foreword By Rick Postma
Stewards partnering together in God’s Kingdom
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s I criss-cross North America, either physically or via internet communication, the question periodically arises: is Word & Deed a legitimate ministry when she is a parachurch organization? This is a fair question. Word & Deed’s Structure The Canadian and US Boards of Word & Deed Ministries consist of United Reformed, Free Reformed, and Heritage Reformed directors, with plans to add directors from other conservative Reformed and Presbyterian denominations in the near future. Our Advisory Committee consists of a broad spectrum of leaders in our supporting churches and denominations. Word & Deed is a diaconal ministry with a very strong Word emphasis which works closely with churches in the developing world or with missions committees from our supporting denominations who have church plants there. Word & Deed avoids projects which do not include the spiritual and ecclesiastical oversight of a church. Operative Principles The key assumption here is that like-minded denominational church members can do Kingdom work together even if there are some differences between us. We further assume that by working together in diaconal work we can be much more effective. This stewardship principle refers to funding, but it also applies to the experience and knowledge gained over the years in this very complex, challenging work. Organizations who have joined Word & Deed, such as Adoration Christian Centre, speak openly about the benefits of doing so.
church members) partnering together in various ways exist. Think of many local Christian schools, seminaries, migrant worker ministries, and Christian counseling centers. The list can go on. The Results While good results do not alone justify a given methodology, if you are with me so far then you will join me in rejoicing in what God has done through the work of Word & Deed and her partners throughout the world: from Christian schools in Nigeria (in partnership with the Reformed churches there), to a home in Malawi for young girls and boys involved in or accused of witchcraft; from the Nakekela HIV/AIDS hospice in South Africa, where they bring the hope of eternal life to those at death’s doorstep, to the home for abused girls in Colombia; from the Adoration Christian Centre in Haiti which brings Christian education to young Haitians, to the agriculture projects in Nicaragua. Are there challenges? Certainly. Some of our indigenous church partners wrestle with shallow theology and liberal doctrine. In those situations, Word & Deed appeals to supporting churches and partnering ministries (seminaries and organizations such as MINTS) to send pastors to provide training for the leaders in that church and funds projects which provide office bearer training (in Malawi, for example). Together, in dependence on our gracious God, we can extend God’s Kingdom all over the world in a stewardly and Godhonoring way. We at Word & Deed rejoice in your support and look forward to working with you in the future.
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In This Issue
We believe that the members of NAPARC (North American Presbyterian and Reformed Council) can work together in a deed-oriented ministry. Word & Deed avoids getting involved in projects where there isn’t an indigenous local church or a North American mission providing spiritual and ecclesiastical oversight. Numerous Similar Examples Exist Many examples of churches (or
Foreword: Rick Postma - Stewards Partnering Together .... 2 Meditation: Rev. J. Vermeer - The Call ........................... 3 COLOMBIA: Corney Les - Transforming a Community ......... 4 somalia: Partnering with MedAir ................................. 7 GUATEMALA: Rick Postma - Opening Celebration ................ 8 haiti: Allan Stares - Teachers Teaching Teachers ....................10 sponsorship: Hanna Luong ......................................... 11 NICARAGUA: John Langendoen - Changes ................... 12 Indonesia: Rick Postma - Imagine ............................... 14 young@heart: Tanya Byl ............................................ 15 Impact: Tanya Byl .......................................................... 16
In this issue of the magazine, we celebrate the opportunities and impact of working together in Colombia, Guatemala, Haiti, Nicaragua and Indonesia. In all this let us be imitators of Christ, as Rev. John Vermeer points out in the meditation, who both “taught by word and acted by deed.” Rick Postma is Director of Public Relations for Word & Deed Ministries.
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meditation The Call By Rev. John Vermeer
Rev. John Vermeer is pastor of Oak Glen United Reformed Church in Lansing, Illinois.
