Mission Trip Colombia

Thank You!

2007-02-28T09:41:00.000-05:00

Coming off the plane to all the snow and cold temperatures sure is a shocker. One could get used to day time temperatures of 25 deg. C.

On behalf of the team, I would like to express a big thank you to all those who followed along with us on our trip via this site. Your comments and prayers were greatly appreciated. Included are all those who gave financially to this worth while cause.

To the CDA staff at the girl’s home, thank you for your kindness, generosity and the meals you provided.

To the girls at the home, thank you for allowing us to share in your lives. Thank you for teaching us how to love one another. Through out our stay there, it was a joy to see how all the girls cooperated with one another and how they cared for each other.

Thank you to Riccardo, our driver, whose driving ability was par none. Thank you for your dedicated service. Thank you to Jimmy whose concern and dedication for our safety was greatly appreciated. Thank you to those at CDA who in one way or another were part of this trip.

Thank you to Clara and her staff for providing us with lodging. Thank you for the wonderful meals and allowing us to make ourselves at home.

Thank you to Rick Postma and the staff at Word & Deed for all their efforts in planning and organizing the trip.

Thank You to our families who stayed home. To our wives and children who held down the fort while we were gone.

Above all we give thanks to God, who kept us safe, kept us healthy and provided for all our needs. As a group we were privileged to have experienced another part of God’s world and His marvelous creation. God is truly great. God is good, always!

Psalm 111
Praise the LORD.
I will extol the LORD with all my heart
in the council of the upright and in the assembly.
Great are the works of the LORD;
they are pondered by all who delight in them.
Glorious and majestic are his deeds,
and his righteousness endures forever.
He has caused his wonders to be remembered;
the LORD is gracious and compassionate.
He provides food for those who fear him;
he remembers his covenant forever.
He has shown his people the power of his works,
giving them the lands of other nations.
The works of his hands are faithful and just;
all his precepts are trustworthy.
They are steadfast for ever and ever,
done in faithfulness and uprightness.
He provided redemption for his people;
he ordained his covenant forever—
holy and awesome is his name.
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom;
all who follow his precepts have good understanding.
To him belongs eternal praise.

Ready to Go Home!

2007-02-23T20:45:00.000-05:00

Today we spent part of our last day in Colombia visiting a CDA school, Altos de Cazuco, south of Bogota. There are 1200 students attending this school from Kindergarten to Grade 11, also special needs children. It's hard not to notice the professionalism of the CDA organization. All the students, as well as the teachers are all in uniform. It says a lot when you see the surrounding communities they have built these schools in. Some of the roughest areas in Colombia. A great majority of these students are able to attend because of sponserships. Word and Deed has partenered with an excellent organization that has provided Christian education to many children in desperate need. Visiting a Grade 11 class, we were told of their eagerness to do well in order that they might recieve scholarships to further their education. The construction of the school is on going, the need to provide schooling to more chidren is there and with that the need for more sponser families from abroad.

We also visited a CDA medical clinic in the same area. The waiting room was full.

From there we went
to say our good-byes to the girls at the home. The staff had prepared a barbeque for us. It was nice to share one last meal with all the girls and CDA staff.

The girls sang for us and gave us some mementos and coffee to take back home.

After Colombia beat the Canadians one last time at soccer. We were treated to some cake and we said our good-byes. Was that ever tough! But we leave knowing that the home is filled with love and care. And that God's grace is abounding and His steadfast love endures forever.

CDA and the girls home covets your continued prayers. And we covet your continued prayers as we travel back home tomorrow.

Canada Wins!

2007-02-22T21:37:00.000-05:00

Canada finally defeated the mighty Colombians, 3 to 1. But there were still smiles all around.

The Spectators

As we said our good-byes for the evening the hugs got a little bit longer. The girls know that tomorrow will be the last day they will see us. Tomorrow could be tough on all of us.

Today marked the last day we will be working on the buildings.

Jen and Amanda finished with the bible stories they were doing. They left the book with the staff so they could continue on. When they asked Pastor Carlos if there was a Spanish song about Meshach, Shadrach, and Abednego, the pastor said no, then proceeded to make one up. The girls and teachers loved it. The girls love singing and they put all of their heart into it from the biggest to the smallest. We are often left to wonder whose ministering to who.

Tomorrow we hope to visit one of the homes of a girl who stays at the home. We will also visit another CDA school and some micro-businesses that CDA has helped to establish. Following that we will be going to a special assembly at the girl’s home and say our good-byes.

What a Party!

2007-02-21T23:14:00.000-05:00

Work on the buildings continues to make steady progress.
Bricks continue to be put on the medical building, as well as parging on the inside walls.
We also were able to pour concrete for the floors and porch of the other building. It does not appear that we will get the buildings completed. But they are well on there way and will be completed by the local trades people.
Our time with the girls has been such a joy. Each day a member of the team has told a bible story followed by a craft or game. A few of us have taken a time out to participate in this each day. We have also had a few soccer games. Team Canada is no match for the mighty Colombians.

