Thankful in Beijing

Dear Ones,

Here in China the last Thursday of November is a normal work day (as is December 25). But our hearts pause to thank God for His many, many blessings - for a homeland that (even with its faults) still has a day to express gratitude, and for you whose prayers, gifts, and friendship have sustained us in many years of overseas Christian service.

As a pastor in an International Church, with people from over 70 nations, we’d be celebrating holidays every day if we kept all our nation’s days. But Thanksgiving (which is held on different days by different nations) has broad support in our International church. One sure reason is that we are called to be a grateful people – every day! But another is people know that Americans eat, and eat good, on this day….and hey, that is a global pleasure! So we had a Thanksgiving dinner in a restaurant owned by members of our BICF Korean congregation. We had a wonderful evening with people from Angola, Panama, Vietnam, Ghana, Mexico, Uganda, Australia, South Korea, England, China, Gabon, Jamaica, Malaysia, and the USA



This Sunday Mark will preach from Acts 28, ending the sermon series through Acts we began in February. Some have wished there were more chapters to this great book! Pray that God will use our people to take the Good News to people who have still not heard, inspired and instructed by the noble example of the first century Church. We plan to study Genesis (chapters 4-11) and Galatians the first part of 2012.



Dayna got wrapped up (literally) when she attended the International Day at Renmin University just a few blocks from our church. Three members of our BICF Pacific Fellowship are here with their Mama Kahu. A young woman student from Palau, two young men from Samoa, and a Chinese friend (with red lei), joined Dayna for some island festivities. A Chinese professor who attends our church presented a drama based on her life, “The Mighty Hand” to 500 people in the auditorium of this University last month. She made a bold stand to share her faith in the mighty Lord Jesus Christ. A great curiosity has been sparked, with a significant cost to her standing among the authorities.

We count it a great privilege to be here for hundreds of young students who are far from home. Many of them are their nations brightest, here on scholarship from the China government. Even more they are bright stars in His Kingdom, with tremendous opportunities to make known the Lord Jesus Christ in word and deed. Wednesday night we attended a Small Group in a room at the International Dorm of the huge Beijing Science and Technology University. We sat close in a packed room as they asked lots of great questions about Scripture and the Christian life. Two young African students, both Deacons in our church, walked us from the big dorm across the campus to the gate where we caught a taxi home. The Tanzanian quietly asked, “Can I come to your apartment and visit? I am far from my dad. I need you to be my dad here.” Of course, I agreed, Dayna and I are happy being Mom and Dad to so many fine kids.



No we have not been in Tonga (yet!) but we were present for the Tonga National Day dinner in the Beijing Marriott. Here we are with their dancers. The King’s granddaughter, ambassador, and the Royal Band of Tonga were also present!

Here are a few dates on our horizon:
December 3 – Dayna hosts monthly Mother/Daughter craft fellowship in our apartment
December 9 – Mark speaking to Men’s Breakfast at 21st Century of BICF
December 13 – Dayna speaking to the women of the African Outreach Ministry of BICF
December 14 –Dayna speaking in assembly of International Academy of Beijing
December 16 – BICF ZGC International Christmas Concert
December 24 – Christmas Eve services/outreach
January 7 – Mark teaching course on General Epistles in Shanghai Community Theological Centre (SCTC)
January 9 – Our 30th Wedding Anniversary
January 30-February 12 – Ministry in Tonga (Pastor’s Conference, Seminary Teaching, speaking in Churches)

Thankful, Mark and Dayna Blair

Our Email blairstan2@gmail.com
or markblair@bicf.org or blairstan@psmail.net (secure)

Our Mission
Pioneers - 10123 William Carey Drive - Orlando, FL 32832 – USA www.pioneers.org

Our Blog www.blairstan.blogspot.com

Skype: blairstan

Our Ministry
Beijing International Christian Fellowship - www.bicf.org
Hear Mark’s sermons at: http://bicf.org/english-service

Our Mailing Address
Beijing International Christian Fellowship / Zhong Guan Cun
Raycom Infotech Park, Tower C, Room B115,
2 Kexueyuan Nanlu, Haidian District, Beijing, China 100190

Autumn in Beijing

Aloha from Beijing,

We are full of grateful praise unto Him whose love has no bounds. We are healthy, busy, and fulfilled in our Gospel work here in Beijing. With our church venue surrounded by dozens of large universities, life begins in the Fall. Again this year we have many students and faculty joining the services, small groups, and activities of Beijing International Christian Fellowship Zhong Guan Cun. Our vibrant congregation is a sea of eager faces from throughout Africa, the Pacific islands, all directions in Asia, Europe, and the Americas. Wow! This Sunday we will baptize new believers from Samoa, Rwanda, Antigua, and Indiana.


