19 Nov Focused on Training Pastors in El Salvador

L-r: Pastor Luis Urkia and Gonzalo Alas visit with Jeff Bleijerveld and Kyle Bushre at a new church plant outside Sonsonate.

Jeff Bleijerveld conducting a leadership training event with Salvadoran pastors and key lay leaders.

Jeff Bleijerveld, Director of Global Ministries

On September 2-5, I visited El Salvador with Global Ministries associate director Donna Hollopeter and Kyle Bushre, pastor of Outreach and Missions at King Street UB church in Chambersburg, Pa. We had just concluded several days with the UB ministries in Haiti. Now it was time to move on to Central America, starting with El Salvador.

Gonzalo Alas (right), a UB minister from Honduras Conference, has been dedicating all his time to the work in El Salvador for the past year. During the prior four years, he had been splitting his time with responsibilities in El Copan, Honduras.

During this past year, he has dedicated his time to searching out and training church planters. His emphasis has been on disciple and leader multiplication, and not necessarily on simply amassing people or churches. During this time he has turned away more pastors and church planters than he has retained.

All of the churches in El Salvador are located west of the capital near the city of Sonsonate. Our first visit was Sunsa UB, led by Pastor Saul Natividad. He has been there one year. Although the group is still small, Gonzalo has been investing heavily in training and orienting Pastor Saul.

Next we visited Caluco UB, led by Pastor Isaias Reyes. I had visited this church before and been impressed with the pastor and his wife. It is a rural church with a corn mill on the property. The pastor’s wife builds relationships with community women who come to grind their corn. Pastor Isaias commented on Gonzalo’s influence and how he has come to recognize the need to be multiplying disciples who multiply disciples, and not simply building a larger, nicer looking church building.

That evening we visited Jardines de la Nueva UB (Acajucla), located in a housing subdivision outside of Sonsonate. Currently, they are constructing a new church building with local resources and from offerings from other Salvadorian UB churches. Pastor Luis Urkia, a single man in his early twenties, is leading the church. He grew up in a Christian family and is studying and receiving training from Gonzalo.

Having been asked to provide a one-day leadership conference, I prepared to speak on the multiplication of disciples as it relates to the multiplication of churches. I based the training on Mark 4 and the three parables of the sower and the seed.

Each of the five pastors brought three or four of their key leaders, so some 30 people attended. Walter Recinos and his congregation did not attend. Gonzalo was thrilled with the fact that the conference reinforced what he has been doing with his leaders and seemed to be well received by the participants. Each church group was provided several opportunities throughout the day to discuss the material and make plans for implementation.

19 Nov With the UB Churches of Costa Rica

L-r: Erik Rojas, Juan Pavon (Superintendent of Nicaragua Conference) Donna Hollopeter, Iris Rojas, and Kyle Bushre.

Worshipping with Casa de la Adorcion in outside San Jose Costa Rica.

Jeff Bleijerveld, Director of Global Ministries

On September 5-7, I visited Costa Rica with Global Ministries associate director Donna Hollopeter and Kyle Bushre, pastor of Outreach and Missions at King Street UB church in Chambersburg, Pa. Our travels had begun August 26 in Jamaica, then we moved on to Haiti for several days, and then traveled to Central America. After three days in El Salvador, we flew down to Costa Rica, where we have two churches.

Juan Pavon, superintendent of Nicaragua Conference, coordinated his schedule to visit Costa Rica at the same time. Costa Rica remains a mission district and is accountable to Nicaragua Conference.

During our time in Costa Rica, the Casa de Oracion church was closed after five years of declining attendance and issues related to property, money, and an overall problem of inertia. The day we arrived, Erik Rojas and Juan Pavon laid out the scenario for us and requested our input. It seems it was a difficult yet necessary move. Pastor Juanita was saddened, but seemed to understand.

Erik and Iris Rojas are doing well at Casa de Adoracion. The church is growing, and members recently made significant improvements to the property. However, under the supervision of the previous pastor, the property was registered as a children’s feeding program in order to evade some building code requirements. This limits their ability to have parking and signage.

United Brethren property in Costa Rica will soon be registered under Nicaragua Conference’s legal charter until such time as Costa Rica becomes its own conference and can have property registered in its own name and not that of an individual pastor. This has been a concern of Erik Rojas for some time, having had some negative experiences with other church planters.

We were asked about $16,000 held for church planting in Costa Rica. We agreed that the funds may be spent on improvements to the property at Casa de Adoracion (Guadalupe).

