforts of the Church, three out of four people alive on the earth today still have not heard the gospel,” said Kevin Swanson, president of Mission Aviation Fellowship, serving more than 600 Christian and non-governmental organizations worldwide (ASSIST News Service, June 16, 2006). And as a missionary who firsthand witnessed the enormous “unreachedness” of this world, I have to agree with Swanson.

An accurate information like this helps balance our eschatological faith. It gives us a hint that the end will come only when you and I, as partakers of this gospel, do our parts to take the message to the whole world! And this is exactly why you and I are doing what we’re doing for Africa both as a sender and go-er.

EAPTC’s first planted church in Zambia celebrated its official opening by having leaders’ appointment and children dedication in February. Musa Aringo, our Central/Southern Africa director, ministered for this joyous event. In April, Esther and Olivia Jayo, our Kenya children ministry workers, ministered at a women’s conference held in the eastern Uganda for our daughter churches.

In past years, God has faithfully kept adding more national leaders and workers in our ministry team to reach different nations of Africa. And I’d like to ask you to also pray for our national leaders in Africa who are in charge of a number of churches and schools in their countries. I pray that these pastors are the ones who will carry on the baton of what the Lord has begun years ago through Eunice and me.

Kenya: Nicholas Alalia (Bible training), Esther Jayo (Children ministry), Edward Ouma (Churches)
Uganda: William Khaita
Tanzania: Cletus Tukai
Malawi: Musa Aringo
Zambia: Vyialika
Sudan: Edward Kamau
DR Congo: Bitendelo Ekangyela

Also, we learned that our missions video clip is put on YouTube. You can view it at www.youtube.com/watch?v=WA1dlFqMD0I. (For a Korean video clip, please visit www.youtube.com/watch?v=tupyfNOxRKc).

In closing, please continue to pray with us for the fundraising and purchase of Nairobi kindergarten premises. Children are at the very heart of God. The longer I serve in missions, the more I realize that children ministry should be also at the heart of God’s work. Children have a full potential to be molded in the teachings of God’s word, and it’s the beauty only children possess. This is why EAPTC has been offering a top-quality Christian education for children in Kenya, alongside the ministries of preacher training and church planting in past years.

As we’ve been regularly praying for our supporters, especially for those who got affected by the current economy setback, I often felt this worldwide crisis might have a divine purpose for God’s children. That is, God is teaching us about the blessings of PERSEVERANCE! James 1:4 states it even more clear: “Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be (1) mature and (2) complete, (3) not lacking anything.”

Therefore, it is my prayer that we try to learn to grow towards the person God wants to make out of us rather than complaining about the situations we face. May our good Lord encourage you and keep you close to him in this season!

Paul Lee (& Eunice Jaeun)
Nairobi, Kenya
May 3, 2010