Grubb Mission Report - March 2017
“Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15).
A Work of the Chestnut Mountain Church of Christ, Chestnut Mountain, Georgia USA
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PLEASE PASS THIS REPORT TO THOSE YOU THINK MIGHT HAVE INTEREST IN OUR WORK!
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New Zealand Trip (Jan.31-Mar. 14)
As I began my mission trips for 2017, I had my 62nd mission trip, going to the north island of New Zealand to work with a number of churches. I spoke at the South Auckland church, the Hamilton church, Hawkes Bay church, New Plymouth church, Palmerston North church, Wellington church, Hutt Valley church, and the Porirua church. Even more than two years ago, we did a great deal of outreach among the Chinese people living in New Zealand.
Last year, Barry Hatcher traveled to New Zealand to conduct Fishers of Men training among many of the congregations there. Part of my purpose on this trip was to present lessons to reinforce that training. I presented those kind of lessons in many of the congregations in New Zealand.
I departed Atlanta on Tuesday evening via Los Angeles and Sydney. I arrived on time in Auckland, New Zealand. Everything went smoothly on the flights. Trevor Major was there at the Auckland Airport to meet me and take me back to stay at his house while I was in Auckland. Friday was adjustment day. I was able to get adjusted to the local time and to get ready for the coming events. On Saturday afternoon, I was invited to eat lunch with Jonathan, Celine, and Hector Reid and Celine’s father, Mr. Jou (who is from China). The gospel meeting at South Auckland began on Sunday morning.
We had a very good start to the gospel meeting at the South Auckland congregation on Sunday. Even though many members were out of town, we had good attendance thanks to members of the Samoan congregation attending. The other congregations in town came over for the Sunday night service as well. Three lessons were delivered on this first day. We had a fellowship meal after the evening services.
On Monday morning, Trevor and Chris Major took me to downtown Auckland for some sightseeing. I had never been there before. I was able to see some pretty places including the harbor and the view of the city from the Sky Tower. After lunch, we went over to the hospital to visit with John Staiger. He is the preacher for the Morningside congregation in Auckland. He was having some bleeding issues which was corrected with surgery. Monday night, we had our fourth lesson in the series at South Auckland.
On Tuesday night, we had a smaller number to come out for the service, but hopefully those who attended benefitted from the lesson presented. There was a Chinese couple who attended as well.
Wednesday night was the last night of the gospel meeting at South Auckland. We had a total of six lessons during the meeting. I am thankful I had the opportunity to visit this congregation and have the opportunity to encourage the brethren there.
I left Auckland on Friday to head for my next appointment in Hamilton. As I did two years ago, I stayed with Neville and Lily Whittaker while in the Hamilton area. On Saturday, I went into the city of Hamilton to meet James Cammack and do some distribution of flyers in preparation for the gospel meeting. We talked to a number of Chinese people during our flyer distribution. We also did that on Monday and Wednesday. On Thursday, we made some additional visits as well.
The gospel meeting began on Sunday. We had about twenty five in attendance. We had worship followed by Bible study. We had lunch together, then another Bible study session in the afternoon. The gospel meeting continued on Monday through Wednesday night.
On Thursday, I had one more opportunity to meet with James and Emily Cammack and also with the Chinese family at Hamilton. We had dinner and a good opportunity to visit and get to know one another better.
On Friday (Feb. 17th), I flew through Wellington to Napier, NZ. I had always been told of the winds at the Wellington airport, but my landing and take-off were without incident. Landing in Napier, brother David Vickers met me to take me to his house for dinner and to get me settled for the night. On Saturday, I taught two lessons at the Vickers’ house. A man they had been working with for a long time, named Ray, decided to obey the gospel on Saturday. So we now have a new brother in Christ. On Sunday, I taught three more lessons on the Lord’s day. It was a good weekend.
On Monday, Joe and Tuai, members at Hawke’s Bay church in Napier, drove me to Palmerston North for the next segment of my trip. The church in Palmerston North had a door-knocking campaign in progress. I had the privilege to take part in that campaign. While in Palmerston North, I stayed with the Neall family. Thanks so much to them for their hospitality.
On the second day of the door-knocking/ Bible study effort in Palmerston, N., New Zealand hundreds of houses were covered with Bible studies being set up. We set up a study with a Chinese friend which we conducted on Friday evening. On that day, we had a man (who was wearing an ankle monitor) to cuss us out and tell us to leave his neighborhood. Fortunately, we were finished with that area. We had one of our sisters fall and broke her nose. Please pray that much good will result because of these efforts. Thanks to Kent O'Donnell, Rachael O'Donnell, Christi LeAnn Jensen, and so many others who are helping to make this effort a success.
When day three of the evangelistic effort was completed, Bible studies were being completed and hundreds of flyers were being distributed. Efforts continued the next day. Thanks for your thoughts and prayers. Sophie de Thierry was the one who fell and broke her nose and was in the hospital for a couple of days.
