W&D Magazine Fall 2019 - 25th Anniversary

The Official Publication of Word & Deed An International Reformed Relief Ministry

Reflecting on 25 years of God’s faithfulness

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>foreword

rememberinG

By rick postma

Looking Back

By Pastor C. Pronk

What were you doing in 1994, the year Word & Deed started? I was working for Canadian Pacific Railway as a computer engineer in downtown Toronto, happily married with three children. That year, Nelson Mandela was elected as president of South Africa, President Bill Clinton was accused of sexual harassment, and close to a million Tutsi and moderate Hutus were slaughtered in Rwanda in a volcano of tribal hatred. On the ecclesiastical front, 62 churches met in November of that year to begin a process which led to the formation of the United Reformed Churches of North America in 1996.

That year, Word & Deed’s very first project was the funding of John Otten as director of the hospital in Cubulco, Guatemala, in partnership with AMG Guatemala. John and his wife, Connie, spent 17 years in Guatemala together with their children. Today, John is Word & Deed’s Project Director, working alongside our team of project managers and our 22 partners that represent 55 ongoing projects in 13 countries.

Several things attracted me to Word & Deed in 2005 when I joined. The first thing was that Word & Deed is and remains, intentionally, an interdenominational organization. The second thing was Word & Deed’s focus on concern for both body and soul as reflected in both her name and methodology. How many organizations have lost this focus over time? Finally, her focus on local indigenous leadership and ownership made

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25 Years

with Thankfulness a great deal of sense to me. It still does today.

A few weeks before I officially began work at Word & Deed, I was asked by Arthur and Sonja Miskin of the Heritage Reformed Churches to meet with them to hear about the Nakekela HIV/AIDS clinic in South Africa, then still in its infancy. What a thrill to hear about the work, the concern for the Gospel, and the impact on many precious lives! I wrote my first proposal for Word & Deed project support two weeks before I officially began work.

Today, as you can see, we have a total of eight staff, with two in the US and six in Canada.

Each one is uniquely gifted and does an outstanding job of contributing to Word & Deed. We are also very thankful for the committed board members we have, in both Canada and the US, who give generously of their time and wisdom as we all work closely together to bring hope into the lives of countless people.

As we look back with thankfulness on 25 years of ministry, we are amazed with what God has done through our sin-stained efforts and that of our partners in many parts of the world. We thank the Lord as well, dear supporters, for motivating your hearts to fund the work so generously and to pray for the Lord’s indispensable blessing on the work—

especially for the saving of precious souls.

Special thanks to our staff and Knor Graphics for their work in putting this special edition together. We hope that you enjoy it! “Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.”

1 Chron. 16:34 W&D Rick Postma is the Director of Public Relations for Word & Deed Ministries.

2019 Word & Deed staff.

Pastors M.A. van den Berg and Pronk signing papers.

of

Ministering

to our

This year we celebrate the 25th anniversary of Word & Deed Ministries. With thankfulness to the Lord we may report that the organization has been enabled to minister to the spiritual and material needs of our brothers and sisters living in developing countries around the world.

Word & Deed Canada was organized in 1994 as a branch of Woord en Daad, the Dutch parent organization.

Initially, its purpose was to serve as a fundraising arm in North America. But after some years the Canadian affiliate had grown large enough to become a separate organization, although it continued to work closely with its Dutch counterpart by way of joint venture projects.

The early board minutes show how

much “leg work” had to be done before Word & Deed Ministries Canada Inc. could be officially established. It began with Bernie Pennings and me who were asked to get things going: contacting prospective board members and supporters, seeking legal advice regarding corporation status, applying for a charitable number with the Canada Revenue Agency, etc. The founding board members were all Free Reformed but, following the example

>

Neighbors’ Needs of the Dutch parent organization, members of other Reformed denominations were invited early on to the board and administration so that at present there are members of the United Reformed Churches, Heritage Reformed Churches, and Canadian Reformed Churches serving in various functions of the organization, all working together for the same worthy cause.

