And we have decided to live in...

The warmer weather of the UK and spring flowers in January were very tempting but we have decided to stay in Canada for now.

Yes, Canada it is.

We both have roles that allow us to work remotely as long as we have access to an airport and internet. We have 3 kids living in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada and many people have commented that we should take advantage of that while we can. We believe God has answered our prayers and shown us where to base. 

We realise that you may have some questions. We'll try and answer some of them.

Where will you live?

We will be looking for a place to live in Kitchener-Waterloo. This is the city where our children live, our home church and other supporting churches are nearby, and Toronto Pearson airport is easily accessible.

Will you have to travel to get to an office?

We will be working from home, so our home will also be our office.

Will you rent or buy a home?

We don't know. We will look at buying but housing in this area is quite expensive. We'd value your prayers for wisdom as we explore our options. As potential first-time home buyers we have a lot to learn. Any advice gladly received!

Do you still need to raise financial support?

Yes. We have been asked to take on global leadership roles but SIM does not pay us. We still need to raise our own support, just as we did when we were in Ghana. 

You travel lots, do you need to raise the funds for all of that?

SIM provides Phil a travel budget associated with his role. When Andrea travels to the Middle East, that is covered by the Middle East budget. If we determine that for a certain trip one of us should accompany the other (e.g. due to length of time away or the people we will see), then we will be responsible for the 2nd ticket.

What are your jobs again?

Andrea has two jobs:
Middle East Personnel Coordinator - responsible to provide people care and management for the SIM team in the Middle East.
As of March 1st she has also started a new role:
International Personnel Development Lead - responsible for providing training and mentoring for SIM's people that provide people care and management to SIM teams in our different countries.

Phil is transitioning into the role of Global Director of Strategic Development serving our International Director as part of the executive team. His job is to lead strategic and organisational developments to help SIM accomplish its Purpose and Mission and also lead innovation, research and missiological reflection that inform our ministries.

Are your supporting churches in agreement with these changes?

The following is a statement that our home church and another key supporting church have jointly issued on our behalf.

“Phil & Andrea Bauman served 19 years in Ghana with SIM and are now taking on key global leadership roles in SIM. SIM is a global mission whose purpose is 'to make disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ in communities where He is least known.' We as leaders from two key churches that support Phil & Andrea Bauman’s ministry with SIM affirm that we believe in and are committed to the ministry of global mission leadership that God is calling them to and we invite you to continue to journey with them as they embark on this new stage.”

Wallenstein Bible Chapel & Woodside Bible Fellowship

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What has 2020 been like this far?

The early part of January was spent at home in Elmira getting caught up after Christmas. Phil then had a week at SIM's Fort Mill office in South Carolina working with a new steering committee to help implement some key changes in SIM that he is leading.
Jan 21st we headed to the UK where we spent a few days visiting our mentors Malcolm & Liz, participated in the last module of the Integrated Mission Leadership course, and then spent another 3 weeks criss-crossing the UK to visit family, friends and supporters.

Top: Leith Harbour Edinburgh

Middle L: Bosham - sunny & low tide, Middle R: Bosham - high tide & stormy

Bottom L: Chichester with Andrea's dad, Bottom R: England in blossom

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February 22nd we headed to Kenya for the SIM Directors' retreat attended by 120+ SIM leaders from around the world. It was a very intense week and we we are grateful to God for all that was accomplished and for the positive response of the leaders.

Top: Flowers at the Conference Reception  

Middle L: Beautiful grounds, Middle R: Andrea keeping us in order

Bottom L: Phil conferring with Joshua, our International Director,
Bottom R: the SIM Executive team debriefing at the end of the day

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What’s next?

We are here in Elmira for most of March, getting caught up on work and looking at housing options.
In early April we plan to spend 10 days in the US at the SIM USA and International office and then attending a retreat with the SIM Executive team. This is an important part of the transition to Phil's new role. However, with the emerging Covid19 situation, this plan may change.
We are both still learning what our new roles entail so we value prayers for quick learning and understanding.

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Prayer Fuel!

Praise Items

• Clarity regarding where we should live.

• Great time connecting with people in the UK.

• For successfully completing the Integrated Mission Leadership course.

• That the Directors' retreat in Kenya went well.

• That Liam has a co-op job for May-Aug.

Items for Prayer

• That God will provide the right housing that we can afford.

• For wisdom as we both transition into new roles. 

• For on-going wisdom for Kieran as he continues to consider next steps.

• That Cara will find good housing after she leaves the university residence at the end of April.

Thank you for journeying with us,
Andrea and Phil

Kingston Prison Ministry News

“Sing to God, sing in praise of His name...
Rejoice before Him - His name is the LORD.
A father to the fatherless... is God in His holy dwelling.
God sets the lonely in families,
He leads out the prisoners with singing
But the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land. ”

— Psalm 68:4-6

We thank God for His blessing on the ministry to men in prison.  Many have found Christ, but many yet need to hear and to come to God who is rich in mercy and by His sovereign love, can reveal himself to them and open their eyes to the forgiveness in Jesus.

The chaplains welcome our involvement and make room for us to minister. We continue each week with a full schedule of one-on-one visits, group Bible studies, chapel servies and other chapel programs.

We are thankful for those who are joining us in the Kingston institutions to reach out to these incarcerated men. Peter and Elaine have been a great help on Sundays to escort men to our church for worship.  Emily and Joel have been leading the music in one of the chapel services.  Charlie and Cathy have just recently been cleared to join us on Thursday evenings assisting us with a Bible study. 

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Pray for each means and method employed in our contacts with the men that we would experience the joy of reaping the harvest God has prepared in advance for His glory.

Pray that God would continually be filling us with His love for those incarcerated.  They are often ill-mannered, violent and their crimes are disgusting to our flesh but Christ has died for these people. They desperately need to know the love of God in their lives to change them.

