Summer 2026
Guatemala
50 Years of Grace: A Story God Has Written in Guatemala
Egypt
The Lord Has Done Great Things for Us, and We Are Glad
John Otten In Memoriam
Sponsorship
Group Sponsorship in Ecuador
DAVE VANDER MEER
What Are You Afraid Of? Foreword
For many in Western culture, “the unknown” can be a very scary thing. When the routine of mindless oblivion most people live in is shaken, they don’t know what to do. If the stock market dips, people panic. The unknown is scary because people realize they are not in control. In reality, most people like to bury their heads in the sand.
I was recently reminded of what Francis Schaeffer said in his book How Should We Then Live? As Christian dominance in culture weakens, the majority of people will adopt two values—personal peace and affluence. They adopt attitudes of selfishness (”If it’s not my problem, it’s not my problem!”) and a focus on personal financial gain. In other words, they become afraid of what can be taken away from them because then they lose control. We have seen what the results of this attitude can do in our society.
The day I am writing this, I received five pictures of individuals and families from Western Uganda who have proclaimed Christ at the expense of being chased away from their families, losing their homes, being beaten, and some almost killed. These are not believers who grew up in the faith; they have only known Christ for a few months. Christians from this area of the world are often killed by their own families for converting to Christianity. In many places in the world, Christians are being killed just for being Christians. There is no personal peace or affluence there. The attacks in the West are really attacks on Christian values and beliefs. The weapons of the devil are individualism, secularism, relativism, Marxism, atheism, rationalism, scientism, nihilism,
and feminism. While some places have in-your-face persecution, we in the West have succumbed to the pervasive slow rot of culture over time, giving in to our comfort, as predicted by Francis Schaeffer.
However, that is not where the story ends. When Peter professes who Jesus is in Matthew 16, Jesus says that the gates of hell would not prevail against his church. That small ragtag group would go and invade the world with the Gospel and take it over for Christ. Think about how few Christians there were then and the growing number of Christians there are now. So, what are you afraid of?
In this issue, Pastor Godfrey reminds us that God’s wrath is the thing we should actually be afraid of, but for the believer, this wrath is taken away in Christ. We also read about a celebration of 50 years of ministry for our partner in Guatemala, about how El-Soora is standing firm in the faith in a Muslim land by hosting their annual conference, and we also learn from Pastor Guzman about how work is a good gift from God. As a team, we’ve also said goodbye to our dear colleague, John Otten, and Rick Postma and Heidi Pronk wrote an article recognizing his impact on the ministry of Word & Deed and the pursuit of bringing that Gospel of hope to many parts of the world. W&D
Dave Vander Meer lives in Hudsonville, MI, and works in Public Relations and as a Project Manager for Word & Deed.
Cover Photo: John Otten on a project visit to Nicaragua in 2019.
WORD&DEED
Official Publication of Word & Deed
An International Reformed Relief and Development Agency
Free for sponsors and friends SUMMER 2026
Editor
Rick Postma
Assistant Editors
Scott Koopman, Kara Luiting
Graphic Design
Knor Graphic Design Solutions
Copy Editor
Hanna Korvemaker
Word & Deed North America is an evangelical and Reformed humanitarian relief and development organization. Our aim is to help meet the physical and spiritual needs of people in the developing world in accordance with biblical principles for the glory of God.
