W&d winter2014 sensitiveweb

Ecuador

INSIDE

>Colombia INSIDE Ministry of Hope

Nicaragua

Hope and the Beauty of Grace

Networking in Nicaragua Guatemala Bethesda: A Place of Mercy A Place of Mercy

Guatemala

La Palabra Christian School Inspection

Ecuador

A Seminary with a Mission

Malawi

A Fresh & Vibrant Start at a New Life Girls’ Home

Indonesia Children of Hope

>foreword

By Rick Postma

Nightmare

The world suddenly feels like a dangerous place again. I don’t remember feeling like that since 9/11 but now with the Russian bear stirring, ISIS attacking in Iraq and Syria, and Iran brewing “who knows what” while the world is busy elsewhere, I think there is a growing sense of unease among us gentle folks in the west. And I haven’t even mentioned North Korea.

President Obama has come to the rude awakening that not everyone wants to play by the rules. What he viewed as a pledge to play nice in Cairo during a 2009 speech there was viewed by anti-Western forces around the world (see paragraph above) as a statement of weakness. Former President George Bush naively assumed that democracy would follow once Saddam Hussein was removed. President Obama has made the same mistake with the Arab spring and has learned, too late, that supporting the removal of various strongmen in the Middle East (Mubarak in Egypt, Gadaffi in Libya, Assad in Syria) has unleashed the Muslim horde. The cork is out of the bottle. How to get it back in again?

The conquering Muslim hordes were stopped from overrunning Europe in 732 A.D. at the battle of Tours in France by Frankish leader Charles Martel. They tried again in 1485 and 1683 when they were stopped at the gates of Vienna. Who will stop them this time?

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In this issue of the magazine we highlight the plight of the Yazidi refugees, victims of a resurgent radical Islam as embodied by ISIS. Read about how God’s people are striving to rescue people in Ecuador and Colombia from lives ravaged by sin and abuse perpetrated by Satan and his minions. One of our partners in Guatemala tells us about coming alongside the aged who are often neglected in that society and we learn from Dr. Arjan de Visser that pastors in Malawi face constant challenges from a worldview known as Animism.

The cross was held aloft by the Crusaders as they repeatedly invaded the Middle East to reclaim it for the Christian West.

May we hold high the cross of Christ as well, but for a different reason—with the hope and the prayer that those who would kill and destroy would come to know the Savior who was born over 2,000 years ago in Bethlehem and ultimately died to restore what has so badly and horribly been broken. Many Yazidi refugees are hearing the gospel, likely for the first time. May the horn of salvation we read of in the meditation by Pastor Joel Overduin smash sin, Satan, and the designs of ISIS to bring many into a saving relationship with Him, to the glory of His Name! W&D Rick Postma is the Director of Promotion at Word & Deed Ministries.

WORD&DEED

meditation

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

BY Pastor joel overduin

WINTER 2014/15 Editor Rick Postma

Assistant Editor Brianna Vlaar

Graphic Design Knor Graphic Design Solutions Copy Editors Shelly Crites Hanna Korvemaker 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, 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 Director of Projects John Otten Director of Promotion Rick Postma Projects Consultant Bernie Pennings Support Staff John Kottelenberg Kara Luiting Heather VanMeppelen-Scheppink Brianna Vlaar Board of Directors President - Jake Sinke Vice President - Corney Les Secretary - Rev. Tim Bergsma Treasurer - Henry de Waal Bert Mulder Dr. Arjan de Visser Dick Naves Dave Wielinga Harold Leyenhorst Lyle Ypma Advisory Committee Mr. Jim Beeke – International Educational Consultant

Dr. Gerald M. Bilkes – Professor of

Old & New Testament, Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary Rev. Christo Heiberg – Pastor, Zion United Reformed Church Rev. Danny Hyde – Pastor, Oceanside United Reformed Church

<

Horn of Salvation!

What do you think of when you hear the phrase “horn of salvation”?

