A

Ron Eierick Family vol.3 - no.1 - march 7-7

9

In spite of the present circumstances-a helpmate buried in African soil, two daughters al
ready sent to the States for medical treatment and the third barely well enough to leave the
country-Ron made a final trip to the village of Chiduba and to their home in, the bush for the
last eight months. There he assured the District Chief that all was not lost. That even though
he must take leave of Malawi, HE WOULD RETURN to resume the work and to complete the dream that
he and Arleen had shared.

Just eight months later at 10:30 p.m. on a Friday evening the 22nd of October, 1976, the prom
ise was kept, for the Eierick family had returned to Malawi. The first words received at state
side was a telegram stating: "ARRIVED SAFELY / GREAT TRIP / GOOD LEAD ON HOUSE / WITH GRIERS /
MANY THANKS / GOD BLESS ALL." And two weeks later: "FOUND HOUSE / 1/2 PRICE / ALSO CAR / KIDS
IN SCHOOL / FINE WITH GREG / LETTER SENT / BOX 51163 LIMBE."
ARRIVED SAFELY "We had departed from

Will Rogers World Airport on Monday, October 18th, to

begin a new phase in the work already started in Malawi. Many friends were
there to see us off, so it was with mixed feelings that we boarded the Braniff Jet for Chicago.
After a liesure dinner, we boarded a Scandinavia DC 10 (no music, no movie) for Copenhagen, Den

mark.

A two day rest stop was enjoyed and sight seeing included the Royal Stables, the Palace

Guards and Hans Christian Anderson's home.

Then having more time than sense, we took a 35 min

ute Hydrafoil trip across the sounds to Mai mo, Swedenjust to be in Sweeden. The next leg took
us to Nairobe, Africa, and another two days for sightseeing and rest, and then we were home.
(--continued on page two--)

God kdii tAiity

Ron and the gVit6 by
bAcng^ng -Into tk<uA tiooM a new
motkeA
and ml66tonaAy ^oH. Halawl, On June, 20, 1976

Ron wcu> moAAled to Cynthia Ann Ba&kneiZ 0^

Entd, Oklahoma, Cindl wa& bonn, fuiUed and
graduated ^Aom high .dchoot (1972) tn Entd and
t& the daughter. 0^ BttZ and ?kyttu> Ba&knett
who JieAved a6 iutt-ttme mtntMteA oi edacatlon and otdttatlon at Vavt6 PoAk

CkfU&t~

tan tn Entd and poAt-ttme to congAegatton6 tn

VeeA CAeek and liiJaukonil6, Bttt ah^o ^eJioed a&

adtnteAtm mtntdteA tn Ponca Ctty to the con-

gAegatlon that would become hU daughteA'6

ttvtng-ltnk ^uppoAt. Bttl t& pAe&entty d^e
CooAdtnatoA oi Endu&tAtat and Adult Education

at AutAy Vo-Tech, Ctndt ha& two bAotheA6;

Rtck, a gAaduate 0^ OzaAk Btble College, and
ChAt6, a high school student tn Entd.

Ctndt pAepoAed heA It^e ^oa mission woAh by

attending Uidoest ChAistian College ^oA ^ouA

yeaAS, majoAtng tn missions and music.

She

was active tn the mission gAoup and traveled

extensively {^oa the school, singing with the

"Psoullist Sound",a select singing gAoup. She

also played the piano ^oa the Utdwest ConceAt

CholA.

She bAtngs a un^ue talent to the

mission {field, that o{ music.

She plays the

piano, oAgOn and guttoA and has wAttten seveAol songs.

WITH 6RIERS "Chris and Lee Grier (the young couple from
England who cared for Ron and Rhonda

follow

ing Arleen's death) met us at the airport and made us wel

come in their hoTO for the next three weeks, thus saving the
mission $38.00 a day for hotel accomodations. In addition,
Chris loaned us an old car he had so we
Rental property is nearly non-existent.
FOUND HOUSE -- "God did lead us to

could house hunt.

two bedroom'house six

miles south of town. We are renting the house

and the 3 1/2 acres for K140 per month (in town it would be

K275--K400), but we can only rent on a month to month basis.

The place is for sale for K12,000 and many here are advising
that we should purchase it.

It would provide us a permanent

roof over our heads and a base of operation for the future,
but something better must be available without buying.

