Belize & Beyond Mission Update: June 07

Belize and Beyond Mission Update: June 2007

“Not by might nor by power but by My Spirit says the Lord of hosts.” Zechariah 4:6

The past month was one of the busiest as one event led to the next, back to back teams, people coming and going! Looking back now it all seemed as if it was months ago that I arrived back from California, but I thank the God for the awesome privilege of co-laboring with Him in Belize.

Amazing Grace Christian Fellowship, Spanish Lookout held its first Men’s Retreat in Hopkins Bay and twenty four of us enjoyed fellowship and had lots of fun. It was good to see the bonds built in the times of studying the Word, praying in small groups and canoed in the Barton Creek Cave. Pastor Mike Lutz from Ocean Hills Church, taught on being a Man of truth and took us threw the Epistles of John. As I glanced across the meeting room my heart was overjoyed as I reflected back over the past six years of knowing many of these brothers and the work of God in their lives and relationship with Him. John the Apostle said it best, “I have no greater joy than to see my children walking in truth.”

He Intends Victory International spent a week in Belize and conducted Seminars in Orange Walk Town, a Northern District, and in San Pedro Town, on Ambergris Caye. The focus of these seminars was to educated, inform and equip the Spanish speaking portion of the Body of Christ and to assist them as they reach out to those infected and affected with HIV/AIDS. It was a great success as the walls of ignorance fell and eyes were opened to the vast opportunities for Churches to join together in giving hope to the hopeless. In San Pedro Town., four local pastors are now working together is forming He Intends Victory San Pedro and making plans to start a support group for those infected and affected in the very near future. We’re so grateful for the partnering of He Intends Victory Ministry with Belize!

Calvary of Albuquerque’s School of Ministry spent a week in the Belmopan area working at Marla’s House of Hope, a home for sexually abused children, doing landscaping and ministering to the children. Laughter filled the Home as the team shared Bible stories by puppets which captivated their attention. The older residents of the home met individually with team members as they sought to help them in making preparation for adulthood while the younger ones enjoyed arts and crafts. The team took a few days on Ambergris Caye where they put on a Children Program and again, the puppet was a big hit. Several kids gave their hearts to Jesus as a result.

Upgrading has begun as Ron Marland, an engineer from GALCOM International and his good friend Lee Meyers arrived in Belize this past week to make analysis and preparation for a permanent tower and antenna. Ron emailed me a month ago and said, “Let’s get started so that the supporters of Lighthouse Christian Radio can be encouraged to hear that the work has begun.” He brought with him an antenna that we can use to get us back at broadcasting 500 watts while they work on our permanent antenna which will increase our coverage area tremendously. We have received permission from the owner of the building where the tower and antenna will be placed and we shared the usefulness of the roof as a canopy will be attached to the tower for shade with decorative planters. We use the roof now for times of fellowship, quiet times and just to enjoy the beauty of God’s creation. We so appreciate the servant’s hearts and attitude of these men as they give of their time and resources. Please continue to pray for the finances for the permanent tower and antenna and for approval from all the various agencies.

We give thanks to the Lord for His provisions as we celebrated a year of having the 3 Apartments next to the Radio Station! The Staff Apartment which houses Dennis and Abner; the Guest Apartment that has been a blessing to many who stayed there this past year, and my apartment. When you are planning a trip to Ambergris Caye, let us know so we can reserve the Guest Apartment for you!

‘Thank you’ to all who responded to the urgent monthly support for my financial needs. After a previous month of very little support and last month without a paycheck, I admit that it was a bit discouraging yet knowing that where God guides, He will provide. The needs are many here in Belize and the fields are ripe for harvest, so pray to the Lord of the Harvest to send out laborers and that can be in the form of senders (supports) as well. Thank you so much for taking the time to read the Updates and for laboring in prayers, support, encouragement and your love.

Please pray for:

The Body of Amazing Grace Christian Fellowship as preparations are being made for a building; for Rudy and family as they journey to Canada this month and for provisions for housing, and work; for interim pastors in his absence and continual growth.

The He Intends Victory San Pedro support group for those infected and affected by HIV/AIDS.

My monthly financial support as well as finances for Permanent Antenna and Tower.

A season of rest physically, vision for the Radio Station and ministry on Ambergris Caye.