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Thankfully, and by grace, we also can look at this calling through the covenant servant of the Lord Jesus Christ, who alone has kept this law perfectly. He loved his Father perfectly and his neighbor like no other, giving his life a ransom for many. He came, not to be served, but to serve as the covenant servant of the Lord that He was called to be. He loved entirely; He obeyed actively, passively and uniquely by word and by deed. When we see the call to love God and our neighbor, we can see then not only our perversity, but also Christ’s perfection. By God’s grace we can see Christ’s perfection for us, so we might be clothed in his righteousness unto a new life. It is that new life—won for us by Christ and applied by Christ’s Spirit—that allows us to look at the calling to love God and neighbor in a third and most liberated way. No longer tyrannized by the devil, our heart, soul, mind and strength are opened to a new way of looking at the world, one in which we can now reflect our covenant Savior both in word and by deed as covenant servants of God. When we recall our Savior’s work on earth, we remember Him as one who both taught by word and acted by deed. He addressed the whole man, spiritual and physical, for as the divine Savior he came to forgive all our sins and heal all our diseases (Ps.103:3). He came to save us, both body and soul. As reflections of our Savior and as those enlightened by his grace, we can rejoice every morning that we can know in a very basic but essential way what our life’s calling is for that day. For the sake of our covenant God in Jesus Christ, we have been given the privilege of knowing and acting on God’s covenant law of love—to love God with our entirety and to love our neighbor in his entirety—to love with the word of salvation and the good deeds that God has called us to do. In Christ we are no longer in the dark when it comes to what life is all about, for the light of Christ shines on us so we might be lights to the world, both physically and spiritually, glorifying God above all and seeking to be a blessing to those around us.
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SPRING 2012
Can Anyone Help Me? I need food for my
body as well as my soul!
Editor Rick Postma 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, 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 www.wordanddeed.org Project Director Bernie Pennings bpennings@rogers.com Toll free 877.375.9673
Public Relations Director Rick Postma Toll free 877.375.9673 publicrelations@wordanddeed.org Administrative Director John Otten Administrative Support Hanna Luong Heather VanMeppelen-Scheppink Board of Directors President - Jake Sinke Vice President - Dick Naves Secretary - Dave Wielinga Treasurer - Henry de Waal Klaas Jan Buist Rev. Cornelis Pronk Rev. C. Heiberg Corney Les John Vangameren 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 www.wordanddeed.org Office Administrator Heidi Pronk Ph 616.896.3160 usoffice@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
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May the ministry of Word & Deed continue to know God’s gracious blessing in Christ as it seeks to be a blessing, and may we be blessed all the more by our gracious covenant God to see the days that the Lord has provided us as privileged days to serve our Savior in both word and deed—called to such love as new creatures and covenant servants in Christ.
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rom a Reformed point of view, the call of the covenant Lord to “love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength” and “to love your neighbor as yourself ” (Mark 12:30) evokes many and various responses. When a Reformed Christian first encounters this calling, it brings the sobering realization that when we contrast ourselves honestly with that law of love, we find ourselves miserably wanting. Biblical and confessional honesty requires us to admit that we have “a natural tendency to hate God and our neighbor” (Romans 3:9-20; Heidelberg Catechism, Question 5). Left to ourselves, and at that spiritually empty spot, we discover by this law that we are most miserable indeed.
It is encouraging to see how Word & Deed catches hold of that Christian calling, and how they in turn, not only seek to be of help in word and deed to others, but also how they assist us within the church of Jesus Christ to be spurred along unto love and good deeds ourselves.
WORD & DEED
OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF WORD & DEED AN INTERNATIONAL REFORMED RELIEF MINISTRY
Colombia By Corney Les
Transforming a Community
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4 Word&Deed SPRING2012
hree years ago we drove into the Americas Barrio, bouncing along in the van down the dirt and gravel path called a road, near the John Calvin Christian School that Word & Deed sponsors in Barranquilla, Colombia. The school is located in a tough neighborhood slum ruled
by gangs. It was a good thing that we had security and that Jimmy Garcia, head of security, had called in some reinforcements to ensure our safety. On arrival, other than a sign, one would not know that the three old shacks were a school. Indeed, the ceilings were non-existent under the leaky roof,
the worn block walls were full of holes, and the general assembly area is smaller than most North American living rooms. Several members of the business group that I was with had come to view the school and plans were being made to replace it with a new building. The architect for the new
Students at the John Calvin Christian School.
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school project was with us. Reviewing the plans, we quickly saw that the new school would need more land. What to do? How to proceed? How much money to spend? There was a desperate need there but it was a very violent neighborhood… Now we are once again traveling to the Americas Barrio in Barranquilla. The roads are paved with concrete and there are sidewalks along the street. The homes too are in much better condition as we near the John Calvin Christian School. And suddenly my eyes open wide—there in front of me stands a new three-storied building! This is the new school and it is indeed beautiful. Two adjacent lots were purchased and the shacks torn down for the new school. Construction is still in process—the third and final phase has been started and there are at least 15 men busy at work bending and placing rebar, compacting soil and building forms for the foundations. The engineer, Hernando Acer (81 and semi-retired) has come along to review the work and meet with the foreman.
Perhaps one of the biggest differences in this area is the lack of additional security. The principal tells us that the field nearby has been transformed from a place where gangs fought into a playground. Now, approximately 45 students and their parents attend church each Sunday and the principal is working hard to instill Christian principles in every student.
