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By Dorothy Brotherton
IT STARTED when Marty Mittelstaedt toured Rwanda to take video and prepare a
missions report; it intensified when he saw a documentary on Rwanda; it was
confirmed by his family’s enthusiasm; now it has become what he calls a “lump in the throat.”
The phenomenon has all the marks of a traditional call to missions, and that’s how Marty sees it. The former music and multi-media director at Evangel Church
in Kelowna is booking the tickets for his family to fly to Rwanda to answer
that call. They expect to fly out in late summer or early fall.
“We’re excited and scared all at the same time. It’s a huge step of faith, but God has confirmed it in so many ways,” Marty told BCCN. After a year and a half of preparation, he and his wife Margit feel more than
ready to go; and their three daughters, Katelyn, 17, Sydney, 14, and Allyson,
13, are tired of people asking them when they are going. “They just want to get there,” said Marty.
For awhile the couple had talked vaguely of possibly doing some missions work “when the kids are out of school”; but when they saw the documentary, they began discussing it with more urgency – and then Margit said to her husband: “When are we leaving?”
The call was confirmed again when they learned that the missionaries they will
be going to help, Elmer and Sherry Komant, had been praying for someone with
exactly the skills Marty can offer.
They’ll be serving at Christian Life Assembly (CLA) in Kigali. “It’s right in the middle of a beautiful city; it is strategically placed to
literally be a beacon of light to the so-called movers and shakers, as well as
the down and outers,” said Marty.
The Mittelstaedts will become part of the support staff and ministry team. Marty
noted that, over a span of 12 years, the people of the church have focused on
reaching out to the needs of the community – everyone from HIV widows, to orphaned children, to members of the government
who are overwhelmed by the challenges faced in a country recovering from a
devastating war.
“The witness CLA has been to the city has opened doors for further ministry,” he noted.
Music, multimedia and drama – Marty’s specialties – play a key role in communication in Kigali. They help communicate the hope that
is found in Christ to people who have been hurt by past circumstances, within
and outside the church.
The Mittelstaedts are taking with them a 40-foot container filled with personal
supplies, audio-visual equipment, appliances and a Toyota 4Runner.
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They see the vehicle as a special provision. “The cost and availability of good working vehicles in Rwanda makes it next to
impossible to secure. It is cheaper to purchase a used vehicle here and pay
shipping and duties,” explained Marty.
They found the 2000 4Runner in Kelowna and it met all the criteria: It was used,
affordable and in excellent shape. A mechanical inspection cleared it and their
offer was accepted in short order. “The owner couldn’t figure out why it hadn’t sold after several people had looked at it with great interest. We know! God
provides,” said Marty.
Another wrinkle in the plans came via e-mail from the Komants, saying their
kitchen had caught fire while they were away at a conference. A power surge had
set the stove on fire and ignited some of the cupboards. The Mittelstaedts
found another stove and squeezed it into their container just before it left.
The family has raised all the start-up costs and the funds to cover the
equipment in the container, but funds for their monthly support is still short.
About 65 percent has been pledged, and Marty said: “We are just going to go and trust God to provide.”
Evangel Church helped with the fundraising by putting on a concert and producing
a CD called Mosaic. It is a project of Evangel’s own musicians, featuring all original music; proceeds from CD sales go toward
equipment purchases for Mission Rwanda.
The CD can be purchased by contacting songdove@fa-ct.com, or through Evangel
Church or Bell Tower book store.
Contact: askmmrwanda.com.
September 2009
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