At the first Annual Meeting of the fledgling organization, held in 1994, it was reported that the preparatory work that was started in the previous year had been difficult but was now completed. Among the blessings received was that over $44,000 CAD had been collected during the first year of operation for various projects and that the sponsorship of needy children was growing by the month. The report concluded with these words: “As we look back over 1994 we stop for a moment to ponder all that has been done. We realize that we could not have done this by ourselves, but that the Lord has provided all things. As we go into 1995 may we continue to look up for guidance and pray that the Lord will bless this work that has been started.”

It is now 25 years later and we can say with gratitude that God has indeed blessed the organization. Its objective has been and remains to help people in need, irrespective of race, color, and caste, in agreement with 2 Corinthians 8:14 and Galatians 6:10, and as our Lord Jesus Christ commands us at the conclusion of the parable of the Good Samaritan: “Go and do likewise” (Luke 10:37). Soli Deo Gloria! W&D Pastor C. Pronk is an emeritus pastor of the Free Reformed Churches. He also served for many years as a Word & Deed board member.

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By Missy Christie de Acosta

Love

And

Passion for the Cause of Christ

I still remember as if it were yesterday the first debriefing meeting held with Word & Deed representatives Bernie Pennings and Dave Wielinga in the living room of our small apartment. We were just getting to know Word & Deed, but by the end of that short visit it was clear that this connection had been orchestrated in heaven. The genuine Christian love and spirit of service that characterized these men deeply touched our hearts. That encounter marked the beginning of a partnership that has been fundamental to advancing our mission in Colombia. Working together with Word & Deed has represented hope and opportunity for thousands of children, men, women, and their families.

In 25 years, the adventures we’ve shared are many. The joy of rescuing little girls from abuse; the blessing of seeing sponsored children graduate from school, then college, and going on to establishing their own families as God-fearing men and women, passing on to their children the truth that has been sown in their hearts; and the satisfaction of seeing entrepreneurs, in places such as the La Boquilla slum in Cartagena, advance and put into good practice their Godgiven gifts and talents are just some of the abundant blessings experienced.

As I look back, it is impossible to forget how just a few years into our partnership, under death threats, Carlos, I, and our two little girls migrated to the US. We had to leave all behind,

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pick up our bags and leave, without knowing if we would be able to return. What a precious blessing it was to then receive an invitation from the Word & Deed director to visit Canada. We were used to giving to others, taking care of those who had had to flee their villages because of violence, alleviating their need and suffering; but this time it was us who were escaping threats and facing uncertainty, and it was the Word & Deed family who received us with open arms and showered our lives with blessing upon blessing. Many around the world talk about partnership and it’s true meaning and application, but I must say that Word & Deed has lived out not only this concept but that of loving our neighbor as ourselves. That genuine love is what I have seen in every word spoken.

That love and passion for the cause of Christ, characteristic of board members, donors, and

team alike, I dare say, is the foundation that has allowed Word & Deed to be the strong and professional organization it has become.

A willingness to listen, respect for the partners, compassion for those in need, and commitment to sharing the Word of God have been present throughout these 25 first years of Word & Deed. It is my prayer that the same genuine love and obedience that characterized its beginning will be at the core of everything they continue to do. “And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.” 1 John 4:16. W&D

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

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1995

>Colombia

Editor - Rick Postma Assistant Editor - Scott Koopman Graphic Design - Knor Graphic Design Solutions Copy Editors - Shelly Crites, Hanna Korvemaker, Kara Luiting, Susan Trentacosti Word & Deed North America is an evangelical and Reformed humanitarian relief and development organization. Our aim is to help meet the physical and spiritual needs of people in the developing world in accordance with biblical principles for the glory of God. 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.

