The Cup
by Tim Teusink

The AIDS epidemic gives Christians unprecedented opportunities to reach out in intimate ways to the hopeless — in the midst of intense physical, emotional and spiritual suffering. Living in a major African city (Addis Ababa, Ethiopia) where approximately 10 percent of the population is infected with HIV, we frequently have opportunity to bring the compassion of Christ to desperate situations. This requires genuine concern for the whole person.

Pictured above: A stricken Ethiopian family whose mother died of AIDS a week after Tim Teusink took their photo; the father died six months later.

An Ethiopian colleague, Sophie, was visiting a home for the dying to share Christ’s love through a ministry of presence and prayer. She was drawn to an emaciated young woman near death from tuberculosis. As she sat down on the edge of the bed and asked if she could share and pray with her, the woman began coughing weakly and motioned for her to pass a nearly full sputum cup located on the bedside table. Reaching over and touching the cup was almost more than Sophie could bear. Praying silently and trusting God for strength, she passed the cup, held it in one hand while cradling the dying woman’s head in the other as she coughed into it. After regaining her breath, the grateful woman looked deeply into Sophie’s eyes and said, “Now I’m ready to hear what you want to share.”

Mercy's Story
by Tim Teusink

Young girls from a school for AIDS orphans and vulnerable children established by Kale Heywet Church (Ethiopia). Photo by Tim Teusink.

Meheret (“Mercy” in Amharic) is a lovely, dynamic young Ethiopian woman who worked in a faith-based home-care program for people living with AIDS. At the end of a long day of home visits, she shared her story.

Raised in a terribly dysfunctional family, Meheret was raped as a teenager by a relative and became pregnant. After giving the baby up to another relative, she fled home and began working as a “bar girl” (prostitute) in a distant town. She was quite successful in this work but was disturbed by the frequent visits of a young Christian man who stopped to share a soft drink. He also shared his faith.

Meheret noticed that on the days this man visited, she had no clients, which was unusual. Eventually the young man’s pastor came and clearly shared the gospel. Something inside Meheret told her that she could no longer continue her current line of work. She quit, but now had no home, no income, no food, and no hope. A former work acquaintance briefly gave her shelter, but Meheret became so despondent that she attempted suicide. Her friend told Meheret that her only hope was to go to a church. Meheret did, and this time clearly understood and responded to the gospel with a total commitment and life transformation. Although HIV-positive, Meheret now radiates Christ’s love, joy, power and mercy.

Africa Area Director Named

Above (l-r): the Reynens — Kenzie, Mike, Kelly, Vickie and Kyle.

Michael Reynen will begin serving as Africa Area Director for Free Methodist World Missions (FMWM) in late 2008. He and his wife, Vickie, previously served as missionaries in Nigeria for 10 years (1992-2002) focusing on leadership development ministries and overseeing the establishment of the FMC in other West African countries. Vickie also led in the development of Hope Academy (Nigeria). Most recently, Mike served as senior pastor at John Wesley FMC (Indianapolis, IN); Vickie in the FMWM home office in SEED and VISA ministries. When they return to active missionary service, Vickie will again work with International Child Care Ministries.

“So many things have had a role in our thinking on this decision: our Africa missionaries — most of whom we know — basic concern for our Africa church, whether our family can manage leaving a great church,” says Mike. “Months of pondering and helpful dialogue have led to a sense that this is the track for us to follow and we are excited about great days ahead in Africa.”

The Reynens have three children: Kelly, Kenzie and Kyle.