For donations and further information, please contact:

Saving Grace World Mission 714) 993-4801 Ext. 106
17451 Bastanchury Rd. #203
Yorba Linda, CA 92886
In Memo: Welsh/Belize

Contact information in Belize:

PO Box 653 011-501-605-6123
Belmopan, Belize
Central America

Lighthouse Christian Radio 011-501-226-4673
PO Box 166
San Pedro Town, Ambergris Caye
Belize, Central America

Blessed to be linked with you in ministry,

Clive Welsh

Angola

Greetings from Zambia

I just want to share with you what is on my heart since it is overflowing with hope, vision, passion and conviction about what the Lord would have us do for the suffering people in Angola. As you know, we have been praying for a door to be opened for ministry in Angola since 1999 and today I have been blessed and challenged that that door has been opened and I am overwhelmed with the possibilities of what could be done if we go through the door as a team!

I have been waiting for a young man from Angola to show up here for the past week and today he came and I met with him together with Simon, our proposed missionary to go to Angola and we had a wonderful meeting. I was struck with the fact that In the meeting I was with one of God’s true servants, someone who has selflessly been serving the Lord and who now has come out seeking partnership and accountability which we are ready to provide. David Katiki has started an orphanage in response to the more than 450 little children that the community had identified as orphans in need, many of whom were orphaned due to the war and due to the HIV infection in the local areas. David was able to take in 50 of the children, ages 3 to 7 and has them up to date in a local centre he is running and it sounds like an amazing outreach! The congregation that he has started has two senior army generals in it as well as a number of prominent members of the local community in the city of Luena and they sent him to meet Simon who had previously gone to Luena with the vision of starting a church. It seems that this is the right timing because all of our efforts to get a work permit or even a visa for Simon before were un-successful but now the Generals say that getting a visa and even registering the church to give us legal status is a ‘piece of cake’ What a blessing!

Our next move is to send Simon on a one month survey trip which will involve teaching a seminar to the church in Luena, surveying one of the port cities as a possible place for our headquarters and getting all the necessary groundwork complete to get his visas and work permits and the registration of the church.

My prayer is that you guys can help me get partnerships in this mission so that together we can go through this door that I feel God is opening for His work. Our next move would happen after seeing what the real needs are for the Church work and the Orphan work, but I foresee us getting involved in a big way with this endeavour so please join me in praying for this that the Lord would push us to our limits to meet this need.

Part of the package for this work is to finish the community center in the Northwestern city of Mwinilunga where Simon has been working for the past 4 years establishing a strong church and a vibrant community project. This project would be well on the way to completion so that Simon could leave behind a working ministry at this Northwestern base of operations. The secondary purpose for this community center is to run our Bible training center for the churches in the Northwestern area, 900 klm from Kabwe. We have three other ZGBI graduates in that City that can manage and run all the projects there so we see it as a necessary step in completing Simon’s work before he leaves for Angola.

Our plan for leadership training is already in place as we will get at least 4 men from Angola to attend our Bible school in Lilongwe Malawi in the language of Portuguese with our new missionary Joel Molina. Joel will be opening a Portuguese class for Mozambique and Angolan men to get their Bible/Discipleship and missions training starting in January 2008.

Despite the work on many fronts, I feel that the Lord is calling us to “less talk, more action” and with this motto we are moving forward to Impact the continent of Africa as quickly and powerfully as the Lord allows. Join me as we continue praying for the dorr of opportunity to open for ministry in Lesotho and Sudan before the end of this year as we work on Angola and Mozambique where the doors are already open!

May God richly bless you and light the fire of passion and action under you as he has done for our team here on the continent!

Dan

Ocean Hills Rapid Response Team-New Orleans

Our team recently came back from deployment in New Orleans and was asked to write a short account of what stood out the most for them on this trip.....

Jack,

I talked to Charisse - She suggested I give you a short e-mail as to the highlight that most stood out to me on our trip last week to New Orleans. I know the expectation is a wonderful story of one of the souls we had a privileged encounter with, through GOD's grace, and there were many, but I have to say it was watching the spiritual growth of our teams!

We had 3 Chaplains coming for the first time, 2 for the second, one for the third and one for the 8th time. Six of us were from our church in Calif., and one from Pennsylvania. We also had 2 teams from Samaritans Purse - one from” Team His House” at the University of Michigan and “Team Touchstone” a Church from Sacramento Calif., which included some folks from Skip Heitzigs church in Albuquerque.

As the Chaplain Coordinator, I had the privilege to see our little group at a different level. The apprehension, the expectation, and the anticipation, before the trip, during the trip, and finally our departure.

I was blessed to watch the young group of college students from The University of Michigan (team His House) on their first mission’s trip. They were dedicated to serving the Lord and those around them, to see how it changed their lives by being obedient to HIS calling. It was exciting to see how GOD can use all of us, and to watch everyone be in total dependence and submission to the HOLT SPIRIT. How they opened up, trusted and enjoyed the will of our Heavenly Father, brought tears of great joy and humility to me personally. We were people of all ages and backgrounds experiencing GOD's grace, mercy and love as one family in Christ.

