Download - Elerick Ron Cynthia 1977 Malawi
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7/26/2019 Elerick Ron Cynthia 1977 Malawi
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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 .
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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
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7/26/2019 Elerick Ron Cynthia 1977 Malawi
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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
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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