Nowadays we think of a horn mainly as something you honk. But farmers might think of the animals in their barns, for example, their cows or their goats, which may have horns. The horns of an animal represent great strength and power. This is imagery we find in various places in Scripture. So in Psalm 92:10-11, the psalmist rejoices that “my horn You [Lord] have exalted like a wild ox; my eye also has seen my desire on my enemies; my ears hear my desire on the wicked who rise up against me.” The picture is one of being strengthened to stand against and to destroy all ungodly enemies.

But now in Luke 1:68-69, Zacharias is filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied concerning the coming Messiah, saying that “the Lord God of Israel ... has raised up a horn of salvation for us ...”

What that means is that in Jesus, the Lord God has raised up a strong and mighty Savior.

Isn’t that what the rest of the gospels tell us? Remember how the Lord Jesus showed His might over storms, over Satan, over sickness, and even over death. But even more, didn’t He especially prove His power when He took on the burden of sin and went to the cross to atone for it and thereby purchase a salvation for sinners that includes the forgiveness of sins, righteousness, and the promise of eternal life?

Likewise, when through His Spirit and by means of His Word, this same Savior breaks into the souls of sinners like us so as to apply the salvation He has earned, what power is needed to smash the hold of sin and Satan, to cast out the stony heart and to replace it with a heart of flesh, and to work out a life of repentance, faith, and new obedience? All this He does and more, He being a horn of salvation—so mighty!

Let us be glad that again we may celebrate the coming of this mighty Savior. And may we all be those who go to Him, repeatedly and with everything in life.

Finally, let’s boldly advertise Him to people everywhere. What can’t He do, He being a horn of salvation? W&D Pastor Joel Overduin is pastor of the Free Reformed Church of Vineland, Ontario.

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 Board of Directors President - Pete Vander Stel Vice President - Paul Laman Secretary - Harry Kooistra Treasurer - Karen Vander Sloot Eric Brandt Dave Byker Mary Cogbill Anita Sikkema Peter Van Kempen

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>ECUADOR By fred & arlene jonkman

Ministry

of

Hope

The two factors which motivated Dr. Yeny and members of the Reformed Church in Quito, Ecuador, to begin work in the Quininde area were the abject poverty and hopelessness of the people and the conviction that only the grace of God could dispel the darkness and replace it with eternal hope.

For years, this community has been ensnared by Satan, sin, and its venomous tentacles of destruction and injustice. Faith that God can change the destructive nature of evil and sin

by His power and grace drove this ministry of hope. A hope that latches on to the certainty of the promises of the Great Commission and the future that God has promised through Christ, the hope of all nations.

During the first years, Dr. Yeny and her team began womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s groups in various communities in and around the town of Quininde under a program called Sowing with Hope. The central focus was a weekly Bible study which was followed by teaching on new micro-industry methods, training in running a community bank,

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and education on health. At the present time, there are wellestablished groups including men, women, and children in six communities.

Next, God opened the doors for us to work in the public schools under a program called Learning with Hope. Each week Bible and health are taught in various public schools to hundreds of children.

Two child sponsorship programs called Growing in Hope were started in the poorest neighborhoods inside the town of Quininde five years ago. The Word of God is central to the programs and 225 children are provided with nutritious meals, health care, academic enrichment programs, and spiritual care.

We are working with the parents of these children and now have a core group who are hungry to learn more about Jesus. We are presently in the legal process of buying another property in the marginal neighborhood Oswaldo Mendoza to enable

Children gather to sing.

us to serve another 100 children. We had hoped to begin it this year, but the legal processes have been very slow and we continue to wait for the finalization of the paperwork so the property can be put in the missionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s name and construction of a facility can begin.

In 2009, the Lord enabled us to buy a five-acre property that we have called House of Hope. Here we plan to consolidate and develop the ministries that are already running. Some of the biggest challenges people face are the lack of medical facilities and jobs, high rate of abuse, poor educational facilities and programs, and the need for theological training.

