Word & Deed Magazine Fall 2017 by Rick Postma

INSIDE

FALL 2017

Colombia

Sharing the Purpose of God for the Families of Colombia

Ecuador Working Together in God’s Kingdom

Haiti

Adoration‑-Our First Graduating Class!

Malawi

Lizulu Orphan Care‑Sharing the Light

WORD&DEED

>foreword By Rick Postma

Biblical Ministries In July of this year, I had the privilege of attending the International Conference of Reformed Churches (ICRC) in Jordan, Ontario. There are 32 denominations represented in this conference from all over the world. Meetings take place every four years, with the most recent locations being Wales and New Zealand. The purpose of the ICRC is to learn from each other, to encourage one another, and also to hold each other accountable with respect to God’s Word. Member churches come from many countries including India, South Korea, South Africa, South Sudan, Northern Ireland, and many more. I am a member of the ICRC diaconal committee along with brothers in the Lord from New Zealand, The Netherlands, South Africa, and the USA, and we have had approximately 20 calls on Skype over the last three years. It was wonderful for us all to meet face to face for the first time at this conference. All four of us have experience in diaconal-related ministries and it has been a blessing to learn from one another, to wrestle together with various requests for relief from areas affected by disasters, and to plan various means of sharing what we have learned with member churches and beyond. For the first time, the conference included panel discussions led by members of the three main committees-–the missions committee, the theological education committee, and the diaconal committee. These were both interesting and challenging. In the panel discussion which our committee took part in, several important points were made: 1) The office of deacon has been underemphasized in most of our churches. The responsibilities of this office with respect to church members as well as the broader community needs to be recovered. See the recently published book The Deacon: The Biblical Roots and the Ministry of Mercy Today by Cornelis van Dam.

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Mercy

2) Faceless government programs do not nearly meet the needs of poor people living in the communities where our churches are located. Led by our deacons, our churches need to once more become beacons of hope (for this life and the life to come) and love as they used to in the 19th century in places such as Glasgow (Thomas Chalmers) and New York City (see Marvin Olasky’s book The Tragedy of American Compassion). 3) Thomas Chalmers spoke of the need for a warm heart and a hard head in carrying out the work of mercy ministry. Those we help must not be treated as if they are entirely helpless. In the example of soup kitchens, beneficiaries should be required to justify their need for help and, having done so, to help in any way they can (set up, clean up, and even food preparation, if able). This principle applies to both local and foreign work. 4) Churches and organizations in the West must be very careful about creating dependency in mission and mercy ministries in the developing world. Funding and labor should only be provided when those being helped cannot provide it themselves. 5) Relief ministry is complex and requires careful evaluation and oversight. Simply sending funds is never the right answer. In this issue of the magazine, you will read about projects in Colombia, Malawi, Ecuador, and Tanzania. Have you considered reading the magazine together as a family, discussing the articles using IMPACT (on the back page), and praying together for our partners and those they seek to transform in dependency on the Lord using the Prayer Requests page? We covet your involvement with us in this way! W&D Rick Postma is the Director of Public Relations for Word & Deed Ministries.

Editor Rick Postma Assistant Editor Hanna Korvemaker Graphic Design Knor Graphic Design Solutions Copy Editors Shelly Crites 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 Promotion Rick Postma Office Administrator Scott Koopman Support Staff Hanna Korvemaker John Kottelenberg Kara Luiting Board of Directors President - Corney Les Vice President - Jake Sinke Secretary - Dave Wielinga Treasurer - Henry de Waal Dr. Arjan de Visser Rev. C. Heiberg John Jagersma Harold Leyenhorst Bert Mulder Dick Naves John Vangameren 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 Board of Directors President - Pete Vander Stel Vice President - Paul Laman Secretary - Harry Kooistra Treasurer - Karen Vander Sloot Eric Brandt Anita Sikkema Peter Van Kempen 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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meditation