Director of Projects - John Otten Director of Public Relations - Rick Postma Director - Heidi Pronk Support Staff - Scott Dekorte, Scott Koopman, John Kottelenberg, Kara Luiting, Dave Vander Meer Canadian Board of Directors Chairman – Harold Leyenhorst Vice-Chairman – John Vangameren Secretary – Dave Wielinga Treasurer – Henry de Waal Wilf Bout, Dr. Arjan de Visser, Pastor Christo Heiberg, John Jagersma, Corney Les, Bert Mulder, Lyle Ypma USA Board of Directors President – Paul Laman Vice President – Jay Van Voorst Secretary – Harry Kooistra Treasurer – Karen Vander Sloot Paul Beezhold, Eric Brandt, Pastor Adrian Dieleman, Eric Greendyk, Pete Vander Stel, Peter Van Kempen Advisory Committee Mr. Jim Beeke – International Educational Consultant

Dr. Gerald M. Bilkes – Professor of Old & New Testament, Puritan Reformed

Missy Christie de Acosta is the president of Conviventia, Word & Deed’s partner in Colombia.

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

Canada Office PO Box 20100 St. Thomas, ON N5P 4H4 Toll free 877.375.9673 office@wordanddeed.org United States Office PO Box 157, Hudsonville, MI 49426 Toll free 866.391.5728 usoffice@wordanddeed.org

Registered Charity Number (Canada) 89 120 0941 RR0001 EIN Non-profit Number (USA) 37-1429283

Bible quotations are from the NKJV unless otherwise noted.

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>ecuador

>growing

By fred and arlene jonkman

By heidi pronk

The

Inception of Word & Deed USA

In the summer of 2000, I was approached by Pastor Cornelis Pronk, then chairman of the Word & Deed Board in Canada, to consider putting together a legal entity that would become Word & Deed USA. The submitted Articles of Incorporation became official on November 1, 2000, and a tiny organization was birthed! In May 2002, Word & Deed Canada and Word & Deed USA had our first joint board meeting in London, Ontario. This marked the beginning of a long and valuable practice of annual joint board meetings which we now call our Policy Day Retreat, usually held in May in Port Huron, Michigan. This is the one time each year that our board members, staff, and their spouses get together to learn, plan, pray, praise, and fellowship, united by the common goal of seeing Christ’s kingdom furthered throughout the world.

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In July 2003, we received notice that the IRS had granted Word & Deed USA official charitable status.

Around the same time we signed the first joint agreement between the Canadian and USA boards to formalize our work together. Several months later, we were approached by Dr. Timothy and Dorothy Monsma who had started Cities for Christ Worldwide, an outreach to orphans in Malawi, while Dr. Monsma was a teacher at African Bible College. The Monsmas, while deeply committed to the work, were reaching retirement age and looking to turn their efforts over to someone else. Peter VanKempen, the USA board president, and Bernie Pennings, the Canadian director, visited Malawi in 2004 to assess the work firsthand. Soon after their visit, Word & Deed USA, along with the agreement of Word & Deed Canada, was able to take on both the projects and the donor

The base that the Monsmas had put together over the years. Most of these projects still remain a part of our work in Malawi in some form. This marked what was essentially the first USA-driven project and helped propel the USA side to a deeper commitment and involvement on the project level.

As God has richly blessed us through the years, Word & Deed Canada and Word & Deed USA have grown more unified in our activities, more diverse in our projects, more professional in our procedures, and more committed than ever to being a small part of the Great Commission. W&D Heidi Pronk is the Administrator for Word & Deed USA and the Project Manager for Malawi and South Africa.

Inseparable Union between Word and Deed

In 1998, we moved to Ecuador, a small country (with very little Reformed work) situated on the equator in South America. As we worked with the Gospel in the young Reformed church plants, we discovered a deep need for theological preparation, discipleship, and curriculum. Word & Deed came alongside to partner with us in developing and publishing Christian educational material for Sunday Schools, and this marked the beginning of our journey together.

In 2004, we had discussions with Word & Deed and Miami International Seminary (MINTS), and with their help we began the Reformed Center for Theological Studies in Ecuador. These Word projects have formed the foundation for the “deed” aspect of our mission. With these projects we equip and train nationals to do His work in a way that is faithful to the Word.

