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He looks more like a construction worker than a business owner; more like a hard-working rancher than probably anything else.

But make no mistake; when he smiles, it is warm, and rich, and genuine.  And he has a gentleness and a humility about him that make him undeniably likable, even across the barriers of language.

Pastor Epheson Erballo was born into a family of Christ-followers, in the Ethiopian village of Wolyta.  I had the special privilege to meet with this dear brother on Wednesday, while I was here in Awassa.  He travelled here to take care of some business, and especially to make himself available to me.

Epheson is the fourth of six children.  He has three brothers and two sisters.  Although he has believed in Christ for about as long as he can remember, he was given a special desire from the Lord around age 15.  At that time, he sensed a burden to minister to others.  

He began to share the gospel readily with friends, and anyone else.  As people came to Christ, he began to disciple them.  Within a short time, he was leading Bible studies, and the number of those in his care grew.  Soon, he found himself leading a church.  He would shepherd and pastor this group of believers for 22 years.  In 2009, his congregation was officially organized as a church, and he was ordained.  

He continued to pastor there until 2013.  It was then that the Lord moved him and his family to Turmi, in the hopes of church planting and reaching a poor, desperate people there.  

The work in Turmi is growing, but it is not without colossal challenges.  The region is a desert, and food sources are scarce.  Epheson and his family (with four children) have to work hard just to survive.  And it is the same with everyone there.  You cannot simply go and grab something from the market.  Food has to travel just to get to them.

And if the physical challenges are great, the spiritual challenges are even greater. 

The tribal people there are very connected.  The community sticks together, and is led by chiefs.  And their beliefs are animistic - not so much a formal religion, but a system of worship and fear of spirits and gods.  If a member of the community professes faith and begins to follow Jesus Christ, then they are threatened by their family and friends.  If this does not dissuade them, then they are often beaten.  Still, the gospel is setting captives free, and there is now a growing church among the Turmi, where Epheson and his family love and shepherd them.

This is not an easy life, but it is the life of great reward.

When you ask Epheson about his personality, and the kinds of things that he likes to do, he says, “I’m naturally curious; learning and teaching are who I am.”

Meeting Epheson, I do not doubt this.  Nor do I doubt that he has learned many things in his life, and is probably capable of doing nearly anything asked of him.

Please continue to pray for our dear brother, and for all of his family and ministry.  We will be sharing more information and prayer requests in the future.

And praise our strong Savior together with us, that I got to connect with Epheson during this trip, and that we have the distinct privilege to be able to partner with this faithful, humble man.

Visit our Path Three Missions page for information on how MCC supports Pastor Erballo in Ethiopia.

There are many throughout the developing world in need of the most basic necessities of life; safe water, affordable energy and dependable food—things we take for granted every day. Experience has proven over and over that the best help for those in need is to directly involve them in finding solutions to the problems they face (II Thessalonians 3:10-12). As Christians, we also know the importance of involving the strong hand of the Lord in all that we endeavor (Psalms 127:1).

This is essentially where the idea of Business as Mission (BAM) was born. That is, to establish Christ-centered businesses that are sustainably designed to help those in need help themselves while bringing the saving Word of God.

This past summer I started the path to BAM with several of my neighbors who are believers attending Forest Meadow Baptist Church.

They recently established World Light Africa, a BAM that grew out of a relationship with a Kenyan runner who trained in Albuquerque.

In June, I joined the BAM team when I traveled to Kenya and Uganda to conduct a preliminary survey of water issues.  The BAM approach targets the very high prices that rural people in Africa pay for energy and water. What the needy lack is the capital to purchase improved technologies that lessen the cost of these basic services.  World Light Africa provides new technology to someone in need which is repaid with the savings realized by the new technology.

One example uses simple solar powered lights which can easily be repaid in the matter of a few months, requiring only a portion of the savings from no longer needing to buy kerosene. When the light is paid off they can get a water filter, which they can pay off with their savings on wood which is no longer needed to boil the water.

Similar ideas are being developed to support small cottage industries; in particular, small scale agriculture. Here we combine training on soil management, with construction of small water catchments and drip irrigation to significantly improve farm yields (and reduce incidence of total crop failure). This provides an income to repay the capital improvements, improves the lives of the family and puts money into the local economy.

The goal is to establish World Light Africa as a sustainable business, meeting the needs of the needy while modeling Christian ethics and morals through the day-to-day conduct of the company. This is a very bright light in a region known for pervasive corruption that is deeply engrained in their culture.

World Light Africa has two full time employees in Kenya and Uganda that are managing a handful of projects. Several communities have been targeted for testing our energy and water technology upgrade program in the coming year. We are also planning construction and testing of a small-scale agriculture project.

We believe God has big plans for the needy in West Africa who are hungry for God’s Word. We value your prayers in the coming year as we pursue God’s leading.

Contact Vince Tidwell to learn more about BAM or find out how you can get involved today!

I wasn’t going to attend church this past Sunday. My back pain doesn’t respond well to medication and I hurt a lot. But I wanted to talk to a few people and see if work needed to be done in the food pantry. So I went to church anyway.

As I walked through the Fellowship Hall, a woman called out to me, “Did you find the gift card I left in the food pantry?” No, I’d forgotten all about it. But it could be useful.

And then…a food donation of a case of peanut butter came in!

Then, I was informed of a family needing food and gas: right now; they were waiting. They hadn’t eaten in two days; were homeless and traveling out of state. Aha! The gift card would provide both extra food and gasoline. We could help them with what they needed at just the time they needed it.

