> INSIDE GUATEMALA
Challenges in Latin America
HAITI
Bricks, Mortar and Joy
ASIA
Counter Cultural Christianity
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>foreword By Rick Postma
Whom Will You Serve? Will you swear allegiance to the fuehrer or not? Quick. You must decide now. Otherwise, you face imprisonment and very likely, death. In return for swearing allegiance and for following the very reasonable diktats of the fuehrer you will be able to continue to minister to your flock and to be a patriotic part of the new Germany. Don’t trouble your mind with questions about the Jews. This is a political question and does not concern you. Focus on your people. Soon after Adolf Hitler came to power in 1933, thousands of German Lutheran pastors were faced with ultimatums like this. Choose whom you will serve. Do it now. For them, as it is for us now looking back, it was breathtaking how quickly Germany descended into the darkest of nights – evil reigned supreme. The vast majority of the Lutheran pastors quickly capitulated and turned to follow the fuehrer instead of Christ. A relatively small number did not. Among them was Dietrich Bonhoeffer who, along with many who refused to bend the knee to Hitler, paid for it with his life. We aren’t through with Bonhoeffer though. His life and work aren’t a tragic event for us to shake our heads at and then forget. Through biographies about his life (the recent one by Eric Metaxas is highly recommended and recently reviewed in The Messenger), but also through his books, such as “The Cost of Discipleship”, Bonhoeffer continues to challenge us with his life and his words, although his works should be read with discernment. While the darkness enveloped Germany in just a few years, our western society is also darkening, albeit at a slower pace. Are we slowly giving in to ungodly dreams and attractions? What about standing up to the slaughter of the unborn and the destruction of God’s design for marriage and family (Canadians, please see what our friends at the Association for Reformed Political Action are doing and get involved – arpacanada.ca)? If we confess to being a Christian, do we realize the cost of following Him? This has implications for how we live our lives – how we spend our time and how we use our possessions. Or are we guilty of turning His infinite sacrifice and selfless gift of love into cheap grace? This issue marks the launch of a new format for our magazine which was developed by Andrew Knor of Knor Graphic Design Solutions in close consultation with our magazine team. We call the new style, “Classic Lite” and what you should see is a cleaner spare look with fonts carefully chosen to make reading as easy on the eyes as possible. As well, rather than having separate child sponsorship and volunteer issues, we will be dedicating pages in each issue to these important areas. We hope you like it! In this issue we celebrate a record breaking bike-a-thon in Niagara and spend some time on the ground in Haiti as well as several countries in Asia – including Myanmar where a repressive regime is loosening its hold. Pastor Anderson of AMG Guatemala educates us on the challenges of mission work in Latin America and Pastor Danny Hyde challenges us to be a peculiar people in this world – with implications which Dietrich Bonhoeffer took to heart. May God graciously provide us with the wisdom and strength to take up our cross and follow Him. W&D Rick Postma is Director of Public Relations for Word & Deed Ministries.
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WORD&DEED
meditation
OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF WORD & DEED AN INTERNATIONAL REFORMED RELIEF MINISTRY Free for sponsors and friends
By Pastor Daniel Hyde
FALL2012 Editor Rick Postma Assistant Editor Hanna Korvemaker Young at Heart/IMPACT Tanya Byl Graphic Design Knor Graphic Design Solutions Copy Editors Tanya Byl, Martha Markwat In response to Jesus’ command to love others, Word & Deed is an international, evangelical relief 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, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Myanmar, Haiti, India, Indonesia, Nicaragua, Malawi, South Africa, and Nigeria.