KIDS IN SCHOOL -- "The girls are in school. Wendy and Susan

have been admitted

to

the British school

at Hillview, but they would not accept Rhonda. (Rhonda has

been a year behind due to learning disability problems).

They told us to ship her off to the States where she could

get remedial help, or at least to put her in a boarding

school. I have finally been able to place her in a Convent,
where although she is placed a class ahead of where she was

in the States, the teacher has been trained to handle prob

lems of this type.

We also had to agree to take her to a

tutor twice a week. Her teacher says that in reading, social

studies, english, etc., she is doing well; but in subjects

relating to motor nerve functions she is way back of her
class. There hasn't been much progress in her ability to
write, or even print well, and her math shows hardly any im
provement.
ALSO CAR -- "Chris and I saw a lot of high priced junk as we
searched for

car for Cindi.

With me in the

bush she will need transportation, especially being 6 miles

from town.
I iuight..-^9^3->VW-'bug', a 1200 cc engine with
38,262 original miles.
WeTodk'"it to a garage and had it
' cnecKeo and'The body, suspension, engine, etc. is very good.
It will need tires and later exhaust work,but it was a good

We thought we had the rest of this year and one

more for her to get caught up, but now her teacher is being
transferred in September and she must be ready to enter the

British system by then.

At this rate she won't be ready and

the alternatives are not pleasant to

please make this a matter of prayer.

dwell upon.

Please,

.bit^-.f(^..J<2,000,, I bought it from a private party and saved

about"K6D'0^ Chris has agreed to do the work on our vehicles.

FINE WITH GREG "As you know,

He is good

Bro. Gregory and his attitude towards be

ing paid for his services. He was promised education in the

and

the job will be done right, since he over

hauled 17 VW's while he was in Zambia.

I have been concerned about

U.S., a salary, vehicle and many other things by some of our

missionaries who did the pioneer survey work of the country

and now he expects a promise made by one missionary to be
carried out by another. No one can deny the evidence of his
influence and labors; however,as a mission we have no desire

o-establish a ministry of nationals paid wltL_U.S. do'Ilars..

We feel the people of Malawi should support their own work

-T' -

ers and ministry.

As agreed before our return, we are com

pensating Gregory for his time away from his fields with
K30.00 a month, a sum equal to the average monthly income
in the country for blacks in the bush. The problem appears
to be solved at times;but it does reappear. Pray about this.
BOX 51163, LIHBE "All mail should be sent to this new box
number

and

addressed to the: Christian

Church Mission, Box 51163, Limbe, Malawi, Africa. (Do write

often, for you are a touch with home. They would appreciate
teaching cassettes of services, 8 track gospel music tapes,
American candy bars, kool-aid, etc.
If in doiibt about any

item, write first and determine the need.)

WORK PERMIT EXTENDED FOR TWO YEORS I

Jn a telegram dated March 11, Ron informed us that his work permit had been extended for an ad

ditional two years.

This means that he can continue his ministry of teaching, evangelizing,
starting new churches, training a leadership and printing materials for at least two more years.

Future issues will attempt to keep you up to date on the progress of the work, the needs on the
field, the health of the family, the birth of a new Elerick and many other events.

ADDRESS
CORRECTION
REQUESTED

FIELD ADDRESS:
M/M Ron Elerick

Christian Church Mission

Box 51163

Limbe. Malawi
Africa

FORWARDING ADDRESS:
Malawi Christian Mission

c/o Eastern Heights Christian Church

Route 2 - Box 88

Ponca City. Oklahoma 74601

B6X

/77

Nonprofit Org.
U.S. POSTAGE

PAID
Permit No. 32

Central

L nrWW

Africa

RON & CINDI

ELERICK

30 December 1977
Dear Co-Laborer's in Christ:

As we approach the New Year,

Cindi and. I have been re

flecting on the power satan has over the peonle we labour

with. In our work here, we have witnessed

fluence and power personally, Hflany thlns:s
witnessed, had only been read about in the
of this, we have become ever mindfull that

some of his in
that we have
Bible. In all

the real strufferle

in this life is NOT xvhat kind of car we have, or how will'

we make our payments, or do the folks at home think about us.

The real struggle is the stru^g^ie between the spiritual war

with the forces of satan and the Power of God.

As we see the Enemy comine^ in like a flood, hunf^jry as a

lion, deceiving^ as an an^el of li.^ht, our cry should echo

those of the prophet's: "Pevive thy works in the midst of

the years!"

