Archives for 2018

Sean Miller 10/15/2018

CEF Bermuda Growing and Thriving!

September 19-24 I (Sean) was in Bermuda to serve, train and equip the CEF nation-wide ministry there. This summer CEF Bermuda held their first Christian Youth In Action training and they commissioned ten local teenagers! They divided them into two teams and those local Bermudian teenagers taught hundreds of children in 15 5-Day Clubs! Almost every corner of Bermuda had a 5-Day Club nearby!

The CEF ministry there is led by Dr. Melvyn Bassett, a dynamic gentleman who has spent decades creating a better future for Bermuda through its public school system. He was a principal for many years and God used him mightily in that role. When he retired, he later became the volunteer CEF national coordinator! Melvyn is a faithful worker that cares about local churches reaching all of Bermuda. Melvyn personally has been an encouragement to me as a husband, father and leader. I have learned so much from his example and fountain of wisdom in every conversation.

A blessing on this specific trip was that my pastor James Williams and his wife Barbara were able to join me on this trip! This was a vision trip for them to see firsthand what we do as missionaries and also how our church could be more specifically involved. I was so thankful for the time spent with them but also their special blessing to the trip. James and Barbara faithfully encouraged everyone they met and James spoke on Saturday and Sunday mornings at the main CEF event and also at Dr. Melvyn’s church.

I had three main objectives:

1. Train, equip, assess and encourage the CEF national board

2. Assist CEF Bermuda with their GNC volunteer appreciation brunch

3. Have meetings with various Bermudian officials and leaders regarding the CEF region and a few upcoming possible events

All of the objectives were met and it was a very fruitful trip!

The CEF Bermuda chapter is very healthy. On the detailed assessment survey, a national board member stated: “I cannot help but give my all!” This is the attitude of everyone involved, they believe strongly in both the priority and urgency of the vision of every child in Bermuda being reached and they are acting on that vision.

The beautiful room and table settings for the GNC volunteer appreciation brunch!

On Saturday morning Dr. Bassett said: “This morning is the first time the entire CEF Bermuda family has been all gathered in one place.” CEF Bermuda held their first annual Good News Club volunteer appreciation breakfast, they have six Good News Clubs in elementary schools! Pastor James Williams gave the main address to give appreciation to all the volunteers, and then afterwards the national board met and I presented the chapter assessment. I worked together with them on best practices and recommended a course of action.

Places like Bermuda have such an overwhelming reputation as solely a vacation destination, but when you strip away the tourism industry and the beauty of the beaches and the island, you have a key strategic place for reaching the next generation in global missions. Bermuda is the quiet hub of the global economy. The children of today are truly the next set of global thinkers and business leaders. Just one example, one of the CEF national board members for Bermuda has met and worked with four US presidents. Thankful for a thriving CEF ministry there mobilizing churches to reach all the kids.

On Sunday morning Pastor James preached the sermon at Dr. Bassett’s church and I preached the sermon at Rev. Steven Powell’s church.

Pray for Rev Steven Powell (L) as he serves as the CEF national board chairman and Dr Melvyn Bassett (R) as he serves as the national coordinator for CEF.

Pray also for Mandi and me as we serve CEF Bermuda in ministry!

Filed Under: Caribbean Region, Uncategorized Leave a Comment

Sean Miller 08/15/2018

CEF Bahamas Celebrates 25 Years!

June 9-11 I (Sean) had the humbling privilege of being a part of the 25th anniversary celebration day for CEF Bahamas! Dr. Willamae Miller, a faithful servant of Jesus Christ and national director for CEF Bahamas was also celebrated on this historic day.

Child Evangelism Fellowship, from its beginning in 1937, has strongly had as its foundation a belief that the local people are who God intends to reach the local children. As CEF chapters were established around the world, our founder (Jesse Irvin Overholtzer) was quoted (paraphrased) as simply meeting a dynamic couple and telling them: “Every child needs to be reached in your country. God commands all throughout the Bible us to do that. So mobilize all the churches to reach the children!” Then Mr. O would go on to the next country. Obviously there was follow up and leadership afterward over the years, but our founder Mr. O was laser-focused on nationals being trained and equipped to reach their own nation’s children. I share that belief!

This was a short trip and very fruitful. I met up with Myron and Nita Tschetter in Charlotte and we flew together to Nassau, Bahamas. As most of you already know, Myron is the Regional Director for the North America/Caribbean region of CEF and therefore also my immediate supervisor. We were able to catch up and discuss the trip but also connect face-to-face regarding other countries in the area we serve as missionaries.