What you can clearly see in this story is God's provision. What I haven't shared with you yet is God's perfect timing!

Let's start with the story of the gift card. Before Christmas, I wanted to help a neighbor who had lost her job. She is gluten free and vegan, making it difficult to find foods she can eat. The gift card idea was suggested by a church member as a possible solution. We made arrangements to meet in order for me to pick up the card. But I was late, didn’t have her phone number and missed the connection.

Sometime later in the week, she called me; said she’d drop the card off at church on Thursday. Neither of us remembered that the church wasn’t open on Thursday. Otherwise, I could have met her at church with a key. Another missed connection!

She offered to mail it to me; I suggested just leaving it in the food pantry somewhere. It made me sad and frustrated that I hadn’t been able to give the card to my neighbor for Christmas, as a witness to her of Christ’s love through our church.

Then a week later this family came and the card was there! Perhaps those weren’t missed connections after all! God knew a more profound need would present itself and provided for it…

If you are interested in serving at the Food Pantry or if you are in need of something through the Food Pantry please contact Barbara Fall, MCC's Food Pantry Coordinator.

What a year it’s been at MCC!  Here is the third installment of what God has done to transform us and use us this past year.  Enjoy, and thank God together with us!

MOPS had a very blessed year, and its impact upon the community has grown.  Over 30 moms helped to kick off the fall semester! Topics like prayer, managing clutter (actual & metaphorical clutter), and loving husbands God's way & through scripture, have deepened friendships.  Celebrations for new mamas, gatherings for the holidays, and helping out moms in need have brought laughter and fellowship.  A single mom with 9 kids who had little to nothing at all was showered with food, clothing and household goods. God has loved and served moms, and even mobilized them to be a blessing to others.

Our Greeters and Connectors teams sought out and welcomed dozens of MCC guests on Sunday mornings. 

And the friendship and openness have started to spread!  Many people beyond these teams are looking for newcomers now, and reaching out to people that they don’t know. 

We are also being more intentional about serving our visitors through welcome bags and our new Starting Point Lunches. These lunches help us get to know them, fold them into small groups and ministries and answer questions.  One attender at the Lunch told about her first experience at MCC:  “The first week, I was greeted by so many people that it was overwhelming!  When I came back the next week, people kept coming up to me and saying ‘hello’, and they all remembered my name!”  She has since come forward for membership.

The Meals Ministry served dozens of families at times of critical need. One couple who was helped said they were amazed that they were so well cared-for during their physical trial. Melissa spearheaded coordination within small groups, ministries who serve together, and through other affiliations, to help bring them friendly visitors and fresh-baked goodness when they were sidelined.

At Villa Santa Maria, God re-opened a door for ministry to youth who face steep challenges.  While we’ve met one-on-one with different residents in the past years, for the first time we have two separate Bible studies with 8 different residents being involved regularly.  We got to partner with one of our own sisters, Melissa, who serves there as a therapist, and who weekly invests in these precious children.  Now, each week, we read the Bible together, and share prayer requests for God to bring breakthroughs and new hope.

Through CareNet, we’ve helped to offer young women a choice for life, and a path of hope.  Several babies, whose Mothers have been blessed by CareNet, have been born just in the last few weeks, and even one born on Christmas Day!  Through Adoption Assistance Agency, we’ve helped 12 families to adopt for life this year, including one from our own church. 

Maybe one of the best glimpses of God’s glory at work in our midst comes from the brother who reminds us of how faithful God has been to all of us, as seen in his own trials. 

“God has been teaching me through a crushed vertebra, spinal cord surgery, a heart ablation and subsequent nerve recovery process that I can trust Him.  My Good Father has provided brothers and sisters to help me in so many ways through my ordeal.  I have been blessed and continue to thank Him.  The Lord has served me through my wife, my family, and His faithful servants.  Thanks goes to so many of you here at MCC."

What a year it has been at MCC.

As the world we live in seems to move at a whirlwind pace we can be steadied that the Lord always remains the same (Psalm 102:24-27) and secure in the knowledge that He works everything together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28).

Please join us in giving thanks for 2017 and stay attentive in watching how He works, how He transforms and how He moves in our lives and through MCC in 2018!

It’s over. I missed it again. Not a single personal Christmas card went out in the mail by my hand. Yet beautiful cards came to me from friends and family; those dedicated people who never miss a year in getting out their Christmas mailings. How do they manage it? The twinges of guilt are at times overwhelming. One of these days, I think to myself; just maybe I will get it together. Do you sometimes feel this way? Perhaps for you it’s not about Christmas cards, but other tasks or goals that you never quite seem to achieve? You are not alone. Truly, we are not alone.

As we head into 2018, Care Net Pregnancy Center has chosen Isaiah 43:19 as its theme verse.

 “I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.” (NRSV)  

This verse encourages us personally as we put behind all of the unfinished business of 2017 and anticipate the “new things” that God will have for us in 2018. We can look forward to opportunities with young men and women who are facing unplanned pregnancies. Our goal is to help them understand the provision that God has given to bring them out of their spiritual wasteland; the hope of eternal life and a personal relationship with Jesus.

He becomes their “river in the desert.”

First, thank you. Just last year you assisted Care Net in giving HOPE to over 640 women in the face of uncertainty! We were blessed as our year ended strong, thanks to your continued support.

As we head into 2018, it is our prayer that each one of you will perceive the things that God is doing, in your own lives and through CareNet.

We ask that you keep the Care Net clients, board, center locations, center directors and staff in your prayers often. If Care Net may serve you in any way in 2018, please call 505-880-8373.