W&D Magazine Spring 2018

Spring 2019

INSIDE Disaster Relief Indonesia and India Response

Dominican Republic

The Luke Society Hospital

Guatemala An Encouraging Trip

Malawi

New Training Opportunities

Indonesia A New Experience

25

cELEBRATING

YEARS

T h e O f f i c i a l P u b l i c at i o n o f W o r d & D e e d - A n I n t e r n at i o n a l R e f o r m e d R e l i e f M i n i s t r y

>foreword

By Dave Vander Meer

Remembering and Celebrating God’s Faithfulness Celebrating milestones in our lives is an important exercise.

It helps us to reflect on what God has done for us, our families, our churches and our workplaces. God reminds us in His Word that we should recall the blessings of the past: “Remember the former things of old, for I am God, and there is no other” (Isaiah 46:9a). It is in remembering these things that we can say, “The Lord has done great things for us, and we are glad” (Psalm 126:3).

The Lord has placed many types of remembrances before His people. The Lord says in Genesis 9 that the rainbow will always be a reminder to Him and a sign to us that He will never again destroy the world with a flood. Another example of something that was to be seen as a tool of remembrance was the Passover. It was a time of reflection on the deliverance and protection that the Israelites received from the Lord (Deuteronomy 16). The 12 memorial stones in the Jordan River were also memorials of God’s faithfulness to the people of Israel (Joshua 4:7b). As New Testament covenant people, the Lord’s Supper is one of our most important spiritual acts of remembrance. Jesus said of this sacrament, “…do this in remembrance of Me” (Luke 22:19b). These remembrances are meant to result in the Lord’s people exalting Him as the Great Provider.

It is of great value to note that the act of remembering is often done collectively, as a group of people. In his Meditation, Pastor Veldman presents an important emphasis on a corporate element of the Lord’s Prayer. This emphasis helps keep the focus of our prayers primarily off of ourselves and keeps us focused on remembering the needs of our brothers and sisters around the world.

02

Word&Deed I

Spring 2019

The articles throughout this issue of the Word & Deed magazine also give us many reasons to celebrate and to remember the Lord’s goodness. We rejoice in the completion of the additions to the Señorita Helena Hospital in Cubulco and to La Palabra Christian School in Guatemala. We also see the Lord’s goodness in the new provisions for the hospital in the Dominican Republic, and in the training of Christian leaders in Malawi. Most important, we celebrate the hope that all our partners bring to their beneficiaries as they incorporate the message of salvation into their daily work. These are just a few remembrances of the Lord’s goodness that we want to bring before you as we reflect on the great things that the Lord has done for our partners.

Word & Deed would also like to invite you to share in our celebration of God’s faithfulness to us as an organization. We were officially incorporated as an organization 25 years ago, on April 1, 1994, in Canada.

As we look back over the years, we are humbled by the opportunity that we have had to provide aid along with the Gospel message to thousands of people worldwide.

As we celebrate this milestone, we also look forward to the future with anticipation, eager to see where the Lord will lead us. This celebration is a corporate one, for this organization exists primarily because of the blessings of the Lord that He has brought through you, our supporters. Please continue to pray for us as we seek to be faithful to the Gospel while meeting the needs of many in the developing world. W&D Dave Vander Meer works for Word & Deed Ministries in the Public Relations and Projects Departments. He lives in Hudsonville, Michigan, with his family.

WORD&DEED

meditation

Official Publication of Word & Deed An International Reformed Relief and Development Agency Free for sponsors and friends

Spring 2019

By Pastor Jeremy Veldman

>

Editor Rick Postma Assistant Editor Scott Koopman

Graphic Design Knor Graphic Design Solutions Copy Editors Shelly Crites Hanna Korvemaker Kara Luiting Susan Trentacosti

In response to Jesus’ command to love others, Word & Deed is an international, evangelical relief and development ministry that provides funding to meet spiritual and physical needs among people in developing countries. With cooperating offices in St. Thomas, Ontario, and Hudsonville, Michigan, Word & Deed partners with Christian agencies in Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Myanmar, Haiti, India, Indonesia, Nicaragua, Malawi, and South Africa.