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Partnering with Bridgeway in
Colombia
Displacement has affected the country of Colombia for over 40 years. Armed conflict among guerillas, paramilitary groups and the army have forced hundreds of thousands of women, in particular, to leave their homes for refuge in one of Colombia’s many, unofficial, “Internally Displaced People (IDP)” zones. As another social implication of the violence in Colombia, many of these women are widows or female heads of households. Without the resources to provide for themselves or for their families, these women often slip through the cracks, becoming victims of many types of abuse. Our partners at Corporacion Dios es Amor (CDA) in Colombia have taken notice of the fact that these women suffer the instability and insecurity of being displaced, that their safety and their ability to provide for their families has been seriously compromised, and that it is not being addressed. In order to fill this gap, the Bridgeway Foundation of Canada has generously agreed to partner with Word & Deed to support a CDA project in Colombia that will provide 40 displaced women with encouragement and the resources to succeed. They will receive:
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Training in Christian values and in leadership principles (80 hours)
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Training in income generation and employment issues (130 hours)
Q Education about their rights and responsibilities as displaced people (60 hours)
These workshops are intended to result in women who have the tools to strengthen their lives and their families and to provide encouragement to women in their communities who are in the same situation as them. We offer many thanks to the Bridgeway Foundation, the primary donor for this project who will provide $30,000 of the overall project cost of $37,200. Hanna Luong is the Administrative Assistant at Word & Deed Ministries
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We are greeted warmly by staff and students alike in an atmosphere of optimism. Principal Edwin Royeth greets us heartily and proudly shows us around the new facilities, going from classroom to classroom. About 260 students are enrolled, with the new school year just begun. The school has students from kindergarten to grade 10, with plans to add grade 11 next year, when some of the very first students that started with the school hope to graduate. There are classrooms, a library (in need of books), a full teaching staff and a secure environment with a high block fence enclosing the playground. There is also a large new gym where we assemble to greet the students and staff of the entire school. They greet us with a song and kind words of appreciation and together we thank the Lord for His faithfulness in providing this new building.
By Hanna Luong
Does that mean our work is done? Many challenges remain. On one home visit, a mother of two children (one who attends the school) tells us that she cannot leave home for fear of being robbed. The home’s door is but a few boards slapped together; the roof only covers part of the house. She bought a freezer from money borrowed from a loan shark in order to earn income selling ice cream, but this man comes every day for payment of part of his loan—at an exorbitant rate. Her boyfriend lives with her so that she has someone to protect her. What can be done? Extreme poverty is still present and the gangs have not yet left the area. While the school is a start, it is just a beginning; so much more needs to be done. Men need to be educated about their proper role as fathers, and women as mothers. Children need the security of stable families. The unemployed need work, which some have found in building the new school. The most important need is for the gospel to be proclaimed. People must be brought to repentance, come to know the Lord, and live their lives to honor Him. They need your prayers even more than your money to help. Pray that God will continue to work here to truly transform the hearts and minds of these individual people as well as the entire community.
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:
877.375.9673 (Canada) or 866.391.5728 (USA).
Corney Les is on the Board of Directors for Word & Deed Ministries.
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Phase
John Calvin Christian School Building Project In 2012, phase three of the John Calvin Christian School will begin! This phase will include additional bathrooms, computer labs, science labs and a library. These additions are necessary in order for JCCS to meet government requirements which will enable them to offer the final grades of high school (10 and 11). $150,000 needed.
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The Relief Effort in
Somaliland
From the Board of
canada
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edair has been working in the Togdheer region of Somaliland for over three years, but when eastern Africa was declared to be in a state of famine, they launched a nine month (September 2011 – May 2012) emergency response project to save lives. The beneficiaries of this project come from a weakened population (mostly Internally Displaced People and pastoralists) who, prior to the emergency, were affected by poor health and decreased access to basic needs such as food, water, shelter and sanitation. Factors like this put them at an increased risk for disease in the current conditions in Somaliland. Because disease exacerbates the effects of malnutrition, Word & Deed is partnering with Medair as they target the following immediate public health risks: • Acute malnutrition • Key causes of disease and death (e.g. Respiratory infections) • Water borne diseases • Diseases preventable by vaccine Medair has established twelve Community Based Management of Acute Malnutrition Programs (CMAMs) in the Sool and Sanaag regions of Todgheer to treat severely malnourished children and pregnant and lactating women. Individuals with uncomplicated medical situations are treated as outpatients, while those with complicated situations are referred to a Stabilization Center in Burao (Todgheer).
It is estimated that about 5,233 individuals will directly benefit from this relief effort.
