W&D Magazine Fall 2016

INSIDE

FALL 2016

Disaster Relief

Ecuador Earthquake Response

Colombia

Changes at the Girls’ Home in Tenjo

South Africa

Mukhanyo Distance Improvements

>foreword

By Rick Postma

But...

My wife, Diane, and I recently visited family in Scotland. As we traveled through the highlands, we feasted on a visual smorgasbord of bright yellow gorse (an onomatopoeia mismatch if there ever was one), blue lochs, and shimmering mountains in the distance. As if this wasn’t enough, ancient castles and beautiful old church buildings made our vistas even more delectable. But all is not well in Scotland. While some churches are flourishing, most church buildings are empty or being “repurposed” as museums, stores, and offices. Where flocks still gather for Sunday worship, the congregations tend to be sparse and elderly. What is true for Scotland is sadly true for all the British isles and, indeed, for all of Europe herself. Churches are emptying and the descendants of churchgoers “ in previous generations are turning their backs on God and His Word. What (such an has this to do with the developing world you ask? Much, it is sad to say.

Increasingly, those sharing the Gospel there are being challenged as to the little “credibility and potency of the gospel” (Paul Borthwick, Western Christians in Global Mission) given that the western church is caving in to a “growing and word)... ” infiltrating secularism.” The West’s impact on “the rest” continues apace but instead of sharing the Gospel, the “missionaries” of the West are rapidly spreading and even imposing the “good news” of love and tolerance as characterized by homosexuality and the whole transgendered movement. But (such an important little word) as Dr. Arjan de Visser reminds us from Psalm 24 in the Meditation, “the earth is the Lord’s ... and those that dwell therein.” Satan is attacking while he can but let us be sure that the victory is the Lord’s, and let us faithfully use every opportunity both to speak the truth in love and to imitate Christ who “did not come to be served, but to serve.”

In this issue of the magazine, we read of those who are doing just that in Ecuador, Colombia, India, Malawi, South Africa, and South Sudan. Please pray for both them and us—that we may be faithful imitators of Christ in all that we do and that God may use us as a means of bringing the miracle of God’s grace into the lives of many. W&D

BUT

important

Rick Postma is the Director of Public Relations for Word & Deed Ministries.

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WORD&DEED

meditation

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

FALL 2016 Editor Rick Postma

Assistant Editor Hanna Korvemaker

Graphic Design Knor Graphic Design Solutions Copy Editors Shelly Crites Susan Trentacosti

<

By Dr. Arjan de Visser

tHE

Earth

is the

LORD’s

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, and South Africa.

Canada Office PO Box 20100 St. Thomas, ON N5P 4H4 Toll free 877.375.9673 office@wordanddeed.org Director of Projects John Otten Director of Promotion Rick Postma Office Administrator Scott Koopman Support Staff Hanna Korvemaker John Kottelenberg Kara Luiting Nancy Sinke Board of Directors President - Corney Les Vice President - Jake Sinke Secretary - Dave Wielinga Treasurer - Henry de Waal Dr. Arjan de Visser Rev. C. Heiberg Harold Leyenhorst Bert Mulder Dick Naves John Vangameren Lyle Ypma Advisory Committee Mr. Jim Beeke –

International Educational Consultant

Dr. Gerald M. Bilkes – Professor of

Old & New Testament, Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary Rev. Richard Bout URCNA Missions Coordinator Rev. Danny Hyde – Pastor, Oceanside United Reformed Church

Rev. Mark Vander Hart –

Associate Professor of Old Testament Studies, Mid-America Reformed Seminary Rev. Frank Van Dalen – Former Executive Director of the Foreign Missions Board of the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church

United States Office PO Box 157, Hudsonville, MI 49426 Toll free 866.391.5728 usoffice@wordanddeed.org

Office Administrator Heidi Pronk Board of Directors President - Pete Vander Stel Vice President - Paul Laman Secretary - Harry Kooistra Treasurer - Karen Vander Sloot Eric Brandt Dave Byker Anita Sikkema Peter Van Kempen Registered Charity Number (Canada) 89 120 0941 RR0001 EIN Non-profit Number (USA) 37-1429283 Bible quotations are from the NKJV unless otherwise noted.