Canada Office PO Box 20100 St. Thomas, ON N5P 4H4 Ph 519.633.2333 Fax 519.633.7181 Toll free 877.375.9673 office@wordanddeed.org Administration Director John Otten Project Director Bernie Pennings Public Relations Director Rick Postma Support Staff John Kottelenberg Hanna Korvemaker Kara Luiting Heather VanMeppelen-Scheppink Board of Directors President - John Vangameren Vice President - Corney Les Secretary - Dave Wielinga Treasurer - Henry de Waal Klaas Jan Buist Rev. C. Heiberg Jake Sinke Advisory Committee Mr. Jim Beeke – International Educational Consultant
Dr. Gerald M. Bilkes – Professor of
Old & New Testament, Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary Dr. Arjan J. deVisser – Professor of Ecclesiology and Diaconology, Canadian Reformed Theological Seminary Rev. Danny Hyde – Pastor, Oceanside United Reformed Church
Dr. Nelson D. Kloosterman –
Executive Director and Ethics Consultant for Worldview Resources International. Rev. Frank Van Dalen – Executive Director of the Foreign Missions Board of the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church
United States Office PO Box 157, Hudsonville, MI 49426 Ph 616.896.3160 Toll free 866.391.5728 Fax 616.896.9219 usoffice@wordanddeed.org Office Administrator Heidi Pronk Public Relations & Projects Norlan De Groot Ph 712.441.7112 uspromotions@wordanddeed.org Board of Directors President - Peter Van Kempen Vice President - Pete Vander Stel Secretary - Harry Kooistra Treasurer - Karen Vander Sloot Mary Cogbill Eric Brandt Dave Byker Anita Sikkema
<
Life in a Decaying and Dark World A sermon by Pastor Hyde with the same title is also available at sermonaudio.com/oceansideurc. There are many different opinions about how the church is to relate to the world. Some say the church must be outside the world, envisioned as two circles side by side. Others say the church must be assimilated into the world, as one circle. Others say that the church should not be involved in the world but only Christians should, so that there are two circles that overlap in the middle. The best conception is Jesus’ when He said that we were “in the world” but “not of the world”. The church, then, is a small concentric circle within the larger circle of the world. So how do we as the church relate to the world from within it yet distinct from it? In Matthew 5:13–16 Jesus says the essential calling of the church in a decaying and dark world is to be salt and to be light. To Provide Preservation (Matt. 5:13) Jesus calls us the salt of the earth. Salt was used to flavor food, but in the ancient world it was most often used to preserve meat from decaying. Jesus picks up on this to describe us, saying that our calling as His disciples is to preserve the earth from decay, despite its talk of progress: “For the form of this world is passing away” (1 Cor. 7:31 NKJV). Why? Sin. God does use other things to preserve this decaying world. He preserves the world in His providence by using government to restrain lawlessness. He also uses His law written upon the heart of every human being to restrain us from being as bad as we potentially could be. But when Jesus says you are the salt of the earth, He is saying that the most powerful restraining force is His own regenerate and righteous people.
To Provide Illumination (Matt. 5:14–16) Jesus says you are the light of the world. If you’ve ever camped where it was totally dark at night you know that a flashlight can be used in two ways. You can use a flashlight at the front of a group, to lead the way. Or, you can use the light for those who are lost in the darkness as a way for them to find their way back to the group. The church is like light in the darkness, shining so that people can find their way to Jesus Christ. Our essential calling is to illumine the path to reconciliation with God for this sindarkened world. Being light is to do good works: “A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house” (Matt. 5:14–15 NKJV). As a city on a hill we must shine brightly. As J. C. Ryle said: “The world knows little of Christ, beyond what it sees of Him in His people.” Conclusion: A Peculiar People Our Lord proclaims to us that our essential calling in a decaying and dark world is to be different by doing good. Only when we are a peculiar people can we truly be salt and light to a needy world. W&D Pastor Danny Hyde serves at the Oceanside URC in Oceanside, California and is a member of the Word & Deed Advisory Committee.