Upon arrival to Nassau, before anybody was allowed off the plane, I heard on the plane intercom: “Passenger Sean Miller is requested to present himself as soon as you depart the aircraft”! I was quite shocked and didn’t know what in the world was going on. 🙂 What a surprise that CEF Bahamas had arranged in advance an expedited police escort for myself and the Tschetters through the airport. Such an honor!

Even though the Bahamas is a large island nation, I had the surprise chance to see Mindy Seeley as she was picking up a team for the Adventure Learning Centre and Camp!

Tim and Mindy Seeley have become good friends over the years, I took many online classes with Tim at the Moody Bible Institute. Thankful for their faithful service in Nassau over the years as they served Him and now are back in the USA after many years living in Nassau.

We then met with Lisa and Kimberley at Outback for lunch/dinner (only reason I mention that is because even after 7+ years it is still so interesting to me that Nassau has an Outback Steakhouse!) to discuss face-to-face the weekend’s plans and schedule. Lisa is full-time with CEF Bahamas and Kimberley is a long-time volunteer with CEF Bahamas and national board member. Both are gifted CEF workers and I am thankful for their service!

Sunday was the main event, and it started with a special service at Abundant Life Bible Church. You can view the entire service at http://abundantlifebahamas.org/albc-live-stream/ and scroll down to click on the June 10th broadcast. Here are some pictures of the 25th anniversary service at CEF Bahamas!

Though there were many special government dignitaries present in the service, something very special was that Her Excellency the Governor General Dame Marquerite Pindling of the Bahamas was in attendance. It was an honor to be present with her in the service and share in presenting an appreciation plaque on behalf of the region of CEF to Dr. Willamae Miller for her legacy of faithfulness. She was awarded the rare title and privilege of being the “National Director Emeritus” for CEF Bahamas.

After the special church service at ALBC, we then were taken to the special appreciation dinner for Dr. Miller. It was well coordinated and the program was inspirational. I had the opportunity to speak about CEF, CEF Bahamas and the future and I was thankful for the time there at the event.

The next morning before our flight back to the USA we had a chance to have breakfast with many of the core group of CEF Bahamas, sharing both personally laughter and family stories and of course discussion of CEF. It is a joy to interact with the workers in the various countries that we serve, it is truly a family throughout the Caribbean. Yes these are all co-workers and the leaders I serve as the Area Director, but it is our region together and they are friends as well.

Something important as a mindset to remember: as missionaries, we don’t ‘minister to the Caribbean’. We minister by, with and alongside the Caribbean national workers and churches. We train, equip and support, “teaching others to train others also” is our mission.

By His grace we are seeing that happen, and you are a vital part of this ministry! Thank you for your prayers and faithful support!

Filed Under: Caribbean Region, Uncategorized Leave a Comment

Mandi 05/14/2018

2018 CEF North America & Caribbean Regional Conference

In April the whole family had the opportunity to go the CEF Regional Conference in Canada! Our region includes the U.S., Canada and the English speaking Caribbean countries. This was the first Regional Conference since 2012 so we were pretty excited to see everyone. There were over 120 people in attendance from 14 different countries! We were also VERY excited to have all three kids with us and even more excited that Sean’s mother offered to come and help us with the kids.

Family Time

This was the first time any of us had ever been to Canada so we went a few days early to do some sightseeing. We spent one day doing touristy things in Toronto. We went to the CN Tower that has a glass floor… everyone loved it except Sean! We ate lunch at the historic St. Lawrence Market, saw Casa Loma which is a beautiful and very big castle and then did Maddy and Riley-Grace’s favorite thing…. swim in the hotel pool haha!

The next day was all about Niagara Falls! First we visited a town called Niagara-On-The-Lake were we took a carriage ride through their historic, fully restored downtown. The girls LOVED it. And then we headed to Niagara Falls were we ate lunch, viewed the Falls and then went through tunnels BEHIND the Falls! It was such a wonderful experience. You couldn’t help but be in awe of God while mesmerized by Niagara Falls. If you are American, we highly suggest going across the border into Canada. The view is much better! Maddy and Riley-Grace said Niagara Falls was their favorite part of the trip! (These pictures below were where we ate lunch!)

The Conference

After our weekend of sightseeing it was time for the conference! Sean was helping to lead the conference so he was very busy for most of the week. Maddy and Riley-Grace were able to have their own classes during most of the main sessions so they made friends with some of the other kids. Between their new friends and their Mimi, they had lots of fun. By the end of the week Riley-Grace was tired and ready to be home but Maddy never wanted to leave! We were able to see so many friends we’ve had over the years and everyone really seemed to enjoy their time. I could go on and on but I think the pictures tell the story much better than I can.

(Above, the worship team for the week included people from across the region. St. Kitts was well represented!)