Dayna made a cake to say ‘farewell’ to a Tongan sister who has gone to study in Shanghai.

Our ZGC leaders have launched a long term plan to more systematically reach the thousands of international students in our neighborhood with the love of God. We have taken a tip from James Engle whose ‘scale of receptivity’ to the Gospel reminds us that some are hungry to know Jesus while others have no idea He came. People are opening their homes and hearts to befriend newcomers into this mega-city. After each Sunday morning service we have members ready to help people in their adjustment, from the nearest subway stop to the tastiest burritos! We can serve, but only God can save! We are grateful for your prayers that we can seize these many opportunities to show and speak the Gospel.

In late August Mark had the privilege of preaching at Haidian Christian (Three-Self Protestant) Church just near us here in Beijing. They have the wonderful problem of too many people, more than 7000 so far. People queue for half an hour to push their way into the five services each




http://english.hdchurch.org/html/news/2011/0828/260.html - entire service and sermon text!

Sunday. The 1500 seat auditorium, numerous overflow rooms, and crowded corridors with TV monitors are full. This church is open to all people in China and is faithfully preaching the Gospel on Sundays and throughout the week. Their crowds affirm the deep interest in Christianity in China that is being recognized even in the secular press.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-14838749 Article has a picture of Haidian Church.

http://shanghaiist.com/2011/09/11/true-believers.php

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/liao-yiwu/christianity-china-god-is-red_b_960498.html

Thank you for the many birthday wishes in August. We managed to keep Dayna’s 60th birthday lunch a surprise! Not only did most of our church join us for the celebration, our sons Josiah and Nathan and daughter in law Heather were with us. Dayna got 60 leis from our church family!




Nathan and Heather have moved here to Beijing. Within their first month they both got jobs, Heather teaching English to high school students in the Beijing Royal School and Nathan as an Industrial Designer at “M.A.D.E. Innovation”. Having just finished their schooling they now start their careers in this vibrant economy with colleagues from all over the world. We are very glad to have them here. Josiah and Maylee are still ‘next door’ in Kazakhstan and Aaron is across the pond in Oregon.

Here are some upcoming ministries we would be grateful for you to lift up in prayer:

September 25 – Preaching at 9th Anniversary service of BICF Filipino Congregation

October 8/9, 15,16 – Teaching Systematic Theology course for BICF Seminary

October 23 – Seminar on Preaching and Leadership for BICF ‘Next’ Congregation

October 30 – Preaching at BICF Korean Congregation

And most Sundays Mark continues to preach through the Book of Acts for the ZGC English congregation. We continually give thanks for your faithful support, prayers, and friendship as we serve the Lord here in Beijing.

Yours in His Joy, Mark and Dayna Blair

Our Email blairstan2@gmail.com
or markblair@bicf.org or blairstan@psmail.net (secure)

Our Mission
Pioneers - 10123 William Carey Drive - Orlando, FL 32832 – USA www.pioneers.org

Our Blog www.blairstan.blogspot.com

Skype: blairstan

Our Ministry
Beijing International Christian Fellowship - www.bicf.org

Hear Mark’s sermons at: http://bicf.org/english-service

Our Mailing Address
Beijing International Christian Fellowship / Zhong Guan Cun
Raycom Infotech Park, Tower C, Room B115,
2 Kexueyuan Nanlu, Haidian District, Beijing, China 100190

Safari to Uganda

Ni Hao!

We got back to Beijing very early Friday. Joyful! Busy! Fruitful! Safe and Healthy! Restful! Enjoyable! Humbling! Stirring! So many feelings as we look back on our month of ministry in Uganda. Stepping back into a place you left over 20 years ago is a rare opportunity. Seeing how God has been so faithful to expand His work was stunning. Arua, in northwest Uganda where we lived from 1983-86, is now a busy, secure, thriving town with paved roads and internet! Ringili, the theological center where we once taught about 40 students is now Uganda Christian University, Arua Campus, with 580 students!