We hope to develop this property with the goal of addressing some of these needs in an organized and centralized way.

The first phase of this project was to enclose the property with a security wall. Three sides are now enclosed and we are working on the front wall. The next steps will be to build the infrastructure: a well, septic bed, caretakerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s home, storage shed, and the driveways. We hope to concentrate on this phase in 2015 with the help of work teams and national workers.

The subsequent phases over the next several years will involve the infrastructure for each of the ministries. The details of each of these phases are still being developed but ideally they will involve the following elements. A long building which will skirt the front of the property and serve as a medical clinic and provide a space for the mission office and storefront units.

These storefront units will be vocational training centers where people can be taught new skills, produce new products and learn marketing skills to enable them to sell them. On the second floor of this building there will be some apartments to house visiting doctors and volunteers serving in the ministries, as well as a classroom. Toward the center of the property we plan to build a large pavilion with a kitchen and gazebo classrooms. This will be an educational center where children and adults can come for educational programs and training workshops. At the back of the property we hope to build some homes to serve as shelter for abused children in the community.

A completed section of the security wall.

May the hope of the gospel continue to shine brightly in the darkness through the construction of the House of Hope in Quininde. 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. Their ministry includes Sunday School training and curriculum for Spanish-speaking churches and schools in Latin America and a Reformed Seminary called CRETE which now has 10 study centers throughout Ecuador.

They also support the different projects directed by Dr. Yeny in the Quininde area. The focus of their ministry is to equip and empower the nationals to do the work of the Lord in Ecuador.

Ecuador

house of hope The community of Quininde, where the House of Hope is being built, is characterized by broken relationships with God and others. This has resulted in abject poverty and dysfunctional family and community relationships. The overall vision of this project is to create a physical infrastructure to facilitate the growth and strengthening of the educational, health and development ministries which are reaching out to the the most impoverished sectors of the community.

Still needed in 2014:

$66,000

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>COLOMBiA

By Lixa Minelly Aldana

and the

Beauty

Colombia is a land of drug cartels, corruption and poverty, terrifying realities that seem “normal” to the children of Colombia, especially those living in Internally Displaced People zones, where abuse, neglect, alcoholism, drug use, brokenness and criminality abound.

Thankfully, the story doesn’t end there. In the Girls’ Home of Tenjo, the ugliness and horror of sin are met by the hope and the beauty of grace.

This home welcomes girls who are living in high risk situations, exposed to unthinkable evil, and provides them with a haven of safety and a loving home environment while mending familial ties whenever possible. There is room for 60 girls at the home, and they range from infancy to the late teen years. The stories below provide a closer look at how this home is being used to bring the beauty of grace to broken lives in Colombia. *Please note that names have been changed to protect the privacy of the girls at the home.

mariana

Hope

of

Grace

Mariana entered the home in January 2012 after being sexually abused by her stepfather with whom she was living and who was the breadwinner in her house. Mariana also lived with her mother, who works as a cleaning maid, and her five and one year old siblings. Once Mariana got to the home, the interdisciplinary team began interventions, and a formal complaint was filed at the Center for Attention of Victims of Sexual Abuse, the General Prosecutor’s Office, and with the Colombian Institute for Family Welfare (ICBF). In January 2014, the custody process was carried out and custody was given to her maternal grandfather by the ICBF. He is a very committed grandfather and even made a new room in his house for Mariana. At the end of January 2014, Mariana left the home.

She is now in the sixth grade and she is a really good student. Although she lives with her grandparents, Mariana still keeps in touch with her mother with whom she stays every weekend.

The girls are taught good hygiene.

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Colombia

Girls’ Home AT Tenjo

Valeria is 10 years old and she is in the fourth grade.

