Last month we also received some very sad news. Our good friend and former mission colleague, Kent Burchyett, passed away from complications of COVID-19. Kent served with us in Wales for three years in the early 2000s. His love of the Welsh people and their language was well-known, and he never lost his ability to speak Welsh fluently. While serving in pastoral ministry in the USA, he continued to pursue his love and calling for world missions through his involvement in mission projects in Wales, China, Czech Republic, and other areas.
We continue to think about and pray for his wife, parents, brothers, numerous family members and good friends from around the world. We have thought of a way to honour Kent’s testimony and life by helping to do something he believed in, namely to see the Gospel spreading around the world.
Over the past few years and especially these past few months during COVID lockdown, we have continued long-distance discussions with potential ministry partners in Northern and Eastern Europe about how we can help pastors/missionaries from indigenous languages people groups or those who want to be missionaries among these people groups. Often these Christian workers do not have the opportunity for missionary training and theological education where they live and serve. Furthermore, in some countries where it is more difficult for Evangelical Christians to function and minister, often governments require certification from an accredited theological institution in order for indigenous pastors and missionaries to continue in their important work among minority people groups that would not otherwise have access to a Gospel witness in their languages.
To this end, we decided to establish a fund to which individuals, Churches, groups, organisations, institutions and others could donate and from which we would work with local partners to enable indigenous pastors and missionaries serving among these minority language groups to pursue their theological education and missionary training through scholarships to help cover these costs and in a context andarea that is easier for them to access, both in terms of geography and language.
We had just decided to establish such a fund when we heard the sad news about Kent Burchyett’s passing. Given Kent’s dedication to missions, especially heart-language missions among linguistic minorities, as well as his love of theological education, it seemed that a perfect way for us to honour Kent’s testimony and passion would be to name this fund after him.
If you or your Church/group would like to know more about how to give to the Kent Burchyett Missions Scholarship Fund, please, contact us at [email protected]. We’ll be saying more about this opportunity for giving in the weeks and months ahead.