Board Reflections – Board of World Mission Moravian Church

When we get the board of directors of the BWM together, it is amazing to hear the many memories of mission service shared around the table. We thought it might be fun to share some moments with the outside world, so here is a compilation of photos and short reflections from our board members!

Rev. Dr. Betsy Miller

“Mission takes us to many places, including Dar Es Salaam in Tanzania, for the All-African Moravian Women’s Conference in 2018. I was privileged to learn from Sr. Pauline who led our small group Bible Study, and then encourage her to consider pursuing theological training at a seminary.” When we plant seeds, we see fruit – all in God’s good time.”
– Rev. Dr. Betsy Miller, President, Moravian Church – Northern Province

Hilda Victoria Vera de Regalado

Hilda Regalado visits the home of the new President of the National Board of the Moravian Church in Peru, Joaquin Muro (Pictured far left) to meet and also see the guinea pig mission grant effort funded by the BWM.

Hilda, pictured here with her husband Segundo Regalado, as they participated in the 2019 National Conference of the Mission Area of Peru. (Chiclayo, Peru – August 2019)

On the BWM, Hilda represents the Southern Province.

Tommy Cole

Rev. Dan Miller

Rev. Dan Miller is a Board Appointed member to the BWM. He offers a reflection from a trip to Nicaragua.

“In mission work, sometimes there are jobs that require you to get your hands dirty. Trusting God in these times is important so that you can be confident in knowing that what you’re doing is enough if it’s done out of love. This is a picture of a brick mold being filled in Nicaragua 2010. Hundreds like this one were required to rebuild a Moravian church in Santa Marta after Hurricane Felix.”

Lisa Pampe

Lisa represents the Western District of the Northern Province on the BWM. She has traveled to Ahuas several times, and shares some pictures and stories from her time there.

During my first trip to Ahuas, I spent most of my time taking photos, printing them, and passing them out to the villagers. This little girl was very sick but the mother and aunt kept bringing her back to me to take photos of her. I was starting to get upset with them for putting her through that when I found out the little girl was dying and the mother was just trying to find ways to hang onto her little girl. I was so humbled and convicted by the holy spirit that I went to her room later to pray for them. We didn’t speak the same language but we didn’t need to, the Holy Spirit did that.

“My first overseas mission trip to Ahuas, Honduras back in 2005. It is a photo that I look at each day and it is a reminder for me of God’s call on my life.”

God blessed me with the opportunity to watch and take photos of my daughter helping with her first C-section and being a blessing as a medical student.

I am always amazed at how God uses each person’s unique gifts and talents to bless others and bring Glory to Him. On this years trip to Ahuas, I spent a lot of my time driving a tractor and sharing my knowledge of livestock.

Taylor Wickert

Taylor is a representative of the Western District to the BWM. She shares a reflection from a trip to Peru in 2014.

When you’re immersed in an unfamiliar language, it is easier to communicate with children. With smiles and simple words, you can share God’s love; then it returns 100-fold. Here you see a moment of calm, after a 30 minute tag-like game we called “Ayuda al samaritano”.

Donna Gordon

Mission and service has been a passion of mine for many years, and since retiring from teaching a few years ago, it has become a major focus for me at church and in my community. Two projects hold a special place in my heart, one local and one global. I have worked with other church and community members to establish a local food pantry for those living in our church neighbourhood and experiencing food insecurity. Being able to help struggling families put food on their table and getting to know some of them on a more personal level is heartwarming. I have also had the privilege of traveling to Cuba on a few of occasions. In 2016, I accompanied a team from Christ Church in Calgary who went down to help with renovations of the Comenius Centre in Havana. While in Cuba, I have come to know Bishop Armando Rusindo, and Pastors Tonia, Obed and Alay. The work they have done to build the Moravian Church in Cuba and to reach out to those in need in their community is truly inspiring. I often think that in Canada and the US we “do mission”, while in places like Cuba, they “live it”.

Rt. Rev Chris Giesler

Chris serves on staff of the BWM as the Director of Mission Engagement.

This past summer I was privileged to serve as the program leader for the 2019 Young Adult Convo which was held on the islands of St. Thomas and St. Johns, USVI. It was an amazing event for me in that it gave me the opportunity to spend a week with 15 dynamic Moravian young adults from around North America who are already leaders in the regions from which they come. They were truly an impressive group of people who are dedicated to serving others through their connections in the Moravian Church.

As program leader for the Convo I was challenged to deepen my knowledge of the first mission endeavor undertaken by the Moravians to these very same islands. We heard a lot about people like Dober, Nitschmann and even more about Zinzendorf’s vision for missions, but none of this would have been possible without the courageous work of slaves with names like Rebecca, Mingo and Abraham who did the work of spreading the Gospel among their own people. The program focused on the successes and the shortcomings of those early mission efforts, and we reflected on how we are called to do mission in our age. Convo was not just about remembering past; more importantly, it was about finding our calling today. While there we did mission projects at the Emmaus, Nisky, and New Herrnhut congregations which helped to ground our learning with practical applications.

Sheila Beaman

Sheila is the administrative assistant for the BWM Southern Province office. She shares some reflections on the ministry “Family Promise”.

Once a quarter the fellowship hall, kitchen, and upstairs classrooms at Macedonia Moravian become a hub of activity. Preparation is in progress for the families that will be staying overnight in our facilities for one week. Macedonia, along with over 20 other congregations in Davie County, are coordinating with Family Promise. It is a national organization which helps homeless families with children become self-sufficient and move into homes.

It is a good way that we can help to make a difference in the lives of people finding themselves marginalized in our community. Many members of the body of Christ have come together to share Christ’s love through service to others. We volunteer to help in many ways during our host week – setting up beds, staying overnight, providing meals and snacks, enjoying fellowship at dinner, playing games, and often worshipping together. It is also an opportunity to interact with members of the community who contribute by repairing cars, preparing meals, transporting beds, staying overnight, and donating furniture.

Through the leadership of two members at Macedonia, Eileen Dunn and Anna Beauchamp, who followed their passion to serve Christ through this ministry, we at Macedonia have experienced growth in our personal faith journeys. Empty classrooms that were being used for storage now provide comfortable living space for people in transition. Our prayer is that God will use our humble service to expand his Kingdom in the lives of others.