July 2008

Contents

• Micah Network Integral Mission Initiative
• Micah Network Consultations: Registration is open!
• New HIV/AIDS Resources: Posted to Micah Network's Website
• News from Jubilee Centre Zambia: Training of Pastors and Church Leaders in Resource Mobilization
• New Album from Helen Mottee: Letters from the Fifth Estate
• All Nations Extension Training Programme
• XVII International AIDS Conference: Mexico City, August 3 -8, 2008
• July Prayer Points

Micah Network has recently launched a new initiative to support our aim of "encouraging a deeper understanding of integral mission." (AIM 2)

An official announcement was sent to all Micah Network members in June with a request to complete a questionnaire. We are keen to hear from you! Your inputs will provide us with vital information for project scoping.

If you have not received the announcement or have yet to read it, please visit this link for further details, including instructions on completing the questionnaire: http://en.micahnetwork.org/integral_mission/integral_mission_initiative

A reminder that registration is now open for the following consultations:

• West Africa Consultation on the Church and Good Governance: Nigeria, August 18 – 22, 2008
  Please go to this link to view the consultation details and download the flyer and booking form: http://en.micahnetwork.org/events/nigeria_consultation_2008

• Global HIV Consultation - Churches Living with HIV: Pattaya, Thailand October 21-25, 2008
  Please go to this link to view the consultation details and download the flyer and booking form: http://en.micahnetwork.org/events/global_hiv_consultation_2008

Additional HIV/AIDS resources have been posted to the website. Please visit the links below to view them:

• Strategies of Hope – Resource Summaries
  Summaries of the most recent resources from the Called to Care Toolkit, Case Study Booklet, Stepping Stones Training Package & DVD/Videos series are available at this link: http://en.micahnetwork.org/hiv_aids__1/resources__2/strategies_for_hope

• Bible Study - Healing the Church through a Pandemic: Ecclesial Reflections on the Scriptures
  "If we do not see ourselves as affected by HIV and our churches as responding to it, then it is not those with HIV positive who are liable to Christ's judgement as some first thought 20 years ago.  Alas for us who live complacently with AIDS and patriarchy today:  for we think we see, and yet are blind." (an extract) - A biblical reflection given by the Archbishop of Canterbury's Secretary for International Development, Revd David Peck at The Positive Church Conference, produced by Tearfund and hosted by Bracknell Family Church on 15 March 2008. Download the full biblical reflection at this link: http://en.micahnetwork.org/hiv_aids__1/christian_response/healing_the_church_through_a_pandemic 

Micah Network member, Jubilee Centre has continued to train pastors in integral mission. More than 30 pastors and church leaders have been trained in integral mission in Ndola at which they were taught how church leaders could incorporate social responsibility in their regular Christian work. Topics included; Holistic salvation, causes and prevention of HIV/AIDS, causes and impact of HIV/AIDS, community and church mobilization strategies, mobilization of volunteers for community action and project management.

This training program was an eye opener that helped to inspire church leaders and encourage their involvement in social responsibility.

After the training program the church mobilization manager followed up with pastors and church leaders to check out how they had responded to integral mission. More than 90% of church leaders had responded positively to the message of holistic ministry.

Local churches have started to address problems of poverty affecting child headed household (CHH) and orphans and vulnerable children (OVC). In addition, the majority of pastors had started to integrate the HIV/AIDS message in their regular sermon by addressing aspects of causes, prevention and care.

(Adapted from JC March - April 2008 Newsletter http://jubileecentre.org/category/newsletter/)

"If you know, you are responsible.  Tell the stories, paint the pictures, write the letters…and become a friend to these people."

Helen officially launched her new album "Letters from the Fifth Estate" on 20 June, in conjunction with World Refugee Day, a day commemorating the plight of refugees which is an issue very close to Helen's heart. 

"Letters from the Fifth Estate" serves as a collection of musical letters expressing the needs of many globally who cannot speak for themselves.  Helen hopes that "those who listen to the songs will in some way not only be moved by the message, but inspired, even spurred on, to act in some way themselves."