Today we celebrated Ben’s 50th birthday. It was the highlight of the day. The girls were so excited. After the bible story and some games out came the birthday cake. And the girls burst into a load chorus of Happy Birthday. It was a great surprise for Ben. I’m sure he won’t forget it.

We had brought some gift bags with us from home. So we handed them out. What a treat for the girls as they each walked up to receive their gift bag. It’s amazing what can fit in those bags. The girls were so happy.

After this we had two piñatas to break followed by a game of soccer in the dark and then supper. It sure was some party.

There is another girl at the home we had hoped to highlight. But I’ll make brief mention here. Lorainna was rescued from the most horrendous of conditions. She was found tied up on a rope or chain, I’m not exactly sure, in a cage, in the corner of a shack of a home. This has left her terribly scarred on the inside and mentally instable. Imagine. When we first arrived at the home she was kept hidden in a room because she could not handle our presence.
Slowly as the days went by we have tried to make small steps in gaining her trust. Today there was a noticeable improvement with that. She came out of the kitchen and sat with me, held my hand when I put it out and was able to go up and get her gift bag. Later she gave everybody on the team kisses and a candy. When we had to go she became terribly upset and would not let go of my hand. We can be thankful she receives so much love and care here from the staff. And all the girls seem too want to help her and give her hugs. It’s so great to see. Hopefully we’ll be able to post her story.

The time is drawing nearer to when we go home. We are all beginning to look forward to that. Please continue to pray for our continued safety and our work here and the work of the CDA staff at the home.

Their Stories

2007-02-20T22:25:00.000-05:00

As we continue along here with our project. We've come to know the girls here at the home. We've come to appreciate their smiling faces every morning and their appreciation for us being there with them. But there is also a lot of sadness in their lives. It is only by God's grace that they are in this home. Receiving the love and care of Christ through the CDA staff. So tonight rather than give you an update in whats happening in our lives and with the building. We want to share with you some of their stories.
Tonight we highlight the lives of two girls. Yuliana and
Geraldin. The girls were interviewed by Missy the executive director of CDA with the knowledge that this would be posted on the blog. Yuliana picture is in a previous post "We're on Line" and I'll have to get Geraldin's tomorrow. We forgot the camera with her picture on it at the home. We'll update the photo's tomorrow.

p.s. Every one is doing well. The building is going good. There's lots to do with two buildings on the go. Our skills our being pushed in having to do things we normally don't do.
Thank you for the comments and your prayers.

Here's the stories,

Yuliana Karlibeth Garnica
Age: 7 Years Old
Grade: Second Grade

Yuliana, as described by her teacher is a creative little girl who is a fast learner. She is lively, happy and smart.

Back in 2005, she entered the Children’s Home. Before this she lived in extreme conditions of poverty, in an old run down house in the down town area of Bogotá. However, the main reason why Yuliana had to come to the Home, was because both her mother and grandmother are Lesbians. Yuliana´s mother is also a drug addict and therefore, since an early age the children (Yuliana, her two sisters and one little brother) have been under the care of their grandmother. Even though Yuliana´s Mom lives with another woman, she has already had 4 children with different men.

When Yuliana arrived at the home, she did not admit she was a girl. She wanted to dress as a boy and behave as one. The process has been hard as the Mother and Grandmother don’t want to change their behavior, but Yuliana has come along a great deal and now has changed her behavior, accepting wearing a skirt and becoming a sweet, active little girl! What she enjoys best at the Children’s Home is the fact that she learns lots of things every day. Her favorite subject is Natural Science, becoming one of the best in this subject among her peers. One of her favorite places at the home is the pet farm. She helps care for the animals and teaches the smaller children about them. When she grows up she wants to be a police woman, so she has authority to make people do the right things. She clarifies that she will not be a bad police woman, but a kind one!

The Children’s Home staff is working strongly with the family, meeting with them every week, sharing the good news of the gospel with them as well as contributing to the improvement of the families dynamics.

Yuliana enjoys having the work team from Canada at the site, because what they are doing reminsd her of her grandma, who paints houses for a living. She says that sadly because of an accident she suffered several years ago, her grandma has not been able to work as much anymore and feels much pain, when she does. This of course affects the conditions in which the rest of the family lives, for they do not have enough income and Yuliana worries about that.

She says… I like having the team from Canada here, because they are very nice to us, they are kind and really cool. Her message to the team is …I love you very much and thank you for coming to make of our home an even nicer place!!!

Yeimy Geraldin Ramírez Rodríguez
Age: 13 years
Grade: Seventh.

Yeimy Geraldin Ramírez Rodríguez, is now 13 years old. She was enrolled at the Children´s Home on April 17, 2001
Her situation at the admission was quite hard, since her mother is an unstable and immature person, with criminal records for theft and prostitution. Mercedes (Geraldin’s mother) used to sell Geraldin and her two sisters for sexual exploitation, giving them the idea that this was the only way of getting on in life without dying from hunger. When she joined the school she was a shy, introverted, and not very sociable girl; she reflected in her behavior and in her face the anguish of a difficult life full of suffering and pain.