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In addition, we welcome John Kottelenberg as a full-time addition to the Word & Deed Team. He will be using his experiences as former CDIA (now Adoration) Managing John Kottelenberg Director to contribute to the Public Relations Department; he will also continue to act as the liaison between Word & Deed and the Adoration Canada Team. We welcome both Kara and John and wish them a profitable time with us!
WANTED Word & Deed is seeking a qualified individual (or individuals) who can assist with public relations functions in various regions of the U.S., particularly CA, IA/IL, and NJ. The successful candidate(s) will be expected to establish and maintain relationships with churches, individuals, and businesses to further the objectives of the organization. A love for and understanding of missions, an ability to work independently, a willingness to travel, and excellent interpersonal and communication skills are requirements. The number of hours worked per week would be negotiable. Please send your resume to: Word & Deed Ministries c/o Heidi Pronk P.O. Box 157, Hudsonville, MI • 49426 USA
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In consultation with local leaders, 46 community promoters were also recruited to raise awareness about health and nutrition and to inform the community that help was available. In addition, twelve mobile sites for community based treatment of malnourished children were established.
Some changes have occurred at Word & Deed. Hanna Luong, who has been in our office for two years, is leaving the position of Administrative Assistant as she will be getting married to Ian Korvemaker in May 2012. We wish Ian and Hanna the Lord’s blessings! Hanna will continue as part-time support staff for Word & Deed. Kara Luiting Kara Luiting has been hired to replace Hanna.
Guatelmala By Rick Postma
La Palabra Christian School
Opening Celebration
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W
e are a little late as we race into the village of Monjas in a cloud of dust after a four hour drive from Guatemala City. As I step into the bright sunshine, my wife Diane, who is on her first trip to the developing world, tells me to redo my tie – it is too skinny and crooked at the top. I fix it absent-mindedly as I drink in the view of the beautifully finished La Palabra Christian School building overflowing with happy people. (Later, as I give a speech during the program, she realizes that while the knot is great, the tie is much too short. Alas.)
of the new campus and thread our way to seats reserved for us at the front. As we take in the crowd, we all find the feeling of exhilaration unexpected. In addition to parents, the town mayor, and council, the “town fathers” are here. The town fathers have donated the land for the school and the city council has either waived or greatly reduced all costs related to permits, licensing, and even ongoing costs such as utilities. The teachers, school administrators, and church council greet us warmly and express their gratefulness repeatedly.
My wife and I, together with representatives of AMG Guatemala (President Brian Dennett, Education Director Ruth Rodriquez, Administration Director Alex Orellana, and others) are accompanied by several members of the Westeringh family from Chilliwack, British Columbia. Along with many other generous supporters and business groups, the Westeringhs have helped fund this new building.
The program is quite long, with every organization represented at the celebration being given an opportunity to speak. While a very proficient translator is provided, some of the speakers are clearly not used to waiting for the translation – especially a representative of the Guatemalan Ministry of Education who provides a rapid-fire speech. After battling for “air time” with her for the first few minutes, the translator gives up.
We find a standing-room-only crowd waiting for us in the multi-purpose hall
The pastor of the church overseeing this
Pastor Eduardo Leiva speaks during the red ribbon cutting ceremony.
school, a dear man, delivers a meditation on Romans 11:36: “For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen.” He dwells briefly on each phrase of this soaring doxology – God is the source of all things, the provider of all things and the goal of all things. It is for His glory that we have come together to provide a Christian education to many children of the town and surrounding area. While ensuring that all the subjects are taught from a Christian worldview, at heart is an opportunity to share the Gospel with the children and walk beside those who come to know the Lord. As I sit there, I recall two years ago one of the elders of the church passionately sharing the church’s vision for the school. At that point it occupied a rundown
building with a rent-gouging landlord. At that time, he spoke of the hope and prayer to use the school as a means of evangelism to the many poor Mayan families living on the outskirts of the town. Indeed, it is mainly these families who are supported through the sponsorship program. Other families who can afford it pay school fees. The students make a number of presentations during the program, followed by the official ribbon cutting ceremony in the courtyard between the buildings. The builder, a young Guatemalan engineer who both designed the building and ran the building project, then officially hands the building over to the school committee. After a school tour, I was eager to get feed-back from Dick and Nick Westeringh, who are builders. They both expressed how impressed they were with the layout, the structural soundness, and the overall look of the facility. I was very encouraged to hear that.
of these children and their caregivers are precious souls with an eternal destiny. In the space of a few hours, we have experienced the full range of human emotion – from joy to sadness. The La Palabra Christian School project in Guatemala, together with other projects in many countries across the world, is being used by the Lord to provide hope for this life as well as the hope of eternal life to thousands upon thousands of people. Please join us in praying that He will continue to pour out His amazing grace to the glory of His Name. He is the source, the means, and the end of all creation. Rick Postma is Director of Public Relations for Word & Deed Ministries.