Kimberly Minors from The Bahamas leading a session

Dr. Melvin Bassett from Bermuda

In the center is Maggie (an Area Director like Sean) who lived in St. Kitts for a year before we moved there!

Mavis!! The Director of St. Kitts & Nevis!

The pictures below are a bunch of fun ice breaker games!

Above was Sean speaking after the ice breaker games about the importance of really getting to know each other.

The week was filled with general sessions and workshops all geared toward helping us grow personally as Christians and encouragement to continue reaching boys and girls across our region with the Gospel. What most people liked about this conference in particular was the ability to truly foster relationships with people we do not get to see on a regular basis. We are all different but we all share the same goal. Often times it can be hard to really “see” people and just hang out at a conference. So the conference leadership team made one of our evenings a “board game night” and it is was a lot of fun! The pictures below are from the game night!

There is still so much more to share but suffice it to say, the week was wonderful! We ended the conference with a powerful and moving night of prayer.

And just for fun… here are a few more pictures from the week!

We left with full hearts! Sean had to stay about 5 extra days for regional team meetings so we left him in Canada since Maddy had to get back to school. We were VERY grateful when he came home! And we are already thinking about the NEXT regional conference three years from now!

We feel so blessed to do what we do… to be missionaries to the Caribbean while living in the States. We get to serve alongside wonderful people!

And Canada was pretty cool too!

Filed Under: Caribbean Region Leave a Comment

Sean Miller 04/14/2018

Sharing Jesus all across the Caicos Islands!

March 16-25 I (Sean) was back “home” in the Turks and Caicos Islands! In all my trips back since we lived there, it is always amazing to me how easy it is to pick back up immediately with where I left off. Turks and Caicos does truly feel like home, just as much as St. Kitts and Nevis still does. It is hard to explain, but there is simply no adjustment period, not even a temporary adjustment of the feeling of driving on the other side of the road anymore! From culture, to navigating my way around, to food, to local friends, to church family….it is seamless, just like if I was spending the week down in south Alabama at my parents house or something. It feels the same to me.

As before in previous years, we partnered with CEF of South Dakota to reach out to the public primary schools in four islands: Providenciales, North Caicos, Middle Caicos and South Caicos.

L-R Sean Miller, Kendra Baltzer, Hannah Cleveland, Bailey Pietz and Elijah Hamilton

However, what was very different about this year was that we had a local friend, Cathy Henfield, join us and teach alongside us! Everything we do as missionaries is centered on raising up local leadership in the Caribbean nations we serve, so this was a huge praise the Lord and answer to prayer for someone local in TCI to do this.

We went to four primary schools in Providenciales, including Precious Treasures International School that Maddy attended for Kindergarten!

Two schools in North and Middle Caicos

and we returned to our friends in South Caicos!

It was surprising to see the extent of the great needs still there in Turks and Caicos stemming from Hurricanes Irma and Maria. To be clear, the nation is fully open for tourism but the primary schools and many local homes still have great repair needs that will take months to rebuild.

During the hurricanes we kept in close contact with the school principals and CEF contacts there in TCI, and we sent nearly 1,000 Do You Wonder Why? CEF booklets to various schools in TCI after Irma and Maria. These were used in conjunction with other disaster recovery efforts and each of the principals expressed great appreciation for how the booklets helped the children emotionally and spiritually process the great destruction to their island home.

Being there in person to share in the classrooms and with after-school Easter Party Clubs was encouraging to the teachers and principals, as we stood with them during the storm, we went to each school and prayed over the school and the teachers, and we continue to come to reach out to the children.

CEF is not a flash in the pan ministry, nor do we believe in drive-by evangelism nor believe in any sort of Americanized short-term ministry that does more harm than help. We have long-lasting relationships with schools, local leadership and local churches that we network together for the sake of the children. We have firmly planted national leadership in nearly every country of the Caribbean, and in nations like Turks and Caicos we are working hard towards there being a thriving national chapter established with a national CEF office and local board of directors.

Every Child, Every Island, Every Day!

Here is a short story about a trusty barrel that has been back and forth five times between three countries over five years.

It’s a little corny, but I had to say goodbye to this barrel as it fulfilled its final purpose of bringing over 200lbs of CEF materials to be cleared in Turks and Caicos that was distributed freely to local churches. Just a reminder of the life we have lived in three different nations and all the emotions that go along with it.

We held a teacher training for Turks and Caicos churches and distributed a year’s worth of brand-new CEF curriculum for them to use in Good News Clubs and in their local church’s children’s ministry! That evening 41 people were trained from 13 different churches and during the week we were on island a total of 20 different churches received a full set of curriculum!

