TANZANIAN MISSIONS

Greetings in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ to all co-laborers in missions.

These days, the world is suffering from unexpected climate changes and extreme weather events. Tanzania is also experiencing a series of casualties and property damage, including the deaths of 155 people this year due to extreme heavy rains. Please pray that God will look after Africa in its difficulties. In the meantime, our mission field is also praying for God’s protection and going through it with a heavy heart. This is the first prayer request that we would like to ask of the co-laborers of the mission and share some of the things that have happened in the Tanzanian mission over the past few months.

BCEA

The 2024 graduation ceremony of Bible College of East Africa (BCEA) Tanzania was held on Saturday, April 20th. Four students graduated. Two of them will continue their studies at BCEA Kenya. In recent years, Tanzanian students who have studied at the Kenyan campus are achieving good results in their studies. This gives an encouragement to the lecturers and students at the Tanzanian campus.

Meanwhile, to help local pastors and believers in Tanzania who are in dire need of sound doctrinal education based on the Bible, starting in 2024, two subjects related to the Bible and core doctrines are recorded every semester and they are released in the BCEA Tanzania YouTube Channel (BCEA TZ Archive Project) for free. Anyone who wants to know the core doctrines of the Bible can watch. This semester, two subjects were offered: Westminster Confession of Faith (Swahili) and Systematic Theology III: Soteriology (English).

The Bible College has now entered her three-month summer vacation. Please pray that the Lord will keep all the lecturers and students safe both physically and spiritually until the start of the fall semester and that they may spend their vacation meaningfully.

Glory BPC

The 2024 graduation ceremony of BCEA Tanzania was especially meaningful, as it was held at the campus church, the Glory Bible-Presbyterian Church, with her dedication service. At first, the plan was to renovate the parts of the church building that were at risk of collapse, but as it progressed, the reconstruction became necessary.

Due to unusual climate changes, the rainy season started early. We prayed for good weather throughout the construction period. By God’s grace, it was clear during the day and rained only at night. As a result, the construction was completed the day before the graduation ceremony, and the interior and exterior of the chapel looked much better than before.

We give all glory and praise to God. We would also like to thank once again everyone who helped with this project. We pray that God, who knows everything, will reward you with heavenly blessings.

Faculty Publications

There were so many things that happened this semester, but the first thing we would like to give special thanks to God for is publishing books together as a family. Following the publication of missionary Ra ChaeWon’s book in the United States in 2022, the books that missionary Park SeungKyu published in the United States 10 years ago were able to see the light of day in revised and expanded editions during this spring semester. There have been repeated requests for several years, but it was so massive that it was difficult to get the courage to do it. But two years ago, missionaries Ra ChaeWon and Park JongHwi joined the revision and expansion work, and it was completed this time.

The books published this time are books that help to read and understand the Greek New Testament easily. The titles of the books are as follows: (1) Park, S. K. and J. H. Park, A Parsing Guide: To the Textus Receptus Greek New Testament Underlying the King James Version, 2nd Edition (The Old Paths Publications, Inc., March 2024); (2) Park, S. K. and C. W. Ra, A Declension Guide: To the Textus Receptus Greek New Testament Underlying the King James Version, 2nd Edition, Volume 1: Four Gospels (The Old Paths Publications, Inc., March 2024); (3) Park, S. K. and C. W. Ra, A Declension Guide: To the Textus Receptus Greek New Testament Underlying the King James Version, 2nd Edition, Volume 2: Acts to Revelation (The Old Paths Publications, Inc., March 2024).

The next publication is also planned to be related to the Greek New Testament. Please continue to pray for the three missionaries for the wisdom and strength to write useful books for a deeper study of the Word of the God in the original languages.

Thank you for always praying and helping us. The three missionaries in Tanzania are also always praying for the co-laborers in missions.

“Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.” (Rev 2:10). Park SeungKyu, Ra ChaeWon, and Park JongHwi, Tanzania, May 2024.

NEWS FROM CHANGWON, SOUTH KOREA

Greetings in the living God and our blessed hope in the Lord.

Thank you for your concerns and loving prayers. I am grateful for the members of True Life Church who continuously encourage us with their loving gifts and visits to my church.

The Lord has continually blessed me. Since starting my journey with the church, I have created a homepage for uploading my writings. It receives over 6,000 visitors daily, totaling 835,569 visitors. This indicates a hunger among Korean Christians for deeply expounded sermons. This year, we have expanded the homepage to provide both English and Korean versions. I am thankful for your teachings, especially in Greek, Bible-oriented lectures, and homiletics.

However, the growth of the church remains slow. While the Lord has brought a few souls to us, my hot temper has sometimes hindered my ability to pastor them effectively. Nonetheless, we rejoice in the spiritual growth of one church member. It brings us great joy to witness his progress, and we pray for his forthcoming marriage. Through him, I am learning to prioritize love and service to individual souls above all else.

Recently, I have faced trials concerning my wife’s health problems. Initially, I was overwhelmed with worry about finances and the need to support my family and church. However, when I embraced the message of Matthew 6:33, I experienced the marvelous grace of the Lord. Many fellow believers sent loving gifts and prayers, more than enough to support my family and the church. This experience has strengthened my faith, affirming that our Lord is alive and provides for His children in times of need.

I was deeply honored to be invited to the True Life Church Camp, where the theme will focus on God’s comfort. We eagerly anticipate hearing His voice and finding solace in His words and fellowship. While I had hoped to attend, unfortunately, my wife and I received devastating news today. Her cancer has returned in two areas. Despite enduring 20 rounds of chemotherapy, she now faces the prospect of a lifetime of treatment. I am grappling with feelings of fear and loss. Initially, after her surgery, I was filled with hope, but today, I am overwhelmed with sadness. Regrettably, I will not be able to attend the camp this time.

On a positive note, there is a promising new cancer treatment available at a low cost. According to her doctors, surgery may not be necessary if this medication proves effective. However, if surgery is unavoidable, it will be a significant and final step. Additionally, I desire to relocate to a more nurturing environment surrounded by nature. Yet, my most potent weapon remains prayer. I am determined to pray earnestly to the Lord; it is my only hope and the best course of action.

I eagerly anticipate the opportunity to meet with you in God’s timing. Park Jungil, Covenant Bible-Presbyterian Church, 30 April 2024.

Bible College of East Africa, Tanzania