Her life is now full of light and hope; she expresses in her eyes the happiness of living and the yearning to continue on with by love of God at work in her life…
My name is Yeimy Geraldin Ramírez Rodríguez, but I like my friends to call me “Geral”. I was born on September 8, 1993, in Bogotá; I am now 13 years old. I have two smaller sisters, Natalia and Tatiana. My mom’s name is Mercedes Ramírez; they are my loved family.

My mom is the one who looked after us, because we never met my dad. Before living at the Children´s Home, we used to live in «La Calle del Cartucho», this is a very dangerous neighborhood—for the terrible things happening every day. There we lived with my grandmother, her husband, my uncles, and my cousins. There were many of us living in just one small room; for that reason, many frequent situations of fights showed up. My cousins were very rude and they treated us very bad; the situation was unbearable.

To subsist, my mom would sell drugs and she used to sell her body to men. But money wasn’t enough, so she made us do the same prostitution work with elder men who paid her COL $2.000 for each one of us.
A lot of time passed this way, until my mom began to receive help on behalf of God through kind and generous people that guided her to change her lifestyle. She realized the horrible mistake she was making and wanted to remedy it; so, she requested CDA for us to be admitted in the Children’s Home, in order to improve our situation.

All this caused a great pain and a lot of suffering to me, but now I am together with my sister Natalia in a place where they give us protection, love and help, because they want the best thing for us and they demonstrate it to us every day with their self-giving and dedication. They have also offered my mother a lot of help; now she is a loving person and she wants the best of things for us. She makes an effort to keep on going and get on in life.

I give thanks to God because he has brought me to this place; here, they have always really loved me; they worry a lot about me. I don't lack anything and the hand of God is upon me, always. The Children’s Home is the is the most beautiful place I have ever known and its people, training and care provided to us, are the most wonderful in the world. I have learned many things at school and every day I improve even more since I am very intelligent; I am also obedient and try to be good. My classmates love me a lot and they always look for me, asking for help in different things, so I help them and give them good advice.

To the team that is visiting us from Canada, I would say thank you to them and to all those who contributed in one way or another to making it possible for the team to come to Colombia. We enjoy having them here. It is much fun!! The crafts and gifts for the home have made us feel important, as they show their interest in our lives and in improving the home. I pray God will bless and prosper each one of those who are visiting us and sewing in our lives!

Geraldin Ramírez.

A Blessed Sunday.

2007-02-18T21:31:00.000-05:00

Psalm 67

1 May God be gracious to us and bless us
and make his face shine upon us,
2 that your ways may be known on earth,
your salvation among all nations.
3 May the peoples praise you, O God;
may all the peoples praise you.
4 May the nations be glad and sing for joy,
for you rule the peoples justly
and guide the nations of the earth.
5 May the peoples praise you, O God;
may all the peoples praise you.
6 Then the land will yield its harvest,
and God, our God, will bless us.
7 God will bless us,
and all the ends of the earth will fear him.

Today we worshipped our God in a different land. Reflecting on the day. I read Psalm 67. Something we hear every Sunday. It's something we missed today. But reading it for myself later today it was alive, living. Today we saw how God blesses us and how his face shines on us. We saw a people of a distant nation praising God in worship. But we also saw how God rules justly in the lives of the people here on the street. How comforting it is to know that God is guiding the nation of Colombia. That all that is going on here is to his purpose and pleasure. And we continue to pray for the work done here in bringing the gospel to a people in great need. We continue to pray that the ends of the earth will fear him.

Here's some pictures.

Some 12000 feet above sea level and a city of 8 million people in the background.

At a Church Plant in Bogota

From left to right. Our driver and security, Riccardo. Jimmy head of security and Pastor Louise.

The City Square

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For my family whose been looking for a picture of me

As the blog continues I will make an effort to include pictures of all the team members. In case your looking.

We're online!

2007-02-17T19:32:00.000-05:00

Diana & Yuliana

Today we were able to access the blog. Thanks Rick for helping us make some posts. We hope to get some pictures on previous posts.
Here is an outline of the last few days.

Thursday

It was another busy day today.
The day started off with breakfast as normal. But Riccardo did not show up to drive us to the school. So we had a walk up the road right outside our door. We then started walking to the girl’s home, about 7km away. Riccardo met us on the way and drove us to the school.
As soon as we got there, we got right to it. We finished putting up the walls for the building. During this time talks were going on as to what to do with a building started by another mission team. The construction was not up to par. Apparently things did not go well as a former employee of the company supplying the building scammed CDA and left with the money. I’m not sure of all the details. But it put the other team in a very unfair situation.
The best thing to do was to start over. It came down fairly fast. We reset the elevations and started putting the walls back up. We accomplished much. We also had a reminder that constructions site can be dangerous. A section of wall fell to the ground. Not good. Rod and Tom narrowly escaped injury. We give thanks to God for that. That did put a damper on things. But we managed to put the wall back in place and then some before the end of the day.
Part of the team worked on the medical building setting the rafters for the roof. Tomorrow the hope is to install the roof and pour the concrete floors. Also finish erecting the walls for the other building.
Jen and Amanda were busy were with the girls. They are studying the fruits of the Spirit. The girls are very attentive and have retained what they have heard. After which they were busy making necklaces and bracelets with beads. The girls loved it.
Should also mention cooks at the home have been looking after us quite well. Gatorade is always available and it is amazing how many dishes can be made with rice.

