Newsletter Archive

BORTHWICK UPDATE - SUMMER 2003

Greetings friends and supporters,

At the midpoint of this summer, we thought we'd send out a report simply to stay in touch, to fuel your gratitude, and to inform your prayers. In this email newsletter, we want to share several encouraging HIGHLIGHTS as well as one heavy LOWLIGHT.

So… rather than keeping you in suspense, let's get to the LOWLIGHT. The lowlight was a sobering reminder of the brokenness and violence of our world. While on the Doctor-of-Ministry residency in Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina (see below), we were surrounded by the scars and reminders of the horrible atrocities that took place there in the 1990's. Hundreds of thousands died through warfare mitigated by ethnic hatred and leaders abusing power.

By far, the more sobering and symbolic was a sight in Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia. The Winter Olympics were hosted by Sarajevo in 1984, and in the center of the city, a tower still stands with the Olympic Rings on it. It's not far from the main arena where the opening and closing ceremonies were held. Beneath that tower was an athletic field.

But today, that field is nothing but a graveyard with thousands of headstones - children, adults, old people, mostly Moslem (because "Christians" were the aggressors doing the "ethnic cleansing") - all of which listed 1992 or 1993 as the date of death. Here under a symbol that was intended to draw the nations of the world together - the Olympic Rings - lay the remains of people killed because of hatred.

PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA and all the countries of the former Yugoslavia. Even though these places are not in the news anymore, there is still much healing needed, great humanitarian need, and wonderful opportunities for the spread of the Gospel.

The lowlight led to the best HIGHLIGHT of that same trip. On the last day in Bosnia-Herzegovina, members of the Doctor of Ministry group got to hear Baya give his testimony. Baya, a cultural Muslim, was captured and severely tortured during the war - first with the Serbs, then with the Croats. Others in his cell were taken out to be executed and Baya knew his execution was scheduled for the morning.

That night he clutched his copy of Billy Graham's "Peace Withy God" (Baya never told us how he got the book) and Jesus appeared to him in his cell and assured Baya that he would be OK. He was released not long afterward, and when he returned to Mostar (his home city), he found other Christians and became part of that church. I wish you could have met Baya. His toothless smile - like the Sarajevo graveyard - reminds you of the tortures and atrocities of inhumane violence, but his testimony reminds you that God is still the Lord of history and working in the lives of people.

In spite of the Sarajevo graveyard, our most recent HIGHLIGHTS came through our studies. Christie finished her first course towards a counseling degree at Gordon-Conwell. In July, Paul completed his second residency - this one in Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina with Drs. Tim Tennent and Peter Kuzmic. We're both finding that these extra studies are sharpening our minds and our ministry skills. Several years ago, we were encouraged to developing the habit of life-long learning, and it really is intellectually and spiritually stimulating.

HIGHLIGHTS regarding Development Associates International (DAI) speaking and leadership development have come from Zimbabwe, Australia-via-Zambia, and even the Cayman Islands!

• ZIMBABWE: while Paul was in Croatia-Bosnia related to his Doctor of Ministry studies, we got the full report on the Consultation on leadership development held in Zimbabwe in April. These meetings, designed to facilitate leadership development in ministries affiliated with the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students across English and Portuguese Africa, served to cultivate younger leadership from fifteen different nations.
  
  As you may recall, the purpose of DAI is to encourage the character and ministry development of leaders worldwide. Listen to these encouraging words of feedback received in the evaluation
  
  In ministry, the overwhelming feedback came from sessions covering DAI materials on understanding leadership styles - your own and others - as a tool for team-building. Kuzipa from Zambia, Amani from Tanzania, and Vongai from Zimbabwe all listed this as one of the most significant issues that we discussed.
  
  Will these relationships with IFES-Africa continue? We hope so. Femi Adeleye, the Regional Secretary for IFES in English and Portuguese speaking Africa, comes to the USA in August for a 10-month sabbatical (as his wife, Affy, studies at Eastern University in PA). We'll be talking with him about future plans.
  
  
• AUSTRALIA via ZAMBIA: after speaking at a church's mission's conference, it's easy to wonder if there has been any net effect. Paul spoke in Melbourne, Australia in late April, but in the first week of July, one of the elders from that church wrote from an Internet café in Zambia where he was serving on a short-term mission team. He wrote, "I just want you to know that the impact of your ministry is still being felt." These words served to make the 50+ hours of flying worth it!
• GRAND CAYMAN: some readers might think that just being invited to speak in the Cayman Islands IS the highlight! Well it is certainly a beautiful spot, but far greater is getting to see some long-term impact in a person's life. On a June trip to the missions conference at Elmslie Church (where we first ministered in November 1990), Paul got to visit with one young couple now in training for cross-cultural missionary service, Will and Deb. Deb made her first commitment to cross-cultural missions at the November 1990 Missions Conference when Paul spoke on Isaiah 6:8 - "Here I am; send me." What a joy to learn of this young woman's follow-through on a commitment she made at age 15!

TWO OTHER encouraging HIGHLIGHTS have come in relationship to our extended ministry of writing:

• The first was the May 5th release of STOP WITNESSING AND START LOVING by NavPress. We are very encouraged to have this out… especially because it has our first-ever co-written chapter in it.
• The second came from affirmation by Rick Warren in his new book, "The Purpose-Driven Life." In his chapter, "Becoming a World-Class Christian," he writes, "Paul Borthwick's books 'A Mind For Missions' and 'How to Be a World-Class Christian' should be read by every Christian." ["Every" Christian? Wow! We'd be happy if ANY Christian read these!] Seriously, though, his comment did encourage us about the wider impact of writing ministry.

OUR TRAVELS for the balance of the summer are lighter - a welcome opportunity to catch up on emails, reading, and some personal rest. For those readers in the Lexington area, you might be interested to know that Paul's preaching at Grace Chapel on August 3rd. We hope we'll see many of you there.

Thank you always for your prayers, your financial support, and your interest in our lives.
Paul & Christie