Canada Office PO Box 20100 St. Thomas, ON N5P 4H4 Toll free 877.375.9673 office@wordanddeed.org

Director of Projects John Otten Director of Public Relations Rick Postma Office Administrator Scott Koopman Support Staff Scott Dekorte John Kottelenberg Kara Luiting Board of Directors President – Harold Leyenhorst Vice President – John Vangameren Secretary – Dave Wielinga Treasurer – Henry de Waal Dr. Arjan de Visser Rev. C. Heiberg John Jagersma Bert Mulder Dick Naves Lyle Ypma Advisory Committee Mr. Jim Beeke – International Educational Consultant Dr. Gerald M. Bilkes – Professor of Old & New Testament, Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary

Rev. Richard Bout –

URCNA Missions Coordinator

Rev. Danny Hyde – Pastor, Oceanside United Reformed Church

Rev. Mark Vander Hart –

Associate Professor of Old Testament Studies, Mid-America Reformed Seminary Rev. Frank Van Dalen – Former Executive Director of the Foreign Missions Board of the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church

United States Office PO Box 157, Hudsonville, MI 49426 Toll free 866.391.5728 usoffice@wordanddeed.org

Office Administrator Heidi Pronk Public Relations Dave Vander Meer Board of Directors President – Pete Vander Stel Vice President – Paul Laman Secretary – Harry Kooistra Treasurer – Karen Vander Sloot Eric Brandt Peter Van Kempen Jay Van Voorst Registered Charity Number (Canada) 89 120 0941 RR0001 EIN Non-profit Number (USA) 37-1429283 Bible quotations are from the NKJV unless otherwise noted.

Give Us This Day

Our Daily Bread The Lord’s Prayer is a kingdom prayer that directs our eyes away from ourselves to focus on the broader reality of God’s kingdom in this world. The kingdom nature of this prayer is expressed in the plural pronouns of the fourth petition: “give us this day our daily bread.” This plural gives this petition a corporate dimension. It’s not “give me this day my daily bread,” but “give us this day our daily bread.” The “us” and “our” are significant. They keep us socially aware and kingdom conscious.

The Dutch theologian Herman Witsius helps to clarify and apply this: “As the word our is plural, it denotes a fellowship of love, by which every believer prays not only for himself, but for all the members of his family, for other believers who are his bretheren, and for all men without exception, that they may enjoy the necessaries of life.”

As we pray this petition, we see ourselves as part of the broader Christian family and the world at large. We are praying for God to not only meet the needs of our own family and church community but to meet the needs of the needy around the world. We live in a needy world. The basic necessities of life are a struggle for many on our globe. There is hunger, starvation, and victimization. There is a lack of nutrition, education, and medical care. There is homelessness and the plight of refugees. And it’s not that there’s a lack of food, nutrition, shelter, and medical care in our world. Tragically, because of injustice, corruption, and many other political and social problems, the needy in our world do not receive what they need.

In our land of affluence and culture of consumption, it is easy to forget about the hungry and the destitute in our world and in our neighborhoods. Our purpose here is not to make us feel guilty for the things we have received from God. We don’t have to apologize for what He gives us, but we must be thankful for and ready to share what He gives us. As followers of Jesus, there is a unique invitation to be good stewards for the sake of generosity. We are blessed to be a blessing.

If we have an abundance of resources, we have a unique responsibility and a great privilege to give. James 2:15–16 states: “If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,’ but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit?”

Our Father in heaven longs for us to share what we have, and we are given the privilege to see that what we share is multiplied for the work of His kingdom.

This is why we are grateful for the ministry of Word & Deed: they provide us with a means and a medium by which we may live out this corporate dimension of the Lord’s Prayer.

They help us to give, and the gift is in the giving. As Jesus said: “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35). W&D Pastor Jeremy Veldman ministers to the Bethel United Reformed Church in Aylmer, Ontario.

Spring 2019 I Word&Deed

03

THIS PAGE WAS INTENTIONALLY OMITTED

04

Word&Deed I

Spring 2019

DOMiNiCaN RePUBliC <

By Dr. Silvia Martinez

The

Luke Society Hospital

Dr. Silvia with a mother and children.

I am privileged to be involved in the Luke Society Hospital in the Dominican Republic. There are many new and exciting things happening at the hospital. We recently received a new generator, developed a cancer detection program, and have hired a new chaplain. God is doing wonderful things here.

