OBC Missions Conference

The Mann family just finished up a great conference in Odenton, Maryland this week. We were kept very busy but enjoyed our time with the church staff, members and fellow missionaries.

The theme of this conference came from Psalm 147:3 "He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds." At first glance, this seemed like an odd verse for a missions conference, but as the week progressed, the skits and the messages preached really brought together how relevant this is to missions.

The skits each night drew very real pictures of what the church should not do. Monday night, a patient sat before a doctor who casually told him he needed heart surgery and gave him a pamphlet sending him on his way. What the doctor did not tell the patient was that he needed heart surgery IMMEDIATELY or he would die. This illustrated the urgency of getting the gospel out. Tuesday night, the same patient was awaiting surgery while a crew of doctors and nurses who should have been attending him stood around arguing about their own personal problems amongst themselves. This is so true in that Christians often become so wrapped up in their own lives that they forget there is a lost and dying world out there. The skit that concluded services on Wednesday was about the same man yet still awaiting heart surgery. The doctor proceeded to attempt to make this man look good on the outside by giving him a makeover and throwing a suit coat on him. The doctor was trying to fix the outer man when all he really needed was a new heart... Very well said.

Sunday, our family got to visit all the childrens classes and share Hungary with them from the toddlers to the teenagers. 

Monday, we found ourselves exploring the Udvar-Hazy Center in DC and saw a good assortment of planes. It was neat to find out this particular center was named after a Hungarian immigrant!

Tuesday was a lunch with the ladies while the men and boys went out on an outing of their own. Mrs Wilhite, missonary to Japan, brought a lesson on fear and shared her own testimony with how she got through her own fears. She certainly was a blessing to the ladies!

Wednesday was the last day of the conference. We had the opportunity to explore Fort McHenry. It was neat to get to see this part of history surrounding the inspiration for the writing of the "Star Spangled Banner".

We praise the Lord for the great week we had and the new friendships we've made, but more importantly, we praise Him for being the answer to healing the broken in heart.