Beginning in 2008, Word & Deed helped us develop three children’s projects where we bring holistic care to 335 children and their families in the marginal city of Quinindé.

The Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ as found in God’s Word is the thread that keeps all that is done in these projects woven together. We rejoice as God brings people from darkness into his marvelous light through this work.

Recently we inaugurated a new medical clinic and

it is our joy that once again through our partnership with Word & Deed we can offer medical attention with a biblical emphasis of bringing healing to the body and soul.

As missionaries, we are deeply grateful for Word & Deed. We love how its vision involves an inseparable union between Word and deed, and we are testimonies to the faithfulness of God who blesses this approach to missions.

May we be faithful and persevere to the end, keeping our eyes upon Jesus. We follow Jesus who excelled in his ministry of Word and deed and gave up his life so that we may now labor in hope. “All nations whom You have made shall come and worship before You, O Lord, and shall glorify Your name.” Psalm 86:9. W&D Fred and Arlene Jonkman have been working in Ecuador since 1998 and are sent out by Grace Free Reformed Church of Brantford, Ontario.

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>Sri Lanka

By Rick Postma

Boxing Day Tsunami Where is your god?

When I joined Word & Deed in November 2005, the Boxing Day Tsunami continued to get major coverage in the media. This tsunami claimed the lives of 227,000 people in 14 countries, including India and Sri Lanka, on December 26, 2004. An earthquake of 9.1 magnitude struck off the coast of Sumatra and created a wave as high as 100 feet (30 meters) once it came ashore, devastating countless coastal villages.

The day of the week was Sunday and most Christians were in church. In God’s providence, some churches were spared along with the people in them while others were not. In the 2005 Summer issue of our magazine, Bernie Pennings reports how one village in Periyaneelavanai district, Sri Lanka, was totally destroyed with the exception of the church and a home for orphan boys. Almost everyone, including the 102 orphan girls from a

nearby home which was leveled, were in the church at 9 a.m. when the wave struck. The water rapidly rose up to the top of the windows of the church, but less than an inch of water came into the building.

While a few people, sadly, had stepped out to attend to restless children and were lost, everyone else survived. In the midst of destruction, here was clear evidence of the Lord’s mercies as well.

Word & Deed supporters responded with great

generosity to the tsunami with total donations in 2005 almost doubling those of 2004. Word & Deed partnered with Woord en Daad (the Netherlands) to fund the rebuilding of villages, churches, and schools. The vast majority of the men in the affected areas were fishermen and most lost their boats and nets, in short, their livelihood, to the monster wave. While the initial response focused on helping people survive—food, shelter, clothing— funding quickly shifted to helping families provide for themselves by helping them purchase boats and nets while also enabling them to build new homes.

It is not surprising to read of many heartwrenching questions from those who lost loved ones to the tsunami. Unbelievers challenged their Christian neighbors with, “Where is your God now?” and “Why did He allow this to happen?” Christians

responded by supporting one another, singing comforting biblical songs together and reaching out sacrificially to their unbelieving neighbors. In response to their selfless love and that of countless believers around the world, many unbelievers began coming to church. For them, the answer to the question “where is your God” was that He was reaching into their lives to pluck them from the road that leads to destruction in order to place them on the road that leads to eternal life. “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:8-9) W&D Rick Postma is the Director of Public Relations for Word & Deed Ministries.

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martha

logos institute malawi

“ He calms the storm,

so that its

WAVEs are still...”

psalm 107:29

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I have spent three years at Logos; it has been an honor. I came here as a student and by the grace of God I was recommended to be on work scholarship at Logos as a means of earning school fees.

