Tracy and Karna Steel serve in the Czech Republic with Youth for Christ:
We are so excited about our new ministry plan. We will focus primarily on developing relationships with teens from in and around our town and connecting them to our church. The connecting will be done through teaching in the English classes and helping in the physical education program at the local high school.
The weekly open gym nights, together with game-nights, movie-nights, and Club nights, are all places where we connect Czech kids with youth and youth leaders of our church. I say we because my own kids, as native speakers, are as valuable for improving English conversation skills as I am. They join me in many activities and are a key part of this ministry.
We're learning that the best ministry tool is building relationships with people and allowing the Lord to do His work as He sees fit.
Our Global Kingdom Partners, Martin and Judy Kolczyk, work as student mobilizers with SEND International and live in Marengo, IA. Here is part of an update this week from Martin:
Looking back on our visits to other countries and some of the difficulties we faced with language, transportation, customs, etc., we are well aware of how hard it is for international students to be here, in Iowa, without family. So we are starting up a ministry that we did in the past with Friends of Internationals. We want to provide a “family” for each international student while they are here. We want reach out to the over 600 international students from over 80 different countries on the Kirkwood campus.
We also are looking for people willing to adopt a student. Over 80% of foreign students are never invited into an American home or to visit a church. The mission field has come to our doorstep.These students are hungry, both spiritually and physically and are looking for people that care.
Please pray for us as we venture into this new ministry area.
Read more about Martin & Judy's ministry on their blog, On the Road Again.
Gary and Barb Bennett, serve with WorldVenture in Rwanda:We are already into the swing of things here in Rwanda. Gary finished planting the agricultural gardens and has started on a Tilapia fish pond project. Barb teaches music at the girls’ school. The girls are making all kinds of new friends at their school.Every day funny things happen to remind us we aren’t in the States anymore. You know you’re in Africa when you try to download something from the Internet and you read the message, “2,773 hours remaining!”We are currently working on precision agriculture, Africa-style. We try to maximize every seed’s potential to produce as much food as possible from a given area. The specifics of this method, Farming God’s Way, were developed in southern Africa. Significant increases in crop yields have been reported. We are hoping it will make a difference for food producers here in Rwanda.
I was relieved to hear that even though the Mackey's van was totaled in an accident, Laura (who was driving) escaped without injury. read more...
I am amazed at how our church stepped up and sponsored over 155 children with Compassion. What a great demonstration of the global care.I realize there are plenty in need here in our own backyard. But this article puts the difference into perspective:Here at home, poverty is a single mom in Detroit trying to keep food on the table. In Africa, poverty is a 14-year-old orphaned head-of-household trying to find fresh water for himself and his siblings. The challenge isn't to choose one over the other. The task is to view two harsh realities through a common lens of compassion and assistance.read more...