We preserve by doing good works. This means that we as Christians individually and corporately act as a preservative of the earth, keeping the world from going to hell, literally, when we live according to the Beatitudes of the kingdom. We do not recreate the world; we only act to slow the rate of the world’s decay. fall 2012 I Word&Deed
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>LaTinamerica By Pastor Dan Anderson
Challenges and Change in Latin America My wife, Laurie, and I are grateful for the example of grandparents (Elof and Isabel Anderson) and parents (Tim and Lynn Anderson and Wilfred and Shirley Johnson), whose faithful ministries, beginning in 1937, 1964 and 1966 have left enduring fruit in Colombia, Guatemala and many other countries. What a heritage! Because of that heritage, Laurie and I now have the privilege of working with AMG International in Guatemala in partnership with Word & Deed, where I serve as the Spiritual Director and National Pastor to the 8,000 sponsored children and 550 employees throughout the country. The purpose of our efforts is not just to meet the physical, emotional and social needs of these children by providing them with education, food and clothing, but to help families discover God´s central purpose for their lives as He reveals it through His Word. Our work is an extension of the Church and my greatest desire is to see the body of Christ in Latin America impact the world in the transformation of lives for the glory of Christ. Leaders have been prepared in a few seminaries, but
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the lack of sufficient qualified pastors is one of the greatest obstacles for the spiritual maturity of the Church. We are grateful for the work that Pastor Ken Herfst is doing in training pastors in Guatemala. Our calling is to strengthen what is weak. As we come alongside, we can help believers by teaching them how to do an inductive Bible study, the importance of personal discipleship, and how to understand what the Bible has to say about spiritual maturity and the cost of being a disciple of Christ. Congregations based on biblical truth have usually faced hostile circumstances in Latin America. The priesthood of believers is not understood by most Latin American church members. This is seen in a lack of understanding about how a Christian can be a good lawyer, doctor, mechanic, office worker, etc., as a disciple of Christ in the workplace. Christian faith should make a daily difference. This is cutting edge discipleship. During our time in Latin America we have seen some dangerous trends. Most of the statistical growth in religion has taken place in Pentecostal and Neo-Pentecostal groups
which erroneously teach that personal experience is a valid supplement or even a replacement for biblical authority. Syncretism is the order of the day and the result is an adulteration of Christianity. Most towns in Guatemala have at least one Mormon Church. Other religions are actively seeking new converts. Latin America is fertile ground for anything that deals with the supernatural and spiritual forces and sects attract those desperate for a novel experience. The work of missions has changed in this changing world. The demographic explosion, theological confusion, and syncretistic and subjective practices are staggering challenges. Despite these challenges, we have seen some positive advances. Churches that were founded by missionaries are now commissioning missionaries. For more than two decades God has raised up thousands of Latin American missionaries who, because of culture (a very strong family structure for example), color of skin and similar value system, are able to pioneer work in parts of the world that are closed to others (such as Muslim countries). We are expecting great things as we see our Latin American brothers and sisters in Christ count the cost and commit their lives to serve in countries where it is dangerous to be a Christian. Though they are uniquely qualified to reach people groups with similar cultures and needs, the new Latin American sending agencies are asking for urgent help in the following: encouragement and pastoral care to missionaries; teaching sending churches to maintain a long term commitment of giving and praying; problem solving for per-
sonal conflicts in teams; a growing understanding of what the Great Commission means; backing missionaries in difficult areas where results may be delayed; and enhancing communication between the sending church and the missionary. These challenges reaffirm the key role that Word & Deed has working alongside indigenous churches in the many difficult tasks being carried out in the Spanish speaking world. It is a story that would take a very long time to tell, but the center of it all is Jesus Christ in the lives of thousands and thousands of people, who someday will be reunited for all eternity. W&D Pastor Dan Anderson is the Spiritual Director and National Pastor for AMGâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Guatemalan ministries.
Hospital Radio Broadcast This 30 minute daily broadcast is run by the hospital in Cubulco, Guatemala with the intent of announcing events at the hospital and bringing the Gospel to listeners. The Sunday School teacher curriculum for the Old and New Testaments, produced by the Jonkman team in Ecuador, is also being used here to teach the Word of God. Thanks to the generous support of our donors, this project is fully funded for 2012. Please continue to pray that this program would be used mightily in bringing Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Word effectively.
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>HaiTi By Randy lodder and al stares
Rebuilding Haiti
FROM THE Inside
Out Rebecca
Philomène
Here is a paragraph Rebecca wrote with her special education teacher. “My name is Rebecca Philomène, I am 14 years old. My mom has 4 children; 2 girls and 2 boys. I, myself, am the Benjamin of the family (youngest). My mother, my father and my brothers and sisters live in the countryside. When my father passed away I was obligated to come live with my godmother in Port-auPrince because I never had a chance to go to school.