Ever since I came to this place, God has become real to me through the theological education I received here. With the skills I learned, I am able to interact with my fellow youths from different kinds of groups, both believers and nonbelievers, and I can boldly say that I now have courage to stand and speak the Gospel with boldness. I have also learned many practical experiences of how to manage and to be faithful with the things in the office or in an organization. Logos Institute has changed my reality on life. Lastly, I am very grateful because I am now familiar with how to use a computer. I do not take it for granted because I surely know that this will take me somewhere. anniversary edition I Word&Deed

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Milestones Timeline Highlights Over The Years

The first of several work teams depart for Gulfport, Mississippi to help with home repairs after Hurricane Katrina devastated the area. Over the next year, more than 200 Word & Deed supporters participated in home reconstruction in partnership with The First Presbyterian Church of Gulfport (PCA).

April

2006

june

november

2009

2006

Launch of Word annual fall & Deed’s dinners annual Fall Dinner Tour featuring Missy Christie de Acosta as our keynote speaker. This year, we are planning to host dinners in eleven different locations (see ad).

softball tournaments

Launch of annual Word & Deed fundraising softball tournaments in Grand Rapids, MI, and Lethbridge, AB. Today, annual softball tournaments are also held in Chilliwack, BC, and Paris, ON.

hurricanE katrina june

2007 niagara This date marks the first bike•a•thon annual Niagara Bike-a-thon with 225 participants and $34,000 in donations raised for the Nakekela HIV/AIDS Clinic in South Africa. Since then, cyclists have raised over $960,000 for Nakekela. In 2019, a second Bike-a-thon was held simultaneously in Fraser Valley, BC. Keep your eyes open for information on next year’s Bike-a-thon events!

july

2011 adoration merge Adoration Christian Centre, Haiti merges with Word & Deed.

sept

2013 c.o.l. merge April

2008 business group program

The Business Group program launches in Lethbridge, AB along with many other locations this year including Niagara, ON (pictured).

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Children of Light, Indonesia merges with Word & Deed (background pictures).

may

2016 adoration colour run

First Annual Adoration Colour Run. anniversary edition I Word&Deed

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>nicaragua

By Carlos Coffin

Walking Together toward Independence September 2007 was marked as a month of pain for many families along the Caribbean coast of Nicaragua, due to the destruction caused by Hurricane Felix. However, by God’s providence, that time also marked an opportunity for change for many families through the support of Word & Deed.

Word & Deed has been a blessing to us since the beginning of our relationship with them. They first blessed us by supplying emergency relief funding

to many affected families but, above all, they blessed us with Christian fellowship that helped us to better understand our mission of serving others with the love of Christ. During the first three years of our partnership, we assisted more than 400 families with food, water, wells, and the repair and construction of houses. All of these things were provided alongside the message of the Gospel.

Initially, our understanding of humanitarian aid

was limited only to the physical. However, we soon came to see that it involves much more than that. We learned that physical investment is important, but that a radical change in the mentality and attitude of individuals is also required. Thanks to the resources of MINTS (Miami International Seminary) and advice from Word & Deed and Pastor Eric Pennings, we learned to work with a biblical and comprehensive approach, helping people change their mentality of

dependence toward one of self-sufficiency and initiative. We encouraged recipients of the Agricultural Commercialization Program to work with their own resources and to learn new farming techniques to improve their results. This comprehensive work with a biblical approach is what differentiates Word & Deed from other humanitarian aid organizations.

Although it has been difficult to change the mindset of the people, we do see families who have woken up and no longer wait for the government or other entities to provide them with their basic needs. We have seen these families take responsibility by working hard to get themselves out of poverty and to improve their living conditions. They are breaking the cycle of poverty that has plagued these people for generations. All glory be to God! W&D Carlos Coffin is the director of Palabras Y Hechos Nicaragua (Word & Deed Nicaragua).

they cried out “toYetthewhen Lord in their trouble, the Lord

brought them out

of their distress. psalm 107:28

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Dayana Family Protection Program Colombia

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testimony

My son, a student at Conviventia, was having problems at school. He would show aggressive behavior and have difficulty with recognizing authority. In our home there were constant arguments with my mother because she would disrespect me in front of my son and would make offensive comments towards me. This situation, in addition to my not having a stable job, had me frustrated with myself. I began to have very low self-esteem. The team at Conviventia recognized my son’s behavioral issues and enrolled us in the Family Protection Program. Little by little they gained my trust and made me realize that even though I was facing difficult situations, I was still a good mother. With their guidance I was able to gain knowledge on appropriate discipline strategies and in return regained the authority I had lost.