Friday

Riccardo was on time today and as cheerful as ever. His days are long. He has a 2 hour drive from home to pick us up at 7:30 am. He stays with us for the most part during the day and then drives us back to Tabio where we are staying. Today we got back “home” at 7:00 pm.
The temperatures were very nice today. The sun is intense, but it does not feel all that hot.
As planned we started installing the roof on the medical building. But we ran out of roofing material.
We managed to complete putting the walls of the other building back up. We also completed framing the back half of that building. It will be the future home of Jim Chynoweth his wife and 3 month old daughter. They are originally from Florida and are here working for CDA translating documents.
In the afternoon we began to landscape the front of the medical building, trying to make something out of the rocks that were lying around. The highlight was moving a very heavy natural stone step some 200 ft. It took eight of us and two large poles to move it. A trick we learned from the locals. As well we mixed concrete for the floors of the medical building and the porch. The reason we were so late today.

Jen and Amanda continued on with their study of the fruits of the Spirit. In the afternoon they washed the girl’s hair. Lice seem to be a problem at the school. On Monday they hope to treat it.
I should also mention Carlos, our resident construction expert. Always ready to lend a hand and his advice. There is always a lot of hand gesturing going on when he’s around, smiles too. We are gaining his confidence.
It has been going well here. We are all in good health and we are looked after very well.
This evening we went for a walk through the town of Tabio, a beautiful old town and seemingly friendly people. The heart started racing somewhat when 3 stake trucks, full of soldiers wearing masks, went by. They kept going so that was good.
Tomorrow we have the day off to do some shopping and see the sights in Bogota. We look forward to that.
It’s Saturday morning as I finish off this post. Looking out the window I see Amanda, Brian, Jen and Gary playing bocce ball and Rod sitting on some steps writing his thoughts in a journal. I hear John and Gerald laughing. There’s beautiful gardens and mountains in the background. What a blessing to be able serve God in the work that we are doing but also to be enjoying a small part of God’s wondrous creation.
We send our love to all those back home. Thank you for the comments you have shared with us in the blog. It is always a treat for us to read them.

I will praise you, O LORD with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonders.
I will be glad and rejoice in you; I will sing praise to your name, O Most High. (Psalm 9:1)

Have a blessed Sunday,

The Team

Rednecks!

2007-02-15T05:12:00.000-05:00

It has been a few days since our last post. We have noticed a lot of hits on the blog, and so we guess that you are all eager for another update. We hear that you have had some snow in Canada, while we have been blessed with hot temperatures. The sun is quite intense, and you can start calling us rednecks!

The last two days have been spent in the construction of the medical building. Tuesday, we spent the day learning how to use a shovel (and not the best ones at that!). We were able to excavate the hole and begin to set the base for the building. Materials did not always come when we wanted them, but they did arrive and we were able to accomplish quite a bit that day, thinking that we would be able to put the walls up the next day. You could see that the CDA staff was quite impressed with the quality and speed of the work that had been done. This was an encouragement to us as we worked with all heart (Neh 2:18).

Today (Wednesday), after a good nights sleep, we were able to finish off leveling the base. This was quite an accomplishment, considering what they call "gravel" is a far cry from the gravel we know at home. We were able to begin setting the walls today, and early tomorrow morning we hope to be ready for roofing. The Lord has truly blessed this work.

The construction of the building is all new to us, but we have been able to work it out and still be friends! One of the nice things is that the CDA staff (our driver Ricardo and the caretaker Ferne) are also putting their backs to the work, right along side with us.

There was an anxious moment today at the girls home. One of the girls had an allergic reaction to something. Her face and neck were swollen, and had to be brought to the hospital. From the home our driver, along with our nurse Jen, raced towards the hospital, blaring the horn the entire time. They were met along the way by the CDA private ambulance. It was quite something to see the entire CDA network spring into action in such an efficient manner.

It rained mid afternoon, allowing us to spend some time with the girls. Each girl constructed a bingo card by placing stickers with a Noah's ark theme on their bingo mat. You should have heard the excitement when one of the girls was able to yell "BINGO!" The smiles during the game would melt your heart.

Our evenings have been filled with devotions, games, and much discussion about ....

To all our sweethearts back home, all our love!

We appreciate your prayers for us and the work being done here. God is truly blessing us.