Executive Team
Rick Postma, Heidi Pronk Staff
Scott Dekorte, Scott Koopman, Kara Luiting, Dave Vander Meer, Kasper Van Veen, Nikki Veurink, Laurenne Wattel
Canadian Board of Directors
Chairman – John Jagersma
Vice-Chairman – Corney Les
Secretary – Dave Wielinga
Treasurer – Clarence Jonker
Wilf Bout, Tom Jansen, Bert Mulder, James Neven, Paul Wagenaar, Lyle Ypma
USA Board of Directors
President – Paul Laman
Vice President – Jay Van Voorst
Secretary – Harry Kooistra
Treasurer – Karen Vander Sloot, Paul Beezhold, Eric Brandt, Martin Faasse, Eric Greendyk
Advisory Committee
Mr. Jim Beeke –International Educational Consultant
Dr. Gerald M. Bilkes – Professor of Old & New Testament, Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary
Pastor Richard Bout –
URCNA Missions Coordinator
Dr. Arjan de Visser –Emeritus Professor of Ministry and Mission, Canadian Reformed Theological Seminary
Rev. William Godfrey –
Senior Pastor of Christ United Reformed Church in Santee, CA
Pastor Danny Hyde – Pastor, Oceanside United Reformed Church
Pastor Mark Vander Hart –Emeritus Professor at Mid-America Reformed Seminary
Pastor Frank Van Dalen –
Former Executive Director of the Foreign Missions Board of the ARP. Canada Office PO Box 20100
St. Thomas, ON N5P 4H4
Toll free 877.375.9673
office@wordanddeed.org
United States Office
PO Box 157, Hudsonville, MI 49426
Toll free 866.391.5728
usoffice@wordanddeed.org
Registered Charity Number (Canada) 89 120 0941 RR0001
EIN Non-profit Number (USA) 37-1429283
Bible quotations are from the NKJV unless otherwise noted.
Meditation
PASTOR WILLIAM C. GODFREY
No More Lamentations
The book of Lamentations is a difficult book to read. With the exception of the wonderful verses of comfort and hope in Chapter 3, it is filled with terrible suffering, misery, and sorrow. Lamentations recounts the awful judgment God brought down upon his covenant people. His judgment was visited upon them because of their persistent sins. The prophets had warned them over and over again to seek God’s face in repentance and to cease from their wicked ways, but they ignored the Lord’s repeated pleas and warnings, and therefore they received the curses of the covenant. God will always punish sin. In fact, he must punish sin because he is a just God. Lamentations reminds us of how serious sin is and how terrible God’s wrath against it truly is.
But we must always remember to see Jesus Christ on every page of the Bible (John 5:39; Luke 24:27,44). So where is Jesus in the book of Lamentations? The New Testament tells us that Jesus Christ is the true Israel of God (Matt. 2:15; Gal. 3:16). We are also told that Jesus is the true temple of God (John 2:19-21). Therefore, Lamentations reveals to us, in types and shadows, the true horror of the cross of Jesus Christ. On the cross of Calvary, Jesus, the true Israel of God, died an accursed death. On the cross, Christ, the true temple of God, was destroyed. The cross of our Lord was a place of terrible suffering and death where the just wrath of God was visited against him for the sins of his covenant people.
Through the LORD ’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is your faithfulness. ‘The LORD is my portion,’ says my soul, ‘Therefore I hope in Him!’
“
But the good news of comfort and hope at the heart of the book of Lamentations also finds its fulfillment in our Lord Jesus Christ. Everyone who puts their faith in Christ will escape the judgment pictured in Lamentations. He endured God’s wrath against sin that we might escape it. Christ, the true Israel of God, died, but he rose again, triumphant over sin and death and hell. Christ, the true temple of God, was destroyed, but he was raised up again on the third day, and he was raised indestructible. Therefore, God’s wrath against the sins of believers has come and gone at the cross of Jesus Christ (Rom. 6:8-11). These horrors will never come against us again because he endured them on our behalf.
So, when you read the book of Lamentations and you reflect on God’s terrible but righteous judgment against sin, be sure to thank God for Jesus Christ. He suffered this terrible fate for us and because of us, in order that we may never experience anything like it ourselves. Christ crucified for our sins and raised for our justification proves the truth of Lamentations 3:22-24: “Through the LORD’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is your faithfulness. ‘The LORD is my portion,’ says my soul, ‘Therefore I hope in Him!’” W&D
Pastor William C. Godfrey is the senior pastor of Christ Covenant Church in Santee, CA, and serves as a member of Word & Deed’s Advisory Committee.
