Elerick Ron Cynthia 1977 Malawi

7/26/2019 Elerick Ron Cynthia 1977 Malawi

1/4

A

Ron

E i e r i c k F a m i l y

vol.3 no. - march

- 7

a

u

I n

spite of the present circumstances-a helpmate buried i n A f r i c a n soil, two daughters a l

r e a d y

sent to

t h e

S t a t e s for

m e d i c a l

t r e a t m e n t

a n d t h e

t h i r d b a r e l y

w e l l

e n o u g h t o

l e a v e t h e

country-Ron m a d e a f i n a l

t r i p

t o

the v i l l a g e

of C h i d u b a a n d

to t h e i r

h o m e

i n , the

b u s h

for

t h e

last

eight m o n t h s .

T h e r e

h e a s s u r e d the

D i s t r i c t

C h i e f that a l l was not

l o s t . That

e v e n t h o u g h

he

must take leave

of Malawi,

HE

WOULD RETURN

to resume

the

work and to complete

t he d ream

that

h e and Arleen had shared.

Just

eight months

later

at 10:30 p . m . o n a F r i d a y

evening

the 22nd of October, 1976, the p r o m

ise was kept, for the Eierick family

h a d

returned to Malawi. The first words received at state

s i d e w a s a t e l e g r a m s t a t i n g : "ARRIVED S A F E L Y / R E A T T R I P / G O O D

L E A D

O N H O U S E /

I T H

G R I E R S /

MANY

THANKS

/ GOD BLESS

ALL."

And two weeks

later: "FOUND

HOUSE /

1/2

PRICE / L S O CAR / KIDS

I N SCHOOL / FINE

WITH GREG

/

LETTER SENT

/

BOX

51163

LIMBE."

ARRIVED SAF ELY

W e

had

d e p a r t e d

from Will Rogers

World

Air por t on Monday, October 18 t h , t o

b e g i n a new

phase

in

the work already starte d

in

Malawi. Many frie nds were

t h e r e to

s e e u s off,

so

i t was with mixed feelings t h a t

w e

boarded

the Braniff

Jet for

Chicago.

After

a

liesure dinner, we

b o a r d e d a

Scandinavia

D C

10

(no

music, n o movie) for Copenhagen, D e n

m a r k . A

t w o d a y r e s t s t o p

w a s e n j o y e d a n d

s i g h t

s e e i n g i n c l u d e d t h e

R o y a l S t a b l e s , t h e

P a l a c e

Guards and Hans Christian Anderson's home. Then

having

more time than s en s e , w e took a 35 mi n

u t e H y d r a f o i l t r i p a c r o s s t h e s o u n d s t o M a i

m o ,

Swedenjust t o b e i n S w e e d e n .

T h e

n e x t l e g t o o k

u s to Nairobe,

Africa,

and

another

two days for

sightseeing and rest,

a n d then

we

were home.

(--continued

on

p a g e

two--)

God

k d i i

t A i i t y Ron and

t h e

gVit6 by

bAcng^ng - I n t o tk

m o A A l e d t o

C y n t h i a A n n B a & k n e i Z 0 ^

Entd, Oklahoma, Cindl

w a &

bonn, fuiUed and

graduated

^ A o m h i g h

. d c h o o t (1972) t n Entd

and

t & t h e d a u g h t e r . 0^ Bt t Z and ?kyttu> Ba&knett

who

J i e A v e d a6 iutt-ttme

mtntMteA

oi

e d -

acatlon

a n d

o t d t t a t l o n

at V a v t 6 P o A k C k f U & t ~

t an tn En t d and

poAt-ttme

t o congAegatton6 t n

V e e A C A e e k

and

l i i J a u k o n i l 6

B ttt

ah^o

^ e J i o e d

a &

adtnteAtm mtntdteA

t n Ponca C t t y t o t h e con-

g A e g a t l o n t hat w o u l d b e c o m e hU d a u g h t e A ' 6

t t v t n g - l t n k ^ u p p o A t . B t t l t & p A e & e n t t y

d ^ e

CooAdtnatoA

oi

Endu&tAtat and Ad ult Education

at

A u t A y V o - T e c h ,

C t n d t

h a &

two

b A o t h e A 6 ;

R t c k , a g A a d u a t e 0^ O z a A k B t b l e C o l l e g e , a n d

ChAt6,

a

high

school student t n Entd.