On Sunday July 17 in Arua, Mark preached three services in the Emmanuel Cathedral (Anglican) and Dayna taught the Sunday school children…over 1000…packed into 6 different classrooms! While in Arua we spoke on ‘Voice of Life’ radio for six nights. During the ‘call in show’ on the final night we heard from former students, colleagues, attendees in conferences we spoke in long ago – who continue in His Kingdom service! Serving now in Arua are these two Africa Inland Mission (our board in the 1980’s) workers and the Diocesan Secretary, Rev. Isaac Chandia.


Most of our time was in Mukono (near Kampala) where we lived from 1987-1990. We left Bishop Tucker Theological College with about 250 students. We returned to Uganda Christian University with 7500

students – with BTTC just one of their numerous faculties. Our primary task was the UCU Missions and Ministry Conference, both of us speaking about a dozen times in 8 days.

Following the conference we enjoyed staying on the beautiful UCU Mukono campus, sharing with a number of students who are grappling with God’s call on their lives. We were stirred by their zeal to take the Good News to the ends of the earth. Pray for the Lord to guide them to fruitful fields. The UCU Leaders (left to right) – Dr. John Senyonyi, Vice Chancellor; Rev. Frederick Baalwa, Chaplain; and Doug Fountain, Deputy Vice Chancellor – were very kind hosts and great friends!

We will share more about our safari in Uganda next time. Back in Beijing we’ve jumped into a busy summer at Beijing International Christian Fellowship. This week we have an English camp for the children of the Raycom Infotech Park where our church meets. This is a great time to share God’s love in word and deed with over 50 children. Through this camp we hope to strengthen our relationships with the thousands of employees in our building complex. This summer our elementary Sunday school children have made cardboard cars to sit in, and eat popcorn, while they watch McGee Adventures drive-in movies! We are continuing our sermon series on Acts (chapter 15 this Sunday) and our team of young preachers (below) are doing a great job preaching through 1 Timothy on Sunday evenings.

It is a joy to encourage and advise these young guys from eight different nations as they sharpen their skills while we serve the Lord’s people here. Who would have thought this restricted land would be a training center for sending Gospel messengers to the nations of the world?

We know these are not easy times. We do not take lightly the sacrifice you are making to support us with your prayers and finances.

Gratefully in Him, Mark and Dayna Blair

Visit to West Nile, Uganda

Programme for the Visit

 of the Blairs to West Nile

July 4 to 12, 2011                   

Date	Item	Remarks
July 4-9	30 minute programmes on VOL (8.00-8.30pm)	Isaac and Jonathan to organize
July 4	Arrival of the Blairs from Entebbe on Eagle Air	Will be met at the Arua Airfield by Diocesan Staff and HIL
	Visit the Bishop and other places in Arua & rest
July 5	Travel to Yumbe to HIL projects	Isaac and Elly to organize
July 6	Speak at UCU Arua Campus. All meetings are from 3.00pm to 5.00pm	UCU director and Chaplain to organize
July  6-9	Workshop with Mission Coordinators, some clergy and invited Christians	Rev. Canon Isaac Candia to organize.
July 10	Speak at Three services at Emmanuel Cathedral	Very Can. Onzima to organize
July 10	Leave for Goli from 3.00pm	Sister Kim to organize
July 11	Leave Goli for Arua at 2.00pm	Sister Kim to organize
July 11	Have Dinner with Bishop Joel and some invited Guests	Rev. Can. Isaac Candia to organize
July 12	Leave for Entebbe from Arua Airfield	Seen off by Diocesan staff and HIL.
May our Lord’s will be done! Proverbs 16:9

Our Part in God's Mission

Uganda Christian University Mission

INVITATION TO PREACH AT ST. FRANCIS CHAPEL MAKERERE

P.O. BOX 7062 Kampala Uganda                       Tel: +256 141 531367 (office)

Cables: “MAKUNIKA’                                Mob: +256 772 490525

THE CHAPEL OF ST. FRANCIS

CHAPLAIN: The Rev. Canon Dr. Johnson Ebong

June 16, 2011

Dear Rev. Mark

RE: INVITATION TO PREACH AT ST. FRANCIS CHAPEL MAKERERE

Christian greetings and love from the St. Franciscans. This is to invite you to preach at St. Francis Chapel in all the services at 7am, 9am, and 11am on the 03^rd July 2011. Our theme for this year 2011 is from Romans 12:2 “Be transformed by renewing your mind” and the subtheme for the month of July is ‘The kingdom of God.’