BY ALEX ORELLANA
50 Years of Grace: A STORY GOD HAS WRITTEN IN GUATEMALA
Guatemala is an incredibly diverse country with 23 different language groups. Climate conditions can range from steamy, hot, coastal weather to frigid, cold, mountain weather where temperatures regularly drop below the freezing mark. Like many Latin American countries, it is also a country marked by violence and poverty. The presence of ruthless drug cartels has led to extortion, corruption, kidnapping, and many violent deaths in this country.
To speak of 50 years of AMG Guatemala is not to speak of an institution. As someone who has had the privilege of serving and witnessing this work up close, I can say it is about a faithful God who has sustained every step, even when we did not clearly know where we were going.
It is no coincidence that during our celebration we reflected on Psalm 89:1: “I will sing of the mercies of the LORD forever; With my mouth will I make known Your faithfulness to all generations.” This verse captures what these 50 years have been: A story marked by God’s faithfulness, generation after generation.
When we look back, we do not see a perfect story. We see challenges, difficult decisions, and moments of uncertainty. But through it all, the hand of God remains constant— guiding, providing, and reminding us that this work has never been ours.
AMG Guatemala was born from the simple yet profound conviction to serve children and vulnerable families, not
only with tangible help, but with the transforming message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ at the center of everything. Over time, that conviction has taken shape through schools, development programs, community initiatives, and spaces where the love of God becomes visible in everyday life.
If there is one thing that has defined these 50 years, it is our dependence on the Lord. This has not been just a phrase, but it has been a necessity. There have been seasons when resources were not enough, plans seemed to stall, and the questions were greater than the answers. In those moments, I have seen time and time again how God remains faithful. He raises up people, opens doors, and provides in ways that are beyond what we could have planned. He teaches us to trust, even when we do not fully understand.
Along this journey, God has also used people and organizations who have believed in this mission—partners who have not only supported us, but have walked alongside us with a shared vision. We are especially grateful for Word & Deed North America. Their commitment to Guatemala has
AMG’s 50th anniversary celebration.
GUATEMALA
been much more than institutional support; it has been a relationship built on trust, on listening, and on a genuine desire to see lasting transformation in communities.
Word & Deed has been present in key moments and important decisions. They have believed in what God can do in this country and have become part of this story. Their support has allowed many programs not only to exist, but to grow and be strengthened with a holistic, Christcentered approach.
Within this story, there are also names that we remember with deep gratitude. One of them is John Otten. To speak of John is not only to speak of someone who worked at Hospital Señorita Elena for many years. It is to speak of someone who truly loved Guatemala, someone who served with a level of dedication that went far beyond his role, and someone who left a legacy that is still visible today. When you walk through the hospital, there are details that are not always easy to explain, but they can be felt: order, care, intention, and dignity. A respect for every person who walks through the door. An environment that communicates that every life matters.
Those things do not happen by accident. They reflect the heart of someone who understands that serving is not only about doing a job well, but about doing it with love, excellence, and a greater vision. John lived that way, and his legacy continues to speak not only through structures but through the culture he helped shape.
As we celebrate these 50 years, I also think of the many people who have been part of this journey: staff, volunteers, donors, pastors, teachers, and families. Each one has contributed something. Some have been part of this story for many years, others for a specific season, but all have been used by God. That is what makes this story so special. It is not the story of one person or one moment, but of God’s faithfulness.
and children continue to encounter deep challenges. This reminds us that the mission is not finished. But we also continue to see something that fills us with hope: God is still at work. He calls us to move forward, to keep trusting, and to continue serving faithfully. Beyond programs and projects, we are called to love, to walk alongside others, and to reflect Christ in everything we do.
As we look to the future, my desire is simple: that we remain faithful to the calling, faithful to the Gospel, and faithful to the people God places in our path.
If in 50 years from now, someone tells this story again, I know they will be able to say what we say today: That God was faithful in every season, and that everything accomplished was, and always will be, by his grace. W&D
June 27 – Lethbridge, AB
Today, 50 years later, we continue to see great needs in Guatemala. Many families still face difficult realities,
August 8 – Grand Rapids, MI
September 12 – Chilliwack, BC
September 12 – St. Thomas, ON (New this year!)