Some Facts
The La Palabra Christian School has 370 students (140 sponsor children and 230 children for whom parents pay fees) spread from pre-primary to Grade 9. Grades 10 – 12 will be added in coming years. While the school has a capacity of 400 children, the plan is to double capacity by having half the children attend school in the morning and half attend in the afternoon. Currently most children are attending morning school (starting very early and ending at noon) which is common in Latin America.
After having lunch with quite a crowd, we visit the families of three of the sponsor children from the school. In each case, the family context is difficult, with one or both parents having died young and a grandmother or an older sibling stepping in to raise those who have been left behind. The children at our last visit have lost their mother just two weeks before and their father a few years ago. Grief is written plainly on their faces. After talking with each family, we pray with them and lay their needs before our gracious God. Each
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Haiti By Allan Stares
Teachers Teaching Teachers
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he Adoration Christian School in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, had been in operation for several years before I saw the note in our church bulletin calling for teachers to conduct training seminars for the school’s staff. It piqued my interest immediately. Here was a call, a chance, to use the skills in which I had been trained and practicing for fifteen years. I responded the next day.
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In God’s uniquely providential way, I soon discovered that there were two other interested teachers, and though we had not discussed our intention to apply, we all taught at the same school, attended the same church, and had a good understanding of our collective strengths. This would come in handy when planning our seminars and implementing those plans. Before we were required to commit to the trip, we met with the current Education Committee members and some others who had participated in the work in Haiti. We were given a clear picture of the situation, both the joys and the challenges. We discussed the culture, people, strengths and the weaknesses of the school, and arrived at a plan for the seminars. We left this meeting humbled, encouraged, and excited for the opportunity.
Several weeks and meetings later, we had a plan for the work, organized the materials, raised the funds, taken medical precautions against disease and believed ourselves ready. Perhaps the most important decision we made was to bring our seminars from a Christian, not North American, perspective. We would present ourselves as fellow Christians engaged in the same calling as our Haitian colleagues; no experts, we just happened to have some information to share. We were also aware that the goal of the Adoration
administration was to prepare Haitians to take over the running of the school and its work in the local community. Our team arrived in Port-au-Prince on a stifling summer day in 2009. Haiti, even without the earthquake, is a chaotic, frustrating, and surprisingly endearing place. The first couple of days were spent orienting ourselves to the sights, smells, and movements of the city. This was crucial in both the short and long run of our work. The physical needs of the people are
Teachers attend Allan Stares’ math class at the Adoration Christian Centre.
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obvious; the spiritual needs are greater, but take time to understand. We discovered that the teachers were bright and dedicated Haitians: quick to smile, eager to learn, with varying levels of formal training. They wanted to do well, but they had no experience teaching subjects like Music, Art, Bible, and Physical Education. Class control, discipline, organization of teaching units, and the integration of Christian Worldview, were other areas that would be addressed on this and subsequent trips. Language was a significant barrier we skirted in several ways. Creole is the common language of Haiti, but the language of education is a clear and formal French. Some seminars were presented in French; my first seminars were presented in halting French with a translator on hand when I stumbled badly, and others were translated in their entirety. Smiles, nods, laughter, and genuine communion needed no translation. Many things have changed over the three years I have been returning to Haiti. The original school was destroyed by the earthquake. Some staff members perished on that day, and others have moved on. Student numbers have grown, and the reins are slowly being handed over to faithful Haitians. But every time I return, I see growth in teaching practice and in the vision of reformed Christian education in that place. This makes the work worthwhile and each return more joyful. The January 12, 2010 earthquake presented many new difficulties to a fragile and fractured island, but few new problems. The problems of hunger and ignorance and hopelessness were there before and continue to be the focus of the work going on at the Adoration Centre. As they continue to address those problems, their prayer is that everything will be done for the glory of God. Allan Stares is secondary school teacher at Heritage Christian School in Jordan, Ontario.
Christian School Adoration Christian Centre is providing 160 children in Grades 1-6 with a Christian education, a nutritionally balanced diet and medical care when needed. $235,000 still needed for operating costs in 2012.
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By Hanna Luong
Thank You! After just a few months of campaigning, each of the hundred children at the Bajo Malecon project in Quininde, Ecuador are now sponsored! To each of our many child sponsors, thank you for your continued willingness to provide children in Burkina Faso, Colombia, Ecuador, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Haiti, India and the Philippines with the benefits of our sponsorship program.
What Can I Send My Sponsor Child?
