VALLEY FORGE, PA (ABNS 10/17/07) - Today, American Baptist Churches USA (ABCUSA) unveils a new blog that will follow American Baptist leaders through a two-week visit to Africa.
The blog will provide on-the-spot reflections, experiences and images as the group visits with International Ministries (IM) missionaries serving as Christ's hands and feet to some of the poorest parts of the world. The group will meet as well with their national counterparts, congregations and government leaders to see first-hand the faces of our neighbors, of our brothers and sisters in Christ, who live in economic jeopardy. You can find the blog at http://abc-usa.blogspot.com/.
This visit was organized by IM's area director for Africa, Rev. Eleazar O. Ziherabere to connect with fellow Baptists in Africa, including the Baptist Community of Congo, the Baptist Convention of Zambia and the Baptist Convention of South Africa. On the trip are: Rev. Dr. Reid Trulson, IM executive director; Rev. Dr. Aidsand F. Wright-Riggins III, National Ministries executive director; Rev. Sumner M. Grant, the Ministers and Missionaries Benefit Board (MMBB) executive director; Rev. Virginia Holmstrom, American Baptist Women's Ministries (ABWM) executive director; and Rev. Dr. A. Roy Medley, ABCUSA general secretary. All will make contributions to the blog.
ABCUSA has a long history of service to the world through IM - dating back to the Judsons' mission to Burma in 1814. Today, however, ABCUSA recognizes that it needs to work in concert with various organizations and governments to bring desperately needed help and hope to all corners of the world. The denomination continues to press governments around the world to recognize and grant basic rights to the poor. ABCUSA has also been a pioneer and a developer of programs and resources tackling the ravages of poverty among the poorest of the poor - whether in the United States through National Ministries or overseas with IM.
Andrew C. Jayne American Baptist Churches, USA Mission Resource Development http://www.abc-usa.org/