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MMR West
Early in 2007, MMR responded to help field personnel set up a new project that was a "ground-up" start. It took a lot of work and is still an ongoing process that still needs volunteers. Here's the response from one of the field personnel that works with the team (some details have been edited for security purposes):
The team has been raked over the coals about several issues. For one thing, the word is out that they are spreading the gospel and they are being criticized for that. The other point is that the government, who also asked them about their Christian work, is frustrated that they are only working in certain areas; i.e. among rebels to the government.
But there is much good news. They now have eleven new disciples meeting in the first church. And they have shown some documentation and done some quick talking so that the government seems to have backed down. Take some time and think about the fact that this first church, and the survival of this scrutiny, is because of the volunteers sent through MMR.
That is about as humbling a praise report as an organization can get, yet this is how God is using the volunteers that MMR has sent into some of the most difficult on our earth.
MMR East
The following story is from a field worker. This story highlights a lot of the work that is done through MMR projects. Most of the time, the work of MMR volunteers is opening doors that others can walk through. This story was a good representation of how taking a walk in the area can lead to those type of opportunities.
On a recent trip, two families went to a new village within walking distance of where they were staying house. As we walked in the village, we looked for those who were not feeling well physically or even had a stroke. Being foreigners walking along the narrow road in a small village, we had had no problem finding people to talk to us. And before long, a lady invited us to her house and wanted us to check on her elderly mother. Since a nurse was with the group, I asked if she would check her Blood Pressure so that they could identify her face for follow up in the future.
While we were talking, the lady who invited us brought me a bunch of x-ray films related to her husband’s condition. Then, her husband came in and he shared his family pictures with us for 20 minutes. I checked his x-ray and reaffirmed his progress after his recent surgery due to compression fracture of a lower neck vertebra. This retired middle-aged army man seems to be very outgoing and friendly and eager for long-term friendship.
As we prepared to leave, his daughter arrived with her young daughter - so we met four generations within an hour visit. Through the public health strategy approach, we were able to gain access to new homes and build new relationships in this nearby village.
Afterward, we visited two more families and we met a young music teacher who seems to be interested in this new friendship. Her father is a good friend of the village head leader, and we sought to nurture this relationship and ask her to bring at least five of her friends to study English or something like that in order to share bible stories with them.
Her father’s relationship with the village leader would also allow field personnel to organize a future kick-off event in that village with minimum or no government permission needed. This village has about a thousand residents and it is conveniently located near the area where we stay, so future follow up with public health program workers would be more probable.