Central Baptist Church prayerfully and financially supports five Special Interest Missionaries and their families through our partnership with International Ministries. The Church allots money each month from regular giving to the Mission Fund for each missionary, plus collects a generous World Mission Offering each October for our partners in ministry. Read more about these special interest missionaries, send them a birthday card, subscribe to their Prayer Journals, and give sacrificially to God’s work through these dedicated full-time servants!
Wendy Bernhard, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Africa - Wendy teaches at the Bible Institute of Kimpese, 120 miles west of Kinshasa. She also works with a team of doctors, pastors, and lay people holding “Responsible Living Skills” seminars for young people, advocating a return to biblical principles of sexual behavior as part of the fight against AIDS. An extension of Wendy’s ministry is a twice-weekly, 15-minute FM broadcast on “Radio Bangu,” named for the bluff that dominates the landscape and towers over the Kimpese valley. The title of her broadcast is “Youth: A jewel and a treasure,” designed to remind young people of their infinite worth in the eyes of God, and encourage them not to waste their youth, but to live responsibly. Languages used in ministry: French, Kikongo, Lingala.
Deliris Carrion Rosa, Haiti - In April of 2010, Deliris moved to Haiti to use her training as a Pediatric Occupational Therapist. She knows that God will use her to bless the lives of Haitian children with special needs, especially those injured in the January 2010 earthquake. Deliris’ primary focus will be to help the children deal with the psychological aspects of losing a limb, or learn how to cope with the physical limitations that resulted from the injuries to their arms or legs. She will be assisting pediatric medical teams who come to Haiti, as they set up health care clinics for critical needs. Eventually, Deliris will use her skills as a therapist in a hospital or clinic. In the future, when she’s established a network of contacts, and has a place to receive work teams, Deliris will host the teams and be a facilitator between the teams and the Haitians. Commissioned in 1998 for ministry in El Salvador, Deliris coordinated the Christian Education program at the Baptist School in San Salvador. Deliris worked with visiting teams in El Salvador, so she knows how important it is for visiting groups to feel that they have someone with them from their American Baptist family. She’ll use that knowledge and experience in Haiti to be the person pediatric work teams can trust to help them from the moment they arrive until they head home. Deliris’ deep desire is to be used by God to help people Come to Christ, Grow in Christ and then Change their world through Christ. Language used in ministry: Creole, Spanish and English.
Jeff & Annie Dieselberg, Thailand, Southeast Asia - Annie and Jeff Dieselberg serve in Bangkok, Thailand, a bustling metropolis of more than 10 million people. Annie and Jeff both serve at NightLight Foundation and NightLight Design Co. Ltd. NightLight is an international organization committed to addressing the complex issues surrounding trafficking and prostitution by catalyzing individual and community transformation. NightLight’s vision is to offer intervention to sexually exploited women and children, to enable them to discover their dignity, and to provide a program of holistic transformation, empowering them to live and work in their community. NightLight’s mission is to build relationships and provide hope, intervention, rescue and assistance to women and children exploited in the sex industry by offering alternative employment through the registered jewelry business NightLight Design, Co. Ltd., as well as vocational opportunities, life-skills training and physical, emotional and spiritual development to women seeking freedom from sexual exploitation. NightLight builds support networks internationally to intervene and assist women, men and children whose lives are negatively impacted by the sex industry. Annie is the founder and CEO of NightLight. Aside from administration, Annie facilitates the outreach in the red-light area, and leads in the prayer and deliverance ministry at NightLight. As an advocate for NightLight and the issues of women exploited in the sex industry, Annie also does a lot of networking and speaking. Jeff serves as chaplain to both NightLight Design Co. Ltd and NightLight Foundation. Jeff also serves as Senior Pastor of NightLight’s church plant, Song Sawang Church (translated Send the Light). Song Sawang is a new church start that began May 2008, mostly with new converts from NightLight. Now, however, these women who are members of the church are reaching out to family, friends, and strangers, bringing more growth and diversity to the congregational make-up. In addition, Jeff teaches urban transformation at 3 local seminaries along with a team of 4 trained adjunct faculty to encourage aspiring pastors and Christian workers to understand and engage in what God is doing in Bangkok and the cities of the world. Weblinks: NightLight www.nightlightbangkok.com. Language used in ministry: Thai.
Ruth Mooney, Costa Rica, Central America - Ruth’s ministry is Christian education. She lives in Costa Rica, where she serves on the faculty of the Latin American Biblical University, a seminary founded in 1924 that prepares pastors and leaders for churches throughout Latin America. In addition to teaching Christian Education classes on the San José campus, Ruth will respond to invitations from affiliated institutions in other parts of Latin America. The University has also asked her to work with the Publications Department, editing materials written by the faculty for their extension programs. These texts respond to the needs of students who study from their places of ministry. Ruth has extensive experience in writing Bible study materials and training Sunday school teachers. Most recently, she directed Ediciones Lumbrera, a ministry of the Federacion de Asociaciones Bautistas de Costa Rica. Previously she served in Cuba and El Salvador, where she trained curriculum teams to respond to the specific needs of the churches in those regions. Language used in ministry: Spanish.
Charles & Sarah West, Zambia, Africa - Charles serves with the Baptist Convention of Zambia in the areas of educational ministries and leadership development. He participates on the Central Executive Committee (CEC) in planning training sessions for church leaders & new church planters. He is also involved in the planning and staging of national evangelistic and outreach ministries. He serves on the “CEC Education Committee” to develop pastor and church leadership curriculum. The BCZ has 13 regions with 506 churches. Sarah works with vulnerable and exploited women and children at risk. They previously served in very diverse ministries in partnership with the Baptist Convention of South Africa, until mid-2006.
Language used in ministry: English and Nyanja.
International Ministries is a Christian mission organization connecting U.S. churches and individuals to holistic missions around the world. Organized in 1814, International Ministries is the first Baptist mission agency formed in North America. We serve more than 2,500 short-term and long-term missionaries annually, bringing U.S. and Puerto Rico churches together with partners in 74 countries in cutting-edge ministries that tell the good news of Jesus Christ while meeting human needs. International Ministries is supported solely through the generosity of churches and individuals. Our primary fundraising vehicle is the World Mission Offering, which is promoted annually in September and October. Donors can give to the support of individual missionaries or to projects. To learn more, please visit IM’s website: www.internationalministries.org or contact them at 1-800-222-3872.
American Baptist International Ministries
P.O. Box 851
Valley Forge, PA 19482
1-800-222-3872