She is fond of soccer and her dream is to become a fashion designer. She has two sisters who are 8 and 12 years old. Her mother died several years ago and her father is a drug addict. He has not been a responsible, present father that she would like to have. For that reason, in 2009, the ICBF granted custody of the girl to her maternal aunt, who has been Valeria and her sisters’ caregiver for all their lives. Valeria’s aunt decided to seek help from CDA because her economic situation was not even enough to maintain her three children and she is a single mother. All her life, she has had to work as a cleaner in a university. When Valeria joined the home, she was stubborn and defiant, and her behavior was not easy at all. She was much of a challenge for all the Home Team. It has been almost four years and today she is a girl with really good grades, respectful, serving and selfcontrolled. She is regularly willing to take part in all the activities and know more about who God is in her life.

Sofia is 12 years old and is in the fifth grade. She likes to watch TV, do homework and do crafting. She wants to be a doctor when she grows up and is skillful at arts. She came to the home in July 2014, when her family was having a very difficult economic situation.

She was being exposed to all sorts of bad examples, growing in an environment full of criminal activities and drug consumption. Her older sister with her husband and their friends would come to her house to take drugs. Sofia lived with her father, who works as a street vendor, her three siblings, one brother-in-law and two nephews. Sofia reflects sadness because her mother was killed in 2013 and she is still mourning because she has not received the necessary support. For that reason, Sofia has received support from psychology and chaplaincy and she likes to take part in all the activities proposed by the professionals. She wants to be a great doctor; she is respectful, affectionate and dedicated to all she has to do. W&D

sofia

Valeria

CDA (Corporación Dios es Amor) has recognized that some young girls are victims of abuse and/or abandonment and that these girls need to be brought to a safe shelter. The home at Tenjo was built to be such a shelter. The social workers at the home work to maintain ties with the girls’ families, to work towards reconciliation when necessary and to promote a safe and loving home environment. There are 60 girls (30 supported

by W&D North America and 30 by Woord en Daad Holland) living in a beautiful but simple set of structures. The girls range from infancy to the late teen years. Still needed in 2014: $95,000

Lixa Minelly Aldana is a social worker at the Girls’ Home in Tenjo. She leads the interdisciplinary team that carries out the activities with the families of the girls who live in the home and liaises with government networks such as the Fiscalía General (General Prosecutor), ICBF, etc.

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>GUATEMALA By samuel & vianney espana

BETHESDA: A Place

of

Mercy

Located in the coastal town of Champerico, the “Seniors’ Day Center Bethesda” provides holistic support for the elderly in an effort to improve their quality of life. In Guatemala there are very few social programs for the elderly, so most seniors try to support themselves or attempt to contribute to their family’s economy. Because of their age, they are only able to do menial tasks such as sweeping, laundering clothes, or selling firewood. Only 5% of the senior population receive some sort of government pension, which only amounts to about $50 monthly. Often, seniors are abandoned or marginalized because it is thought that they can no longer contribute to society.

Given that there are no other support programs available, Asociación Saq B’e seeks real solutions to the challenges that the elderly face through partnering with local churches, interested individuals, and Word & Deed.

Drawing from biblical principles, Asociación Saq B’e walks with local churches in this program so that essential areas in the seniors’ lives are addressed (emotional, physical, intellectual, spiritual, occupational, and social dimensions of life).

Local churches partner in key ways: volunteers from three churches help to prepare meals and four churches collaborate in providing spiritual and pastoral care. There is an evident eagerness to be equipped so that they can serve the seniors more effectively.

The Center began its current program in May of 2014. Initially, Center Bethesda was open two days a week through support from Word & Deed; however, in August the volunteers from the local churches came to appreciate the value of the program and were able to open a third day each week through the generosity of local food suppliers, donations, and volunteers.

The participants express their thankfulness and appreciation for God’s kindness shown through the staff’s loving service at the Center. At the same time, many struggle with illness due to their age and ask for regular prayer.