Dielua and her daughter. Their new home is in phase three of the construction process. Adoration school provides a Christ-centered education to 150 students, focusing on the development of academic abilities and talents of children to equip them for a life of service to God and their community. This education includes high quality classes for children with special learning needs. This is a rarity in Haiti, as students with special needs are usually abandoned, hidden, or refused the opportunity to be educated. Our secondary student program provides 80 youth with the opportunity to receive a Christian education at a local Christian high school and has the students involved in a work and Bible study program.
promoting health through the medical clinic that is open for the community four days a week, paying for medical exams and tests and equipment for those who need it, and encouraging nutrition by providing daily vitamins and education.
We are tackling hunger by feeding the students two meals each school day. We are
Randy Lodder is the Adoration Project Director in Haiti.
Adoration is passionate about being a diaconal support to the local church through the training and mentoring of staff and students, teaching the Word of God and sharing the gospel. Our ultimate goal is rebuilding Haiti from the inside out through the transforming of hearts and lives and strengthening of communities, bringing forth adoration to God. W&D
17 children are waiting!
Sponsor today by calling or visiting www.adoration.net
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When I came I found Adoration Christian School and it was a deliverance, because every day I was praying that I would have the opportunity to go to school. I walk very, very far each day to go to school because I do not live close by, as I live in a zone called Siloh. I am living in a difficult situation and I pray to the Lord for Adoration’s leaders that they could always continue to help me with my education. My biggest dream for when I grow up is to be a nurse so that I can help people who are sick. I hope in the Lord, and through Adoration, pray that my dreams would be realized. “Pa lage –m nan wout” - “I am on the road; do not let me go.”
>HaiTi By Cornelius Broersma and Al Stares
Bricks, Mortar
AND Joy
Shortly after the Haitian earthquake of 2010, the management group of the Adoration Christian Centre in Port-auPrince realized that if they were to be able to go on with their primary mission of building the community of faith and improving the condition of the people in the area, they were going to have to do something about the living conditions of the people. They knew this would probably mean some building of the bricks and mortar variety. Hundreds of thousands of people were living in tent villages, including many of the families of students and staff members of Adoration Christian School.
in a place that keeps few reliable records of such things, then factoring in the loss of many of the records that were kept, was a significant early hurdle to overcome. Gathering together a crew and hiring a foreman who understands the need to be trustworthy and a good steward has taken time, but has, by the grace of God, been accomplished. Convincing suppliers that deadlines must be met has also required patience, humble communication, and perseverance, but this too has been resolved. Transportation of both men and materials continues to present challenges that must be addressed on a daily basis.
There was an obvious need to provide people connected to the Adoration organization with safe and secure housing. Living in tents or other inadequate housing conditions significantly impedes the ability of families, and their children, to learn and grow as community leaders. Most of these accommodations do not have reliable, if any, electricity or running water. Violence, including violence towards children, is prevalent within tent cities. Tents provide limited protection from theft or assault. In such an environment, it is also difficult to adequately protect children from contagious disease and illnesses spread through inadequate sanitation or hygiene. Something had to be done.
There have been some frustrations for all involved, but on the whole, things are running smoothly. Fourteen families now have a house they can move into where they can raise their children out of harmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s way and out of the rain. We are thankful for that. What a blessing it is to see homeowners with joyful smiles on their faces.
The initial phases of this new task involved the shoring up and repair of houses that could be repaired. Next came the clearing of rubble and rebuilding of homes for people involved with the center. The Building Committee, composed predominantly of Haitians trained by the center, has now moved on to the next phases of the project: constructing safe new homes on small lots outside of the city.
God has given us a wonderful job to do here in Haiti and for that we are truly thankful. Please keep this work in your prayers that we may be a witness of Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s love to a hurting people. Above all, praise God from whom all blessings flow. W&D Cornelius Broersma is an Assistant Country Director in Haiti.