Pray that God’s love would be alive in our lives and the gospel communicated to the murderer, the pedophile, the drug dealer, the con-artist.

Pray that we will effectively take the good news of the gospel and extend it to those whose lives are in chaos as God has called us to do.

Pray that God will touch them and revolutionize their lives.  We see such great need.

Pray that many would be able to rejoice in singing as he sets them free in their hearts and minds.

Thank you for your prayers and may God bless each of you with a special sense of His presence and faith in his promises. 
 
Serving together,

Robert and Susan

Family News

Two weddings and a grandchild coming this year, Lord willing!
 
Emily and Joel are expecting their third child March 23. Judah and Grace are going to have to move over and make room for the new cherub in the Covert household.
 
Meredith and Robb were engaged on New Year’s Eve. They have set April 25th as their wedding day. 
 
Ben and Alicia were engaged on Valentine’s Eve so they have lots of planning in process as well.
 
Our prayer is that God will continue to lead and guide both Meredith & Robb and Ben & Alicia. We are grateful they each want to glorify God in their lives and look forward to welcoming them into our family.

Update from the Blights

Greetings WBC family,  from the north.  Winter came in November and hasn't left.  Four feet of snow and lots of cold days.  So far minus 40 was the coldest I believe.  

What God is doing and how you can pray:

* Many local kids (approx 60) are bused in every Thursday evening for kids club to play outdoor games and learn from God's Word.   Please pray for many children to make Him Lord and master of their lives.  For many kids this is the only bible teaching they recieve until summer camp resumes. 

* We have been blessed with our own hallway with 5 bedrooms (playroom for the kids,  one for our guests) in the gym building as well as a new kitchen, which was the original camp kitchen that we're told Melissa Martin used to cook in. Until recently it's been used as a storage room. We are happy to have some privacy and a place to call "home". We don't know what the summer will mean for us and may still require a rental home to appear. 

* Our kids have adapted well and we praise God for the many blessings in a small school.  Please continue to pray that our children can feel a part of the ministry and not sidelined.  We have many things to figure out as far as weekend retreats and working in the kitchen as well as watching our kids.  

* Pray for WBC youth coming this weekend and for the following weekend of Catholic women's retreat to be led by the Holy spirit.  

Many blessings,  we miss you all!

Love,

the Blights

What's new in 2020...

Here’s what I’ve been up to lately…

It feels to me like 2020 has just started, but here we are already in the middle of February. As I think back over the last few months, it's hard for me to capture how God has been working, and it seems like there are more questions than answers. Since the beginning of November, my team leader has been going through a personal crisis which required me to step in and fill the leadership gap he left. Early in January, my team leader made the decision to resign from his position, and I was asked to step in as the interim Global Missions Director. Practically, in this new role I will have more responsibility and authority, but much of what I do will stay the same. However, I often find leadership lonely, and I'm nervous about being the sole leader of the global missions team, instead of helping someone else as they lead the team. Pray for me as I take on this temporary leadership role. Currently I'm not sure if a new Global Missions Director will be found quickly or slowly. Pray that I would lead from the outflow of a deep relationship with God and that I would sense God's leading in this season.

Another question I find my heart asking is, "Lord, what are you doing with mission trip numbers?" Last year we experienced low numbers for all our mission trips, but we were comfortable with a "down" year and could see many different factors contributing to the low numbers. Having many of the factors resolved, we were trusting God for stronger numbers this year. However, numbers are even lower this year.

As you know I was planning to help lead the River of Light mission trip this May, but we've only had eight students apply for the trip. In the coming weeks we have some decisions to make about what staff to eliminate from the trip, and if the trip needs to be cancelled or relocated, given the current situation in Asia.

As I write this however, my heart is reassured; God is in control, he has a plan, a good plan, and he can be trusted. Please pray that our team would not grow discouraged with the low numbers, but that we would see how God is at work in our midst and what opportunities these low numbers are inviting us into.

A personal highlight:

I just returned from a 2 week trip with my Dad to visit my brother Russ' family in Singapore. I soaked up the warm weather, the family time, and the urban living. Below are a few highlights

We did a lot of fun touristy things (too many to list) including “The Luge” near the beach we went to one afternoon.

Playing games with the kids!

I always enjoy good life chats with my brother. We got to go for supper just the two of us one evening.

A (pre) Alpha Story

Annie's Story

Annie* flopped on the couch beside Meridith and sighed. 'I think I want to join a club on campus' she said. Meridith responded with some ideas that fit with Annie's interests, like a book club or a cultural club. But Annie shrugged those all off. Then she asked, "What about that Alpha thing that you go to? Can I come to that?" Meridith was taken aback.  She had known Annie since first year and has had a few spiritual conversations with her.  In addition, through the years, Annie has seen the genuine friendships that Meridith has made through Power to Change and it has drawn her to want to be a part of a community like that.  Alpha is a course that has run in different churches around the world and has helped thousands of people engage with the person of Jesus Christ through discussion and dinner. Pray that Annie would follow through with her desire to go to Alpha and that the group will bring her closer to Christ.

*Name Changed for Privacy

Looking for New Partners

As life goes on, some of our partners are unable to continue supporting us for various reasons. So, at this time, we are seeking to find a few new financial partners as seen below. If you or anyone you know are interested, please get in touch with us or donate online! Thank you to those of you who already faithfully support us.

New Role for Trevor

Trevor has officially transitioned into an operational role where he will help work on national initiatives such as conferences, fundraising events, marketing and more!  We pray that this continues to be a good role for Trevor's mental health during this season. Please join us in praying for this transition!

Family Fun :)

Local Basketball Game! Go Titans!

The snowman Daddy and Amelia made together!