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>haiti

By John Kottelenberg

Remembering the 2010 Earthquake

2010

It was a beautiful Tuesday afternoon in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Excitement was in the air as we were all standing outside of Adoration Christian School watching two basketball teams battle it out to become the season’s champions. Suddenly, everything came to a halt. We heard something that sounded like an airplane about to crash on top of us. The noise then changed to that of a train barreling down a set of tracks. The ground started rumbling beneath our feet, and it was then that we realized what was happening. At 4:43 p.m. on January 12, 2010, we were faced with the horrific reality that we were experiencing the ravages of an earthquake.

We all ran to the corner of the walled-in yard. Children in the yard were screaming and scattering everywhere. We watched the school building in front of us sway and then collapse on itself. The building started to lean forward and to one side as it came down, but instead of falling toward us, it leaned against the house next door.

The wall behind us did not fall on us and no one was in the school at the time of the earthquake. Praise God. We stood in a circle to pray, giving thanks for protection, pleading for wisdom on what to do next, and asking the Lord to be near the people of Haiti.

We learned later that the initial noise that we heard came from downtown Portau-Prince where buildings were collapsing. The train-type noise that we heard was buildings that were being pushed up and down as tremors from the earthquake rippled through the city. More than 230,000 people were killed that afternoon. Adoration lost a teacher and a university student who were in class at a downtown university. They also lost a student whose family died when their house collapsed on top of them.

Within weeks of the earthquake, Word & Deed raised over one million dollars to go toward relief efforts. Due to the generosity of many, families of the Adoration community were provided with food and water. Over the span of a few years, more than 200 homes were repaired, 50 new homes were built, and Adoration Christian School was relocated. The Adoration community was, and still is, appreciative of Word & Deed’s help in the aftermath of this catastrophe.

As I recount the events of that day, I can’t help but see God’s hand in the midst of this tragedy. Through providing the Adoration community with physical relief, the team was also able to share and to show the love of the Gospel in ways that they otherwise would not have had the opportunity to do. The faith of many was strengthened, and the Lord’s presence was shown in His preservation of the Adoration community and the respect that they gained from the surrounding neighborhoods. “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear, even though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea” (Ps. 46:1-2). W&D John Kottelenberg works for Word & Deed in Project Management and Public Relations.

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testimony

SAMUEL La Palabra Christian School Guatemala

I am 11 years old and I am in fourth grade at La Palabra School. I have been a student at La Palabra since I was 6 years old. When I was very little, some evil people killed my dad. My sisters and I were left without a father. My mother has worked very hard to provide for us. God has helped us a lot to overcome our sadness. In school we have been taught the Word of God, which is very important to my life and that of my family.

I feel happy because the teachers at La Palabra treat me very well. In the future, I want to be a good policeman so that I can help lots of people in my community.

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By Kara Luiting

the

Blessings of Partnership

2013

knowledge of the Holy is understanding. proverbs 9:10

One

”

churches. We also had the privilege of connecting with indigenous leadership, and self-sufficiency. The our brothers and sisters in Indonesia and are grateful local Board of Directors has also seen much growth for the relationships that have emerged from this in their knowledge and ability to faithfully lead the partnership, not to mention the opportunity that we people of COL. gained to help touch the lives of hundreds of children We are thankful for the growth that COL has seen over the years and can attest that it is only in Indonesia with the Gospel message.