Background

The church of Christ today is struggling in the area of holiness. The message and teachings on the grace of God have also been watered down among some churches, which say that once one is born again, it does not matter what they do as long as they are born again. In other words, they condone sin because they believe that God’s grace is sufficient. In May and June, we examined ourselves with reference to the seven churches in the book of Revelation.  Now we are moving onto assessing ourselves as the children of the Kingdom of God by beginning with Jesus as ‘the way’ into the Kingdom.

Through out the month of July we will be holding teachings on the Kingdom of God. We are therefore requesting you to look at the following readings: Proverbs 4:10-18; II Corinthians 4:11-18 and John 1:1-11 and preach on the topic “Jesus is the only way” as God’s Spirit will lead you.

The Congregation

The congregations at St. Francis have three main categories; 7am predominantly older people (lecturers, professors, old people) 9am (predominantly students) 11am (predominantly young marrieds 1- 15 years in marriage) however all congregations have at least a mixture of the three.

  

We request that you preach for a maximum of 30 minutes. You can send your sermon outline on ages29@yahoo.com and rev.jebong@gmail.com or incase of any queries contact me on 0772 490525 or Esther on 0414577722 or 0772581560.

We appreciate your acceptance to come and bless us at St. Francis Chapel and we look forward to your ministry with us on Sunday 3^rd July 2011. Be assured of our prayer support. In case of change in mind or program kindly let us know as soon as possible in order to make the necessary adjustments.

God richly bless you as you prepare

In His Grip

Rev. Canon Johnson Ebong

Rev. Canon Dr. Johnson Ebong

CHAPLAIN

Comings and Goings

Greetings from Beijing!

Dayna is still in Almaty, Kazakhstan enjoying some more ‘mom and grandma’ time with Josiah and Maylee (now 7 ½!). I got back from there Friday night for weekend services here in Beijing International Christian Fellowship.


During my week in Almaty I had the privilege of teaching in a local church. About 40 people came for a nightly study of the book of Revelation. We had the joy of spending a Sunday with the International Christian Fellowship in Almaty. They remain strong, with many new people, despite the increasing pressure against churches and mission workers now being applied in Kazakhstan. Thanks for praying for His faithful ones in Central Asia.


Back here in East Asia, we’re preparing to leave for East Africa on Monday. As we have shared, we have been invited for a teaching mission in Uganda. We will teach in both of the Church of Uganda (Anglican) theological colleges we served over 20 years ago. We are quite eager to see old friends and hear their testimonies of His faithfulness. We are bracing for surprises. The regional school in Arua (northwest Uganda) was about 50 students when we were there. Now we’re told they have 500! The central school in Mukono was about 300, now there are 10,000 students in various disciplines – Uganda Christian University. Mark will also be preaching at Makerere University in Kampala. Mark is to speak nine times in for the Missions Week at UCU. Two of the talks will be presented to the entire faculties - “Global trends in mission: what is the role of the African Church?” to the Theological Faculty and “The role of a Christian University in God’s Mission” to the entire Faculty. This responsibility feels overwhelming to a dumb guy in China! Your prayers are much appreciated.

This Spring the Ambassador from Rwanda to China invited BICF ZGC to lead a service of worship in remembrance of their holocaust in 1994. It happens that our family was on a two month mission visit in the neighboring country of Uganda at that time. We listened with shock then as Rwandan church leaders came with stories of atrocity, seeking the prayers of Bishop Kauma our host. (The leader of Uganda Christian University is now Bishop Kauma’s son in law!) Seventeen years later I sat with the Ambassador who told more tales of woe. Over a million were brutally killed for belonging to the wrong tribe. Church leaders actually advanced the slaughter, some pastors emptied their machine guns on their own members! This horrible example of those whose vocation is to be ‘like Jesus’ – my vocation! – made me wonder what could I say in Beijing’s Rwandan Embassy?
Fortunately, our ministry here in Beijing is team ministry. What a joy to join a worship team from our BICF ZGC, led by a Rwandan believer in our church, with members from seven nations. The gathering of Ambassadors, Chinese leaders, NGO workers, must have been surprised when this diplomatic gathering became a celebration of the mercy, justice, forgiveness, and grace of Jesus Christ. For my part I shared about the ‘Good Samaritan’ – showing how none of us really love our neighbors as we should and how only Jesus himself displays a love far beyond imagination for our salvation. Just a few weeks later the Rwandan Ambassador and his family joined us for Easter service at ZGC, and we went out for lunch, followed by ice cream!