• A letter or a card of greeting • A picture of you and your family and/or friends • Small gifts that will fit inside a More children will be available for sponsorship flat envelope: soon. Please stay tuned for more details about • Stickers these needy children. • Coloring pages • Hair accessories In the meantime, your prayers are needed. • Small key chains Please pray that sponsor children in each • Notepads country will be effectively nourished, physically • Balloons
and spiritually, through this program.
Abbotsford Hockey Tournament & Banquet The Pucks4Profit annual fundraising tournament is scheduled from Thursday evening, May 17 to Saturday, May 19. Games will take place all day Friday and Saturday. The tournament ends with a dinner at the Abbotsford Banquet Hall beginning at 6:30 pm to which all are invited. If you would like to take part in the whole event or just come for the dinner, please contact Rachel Floris at 604.864.6471 (phone), 604.864.6481 (fax), 604.996.7032 (cell) or by email at rachelfloris4@gmail.com. The goal for the tournament is to fund one year ($10,000) of the Salima Orphan Care Project in Malawi. This project places orphans with caregiver families and provides seed and fertilizer for the families to grow extra food. Five days a week the 425 orphans come together at three centers for a nutritious meal and biblical teaching. The banquet will include a presentation about the challenges of being an orphan in Malawi and what we all can do to make a difference.
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Adoration
Sponsorship
Nicaragua By John Langendoen
Changes L-R Carlos Coffin, John Langendoen, Bernie Pennings, Javier (the agronomist for Word & Deed agricultural projects in Nicaragua) and John Otten.
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12 Word&Deed SPRING2012
he word “change” is defined as “to make different” (Webster’s Dictionary). Although this is accurate and seemingly harmless, most people are resistant to change and will do whatever they can to avoid it. Simple changes like trying something new for supper can raise quite a ruckus with the kids and sometimes the dads as well. Whatever the reason, we don’t normally like change, to be different, or do things differently. We get comfortable with the way things are and tend to like the familiar.
focus of Word & Deed’s relief efforts was the northern village of Dakura. In 2008 I witnessed the damage to some degree: homes, animals, and trees gone. Also missing were the fish, a village staple, and the land’s ability to produce food due to the saturation of salt water in the soil. The hope of the people was replaced by despair at having no way to support themselves.
Even though Word & Deed was already helping to rebuild homes and supplying food, there was still the question of what would happen when many of the world relief agencies stopped sending food. Move forward a bit, and we can look at a proposal from the Word & Deed Board in Nicaragua, under the guidance of Carlos Coffin (whom many of you met at the
The problem is that change is inevitable! No matter how hard we try or what we think, life goes on and things that are out of our control will ultimately cause change. Although change is often thought of as a negative, it can be, and usually is very positive in bringing about a result that we could never have imagined or believed possible. Just think of our conversion! This concept was never more noticeable than on a recent trip to Nicaragua. From previous articles, you will know that Hurricane Felix swept through Nicaragua and devastated the land. One
Harvested vegetables for sale.
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and the large mango trees that had fallen had somehow not only survived but were producing fruit which now was easier to reach. Many of the animals were back, some found and some new. Not only were there more varieties, but they also looked healthier. The people seemed happy and motivated to do well. There was new life in this village and a new hope for the future.
A beneficiary of the Dakura agricultural program displaying harvested rice.
fundraising dinners in 2010). The idea was radical. Teach fishermen how to farm? Was this even possible? Talk about change. Even though there was some farming a distance away from the village, it was not enough to support the village or the type of crop that they needed. The proposal included the help of an agronomist to teach the people how to manage the land, plant, and care for the crops, and finally, how to harvest them. Seed would also be provided and then returned at the first harvest. A 12-kilometer fence would be needed to keep out the animals. This was a formidable plan, but the need was great. With more discussion and planning, the proposal was accepted and put into action.
We then moved on to the village. After some four years since Hurricane Felix and two years since I had been here, it was a delight to enter what looked to be a different place. There were many new trees
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Change was and is good here, and we were able to show God’s mercy and grace after a time of sorrow. Even though we continue to help and support the people of Dakura, we also persevere and move forward in teaching the ultimate change a person can experience, that of coming to know our God and His plan of redemption. There is no greater change than the change of coming to know the person of Jesus Christ and His love for sinners. The work here gives pastors like Santiago and Joseph (members of the Word & Deed Nicaragua Board) the opportunity to show the people of Dakura God’s plan of salvation and how they can live lives of thankfulness to Him.
Dakura Agriculture and Seeds The Dakura Agriculture and Seeds project is providing seeds and education to individuals in the Dakura community as they continue to struggle to make a living in the wake of Hurricane Felix. $12,000 still needed.