Until next time,
The Team

Update from the Team

2007-02-12T23:05:00.000-05:00

Greetings from Colombia

Our trip over here went well. We all arrived safely with our luggage, except for one suitcase (which did finally arrive Monday). At present, we are experiencing some difficulties logging into the blog site, and this post is being done spontaneously, and being sent by email to be posted by Rick Postma. We are sorry that we do not have pictures for you yet, but lots have been taken, and we will share them as soon as we are able.

We are all experiencing good health, and our hosts have been very gracious. On Sunday, we were able to visit the girls’ home where we were greeted by smiling

faces and a well executed performance of praise to God. Seeing the girls, we could not help but know that we were in the right place, where God would have us be. The girls were eager to share their lunch with us and vie for our attention.

Today (Monday) we had the opportunity to visit the CDA headquarters and participate in devotions with the staff. CDA holds these devotions each morning. It was encouraging to see their love for the Lord and their professionalism as an organization.

From there we headed off for a visit to some of the families of the girls who live in the home in Tenjo. These families live in very poor conditions. It was an eye opener to say the least. Two of the homes are clad with sheet metal and dirt floors...these people are scraping together an existence that words are hard to describe. One needs to use all of one’s senses - touch, smell, and hearing - to fully appreciate what they are going through.

The pastor from CDA who came along to show us these homes also showed us CDA's
love and care for these people. With each visit came a witness of Christ's love, and each visit concluded with prayer for the family. CDA’s handling of these situations, and as an organization as a whole, has been very impressive.

We should also mention that amidst this entire struggle, we are also able to see the beauty of God’s creation around us, and in the hearts and lives of the people that we have met.

We hope to be able to post some more. Please be patient. We are able to see comments on the bog, so please do so, and you may even see a comment from us, as this is more easily available to us.

We send our love to everyone back at home. Please continue to pray for the work being done here, that all would go well, also as we start our construction work tomorrow.

In Christ,

The Team

Following the Model of Jesus’ Ministry of Word & Deed_Matthew 11:1-6

2007-02-10T07:04:00.000-05:00

By Pastor Henry Van Olst

After Jesus finished instructing His disciples He went on from there to teach and preach in the towns of Galilee. Jesus Himself carried out the work of teaching and preaching which He also instructed His disciples to do (Matt.10). He also commissioned the Church with the task of preaching and teaching before His ascension into heaven,“Then Jesus came to them and said, `All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.’ Therefore go and make disciples of all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:18-20). And in 2 Timothy 4:2 God commands ministers to preach the Word! Without a doubt, teaching and preaching is a big part of the Church’s mandate.

And yet, preaching and teaching are not the exclusive work of the church, just as it was not the exclusive work of Jesus’ ministry. Jesus’ ministry was one of compassion for the poor and needy. Jesus’ ministry was one of reaching out to the social outcasts of society. When John the Baptist seeks an affirmation that Jesus is truly the Christ notice how Jesus responds, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, AND the good news is preached to the poor.” Jesus’ ministry of Word was accompanied by a ministry of Deeds.

When Jesus fed the five thousand we read, “He had compassion on them, and healed their sick.” And again when Jesus fed the four thousand he said, “I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away hungry, or they may collapse on the way.” Time and time again Jesus ministry was one of Word & Deed. He concerned Himself with both the physical and the spiritual needs of the people..

So too, the mission trip you men are about to embark on is one following the pattern of ministry of Jesus. It is one of Word & Deed. It involves building a medical clinic in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is a ministry of mercy, of compassion, as a witness to the goodness and compassion of Christ. As it says in Matthew 5:16, “In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”

So too your intent is to visit a “Girl’s Home’ not only to bring gifts, but to communicate to them the joy of receiving and believing God’s gift of life, His Son, Jesus, our Saviour. The ministry is one of looking after both the physical and the spiritual needs of the people you come into contact with. To bring only the Word without additional deeds of compassion would leave them empty. How can we speak of the love of Christ and send them away empty handed? Likewise, to bring only the deeds without the Word would also leave them empty. How can we shower them with gifts without pointing them to Christ? We need to follow the pattern of ministry established by Christ. His was a ministry of Word & Deed. And so too, we want to encourage you men, model your work after the work of Christ.

Interestingly, in Matthew 25 we read of Jesus coming again and dividing the sheep from the goats, believers from unbelievers. But notice what He says, “Then the King will say to those on his right, `Come you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.”

Notice, believers are characterized here not only by their faith in Jesus but also by their deeds. Believers who inherit the kingdom of heaven are those who demonstrate their faith by their works. Faith and works must go together hand in hand. This is the task and calling of God’s people. May you find much joy in your labour of ministry following the ministry of Christ, a ministry of Word and Deed.

As it says in James 2:14-20, “What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such a faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily foods. If one of you says to him, `Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,’ but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.”

Joe, Gerald, Ben, Rod, John, and Rick go to Colombia with God’s blessing putting your faith into action. After all, this is precisely how our faith ought to manifest itself, in both your Words and Deeds. And as you minister to those in need address both the physical and the spiritual needs following the ministry of Christ. As God says, to do one without the other - what good is it? And so, may the Lord bless your labour of Word and Deed. May He grant to you safety in your construction work. May He also grant to you the joy of bringing the good news, the gospel - JESUS SAVES!