Easter in BICF ZGC was a wonderful celebration. It was a great joy to baptize three new believers. And rejoice together in our Risen Savior. Every chair we had, almost 500, was filled, with many standing. Dayna joined with Pacific Island Fellowship for their ‘action song’ ie. ‘hula’ during the worship service. And that night in a special meeting seven from the islands received Christ as Lord and Savior.

The coming that we’re most excited about is our son, Nathan, and his wife, Heather moving to Beijing in early August. They’re both graduating in Portland, Oregon and will work here – Nathan: Product Design, and Heather: Teaching. It will be wonderful to have them here in this city.

Your prayers and support keep us coming and going! We are very grateful.

Yours in the Faithful One, Mark and Dayna Blair

Our Email blairstan2@gmail.com
or markblair@bicf.org or blairstan@psmail.net (secure)

Our Mission

Pioneers - 10123 William Carey Drive - Orlando, FL 32832 – USA
www.pioneers.org

Our Blog www.blairstan.blogspot.com

Skype: blairstan

Our Ministry

Beijing International Christian Fellowship - www.bicf.org

Hear Mark’s sermons at: http://bicf.org/sermon-zgc

Our Mailing Address

Beijing International Christian Fellowship / Zhong Guan Cun
Raycom Infotech Park, Tower C, Room B115,
2 Kexueyuan Nanlu, Haidian District, Beijing, China 100190

Invitation to Uganda Christian University

Blue Skies over Beijing

Dear Praying Friends,

Springtime greetings on this blue sky day in Beijing! We’re both sore from a hike to the top of a peak overlooking this mega-city yesterday. Grateful to be healthy!


Lots happens here, just in the last week we:

- Met with leaders of the BICF Russian Fellowship as they strategize to reach out to the hundreds of Russian speakers, many from Central Asia, who are studying in Beijing’s universities.

- Appointment with young Lawyer in our congregation about the challenges of serving in a Chinese firm.

- Shared with a Professor of Religion in a large university who has a witness to many students in his large classes.

- Joined with the BICF Elders to support a Sunday school project in Africa. A Zimbabwean woman who has worshipped at BICF for several years has learned here to teach Sunday school, quite well I hear AND to teach others how to teach. She returned home this week resourced with seed money to start projects for kids and teachers around Zimbabwe.

- Prayed with the BICF Leaders about His future direction for our ministries and churches in this city.

- Prayed with wives who heard the Gospel while studying abroad and are now back home in China, trying to relate this new faith to their homeland.

- Struggled to find the words for a man in our church who wanted to be baptized. In calling to confirm our meeting location his cell phone was answered by his live-in girlfriend. Surprise! No baptism yet.

- Chatted with a young man studying in a semester abroad here who is seeking advice about seminaries.

- Was approached by a University student after the service who sincerely wonders if there is any proof for the validity of Christianity which could persuade him to believe.

- Served dinner for a church family who found that all their worldly-goods stored during their six month home leave away from Beijing were kept in a ‘leaky’ room!

- Greeted a Jewish man who teaches English here that comes almost every Sunday to church. He listens to the sermons with greater attentiveness than most Christians!

- Met the Ambassador from Tonga to China who is a lay-preacher and now, along with his family and staff, regularly worshipping in our Pacific Fellowship at BICF ZGC. He said he’s working on getting his fellow Ambassadors from other island nations in the Pacific to come too! Here we gathered after Sunday worship:


- Encouraged an African student who is pregnant with their first child. Her husband already graduated and needed to take a job back in Africa.

- Prayed with the Pastor of the BICF Japanese congregation whose members are very concerned about their families back home.