“Bethesda” means place of mercy or house of grace, and this articulates what the seniors have found. Some have come to faith in Christ; others have renewed their trust in the Lord. All have benefited through the program in one way or another and experience a better quality of wellness as they enjoy their remaining years. The holistic approach of the program brings hope and encouragement as we minister in the example of Christ. Praise God for programs like this as together we participate in God’s mission! W&D Samuel & Vianney Espana are Directors of Saq B’e Association in Guatemala.

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Participant Profile Name: José Augusto Reyes Birth Date: October 29, 1941 Age: 72 years old For a long time don José was a farmer. He now lives with his son, daughter-in-law, and grandchildren. He economically depends on his son and collaborates with him by taking care of his grandchildren. One of his tasks is to take his grandchildren to the school. He is a very happy and talkative person. He likes to learn new things. Now he is starting to experience some problems with uric acid and his back. He says, however, that those things are not an obstacle to continue helping around.

His words about the program follow: “I’m very happy as a participant of the Seniors’ Day Center Bethesda. I’m very grateful for this program as it brings joy to my life. The program is very nice and the Word of God is shared.”

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Changes to the Word & Deed Staff and Canadian Board We are thankful for God’s continued providence! This season we joyfully welcome two new members to the Canadian Board.

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Welcome, Bert!

Bert Mulder and his wife Marietta have four children and seven grandchildren.

Bert is a co-owner of Grand Erie Home Hardware Building Centre where they live in Dunnville, ON. They attend Dunnville’s Grace United Reformed Church.

Welcome, Harold!

Harold Leyenhorst and his wife Annette have four children and 19 grandchildren. Harold has been in business for many years and currently works for Natural Light Patio Covers. He has lived in the Fraser Valley, BC for his whole life and together with Annette they attend the Langley Canadian Reformed Church.

Thank you, Norlan!

Norlan De Groot recently took on a role with MINTS International Seminary as a staff writer. We thank Norlan for his contributions to Word & Deed and wish him God’s blessings in this new role.

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Make a World of Difference by Sponsoring

a Child

Don’t underestimate

impact that a picture and a short letter can have on your sponsor child! the

Cherzeline

sponsorship

Cherzeline has just started grade eight at Adoration Christian Centre in Haiti.

She is able to walk to school in three minutes. She lives with her parents, two sisters, and four others in a tent.

Her favorite sport is basketball and her favorite food is bananas. Both of her parents work as petty vendors, selling things along the side of the road.

This does not yield a steady income, making it difficult for the needs of the family to be met.

DAVE Five-year-old Dave has started Senior Kindergarten at Adoration Christian Centre in Haiti this fall. He lives with his parents, sister, and brother in a tin house about 40 minutes away from the school. Both of his parents are teachers and work to make an income to support their family. Despite this, they are not able to meet the daily needs of each of their children and are grateful for the support Adoration is able to provide.

ELVIS

Many sponsor children come from broken and dysfunctional homes, and do not receive the attention or affection that children thrive on. A short note from you is one more example of healthy, Christian love in their lives.

Please write ‑‑ today!

Contact Kara at office@wordanddeed.org if you’re not sure how to get started.

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Elvis is five years old and has just started Kindergarten in Ecuador. He lives with his parents and two siblings in a rented home that is in bad condition on the banks of the river.

His father makes minimum wage as a policeman and his mother is looking for a job. Elvis likes to play soccer and draw. When he is older he would like to be a soccer player!

Education

by Dr. Arjan de visser

Visiting the Sick in the African Context Visiting the sick is an important part of pastoral care in the church of Christ.

It does not matter whether you are in Africa or in the West, people who are sick are often in a crisis situation.

Their world is turned upside down and their faith may be severely challenged.

However, the Lord often uses such occasions to strengthen people’s faith.

As Charles Spurgeon said: “I venture to say that the greatest earthly blessing that God can give to any of us is health, with the exception of sickness. Sickness has frequently been of more use to the saints of God than health has.”