Thanks to the generator that Word & Deed helped provide, we are now able to operate without having to rely on the city’s electrical power that is only available for a couple of hours each day. This has helped in many ways. One of the most noticeable benefits is that the laboratory at the clinic is now able to service more patients.

We also have a new cancer detection program. In this program, we have been able to detect cancer in some of our patients and guide them to receive the needed treatment. One of our most recent patients is Teresa Aquino, a young mother of four children. We were able to detect a cancerous tumor, and she was able to get the surgery she needed before the cancer spread. She is doing well now, and we thank the Lord for that.

At the hospital, we also focus on reaching out into the community. Every month we conduct medical brigades and do quick checkups on 250–300 patients in one day. Our specialists, including a gynecologist and a cardiologist, are also available to see patients on these days. Home visits are also provided by our doctors and nurses for those who, because of their medical condition, are not able to leave their homes.

In 2018 we had the opportunity to hire a full-time chaplain with the assistance of Word & Deed. Every day we have people visiting our hospital just so that we can pray for

them or for their families. People come just looking for someone to hear them and to help them find hope in their situations. In those moments we talk to them about the hope found in Jesus Christ. These opportunities are something that has been on our hearts and that we’ve prayed about, to be able to not only bring physical health but to also talk to the people about the Gospel of salvation.

That is something you don’t see in other hospitals, but that is what it is all about.

We are so thankful that we can show people the love of God through our work as we care for them physically, emotionally, and spiritually. W&D Dr. Silvia Martinez is the Executive Director of Sociedad Lucas in the Dominican Republic.

The Luke Society Hospital This hospital has two floors that contain a pharmacy, lab center, emergency services, and semi-private rooms. It also includes rooms for ultrasounds, examinations, dentistry, operations, and labor and delivery. The purpose of the hospital is to provide holistic care, which focuses on the spiritual, physical, and emotional needs of the patient. It serves an area of over 100,000 people in five communities.

Budget for 2019: $81,000 CAD / $60,000 USD

Spring 2019 I Word&Deed

05

>GUaTeMala

By Carla Neels

An

Encouraging Trip

In October 2018, my husband and I had the privilege of joining a few fellow Business Group members and three Word & Deed staff members on a trip to Guatemala to tour the various projects that they are involved in. We spent five days with AMG Guatemala staff members Tasos Ioannidis, Brian Dennett, and Nico Kattenberg visiting the various joint projects. What a huge benefit it is for Word & Deed to be able to partner with AMG. They work closely with children who face overwhelming challenges in both the urban slums and desperate rural communities. To have like-minded mission organizations put their resources together and work alongside each other to alleviate some of these challenges is a real blessing to all involved.

Participating in the grand opening of La Palabra Christian School expansion and dedication ceremonies for an addition to Señorita Helena Hospital in Cubulco was both humbling and fulfilling for us. To see the completion of these projects that we’ve been hearing about for years and to hear the testimonies of the locals as to the value these projects add to their lives was such a privilege. Investing in the spiritual and physical health of these families and their communities and witnessing the extension of God’s kingdom is a real blessing to experience.

A few of us were fortunate enough to meet our Word & Deed sponsor children at La Palabra Christian School. Hearing these young ones discuss their future career choices and realizing that without the funds received through the sponsorship program these children wouldn’t have a chance in this community was both convicting and convincing.

After the official opening of the hospital addition in Cubulco, four of us scrubbed up and toured the surgical ward (which would be operational starting the following day). One

06

Word&Deed I

Spring 2019

Ribbon cutting at La Palabra.

member of the team even had a small dental procedure done on a cracked tooth which was causing pain! The medical team was so thankful for the ultrasound machine and all of the other equipment and medications made available to them through generous donors. The staff was looking forward to not only helping with the physical needs of the patients they would serve but also being able to spread the Gospel.

In addition to touring the now-completed projects, we had the pleasure of walking the grounds of Camp Canaan.

Initially we were a bit disappointed when we heard that the group of children had just left, but we quickly realized what a blessing in disguise that was. We were able to have uninterrupted time to converse with the couple who runs the camp and to hear their testimony and stories. They pour their hearts and souls into these children and make such an incredible impact on their lives. While talking to the staff members, many had tears of gratitude to God for this camp.

All expressed their willingness to serve in their respective

An ultrasound machine at the hospital.

New Second Story at La Palabra.

Curtis at the school project.

positions because of the drastic impact of this camp, both for them personally and for those around them over the years.