Psalm 24:1 — The earth is the LORD’s, and all its fullness…

Psalm 24 starts with the confession that the whole universe belongs to the LORD because He is the one who created it. Even the people who dwell on earth belong to Him (v. 1). Several implications may be drawn from this magnificent statement.

First, if the earth is the LORD’s it means that God is powerful to protect his people, especially in times of persecution. At times the church of Christ may be a “little flock” (Luke 12:32) but it does not need to fear. We may be sure that the church of Christ will persevere until the end. Christ has received all authority in heaven and on earth (Matt. 28:18). If we experience opposition or hatred because we are Christians, it may be hurtful but we can take our case to the One to whom the whole universe belongs.

Second, if the world and everything in it belongs to God (and not to the devil), it follows that we may enjoy what the Lord has created. It is as the children’s song says: “This is my Father’s world, and to my listening ears all nature sings, and round me rings, the music of the spheres.” The apostle Paul teaches that we may enjoy food and drink and work and marriage “for everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving” (ESV, 1 Tim. 4:2–4). So we may go ahead and enjoy the good things God has created, with thanksgiving.

Third, Psalm 24 says that the whole world belongs to God including “those who dwell therein” (v. 1). This means that God owns all the people in the world, even those who oppose him, even the extremists who kill Christians in various parts of the world. This means that all people will have to give account to their Maker, and in the end justice will be done. God’s people who experience suffering and injustice may rest in this knowledge.

Finally, since all people in the world belong to God, they ought to know Him. This means that the Gospel must be proclaimed to them by Word and deed. Let us pray that both we and the workers involved in Word & Deed projects will receive wisdom and courage from the Lord to make the most of every opportunity (Col. 4:5–6). W&D Dr. Arjan de Visser is professor of Diaconology at the Canadian Reformed Theological Seminary in Hamilton, Ontario, prior to which he served as a missionary in South Africa for 15 years. He is also a member of the Word & Deed Canada Board.

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>DISaSTER RELIEF

By Scott Koopman

Ecuador Earthquake Response

Every house in this coastal community was damaged by the earthquake. Residents are relying on tents and tarps for shelter from the sun, heat, and rain.

On the evening of April 16, 2016, a severe 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit Ecuador. There have been over 2,000 aftershocks. The official death toll is around 650, though local estimates are over 2,000. Most of the buildings in Pedernales (the most affected area) were destroyed. There was minor damage in Quininde, where Word & Deed’s sponsorship program is, and in Quito, where our friends and partners Fred and Arlene Jonkman and their team live.

Pastor Jesùs Cagua ministers to the church in Pedernales and is in contact with Fred and Arlene and Iglesia Reformada del Ecuador (their church in Quito). By God’s amazing grace and providence, none of the members of the congregation lost their lives, but 30 of their 40 families completely lost their homes and are now living in tent cities. Their church building was also destroyed, but their local Ecuadorian denomination has committed to rebuild it.

Please pray for Pastor Jesùs and his congregation!

Dr. Yeny Agila de Penos, the director of Word & Deed’s sponsorship program in Quininde, has been traveling regularly to Pedernales to offer counseling. The goal is to equip members of the church by helping them heal spiritually and teaching them so that they can spread hope

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in Christ to their neighbors. The Lord has used this trauma to open hearts to the Gospel. In North American society we might ask, “How can a loving God do this to us?” but in Ecuador the people say, “God must be angry at us.” Pray that physical brokenness will lead to broken and repentant hearts that rest fully in the loving Savior.

Word & Deed sent $10,000 (USD) for initial relief, which has been used to help meet the needs in the community and also to assist in helping them set up a temporary church building. We continue to evaluate further opportunities to help in the physical rebuilding process. At this point it appears we will be supporting the construction of simple one-story houses focusing on the people of the church and others within the community. The anticipated budget is between $50,000 and $150,000 (USD) with plans and discussions still underway.