Serving the Beijing International Christian Fellowship is a great joy to us. People from 70 different nations and at least that many denominations come together to worship and work for the Lord Jesus Christ in this mega-city. Most of our work is focused on the ‘west side’ Zhong Guan Cun church. But once a week Mark meets to share with the other BICF pastors. (BICF has 16 worship services, in 9 languages, in 4 Beijing locations.) The Lord is working many ways in the lives of the 3500+ who attend BICF – and through them around the world!

This week we enter chapter 4 of the book of Acts. Mark borrowed a theme from the Lausanne Conference – ‘The Whole Church taking the Whole Gospel to the Whole World’ – for this sermon series. Pray that God would use this ancient account of mission to inspire our congregation to faithful and fruitful service for Him in our day.

Dayna is once again studying Mandarin every day. She is in class every morning and studies several hours after that. In her class, there are students from Spain, Italy, Poland, Australia, Japan and Korea and see it as a mission field to be a witness for Jesus there. Along with that she’s resumed her “Mama Kahu” (pastor’s wife) ministries – counseling young ladies, praying with young mothers, teaching Sunday school, feeding visitors, and planning baby showers. Some of these she now does in Mandarin…at least pidgin Mandarin. Keep praying for Dayna as she works hard to become more fluent.

Along with all the doors open here in Beijing, another wonderful ministry opportunity is before us. We are invited to return for a teaching visit to Uganda this summer. This came out of surprise meetings Mark had with Ugandan leaders in Cape Town in October at Lausanne 3. We left Uganda in 1990 after 8 years of teaching pastors/leaders there. Now a number of them are key leaders.

In order to go, we need prayer and financial support. We need about $4500 to get ourselves to Africa this summer. We need to book tickets fairly soon.

The specific invitations we have received are from –

1. Uganda Christian University

We taught there in the 1980’s when it was Bishop Tucker Theological College. Now they have 7000 students in many faculties. Mark would speak ten times for their Missions Conference. Mark is pictured below with John and Ruth Senyonyi in Cape Town. John is the Vice Chancellor of UCU and had his Chaplain extend this invitation:


Dear Mark,

RE: INFORMATION ABOUT THE MISSION AND MINISTRY CONFERENCE
(19th to 26th JUNE, 2011)

Greetings in the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ.

We are so delighted to know that you accepted our invitation to you as our Main Speaker during the above conference at Uganda Christian University.
The conference begins on Sunday 19th June, 2011. The Missions and Ministry conference attempts to respond to the real need in the churches of sensitizing and challenging the Christians in our congregation and particularly our young people about the work of Missions and Ministry. Our desire is to instill in our graduates the spirit of serving God as agents of the gospel either ordained or in a lay capacity in the churches and at their stations of work subsequent to their study at Uganda Christian University. The conference theme is: “Extending God’s Kingdom: Our mission”.

You will speak in 10 sessions, 5 of which will be an hour each and 5 of them of 30 minutes each. There will also be two "special" sessions. A session for the senior administrators and lectures on the topic: “The role of a Christian University in God’s Mission” and the other will be for the Pastors, the students being prepared for ordination and the faculty members in the School of Divinity and Theology on the topic: “The current Global trends in Mission: The role of the church in Africa”. However if God leads you to speak to us (in these special sessions) on any other topics feel free to do so.

Our target audience is all students irrespective of their courses of study and the staff members.

Frederick J. Baalwa
UNIVERSITY CHAPLAIN
http://www.ucu.ac.ug/

2. Makerere University

One of our former students is the Protestant Chaplain there. It is the largest University in Uganda. Their chapel ministry is very strategic.

Dear Mark,

It is wonderful to hear from you again. As you mentioned, it was a divine opportunity for us to meet again is Cape Town. I am overwhelmed with joy for your visit to Uganda. Seeing from the UCU Mission schedule, you will close on the Sunday of June 26. If you were to stay on until July 3rd, I would arrange for you to preach at St. Francis Chapel. Indeed, it will be a great blessing to us to have you speak in the Chapel. We have three services: 7:00-9:00; 9:00-11:00; and 11:00-13:00. We have, however 13:00-15:00 for Lugbara and 16:00-20:00 for the youth. You will speak for the morning services only, ending at 13:00. I will send you a topic for the season. This year's theme is "Be transformed by the renewing of your mind" (Romans 12:2). This would be a very good opportunity for your members of BICF to enjoy the warmth of worship we have. Looking forward to seeing you all.