Erik’s seminary studies are going well. He will graduate from his part-time undergraduate studies in 2014 and from his graduate program in 2017. He is studying at the Nazarene Seminario de las Americas. He is being sponsored in part by Salem Chapel in Junction City, Ohio, under the leadership of Pastor Joe Leighton.

15 Nov Salt, Water, and Orphans in Haiti

Surveying the Salt Basin Project in Gonvaives, Haiti.

A water purification business that began with funds provided for Haiti small business development.

Jeff Bleijerveld, Director of Global Ministries

On August 29 – September 2, I visited Haiti with Global Ministries associate director Donna Hollopeter and Kyle Bushre, pastor of Outreach and Missions at King Street UB church in Chambersburg, Pa. I wrote previously about some of the Haitian churches we visited. Here are a few other notes about the visit.

The Salt Basin Project is going well, with six basins now dug. These basins take about five years to reach full productivity and peak at 15
 years. About one ton of salt is in storage currently
 waiting for prices to increase (seasonal
changes).

Twenty people from the nearby
community of Jubilee have full or seasonal
employment. This is significant, as the
community of Jubilee is among the poorest we have encountered in Haiti. The people rummage through garbage that is dumped nearby, and Voodoo is prevalent throughout the community.

Donna discussed a number of opportunities for volunteers and projects with Pastor Oliam Richard, who oversees our churches in Haiti. They included:

• Medical teams. There is no problem with bringing in medications and supplies.
• The need for continued sponsorship of school students through CH Global, a Canada-based organization with which we partner in Haiti.
• The sponsorship of UB pastors who would like to study at approved ministry 
institutes.
• Teams to teach English as a Second Language.

Loving Shepherd is a ministry in which Haitian orphans are matched with loving, Christian parents who will raise them as their own along with other children, whether biological or adopted. The director of Loving Shepherd (Rick Schwartz) is a member of Emmanuel Community UB church in Fort Wayne, Ind. Kent Kotesky, the executive pastor at Emmanuel, would like to introduce some United Brethren pastors to their ministry in La Cayes. He has asked if I would accompany them and introduce the same group to our United Brethren in Haiti.

I discussed this with Pastor Richard, and he was quite interested and willing to have the group come. He suggested that Haitian churches might have orphans who need to be connected with Loving Shepherd, or parents willing to open their homes to children.

We met with Pastor Harold of Gamaliel Seminary–a Saturday only training for pastors and lay leaders. He has connections with the UB church in Delmas 33 and was hopeful to secure some funding from Global Ministries. We told him we would fund UB students on a project level if he could provide a doctrinal statement, an outline of the course of study, and an adequate profile of each student. The following day we received the first two items.

About an hour beyond Canaan we had lunch at a beach resort. It was a refreshing break and much appreciated, but the purpose was to introduce us to the wonderful facilities Haiti has to offer to tourists. We were encouraged to tell our friends about it.

05 Nov Glimpses of Various UB Churches in Haiti

Donna Hollopeter (foreground) at the UB church in Jerusalem located just outside of Port Au Prince. It consists of displaced earthquake victims who are building a church and a school, and evangelizing this newly created community without any outside assistance.

Jeff Bleijerveld, Director of Global Ministries

On August 29 – September 2, I visited Haiti with Global Ministries associate director Donna Hollopeter and Kyle Bushre, pastor of Outreach and Missions at King Street UB church in Chambersburg, Pa. We visited a number of our churches in Haiti. Here are some notes and observations about those churches.

The Gonaives church has been able to purchase land with help from Canada and Global Ministries. The church laid footings, foundations and floor, and Canada blocked up the first story. Now they would like to lay the second floor to close in the structure and move from the current church location, which they rent. Services are running 300 in attendance. There are 100 students in the school they host.

The Archaie church, under the leadership of Pastor Jacques Marcion, has an attendance of 200 and a schol of 100 meeting in a rented space. They are working to raise the $16,000 needed to buy a property near the coastal highway.

We traveled to Canaan, which is a resettlement location for those who lost their homes in the earthquake. Once a vast and rocky hillside, it now is home to more than 20,000 families. Here we visited a new church plant, led by Pastor Wilber (also the pastor of Croix du Bouquet), and saw the “tent” church attended by more than 100 and the footings they have already laid for a school. A water filtration project located there is the result of a micro-loan through CH Global using UB funding.

We visited two churches in Cite Soliel.
 The earthquake heavily damaged both 
churches in this area, and both needed to be rebuilt.