September 26 – Paris, ON
For more details, visit: wordanddeed.org/events
Alex Orellana serves as President and CEO of AMG Guatemala.
Ruth Rodriguez from AMG Guatemala with Karen Vander Sloot, Word & Deed USA board member, at AMG’s 50th anniversary celebration.
Alex presenting at AMG’s 50th anniversary celebration.
BY DR. SHERIF A. FAHIM
Egypt The Lord Has Done Great Things for Us, and We Are Glad
EGYPT
Egypt is located in northern Africa and borders the Middle East. The official language of Egypt is Arabic. Egypt is an Islamic country, with 90% of the population being Muslim. The church suffers persecution to varying degrees. The church in Egypt and across the Middle East has little, if any, Gospel and Reformed teaching in Arabic. Teaching in the Egyptian church is largely moralistic and is not Reformed. A biblical, Reformed, and Gospel voice is needed in the region.
Conference attendees perusing the book table.
The Lord continues to work through El-Soora Ministries in ways that far exceed our expectations. I would like to share briefly about our eighth annual conference held in Alexandria, Egypt. This year’s theme, “I Will Build My Church,” focused on the doctrine of the church and featured Dr. Guy Waters, Academic Dean at Reformed Theological Seminary in Jackson, Mississippi.
A few notable changes took place this year. In response
to many requests, we added an extra day. When planning, we feared that making the conference longer and more expensive would make it harder for people to attend. However, our fears were proven wrong when the conference was filled a day after opening registration!
The conference began on Wednesday afternoon and concluded on Saturday at lunchtime. We also added an opening devotion on Wednesday, in addition to the usual
REFLECTIONS FROM AN ATTENDEE:
“The conference was truly a very special experience for me… During the conference, I learned that the church is not just a place we go to worship in, but it is a body that we belong to and that, as members, we have a role and a responsibility. The conference also discussed the church’s mission and its role in the world, and how we, as a church, can have a real and lasting impact. The Lord wants us, as a church,
to be influential on the souls around us because they are in great need of the Lord and of knowing Him…. I am truly grateful for this experience, and feel it’s the starting point for a real change in my thinking and in my relationship with the church, and how to be an active member, not just an attendee, and how to inquire about the souls within the church because we are one family…”
six plenary sessions, and increased the number of breakout sessions to twelve (up from eight in previous years).
This year marked our highest attendance yet, with just over 500 participants from across Egypt and some neighboring countries. Notably, we had 75 pastors and elders attend—by far the largest number we have had.
Dr. Waters delivered four plenary sessions and three breakout sessions. Two Egyptian speakers (including myself) gave the remaining plenary talks, and six of the breakout sessions were led by Egyptian teachers. By God’s grace, the sessions were very well received and proved both challenging and encouraging to attendees. The congregational singing was heartfelt and God-glorifying.
BRIDGING THE GAP Stories for Young Readers
BY SCOTT DEKORTE
JOHN LEARNS ABOUT HIS HEAVENLY FATHER
“The tender love a father has for all his children dear, such love the Lord bestows on them who worship him in fear.”
During the conference, we released several publications, including How Jesus Runs the Church by Guy Waters and On Being a Pastor by Alistair Begg and Derek Prime. We also distributed our latest release, Men and Women in the Church by Kevin DeYoung, free of charge. In addition, other publishers generously provided book giveaways, including Delighting in the Trinity by Michael Reeves.
Please pray that the Lord would continue to use this conference—through its teaching, resources, and fellowship—to strengthen and revive the church in our country and beyond. W&D
Dr. Sherif A. Fahim is the General Director of El-Soora Ministries, located in Alexandria, Egypt.
Dr. Sherif A. Fahim addressing the attendees.
Perhaps you have sung these words from Psalm 103 in church and thought, “Yes, my dad loves me very much.” You know he loves you not only because he says it, but because his actions show it. It is a great gift to have parents who show you this love, because many children do not have this.