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With n u out No merous grou p rth Am erica, w s starting thr start a oughe invite group yo in of grou ps laun your area. B u to join or chin elo meetin gs. You g or having w is a list their a do not nn ness ow n ner in o eed to be a b ual usir d er to jo Lansin in. g , IL (March Burling 19, La ton Smithe , ON (March 2 unch!) rs, BC 3, Laun ch!) Lethbr (April 23, La unch!) idge, A B (April 2 Calgar 3) y Edmon , AB (April 24 ) t o n And thankful they were! At a town meeting Ponoka , AB (April 25 ) , AB (A held in our honor, we had many examples pril 26) Langle y , BC (M and testimonies of how the village was Chilliw ack, BC ay 23) “saved.” Many thanked God for the love If you a (May 2 re 4) and support of Word & Deed and the startin interested in g one in jo in ing many faithful supporters of the North Rick Po stma o your area, ple a group or r John that made this much needed change not ing the Kottle ase contact offi only possible but also fruitful. publicr ce (877.375.9 lenberg by c Rick an elations@wo 673) or via e allmail: r d jkott Please continue to pray for the elenbe danddeed.or rg@wo g for rdandd people of Nicaragua as the light of for Joh eed.org n. God’s Word makes its way into a country where a change of heart is even more needed than the change that was caused by a hurricane.To God be the Glory.
John Langendoen is a long-time supporter of Word & Deed and a member of the Hamilton Business Group.
Word&Deed SPRING2012 13
Move forward to December 2011. We were dropped off at the shore closest to Dakura, about a two kilometer walk from the village. On that walk we saw the fruits (yucca and rice) of change. What a joy it was to see all the crops and the farmers carrying their produce back to the village. The farmers were happy not only to show us what they had grown but also to share with us some of the food which we ate for lunch. Such tender rice I have never had! For the first year the crops had done very well, and although there is still need for some improvement and learning, the people are persuaded that this is the right direction to move in and are eager to learn more about farming.
There were also signs that the fishing was coming back: more boats on the ocean and two very large sea turtles that were caught on an island close by. In spite of this, the people here saw a need for change. Although it was forced upon them, they now have enough rice and yucca to help get them through the lean times and should no longer have to go hungry. Not all of the 450 families of the village participate in the program, but they are certainly looking at those who have more food to eat, and interest continues to grow as well.
Indonesia Imagine
1
Imagine!
By Rick Postma
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I
magine being born into a family on the island of Sumba, in Indonesia. The fact that you are part of a nation of 232 million people with 250 languages which has the highest number of Muslim people in the world has little impact on you because your island has 600,000 people and is dominated by animism. Your family, along with most others on the island, worships its ancestors and lives in dread of offending them in some way. Fighting between clans and even families within a clan is common. Working for a living, especially manual labor, is viewed as belittling. If there is anything wrong with you, you will almost certainly be left out to die of exposure to the elements, while other members of your community walk by you without so much as a second glance. If you are the child of a second or third wife, for polygamy is common, you have little worth in the eyes of your father, especially if you are a girl. Your very survival hangs by a thread.
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1. Elizabeth and Markus, two children at the home. 2. Children of Rehoboth Christian School. 3. Bill Sommers, founder of the home, and Anita.
Your parents are approached by members of a children’s home who offer to take you in. Even then, your parents may still prefer that you die rather than give you to this project.
pretty dark world. Now you have joined a family of 75 children with 17 staff. Your meals are healthy and nutritious and you are taught to do your part of the chores – cleaning, gardening, building, fixing and mending. You attend church together with your family and hear about a holy God who hates sin but who sent His Son to die for sinners. You learn that this is the God who chose you over many others to come to the children’s home. When you reach school age you become one of 45 children attending a Christian School which is part of the children’s home. Your school has seven classrooms and has been recognized as one of the best on the island. Here you receive a Bible-based education which teaches you about God’s wonderful creation as well as the blessed truths of His Word. Some day you hope to join some of the recent graduates who have gone on to teacher’s college so that they can be recognized as fully accredited teachers and return to teach at the school. Meanwhile you thank God for His gracious provisions, for Bill & Marion Sommer, for the staff and teachers and for the mysterious people from North America who have contributed to your education.
By God’s grace, if you have run the gauntlet and been taken into the home, the lights quite literally come on in what is really a
Rick Postma is Director of Public Relations for Word & Deed Ministries.
But someone does care.