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

By Pastor John A. Bouwers

Mercy Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy. Matthew 5:7 While we must never to be naive to the fact that there are people who make a sport out of taking advantage of Christian benevolence, we should rather err on the side of mercy. Through the ministry of mercy, those being helped are actually seeing the Gospel in action. It is an object lesson, which both illustrates and demonstrates the grace of God in Christ to undeserving sinners. Jesus did not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance. The Gospel of the Kingdom portrayed and proclaimed in the work of mercy is that Jesus has come and is coming again to make all things new. But while acts of mercy bear witness to that reality, the challenge is to lovingly seek to make that explicit with a verbal Gospel presentation. Of course, the idea would not be to make a superficial receiving of the Gospel message a condition to be met before any aid could be dispensed. That would give the erroneous impression that mercy could be bought by means of such a decision. Are there, then, no limitations to the extension of mercy? Well, certainly the work of mercy would cease being mercy if it was knowingly encouraging, supporting, or subsidizing sin in an ongoing way. For example, no wise and shrewd minister of mercy simply opens his wallet and gives money to anyone asking for it. The danger that such money would be used in the support of sinful activity would not be remote. The occasion could be used instead as an opportunity to sit down over some food, to speak about the sad effects of sin in the world, the hope of salvation, and the promise of restoration and blessing to whosoever will come to the Father through Christ Jesus. It could be explained that while we are eager to show mercy and give physical aid, we would be unmerciful were we not also to seek to explain that life is more than food and clothing, and that man has an eternal soul. As connections develop, mercy can be further shown in a willingness to become involved in the lives of the needy at deeper levels, seeking to get below the surface to the root of the problem. It is merciful, in fact, to begin to deal tenderly but firmly with sin and its consequences. By the grace of God, some will respond favorably to such an intensification of mercy; others will react against it. But if people must turn away, let us make it our aim that it will be in spite of the mercy shown, not because of our unwillingness to show it. W&D Pastor John A. Bouwers ministers to the Immanuel United Reformed Church of Jordan, Ontario.

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>DiSaSTeR ReLieF

>COLOMBia

By Hanna Korvemaker

Drought

Sharing the Purpose of God for the Families of Colombia

By Gloria Lezama Bustos

Tanzania

Developing motor skills at the SID. Left: Putting puzzles together at the SID.

When Pastor Joseph Marwa of the Bible Fellowship Church of Tanzania and graduate of Puritan Reformed Seminary in Grand Rapids, MI, applied for aid from Word & Deed in February 2017, he stated that since May 2016 rainfall in Tanzania had been scarce. This severely Distributing aid to victims of drought in Tanzania. affected harvests in a country where about 75% of the population relies on farming to subsist. Even the animals of herdsmen were dying due to lack of water. To compound the who were not receiving our relief attended to listen to the issue, President Magufuli “vehemently denied”1 that drought, Word of God. In addition, many of the people wanted to know famine, and starvation were affecting the entire country instead why we decided to help people while we are a young and of inviting international aid. Pastor Marwa and the believers of small church; the question gave us a wonderful opportunity several Bible Fellowship Churches within Tanzania were doing to share with them the love of our Lord and God.” their best to provide what they could to those suffering around In his final report, Pastor Marwa shared the following them, while struggling to survive themselves. testimony with us, “I can recall a widowed old lady looking Word & Deed responded to Pastor Marwa’s request for at my eyes for about two minutes without saying anything. aid and from February through April 2017 sent a total of Her eyes were full of tears. When she started speaking $30,000 USD in two phases. This provided bags of corn, to me she had few words saying, ‘Thank you, my father beans, and rice to 870 families (both Christian and non- (pastor), for such a giving heart. I have gone three days Christian, including many Muslim families). Local church without receiving even a cup of porridge; today will be a leaders identified which families in their areas were in the day of celebration for me.’ Then she added, ‘According to greatest need, and together with the help of students of the scripture I can regard this day as Christ visiting our village Mwana Bible Institute, affiliated with the Bible Fellowship and serving the poor.’ Her testimony was very touching.” Churches of Tanzania, the aid was distributed. Please continue to pray for the people of Tanzania as they Through this famine, opportunities were won to share the continue to suffer the effects of the drought, and praise God love of Christ in the form of food aid and a presentation of for the believers in Tanzania who are acting as salt and light the Gospel and prayer for beneficiaries. Pastor Marwa reports in their suffering communities, pursuing physical aid and that, “Almost everywhere we went the people were more proclaiming spiritual hope to their neighbors. May God use eager for the Word of God than our relief . . . even the ones it effectively for the eternal salvation of many. W&D 1. http://allafrica.com/stories/201701160103.html

