Story number 4 for 27 Apr 2001

(Venezuela)–Next, missionary service in Venezuela today means fighting enormous inflation, shortages of the most common items, and often, high crime. The Latin America Mission’s Ken MacHarg reports on how missionaries are coping. “Missionaries and national Christians are equally affected. Most pastors are bi-vocational as churches cannot afford to pay them. Building or even renting a meeting place puts severe financial strain on congregations. LAM missionary and seminary professor Laura Smith finds herself counseling students only to study at the Seminary one night a week in order to be able to deal with their present life situations and not lose their families or their health in the process.” They are looking for answers. Laura says that if we believe that the Gospel is true and that our God is not threatened by adverse circumstances, but rather is the Redeemer who delights in true redemption, then there is hope for Venezuela.” For Mission Network News, I’m Ken MacHarg.”