As I heard the stories of transformation, it brought to mind the portion of Scripture that says, “that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” This week-long camp allows for a respite from the often dysfunctional and abusive situations these sponsor children live in. The Christian staff members both educate and point them to seek Christ, giving them hope and teaching them valuable skill sets to help further them in life.

Not only were the projects and work being done interesting,

but the time spent with like-minded individuals and the discussions which ensued were so beneficial to us all. We definitely felt a bond with all the team members and it was a real pleasure spending this week together. Nico’s contribution, along with a team of local Christian Mayans, toward a translation of the Bible into a local dialect of Mayan Achi is also worth noting and praying for. Our ultimate prayer is that the Gospel may be spread and souls will be turned to Christ. W&D Carla and Nathan Neels are members of the Bethel Netherlands Reformed Congregation in Chilliwack, BC.

AMG International AMG stands for “Advancing Ministries of the Gospel.” Their goal is to “meet people at their point of need, whether it be hunger, sickness, or hopelessness, and to show them Jesus is the only answer to the problems of this life and the only hope for eternal life.” Word & Deed first partnered with AMG International in 1994 by supporting John Otten as Director of the Señorita Helena Hospital in Cubulco. This partnership has grown to include collaboration on several projects today: hospital operations, a recent renovation/addition and hospital equipment, sponsorship through La Palabra Christian School, a Christian radio program, an after-school program in Cubulco, and, most recently, the Yalu AfterSchool Program and Camp Canaan. May God continue to bless the work of AMG International and our partnership with them!

Spring 2019 I Word&Deed

07

>MalaWi

By Macfaiden Chipeta

New Training Opportunities A recent development with Logos Ministries has been the formation of a partnership with a group of men in the southern region of Malawi led by Pastor Joster Jumbe, who also serves as a regional coordinator for MINTS. As such, he is well-acquainted with the theological training needs in the area and has started offering Logos lay training material to various groups while continuing to use the MINTS material for higher-level learners.

The southern region Logos activities began in April 2018.

We started with the Lower Shire, along the border of Mozambique, in the Associate Presbyterian Church of Malawi (APCM). Second, we have a few interdenominational centers in the Shire Highlands.

Participation in the Lower Shire APCM churches has been very encouraging, particularly since some of the centers are very remote. One center requires crossing a river in small boats followed by travel over very bad roads. Church leaders are being instructed on the Heidelberg and Westminster Shorter Catechisms and are taking a course on basic leadership principles. We have also started training them in singing

Logos Ministries: Pastoral Training and Education Word & Deed partners with Logos Ministries to provide pastors, elders, and leaders with the practical and doctrinal tools they need to better serve their congregations (which often number in the thousands). They offer training seminars to church leaders to equip men in the CCAP and APCM denominations to lead and instruct their flocks. What an amazing opportunity to impact these churches!

Budget for 2019: $270,000 CAD / $200,000 USD

08

Word&Deed I

Spring 2019

hymns and Psalms as is the tradition of Reformed churches.

The leadership training in the APCM is available only to men.

The second southern area that we have been visiting is the Shire Highlands. In contrast to the Lower Shire training, the centers in the Shire Highlands are not tied to a specific denomination and both men and women are allowed to participate in training. This is because we started them as a means of sharing the Gospel with students of all religions through courses in evangelism and apologetics, but the leaders later requested leadership training as well.

We teach them that though women do not hold offices in the church, it is a blessing for them to have good knowledge of the Bible. Three of the women at one center are village chiefs; they said that what they are learning is helping them a lot in leading their villages.

This training has attracted many leaders from different religions, and we have seen much openness to the teachings of Scripture. For example, Mr. Wajomba, the Chairman of African Traditional Religion in Zomba district, expressed his gratitude for such programs. He said that without Logos he could not know that Jesus is the Savior. He said that in the past, he believed all religions could lead to salvation. He asked for the continuation of this program in his area. We also have two Muslim imams who are undergoing training.

They thanked Logos for the training that has helped them correct some misconceptions that are prevalent in their religion about Jesus Christ. We hope with the help of the Lord that these people will come to faith in Christ. W&D Macfaiden Chipeta is the Administrator for Logos Ministries in Lilongwe, Malawi.

Save the Date!

The Lord willing...