Earlier this year (May 2014) it was my privilege to speak to 70 Malawian pastors at a conference organized by Logos Ministries in Lilongwe (a partner organization of Word & Deed). I did seven presentations in total. One of the topics was “visiting the sick.”

Being sick in Africa comes with the additional burden that Christian believers may be tempted to believe that their illness is the result of witchcraft (fear of witchcraft, together with the veneration of ancestor spirits, is characteristic of animism). The person may be told by friends or relatives: “Perhaps someone has bewitched you or cast a spell on you.” During a group discussion at the conference the pastors were asked to suggest relevant Scripture passages that could be used in such a situation.

The brothers came up with John 10:28 and Romans 8:35–39.

Pastors in Malawi are often confronted with difficult and messy situations. The family of the sick person may be divided, with one part urging that the patient should be taken to a traditional healer

because he “knows about witchcraft,” another part of the family saying that the family should take the sick person to a hospital and pray to the Lord for healing, and perhaps even a third part of the family urging that the sick person should be taken to a Pentecostal minister because he “knows about miracles.”

It was great to see the pastors at the conference talk about this important topic. At times the discussion got heated (there were a few Pentecostal pastors among the participants), but it was very upbuilding. I was impressed with the biblical insight and pastoral wisdom that some of the Reformed pastors displayed.

At the end of the session we agreed that ministers have a duty to visit the sick in the congregation, trusting that the Lord will provide guidance and wisdom with respect to choosing a relevant Scripture passage and praying the appropriate prayer. By the way, the Malawian brothers really liked the quote from Spurgeon about the Lord’s good purposes with sickness! W&D Dr. Arjan de Visser is a professor at the Canadian Reformed Theological Seminary in Hamilton, ON where he teaches Homiletics, Liturgics, Pastoral Care, Missiology, and other practical subjects.

He also sits on the board of Word & Deed Canada.

Group discussion at the conference in Malawi.

Logos Ministries: Pastoral Training & Education Word & Deed partners with the Church of Central Africa, Presbyterian (CCAP, a large denomination of over 1 million members) to provide CCAP pastors, elders and leaders with the practical and doctrinal tools they need to better serve their congregations (which often number in the thousands). They offer training seminars to church leaders to equip men in CCAP churches to lead and instruct their flocks. Multiple seminars are held each month, and are conducted by visiting pastors and teachers, as well as by Logos staff. What an amazing opportunity to impact a one million member denomination! Still needed in 2014: $78,000 WINTER 2014/15 I Word&Deed winter

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Come and hear how the Lord is working at Adoration Christian Centre in Haiti Guelph ON · January 16th

Hamilton ON · January 17th

Orangeville, ON · February 6th

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS: Randy & Karen Lodder

You are invited to join us for dinner or dessert!

Please visit our website at www.wordanddeed.org for more details!

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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Help save us money!

If you are receiving the magazine at church & home, please contact us at office@wordanddeed.org or call 1.877.375.9673 (Canada) 1.866.391.5728 (USA).

Prayer Requests Business Group

Meetings please stay tuned for confirmed dates and locations Ministry of Hope • Praise God for opening the doors to bring the gospel to Quininde through Sowing with Hope, Learning with Hope, and Growing in Hope.

• Please pray for the development and construction of the House of Hope, that through this, the gospel will continue to spread.

Hope and the Beauty of Grace • Praise God for providing a safe Christ-centered shelter for the girls at the Girls’ Home at Tenjo.

• Please pray for healing for each of the girls at the home and for restoration in their families and community.

Bethesda: A Place of Mercy • Praise God for willing volunteers who were able to mobilize local food suppliers, donations, and volunteers to open the center for a third day each week.

• Please pray that all who are touched by Bethesda may find and be built up in their faith in the Lord.

Word & Deed North America • Praise God that on all fronts our Projects Consultant, Bernie Pennings, is doing much better. All the symptoms he has been wrestling with have greatly improved and doctors anticipate a full recovery.