Please pray for all the people of Ecuador. As Fred and Arlene note, “There is also an urgent need for the Gospel to be preached to the lost; it is the only true balm for the souls of all the hurting people.” W&D Scott Koopman is the Office Administrator for Word & Deed Ministries.

>COLOMBIA

By John Otten

Changes

at the

Girls’ Home

in

Tenjo

The Girls’ Home in Tenjo, Colombia, has always been a favorite with our supporters. The home cared for 50–60 girls at a time, taken from abusive homes. Many teams were able to visit these girls and help with construction and teaching projects at the home. One could not help but love these children. Visiting teams played an important role in the lives of these girls who had suffered abuse.

Most of Corporación Dios Es Amor’s (CDA, our partner in Colombia) projects are in high risk, highly violent areas and it is often the girls who are mistreated. The families living in these areas are frequently under much stress and are characterized by broken relationships.

In recent years, the Girls’ Home in Tenjo faced several challenges. The cost to run the home has been increasing, changing government regulations have proven challenging to keep up with (although our partners constantly worked to adjust their procedures to meet the new demands), and the Colombian Institute of Family Welfare (ICBF) has become more involved in determining where vulnerable girls should be sent. The ICBF still needed in 2016: now also defines the type of rehabilitation $65,000 (CAD) program the girls should receive with little input from CDA. $49,000 (USD) These factors led CDA to rethink the Girls’ Home in Tenjo and, with input from Word & Deed, to reinvent it as the Child Protection Program. Though the essence of the program has not changed (intervention and restitution), its method has. CDA decided that in the girls’ best interest they should be returned to their families, where the staff continues to work with them and their families in a closer way through direct family intervention in the home. The therapeutic team visits the families to better understand the family dynamics and relationships, their struggles, and how best to intervene. The program sees to it that the rights of the girls are secure, and that they are studying, connected with a health service, and have adequate nutrition. A pastor is also part of the team.

He applies the principles of the Christian faith to each situation and helps connect the families with Christian churches in the area. In extreme situations, the children will be referred to other children’s homes.

Some benefits of the revised program are apparent. This new model allows the vulnerable girls to attend CDA Christian schools, rather than a school in the area of the home. CDA staff are able to keep an eye on these girls, effectively acting as an extension of the therapeutic team.

In addition, one of the main difficulties of the original program was that the families were not close to the process—parents did not want to attend the meetings, therapies, and workshops. Through the home visit strategy it is possible to better understand the family dynamics which provides valuable insight into restoring the home.

This model also makes it easier to get troubled families connected to local churches. Previously, only the girls were linked to a church through the Girls’ Home.

This evolution of the Girls’ Home of Tenjo becoming the Child Protection Program has been a difficult and sometimes frustrating road for our partners at CDA, but we are thankful for their commitment to the task and that the important work of ministering to vulnerable girls and to their troubled families will continue. Please pray with us that with God’s blessing it will continue to be the beacon of light and hope in Colombia that it has been for these past 14 years! W&D John Otten is the Director of Projects for Word & Deed Ministries.

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>MALAWi

By Maxwell E. J. Mnjemu

Orphan Care Gives Hope

to the

Hopeless

Neighbour Mission children enjoying a meal.

When Robert, aged four, lost both his parents to HIV/AIDS two years ago, the community feared for him. They worried his future was buried with his parents. His poverty-stricken relatives were reluctant to care for him, fearing an extra weight of burden on their families. But a few days later, Robert’s distant aunt found a way to help him. She dispatched him to the nearby Mthumba Community Based Childcare Center (CBCC) in the Salima district.

While at the CBCC, Robert came in contact with Neighbour Mission Organization, a ministry under the Mission Department of the Central Church of Africa, Presbyterian (CCAP) Nkhoma Synod, that helps children in Robert’s situation with various necessities such as food, clothes, school uniforms, and stationery. Robert is just one of the numerous vulnerable and hopeless children that Neighbour Mission is reaching out to.

