In this season of Advent, we—the Church—look toward celebrating our Saviour’s incarnation and we also remember that we still await his promised return. It can seem unthinkable to celebrate peace when all around the world there are ongoing wars and conflicts. In this time between Jesus’ comings, there is much that is not right! At reSource, we are especially aware of the countries where our partner schools, sponsored students, and international consultants are operating, learning, and ministering in very challenging contexts.
Despite all that is wrong, we are called to praise our compassionate God for rescuing and redeeming all things. We believe that all is being made new! With you—our reSource supporter—and with our international partners, we cling to Christ as the only true source of peace for our world, remembering his coming in Bethlehem, his presence with us now by his Spirit, and his return to restore all of creation with his peace.
We invite you to take a moment now to read three stories of Christ’s peace from our partners in the messy here-and-now. Your prayers and gifts are part of these stories of peace—and so many more—taking place around the world in the name of Jesus Christ. Thank you for your partnership!
HIGHLIGHTS OF PEACE
Learning From Our Partners
Yesenia Sampayo Acosta
Biblical Seminary of Colombia
“The ministry in which I am currently doing my internship is Paz y Esperanza (Peace and Hope) Colombia. This is a faith organization that works with people living in poverty and displacement, and victims of the Colombian armed conflict. …Throughout my career in theology, I have realized that God’s invitation to these people is to be able to walk with them the path of reconciliation and forgiveness. Not a simplistic forgiveness full of false piety, but a forgiveness that, although slow, leads us to walk in being one with the other, just as the Father and Jesus are one.
Grace Al-Zoughbi
Arab Baptist Theological Seminary
“It remains ironic that the very geographical place that embodied the message of peace through the incarnation of Jesus is now dominated by various expressions of oppression as it struggles to even keep the peace process alive. …From observation and painful personal experience, I can share how difficult it is to express love to the “other” while living in such a harsh context. By contrast, it is easy for seeds of hatred to take root. …Though the voices of Arab Christians have been marginalized for too long, all of them who shared in the Middle East Consultation 2022 agreed that we must learn how to cease thinking of ourselves as victims and we must learn to overcome any micro- or macro-aggression with God’s love. …I can still hear the Nazarene announcing from the top of the Mount of Beatitudes, “Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be the children of God.” …We all have a voice to boldly, courageously, and without hesitation share the Gospel of Peace. Bringing faith into the conversation within our context compels us to say prayers from our heart to the Prince of Peace as we honor God in everything that we do, including our irreplaceable peace-making efforts.” (Community Peace: Part Two of the Middle East Consultation 2022 Blog Series – Arab Baptist Theological Seminary (ABTS)
Sung Huu Duong
Hanoi Bible College
“When I can take a break to go back to my hometown and then return to college, this is difficult for me. And when my wife and children are at home sick, it’s hard for me to be away from them even though all their needs (food, travel, physical supplies, etc.) are provided by people at church. I have been a poor student, God still gives me a ministry to be a teacher for the future. I am grateful that [God] has given peace to me as well as to my family and He has provided everything needed for my own life.”
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