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Hanna Korvemaker works part-time in Public Relations for Word & Deed Ministries.

The School of Infant Development (SID) program was established in Colombia in 2006 in the community of Lucero Alto for parents with children from newborn to five years old. During my work in Lucero Alto, first as coordinator and now as principal of the CDA school there, I have been able to see the impact of this program—the strengthening of parents and our activities with the mission of evangelization. The purpose of this project is to strengthen parents’ capacity to carry out the responsibility that God has assigned them in raising their children, and also to prepare the children and their parents for the beginning of their school life by strengthening their basic skills. Through this project we contribute to our main goal of showing God’s love in Word and deed and promoting God’s vision and plan for the family. The project enables parents and children to bond with each other, encourages development, and equips parents to develop their role in raising their children in blessing. The activities developed so far are aimed at parents and children. We work through training workshops and ses-

sions. The intervention arises from a multidimensional understanding of the human being. Therefore, activities are focused on aspects related to the physical, transcendent, cognitive, and socio-emotional dimensions. The first activities developed have had a great impact—we had a welcome party to celebrate the importance of family and the blessing of having children. Furthermore, we want to develop workshops with an interdisciplinary expert team to discuss diverse subjects such as the childrens’ development and the importance of the family. All sessions are based on the Word of God. The greatest impact that can be seen with parents attending training sessions is their growing in knowledge of the Word of God and understanding His will for our lives. This generates great satisfaction for our organization and motivates us to continue developing actions such as these, which are part of the Great Commission. W&D Gloria Lezama Bustos is the Principal of the God Is Love School in the community of Lucero Alto in Bogota, Colombia.

School of Infant Development

The School of Infant Development exists to develop strong and healthy communities by providing training in parenting from a Christian perspective and support to families in vulnerable areas of Colombia (especially Internally Displaced People zones). This program focuses on 100 families with children under five years of age who are living in communities with high poverty and high levels of criminality and family violence. Budget in 2017: $20,400 CAD / $15,300 USD FALL 2017 I Word&Deed

>ECUaDoR

There is a lot of dysfunction, malnutrition, and abuse in their daily lives, and to be able to spend a few hours a day with loving Christian teachers and staff is such a blessing for them.

By Carla Neels

Working Together It was a huge privilege to once again have the opportunity to travel down to Ecuador this May with a mission team of 19 (13 of them family members and friends) to work on the Word & Deed projects in the Quininde area. Even for the few of us going back for the second time, it was a real blessing to relive the experience with those who have never been to a developing world country before! Being right on the Equator and on the tail-end of the rainy season gave a constant mix of heat and high humidity due to the almost daily rain showers. One of the immediate recollections that comes to mind is the pleasure of having Fred and Arlene as hosts; the love they show for the people around them is such a portrayal of the Gift that lives inside of them. Their devotions at the end of each day are not only instructive but also really led to discussion, soul searching, and further prayer. We pray for them as they begin Crafting at the Dos planning their de Mayo project. exit from the mission field but also rest assured that God’s work will continue