We promise to keep each of you in our thoughts and prayers throughout the coming two weeks. We also pray for your wives and children in the time of your absence. What a comfort to know that God is with us and our families wherever we go.

“May the Lord bless you, and keep you; may the Lord cause His face
to shine upon you, and be gracious to you; may the Lord lift up His
countenance upon you, and give you peace.”

Yours in Christ
Your Pastor
Henry Van Olst

Ready to Go!

2007-02-09T08:47:00.000-05:00

It’s Friday morning and we are ready to go. Well maybe not. There’s still some packing to do, but for the most part we are ready to go. All the paper work is in order, namely the long sought after passport has arrived, for which we give God thanks. Had it not come, we continue to remember that God is good always. What a tremendous comfort that is as we leave home for a distant land. We know that we are in the arms of an Almighty God and we know that our families are in the arms of an Almighty God.

The eternal God is your refuge,
and underneath are the everlasting arms. Deut. 33:27

We ask that God would grant us favour in Colombia in the task of building a medical facility but also in touching the lives of the girls and the people we meet with God’s Word.

We pray that the weather would be good. I’m sure it will be somewhat warmer than -18 Celsius. Speaking of weather, a link for the current weather in Bogota has been added to the column on the left.

If you hadn’t noticed there is a counter at the bottom of the page. I’ve noticed an increase in the visits made to the sight. That’s great! The purpose of this site is that we might share in the mission project. So please feel free to share also your encouragements by posting a comment. You can make a comment by clicking on the comment tab at the bottom of each post.

We hope to make regular posts while in Colombia but there is some uncertainty as to how often that would be. Internet access is available at a café. How often we make it there or how readily available it is are all question marks at this point.

Tomorrow morning, Lord willing, we hope to leave. It looks like it will be a whole day affair stretching well into the late evening. So finally, please pray for traveling mercies and that our day would go smoothly.

iHola! Mi nombre es

2007-01-30T21:44:00.000-05:00

A few words about the orientation evening we had a few weeks back on January 16th. A post for this evening sort of got forgotten amidst all the hype of the fund raising dinner that was held that same week.

iHola! Mi nombre es. It was good to finally put a face to the names of at least 5 of the other 6 team members. Tom Van Maanen accompanied by his wife, Brian and Amanda Luth, Jennifer VanDoodewaard and her brother Rob VanDoodewaard made the journey to Hamilton from St. Thomas to get a run down of the upcoming trip to Colombia. The other team member who will be joining us is Gary Degeus from British Colombia. His fluency in Spanish will be a tremendous asset to the team. I should also mention Rick Postma and Diana Alblas of Word and Deed Ministries. They are the ones leading and organizing the mission. Rachel Pennings was also on hand. She has made numerous and extended trips to Colombia on behalf of Word and Deed.

Rick Postma opened the evening with Scripture and prayer. He then spoke some encouraging words. Reminding us to put our love and gratitude to the Lord for what He has done for us into action and to serve Him. Not only are we to build a medical clinic but we are to shower 60 young girls with love and attention and encourage the CDA staff by reflecting the love of Christ in all we do. We are ambassadors of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Diana then led us in some team building exercises, encouraging us to introduce ourselves in Spanish. iHola! Mi nombre es __________. In this way we got to know a bit about each other, as each got a turn speaking of our hopes, our strengths, our likes and dislikes. All have been given a gift to serve and it is our hope and prayer that in serving together our Lord will be glorified and that the team, the mission and those we come in contact with will be blessed. A team whose hope and trust lies in the Lord will find blessing and will be blessed.(Psalm 20; Psalm 40:4)

Rachel offered her insights and answered questions as to what we could expect. Her enthusiasm and excitement when speaking about the girl’s home and the all the work being done in Colombia was of great encouragement.

Practical matters such as airline tickets, flight schedules, what to bring, accommodations and our daily activities while we are at the home were also discussed.

Tom closed for us in prayer and we bid each other adieu.

As the time draws closer for us to leave, please continue to pray for us and our families. Pray that all would go well and the Lord would keep us safe.

Additions to the Blog

2007-01-29T22:29:00.000-05:00

You may have noticed some subtle changes to the blog. And if you've really been diligent in viewing, you may have even noticed some experimenting with some different lay outs. One change worth noting in the column to the left. Is the addition of some links to a few Word and Deed articles relating to the work being done in Colombia. Please do take the time to read through these.

Please, also continue to pray that preparations for the trip would continue to go smoothly. That all the necessary documents would be in place and that God would strengthen us for the task at hand. (Psalm 67)

Family Skate

2007-01-29T22:18:00.000-05:00

On January 27th we were able to enjoy a family skate. It was nice to see all the children enjoying themselves. I think they especially enjoyed the hot chocolate and timbits.