In South Sudan, many children have lost their fathers, and some families have fled to refugee camps where it is hard for parents to provide for their children.
In the capital city of Juba, many boys live on the streets. They do not attend school. Instead, they search for food or do small jobs for money. Some people often see them as dirty, rude, or untrustworthy.
Word & Deed partners with Street Children Ministry to care for these boys. This organization cleans wounds, gives food, and tells the children about God. They also enroll some boys in school so that they can learn to read and write. The boys are also taught skills like woodworking so they can earn money. Street Children Ministry desires to reunite children with their families and teach them about the God who loves His people. We were told about nine-year old John who left home to search for scrap metal so he could buy food. His father did not care for his family and even hurt them. John felt unloved and angry. After four years on the streets, a man from Street Children Ministry shared the Gospel of Jesus Christ with him. John left street life and moved into the Redeemed Children’s Home. There, he learned woodworking and returned to school. John says, “I am very thankful that I encountered Jesus in my life as my Lord and Savior. My physical life has also changed; I joined school, attended the carpentry training, and now am able to make money from my woodworking business.”
John does not have an earthly father who loves him, but he now knows about the love that his Father in heaven has for him. W&D
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LATEST NEWS
Kenya
• In December, Kenya experienced an unusual dry period that led to crop failure. As a result, food prices rose significantly and Kenya is now facing a major food shortage. In response, Word & Deed partnered with Net Foundation’s Reformed Theological Seminary (RTS) to provide food assistance and Gospel outreach to 1,000 households. Food packages included enough maize, beans, and cooking oil to last each household 4-6 weeks. RTS leaders and 15 students coordinated the distribution of the food and also led open-air outreach initiatives for four days.
Uganda
• Word & Deed partner, El-Shaddai, is in the midst of a Bible distribution project, where they plan to distribute 3,000 Bibles to Muslim-background believers (MBBs), many of whom have never owned their own copy of God’s Word. Recipients are encouraged to join small Bible study and discipleship groups. Bibles have been purchased from the Bible Society of Uganda in English and several local languages.
Malawi
• A pilot program in sustainable agriculture that Word & Deed helped to roll out last fall has been very successful in communities connected to Neighbour Mission, a program that supports children and families living in vulnerable situations. All seven centers have planted at least 1-2 acres of alternative crops (sweet potatoes, soy beans, rice). The communities are very enthusiastic about the possibilities this provides for caregivers who are supporting orphans, and they already have plans for the next planting cycle.
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Sponsorship
ECUADOR
In 2008, Word & Deed began its partnership with Mision San Lucas, supporting an after-school program for children living in the rural city of Quininde. Today, over 300 children are supported in three different program locations in Quininde. Many of these children do not have stable homes. The goal of this program is to reach children living in high-risk situations so that they have the opportunity to hear the Gospel and experience the life-changing power of Jesus Christ. Their goal is to do this while providing a safe environment where children can experience love, biblical instruction, and academic assistance.
Many of you have supported these children through our child sponsorship program over the years—thank you! Over the next couple of months, we will be transitioning this program to a Group Sponsorship model. As donors, you will now be sponsoring a specific group of students instead of one individual child. There are several reasons for this transition, including the high turnover in children (due to the current unrest and gang activity in Quininde), a desire to ease the burden of administrative work for our partners, and to ensure that you, our sponsors, are receiving timely and regular correspondence about the status of the program—something that has been lacking in recent years. If you are a current sponsor, you should have already been notified of this upcoming change. W&D
If you are interested in sponsoring a group of students at one of the after-school programs in Ecuador for $43 CAD/$35 USD per month, please contact Laurenne at office@wordanddeed.org.
John Otten: In Memoriam
BY RICK POSTMA AND HEIDI PRONK
John Otten and his wife spent 17 years in Guatemala before they moved back to Canada with their children in 2007. After some months of rest, John joined Word & Deed Ministries for the next 18 years in the role of Project Director and spent many of those years as a member of the Word & Deed Executive Team as well. Free Reformed Missions is publishing an article about the Guatemala years in The Messenger, a publication of the Free Reformed Churches, while here we will focus on the years he spent serving as a member of the Word & Deed team.