Pastor Yonson Dethan, chairman of the COL through dependence on the Lord that we can Board, also attests to the blessings of the merger: continue, together with the people of Indonesia, “We were able to continue to run the Child Sponsor in the development and oversight of Children of Program in order to help the children that came from Light. W&D very poor families. Through this program, the kids could continue to pursue their studies and had the Kara Luiting is the Administrative Assistant and opportunity to go to school and receive a better Sponsorship Coordinator education.” COL now receives guaranteed, at Word & Deed dependable support for the schools. Pastor Canada.

Dethan goes on to note that COL was challenged to become more organized in their principles and methodologies and, as a result, found that they could better serve the communities that they were called to. Since the merger, COL has had the opportunity to almost double their reach in Indonesia by following the three foci that they have come to adopt through their partnership with good shepherd home - myanmar Word & Deed—a Gospel focus, Due to poverty, my family moved from Myanmar to India a few years ago.

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testimony

>Indonesia

The fear of the Lord is the “beginning of wisdom, And the

kang sung

In 2013, Word & Deed gained a new partner—Children of Light (COL) in Indonesia. COL was founded in 1998 by community and church leaders in West Timor, Indonesia. These leaders recognized that many families could not afford to provide their children with a basic education and, in response, founded the Children of Light project which now provides Indonesian children with access to Christian education. At this point, Andy and Gerda Vandenhaak (of the Edmonton Canadian Reformed Church) were contacted by COL in search of North American support. After some discussion, they established a Canadian Board of Directors and garnered support for the project.

Until 2013, this Board of Directors continued to work in close

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partnership with the local board in Indonesia. However, as the administrative, promotional, and project-related tasks of the project grew, it was becoming increasingly challenging to operate on a volunteer basis. So, after much discussion and investigative trips, Word & Deed took over the support and oversight of COL. The Lord greatly blessed this merger for both parties. From the Word & Deed perspective, we were grateful to have the opportunity to connect with and develop new relationships with many individuals and

The refugee village we settled in was burned down by people who did not want us there so my parents had to move back to Myanmar. Life was difficult there but then my parents heard of the Good Shepherd Home and now my two sisters and I are enrolled there. I am thankful that the Lord has helped my studies here. At Good Shepherd Home, we go to public school for our education and then at the home we learn from God’s Word and sing songs.

Please pray that I can become a teacher one day and help many village children.

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Publications Agreement # 40595030

>impact

25 Years

1. Why do we need Christian humanitarian aid organizations?

2. How many denominations are represented on the Word & Deed Board of Directors? What does this teach you about Christians working together?

How does Psalm 133 speak of unity?

How important is it that we help all people?

Colombia 1. What are some of the blessings that Word & Deed has shared with Conviventia, our partners in Colombia?

Sri Lanka 1. This article recounts that many Christians in Sri Lanka were challenged with a question from their unbelieving neighbors. What was that question and how did the Christians respond?

2. Why should we care about what happens to people on the other side of the world?

Ecuador 1. What was the deep need that Fred and Arlene Jonkman discovered among the reformed churches in Ecuador?

2. What do Fred and Arlene note that the mission of their “deed� projects are?

Indonesia 1. Indonesia is a land of many islands. How many are there?

Which islands does Indonesia share with other countries?

2. What could families not provide for their children? How important is that to you? What does education do for you? How do you serve God in your learning?

See Colossians 3:23-24.

Nicaragua 1. What happened in 2007 that devastated the pacific coast of Nicaragua? How were 400 families assisted? What radical

change of mind had to happen to the people whom Word & Deed were working with in Nicaragua? What is it that the author of this article says sets Word & Deed apart from other humanitarian organizations?

Haiti 1. What did this article compare the noise of an earthquake to? Where do you think you should go when an earthquake does take place? How many homes did Word & Deed help to repair or build in the aftermath of this earthquake? The physical help to the Adoration Christian School community was good but what more important opportunity was opened by this tragedy?

Word & Deed USA 1. What was the first project that Word & Deed USA took the lead on initiating a partnership with? Find this country on a map. What group of people was this work to help? Have you ever wondered what life would be like if you were in the same situation? Give thanks to God for parents and caretakers.