Helen has spent much time with refugees, child soldiers, people living with HIV and those who have experienced the horrors of ethnic and religious cleansing.  She knows that "these are no more statistics on a page or stories in a book. I have met and shared time with people who are, or have been, these things, and it is from such experiences and relationships that the new songs have been born."

Helen's album is available on her website, www.helenmottee.com, and also by e-mailing Crossroads at enquiries@crossroads.org.hk.

Micah Network associate member, All Nations Christian College is offering a series of one day courses through its Extension Training Programme.

The Programme is designed to help mission and development practitioners acquire new skills and build on their experiences through a variety of contents and training methods that integrates professional and biblical perspectives.

The courses can be delivered on site at All Nations Christian College and/or on location where requested worldwide.

Please visit this link for more information and a calendar of courses: http://en.micahnetwork.org/events/future_events_calendar.

Micah Network's Latin America Regional Coordinator, Ruth Alvarado will be attending this Conference and is keen to connect with Micah Network members.

If you are planning to attend the conference, please email Ruth Alvarado at coordinatorla@redmiqueas.org and alvarado.re@gmail.com.

Please join with us in prayer for the following:

World

• Please pray for the long-suffering people of Zimbabwe. Zimbabwean electoral officials say President Robert Mugabe has won victory in the recent election where Mugabe was the only candidate. Please pray for God's comfort for the people of Zimbabwe as they continue to face incredible hardship. Please read the informative and prayerful email from member organisation Tearfund, by clicking on the following link: http://en.micahnetwork.org/index.php/media/files/prayer_for_zimbabwe__1.
• Please pray for the national elections in Cambodia which will held on 27 July 2008. Please pray that the elections are carried out peacefully and remember member organisation, the Evangelical Fellowship of Cambodia at this time. 
• Food shortage is a growing concern in Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia. The UN estimates that 3.2 million people in Ethiopia are in need of food due to drought and in Somalia more than 2.6 million people currently need humanitarian aid. Please pray for the people in the countries most affected by food shortage and for the organisations responding to this need, such as Micah Network member Kale Heywet Church in Ethiopia. Pray that governments provide more funds to help poor countries respond to food shortages.
• Member organization, ESDA in Malaysia asks us to pray that in the face of rising food prices, their government will be able to reduce the prices of many essential items, such as rice and asks that we remember the marginalized in Malaysia, who feel this burden heavily.

Events

• Micah Network's Africa regional coordinator, John Wesley Kabango, is in the process of organising the West African consultation on Governance scheduled to take place in Nigeria from 18 – 22 August 2008. Please pray for John Wesley Kabango and Africa coordinating group member, Danladi Musa, as well as the local organising committee as they prepare for this event.
• Please pray for final arrangements for the consultation, Churches living with HIV, coming up in October. The consultation is a key opportunity to engage with evangelical leaders attending the World Evangelical Alliance General Assembly on HIV. Please pray for meaningful participation from the World Evangelical Alliance delegates in the consultation.
• Micah Network will be holding a strategic conversation on Disaster Management in Thailand in September this year. The disaster management working group are finalising topics for discussion and consultation participants. Please pray for this process, and that the meeting achieves a shared vision and action plan for responding to disasters. 

People

• Dorothy Tran, a friend to Micah Network through Micah Network's dedicated volunteer Portuguese translator, Tatiana de Baptista Raineri passed away recently in the company of her loved ones. Dorothy has had a long period of illness with cancer. Please remember her family, especially her children and husband and her friends, especially Tatiana, as they grieve for the loss of Dorothy. Pray that they all feel God's presence in their lives at this difficult time.
• Micah Network is currently looking for a new Asia Regional Coordinator. Please join us in praying for the selection process; for wisdom for those involved and that the right person is identified for the position.
• Geraldine Goswell, who works with the Micah Network International Secretariat team in Australia is currently travelling in Malawi. Please pray for her safety and for good health as she travels and that this time of learning and meeting with people is a particularly rich one for her.

Thank you very much for your prayers and support.

If you would like to contribute to or be added to Micah Network's weekly prayer update, please contact Anita Deutschmann (Anita.Deutschmann@micahnetwork.org).