14 Word&Deed SPRING2012
The Pengharapan Children’s Home and Christian School The Pengharapan Children’s Home is providing 75 abandoned children with a home to live in and the advantages of being a part of a Christian “family”: meals, biblical instruction, the opportunity to attend church each Sunday and access to Christian education. Needed: $50,000 for the home (50% of the budget) and $36,000 for the Christian School. Pray that God will: - Continue to grant wisdom to the staff and leaders of the home - Encourage the children who face the prospect of not being able to reintegrate into their local community and having to either work at the home or move away - Grant protection to the home where one of the children was killed, not too long ago, due to the clan warfare mentioned in the article - Grant the necessary funding to go on
young@heart
Please mail to: Tanya Byl, 28 German School Rd., Paris, ON N3L 3E1 tanyabyl@yahoo.ca
What is love?
Jesus said unto him, You shall LOVE the **** **** **** with all your (No giggling allowed!) Love is a heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. (Matthew 22:37) squeeze hug from your mom or dad. Love is being kind and patient when that’s hard – like being nice to the meanest Therefore **** the stranger: for you were strangers in the land of Egypt. person in your class. Love is sharing your skipping rope at (Deuteronomy 10:19) recess or lending your hockey stick to the kid who doesn’t have one. Love is letting your little sister have the biggest If you LOVE me, keep my ****. (John 14:15) cupcake without rubbing it in. Love is thinking about how to help other people instead of always trying I LOVE the LORD, because he has heard my ****…(Psalm to get the best for yourself. That can be very 116:1) hard. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ I LOVE those who LOVE me; and those who **** me Most of all, love is the greatest _ _ _ _ diligently shall find me. (Proverbs 8:17) commandment: love God above all, and your neighbor as yourself. At Word & Deed, _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Hatred stirs up strife, but **** covers all sins. (Proverbs we love by helping poor people with food, 10:12) and homes, and schools. We also teach them _ _ _ _ _ about the Lord Jesus, where all love comes By this all will know that you are my disciples, if you from. Could you do something for us? Pick _ _ _ _ have love for **** ****. (John 13:35) a country from this magazine, and tonight, ask the Lord to make Himself known to those _ _ _ _ But the fruit of the Spirit is ****, joy, peace, people, to show His love to them. Ask Him to longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ keep them safe and healthy. gentleness, self control. (Galatians 5:22) This puzzle is for younger readers. Look up the Bible verses to find the missing word. Write the word in the space to the right. The circled letters will make a new phrase.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Greater LOVE has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his ****. (John 15:13) NEW PHRASE:
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ (1 John 4:8)
Batter up! Softball tournaments are being planned in Lethbridge (July 7), Grand Rapids (July 28), and Chilliwack (September 8). Please see wordanddeed.org for more details. www.wordanddeed.org
SPRING2012 Word&Deed 15
Coming Softball Tournaments
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The Call
1. What is “the call”? 2. The meditation explains several ways in which Christ answered this call. List them. 3. Pastor Vermeer writes that “we can rejoice every morning that we can know in a very basic but essential way what our life’s calling is for that day.” Think of two practical ways you can both love God and your neighbor today. Then do them!
Transforming a Community
1. While positive change is often slow, the case of the Juan Calvino Escuela in Baranquilla, Colombia, offers an exciting success story. Make a chart comparing the school and community of today with the one three years ago.
Imagine
Animism, a belief system found in Southeast Asia, holds that inanimate objects have spirits. These spirits are evil, and much care must be taken not to irritate them. They are believed to be the cause of sickness, crop failure, business problems – basically, any sort of bad luck. A person faces a lifetime of fear in navigating endless taboos and rituals to keep the spirits appeased and benevolent. An excellent article explaining animism can be found here: http:www.ijfm.org/PDFs_IJFM/15_2_PDFs/02_Sitton_Article.pdf 1. Irrational fears often stem from superstitions, even for Christians. How is superstition still present in your own life, and modern North American life? 2. Many cultures either openly or somewhat covertly practice infanticide, especially of females. When those cultures immigrate to developed countries, infanticide becomes selective abortion. Although every human life, male and female, is precious, find several examples of biblical evidence that show females are valuable.
NIAGARA ANNUAL
BIKE-A-THON Join us in Niagara for our fifth annual “Lake to Lake” Bike-a-thon on
June 2, 2012. Take in the beautiful Niagara Falls with your family, enjoy the wonderful fellowship and help raise funds for the Nakekela Clinic in South Africa.
Changes
1. Think of one recent example where you resisted change. Why did you resist? 2. Give examples of positive change and negative change as described in the article. 3. Asking a community of fishermen to become farmers is indeed a monumental task. Although many of the Dakura fisherman embraced farming, others did not, even if it meant going hungry. Why would it be so difficult? Think of a few reasons.
See our website for more details:
www.wordanddeed.org
Integrate Bible, history, geography, critical thinking, current events and reading comprehension (etc.).