We support orphans like Robert, the ultrapoor, widows, and those affected by HIV/ AIDS by providing for some of their needs while bringing them the Gospel, providing gardens and emergency food relief when appropriate, and even educating them about the role that promiscuity and adultery have

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Neighbour Mission

Organization

The Neighbour Mission Organization is located in Salima, an area with a prominent Muslim influence.

They serve orphan care centers in six villages with about 80 children in each village being fed a simple meal daily. Neighbour Mission focuses on younger children (most of the beneficiaries are preschool age). They’ve also purchased school uniforms and supplies for school-age children. Several local churches share the evangelism responsibilities for the orphans in the villages. Budget in 2016: Fully funded through sponsors.

in the spread of HIV/AIDS. Neighbour Mission has, since 2000, been a hope to many across traditional authorities in Mwanza, Khombedza, Ndindi, and Kalonga in Salima District. In 2015, the organization reached out to 420 children, of which 100 are in primary schools and 45 students are in secondary schools with tuition support.

Because it is difficult for girls and boys who have finished secondary school to go to university due to limited space and exorbitant fees, Neighbour Mission Organization would like to build a skills development center, where it can train these youths with various skills such as carpentry, joinery, bricklaying, or tailoring, and upon graduation provide them with certificates and tool boxes.

Sharing the good news of Jesus Christ is at the center of our approach. Our desire is for those we help to become fully independent and able to give hope back to other vulnerable people. W&D Maxwell E. J. Mnjemu is the Director of the Neighbour Mission Organization in Salima, Malawi.

>MALAWi

By Heidi Pronk

An

Overview of Logos Ministries

Logos Ministries has been training lay leaders and pastors in Malawi for a decade now, supporting them as they help the members of the Central Church of Africa, Presbyterian (CCAP), a denomination with over a million members, to develop a richer and fuller understanding of Gospel truths and their practical application. As the ministry has matured, various aspects of teaching and training have been refined. In late 2015, Logos underwent a strategic planning process to reaffirm their vision of â&#x20AC;&#x153;providing high quality and biblically sound doctrinal instruction that will transform the life of the church in Malawi.â&#x20AC;? These planning sessions initiated some changes in program delivery to maximize effectiveness.

One of these changes was to implement a practical component to the basic training classes, meaning that all participants in the one-year basic theology program would be required to train at least ten other people in their church. This necessitated a better application process, more instructional material, and additional follow-up, but the result has been that some students have trained as many as 40 other people using the materials and training that Logos provided!

Another recent change has been the decision to offer Mukhanyo Distance Learning classes in Malawi. These classes lead to a two-year certificate in theology, so Logos is able to offer a higher level of training at a modest cost without having to develop their own materials.

Mukhanyo Distance offers theological classes from a Reformed perspective designed for the African context. Logos tailors the material further for the Malawian church. There are currently 33 students on the certificate track.

Lay training brings qualified Logos trainers into various congregations to lead seminars for church leaders, from Sunday school teachers and womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s guild leaders to elders and deacons. The two training modules used in these lay trainings are Doctrines of Scripture and Church Leadership. Ideally, each congregation is visited twice so they can Still needed in 2016: spend three days on each module. In 2015, 21 congregations hosted trainings with over 1,300 church leaders participating. $30,000 (CAD)

$22,500 (USD) Finally, Logos offers in-service training for pastors two to four times per year. Word & Deed assists Logos by finding pastors from other African countries or from North America to teach serving pastors for a week or two. This program has been a great encouragement to both the pastors participating and the ones teaching.

While there are many theological training programs in English available in Malawi, Logos meets a need by offering training in the local language, Chichewa. Recently, there have been requests for the Logos training material to be translated into other local dialects and we are working to facilitate that. It is our mutual prayer that God will continue to bless these efforts to the strengthening of His church. W&D Heidi Pronk is the Administrator of Word & Deed USA.