Evident in the attendance of those who came, was the broad spectrum of the reformed communities. I believe this to be an acknowledgement of Word and Deed Ministries and the work they are doing in the developing world.

Thanks to all who came out and shared their well wishes with us.

Daily Devotional

2007-01-25T16:59:00.000-05:00

Beginning Friday, January 26th, the mission team will be following along a 30 day devotional schedule. This devotional schedule will take us to the end of our trip.
For those who would like to participate with us in this devotional the schedule is as follows.

January
26. Spiritual Renewal for Service---- Psalm 51
27. Taking Time to Pray-------------- Mark 1:35-37
28. The Word and the Way-------------Psalm 119
29. The Power to Serve -------------- Acts 1:1-12; Eph. 5:18
30. Blessed to Be a Blessing--------- Psalm 67
31. Here I Am. Let me Go!------------ Isaiah 6: 1-12

February
1. Attitude of Humility ------------ Philippians 2: 1-16
2. Availability Plus Christ--------- John 6 1-14
3. Empowered to Serve--------------- Matthew 28: 16-20
4. The Lost Sheep/Coin/Son---------- Luke 15: 1-32
5. The Unlikely Witness------------- John 4: 1-42
6. The Harvest---------------------- Matthew 9: 26-38
7. Spiritual Courage---------------- Acts 4: 1-31
8. Revive Us Again------------------Psalm 85
9. Overcoming Difficulties---------- Numbers 13: 25-33
10. Jesus’ Travel Advice------------- Luke 10: 1-20
11. True Greatness ----------------- Matthew 20: 20-28
12. Abiding in Christ---------------- John 15 : 1-11
13. Facing Your Fears---------------- Luke 12:22-34
14. Peace in the Storm--------------- Philippians 4: 8-20
15. Lessons from Jonah--------------- Jonah 1 : 1-3; 3: 1-10; 4: 1-11
16. Serving with Gladness------------ Psalm 100
17. Loving the Lost------------------ John 21 : 15-23
18. Dedicated Service---------------- Romans 12
19. Getting Along with Others-------- 1 Thessalonians 5 : 11-18
20. Calling and Obedience------------ Genesis 12 : 1-4
21. God’s Wisdom--------------------- 1 Corinthians 1: 18 to 2:5
22. The Power of the Word------------ Romans 10: 9-17’
23. The Word Became Flesh------------ John 1: 1-18
24. Proclaim Liberty to the Captives-- Isaiah 6: 1-6; Luke 4: 16-21

What a Night!

2007-01-22T09:29:00.000-05:00

What a Night! What a dinner! The January 20th fund raising dinner went off with out a hitch.

After weeks of planning and preparation the day had finally come for the night of the big dinner. It’s an amazing thing to see the community spring into action and make this all happen. We give thanks to God and give thanks to all the ladies and gentleman who helped prepare for this night. To all those who donated and gathered the necessary foods, to those who decorated the hall and set the tables, to those who peeled the potatoes, organized the kitchen, cooked the food and helped clean up. Many, many thanks!

There was a buzz in the air as the night began to unfold. The atmosphere was set, the lighting dimmed, and the sound of piano music serenading in the background. As the people mingled, you could see the anticipation in their eyes. This was going to be a special night.

Little did they know behind the scenes there were a nerves bunch of servers and kitchen staff busy receiving their last minute instructions. This was it! The time had come. Dinner needed to be served.

Once everyone had settled into their seats, our master of ceremonies welcomed the guests and thanked them for coming. Dinner was opened in a christian manner reading from God’s Word and offering up prayer. Reading from Psalm 8, we were able to reflect on the how it is from the mouths of children God has ordained praise, and how God is working in the hearts and lives of the young girls at the CDA Girl’s Home in Colombia.

The wait staff looked particularly handsome as they served dinner in their bow ties and smart looking aprons. It’s easy to look good when you have a dedicated bunch of ladies all working feverishly and unnoticed in the kitchen. Thank You!

Also on hand was our featured guests the 8 Smaaklijk singing group. The harmony, and beauty of their voices rang through the hall, melodiously offering up praise to God. Certainly this was a highlight to the evening.

During the singing the busy ladies even found some time to take a break.

And between sets, 8 Smaaklijk, looked to be recruiting a new member.

From the mission team, a big thank you to all who came out and made this such a great event. The event was held to raise money, but money does not compare to the sharing of laughter and the smiles we saw that evening. The words of support and encouragement we received are every bit as important to us, as we prepare to go out and share the love and mercy of Christ, to those in need. Please continue to pray for us and our families, that God may keep us, bless us and cause us to be a blessing

Get Your Skates Sharpened!

