Church potlucks aren't confined to the United States — or the Western Hemisphere. On the volcanic island of Mauritius, in the Indian Ocean east of Madagascar, members of the Rose Hill church in Mauritius prepare their dishes for a fellowship meal following a recent service. In July the congregation hosts the first Bible Bowl of the Indian Ocean, minister Pierre Sylvio Salomon said. The event will include a Bible conference conducted by Richard England of Freed-Hardeman University in Henderson, Tenn. BULGARIA

SUFIA

Shopping malls, casinos and expensive cars fill the streets of this former-Soviet city, missionary April Everhart said. But many of its people have little food or clothing - and huddle around space heaters during the winter months.

Everhart and her husband, Clint, were part of a team from Germany that traveled to Bulgaria recently. Eastern European Mission provided a truck with about 4,000 Bulgarian Bibles and clothes for the people of Sofia.

The team worked with missionaries Tom and Sheryl Black to distribute the supplies.

During the distribution, Clint Everhart dug through piles of clothes to find warm coats for a man's son and daughter. The tearful father shook his hand and said something in Bulgarian.

"What he said I will never truly know," the missionary said. "However, the look in his eyes and his face said it all."

COLOMBIA

MEDELLIN
More than 60 youths came to Medellin recently for the second annual National Christian Youth Camp, organized by Churches of Christ in Colombia. Some traveled more than 15 hours for the event, said Jonathan Hanegan, missionary in Caracas, Venezuela.

Speakers included Hanegan, Edgar Ruiz from Armenia, Juan Carlos Gomez from Cali, Jhon Arrieta from Sahagun, Alberto Castaneda from Pereira, and Gustavo Quiceno and Gustavo Vasquez, both from Medellin.

CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC

BANGUI
Despite hardships, churches in the Central African Republic continue to grow, missionary Worlanyo Kwesi Bor said.

Rebel fighters have prevented Bor from visiting church plants in the northern part of the country, but church members Koissa Justin and Bekoni Dimanche report “that the members are responding well to the sound doctrine,” Bor said.

The country’s capital, Bangui, is more stable. Bor teaches students at the Biblical Studies Center at the Benzvi church in Bangui. The school continues to seek visiting instructors to train future preachers and encourage the country’s young congregations, Bor said.

INDIA

KAKINADA
More than 3,000 people were expected to attend the 22nd Bible Lectureship at the Kakinada School of Preaching in late January, said Nehemiah Gootam, the school’s director. Ministers from five states across India were scheduled to speak. “The lectureship is the longest one of its kind,” Gootam said, and has helped Indian churches grow spiritually.

KENYA

NAIROBI
A record crowd of about 600 people, representing 40 districts in Kenya, five nations and three continents, attended the annual Kenya Church of Christ National Lectureship at the Eastleigh church, minister Nyabuto Marube said. The Kenya Christian Industrial Training Institute was turned into a guesthouse to accommodate the visitors. Lecturers traveled to Kenya from Botswana, Congo and Cambodia.

“All speakers emphasized that any group that attempts to pattern itself after the church revealed in Scripture must maintain without deviation core doctrines of the New Testament church,” Marube said.

MEXICO

COZUMEL
If you’re traveling to Cozumel, pack a hammer next to your swimsuit.

Ciudad de Angeles (City of Angels), a ministry for orphaned, abandoned, abused and needy children, has signed a purchase agreement for five acres of land near the Cozumel church, American Director Gary Gardner said.

“The two-year goal will be to construct three houses so that the current angels can be moved from the rental properties as quickly as
possible,” Gardner said.

The ministry will organize service teams of construction workers, plumbers and electricians to help with construction.
For more information, see www.ciudaddeangeles.org.

MEXICO CITY
Members of the Solid Ground church in Mexico City traveled to San Andres Totoltepec to distribute blankets and Bibles recently, missionary Sean McClue said. Church members Israel and Nelly Molina launched a church cell group in the city, nestled among the Ajusco Mountains, and the group grew to 20 people in just a few months, McClue said.

NEW ZEALAND

HAMILTON
The church in Hamilton has only four children, but members passed out about 3,000 fliers inviting kids to the church’s recent Super Saturday.

As a result 37 children and several parents attended the day of crafts, games, Bible stories and barbecue. Members of the Hamilton and Otumoetai churches and missionaries Adam and Heidi Picker coordinated the event. The event led to a super Sunday, with 15 visitors at the Hamilton church, the missionaries said.

NIGERIA

IBADAN
Fourteen ministers in this southwestern Nigerian city recently completed a year-long preacher training program, minister Sunday Ayandare said.

Ayandare said he prays that the students “will go into the fields to sow the good word of life into the hearts of men.”

The minister also coordinates a radio broadcast on the book of Romans.

SAMOA

VAIMOSO
Church leaders from American Samoa traveled west to the Independent State of Samoa recently to meet with churches there and to invite them to the second South Pacific Lectureship, scheduled for July at the church in Tafuna, American Samoa. The team included Tia Misa and David Willis, of the Tafuna church, and Luaao Soli and Salimu Tamapolu, of the Nu’uuli church.

Members of the group spoke at the Vaimoso and Aleisa congregations in Samoa. “We met with the leadership of both of these congregations, as well as the leadership of the congregation that meets on the island of Savai’i,” Willis said.

SUDAN

KAUDA
Missionary Ken Grimm was scheduled to travel to the Nuba Mountains in central Sudan in late January to assist refugees from the Darfur conflict.

“The Christians there are overwhelmed,” Grimm said. Thousands of refugees — including children — need blankets and supplies.

Lifeline of Hope, a Montana-based ministry, raised about $24,000 for relief. Grimm plans to assess other needs in the region during his visit.