All in all, by God’s grace and for His glory 1,830 kids were reached, with 444 of those 1,830 children coming to an after-school Easter Party Club. In total there were 9 of the Easter Party Clubs that took place in 8 of the schools.

Last but not least, two other cool “God” stories to share!

First, I met Tammarra Forbes! She was part of the class of Spring 2008 at Moody Bible Institute (where I graduated with my undergrad May 2015 and currently attend for my Master of Divinity). She teaches 3rd and 4th grade in North Caicos, she saw CEF on our t-shirts and remembered CEF from her time in Chicago, IL!

Second, our first Sunday at Harvest Bible Chapel – Turks and Caicos Islands, TCI the church prayed for HBC-Orangewalk, Belize! One of the four CEF teams served there just a few weeks ago and HBC Orangewalk was one of the local church partners!

It is such a small world and these connections with all our friends across the Caribbean is one of the many things we love about what we get to do!

“Let them give glory unto the LORD, and declare His praise in the islands.” Isaiah 42:12

Filed Under: Turks and Caicos Leave a Comment

Mandi 03/11/2018

Good News Across Belize!

February 22-March 4 I (Sean) was in Belize for Good News Across Belize! “Good News Across ______” is a very large scale, biennial effort to revitalize and grow CEF ministry in underdeveloped areas of a large country in our region. Specifically, countries that have already had CEF ministry established for many years.

Ianthe James (Antigua) and Claudette Adams (St. Lucia)

The majority of the regional efforts for the past decade has been to open up the eleven countries that had no local CEF ministry established. Now the efforts are being spent to strengthen the existing countries that need some extra assistance to reach their maximum potential.

Kendra Baltzer, Marissa Brandsema and Winter Eggena (L-R, South Dakota)

Belize is a beautiful country and it was my first time visiting a non-island Caribbean country. There were a number of similarities but also a number of differences.

First the biggest difference was the exchange rate and cost of food. The Belize dollar has a two to one exchange rate to the US dollar, and in addition to that 70% of the local consumables are produced in Belize. This means the cost of groceries and restaurants were considerably low. You could feed 8-10 people for only $30-$40 USD going out to eat at a local restaurant. This is in comparison to a place like the Turks and Caicos Islands or Bermuda where everything is imported, to feed 8-10 people at a local restaurant in countries like those costs $160-$200 USD!

There were though many construction, architectural and cultural similarities to the rest of the English Caribbean. Which even though Belize is not an island, this of course stems from the past English colonialism and influence. Belize is also a part of CARICOM (The Caribbean Community).

Demographically, this is currently a very young nation, with 54% of the population being under the age of 24! Even though this is true everywhere in the world, it is vital that the children be reached with the Gospel by local churches in Belize because the future of their country is at stake.

Sadly Belize is also among the countries who occupy the top 10 list of most murders per capita in the world, recently in 2014 occupying the number 3 spot.

“But God!”

God was already at work in these four target areas of Belize long before a single CEF staff person arrived. There were and are faithful local churches and faithful followers of Christ seeking to transform their neighborhood, community and nation. As we arrived, we sought to see where God was already moving, and join up with the local believers to encourage them and lift them up in ministry.

Myself and around thirty fellow CEF staff from all over the region went to Belize to conduct teacher training and equip hundreds of local church volunteers to go into many public schools across four key areas of Belize. The overall goal of this endeavor was that as these local church volunteers reach the children, they catch the vision for reaching the local schools and they go on to teach weekly Good News Clubs.

Marlene Stoll (Washington State)

The four target areas were the Orangewalk, Belmopan, Belize City and San Ignacio areas.

There were two parts, first teacher training and then direct ministry to children. I was the team leader for the San Ignacio/Santa Elena area.

God used this awesome team I served to reach 1,484 children that week in 19 demonstration Good News Clubs, train 34 people from 13 churches, and equip 22 local churches and schools with a full set of Good News Club curriculum!

Additionally, in over 12 years of serving full time in ministry with CEF I have heard about someone in a training class making a profession of faith but have never seen it first hand. On Saturday morning February 24th, in a class on how to teach the Gospel to kids, a local primary school teacher was convicted by the Holy Spirit, realized she had never personally believed in Jesus herself and she was counseled as she trusted in Jesus as her Savior! Praise the Lord!

Ron Wiebe, Canada

In total across the four target areas, in one week 10,064 children were reached across 4 target districts in 136 demonstration Good News Clubs with 258 people attending the teacher trainings.

For those of y’all who pack shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child, our team stayed with awesome Lemus family (Above)! Arita is the Belize national coordinator for Samaritans Purse and Pastor Ed is one of the four main Caribbean regional coordinators for Samaritans Purse. Such a blessing to get to stay with them!