Teleios Ministry: March 2017

Thursday, March 30, 2017

Women's Leadership in Christ Takes Off

Tuesday morning began with a tremendous time of worship. The rains soon came and at times it rained so hard that you could not hear even with amplification. Then, the electrical power was off. Neither the rain or power outage limited the powerful impact of the Women’s Leadership Conference in the lives of the women.

Bonnie began the morning defining Women’s Leadership from a Biblical model of Jesus. This led to a discussion of what is and is not a part of this model. Women’s leadership as Servant Leadership vs. Power broker. She outlined

what all Christian leaders must have in common that led into an emphasis on intimacy with God and His calling upon the Leader(Woman)’s life. This calling is defined by serving others as the leader follows Jesus Christ.

At the end of the sessions, Floyd preached on what it means to be a disciple of Jesus Christ and His promises for Women’s Leaders who are pursuing their calling in real ministry. Mpeli led in a time a prayer. During the prayer, one of the women came forward to say that she was not really a disciple of Jesus Christ. This was a great time of blessing for the women and challenging experience to all of us as the woman shared her life in the church and her realization of what being a disciple meant.

The women celebrated Swiga’s birthday (Swiga is Mpeli’s sister) with her first (that’s right) birthday cake ever. Tears flowed as Swiga thanked everyone for the cake and the recognition of her birthday. This was such a blessed time.

On the last day of the conference, the spirit among the women just kept building in excitement, enthusiasm, and deepening commitment to fulfill their calling in their communities. During prayer and group times, the women formed groups to link them together after the conference. Bonnie focused on practical matters of being leaders of vision, building a ministry team, developing next generation leaders, and the dynamics of practical, spiritual leadership. Floyd closed the session with a message of encouragement to pursue the vision that God has given them from Joshua 1:1-9; Philippians 1:6.

The women presented Neema, Mpeli, Bonnie, and Floyd with gifts of appreciation as they danced by and around them. In keeping with their hearts, they also appreciated those who served behind the scenes, leading worship, and translation. Everyone is looking forward to the opportunity to gather again.

Wednesday, March 29, 2017

Home in Tanzania

Arriving in Dar Es Salaam was like arriving at home. Nothing anxious in going through passport control, getting our bags (all arrived!!), going through customs, riding to the Airport Transit Lodge, and resting for short time. Early Saturday morning heading to the domestic airport, catching our Auric Air flight (14 passenger plane), and meeting Neema and Mpeli Mwaisumbe at Iringa airport. Many greetings, hugs, and BREAKFAST! waiting at the house.

I am tagging along as Bonnie has all the responsibility. Bonnie and Neema have put together a Women’s Leadership Conference from March 26-29 along with the help of the Daily Bread Life staff. Forty women from 10 different churches of different denominations have registered. Also, Bonnie is leading meetings with Neema and Mpeli on children’s camp to be held June 5-8.

Sunday, we worshipped with Kidetete Baptist Church and ACTS Fellowship, Iringa, in the morning. Both churches are growing. Kidetete Baptist Church is also the home church for the Bread of Life Secondary School. Two of their choirs were involved in the worship service. Bonnie brought greetings from Teleios partners around the world. Floyd brought the message. ACTS Fellowship is the home church for Daily Bread Life Children’s Home. Two of the children’s praise teams were a part of the worship service. This was such a blessing along with seeing the older young people of DLBCH involved in the worship.

Sunday night the Women’s Leadership Conference opened on Sunday night, March 26^th, with 40 women attending from 9 different churches. This was an opening time of worship and introducing the participants and leaders to each other. Floyd brought the opening message.

Tuma and Happy officially welcome Bonnie and Floyd

Monday, a representative of the Iringa Regional Commissioner came to officially open the Women’s conference. Gwamaka Mpeli and Pawdre Scout are translating for Bonnie. Raymond and Jessica are leading in worship music along with Gwamaka. Bonnie spent the day teaching on the spiritual disciplines required as the basis for every woman leader. She emphasized God’s calling in the leader’s life.

The Big Event of Monday was giving every woman a study bible.

The New Life Ministry has graciously allowed Daily Bread Life to use their worship facility over the three days. A local businessman opened up his hotel for a place to stay for the women coming from out of town. The Masoko Café is providing the meals. A real partnership effort at work in sharing the message with the women coming from across Tanzania.