Thursday was the fourth day of the campaign. There were several Bible studies conducted during the day. In addition, a few hundred more doors were knocked in search of new studies and to let people know the church exists in their city. On Friday, we were at it again. We continued the door-knocking in the morning and afternoon. Then in the evening, The O’Donnells and I had dinner with a Chinese family, then had a Bible study with the Chinese man. Kent used to study with him in the past through a translator. That person moved away. So, I translated for Kent at the Bible study on Friday night.
The campaign in Palmerston North ended for me today. Chris Herd transported me to New Plymouth, where I was located for the next nine days. On the 6th day of the campaign, there were a number of young people who came to knock on doors. Kent O'Donnell and I studied with the Chinese friend during the morning and afternoon. We continued the study thru Skype in the coming days. I am serving as the translator. Kent is doing the teaching. Over 1500 doors were knocked in the first week. Another week continued on Monday. Thanks to all the brethren in Palmerston North who helped to make this effort a success. Thanks to the Nealls for providing me a place to stay during the week in Palmertston North.
On Saturday, Chris Herd transported me to New Plymouth. I spoke for the Sunday night services. Beginning on Monday, I was very busy teaching in Chinese on Facebook video, and also making contacts person to person. I spoke on Wednesday night at New Plymouth as well. I stayed with Greg and Karen Buchanan while I was in New Plymouth.
On Thursday afternoon, we distributed flyers through door-knocking for the lessons scheduled for Sunday. In the evening, I had another study with Kent O’Donnell and Luka Liu via Facebook video.
On Friday, I was able to spend the day with the Herds and we did some sightseeing which included a museum. On Saturday, there was a multi-ethnic parade and other events in New Plymouth. I was able to visit with some Malaysian Chinese who live in New Zealand. I also visited the bed and breakfast of a friend of Greg and Karen Buchanan. Sunday was my last full day in New Plymouth. I spoke three times on that day.
On Monday, I began my last week in New Zealand. Chris Herd drove me down to Porirua to work with John and Erin Jones and the brethren in the Wellington area. On Tuesday, we did letterboxing and door-knocking. On Wednesday, we did more material distribution and I spoke at the midweek Bible class in Wellington.
On Thursday, we traveled to Palmerston North again to help in follow-up from the two week campaign. Seven new Bible studies were set up on that day. In the late afternoon, I translated again in a Bible study with our Chinese prospect.
On Friday, we did more letterboxing in Porirua and in the evening I had a Bible study with a couple of Christians in Canton province via Skype. The rain hindered some of our plans on Saturday. We had intended to go to an outdoor market to talk to people, but the bad weather changed those plans. In the afternoon, I had another Chinese Bible study via Skype, then a dinner with brethren in the evening.
On the last Sunday in New Zealand, I went with Rod Kyle to Hutt Valley for their morning worship then went to Porirua for their afternoon services. I spoke four times on Sunday.
On Monday, before we went to the airport to meet Keith Kasargian, we attended a Samoan denominational funeral service. The reason we attended was because the deceased was a relative of one of the members of the church in Wellington. After having lunch with Keith, John Jones, and Daniel Jensen, I boarded a flight from Wellington to Auckland in preparation for my trip home on Tuesday morning. The trip home on Tuesday went pretty smoothly. There were no major hitches and I arrived at the Atlanta airport about ten minutes ahead of schedule.
Thanks for all of the prayers, comments, and words of encouragement given on behalf of this recent mission trip. I was able to conduct seven Chinese Bible studies on this trip (five of which were conducted via the internet). I had the opportunity to teach and encourage both Christians and non-Christians on this trip. There is much good work being done by the brethren in New Zealand. Please continue to pray for the efforts there. If you are one of my friends on Facebook, you can go and look at all the pictures I took on this mission trip. JMG.
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SPEAKING SCHEDULE
2017
May-June – Malaysia
May 26-28 Subang Jaya
June 1-3 Chinese Asian Bible Lectures
June 4 – Melaka
June 9,11 Section 17
June 13, 16-18 TBA
September 6 – October 6 – China
October 6-10 – Singapore
November 23-30 Singapore
December 1-19 – Taiwan
2018
April 15-19 Gospel Meeting – Shelbyville Rd.
Apr. 22-25 Gospel Meeting – Collinsville, IL
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SYMPATHY: While I was overseas, I learned of the passing of John Dickison. He had been in the hospital for about a month and was doing better, when he took a turn for the worse, and passed away. Please remember his five children and extended family in this time of sorrow. JMG.
UPDATE ON MY MOTHER: Many are kind enough to ask about my mother. She continues to do about the same as she has for the past several months. I am thankful for my brothers and sisters-in-law for being on the scene and making sure mom continues to do well.
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USEFUL WEBSITES
http://www.grubbchinese.org
http://www.wvbs.org
http://www.gbntv.org
http://www.ibtministries.org
http://www.oabs.org
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If any there are any congregations who would like for me to visit to make a presentation of my work, please let me know. I will be happy to schedule it. This visit can be made on Sunday morning, Sunday night, or Wednesday night.
– John M. Grubb
