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OHIO - MICHIGAN - INDIANA - ILLINOIS - WISCONSIN |
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8.7.07 Ohio Missionaries to Serve Karen Refugees |
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Duane and Marcia Binkley are being jointly appointed by International Ministries of the American Baptist Churches USA and the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. As career field personnel, the Binkleys, from First Baptist Church, Jefferson, Ohio, will receive financial support from CBF and ABC. They have served 15 years in Thailand through ABC’s International Ministries, working among Myanmar (formerly Burma) refugees known as the Karen. Under their new appointment, they will serve in the United States, working with refugees and equipping CBF and ABC churches to reach out to the Karen people. I am delighted that we are cooperating with American Baptists in joint appointments of the Binkleys," said CBF Global Missions coordinator Rob Nash. "These joint ventures send the signal that mission engagement in the 21st century is about collaboration for the good of God’s kingdom in the world." "U.S. policy has changed recently to allow upwards of 60,000 Karen ethnic people from Myanmar, better known as Burma, to leave refugee camps in Thailand along the Myanmar border and resettle here," said Stan Murray, IM's area director for Southeast Asia and Japan. "Duane and Marcia, who worked in those refugee camps for years as American Baptist missionaries, felt a strong call to now help here in the U.S., because of the historic connections American Baptist have with the Karen." The mission launched by Adoniram and Ann Judson to Burma in 1814 became the basis for the formation of a Baptist mission agency, which today is known as IM. The Judsons worked for nearly 40 decades in Burma to plant Baptist missions, and the Karen were some of the most receptive persons in the country to the Gospel. Today, the Myanmar Baptist Convention claims over 1.2 |
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million baptized converts, many of them Karen believers. IM missionaries have not served in Myanmar since the 1967 due to a military government. "We often hear the world is at our doorstep," said Duane Binkley. "But the Karen coming to the U.S. for resettlement illustrates the point, especially for us in the Baptist churches." A significant number of Karen refugees are being resettled in the North Central Region of the CBF; every state is impacted to some degree. A total of 2280 will be settled in the five state region: Indianapolis - 800, Ft Wayne - 300, Chicago – 185, Dupage, IL - 100, Rockford, IL – 100, Grand Rapids, MI – 120, Lansing, MI – 225, Akron, OH – 135, Cleveland – 70, Milwaukee – 245. The Binkley's plan to work with regions and churches around the country to equip them in the refugee resettlement process and to make the Karen -- who often know early Baptist mission history in Burma better than most American Baptists -- feel welcomed by those who brought them the Gospel nearly two centuries ago. More information about the Karen -- MORE NEWS -- |
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© copyright 2007 Jorge A. Zayasbazan. All rights reserved.
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