Canon Johnson
Johnson Ebong Oming (The Rev. Canon Dr.)
Chaplain
St. Francis of Assisi
Makerere University Kampala
http://mak.ac.ug/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=76&Itemid=145

3. Madi and West Nile Diocese / Arua, Uganda

We lived and taught here for four turbulent years of civil war in the 1980’s. The present Bishop and his wife were both our students – Joel and Joy. He wrote saying:

Dear Mark and Dayna,

I am delighted to hear from you and in was great meeting you in Cape Town. This is even a greater surprise for me to hear you are coming to Uganda in June! I am gladly surprised. I will consult with my friends here in the diocese and the Arua Campus Director of UCU on how we can make use of you. I want to say welcome to Uganda and to Arua in particular. Joy and the rest of the family joins me to send you all a warm christian greeting.

Bishop Joel
http://churchofuganda.org/dioceses/madi-west-nile

You can see there is much we could do. We are very grateful for your support and prayers. It seems that with all the upheaval in our world – political, military, tectonic, and economic – people are asking more questions than ever. How grateful we are to know HIM who is the ultimate answer – now and forever.

Grateful for your partnership in the Gospel, Mark and Dayna Blair

Bright Lights in His Presence

New Year’s Greetings from Beijing,

I write from my study, watching a spectacular display of fireworks all across Beijing on this last night of Chinese New Year. Dayna has a few more days in the Hawaiian sunshine. I arrived last Friday and jumped into a busy weekend of ministry with the Beijing International Christian Fellowship. Last Saturday and Sunday I team taught a course on the ‘Work and Life of a Leader’ with two pastor/colleagues. We’ll finish the course this coming weekend. About a dozen aspiring leaders from all around the world joined in. I also began preaching through the book of Acts Sunday morning. It was magnificent to reunite with our family of faith here. They are going strong.

Meanwhile, Dayna is with her family back in Hilo, Hawaii. We were there together for the funeral of her elder sister, Gaylyn. It was a celebration of her 60 years of life, and most of all her entrance into the everlasting Day of His presence. You can see the family gathered below, even her husband George (4th from left in back row in blue/green shirt), can smile through the tears.


The next day the whole family enjoyed a warm and sunny day in Hilo. Best of all Dayna and her 5 surviving siblings, and other family members, spent the day with their Mom. It was a special time of being all together. Just before we left that night, all her children gathered for a picture as they gave her a kiss good-night.


She went to bed and woke up in heaven. Dayna and I found out when we were already in Honolulu. I needed to proceed to Beijing. Dayna and Nathan went back to Hilo. I just Skyped with Dayna who said her funeral services today went very well. Many family members and friends gathered to celebrate her 85 years of life. Dayna is booked to arrive here in Beijing Monday night.

Thanks for praying for Dayna and her family as they adjust to life without these two dear ones. Knowing Jesus in every season of life is a great comfort and joy.

Thank you so much for your prayers and support for our ministry. Many here do not yet know the everlasting comfort and joy through His Gospel.

Yours in Him who is the Resurrection and the Life,

Mark and Dayna Blair

Our Email blairstan2@gmail.com

or markblair@bicf.org or blairstan@psmail.net (secure)

Our Mission

Pioneers - 10123 William Carey Drive - Orlando, FL 32832 – USA

www.pioneers.org

Our Blog www.blairstan.blogspot.com

Skype: blairstan

Our Ministry

Beijing International Christian Fellowship - www.bicf.org

Hear Mark’s sermons at: http://bicf.org/sermon-zgc

Our Mailing Address

Beijing International Christian Fellowship / Zhong Guan Cun
Raycom Infotech Park, Tower C, Room B115,
2 Kexueyuan Nanlu, Haidian District, Beijing, China 100190

No Place We'd Rather Be

Aloha from Kauai,

The Lord has graciously enabled us to fulfill our church visitation schedule. We leave for Beijing February 9. Your prayers, love, and financial support are a great encouragement as we begin our 22nd year of missionary service. We thank God for you. Our USA phone - until February 9 only – 808 – 315 – 5364.

