The situations in the Middle Eastern countries are different, but equally precarious.

This experience impacts on three levels.

1. There is the team going. We lived 24-7 together.
2. Then there is the national team on the ground that we spent a lot of time with.
3. Then there are the conferences where you teach and engage national believers. In all three arenas we experienced refreshment (along with a bit of weariness and sickness). Personally, I found the experience of preaching in a Filipina church and worshiping with the Filipina ladies in English especially refreshing coming at the end of our three week stint. 

I found the fullness of Frontier Partners' approach powerful. We visited refugees where they lived in three different countries and a hospital that was receiving medicines funded by FPI partners. The needs of these folks and their gratitude was overwhelming - from goats and geese provided, to medicines that were in short supply, to simply acknowledging their worth by a visit.)

Yet, though it is a drop in the bucket, it connects loving concern to the name of Jesus - and gives our national partners a platform for ministry.

I have a deep respect for doing ministry their way. Life begins after the sun goes down in the Middle East. It is warm and creature comforts are not pronounced. My normal routine includes 'early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy and wealthy and wise. But in each country we visited, we often sat with our ministry partners into the wee hours of the morning. Talk always came to evaluating ministry and planning for future events - often at ungodly hours!

I appreciate Mike's commitment to connecting with nationals relationally, building trust, and doing ministry their way. There are other mission organizations active in these areas who do not seem to operate by these principles. I think Frontier Partners International does it best!

I am also aware that ministry in these places is tenuous. The political situations are different but equally precarious. The window for cooperative ministry may be brief. God only knows. But the challenges of ministry in failed countries and fragile 'autonomous' regions is great. Yet, that very thing makes this ministry so important. Brokenness and even hopelessness (outside of Christ) is common, even normal. We must pray for a massive work of God even as we do what we can.

On a personal note, my appreciation for the food, fellowship (team, nationals, conferences), and of our brothers and sisters in the Middle East goes deeper with each visit. And I think this personal connection (with Frontier Partners International teams) is a very important encouragement to national believers and our national teammates, to the kingdom of God. At least they said so!

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Blessings,

Dean Cernek
AspenRidge Church

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