C t n d t p A e p o A e d h e A It^e ^ o a m i s s i o n w o A h b y

a t t e n d i n g

U i d o e s t

C h A i s t i a n C o l l e g e

^ o A ^ o u A

y e a A S , m a j o A t n g tn

m i s s i o n s a n d

m u s i c . S h e

was active t n

t h e m i s s i o n

g A o u p and

traveled

e x t e n s i v e l y { ^ o a

t h e s c h o o l ,

s i n g i n g w i t h

the

P s o u l l i s t

S o u n d , a

s e l e c t s i n g i n g g A o u p . S h e

a l s o p l a y e d

the p i a n o

^ o a

the

U t d w e s t C o n c e A t

C h o l A .

S h e

b A t n g s

a

u n ^ u e

t a l e n t t o t h e

m i s s i o n

{ f i e l d , t h a t o{ m u s i c . S h e

p l a y s

t h e

p i a n o ,

oAgOn

and guttoA and h a s w A t t t e n sev-

e A o l s o n g s .


2/4

W I T H

6 R I E R S

C h r i s

a n d L e e G r i e r

( t h e

y o u n g c o u p l e f r o m

England who cared f o r Ron and Rhonda follow

i n g

A r l e e n ' s

death) m e t u s at

t h e

airport

a n d m a d e

u s w e l

c o m e

i n

t h e i r

h o T O

f o r

t h e

n e x t

t h r e e

w e e k s ,

t h u s s a v i n g t h e

m i s s i o n

$ 3 8 . 0 0

a

d a y f o r

h o t e l a c c o m o d a t i o n s . I n

a d d i t i o n ,

C hri s

loaned

u s

an old

car

he had

s o w e

could house

hunt.

Rental property i s

nearly

non-exist ent.

F O U N D H O U S E

- -

" G o d d i d

l e a d

us t o a t w o b e d r o o m ' h o u s e

s i x

miles south of town. We are

renting

t h e

house

and

t h e 3 /2 acres

for

K140 per month (in town i t would b e

K275--K400), but

w e

can

only rent on a month to month basis.

The place is

for

sale for K12,000 and many here are advising

t h a t w e

should

purchase i t. I t would

provide

u s a

permanent

ro o f ov e r o u r h e a d s an d a b a s e of o p e r a t i o n

for

t h e f u t u r e ,

b u t s o m e t h i ng

b e t t e r m u s t

b e

available

w i t h o u t

b u y i n g.

A L SO C A R

- -

" C h r i s and I s a w a

lot of

h i g h p r i c e d junk

as we

searched

for a

car for

Cindi. W i t h me i n the

bush

she

w i l l need

transportation,

especially being 6 miles

from

town. I i u i g h t . . - ^ 9 ^ 3 - > V W - ' b u g ',

1200 cc engine

w i t h

38,262 original miles. WeTodk'"it to a garage

and

had i t

necKeo and'The b o d y,

s u s p e n s i on,

en g in e, e tc. i s

very

good.

I t will need tires and later e x ha u s t wo rk , b ut

i t

was a

good

. b i t ^ - . f ( ^ . . J < 2 , 0 0 0 , , I b o u g h t it

from a

p r i v a t e p a r t y a n d s a v e d

a b o u t K 6 D ' 0 ^

Chris has agreed

to d o

the work o n our vehicles.

H e

i s g o o d an d t h e jo b

will b e

d o n e

r i g h t ,

s i n c e

h e over

hauled

17

V W ' s

while

he

was

in Zambia.

-T' -

K I D S

I N

S C H O O L - -

T h e

g i r l s a r e i n s c h o o l . W e n d y a n d S u s a n

have been

admitted

to the British school

at

Hillview,

but t h e y w o u l d not accept R h o n d a . (Rhonda h a s

b e e n

a y e a r

b e h i n d d u e

t o l e a r n i n g

d i s a b i l i t y p r o b l e m s ) .

T h e y t o l d u s

t o s h i p

h e r off

t o t h e

S t a t e s w h e r e she c o u l d

g e t

r e m e d i a l

h e l p ,

o r a t l e a s t t o p u t h e r i n

a b o a r d i n g

school.