The construction workers employed, all Haitians from Portau-Prince, have also received extensive training in safe and proper building practices so that the mistakes that made the earthquake so devastating will not be repeated in the construction of these new houses. The materials used are purchased from local businesses, thus supporting economic development in the area. All along, the home owners have been involved in the planning and funding of these projects, giving them true ownership of the homes that have been constructed. The goal of this part of the program is the construction of 42 homes at an average cost of $7,250 each, much of which will be repaid over time by the home owner. To this point, there have been 14 sturdy, safe homes completed. Seven more are in various stages of construction. Like doing anything else in Haiti, undertaking this work has posed some challenges. Sorting out land ownership
Pastor Marcelin (third from left) in front of his completed home with the Prayer Team. fall 2012 I Word&Deed
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sponsorship Tribal Children in India:
Still Waiting for Sponsors!
Jitendra: Jitendra is 8
years old. His father is a bonded laborer and his wages are insufficient to meet the needs of his family. Though he desires to see his children get an education, his low caste status keeps him from attempting it.
Vijay
: Vijay is 10 years old. He belongs to a poor family. His father is a pastor and his income is very little. Since he cannot afford to educate his children, he has decided to enroll them in the COUNT Agape Home. Vijay is an active child and is interested in the opportunity to go to school.
Ajith
: Ajith is 13 years old. His parents own a little bit of land on which they cultivate maize. The rainfall has been sporadic and is affecting the yield of the land. Their financial position is critical and educating their children is an added burden.
Lukesh: Lukesh is 11 years
old. His parents own a small piece of land which produces a minimal harvest. His mother stays at home and takes care of Lukesh and his two siblings. Their income is not enough to afford an education for their children, but his parents would like their children to grow in good discipline. Lukesh is an active child and is very interested in going to school.
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Asvin: Asvin is 8 years old.
He comes from a small, isolated village which is surrounded by forest. His parents are agricultural laborers who work hard all day long but earn very little money. They can barely afford to give their children food and clothing, so they have requested Asvinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s admission into the COUNT Agape Home.
Education
Planned Giving By eric brandt
This article is written for our U.S.A. supporters – the tax implications related to donations in the U.S.A. are very different from those in Canada. As Christians, we recognize that everything we have is a gift from God. We also recognize that we must be good stewards of what God has entrusted to us. When it comes to giving to Christian causes such as Word & Deed, planned giving can be an important aspect of being good stewards of what God has blessed us with. Planned giving often refers to creating a will or a trust to set forth one’s desire as to how assets are to be distributed at the time of death. Too often, these decisions are put off, sometimes resulting in last minute decision making in a hospital room setting. If one does not have a will or a trust upon death, the laws of intestate succession for the state in which one resides determines who will receive the probate estate. Having a proper estate plan not only ensures that assets are distributed according to one’s desires, it often can reduce the tax burden. Most Americans do not face a federal estate tax liability or state inheritance tax liability based on the size of their taxable estate. For 2012, the first $5,000,000 of one’s taxable estate is exempt from the federal estate tax. However, on January 1, 2013, the exemption amount will automatically be reduced to $1,000,000 unless Congress takes action to increase the exemption amount. To the extent one’s estate is above the exemption amount, the federal estate tax takes a very large portion of the estate. One simple way of reducing an estate tax liability is to donate a portion of the estate to a qualified charity such as Word & Deed. Most Americans do not have an estate large enough to be subject to the federal estate tax or any applicable state estate tax. However, many Americans have what are known as qualified funds such as traditional Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs) or 401k plans. Such assets also present opportunities to reduce one’s tax burden. For example, if a qualified charity is named as the beneficiary of such an account, no one, including the charity, will ever have to pay the income taxes on that account. Not all planned giving involves planning for the final disposition of one’s assets upon death. Assets that have appreciated in value can be gifted to a charity during one’s lifetime, thus resulting in no capital gains tax and a tax deduction for the full fair market value of the donated asset. Another strategy for reducing taxes exists for those who want to convert to an existing traditional IRA to a Roth IRA. Beginning in 2010, the income limits on Roth IRA conversions were eliminated. While converting to a Roth IRA will increase one’s taxable income, some taxpayers may be able to use a charitable
deduction to offset the increase in taxable income resulting from the Roth IRA conversion. A charitable remainder trust (CRT) is another helpful planning strategy for some individuals. A CRT is an irrevocable trust typically funded with a highly appreciated property. By funding the CRT with an asset that has highly appreciated, the donor is able to avoid capital gains tax. The CRT provides a stream of income to the donor for a fixed term, with a designated charitable beneficiary receiving the remainder interest. An immediate (partial) tax deduction is available to the donor, based on the value of the eventual gift to the charity. For most individuals, obtaining favorable tax treatment is not the driving motivation for donating to charity. However, good stewardship is exercised when planned giving takes into consideration the tax implications of gifting. Please prayerfully consider Word & Deed in your planned giving. The material presented in this article is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. One should consult their own attorney or financial advisor for advice tailored to one’s own specific circumstances. W&D Eric Brandt is a member of the board of Word & Deed and an attorney with Annis Visser & Brandt. He, along with his wife Jean and daughter Rebecca, live in the Grand Rapids area and attend Dutton United Reformed Church.