We, Rick Postma and Heidi Pronk, worked with John since he joined Word & Deed. Over that time, we had the privilege of witnessing John’s thoughtful and encouraging character, his humility, sense of humor, understanding of culture, and relational nature—all of which testify to the sanctifying work of the Spirit in his life.
My (Rick’s) earliest memories of John go back to my teen years working on cousin Jim Otten’s farm near Dunnville, ON. John Otten, another of Jim’s cousins, was helping too. I was lifting hay bales onto the elevator while John fed them to me, and I quickly became the chokepoint, city Rick and John enjoying a meal in Myanmar.
John enjoying a conversation with a man in Nicaragua. slicker that I was. I remember being struck by how easily he handled the work while I struggled just to keep up. Yet he showed no impatience, calmly waiting as the pile grew, then gently suggesting we switch roles— without a hint of ridicule. That quiet, thoughtful encouragement always stood out to me and truly reflected who he was at Word & Deed.
At Word & Deed, we highly valued John’s experience in Guatemala and his ability to train and mentor us in how to work with other cultures. He had many stories to share with us to drive his points home and often used examples of how he learned these lessons through his own mistakes. One example he gave was he and Connie rushing into missions too soon after they were married.
Another lesson was his observation that Westerners can be very direct in our communication while many other cultures are more nuanced. We also tend to be goaloriented and ruled by our clocks while other cultures are much more relationship based. John was a natural in both these areas and this had a gentling effect on the more task-oriented of us.
We treasure the times we had John travel with us to visit partners. His ability to just sit with someone and talk about life, God, and family, showed his appreciation for the fact that sometimes goals need to be put aside and time given to the richness of relationships. I (Heidi) remember on one of our trips to visit African partners, we awoke before our other traveling companions and decided to take an early morning walk along the shores of Lake Malawi. A man approached us to ask for money and rather than send him away as quickly as possible (as I would have done), John stopped to talk. He asked questions about his life, if he believed in God, if he had a Bible, and then prayed with him before parting ways. I will never
forget the lesson in that example—take time for people, because eternity matters.
John’s self-deprecating humor was something we all appreciated and will miss. He also didn’t get along with superlatives. If he said, “That’s ok, then,” that meant it was actually really good. Occasionally, he would say “That’s really good,” and then you knew you had hit it out of the park. He readily accepted our good-natured teasing at his sometimes-vague responses to our questions and would often respond with something along the lines of, “I thought you’d know what I was thinking by now.”
We are so grateful for the privilege of knowing, working with, and learning from John for many years. We are also thankful to Connie for her support of John’s work and her own willingness to volunteer in translation and other areas. Both of them are a testimony to God’s goodness and grace in using sinners to point other sinners to the cross. What an amazing God we serve! W&D
Rick Postma and Heidi Pronk worked closely with John Otten, together forming Word & Deed’s Executive Team.
John on a project visit in Indonesia.
The Theology of Work as It Relates to Poverty
Our Lord Jesus Christ said: “For you have the poor with you always” (Mark 14:7). This statement made by the Lord Jesus Christ two thousand years ago has been fulfilled in every generation. In light of this reality, many people ask themselves, “But if God is love, and is the owner of everything that exists, why does he allow poverty and the suffering that accompanies it?”
The answer is that poverty is a consequence of original sin; therefore, since there has always been, is, and always will
be sin and sinners in this world—until Jesus returns—there will always be people living in poverty. Physical poverty is a result of the lies that people believe and practice in their lives. Global wealth (GDP) in 2025 reached $117.17 trillion US. But if we live in such a rich world, why do hundreds of millions of individuals, families, and nations live without being able to meet their basic needs?
According to official data, 35.9 million people in the United States live in poverty. Why? Because the origin of physical poverty lies not in the physical world but in the spiritual world. It is not a lack of opportunities, nor a lack of resources, nor fate that makes people poor.