I h a v e

f i n a l l y b e e n a b l e t o p l a c e h e r

i n

a C o n v e n t ,

where

although she is placed

a

class ahead

of where

s he

was

i n t h e

S t a t e s ,

t h e t e a c h e r h a s

b e e n

t r a i n e d t o

h a n d l e

p r o b

l e m s of t h i s

type.

W e a l s o h a d

to

a g r e e

to

t a k e

her to

a

tutor twice

a

week. Her teacher says that in reading, social

studie s, english, etc., she i s d o i n g well; b u t

i n s u b j e c t s

r e l a t i n g t o m o t o r

n e r v e f u n c t i o n s she i s

way

b a c k of her

c l a s s . There h a s n ' t b e e n m u c h p r o g r e s s

i n h e r

a b i l i t y

t o

write, or e v e n p r i n t well, a n d

h e r

m a t h shows h a r d l y any i m

provement. We thought

w e

had t h e r e s t of t h i s

ye a r

and

one

more

for h e r to get caught up, but

now

h e r teacher

is being

transferre d

i n S e p t e m b e r and s h e

mu s t

be

ready

t o

en t e r t h e

British

system

by then. At this rate s he won't be ready an d

the alternatives are not pleasant to dwell upon. Pl ea s e ,

please make this a matter of

prayer.

F I NE

W I T H

G R E G A s yo u kn o w, I

h av e

b e en

con c e r n e d

a b o u t

Bro.

Gregory and

h i s

attitude towards

be

i n g paid

for

his s ervices.

He

was promised

e ducation

i n t he

U.S.,

a

s a l a r y ,

v e h i cle an d m an y

o t h e r

t h i n g s b y

s o m e

of

o u r

missionaries who did

t h e p i one e r

survey work

of the country

and now he

e x p e c t s a promise made by one missionary

t o be

carrie d ou t

by another. No

one

can deny t h e evidence of h i s

influence and l a b o r s ; h o w e v e r , a s a m i s s i o n w e have no d e s i r e

o-establish a ministry of nationals p a i d wltL_U.S. d o ' I l a r s . .

We feel the people of

Malawi

should

support their

own work

e r s

and ministry. As agree d

before

ou r

r e t u rn ,

we are

com

p e n s a t i n g G r e g o r y for h i s

time

a w a y from h i s f i e l d s w i t h

K30.00 a month, a sum e q u a l

t o

the a v e r a g e m o n t h l y i n c o m e

i n

the

country for b l a c k s i n

the

b u s h . The p r o b l e m

a p p e a r s

to

b e solved

at times;but it d o e s r e a p p e a r . P r a y a b o u t t h i s .

BOX 51163, L I H B E All m a il

s h o u l d

b e

sent

t o

t h i s

n e w b o x

number and addressed

to

the: Christian

Church

Mi s s ion,

Box 5 1 1 63 ,

Li m b e ,

Malawi, Africa. (Do w r i t e

o f t e n ,

for

y o u a r e

a

touch wi t h home.

T h e y

w o uld a p p r e c i a t e

t e a c h i n g c a s s e t t e s of s e r v i c e s , 8 rack gos p el

m u s i c

t a p e s ,

A m e r i c an

candy b a r s ,

kool-aid,

etc. I f i n

d o i i b t

a b o u t

any

i t e m ,

w r i t e

f i r s t

and

de t ermine the need.)

WORK

PERMIT EXTENDED FOR TWO YEORS

Jn a telegram dated March 11,

Ron informed

u s

that his

work permit

had

been extended for an

ad

d i t i o n a l

t w o y ea r s. T h i s m e a n s t h a t

h e

can

c on t i n ue h i s

m i n i s t r y of

t e a c h i n g , e v an g e l i z i n g ,

s t a r t i n g

n e w

c h u r c h e s , t r a i n i n g a l e a d e r s h i p a n d p r i n t i n g m a t e r i a l s for

at l e a s t t w o

m o r e

y e a r s .

F u t u r e i s s u e s will a t t e m p t t o k e e p you up t o

d a t e

on the

p r o g r e s s

of t h e w o r k , t h e n e e d s o n t h e

field,

the health of the family,

the

birth of a new

Elerick

and many other

events.

FIELD

ADDRESS:

M/M

Ron

Elerick

C h r i s t i a n C h u r c h Mission

Box

51163

L i m b e .