2007-01-04T13:21:00.000-05:00

Wow! The action doesn't stop. Start looking for your skates and get them sharpened.
The Mission Team will be hosting a family skate at the Chedoke Twin Pad Arena. Saturday, January 27th from 1:30 to 3:30 pm. This promises to be an afternoon of fun and fellowship.
Donations will gladly be accepted in support of Word and Deed Ministries Re: Girls Home of Tenjo, Colombia

Directions to Chedoke Twin Pad Arena: 91 Chedmac Drive
Hamilton

Dinners on Us! (Seating has been filled)

2007-01-04T11:56:00.000-05:00

It's the entertainment thats going to cost you. We're very excited to be able to have 8 Smaaklijk as our special guests. If your not sure what all the excitement is about, your going to have to come out and join us January 20th. Seating is limited so if you are in need of a ticket or would like to reserve a table contact alangendoen@sympatico.ca.

Cost: Charitable donations will be taken at the dinner.

Location: Rehoboth URC

77 Glancaster Rd., Ancaster, Ont.

Hor'deurves will be served: 5:30 - 6:00pm

Update

2006-12-23T20:11:00.000-05:00

An update as to what has been happening to date.
The team has been rounded out to include another four men and two women coming from the St. Thomas area with one of the men coming from B.C. Lord willing we look forward to meeting and working with these brothers and sisters in the near future.
The team members have been busy soliciting donations. Thank you to those who have already contributed. Your support is greatly appreciated not only in terms of the monies received but also in the encouraging words.
Also like to mention that the support of the team member’s wives has been outstanding, included in that support is the organizing and preparation of the upcoming fund raising dinner. I’m sure that it’s a good thing the team member’s role for this dinner will be limited to that of serving.
The airline tickets have been purchased. We’ll be flying out of Buffalo to Newark, N.J. then on to Bogota Eldorado Airport, arriving there about 9:45 pm. I understand from there we’ve got another 45 minutes of travel to Tenjo, which apparently is more than 8600 feet above sea level.
Through e-mails we’ve been given the run down on security measures and possible vaccinations we might need. CDA seems to have a good handle on security, although we will still need to be vigilant. Here’s a musing excerpt from one e-mail- “the situation has greatly improved in Colombia during President Uribe's first term, and now into his second. Mexico now is the world's number 1 site for kidnapping not Colombia.”
On January 16th we hope to have an orientation meeting and discuss what some of the activities we might be doing while at the home. The hope is that not only do we build the medical clinic but play a lunch hour game or sport. Hold a morning devotional with the girls. Participate in music. The girls love to cook, so possibly share some of our culinary skills. It’s a good thing we have some women on the team!
That’s about it for now. I’m sure in the weeks leading up to the trip there will be more to report.
Continue to pray that all would go well and that God would bless us that we might be a blessing to those in need.

Intro

2006-12-11T10:21:00.000-05:00

It is my hope that through this blog we as a community, young and old, may all share in this trip by keeping up to date with the day to day activities of the mission team. What to be in daily prayer for and to bring glory to God.

The team member’s families, particularly the children will appreciate day to day updates of the progress and well being of their dads. And share in the excitement of bringing the love of Christ and the good news of salvation to the developing world.

It probably would be good to give a little background information in regards to the mission trip, those that will be going and the organizations involved.

A group of expert builders from the Rehoboth congregation headed up by John Langendoen will be traveling to Colombia for 2 weeks in February, 2007 D.V. The rest of the team members consist of Joe Bontekoe, Ben Brouwer, Gerald Brouwer, Rod Koning, and Richard VanVeen. There will also hopefully be 6 others coming along from some other churches. We will be building a medical clinic and spending some time ministering to 60 girls in the Girls’ Home in Tenjo (about 45 minutes outside of Bogota). This special home serves as a refuge for the girls who have suffered from forms of physical and sexual abuse and had to be removed from their homes for their own safety. The girls are looked after 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by the staff of CDA Colombia a partner organization of Word and Deed Ministries.

CDA stands for Corporation Dios es Amor meaning Corporation God is Love. CDA’s goal is to share the gospel and provide assistance and opportunities to those in need throughout Colombia. Recently at a fund raising dinner for this particular project we heard from the President of CDA, Missy Christie de Acosta. One thing she said that stands out and is such a tremendous statement of faith, were these words, “God is good ALWAYS.”

When we consider some of the facts listed in the Project Proposal of Colombia ….

7 boys and girls are killed every day by homicide.

Two million children suffer from abuse every year in Colombia. Half of these suffer severe consequences.

70% of the cases of sexual abuse reported , have a child, boy or girl as a victim.

Child prostitution in Colombia has increased in the last three years reaching an average of 30,000 boys and girls that are part of the sexual market.

The vast majority of Colombian children have been victims of violence within their homes, abandonment or sexual abuse.

We see the significance of these words, “God is good ALWAYS.”

Word and Deed Ministries mission statement is to improve the lives of needy people in the developing world both materially and spiritually in obedience to Christ’s command to love our neighbor as our self. For more information concerning this ministry and the work being done in Colombia follow the link at the bottom of this page.

One other thing that should probably be mentioned is that projects such as these take money. Members of the mission team are raising money to fund their flights and accommodations while in Colombia (estimated to be $1,800) as well as to fund the medical clinic itself ($12,000).Please prayerfully consider how you might be able to help.