Bike·a·thon

Details and Registration: wordanddeed .org

Saturday, May 25, 2019

Two locations this year!

Niagara, ON, and Fraser Valley, BC

400th Anniversary Canons of Dort

Celebration Speaker Evening

If you’d like to host a bike-a-thon in your area please contact us at office@wordanddeed.org.

Help us spread across North America!

Join us at the 4th Annual

COLOUR RUN Saturday, May 4th Gage Park, Hamilton

Help make a difference in the lives of Adoration students in Haiti by participating in our 4th annual 5K Adoration Colour Run!

Register today at adorationcolourrun.net

speaker: Dr. Venema Date: April 11 at 7:00 p.m.

Place: Bethany United Reformed Church Wyoming, MIchigan

In association with:

“A freewill offering will be taken to print Reformed Literature through Word & Deed.”

Spring 2019 I Word&Deed

09

THIS PAGE WAS INTENTIONALLY OMITTED

10

Word&Deed I

Spring 2019

THIS PAGE WAS INTENTIONALLY OMITTED

Spring 2019 I Word&Deed

11

>EDUCaTiON

By Rick Postma

Missions

and

Finance

Money. Ask anyone involved in missions work to list some of their greatest challenges and inevitably money will be in the top three if not the number one challenge of their ministry. To be fair, money is also a huge issue for us in the West and God’s Word highlights its potentially toxic influence in numerous passages. At the same time, money can be used wisely in providing for family needs as well as supporting those less-privileged than we Christians in the West in both Word and deed.

(“it is better to give than to receive”), mixed motives in leadership (the lure of a steady job rather than a real call to ministry), confused accountability (“I listen to the one who pays”), and a compromised witness.

A problem closely related to money is dependency. One of our main areas of emphasis in working with our partners in the developing world is “self-sufficiency under Christ.”

Questions we wrestle with include: How do we help partner churches and organizations plant churches, provide Christian education, medical services, theological training, and much more without developing long-term dependency?

There are several helpful questions that should be asked when contributing financially to a mission church: Is the funding doing for the local church what the church can do for itself? Is funding being directed to the church’s core functions? If some initial financial help is still justified, will it be decreased fairly quickly over time? Missionary Glenn Schwartz provides us with another important question, “Are entities being set up which cannot be supported by local funding setting up local leadership for failure?”

Implementing solutions which are costly and/or complex to run and maintain, by local standards, usually results in long-term dependency.

As I was putting together a presentation about this topic last year, I stumbled across a Master of Arts Thesis by Ken Stout at Reformed Theological Seminary (2008) with the title, “Fostering Sustainability & Minimizing Dependency in Mission Finances.” With a focus on finances and missions in the developing world, he argues that, “Dependency occurs when a local church requires funding or leadership from outside of its own members in order to carry out the core biblical responsibilities of a local church under normal conditions.” Core responsibilities include prayer, discipleship, pastoring and community life, evangelism, benevolence, and missions.

Ken Stout also defines biblical interdependency as a healthy give and take from different parts of the body of Christ. What can we in the West learn from our brothers and sisters in “the rest”? When I recently presented on this topic at a seminary, a missionary who attended spoke of how he had learned the true value of prayer as well as a much deeper understanding of living with poverty from his time in the mission field. For myself, I’ve learned many things but one that stands out is the boldness our brothers and sisters often show in sharing the Gospel with their neighbors. I’m humbled, challenged, and motivated by their example. I hope that you are too. W&D

What’s wrong with dependency? Dependency often leads to a lack of ownership, a loss of the blessing of giving

Rick Postma is the Director of Public Relations for Word & Deed Ministries.

12

Word&Deed I

Spring 2019

Prayer RequestS Dominican Republic: The Luke Society Hospital • Praise the Lord for the new generator at the hospital which means that services can stay open and working all day, and for the cancer detection program and how it helped Teresa.

• Pray that the work of the chaplain will be a blessing as he meets with families during their times of deepest need, and that these families will turn to the hope found in Jesus alone.

Guatemala: An Encouraging Trip • Praise the Lord for the new additions to La Palabra Christian School and to the Señorita Helena Hospital.

Pray that these buildings will be used to bring the good news to those who enter them.

• Pray for wisdom for our partner AMG Guatemala as they wrestle with the day-to-day needs and challenges of many people.