Mal a w i

A f r i c a

FORWARDING

ADDRESS:

Mal a wi

C h r i s t i a n Mission

c / o E a s t e r n H e i g h t s

C h r i s t i a n Church

R o u t e

2 - Box

88

P on ca

City.

O k l a h o m a

7 4 6 0 1

ADDRESS

CORRECTION

REQUESTED

N o n p r o f i t O r g .

U.S.POSTAGE

PAID

Permit No. 32

B6X

/7 7


3/4

L

r

C e n t r a l

WW Africa

r ON & CINDI

ELERICK

30 December

1977

Dear Co-Laborer's

in Christ:

As w e

approach

the N e w

Year,

Cindi

and.

I

have

b e e n

re

flecting

on

the power satan

has

over the p e o n l e w e labour

with.

In

our

w o r k

here, w e

have

witnessed some of his in

fluence a n d

p o w e r

personally, H f l a n y thlns:s that

w e

have

witnessed,

had

only

b e e n

read

about

in

the

Bible.

In all

of this,

w e

have

become

e v e r mindfull

that

the real strufferle

in

this life is

N O T xvhat kind

of

car w e have, or

h o w

will'

w e make our

payments,

or d o the folks

at

home think

about us.

The

real struggle

is

the stru^g^ie b e t w e e n the spiritual w ar

with

the forces

of

satan and

the

Power

of

G o d .

As w e

see

the Enemy comine^ in

like

a

flood, hunf^jry

as a

lion, deceiving^ as an an^e l of li.^ht, our

cry

should

echo

those of the prophet's: "Pevive thy

works

in the

midst

of

the

years "

As w e view the

spiritual

conditions

around

us

loss

of

concern

for

lost

souls,

loss

of

the

desire

to

pray, loss

of

the

desire

in

service

and

worship,

the

loss

of

joy

in

a

world

filled

with care,

loss

of

fai+-h in

a

world of unbelief w e

see need

for a

personal spiritual

renewal.

As

w e all

can

view

in

some chnrcbes the loss

of

dedicated

workers,

loss of sp" .ritual atm osphe re , lukewarmnesscan' t

our

cry be, Lord Revive U s Ao-a in? In our world ful of vi

olence,

druff

abuse, s e x

and

th ins:s

of the world,

w e feel o ur

greatest n e e d

in

1978 is

n o t build lne :

program s,

as

important

as they are;

n o t

program m in g,

as

important

as it

is;

not

faith

p rom ise rallies,

as

important

as

they are;

n o t

snecial


4/4

C)

^J2^ 0 ^ c d L . . ^ ~ ^ A ^ /

50 December 1977

Dear

Friends

In Christ:

We rejoice in the re-birth of

e i ^ i h t

souls. Eig h t

a d ult s

came

fo r w a r d

and c onfe s s e d t h e i r b el i e f in J e sus

J-t ?. buried w i th Him near

the

village of

Kalinde. Cindi and

I

have held

meetings

in

two new

areas

le t t e r t o y o u . B e s i d e s m e e t i n g s a t K alind e

M

1 f i r s t

s e r v i c e s in

a

village loca ted w es t

01 J V i u l a n o e ,

Greg ory and two men

from

the church

at T h u n g a accom-

p a n i e d

u s. W e m e t for

w o r s h i p u n d e r a w il d f i g t r e e i n

t h e mi d dl e

of t h e village. T h e local

chief

h a d t r a v e l e d

o v e r sixty m i l e s to

asK Gregory if we would come and preach

there.

As we began the

s e r v i c e ,

r a in s

c a m e

a n d

fo rc e d

u s to

s e e k s h e l t e r un d e r

t h e r u d e

g r a s s s h e l t e r of a c a r p e n t e r s shop. W h i l e o r e a c h i n g here,

s o m e o n e

Dum ped

a ga i n s t

a s\ipporting pole,

and

t h e

roof

creaked and c rack e d

a n d

d r o o p e d

a f e w i n c h e s .

Q u i t e

a f r i e g h t l

L a t e r

t h i s

day,

w e

w e r e

w a i t i n g a t

a h u t

f o r a t i m e of f e l l o w s h i p

with s o m e of the

p e o p l e

of this

village,

others beg an to gather out

01 curiosi ty, so again

we preached th e G o o d News. Once

again,

t he

r a i n s

c a m e

and

everyone

c r o w d e d

u n d e r t h e e a v e s

of t h e

m u d h o u s e.