A Living Legacy
As generation gives way to generation in North America, billions of dollars change hands. Who will benefit? Consider adding a child named “Charity” to your will and leave a legacy that lives on through the work of the Lord on this earth.
Please contact the Word & Deed office or visit our website for more information on Planned Giving. I hereby give to: Word & Deed Ministries Canada Inc. 39993 Talbot Line, Talbotville, Ontario, charitable registration number 891200941RR0001 OR Word and Deed USA, Hudsonville, Michigan, EIN non-profit number 37-1429283, [a specific percent] of the residue OR [a specific amount] of my estate, to be used in fulfillment of its proper purpose.
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>VoLunteeR profile
FROM THE office of
By Hanna Korvemaker
Every Little Thing:
A
Profile of Ineke & Rachel Floris
Ineke Floris’s involvement with Word & Deed began in 2008. At that time, Rick Postma (PR Director) was looking for a helping hand to get the Business Group of Abbotsford/Langley, British Columbia off the ground. She and Rick had been in “a little bit of contact” when they were both in Young Peoples and Ineke lived in Ontario, so Ineke was asked to be a Business Group Coordinator. After a little bit of convincing, Ineke says with good humor, she took on the role. That meant a lot of time making calls, spreading the word and taking care of details: finding a venue, arranging for refreshments and setting up for the meeting. Now that the group is wellestablished, she continues to coordinate and manage details for the annual meeting.
L to R - Ineke and Rachel Floris.
Ineke “really does believe in the way that the Business Group [Program] works”. She knows firsthand that “business owners don’t always have a lot of time to attend a lot of meetings”, which is why the format of one meeting per year plus project updates in between works well. She especially likes the fact that members of a Business Group have opportunity to visit the projects that are supported by the group. It was moving for her to hear how James Vanderzwan, fellow BG coordinator, was so impacted by his visit to Colombia this year.
Given Ineke’s enthusiasm for the Business Group Program, when there was talk of a dinner event being established in western BC in 2010, Word & Deed turned to Ineke again. This time, Ineke relates with a laugh, “I said no.” But she did suggest an alternative: her daughter, Rachel. Rachel had a lot of experience planning banquets for the company she worked for (J. Floris Construction) and Ineke knew right away that this dinner was “her thing; she loves organizing dinners”. It was good timing too. In 2008 Rachel spent three months as part of a mission team to Mexico. After participating in a mission trip like that, Rachel explains, it felt “deflating not to be involved in anything else.” Coordinating this dinner would be an ideal way of being involved in missions while “living at home and working a full time job. When the time came for the dinner, I felt called to it.”
Norlan welcome
We would like to welcome Norlan DeGroot to the Word & Deed team. Norlan will be providing part-time assistance with promotions and also working part-time in a project capacity writing biblical curriculum materials for Christian leaders in the developing world. Norlan comes to us with experience in public relations and marketing, having worked for Dordt College, and also in writing curriculum for Third Millennium Ministries. His skills, experience, and character will be a great asset to Word & Deed and we are thankful to God for leading us in this new relationship. Norlan lives in Sioux Center, IA with his wife Julie and their four children. They are members of Redeemer URC in Orange City, IA.