God’s Kingdom

in Ecuador. Their partner, Dr. Yeny, is such an amazing lady as well; her zeal and method of drawing people to Christ is incredible to observe. She is instrumental in the spreading of the Gospel as she goes around helping those with health concerns and further educating them. Our daughter had the privilege of joining her on her rounds doing house visits; never does Dr. Yeny leave a patient or family without inviting them to church and praying with them. Being a local and having the respect of the whole community gives her a lot of opportunity to evangelize wherever she goes. We would encourage all of you to recognize that even though you may not have the opportunity at this point in your life to physically join a mission team and work in another country, these projects would not be possible without the financial support, prayers, and donations (of funds, medical supplies, clothing, food, etc.) from all of you. We listened to a young man speaking at the church service on Sunday that was going to the seminary and studying to be a pastor—that is the result of being sponsored by someone like you from across the world. We ate meals with the 325 sponsorship children at the three projects in Quininde—that is the result of North Americans like you donating your excess vegetables and your time to process and dehydrate these vegetables to send to developing world countries. Our team brought that soup mix with us and it is truly a humbling experience to share those meals of “Canada soup” with the little Ecuadorians that you all sponsor! These projects are often safe havens for these children.

The females of our mission team were split into three groups and spent the week at Cesar Proaño, Dos de Mayo, and the Malecon. We brought with us a summary of five parables (which was translated and relayed to the different classes) as well as a craft which suited the parable. These children are absolutely thrilled with beads, stickers, glitter, and glue! Their classrooms do not have near the supplies we are used to so we had to bring everything with us. It was also wonderful to see the progress at the House of Hope project since last year; the medical clinic is now erected and our men had the job of pouring floors in the many rooms and hallway. This is not the typical job site scene; there were no tools and machinery to help with the task at hand. The guys had to dig trenches, hand-mix concrete, trowel, and level cement on their hands and knees; they were physically exhausted at the end of each work day! It’s always interesting to observe the men forming relationships with the locals who run the construction projects, as well as the ladies with the staff of each children’s project. We learn as much from the Ecuadorians as they do from us, and it is always hard to say goodbye when we leave. It is such a blessing to support a mission that is instrumental in the extension of the Kingdom of God and successful with their strategy. To hear the testimony of the locals converted to Christianity because of Word & Deed’s work on the ground and watch these same people go out and transform the lives of those around them and continue to spread the Gospel is humbling to be a part of. Enabling these local leaders to take responsibility in their projects and continue to successfully maintain them after Word & Deed leaves is a very healthy approach to mission work. We would encourage each reader to lift up this work in their prayers, support them financially and with donations, and think on the possibility of joining a work team to experience first-hand what Word & Deed does on the ground. W&D Carla and Nathan Neels are members of the NRC in Chilliwack, B.C. They thoroughly enjoy mission work. This was their fifth mission trip in four years (their second trip to Quininde, Ecuador), but the first trip that they coordinated. LEFT: Going over the House of Hope blueprints with Fred Jonkman (second from left). BELOW: The medical clinic at the House of Hope (the men’s job site).

House of Hope

The House of Hope in Ecuador is envisioned by Dr. Yeny and the Misión San Lucas as a center that will support and strengthen the ministries that the mission is currently undertaking with children, adolescents, and women in the most impoverished communities of Quininde (including the children and families of the Growing with Hope Sponsorship Program). Over time, this may include vocational training through commercial storefronts and micro-industry projects and housing for visiting doctors and ministry workers. To date, the caretaker’s home and an external wall for security has been built around the fiveacre property and primary focus is currently being given to constructing a badly needed medical clinic. Budget: $96,000 CAD / $72,000 USD

LEFT: The men of the team with two teachers of the Cesar Proaño project.

RIGHT: Team member Courtney (center) working with the students of the Dos de Mayo project.

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>HaiTi

Handy

By Randy Lodder

[ 19 years old ]

Adoration

The way Adoration was most beneficial in my life was that I was shown how to have an impact on my community and to live from day to day for Jesus Christ. The day of my graduation will be my favorite memory. My school plans after graduating is that I wish to go to a university to learn a trade. I hope to serve my community by encouraging children to take the road to school, taking part in all service opportunities that are done either in the field of cleaning or elsewhere. The verses I love are Romans 8:37–39 and also Jeremiah 29:13.

