WHAT IN THE WORLD IS ELIM DOING?
BEGINNINGS
From the very outset, the Elim Movement had an outward look for evangelism beyond our shores. Although the primary vision of George Jeffreys was evangelism in the homeland, he also saw the needs of other lands and members of the fledgling Elim Church were encouraged to go abroad in answer to the call of God.
THE EARLY YEARS
In the early days, there were associations with the Congo Evangelistic Mission, but a number went further afield in subsequent years, to India, Egypt, South Africa, South America, Mongolia, Mexico and Japan.
One of the earliest missionaries was Adelaide Henderson, a Hunter Street, Belfast, convert. She had joined the Elim Evangelistic Band in 1920. On her voyage to the Congo, she became very ill, but survived and worked in Kabondo Dianda for two years until she was invalided home. Thereafter she became the Missions Secretary at Headquarters and oversaw the work for ten years until 1941
ZIMBABWE
In 1951, two missionaries from Northern Ireland, Doctors Cecil and Mary Brien, went to the then Southern Rhodesia and started one of Elim's most significant works. In the region of Inyanga North, at Katerere, they set up their tent. Initially the natives viewed them with suspicion, but their work endeared them to the people as they brought their medical skills to bear on the needs and told stories of Jesus.
Eventually, they were able to build a hospital, school, a church and houses for the missionaries. The Briens left Elim in 1974, as a result of which there was no doctor on the site for a period of time. The nurses kept things going until, in 1977, during the war of liberation, all the personnel removed from Katerere to the Eagle School in the Vumba Mountains.
On 23rd June, 1978, all the missionaries with their children - thirteen persons in all - were massacred in a raid by rebels who had come over the border from Mozambique. At this time, there was one missionary with Irish roots, Roy Lynn from Cullybackey. The previous year, he had married Joyce Pickering and they had a six-week-old baby girl, Pamela Grace. Throughout the period of the war, the hospital in Katerere was kept open by the Zimbabwean staff under the leadership of Mrs. Evelyn Munembe, wife of the present chairman of the work.
Zimbabwe has always been an important part of Elim Missions. In 1966, Peter Griffiths established a secondary school and became, himself, an important part of the educational system of Zimbabwe. Jesse Williams had started a work in Penhalonga in 1949 and, in the early 1950s, William and Vilia McKeown from Belfast served in that area.
Today, the work is flourishing. The schools, primary and secondary, have high pass rates in education and are an integral part of the rehabilitation of Aids orphans. The hospital is as busy as ever and churches are being planted. Recently the Elim Church in Zimbabwe celebrated its 50th anniversary.
BELGIUM
Elim has had an interest in Belgium for many years, every since George Jeffreys conducted an eight-day crusade in Antwerp. There are presently about nine churches in Belgium. The work is led by Mike Williams.
BRAZIL
Henry Jeffrey and his wife went to Brazil in 1946 and, as a result, a number of churches were opened, mostly in the Sao Paulo area. In 1962, they became part of Elim International Missions. Following the Jeffreys' retirement in 1962, others went out to serve but, for many years, the work was left to its own devices. At the beginning of the decade of evangelism, a strategy was adopted which resulted in teams being sent out on a regular basis to support and train the national leadership and strengthen the ties with the Missions Board. These teams were under the leadership of the present Irish Missions Director, Peter Smith.
EUROPE
Developments have taken place across Europe on a political scale which were unprecendented some years ago. The result has been a development of works throughout the Continent in Germany, France, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Italy, Poland and in countries of the former Soviet Union.
GHANA
James and Sophia McKeown from Ballymena started the work in Ghana. Today there are churches in many countries of the world where Ghanaians have settled in pursuit of commerce or education. The Church of Pentecost works with Elim in a fraternal partnership and the full story can be read in the book, A Giant in Ghana. This church has experienced explosive growth and its branches are to be found in all the surrounding countries as well as other places throughout the world.
GUYANA
Formerly British Guiana, the work here was pioneered by John and Gladys McInnes who served from 1949 until 1974. Subsequently, John served as pastor of the Armagh Elim Church until his homecall. His oldest son, Ian with his wife Valerie, followed him to the field and maintained the work until 1986. During this time, senior ministers went out and made valuable contributions.
HONDURAS
Initially, the work in Honduras centred on the orphanage at the Valley of the Angels near Tegucigalpa, the capital. Elim's involvement included Paul and Pat Cooper and Andy and Sheila Graham. In recent years, this link has been severed and Elim has set up its own ministry in Honduras, creating children's day-care drop-in centres and church planting. This has been pioneered by Alex and Alethia Grannum, helped in no small measure by teams of young people, some from Nothern Ireland, who have given their time and effort to help the work.
INDIA
The great continent of India has been a melting pot of political unrest and challenge for many years. From Elim's beginning, we have had missionaries in the country until they were excluded by changing regimes. Since that time, we have sought to support the indigenous works of the GEMS (Gospel Echoing Missionary Society) teams in the north and the extension programmes of the Maranatha Full Gospel Association in Madras. This latter came about initially because of a friendship between its founder, Henry Joseph and John Prentice, later to become pastor of our Carrickfergus church.
THAILAND
Tony Wilson comes from our church in Harrogate and his wife Ursula (nee Coulter) comes from Belfast. They have been working in Thailand, alongside the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada, for some years now and have established a number of churches. Tony has also been able to make contacts in Myanmar (formerly Burma) and is active throughout the region.
PACIFIC RIM
We are currently involved with churches in The Philippines, Papua New Guinea and Malaysia. Each of these works is indigenous and, in many cases, works with us in co-operative fellowship under the umbrella of the Elim Church Incorporated.
SOUTHERN AFRICA
Ireland has special responsibility for the southern African countries of Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, South Africa, The Democratic Republic of Congo and Mozambique. From time to time, we send out delegations to engage in teaching and practical work to help the local churches. We are able to supply substantial amounts towards the ongoing budgets of each country thanks to the faithful giving of members and friends throughout Ireland.
TANZANIA
This is an old established field that is central to the development of works in the countries surrounding it. There are now churches in Rwanda, Burundi, Kenya and Uganda, all operating on an indigenous basis.
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