H a y i n g n o

o t h e r shelter, G r e g o r y

a n d I c o n t i n u e d

p r e a c h i n g in

t h e

w e r e s o a k e d

t o

t h e

s k i n , b u t

h a p p y h a vin g

b e e n

a bl e

t o

S h a r e

t h e

G o s p e l w i t h m a n y

n e w

p e o p l e.

i h e bookle t

mentioned i n

our

last

let t e r

has

now b e e n t r a n sla t e d

and wi ll be

r e a d y

now for

w h e n

o i i r

classes re sum e a f t e r t h e r a in s.

Our language studies

c o n t i n u e . ,

and w e are both progressing. Yester

d ay,

Mr, Kaunjika told

me

i n chlchewa that h e

k n e v /

nothing

about

Jesus and

t o

tell

h i m all I could in

Cbichewa,

It was very

frustra

ting,

but

I could relate

a lit tle. Today whe n

he

comes

at 2

p.m.

tell

him a Bible story

i n

chichewa. I have been t hinking

of

Y e s u anallra. J e s u s w e p t , b u t I t h i n k h e

wan t s mo re

t h a n t h a t

Shar on Officer

met C ind i

in the

hosoital whi le having

th e ir

new

babies. We

began to visit

with

Sharon and

her husband

Colin, and

shared onx testimonies \ i t h them. Th i s l e d

t o

an

opening t o share

some tracts

and books,

and

a

Bible,

Tuesday

night,

v S h a r o n

con

fesse d

her

faith in Jesus,

and

was

b a p t i z e d .

We

ask

that you all

pray for

Colin,

H e

is

very

skeptical

about bis

need

t o

accept Christ ,

f e el i n g

t h a t

G o d w ill

not

co n d e m n

a

p e r s o n w h o i s " g o o d ".

H e

f e el s

t h a t

l iv i n g a " g o o d "

l if e

will

b e

salvat ion i n i t s e l f . W e

want all of you t o p ra y for Colin t h a t

h e

will

a c c e p t

C h r i s t and

t h a t t h i s

family

can

be

u n i t e d in

C h r i s t .

T h e O f f i c e r ' s h a v e t h r e e

children.

T h e f i r s t t w o w e e k s

of

t h i s month,

X

w a s d o w n ve r y s i c k w i t h

s o m e

t h i n g t h a t f el t

l i k e

a c r o s s

b e t w e e n t h e

flu

an d m ala r ia.

W a s n ' t

malaria according to t h e bloo d t e s t s. S e em s t o

b e

o.k, now,

b ut

d o

a s k f o r y o u r

c o n t i n u e d p r a y e r ' s

fo r

all

o u r

h e a l t h .

W e w a n t

o

t a k e

t h i s tim e t o thank everyone

for t h e i r

le t t e r s ,

c a r d s

and

g i f t s

t h a t

mad e

t h i s

C h r i s t m a s

sea son

a

v e r y

n ic e

one

for

t h e El e r i c k f a m ily . We d o a p p r e c i a t e

s o

ve r y

muc h

ev e r y t h i n g done

for

us b y God's" peonle a t h o m e. O f c o u r s e , w e a r e all ve r y home

s ic k and miss everyone t h e r e.

I t

i s

very

hard at times bei ng totally

s e p a r a t e d f r o m

both

o u r

earthly

a n d o u r s p i r i t u a l f a m i li e s

w h o m

w e

love so

much,

C i n d i ^ a n d I p r a y t h a t t h e Holy Spi ri t w ill lead all of

us i n

a

n e w

d e s i r e

t o

s h a r e

ou r

w i t n e s s w i t h

all

p eoole,

and

t h a t

w e w ill

all

come

to the knowledge that reaching t h e

lost

whether

h e r e in

A f r i c a , o r

t h e r e a t h o m e , b e g i n s w i t h e a c h

o n e of

us a s

i n d i v i d u a l s .

M a y

G o d r i c h l y b l e s s

you

all- W e love

and

m i s s you.

Because

Jesus Cares

cuL

Documents

Elerick Ron Cynthia 1977 Malawi