Our First Graduating Class! Let me introduce you to Dendy and Handy Philippe. They are twin brothers who are in their tenth year at Adoration. They started at Adoration in Grade 4 and this year they are in Grade 13, their final year at school! At the end of this school year they will have to write a government exam in order to graduate and obtain a high school diploma. Adoration has worked hard, with your support, to add a grade almost every year, and it has been Dendy and Handy’s class that has always been the first to orientate those grades. This year we have been blessed to add our last grade, Grade 13 or Philo or Secondary 4 (it has many names), and this class will be, Lord willing, our first graduating class! This is our tenth year of operation. We are truly excited about this, and very thankful to God. Although Handy is more social and outgoing and Dendy is more studious and reserved, they have many similarities. Both are doing well academically; both participate in sport teams; both work hard during service days and construction days; both are involved in church—Bible study, youth group; and both are becoming mature young men. And both will be graduating this year, the Lord willing. This means Adoration has this last year with them. We pray that, by the grace of God, Adoration will have a beautiful impact on these individuals and their fellow students, that they would grow in love for their God in all their being, and so that when they leave they are prepared, equipped, and encouraged to serve and have an impact in the places God puts them, to His honor and glory. This is the work that only the Lord can do, and our confidence rests in Him and it is for His Kingdom and His glory! We are so very thankful and grateful to God for your partnership and your heart of generosity! W&D

Dendy

[ 19 years old ]

Adoration has been beneficial to me in many areas, especially spiritually. I have a lot of plans. First I want to finish up my classical studies that will end 2017–2018. After, I want to go to university or learn accounting science. I would put my service to my community by first carrying the Word of God and all the things I learned in school. I would like to be a development agent for my community. In Timothy, it is written that the Bible is the Word of God. It is this Word that strengthens us, guides us, and reassures us. But there is one verse that caught my attention—Joshua 1:8. I make this verse my favorite verse because it gives me a condition for me to succeed; this condition is to follow the Word of God.

Phedeline

Adoration Christian School

Adoration Christian Centre is Word & Deed’s partner in Haiti. It is a holistic, Christian, development foundation serving and discipling Haitians in Port-au-Prince. It focuses on poverty relief and supporting at-risk families through community development and education through the Adoration Christian School. Its vision is to see a new generation of Christian leaders prepared and equipped to serve and impact their communities for the glory of Jesus Christ. Randy & Karen Lodder are the Directors of Adoration Christian Centre. Needed in 2017: $335,000 CAD / $250,000 USD

[ 20 years old ]

Adoration has been a blessing to me in my life because I have received an education. Adoration has given me help in my health when I was sick. After graduating, I hope to pursue pediatrics. I hope to serve my community with my talents and gifts by helping the children to read and write and share with the elderly food and drink, with all my heart. The verse of the Bible that I particularly like is Jeremiah 29:11: “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Because God has already known everything about me and this verse always encourages me every time I get discouraged in life.

Randy Lodder is the Director of Adoration Christian Centre in Haiti.

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>MaLaWi

By Manuel Kamnkhwani

Lizulu Orphan Careâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;Sharing

the

Light Everton, left, with the LOCP truck, often used to bring children to the program garden which they help tend.

Pete Van Kempen (left), US Board member, with LOCP leadership.