No Place We’d Rather Be

A little boy watched in awe as the visiting missionary wolfed down Mom’s best home cooked foods Sunday after church. He soon understood that these missionaries trek from church to church – from sumptuous meals to tasty suppers. Later when asked by his mom, “Johnny, what do you want to be when you grow up?” He shot back, “A MISSIONARY ON FURLOUGH!” After three months in USA the clothes we can no longer button say its time to get back to the gym in China!

Here’s us grazing at Tommy’s in Pasadena with eldest son Nathan and wife Heather (foreground) and youngest son Aaron and friend Tavia (background). No, Mark did not miss this burger feed, he took the picture!

We’ve had a fabulous time at home. The Mandarin word for America is ‘The Beautiful Land’ – and it truly is. It has been wonderful to reconnect with beaches, burgers, and good buddies. Last week as the Congress rose to applaud President Obama’s affirmation, “There is no place we would rather be” we also cheered. But we’d add the word, “There is not a place we’d rather be FROM…” We both feel a strong sense He wants us to leave this Beautiful Land for Beijing. There is no place we’d rather be – at this amazing time of Gospel opportunity – than China.

Family News

After a fight with cancer, Dayna’s elder sister Gaylyn went to be with the Lord this week. We will be going to Hilo to be with family for a short visit right before we leave for Beijing. Please keep her husband George in prayer.

Nathan and Heather are both full-time students in Portland, Oregon. They both graduate this Spring, Nathan in Product Design, Heather with a Master’s in Education (Credential for teaching High School Science). They plan to move to Beijing this summer and pursue employment. We will be glad to welcome them!

Josiah and Maylee are in Almaty, Kazakhstan. Maylee just turned 7! Josiah is reading the news on Caspionet TV as Kazakhstan hosts the Asian Winter Games right now. He is on about 1:15 pm (Pacific Time) at www.caspionet.kz

Aaron works full time at the King Estate restaurant in Eugene, Oregon. He is a part-time student at Lane Community College. He is focusing on work as he decides what degree to pursue. Thanks for keeping our family in prayer too.

2011 Plans

We look forward to resuming our work at Beijing International Christian Fellowship. Mark is planning to preach through the book of Acts for most of 2011.

Mark will team-teach a course on the Work/Life of a Leader in the BICF seminary this month. He will teach several other courses throughout this year.

Dayna plans to resume full-time Mandarin lessons with the new term in March.

Dayna will also be mentoring and encouraging women in leadership in His Church.

We are invited to Uganda in June. At the Lausanne 3 meetings in Cape Town last October, Mark was reunited with John and Ruth Senyonyi, pictured below:

During the late 1980’s we taught at what was then Bishop Tucker Theological College for the Church of Uganda (Anglican). We had about 250 students. Today BTTC is part of the Uganda Christian University, led by John Senyonyi, with 7000 students!

John wrote: It was such a glorious surprise to find you at the Congress. Such a joy just to think that we could have this apparently ‘chance meeting’ but obviously the Lord had it in His plan… We would love to have you come and speak at UCC
19th-26th June, 2011 - Missions and Ministry Conference
As a missionary you would have much to speak to us about. Fortunately, the Church of Uganda is not new to you; it is your ‘home’ church in Uganda! You know our need for involvement in Missions…. Blessings in Christ, John Senyonyi

Please pray with us about this exciting invitation to return to Uganda. It would be a great joy to reunite with friends and leaders we have not seen in 20 years.

So we look forward to getting back to our ministry in Beijing soon. There is much to do for His Kingdom.

Trusting Him for new opportunities in 2011,
Mark and Dayna Blair

Our Email blairstan2@gmail.com
or markblair@bicf.org or blairstan@psmail.net (secure)

Our Mission
Pioneers - 10123 William Carey Drive - Orlando, FL 32832 – USA www.pioneers.org

Our Blog www.blairstan.blogspot.com

Skype: blairstan

Our Ministry
Beijing International Christian Fellowship - www.bicf.org
Hear Mark’s sermons at: http://bicf.org/sermon-zgc

Our Mailing Address
Beijing International Christian Fellowship / Zhong Guan Cun
Raycom Infotech Park, Tower C, Room B115,
2 Kexueyuan Nanlu, Haidian District, Beijing, China 100190

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