A SACRED UNION
With lots of help from volunteers “pounding the pavement” to get the word out, the 2010 dinner was a huge success. In 2011 Rachel took the role of dinner coordinator on again and organized yet another successful event. Plans for the 2012 dinner are underway. Rachel is so enthusiastic and proficient when it comes to planning events that she has even started an event planning business called “Every Little Thing”, a name that reminds me of just how many things we rely heavily on volunteers like Ineke and Rachel for. Ineke and Rachel have separate niches to fill in Abbotsford, BC, but you could still call them a “mother-daughter team”. They both play supporting roles in the other’s “main event”, they’re both sincere and self-effacing – always pointing to the other volunteers working alongside them, and they echo each other’s conviction that passion for the ministry of Word & Deed is their most compelling motivator as they plan and promote their events. Their dedication has paid off. This year, the Business Group of Abbotsford/Langley held their fifth annual meeting and the Surrey, BC dinner will mark its third annual event. Proof that, when done right, taking care of “all those little things” that need attending to when planning an event can yield big, big results. W&D Hanna Korvemaker works as Public Relations Assistant at Word & Deed Ministries.
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Word & Deed is delighted to announce the recent marriage of our Public Relations Assistant in the St. Thomas office, Hanna, to Ian Korvemaker on May 4, 2012. Hanna & Ian, the staff and board of Word & Deed congratulate you and pray that you will have a wonderful and blessed life together.
>Event update By Kerri Radsma
A Record Breaking Bike-a-thon! Dressed in bright orange and preparing themselves for the next few hours of bike riding, you could feel the excitement of the 300 plus bikers during the 6th annual Niagara area Word & Deed Bike-a-Thon. Strangers could not help but ask
what this was for. When they found out that all of these bikers, from the ages of 7-81, worked hard to raise just over $56,000 for an AIDS clinic in South Africa, the strangers gave an impressed whistle. Even though the clouds threatened to give way to buckets of rain, the rain held off and made the Bike-a-thon a whole lot easier than last year. (Think torrential downpour, thunder, lightning, and picking up 400 people and bikes along the route.) At the end of the Bike-a-thon we met at McFarland Park and were treated to some great food! Every year I am just amazed at the crowd’s eagerness and excitement. The atmosphere is wonderful and the stories keep on rolling in along with the bikers. Even if you live further away, it is worth the drive, so mark it down for next year! It’s always the first Saturday of June! W&D
FUNDRAISERS
This article was written by Kerri Radsma, long time Word & Deed supporter, volunteer and Bike-a-thon attendee, and was originally posted on her personal blog, “Kerri’s Korner”. Kerri lives in Beamsville, Ontario, where she attends Vineland Free Reformed Church.
EVENTREPORTS Lethbridge (AB) Softball:
It was a gorgeous, sunny day for the Softball Tournament of Lethbridge this year. On July 7, 11 teams and a crowd of spectators gathered to play ball and spend time fellowshipping while raising money for Phase 3 of the John Calvin Christian School building project. Various church communities participated, including the Coaldale Canadian Reformed Church, Trinity URC of Lethbridge, Bethel FRC of Lethbridge and the Lethbridge NRC.
Grand Rapids (MI) Softball:
The Grand Rapids area softball tournament on July 28 saw 12 teams playing multiple games under perfectly sunny, breezy skies. Players represented numerous URC, FRC, OPC, and other churches in the area providing a great opportunity for fellowship and fun – all for the benefit of the children at the Girl’s Home in Tenjo, Colombia.
UpcomingEvents Chilliwack Softball Tournament: September 8 Calgary Softball Tournament : September 15 Grand Rapids Auction: Tentative “save the date” is November 10. The organizing committee is looking for individuals willing to help with the coordination of this event. Details are available on our website!
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>BusiNess Group Launch IN Ripon, California Business Group
Meetings
Niagara (ON): September 13, 2012 Norwich (ON): November 23, 2012 Grand Rapids (MI): December 3, 2012 Hamilton (ON): December 12, 2012
On Saturday, July 14, the Ripon Business Group held its founding meeting at the Zion United Reformed Church in Ripon, California.
with 75% of its donations and the Logos Ministries project in Malawi with 25% for 2012.