Founded in 1997 with just 93 children meeting under a tree, Lizulu Orphan Care Program (LOCP) has been a beacon of light in the Lizulu community on the border of Malawi and Mozambique. Known and respected as an orphan care center caring for over 500 children, LOCP serves more than just the orphaned and vulnerable children. In this densely populated transit town between the two major cities of Blantyre and Lilongwe, the Lizulu Orphan Care Center has community-wide impact. Under the leadership of the soft-spoken Everton Kamangire, the deputy headmaster of a girls mission secondary school in the area, the project has established itself as a beacon of hope in the area due to the services that it offers to the community at large. Everton, a native of the region, believes that establishing a good rapport with the community at large is the best way to serve the needs of the multitudes of orphaned and vulnerable children in the area. As a result, traditional leaders, government employees, and the local churches here are always available to play a role in caring for the orphans. A few years ago, the project was offered several hectares of farmland by the local chief. The

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donated land hosts a large garden, which is tended with the help of the orphans and supplements more than 30% of the food that LOCP needs for the feeding program. In addition, after several years of trying to find a reliable water source for the orphan care facilities, a bore well was successfully installed, and that water supply now benefits a number of community institutions. Lizulu Community Day Secondary School (which has 110 boarding students and another 400 day students), staff housing, and several private residences all get their water supply from this well. The paramount chief of the area is also asking for a connection. This well provides a modest income that helps cover the costs of keeping the well maintained and supplements other orphan care activities. A more recent development includes 12 houses that were built to generate rental income. Another organization provided the funds upfront to build the structures and all 12 homes are now being rented out. The community was thrilled with this development, as there has been an acute housing shortage in this area for some time. The homes are modest but well-built and provide quality housing to

local working professionalsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;police officers, teachers, and community development assistants. The income generated by these homes goes toward supporting the orphan care activities, while also providing a very tangible benefit to those needing housing.

Tending the LOCP garden.

The main hall that was built over a decade ago on Lizulu Orphan Care property is used for regular orphan care activities such as teaching, tutoring, and corporate singing, but it is also made available as a central meeting place in the community. It is used by the local chiefs who meet twice monthly to discuss community matters and African Leadership (another Christian ministry) facilitates weekly leadership training for interdenominational church leaders there.

Many of these people are also involved in various other aspects of community lifeâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;as committee members, teachers, and police officers. LOCP takes special care to screen their volunteers to ensure that there is a focus on living out the Gospel in a community where life is so often hard. There is much to be learned from this group of Christians who are living as bright lights shining the hope of the Gospel in their community. W&D

In addition to physical presence, Lizulu Orphan Care draws its caregivers and board members from local churches.

Manuel Kamnkhwani is the Country Director of Word & Deed Projects in Malawi.

Lizulu Orphan Care Program (LOCP)

The LOCP supports approximately 500 orphans and vulnerable children in six different centers. The home-based care model allows these children to remain in homes with kin or family friends; the orphan care centers serve as a base where children and their caregivers can go to receive biblical instruction as well as assistance with food, education, clothing, agricultural inputs, and other necessities. Fully sponsored in 2017

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sponsorsneeded! wordanddeed.org/ways-to-give/child-sponsor

prayer requests Disaster Relief: Drought in Tanzania • Praise God for the believers in Tanzania who are acting as salt and light in their suffering communities, pursuing physical aid, and proclaiming spiritual hope to their neighbors. • Pray for the people of Tanzania who continue to experience hunger and hardship from the effects of the drought in their country.

Colombia: Sharing the Purpose of God for the Families of Colombia

• Praise God for the work of our partners in strengthening families in Colombia. • Pray that it will be effective in equipping parents to carry out their God-given responsibility to care for and train their children. • Pray that through this program many will come to recognize Christ as their Lord and Savior.

Ecuador: Mission Trip Observations • Praise God for the opportunity that this mission team of 19 members had to see the Kingdom work that is being carried out in Ecuador. • Pray that the Lord will use the presence of this team (and other teams) in Ecuador as an encouragement and a help to our partners and local leaders in Ecuador.

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Haiti: Adoration—Our First Graduating Class!

Klenny

• Praise God that Adoration Christian School has been enabled to add their final grade this year and that they can look forward to seeing their first class of Adoration graduates, D.V. • Pray that the Lord will strengthen these Philo students in faith, that they will graduate well, be given wisdom as they consider their future path, and ultimately minister as Christian servants in Haiti through their calling in life.