• Please pray that God may continue to provide Word & Deed with able and Christ-focused staff and volunteers.

Grand Rapids, MI · DECEMBER 4 Norwich, ON · December 5 West Lincoln, ON · December 6 Pompton Plains, NJ · December 9 Hamilton, ON · DecEMBER 12 Wyoming/Strathroy, ON January 29 Thunder Bay, ON february 2 Ancaster, ON · FebRUARY 11 Illiana, MI · march 16 Hurontario, ON · TBA

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NON-PROFIT ORG US POSTAGE PAID HUDSONVILLE, MI PERMIT #204

Publications Agreement # 40595030

programmatic areas would be of benefit for each case Horn of Salvation! (there bethink moreofthan one).

1.

What may do you when you hear the phrase “horn of salvation”?

Pastor Overduin Transforming Lives Now and for Eternity says that we find this imagery in the 1. Consider the hardships that Sender hasBible. faced growing up does imagery inWhat Guatemala.

In whatmean? ways has enrollment at La Palabra 2.

Explain School in yourinown words what the imagery Christian Guatemala transformed his life? “horn of salvation”don’t means in the BibleExplain and forthis 2. “Empty stomachs have ears.” us. statement in your own words.

Ministry of Hope New Beginnings at Nakekela 1. Why can only the grace of God dispel darkness 1. Visit the Nakekela website (www.nakekela.co.za) to read and replace it with hope? about the history of the organization on the main page.

2. List the programs that have been started in How has Nakekela grown since its inception in 2004?

Quininde and how they have impacted the Mercycommunity. and GloryThink at the of Nakekela three waysStep that Down you canFacility 1. Put yourself in the shoes of somebody living in the impact your community.

KwaMhlanga How would you feel about Hope and the community.

Beauty of Grace the opening of an theInternally HIV/AIDS Clinic and why?

1.

Look up what Displaced People 2. How has Zone is.the community perception of the Nakekela Clinic sinceHome its inception?

Why has 2.

How changed has the Girls’ at Tenjo been ableittochanged?

Join or Die? 1. “Corporate worship is . . . the centerpiece of the Christian life.” Explain how this is true using scripture. Here is one passage to get you started: Hebrews 10:24-25 2. Explain what Pastor Boekestein means when he compares church membership to parents making their children eat their dessert.

CDA: A Transformational Approach to Poverty 1. The mission of CDA is carried out through projects in five main “programmatic areas.” List those areas and do some research to understand what they entail if you’re not sure.

2. Re-read the stories of Andrea, Shirley, Juan David, Genaro and Briceida. List which of the five CDA

bring grace?

Introducing: Children of Light A Place Mercy 1. Bethesda: “Families who did of send their children to school were 1.

Whatsacrificing does “Bethesda” is this a from a often heavilymean? to do Why so, suffering lack of food, fitting name?and an inability to provide their children with proper clothing andJosé school supplies.”

2.

Consider the difficulties faces.

How hasList five reasons thatimpacted Christian is sothink valuable, in the center hiseducation life? Can you of the developing and of in seniors North America. a way to impactworld the lives in your 2. Aren life? Bulan is motivated to become a doctor because of the lack of medical care on his home island of Visiting the Sick in the African Context Rote. Make a list of the needs you see around you 1. “I venture to say that the greatest earthly (at home, at school, among friends or otherwise). blessing can give to any of us What can that you God do now to make a difference? is health, with the exception of sickness.

Serving Through the Written Word Sickness has frequently been of more use to 1. Discuss theoffollowing written word the saints God thanstatement: health has.”“The Use your isown powerful and should be handled carefully.” words to explain what this quote from 2. Martha mentions the different talents and privileges Charles Spurgeon means. that each of us are given

by God. Compared to students 2. What is our duty to the sick? in the developing world, what unique privileges have you been given? How can you use them 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.

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winter 2013