With nine founding members and another four who plan to join but couldn’t make the meeting, the group is off to a great start.
If you live in the area and would like to join the group, you are most welcome. Please contact one of the Group Coordinators or Rick Postma ( publicrelations@wordanddeed.org ). The group hopes to meet several times per year with the goal of increasing participation from the local churches and community. W&D
Pledges total $23,500 to date. The Ripon Business Group chose to support the Agricultural Commercialization project in Nicaragua
Fall Dinner Tour
2 Chilliwack, BC – October 12 2 Abbotsford, BC – October 13 2 Edmonton, AB – October 18 2 Hamilton, ON – October 19 2 Neerlandia, AB – October 19 2 Carman, MB – October 25 2 Jordan, ON – October 27 2 Guelph, ON – October 29 2 Strathroy, ON – TBA 2 Burgessville, ON – TBA 2 Winnipeg, MB – TBA Our keynote speakers for the 2012 tour will be Dexter Gollapalli, the Director at COUNT Ministries in India and Randy & Karen Lodder, Adoration Project Directors in Haiti. Further details and additional dinner locations will be announced on our website. Please stay tuned for details!
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>YouNG@heart By TANYA BYL
Most Wonderful Time of the Year The
It’s that time again! In the Western world (Canada, Europe and the United States), school has begun for another year. God has made us able to do many things, and so we have to learn about all of them. We can speak, think, make music, invent things, create art, and play sports. You may not always think it’s so special to go to school five days a week, but what if you couldn’t? What if no one could pay for it? What if someone said you weren’t allowed to go to school? That would definitely change how you feel about school, I think. That’s why the children who attend Word & Deed supported schools in Colombia, Guatemala, Haiti, Indonesia and Nigeria are so happy to have a place there. For them, going to school means their dreams about the future might come true. What do you dream about being in the future? Be diligent and prayerful at school so you can get there. This crossword includes many examples in the Bible where learning is mentioned. One thing to notice is that many of the leaders God chose to use were well-educated.
Back to School Crossword (Answers are taken from the NKJV)
ACROSS 3. One of the things you do to start the school day. 5. What you sit on in class. 7. Who was Gamaliel? (Acts 5:34) 10. What the flag is raised on in front of the school. 11. Interesting ideas are ______ for thought. 12. The tongue of the _______ is needed to speak encouragement to discouraged people. (Is.50:4) 13. What did Heman teach his children? (1 Chron. 25:5,6) 15. What is wisdom better than? (Prov. 8:11) 16. What did Jehoshaphat send his leaders to teach? (2 Chron.17:9)
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DOWN 13 1. What was one of the things God gave these young men skill in? (Dan.1:17) 14 2. What is one of the things parents need 15 to teach their children about the Lord? (Ps.78:4) 4. What is able to make you wise for salvation? (2 Tim. 3:15,16) 6. What is the beginning of wisdom? (Prov. 9:10) 16 8. This person’s education made him mighty in words and deeds. (Acts 7:22) 9. What is God’s knowledge better than? (Prov. 8:10) 14. This verse says that we gain knowledge _____ by _____. (Is. 28:10) fall 2012 I Word&Deed
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NON-PROFIT ORG US POSTAGE PAID HUDSONVILLE, MI PERMIT #204
IMpACT
Publications Agreement # 40595030
Whom will you serve? 1. How is Hitler’s Germany similar to our society today? 2. How ought the Church to respond? Life in a Decaying and Dark World 1. What is the root of the problem? 2. What is the mandate of God’s people? Bricks, Mortar & Joy 1. What were the three phases of the rebuilding project? 2. Why do you think it was important to have local Haitians plan the project, carry out the construction work and home owners help with funding the project? 3. What were some of the challenges faced by the project and how were they overcome? Challenges and Change in Latin America 1. What are some weaknesses that Latin American churches wrestle with? 2. What does the “priesthood of believers” mean and how ought it to apply to daily life in Latin America? 3. Look up “syncretism” and write a definition. Why is this a problem? 4. Why could Latin American missionaries be more effective in Muslim countries than missionaries from Canada or the USA?
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.
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