People often live in poverty because of the worldview that governs their hearts. Like a spider’s web, false worldviews—promoted, believed, and practiced through culture, distorted religions, harmful philosophies and
John Otten visiting one of the recipients of a microloan from Esperance Haiti.
ideologies, state communism and socialism, and corrupt customs and lifestyles—trap their victims. These lies create powerful bonds of mental poverty. No one can break those bonds unless the truth sets them free. “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:31-32).
Those who believe in Christ and know and practice the truth about the theology of work will be free from the clutches of poverty. In contrast, those who live and practice lies will be slaves to the webs of lies in which they live.
At Esperance Haiti, we are aware that God seeks men and women who know, believe, and obey the principles he has revealed about finances to demonstrate to this skeptical and unbelieving world that he lives, and that he rewards and gives the power to create wealth to those who obey Him. As Deuteronomy 8:18 teaches us, “…you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth.”
We work in faith and hope, with the means provided by God, to help churches make disciples in Reformed theology and a sound theology of work, in order to eradicate all atheistic, animistic, and fatalistic worldviews from whose bitter and deadly depths poverty is born.
The Bible reveals a war between good and evil, truth and lies, life and death, Christ and the devil. Your contributions help us send Christ’s soldiers to the battlefields to fight against the armies of evil that generate poverty, hunger, and death. The soldiers of the Lord Jesus Christ, armed with the Gospel and the power of God, are sent to the fields and cities to defeat and liberate God’s sons and daughters from poverty.
The theology of work demonstrates that work is one of the greatest expressions of worship to God. Yet millions of people live in extreme poverty because they are bound by fatalism and animism—worldviews that keep them from knowing and worshipping God through meaningful work. These beliefs prevent them from pursuing stable income, improving their quality of life, accessing education and health services, and saving for the future of their families.
Haiti, being the poorest nation in America, has been our laboratory that has demonstrated for 18 years that financial education based on the theology of work has the grace and power of God to lift even the poorest people living in the deserts of rural Haiti out of the heavy poverty line.
The 258,437 loans that have been granted by Esperance, the 97,902 jobs that have been created as a result, and a 99% return rate demonstrate that when the poor work, save, invest, and give all they can, the Lord blesses it. “Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness” (2 Corinthians 9:10). To the Lord Jesus Christ be the glory forever! Amen. W&D
Pastor Guzman is the pastor of Iglesia Biblica de la Trinidad Church in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, and is involved in training participants of the Esperance Haiti Microloan Program.
PROJECT SUMMARY: ESPERANCE HAITI MICROLOAN PROGRAM
After Hurricane Matthew struck Haiti in 2016, it left widespread damage. Many businesses’ goods were either lost or destroyed. At that time, Word & Deed partnered with Esperance to establish a microloan program to provide business owners with small loans to help them re-establish their businesses. This program proved to be very successful and in 2018 and 2020 we saw the opportunity to impact more lives through an expansion of the program in communities where over 95% of the population lives below the poverty line. Esperance seeks to impact families in their communities in the areas of finance, health, and education by teaching God’s Word, with a focus on a biblical worldview of work, in order to restore hope to people in need.
PRAYER REQUESTS
Meditation
1 Praise God for the good news of comfort and hope at the heart of the book of Lamentations.
Guatemala
1 Thank the Lord for 50 years of grace given to AMG Guatemala.
2 Pray for continued blessings over this organization and over the people who lead all of the programs and schools that are run by AMG Guatemala.
Egypt
1 Thank the Lord for the work of El-Soora Ministries in Egypt and across the Arabicspeaking world.
2 Pray for the Lord to work in the hearts and lives of all the people who attended El-Soora’s annual conference. Pray that the church in Egypt would be strengthened and revived through it.
Education
1 Thank the Lord for the gift of work. Ask him to show you the joy of worshipping him through your work.
2 Ask the Lord for a blessing over the work of Esperance Haiti and over those who participate in the microloan program.