Segaar-King Family Update

 

We have much to be thankful for this fall. The blessing of good health has come into sharp focus since Sharon began working at Spectrum Health Butterworth Hospital as an intern (part of her chaplaincy education process). The hospitals in West Michigan are packed with struggling COVID patients and exhausted staff. At her other job (as a Heartland Hospice chaplain), Sharon has the opportunity to offer God’s love to hospice patients who are spending their last days and months at home or in a facility. We understand better the fragility and tenuousness of life and breath in these troubled days. Every day we can love and be loved is a blessing. This fall Zach has been back on the road, visiting churches and ministries throughout the United States. Lord willing, he will resume international travel this winter. The stresses and pressures of ministry have been heavy, but God has been faithful. Hannah has enjoyed life and academics at Calvin University this fall as part of the Honors program. We give thanks for this good transition. Isaiah and Vivian continue as sophomores at Grand Rapids Christian High School this fall. In a few short years they will be out of the house. Our youngest, Esther, is in seventh grade this fall and growing fast. She is involved in everything, enjoying friends and sports. May you experience God’s faithful presence this Christmas!!

 

He will Save His People From Their Sins

 

Jesus was born in these barren hills surrounding Bethlehem two thousand years ago. He is still here today, leading and guiding his church.

In his work as Director of Resonate, Zach encounters both the joys and struggles of mission. Recently, he participated in the commissioning of the CRC’s first missionary to a particular Muslim country [name withheld] where Christians are only few percent of the population and the government tightly restricts religious activity. While church planting in North America has slowed because of COVID, many new church plants have been initiated among Hispanic groups throughout the US (view story). One Resonate-supported Hispanic church planter in Ontario has transitioned successfully to a fully on-line ministry. He and his family live-stream worship and bible studies to neighbors down the street and acquaintances across Latin America. Despite all these signs of hope, many of our ministries face intractable challenges. As we enter year-three of the global pandemic, the new Omicron variant has again disrupted plans. Many authoritarian governments are using the pandemic as a pretext to block indigenous and expatriate mission workers from ministry. The situation is not unlike the one in which Jesus was born two thousand years ago. As Israel languished under the rule of Rome, the Jewish people cried out for the long-prophesied coming of the Messiah, the son of David, to liberate them. In the fullness of time, an angel delivered a message to an obscure Jewish couple that the Holy Spirit had entrusted them with a child whom they would name Jesus, because “he will save his people from their sins (Matt. 1:21). This Messiah is present in our suffering world today. He inhabits the hearts of believers of every race, tribe, language and nation. He will save his people from their sins.

 

Ongoing Prayers for the People of Haiti

 Since we sent out our last newsletter five months ago, the situation in Haiti has become more difficult. In July, Haiti’s President Jovenel Möise was assassinated at his home. In August, Haiti’s southern peninsula was rocked by a 7.1 magnitude earthquake, killing several thousand people. Throughout the fall, Port-au-Prince’s notorious gangs took control of entire sections of the capital city. In November, one group of gangs blocked the fuel off-loading port, leading to a shortage of fuel throughout the country. Finally, fifteen US and Canadian missionaries continue to be held by kidnappers on the outskirts of the city. As difficult as the situation is, ministry continues through telephone, video conference and occasional in person activities. Please join us in prayer for Haiti.

 

Mission in the Philippines

We give thanks for the work of the CRC of the Philippines and for our missionary family there, Stan and Bessie Kruis (pictured above with leaders from the CRC of the Philippines and other visitors).

For many decades, Resonate has worked in the Philippines in church planting and development. From these efforts and the efforts of many Filipino leaders, the Christian Reformed Church of the Philippines (CRCP) emerged and spread throughout the country. While Resonate mission workers no longer engage in direct church planting, the Filipino churches have owned the vision and are multiplying congregations, especially in the capital of Manila where several congregations have taken root in the last few years. During a trip to the Philippines in February, Zach had a chance to meet with leaders of the CRCP. He also got to meet a few Filipino pastors who immigrated to the US to start congregations there as well and have remained connected to friends in the CRCP. God is at work in Filipinos living throughout the world!

A Time of Pain and Opportunity

The sun rises over a city in Southeast Asia that Zach visited in February. It was a privilege to see how Resonate mission staff are strengthening the church for mission in countries in Asia like this one where Christians make up a few percent of the population. Only weeks after Zach took this photo, COVID-19 impacted this country significantly.

These days the nations are in turmoil. COVID-19 has overturned the order of this world. International and in-country travel has slowed nearly to a halt. Governments have banned nearly every kind of gathering, including those of churches. Offices and businesses are shuttered. Finally, huge portions of the world’s population are sheltering in their homes. The pandemic respects no human distinctions—the rich and powerful are susceptible just as are the poor and oppressed. Everything that human beings thought could protect them has been proven useless as no vaccine or treatment exists for the illness. Into this context our mission workers in North America and around the world have an unprecedented opportunity to share the one  thing that can provide shelter and safety in times of fear and despair: the good news of Jesus Christ. Without a doubt, these are difficult times for mission workers. Without face-to-face communication, they depend on video conferencing, social media, and cell phones to reach outside their homes. Many governments are taking advantage of this pandemic as an opportunity to suppress influences that they do not welcome like the gospel. Pray that God will give Resonate church planters, campus ministers, international missionaries and other gospel workers strength, perseverance and grace in this time of opportunity.

Segaar-King April Update

As a family we are accustomed to epidemics. By God’s grace we survived malaria, dengue fever, zika, and chikungunya. Our scariest epidemic moment was the 2010 outbreak of cholera in Haiti which claimed many thousands of lives (and many of them in less than 24 hours after onset of symptoms). Nevertheless, like many families, we are finding the COVID-19 crisis challenging. We give thanks for Grand Rapids Christian Schools which pivoted to distance learning extremely quickly. As parents we are grateful that learning continues without interruption. A few of our children are challenged by this new learning environment, however.

The situation of the churches around the world weighs heavily upon us. Please pray for our friends in the Christian Reformed Church of Haiti and the Ministry of Christian Development. These organizations have been threatened by a gang that is taking advantage of recent instability and shelter-in-place requirements. Pray for the church globally as many group and face-to-face mission efforts have been scaled back or cancelled. We give thanks that Resonate’s mission workers have leveraged technology so quickly to keep sharing the Gospel in these challenging times. COVID-19 is an opportunity for Christ’s gospel and his church to give our confused and suffering world a solid hope.

Family Update

This fall we have remained in contact with friends in Haiti. It has been extraordinarily difficult in Port-au-Prince. Massive demonstrations and daily roadblocks have forced the closure of schools (including our former school, Quisqueya), businesses and our ministry partners. The protesters are demanding the resignation of the current President, Jovnel Moise. The instability has resulted in economic collapse, high inflation, and food shortages. Like the people of Israel 2000 years ago, the people of Haiti are waiting for the Prince of Peace to bring some wholeness to this long-suffering country. Pray for our Resonate colleagues, Johnny and Kim Gryglewicz, as they faithfully serve under difficult conditions.

We give thanks to God at the end of 2019 for his great faithfulness to us and our family. Sharon continues her internship at the Metro Health Hospital south of Grand Rapids through March. Zach has experienced God’s presence through some very intense periods of change as he and his team lead Resonate Global Mission. Hannah is doing great academically during her Junior year and will get her driver’s license before the year is out. Vivian, Isaiah, and Esther are all enjoying middle school and being challenged by ample homework. May God bless you in 2019!