TERRE HAUTE —
The gospel message has deep roots in Africa, and local Christians are headed that way to help nurture its growth.
Four members of Maryland Community Church will travel to Uganda this July for two weeks of missionary work helping train pastors there. The church will host a “Night of Worship” fundraiser Thursday beginning at 7 p.m. to assist with the travel costs for Mariah Longyear, 18, the group’s youngest participant. The event is open to the public and free-will donations will be accepted.
“I just love it. I love helping people and experiencing other cultures,” the Terre Haute North Vigo High School senior said Sunday morning after services.
Already a veteran of overseas missions, Mariah traveled to Guatemala in 2007 and Haiti in 2010. This fall she plans to attend Indiana State University and study dietetics, with aspirations of becoming a registered dietitian and ultimately working with the poor in America, or developing countries through the World Health Organization. While in Uganda this summer, she hopes to bring her experience with social media and the Internet to the team.
Her father, Scot, serves as interim senior pastor at Maryland Community Church, and also will travel to participate in the July trip. This will be his second visit to Uganda, and he explained the group is working in conjunction with the Pastor’s Discipleship Network, joining more than 1,000 members of the clergy for a series of educational workshops.
Founded by Ugandan minister Richmond Wandera, the Pastor’s Discipleship Network provides pastoral training throughout West Africa in countries such as Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania.
According to the organization’s website, more than 80 percent of pastors in Uganda are theologically untrained. Resources and even reading materials simply aren’t available unless pastors attend seminary, which few can afford.
Born into dire poverty, Wandera was accepted into the Compassion International child sponsorship program at age 8. An excellent student, he eventually earned a university degree and was accepted into the Moody Graduate School and Theological Seminary in Chicago.
Paul Bertsch, another member of the local mission group, pointed out the fertile soil of faith presented in developing countries such as Uganda.
“Christianity is growing faster in Africa than any other part of the world, so it’s important to equip pastors over there,” he said, adding this will be his second trip to the continent. His first experience there was in Mozambique. Meanwhile, back in the states, Bertsch works with Intravarsity Christian Fellowship, a college program with offerings at both ISU and Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology.
Longyear said Maryland Community Church has been sending Bibles to developing countries for years. But without the knowledge of how to use them, Ugandan pastors face considerable challenges. Churches in that country typically select pastors based on how long they’ve been Christians, he said. While working there this summer, he hopes to help those chosen with everything from sermon preparation to organizational management. The fact that many Ugandans speak English will be very helpful, he added.
Bruce Smith said this will be his first time in Africa, but as an executive with Cargill, he routinely travels overseas and has worked in 14 different countries over the years. Those experiences, he said, have illustrated to him the need for Christianity abroad. As an American businessman, he hopes to help Ugandan pastors in the areas of leadership and management.
“If we can touch 1,000 pastors and they can touch 1,000 people, it will be pretty incredible,” he said optimistically Sunday inside the Maryland Community Church sanctuary.
The group leaves July 23 and plans to return Aug. 9. The men will pay their own way for the trip, and Thursday night’s music-filled “Night of Worship” event will help offset Mariah’s costs, which are estimated to be about $4,500. In addition to bands and music, the 90-minute service will include information about the upcoming mission, Longyear said.
Brian Boyce can be reached at 812-231-4253 or brian.boyce@tribstar.com.
Local & Bistate
Related Photos
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Mission team: Bruce Smith, Paul Bertsch, Scot Longyear and his daughter, Mariah, are members of the Maryland Community Church mission team that will travel to Africa.
Discussion
Mission of Faith: Planting Seeds
Terre Haute church hopes mission trip will help african pastors spread the word
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