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The Final Word JUNE, 2003

John H. Giesler

We are grateful for another wonderful group of contributors for this issue of ONWARD. We have a contribution from the daughter of the founders of ONWARD, Sr. Martita Marx Wein, who sent us the memoir of her mother, Martha Marx. Br. Fred Linyard, editor of the British Moravian Messeneger, notes that in the article from Sr. Rawda Marouf Khouriya, that the second paragraph (in italics) is added for clarity by a recent visitor. Br. Augustine Joemath spent a sabbatical leave in Salem last year, but as you can see he is up to full steam, with receiving 43 new communicant members on Palm Sunday. Br. Bill Campbell tells about his visit to deliver over 1000 kits and then speak to the Penn-Mar Mission Society. We hope his visit will bear fruit in the Kit ministry in the North as it has done so well here in the South. We have really received a wonderful spiritual lift from the daily e-mails from Br. Jeff Littrell. He will be back in the lower 48 by the time you receive this issue and will be interim pastor at Bethabara Church. You will enjoy his pictures and his reason for being in Alaska on his home page, (address at the bottom of P. 3). Pentecost is mission emphasis and Br. Bob Iobst helps us to pray for many mission projects in Pray Every Day! Br. Jack Geis tells about one of the most successful mission tools in our time. Br. Mark Ebert tells us about three upcoming opportunities to witness for Christ. Hope you can go! Br. Bill Rosenbaum has ONWARD on the worldwide web. We hope it will be useful to increase the number of people reading ONWARD. I believe that you will enjoy meeting Dr. Karl Offen at his home page. He has a wonderful collection of Nicaraguan Moravian Mission pictures. It is a virtual history. You can even see a picture of the Miskito King, the last reigning monarch in the Western Hemisphere.

One of the things that we learned on our trip to Nicaragua was that the Presbyterian and Reformed Church in America have a very deep interest in our Church in Nicaragua. They both intended to begin a mission there, but after seeing the extent of our church work there, and sensing the needs, they have decided to support the work of the Moravian Church. They send down regular work teams, they invite Moravian Pastors to visit their churches and tell them about the Moravian work, and they support projects with monetary gifts. They really spend a lot more than we do to support our church in Nicaragua. I wish that we could help our Managua Moravian Clinic with financial gifts and with youth or adult work teams. If you are interested, I can give you the names of folks who can help you direct your interest.

A former mission similar to our Cherokee Mission was the work of the Moravian church among the Aborigines in Australia. At the beginning of the 20^th century we turned over the Northern work to the Presbyterians, and the Southern work to the Lutherans. Br. Sam Marx has contacts with the Lutherans who are working there. He reports that the Muslims have begun a very aggressive effort to proselytize these very precious people. He has asked us to pray for these churches and Christians.

We will be offering another trip on the Trail of Tears in May 2004 because we cannot accommodate all that want to go on the September Trip. Let me know if you are interested so we can begin to plan. Thanks.              JHG