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>SOUTH AFRICa

By Dr. Brian De Vries

Mukhanyo Distance Improvements

The Mukhanyo Distance material development team with Paul Mahlangu (far left) who is a professor at Mukhanyo Theological College.

By God’s grace, the distance learning program of Mukhanyo Theological College has been a huge blessing to many people in southern Africa. We are now busy improving the distance study material and also expanding the program to include degree level modules.

For many years they have faithfully supported the development of diploma-level modules—DVDs and study guides—so that the tuition costs for the students can be kept as low as possible. This support and the reduced fees have allowed each site to develop a contextual church-based training program that is serving the needs of each local community.

Mukhanyo started preparing distance learning materials eight years ago. At first, several pilot learning centers Our plan for the next three years is to review all diplotested the material and many more centers were added soon thereafter. There are now about 40 capable learning ma-level modules. We have already started improving centers, with approximately 500 students presently using the course content to make our teaching material even more suitable for the learning needs of the students. We the material. While this has been a blessing for many will also start developing both DVDs and church leaders, we have perhaps grown a bit budget in 2016: study guides for degree-level studies. too quickly. As such, we needed to regroup FULLY and make several strategic improvements.

Many of our present sites also need to be FUNDED strengthened and improved. So next year we Mukhanyo has made significant improvements plan to start a formal training program to upgrade in several areas. Internally, we have separated the skills of site facilitators and tutors. Their the functions of material development from learnimprovement will be used by God to mentor and train ing center management so that we can focus more our distance students more effectively. We are humbled consistently on each area. We have also appointed new by how the Lord is using this church-based learning prostaff to oversee the tutors at each site and the adminisgram to equip so many pastors and other Christians in trative recordkeeping responsibilities, so as to improve the teaching quality and overall organization. We are also southern Africa. W&D setting more precise standards for each learning center Dr. Brian de Vries is a missionary minister of the to improve overall quality.

Heritage Reformed Congregations, working with the Word & Deed has made a huge contribution within Reformed Churches of South Africa (GKSA). He is the Mukhanyo’s ministry to the distance learning program.

Principal of Mukhanyo Theological College.

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>SOUTH SUDAn

By Rick Postma

Expanding Christian Education

The completed Christian school building in South Sudan.

Few countries in Africa have been spared from devastations of war over the past 50 years. Sudan is no exception. After many years of civil war between the largely Arabic Muslim north and the African Christian south, a peace treaty was signed in 2005 and South Sudan became an independent nation in 2011. In 2006, the Reformed Presbyterians (members of NAPARCâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;North American Presbyterian and Reformed Churches) began training pastors in a northern area of South Sudan. Since then, four churches have been instituted along with 14 mission churches (these have baptized members and oversight from a local presbytery).

Along the way, a Christian school was started to educate the children in the churches. The initial structure has four classrooms and parents are asked to pay small school fees which nevertheless cover the operating costs of the schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;something we were very glad to hear about!

Addressing the need for self-sufficiency early on in a project is very important.

A Word & Deed representative visited the South Sudan field, a meeting was held in Pittsburgh with missions representatives of the Reformed Presbyterian Church (RPC), and an e-mail and Skype dialogue took place to ensure that we had agreement on our respective mission and mandate, and that our concerns about Gospel focus, self-sufficiency under Christ, and indigenous leadership are reflected in their work. We were delighted to find that they are and we had only one request: that a local school board be put in place, which the RPC readily agreed to. With construction beginning last fall, the work was completed this past spring on an expansion building consisting of four classrooms and a storage room. The total budget was $126,000 (CAD), funded by Word & Deed Business Groups.

May the Lord bring both eternal and temporal benefits to the many precious students attending the school! W&D Rick Postma is the Director of Public Relations for Word & Deed Ministries.

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Sponsors Needed!