Bread of Life Secondary School First Choir

BLSS Second Choir

Mary Fidelius shares

Bonnie greets the Kidetete Church

Kidetete Baptist Church

Daily Bread of Life Children's Home Praise Team

DBLCH Older Children's Praise Team with their leaders

Dr. Floyd playing the drums mentored by Sam

Floyd and Mpeli preaching at ACTS Fellowship

Dr Floyd with Dr Floyd

Praise Team opens the Women's Leadership Conference

Hidya leads in Worship

Bonnie shares a new Bible

Women celebrate having their new study bibles

Floyd serving Pilau with Teresia and Jessica

Monday, March 27, 2017

Teleios Team in Romania

Bonnie Parker, Chris Dover, and Floyd Parker met Lajos Fekete, Sacele Mission Leader, at the Bucharest Airport on March 13. We drove to Sacele to spend a few days with Otto and Elisabeth Kis and Lajos and Naomi Fekete experiencing the Sacele Mission, Pucaresti Church, and Hope without Limits Ministry. Our partnership includes the building of a mission center in Sacele for serving the larger Sacele community. The unique part of this mission center is that it will have fully handicap accessible facilities for worship, discipleship, and mission. Also, we joined with the afternoon children’s ministry in Sacele and met with the Sacele/Purcaresti area mission team.

Sacele

Children's Club Sacele with Elisabeth Kis

From Sacele we traveled to the Reghin area to be with Attila and Adel Toth and the churches that they serve. The Associata Teleios, a Romanain mission association, provides the avenue through which many diverse ministries are supported and developed. The Apalina Roma (Gypsy) Afterschool Ministry is growing and reaching the larger Roma community under the leadership of Claudia and Christina (They are members of the Apalina Church and leaders in education in the Roma school and community). We had the opportunity to be with the Afterschool during it’s monthly parents meeting. This was such a blessing to see the transformation of the lives of families through the Afterschool Ministry. Chris and Floyd visited the Glodeni Roma Community (aka “Little Serbia”) for worship and to see the association’s 16 acre farm. Last year was the first year the farm was used for hay production. The farm produced $1000 for local mission work. This year the expectation is this will continue to grow.

The Glodeni church also has a partnership for a local nursery.

Glodeni Mission

Floyd, Bonnie, Chris and Attila visited the new Peris Children’s Home under construction. Old buildings have been demolished and the plans drawn and submitted for local government approval for construction. As we walked and prayed, the realization of a 10 year old vision had a tremendous impact upon us. Teleios helping God-given visions become a present day reality. The children’s home is being developed under the Associata Teleios, Reghin, with the support and encouragement of the Gornesti, Peris, Reghin, Glodeni, and Apalina churches (the churches that Attila serves as pastor).

Bonnie, Floyd, and Attila met to finalize plans for the Roma (Gypsy) Children’s Camp, July 13-20. All are excited that after a one year absence the camp will be held this summer. A Teleios team will join the local children’s leaders in providing the camp. Your prayers are appreciated.

Glodeni Farm

On Saturday, March 18, Bonnie left for Satu Mare to be with the Vekas Family (Elisabeth, Benjamin, and Blanca) and visit the Satu Mare area churches. Chris Dover left for Sacele with Lajos Fekete for Saturday youth meeting and for preaching in Sacele/Pucaresti Church on Sunday. Chris returned home on March 20.

Floyd remained with Attila and Adel. He met with local young people on Saturday night. He joined the worship at Gornesti, Reghin, and Apalina churches on Sunday. Attila and Floyd met going over the plans of the partnership for the coming year and long range plans.

Bonnie spoke at the Ratesti Mission on Sunday morning and shared with the Satu Mare Baptist Church on Sunday afternoon. On Monday night, she met with the Satu Baptist Women and spoke about her work with women in Kenya and Tanzania. They committed to join her in prayer for the new work with Pastor’s Wives in Kieni West, Nyeri County, Kenya and Women Leaders in Tanzania.

Floyd with the help of Zoltan Dohi traveled from Reghin to Satu on March 21. He had the great joy of having lunch with Zoltan and Abigail Dohi and their children in Rematia. One of the great joys of serving others especially the development of young men and women is walking with them over the years and watching them grow and reach out in Jesus Christ as He calls and leads them.

Chris Preaching at Peris Church with Attila Toth Translating

After a visit with the Vekas family, Bonnie and Floyd traveled to Budapest, Hungary to meet with Jozsef and Adina Mike (and their family) as they begin a new work in the Erd community of Budapest. We first met the Mike family in 1999 in Brasov, Romania. Now to see them begin this new work is an exciting ministry opportunity. We met the leadership team of the Liget Has ( a church plant) in Erd. We look forward to our partnership with the Mike family in assisting them in developing their ministry. Jozsef is a highly gifted worship leader and musician and will serve as the Worship Pastor.

Early Friday morning, Bonnie and Floyd left Budapest for Dar Es Salaam. WE HAD A VERY SMOOTH TRIP. KLM did a great job delivering us rested and ready to serve in Tanzania.