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Chris & Theresa Broom

When I was eight years old I contracted Guillain-Barré Syndrome. I was paralyzed from the eyebrows down, on a breathing machine and fed through a tube. After recovering to the point of being self sufficient I spent a year in a wheelchair. Thirty-four years later, I have to wear braces on my legs, have a damaged windpipe, and damaged vocal cords. To walk up just a few flights of stairs leaves me out of breath. On March 8, 2009 I started the 30 flights for 50 days challenge. Every day I will prayer climb 30 flights of stairs for a total of 50 days; that’s 1500 flights total. I am doing this to raise the funds needed to support missionaries that are devoted to the needs of our sister church in India, as well as Chicago’s Spanish and Teen / Campus Ministries.

1. Why do we need “Missionaries in India?”

Shirly, Malar and Debbie rejoice during the baptism of Catherine (second from left)!

• From 1953 to 2006 crime is up 212%, including murders (up 231%), riots, burglary, kidnappings (up 356%), trafficking, illegal drugs (source: National Crime Record Bureau)
• Corruption is widespread in India. It is prevalent within every section and every level of the society.
• Corruption has taken the role of a pervasive aspect of Indian politics. In India, corruption takes the form of bribes, evasion of tax and exchange controls, embezzlement, etc. (source: People’s Union for Civil Liberties and central vigilance commission of India.
• 1,151,175,100 opportunities to share the gospel (sourced: UNICEF)
• We currently support Raja and Debbie Rajan who live and lead our sister church in Chennai, India. This contribution will guarantee their support and therefore leadership for these ministries for the next year!

2. Why do we need to support staff for a “Spanish Ministry“ in Chicago?

Esperanza Flores Gets Baptized

• “From 1990 to 2000, the Chicago metropolitan statistical areas (MSA) Hispanic population grew by 600,000, or 68.7%. This population segment is young and relatively low-income” (sourced: Bnet/ Chicago Fed Letter)
• This ministry has grown from 3 to 20 disciples over the past year. There is a great need for devoted trained staff that speaks Spanish. We currently support Juan Carlos Garcia part time. He has to work four days a week at another job in order to support his family, but because of this contribution, he will be assured support for the rest of the year and therefore, he will be able to devote three full days a week to the needs of the Spanish ministry.

3. Why do we need to support staff for a “Teen / Campus Ministry” in Chicago?

Willie Hill (right center) gets baptized!

• 4 in 10 girls will experience at least one pregnancy before reaching age 20.
• FACT: 48% of teen girls think it might be possible they’ll become pregnant in the next five years. (sourced: Seventeen/Candie’s Foundation survey, (February 2008 issue))
• 1 in 10 teens suffer abuse in romantic relationships, and many think it’s often justified (Chicago Tribune Feb 2009)
• About 20 percent of teens will experience teen depression before they reach adulthood. 30 percent of teens with depression also develop a substance abuse problem. (sourced Mental Health: A Report of the Surgeon General, “Depression and Suicide in children and adolescents”)
• More than 60 percent of teens said that drugs were sold, used, or kept at their school. 20 percent of 8th graders report that they have tried marijuana. (sourced: teendrugabuse.us (online)
• Teen suicide was the 3rd leading cause of death among young adults and adolescents 15 to 24 years of age, following unintentional injuries and homicide. (FamilyFirstAid.org (online)
• We currently support Joel and Brittany Parlour part time. They are both college students and are devoted to being a great example in their lives and academics. This contribution will assure that they will be supported through the end of the year and therefore, they will be able to devote all their “out of school” time to the needs of this ministry rather than having to devote that time and energy to a part time job.

On April 26th, we will collect our 2009 World Missions Contribution! Thank you so much for your donation. I am confident that it will help many miracles come true.

Sincerely, Chris Broom: Lead Evangelist, Chicago International Christian Church

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