Please consider sponsoring one of 162 waiting children in Colombia, Guatemala, Haiti, and Indonesia. For $38 CAD / $35 USD per month you will make a life-changing impact on your sponsor child! Email Kara at office@wordanddeed.org to get started, or visit our website to view more waiting children: www.wordanddeed.org/ways-to-give/child-sponsor

Name: Born:

Doni

December 31, 2000

Country: Indonesia

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Name: Born:

Fentri July 2, 2000

Country: Indonesia

FALL 2016

Name: Born:

Jeni

February 22, 1998

Country: Indonesia

Name: Born:

Yoiner

August 20, 2012

Country: Colombia

Name: Born:

Jeiser April 4, 2001

Country: Colombia

Name: Born:

Elvia

September 29, 2011

Country: Colombia

Upcoming Business Group

Meetings please stay tuned for confirmed dates and locations FALL 2016 Canada: Hamilton, ON Norwich, ON Niagara, ON U.S.A.: Grand Rapids, MI Pompton Plains, NJ *Please see our website for new events and for dates and locations as they are determined.

Upcoming Name: Born:

events

Desti

SOFTBALL TOURNAMENTS:

December 29, 2000

Country: Indonesia

Chilliwack, BC: September 10, 2016 Paris, ON: September 17, 2016

Name:

Valery

Name:

Milton

Born: October 8, 2010

Born:

Country: Colombia

Country: Guatemala

July 8, 2010

Name: Born:

Randy July 1, 2011

Country: Guatemala

Name: Born:

Rocio

December 15, 2011

Country: Guatemala

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eeing SSeeing Double?

Double?

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

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

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.

Join us for our annual

DINNER Tour Rev. Daniel Pever, Founder of Cornerstone Academy in Nigeria

Copetown, ON • November 11 Jordan, ON • November 12 CALGARY, AB • November 17 Aldergrove, BC • Nov. 18* Chilliwack, BC • Nov. 19*

Rev. Yonson Dethan, Founder of Children of Light in Indonesia

Orangeville, ON • November 5 Carman, MB • November 12 Edmonton, AB • November 18 Neerlandia/Barrhead, AB • TBD *Please note the change in date for both the Aldergrove and the Chilliwack events.

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

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www. wordanddeed .org

prayerrequests Disaster Relief: Ecuador Earthquake Response

• Pray that Pastor Jesùs and his congregation in Pedernales, many of whom have lost their homes, will find comfort and peace in the wake of so much destruction and loss.

• Praise God that none of the members of this congregation lost their lives!

• Pray for Dr. Yeny, the Jonkmans, and the Iglesia Reformada del Ecuador (the church in Quito) as they seek to be salt and light to hurting Ecuadorians.

Colombia: Changes at the Girls’ Home in Tenjo

• Pray that this program will be effective in restoring harmony and peace to troubled families.

• Pray that the program staff will be effective in presenting the Gospel to those in the program and that God will use them to draw many to Himself.

Malawi: An Overview of Logos Ministries

• Praise God that Logos Ministries has been building up church leaders and pastors in Malawi for a decade.

• Praise God for the many church leaders and pastors in Malawi who are hungering to know God’s Word more deeply, and who desire to serve their churches well.

Malawi: Orphan Care Gives Hope to the Hopeless

• Praise God that Robert (and many orphans like him) have been ministered to by the Neighbour Mission Organization.

• Pray that through Neighbour Mission many will hear the Gospel and be saved.

South Africa: Mukhanyo Distance Improvements

• Praise God for the rapid growth of the Mukhanyo Distance Learning Program.

• Pray that the ongoing work of reviewing this program will go well.

South Sudan: Expanding Christian Education

• Praise God for the growth of the church in the South Sudan, and for the construction of a new Christian school building.

• Pray that the school will bring both eternal and temporal benefits to the students attending.

Word & Deed North America

• Praise God for the many opportunities we have to partner with organizations around the world for the furtherance of His Kingdom.

• Pray that God will bless the efforts of Word & Deed staff members—that our work will be done with competence and with joyful and thankful hearts “as unto the Lord.”

“Those blessings are sweetest that are won with prayers and won with thanks.”