Birthday:

October 14, 2004

December 19, 2009

Sayder

Angela

Birthday:

July 8, 2004

January 14, 2015

Thiago

Jair

Birthday:

March 22, 2014

May 19, 2015

Abby

Yeiron

Birthday:

January 11, 2014

May 28, 2014

Michel

Ashley

Birthday:

December 1, 2010

May 28, 2014

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Malawi: Lizulu Orphan Care—Sharing the Light

Yennis

CHILD SPONSORSHIP

$38CAD / $35USD PER MONTH

• Praise God for the faithful work of Lizulu Orphan Care these past 20 years and for the communitywide impact it has had. • Praise God for growth in the self-sufficiency of this project and for strong local leadership. • Pray that the message of the Gospel will be strongly proclaimed through this project.

Word & Deed North America • Praise the Lord for providing Word & Deed with wise counselors (board members and advisory committee members) to guide the work of this ministry. • Pray that the Lord will continue to provide wisdom to Word & Deed leadership as regular decisions are made about new partners, projects, and funding requests.

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Dinner Tour Join Us for Our Annual

Pastor Anup Hiwale,

A Living Legacy

Pastor Octavius Delfils,

Chairman of the Adoration Board in Haiti

National Director of Mission of Peace-Making in India

• Fergus, ON November 10 • Burlington, ON November 11 • Winnipeg, MB November 15 • Neerlandia, AB November 17 • Edmonton, AB November 18

• Grand Rapids, MI November 2* • London, ON November 4* • Copetown, ON November 10 • Jordan, ON November 11 • Chilliwack, BC November 17 • Aldergrove, BC November 18 • Monarch, AB November 20* • Sioux Center, Iowa December 1*

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.

Upcoming

events

Chilliwack, BC

Softball Tournament September 9

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.

Paris, ON

Softball Tournament September 16 Calgary, AB

Softball Tournament September 23

Please see our website for more details.

*Tentative date

More details are available on our website. Please call 1.877.375.9673 to book your seat! www.wordanddeed.org

POINTS FOR CHARITY Each year, dozens of flights are booked and paid for at Word & Deed Ministries: flights are necessary to conduct yearly project evaluation and mentorship trips, as well as the more occasional investigative and promotion-related trips. If you’re a points collector (whether on credit cards or flight-related point systems), you can make a big difference! By purchasing the necessary flights for Word & Deed project managers with your points you will be contributing significantly to our ability to manage and support projects in the developing world. If you are interested in contributing to Word & Deed Ministries in this way, please contact us at:

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1.877.375.9673 (Canada) or 1.866.391.5728 (USA).

Seeing Double? Seeing Double? If Word & Deed magazine is being delivered to you at your church and mailed to your home please let us know and help us save on printing and mailing costs.

www.wordanddeed.org 1.877.375.9673 (Canada) I 1.866.391.5728 (USA)

Upcoming Business Group

Meetings Please visit

www.wordanddeed.org

for New events and for dates and locations as they are determined

Fall 2017

credit card donations

It is now easier to donate to Word & Deed via your credit card! We are able to receive credit card donations through our website so you no longer have to visit a third-party website. We also are able to accept credit card donations over the phone in both the U.S. and Canada. wordanddeed.org/donate-canada | wordanddeed.org/donate-usa

Grand Rapids, MI Hamilton, ON Illiana, IL/IN Niagara, ON Norwich, ON Pompton Plains, NJ

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Word & Deed USA

NON-PROFIT ORG US POSTAGE PAID Grand Rapids, MI PERMIT #1

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Foreword: Biblical Ministries of Mercy 1. “Those we help must not be treated as if they are entirely helpless.” Compare and contrast a soup kitchen which treats beneficiaries as helpless with one that encourages beneficiaries to contribute whatever they are able. What does each look like? What are the ramifications of each model? How does each model affect the beneficiaries?

and understanding His willfor foreach our lives.” programmatic areas would be of benefit case Why is this foundational to the work of (there may be more than one). the School of Infant Development?