As we view the spiritual conditions around us

loss of

concern for lost souls, loss of the desire to pray, loss of

the desire in service and worship, the loss of joy in a world
filled with care, loss of fai+-h in a world of unbelief

we

see need for a personal spiritual renewal.

As we all can view in some chnrcbes the loss of dedicated

workers, loss of sp"!.ritual atmosphere, lukewarmnesscan't

our cry be, Lord Revive Us Ao-ain?

In our world full of vi

olence, druff abuse, sex and thins:s of the world, we feel our
greatest need in 1978 is not buildlne!: programs, as important
as they are; not programming, as important as it is; not
faith promise rallies, as important as they are; not snecial
<iays, youth activities as constuctive as they are; BUT our
greatest need in the Church today is spiritual renewal as
both individuals and as a Church. It seems to us that all
other things lose their significance if our own lives and our

Churches are not filled wth the joy of salvation, the beauty

and power of the Holy Spirit, and the glorious power of Jesus
Christ through His shed Blood,
In 1978, spiritual power is
a must, if there is to be victory in the Kingdom.
Because Jesus Cares

'V
CHRISTIAN CHURCH MISSION, P. O. BOX 8fl63, UMBE

C)

^J2^ 0^cd-L..^~^A^

/
50 December 1977

Dear Friends In Christ:

We rejoice in the re-birth of ei^iht souls. Eight

adults came forward and confessed their belief in Jesus

?.
buriedmeetings
with Himinnear
the areas
village ofJ-t
Kalinde.
Cindi and I have held
two new
letter to you. Besides meetings at Kalinde
M 1
services
in church
a village
locatedaccomwest
01 JViulanoe,
Gregory andfirst
two men
from the
at Thunga
panied us. We met for worship under a wild fig tree in the middle

of the village. The local chief had traveled over sixty miles to

asK Gregory if we would come and preach there. As we began the

service, rains came and forced us to seek shelter under the rude

grass shelter of a carpenters shop. While oreaching here, someone

Dumped against a s\ipporting pole, and the roof creaked and cracked

and drooped a few inches.

Quite a frieghtl

Later this day, we were waiting at a hut for a time of fellowship

with some of the people of this village, others began to gather out
01 curiosity, so again we preached the Good News. Once again, the
rains came and everyone crowded under the eaves of the mud house.

Haying no other shelter, Gregory and I continued preaching in the

were soaked to the skin, but happy having been able to
Share the Gospel with many new people.

ihe booklet mentioned in our last letter has now been translated
and will be ready now for when oiir classes resume after the rains.

Our language studies continue., and we are both progressing. Yester

day, Mr, Kaunjika told me in chlchewa that he knev/ nothing about
Jesus and to tell him all I could in Cbichewa, It was very frustra
ting, but I could relate a little. Today when he comes at 2 p.m.
tell him a Bible story in chichewa. I have been thinking
of Yesu anallra.

Jesus wept, but I think he wants more than that!

Sharon Officer met Cindi in the hosoital while having their new
babies. We began to visit with Sharon and her husband Colin, and
shared onx testimonies \ith them. This led to an opening to share
some tracts and books, and a Bible, Tuesday night, vSharon con
fessed her faith in Jesus, and was baptized". We ask that you all
pray for Colin, He is very skeptical about bis need to accept Christ,
feeling that God will not condemn a person who is "good". He
feels that living a "good" life will be salvation in itself. We
want all of you to pray for Colin that he will accept Christ and
that this family can be united in Christ.

The Officer's have three

children.

The first two weeks of this month, X was down very sick with some
thing that felt like a cross between the flu and malaria. Wasn't

malaria according to the blood tests. Seems to be o.k, now, but

do ask for your continued prayer's for all our health.

We want io take this time to thank everyone for their letters,

cards and gifts that made this Christmas season a very nice one for
the Elerick family. We do appreciate so very much everything done
for us by God's" peonle at home. Of course, we are all very home

sick and miss everyone there. It is very hard at times being totally
separated from both our earthly and our spiritual families whom we
love so much,

Cindi^and I pray that the Holy Spirit will lead all of us in a

new desire to share our witness with all peoole, and that we will
all come to the knowledge that reaching the lost whether here in

Africa, or there at home, begins with each one of us as individuals.

May God richly bless you all- We love and miss you.
Because Jesus Cares

cuL<y->^