I know you have experienced this personally and have heard it said many times, but it is so true "We Get Just as Blessed as The People Who We are Trying to Bless". These folks will never be the same (including myself). Because of Gods hand on your great ministry, we have had the opportunity to experience "The Great Commission" and as James Ch. 2 calls it "The Royal Commandment - That We Love God With All Our Hearts and Love Our Neighbors as Ourselves".

On behalf of Sandy, myself and our team, I would like to thank you for the privilege of representing BGEA, I can assure you that we represented and held BGEA with the highest standards and integrity.

Give Bonnie our love.

Yours in Christ - Chuck Bender

Hello!

I'm finally joining the bog-world for OHCC missions and would like to give a quick introduction.

I have been working with Alternative Missions in Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica since March 2004. What began as a new missions plant has grown into a number of ministries that I've enjoyed watching take shape:

1. House Churches - This is our focal ministry and where true discipleship happens. Currently, we have 2 house churches running (1 English; 1 Spanish) and are praying for God to raise up leaders within each house church to branch off and plant new ones. In the meantime, we are praising God for the growth of the believers who attend - We just celebrated baptisms with a number of participants!



2. Skate Park & Youth Ministry - The Concrete Jungle Skate Park exists for skaters and non-skaters alike to have a safe and positive filled environment to enjoy skateboarding. The skate park is open four times a week with anywhere from five to twenty five participants. Friday night skate sessions incorporate Youth Club Night where the Bible is taught, games are played, and relationships are deepened. This summer we'll be attempting our first youth retreat to encourage the Christian youth leaders in their faith.



3. Music Cafe - Located on the same property as the skate park, we're currently completing construction of the cafe and hope to open for business within the next year. Taking advantage of the laid back atmosphere of Puerto Viejo, we plan to create a gathering place for locals and tourists alike. We hope to build genuine friendships and provide spiritual food to those who are hungry by helping them find the "Bread of Life."



4. Kid's Church - With the start of the Awanas program this year (better known as "Oansa" in Spanish), Kid's church has grown to more than 60 participants from ages 2 to 15. Not only have parents come to know Christ through their children's participation in the program, but 5 of them are now teaching classes and actively participate in house church! Kids are a great avenue into local homes and families, providing a new way to make disciples.

So what's my role in all of this? Well, my official title is the Director of Short Term Missions for Puerto Viejo. Each ministry we have exists as a direct result of the short-term mission teams that have come down to serve. Not only do I plan for & host these outreaches, but I get to see the fruit & the long-term effects.

Additionally, I help oversee interns & the creation of an internship program, speak at youth nights as part of the youth ministry team, lead worship for house church, and assist our field director in any number of tasks that arise.

We have an exciting summer ahead of us & I'll keep you posted on all that God is doing. Thanks for your prayers & support!

Serving Joyfully,

TJ Gause

Check out our website at www.alternativemissions.com.

Office facility

Thanks to those who have been praying for the office need. We thought that we'd found the appropriate place when the agency phoned 2hrs before signing to cancel. The reason given did not really mean anything. We suspect it was just that they didn't want anything to do with a Christian organisation. Sadly very frequent here in France.

The need is becoming urgent and we'd ask you to join with us that God would unblock the situation
for an appropriate place for next week.

Thanks in Jesus,

Erwin & Del Henderson

Revival to the Nations

Annual Banquet
Revival to the Nations6th Annual BanquetDate: June 1, 2007Time: 7:00 PMHoliday Inn3131 Bristol StreetCosta Mesa, CA 92626RSVP: mail@revivaltothenations.orgor call 714.408.7851

Container of Clothes to the Poor in Ghana

3.5 tons of clothes leaves for Ghana! Laguna Niguel, California

Today we completed loading a 20 foot container laden with 3.5 tons of clothes. The shipment is now destined for the Ghanaian port of Tema.

Included in the shipment were 42 bails of clothes that have been collected over the last few weeks. As well there are over 300 pairs of shoes for distrubution.

Upon arrival in Ghana Revival to the Nations will be distrubuting these clothes in cooperation with a number of different churches that are currently Ministering in Islamic areas in the Nations.

It is our prayer that each item of clothing with convey the Fathers Loves and personal care for the indivual.

Please pray for favor when this shipment arrives at Ghanaian Customs and that we will have a quick release of the items. Thank you for all for loving the poor. if you would like to make a donation please click here.
Andy & Gunilla Glover
Revival to the Nations