21.11.06
Spain Church Unites with The Wesleyan Church
News, Spain
With nearly 100 people attending, a congregation was received into The Wesleyan Church in Elche, Spain, on Sunday, November 12. The pastor, Daniel Ortega from Argentina, began the congregation about five years ago. Rev. Juan Morillo of Colombia, serving as the Executive Director of JIBACAM, and Dr. Luis Azofeifa of Costa Rica, serving as President of JIBACAM, along with Rick West, Area Director for Latin America, all participated in a special ceremony officially receiving the first Wesleyan congregation of Spain to The Wesleyan Church. The congregation in the city of Elche started a daughter church five weeks ago in a nearby city, and Sunday night a second daughter church was begun in the city of Alicante.
Over four years ago, two pastors in Argentina began a fraternal relationship with Global Partners-Latin America through a ministerial relationship of The Wesleyan Church in Chile, South America. Recently, Pastors Ivan Shilling and Daniel Soaire and the 15 congregations they represent were awarded 
On October 25, 2006 at 1:00 pm, the president of the Dominican Republic and the President of the United States met in the Oval Office of the White House. The purpose of this meeting was to put finishing touches on a commercial agreement between the two countries. On October 17, 2006, at the Hotel Awuarius in the city of Bonao at 9:00 pm, Rev. Douglas Morley presented leaders of The Wesleyan Church of the Dominican Republic with a document establishing a partnership with the Chesapeake District of The Wesleyan Church of North America for the purpose of strengthening and establishing The Wesleyan Church of the Dominican Republic and helping to consolidate the Hispanic Church of the Chesapeake District.
The first “Inside Out Film Workshop” held in Auckland, New Zealand, in October 2006 was a huge success. Twelve youth worked for six days with a group of four instructors, six mentors/leaders and seven support people. A crew of volunteers put together a Film Festival to cap off the week. The teens told their personal stories in groups, selected one story to film, wrote the script, chose actors, shot and edited the films. Over 150 people gathered for the closing Film Festival where the films were shown and judged. Films covered topics such as alcoholism in the home, the fine line between discipline and abuse, and the “invisible” feeling of a child whose parents fight and separate. The at-risk youth involved came away with closer ties to The Wesleyan Church who sponsored the event as well as to each other. Follow-up plans include meeting with each youth to give specific feedback on observed strengths and gifting as well as to map out next steps for the Inside Out program.