Malawi: New Training Opportunities • Pray that Pastor Jumbe’s work will flourish as he brings Logos theological training materials to groups throughout the country.

• Pray that the leaders of different religions will continue to see their true need of Jesus Christ and no longer be deceived by false teachings.

Word & Deed North America • Praise the Lord for His faithfulness as Word & Deed celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2019.

• Pray for safe travels and protection as the Word & Deed staff visit many distant lands and travel around North America.

Spring 2019 I Word&Deed

13

sponsorship Students needing sponsors

Charlita Gender: Female Birth: Nov. 6, 2007

Hadassa Gender: Female Birth: Oct. 21, 2014

Abigaelle Gender: Female Birth: Mar. 24, 2011

Davidson Gender: Male Birth: Sept. 1, 2010

Robensky Gender: Male Birth: Oct. 28, 2013

Ligmy Gender: Female Birth: Apr. 27, 2007

Sadrac Gender: Male Birth: Nov. 16, 2007

Juvens Gender: Male Birth: Nov. 5, 2005

14

Word&Deed I

Spring 2019

The Lord willing...

Upcoming Business Group

Meetings Would you like to support a student from Adoration?

For $35 USD / $38 CAD per month, you can! Contact Kara at office@wordanddeed.org or by calling 1.877.375.9673 to set up your sponsorship today.

Adoration Christian School has had the privilege of providing a Christian education to children in Haiti for 12 years (as of January 2019)! Every year the school teaches around 400 children, all of whom are sponsored

by Word & Deed donors.

Please visit www.wordanddeed.org

USA Tri-State (NW Iowa): April 4 Ripon, CA: April 29 Visalia, CA: April 30

Canada Abbotsford/Langley: April 25 Chilliwack: April 26 Southern Alberta: May 27 Calgary: May 28 Edmonton: May 29 Neerlandia: May 29 Central Alberta: May 30 *Please see our website for new events and for dates and locations as they are determined.

softball tournaments Lethbridge, AB

July 6

Grand Rapids, MI

August 3

Chilliwack, BC

September 7 Paris, ON

September 14 Spring 2019 I Word&Deed

15

Meditation: Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread 1. Go through the Lord’s Prayer and think about how it is corporate (group) and kingdom-focused. How do we fall short in our own personal prayers compared to the Lord’s Prayer? Discuss the ACTS (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication) of prayer, thinking about how our prayers need to reflect these parts.

2. Is it wrong to receive nice gifts or to have a nice house? Read Luke 12:16–21 and James 2:15–16. When does wealth become a problem? How should we view our earthly blessings?

Dominican Republic: The Luke Society Hospital 1. Why would a generator be important to a hospital? List the different ways you use electricity each day. What would you do if you only had power for a few hours a day?

2. Look up the website www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/understanding.

Click the “What Is Cancer?” tab. Discuss what the disease is and how it spreads. Click the “Cancer Statistics” tab. Look at the box halfway down the page labeled “The Burden of Cancer Worldwide.”

Why do you think a cancer detection program is so important? How can a program like this be used to minister to people?

Guatemala: An Encouraging Trip 1. What do you think it would be like to be a sponsor child of someone in another country? How thankful would you be for a Christian family to care for your educational needs from half a world away? What would it be like to meet them?

Malawi: New Training Opportunities 1. Look up African Traditional Religion at the website www. sahistory.org.za to familiarize yourself with it. Write a brief description of it in your own words. What is an imam?

2. How has the Logos training influenced people of other religions?

Education: Missions and Finance 1. How would you define dependency? Have you ever been or are you now dependent on anyone? Do you think you will always remain dependent on these people?

2. Can long-term dependency be wrong? Why or why not?

3. What do you think is the best method to move from dependency to “self-sufficiency under Christ”?

Integration: Integrate Bible, history, geography, critical thinking, current events, and reading comprehension (etc.).

Missions: Challenge students to consider short-term mission trips and the use of their time, talents, and money to the glory of God while also having them ponder their relationship with the Lord.

Problem Solving: Develop problem solving skills in response to problems presented in the articles.

Awareness: Dramatically raise students’ awareness of what people in the developing world face on a daily basis. It will shape them for life.

Compassion: Elicit compassion when students come face to face with the very difficult lives of their peers in the developing world.

Thankfulness: Encourage thankfulness for God’s blessings in their lives.