Blessings Through Remote Connections

One of the many consequences of Covid-19 for CMSI's work has been the postponement of our 2020 teams and short-term placements.

The second of our training sessions for this year's CMSI Teams was due to take place on Saturday 25th April. As a staff team, we felt it was important to meet with everyone as scheduled (albeit via Zoom), for a time of sharing about the postponements and a chance to pray for each other and our Global Partners.

The gathering was wonderful! Around 20 people joined in, representing four CMSI Teams (UDP, Kenya; Maridi Diocese, South Sudan; Yei Diocese, South Sudan; SD Church, Nepal).

Despite being connected remotely, there was a real sense of God’s presence and a shared love and genuine concern for our Global Partners as lockdown in many of their nations is causing severe hardship.

Following the meeting, Rev Patti Johnson from Albany Diocese in USA had these inspirational words to share,

I’m very disappointed in not being able to go to Maridi, but so thankful for technology enabling us to keep in touch with several of our friends and partners overseas.

God has been pressing on my heart the need to have a ministry of presence. He has been calling me to get alongside people in new ways and to share in the current struggles of our Church family around the world.

Our Global Partners are showing us resilience and all too often we rely heavily on the things that we have, and yet our partners are saying things like, "God has been faithful in the past, and He will be faithful in the present." I’m being challenged to learn, listen and grow together with our partners, as God is calling us to stay.

As Nepal team member Collie McElroy (Gilford Parish) put it: 'We’ll be where we’re meant to be, when God puts us there.'

As I reflect back on our time together last Saturday, I’m reminded of Michael W Smith’s song, 'Sovereign Over Us', where he uses the words,

“Your plans are still to prosper, you have not forgotten us.

You’re with us in the fire and the flood.

You’re faithful forever, perfect in love.

You are Sovereign over us."

Please pray for our team members and those whom they had planned to visit that, despite the postponement of these teams, there will be a deep sense of connection and partnership.