OMS Outreach May-August 2014 | Page 16

Japan The Clearing of the Assets Ceremony on February 4, 2014, was a historical day for OMS. The original name of the Mission, The Oriental Missionary Society, which was the name of OMS in Japan up until now, changed to the OMS Christian Mission Church. Land was transferred to both the OMS Christian Mission Church and the Japan Holiness Church. The seminary and its property were given to the Japan Holiness Church in fulfillment of our founders’ (Cowman and Kilbourne) vision that the Japanese nationals must win their own people to Christ. Taiwan Cote d’Ivoire In January, a 60-year-old blind woman miraculously received her sight in one of our village church planting churches after a trainer prayed for her. As a result of this miracle, the attendance increased from 28 to 52 the next Sunday, and all of the churches in the area are experiencing growth. Ecuador After a short-term OMS medical team ministered to the isolated community of Tutupali, Ecuador, two young adults left their home to begin studies at the Evangelical Biblical Seminary of Cuenca. Angel and Amelia, brother and sister, are finishing their first year of preparation for God’s work. On November 8, 2013, a typhoon of historic proportion hit the Filipino island of Leyte, causing major damage to the area around Tacloban. In early December, Ryan Jacobi and Sharon Hearn, OMS missionaries and counselors based in Taiwan, went to the disaster area to help with relief efforts. In addition to helping survivors process their trauma, Ryan and Sharon also helped with feeding people, bringing hope, and sharing God’s love. Australia Uganda The ongoing military conflict in southern Sudan has left many people homeless. As a result, thousands of Sudanese are fleeing to neighboring countries. A majority go to Uganda, where the United Nations High Commissioner for the Refugees (UNHCR) has established camps for these refugees in the district of Adjumani. Our village church planters have started fellowship groups in the camps, and they have been provided with temporary structu ɕ́