Thomas Goodwin

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Orphan Carefor Gives programmatic areasMalawi: would be of benefit eachHope case to the Hopeless (there may be more than one).

1. Do some research to familiarize yourself Transforming Lives Now with andthe for Eternity cultural context of Malawi.

1. Consider the hardships that Senderweb haspage faced growing up The following is a good in Guatemala. In what ways enrollment at La Palabra placehas to begin: www.aho.afro.who.

Christian School in Guatemala transformed his life? int/profiles_information/index.php/ 2. “Empty stomachs don’t have ears.” Explain this Malawi:Introduction_to_Country_Context statement in your own words.

2. Based on this article and your research, list some New Beginnings at Nakekela reasons that Robert’s extended family “worried his future was buried 1. Visit the Nakekela website (www.nakekela.co.za) to with read parents.” about the history of thehis organization on the main page.

Colombia: Changes at the Girls’ Home in Tenjo 1. “Visiting teams played an important role in the lives of these girls who had suffered abuse.” List a few ways that you think visiting work team members might have played an important role in the lives of the girls at the Girls’ Home in Tenjo.

2. John Otten describes the essence of the Girls’ Home/ Child Protection Program as “intervention and restitution.”

Look up definitions for these two words and summarize the purpose of the Child Protection Program.

3. Twice in the article it is mentioned that through the Child Protection Program entire families are able to be linked to local churches. Why do you think this is considered such an important development?

Join or Die? Malawi: An Overview of 1. “Corporate worship is . . . the centerpiece of the Christian Logos Ministries life.” Explain how this is true using scripture. Here is one 1. Logos Ministries’ vision is to passage to get you started: Hebrews 10:24-25 “provide high quality and 2. Explain what Pastor Boekestein means when he compares biblically sound doctrinal church membership to parents making their children eat instruction that will transform the their dessert. life of the church in Malawi.” How CDA:can Abiblically Transformational sound doctrine Approach to Poverty 1. The mission CDA is carried out through projects in transform the lifeof of the church in five main “programmatic areas.” List those areas and Malawi (and North America)? some 2. do List some of research the benefits to of understand what they entail if you’re sure.of the onerequiringnot graduates 2. Re-read the stories of to Andrea, Shirley, Juan David, year basic theology program Genaro and Briceida. train a minimum of ten otherList which of the five CDA people in their church.

How has Nakekela grown since its inception in 2004?

South Africa: Mukhanyo Distance Mercy and Glory at theImprovements Nakekela Step Down Facility 1. Thisof article discusses the necessity and 1. Put yourself in the shoes somebody living in the value of strategic for Mukhanyo KwaMhlanga community.

How wouldplanning you feel about Theological College (MTC).

List the the opening of the HIV/AIDS Clinic and why? improvements 2. How has the community perceptionthat ofwere the implemented Nakekela a result of their strategic Clinic changed since itsasinception?

Why has review it changed? processes.

Introducing: Children of Light 2. Visit the MTC website to read about 1. “Families who did send their children to school were their mission, vision, and objectives often sacrificing heavily to do so, suffering from a (www.mukhanyo.ac.za/mission--vision. lack of food, and an inability to provide their children html). Based on what you read in the with proper clothing and school supplies.” List five article, how well are they meeting their reasons that Christian education is so valuable, in objectives? the developing world and in North America.

2. Aren Bulan is motivated become a doctor because Southto Sudan: Expanding of the lack of medical care on his home Christian Education island of Rote. Make a list of1. the needs you seefor around you “Addressing the need self-sufficiency (at home, at school, among friends otherwise). early on in a projector is very important.”

What can you do now Why to make difference? do you a think this might be? How

has thisWord need been addressed in the new Serving Through the Written South Sudan Christian school? word 1. Discuss the following statement: “The written 2. Inbe thehandled final paragraph, Rick Postma is powerful and should carefully.” mentionstalents three specific that Word 2. Martha mentions the different andareas privileges & Deed desires to see reflected each that each of us are given by God. Compared to in students you listprivileges them? in the developing world,project. whatCan unique 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