Transforming Lives Now and for Eternity 1. Consider the hardships that SenderTrip has Observations faced growing up Ecuador: Mission in Guatemala. In 1. what ways enrollment at La Palabra Why doeshas Carla feel that joining a Christian School in Guatemala transformed life? mission team is a positivehis experience? 2. “Empty stomachs don’t have ears.” Explain this the She lists several reasons throughout statement in your article. own words.

What unique opportunities to serve do New Beginnings at2. Nakekela local Ecuadorians have in their own 1. Visit the Nakekela website (www.nakekela.co.za) to read What unique do about the history ofcountry? the organization onopportunities the main page. mission team members have? How has Nakekela grown since its inception in 2004?

Meditation: Ministry of Mercy 1. Imagine that you are approached on the street by an individual asking for money to feed their hungry children. What would you do? If you have been in this situation before, what did you do? Based on the article, how should you react? 2. Explain why it is true that “it is merciful, in fact, to begin to deal tenderly but firmly with sin and its consequences.”

Mercy and Glory atHaiti: the Nakekela Step Down Adoration—Our First Facility 1. Put yourself in the shoes of Class! somebody living in the Graduating KwaMhlanga community. you feelatabout 1. It is the How hope would of our partners the opening of the Adoration HIV/AIDS Clinic and why? Christian School that their 2. How has the community perception of the by Nakekela students will be equipped, God’s Clinic changed since its inception? Why has it changed? grace, to serve Him in whatever career

Disaster Relief: Drought in Tanzania 1. Considering the Meditation in this issue of Word & Deed magazine, assess how well was shown through this drought Joinmercy or Die? relief project in Tanzania. 1. “Corporate worship is . . . the centerpiece of the Christian a. life.” Did those being helped seetrue “theusing Gospel in Explain how this is scripture. Here is one action”? How? passage to get you started: Hebrews 10:24-25 Is therewhat any danger the aid given 2.b. Explain Pastorthat Boekestein means when he compares might have been used in the support church membership to parents making their children eat of sinful activity? What precautionary their dessert. measure(s) were taken to avoid this?

CDA: A Transformational Approach to Poverty 1.Colombia: The mission of CDA is carriedofout Sharing the Purpose Godthrough projects in “programmatic for five the main Families of Colombia areas.” List those areas and some research understand what they entail if 1. do What are the two maintogoals of the School you’re sure. of Infantnot Development? 2.2. Re-read the impact storiesthat of Andrea, Shirley, “The greatest can be seen with Juan David, Genaro and Briceida. List whichisof the five CDA parents attending training sessions their growing in knowledge of the Word of God

are called to, for the transformation Introducing: Childrenthey of Light of their communities, ultimately, 1. “Families who did send their children and, to school were Haiti. Does this missional mindset often sacrificing heavily to do so, suffering fromseem a more urgently in Haiti it lack of food, and an inability toneeded provide theirthan children does in your ownsupplies.” community? Should with proper clothing and school List five it? Why or why not? reasons that Christian education is so valuable, in the developing world and in North America. Malawi: Lizulu Orphan Care—Sharing 2. Aren Bulan is motivated to become a doctor because the Light of the lack of medical care on his home island of 1. of Inthe whatneeds ways does Orphan Rote. Make a list you the seeLizulu around you Care Project demonstrate Word & (at home, at school, among friends or otherwise). Deed’s areas of emphasis (www. What can you do now to three make a difference? wordanddeed.org/about-us)?

Serving Through the 2. Written “Everton .Word . . believes that establishing 1. Discuss the following statement: “The word a good rapport with the written community at is powerful and should bethe handled carefully.” large is best way to serve the needs 2. Martha mentions the talents and privileges of different the multitudes of orphaned and that each of us are vulnerable given by God. Compared to students children in the area.” What in the developing world, what unique privileges have evidence is given within the article to you been given? How can you use them support Everton’s belief?for God’s glory?

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.

Word&deed I

winter 2013