First we visited with Cite Soliel #1. Pastor Baptistin is still working to obtain land title to the original property and two adjacent properties they have purchased. So far no reconstruction has taken place, and the building consists of nothing more than a tarp suspended between two neighboring walls. They currently have 150 in attendance and hope to expand their school program. Pastor Richard is going to look into the inability of the pastor to gain access to the mayor’s office.

We then visited Cite Soliel #2, led by Pastor Supreme. There the proper documentation was obtained and the church was able to not only rebuild, but to also expand their facilities.

We visited with the Sibert UB church led by Pastor Israel. The church has about 60 members and some 100 children in school. Many of the children in this school are sponsored, and we were able to meet with one member who had benefitted from a micro-loan in order to buy a sewing machine. We have 33 micro-loan projects in Haiti through CH Global. According to Elsa Hilaire, to date we have 100% return on all loan payments even at 7% interest.

There is still discussion taking place about opening a bread-baking operation at Sibert, but we were told more research is needed to assure there would be enough demand.

Jerusalem UB (Canaan) is led by Pastor Adrienne. Church members purchased land, started a church 2 years ago that meets in a tent, and purchased materials for a permanent structure–all without outside funding. Sixty-five currently attend, and a school is being started this year. We asked them how we might pray for their ministry. They asked us to pray for their impact on their community, employment, and physical strength. They made no mention of any need for funds.

On Sunday morning, I spoke at Delmas 33 on the parable of the sower from Mark 4:3-9. The church consists of a more urban demographic than many of the other churches in Haiti. The building can hold approximately 500, and the bottom floor was fairly full on Sunday morning. This is also the location of the national assembly which took place recently for the second year in a row.

26 Oct Hurricane Sandy and Haiti

Mark Wallace of Christian Horizons, an organization with which we partner in Haiti, sent this note on October 26 about Hurricane Sandy’s affect on Haiti.

Please pray for the people of Haiti. Once again, this fragile country faces another challenge due to the impact of Hurricane Sandy.

Our national director reports that there has been no electricity for many days. People are without water and food and are difficult to reach. More than one dozen deaths have been recorded, and many houses and bridges have been destroyed.

The impact of this hurricane has increased the challenges in Haiti.

Efforts to supply water to people from the water depot are under way. Please pray that assistance would reach those in need and for the children in our CH Global programs.

26 Oct Rick Tyler Joins Global Ministries Family

Rick Tyler (right) has been approved as endorsed staff with Global Ministries. Rick and his wife, Diane, are from Parkwood Gardens UB church in Guelph, Ontario.

Rick has served in the home office of Christian Missions Resource Centre since November 2011. With CMRC, Rick is involved with mission trips to South America. In the past, he has led mission teams to various locations, mostly in the Caribbean and Central America.

Rick has served with Christian Missions Resource Centre in Ontario, Canada for 12 years–first as a volunteer, and on staff since November 2011. He is well suited for his role in communications, since his background includes working in Christian television and media for over 35 years. Self-educated and self-employed, his projects include pioneering works to well seasoned ministries.

CMRC’s mission is to help the world’s needy both 
spiritually and in practical gifts of helps. They have projects in Cuba, Peru, and Guatemala.

24 Oct A Visit to Jamaica

Dinner in Mandeville with Harold and MaryAnne Hancock (left), Owen, Frances and Sasha Gordon (right), and Donna Hollopeter (at the rail).

Malvern Camp as it stands currently. The first floor was used during camp. Jamaica is raising funds and volunteers before we proceed with this 50/50 project.

Jeff Bleijerveld, Director of Global Ministries

At the end of August, Donna Hollopeter and I traveled to Jamaica and met with the leadership there. Here are a few notes from that visit.

Jamaica Bible College is now called Regent College of the Caribbean. The president of Regent is Owen Gordon, a UB pastor in Jamaica Conference. The school now accommodates a high school program for delinquent teens, business, education, and trade school programming.

Harold and MaryAnne Hancock arrived in August as Global Ministries staff serving at the college, and were settling in well and ready to start the semester.

Regent is building a new dining commons. The current facility is outdated and far too small to accommodate students for meals and chapel services. Up until now, they have been working on the project without any requests for assistance from Global Ministries. However, I’m sure they would accept any volunteer assistance.

Owen Gordon continues to coordinate building projects for Jamaica Conference. All projects are submitted to conference leadership, whether they include Regent projects or not, so there is no concern regarding potential conflicts of interest.

We visited Malvern Camp. More work needs to be done, but the conference was able to hold three weeks of camp using the new (but incomplete) building. At this point, Jamaica Conference needs to determine costs to complete the project, and the preparedness of their people to contribute funds and volunteers before we can make plans for more work teams.

We discussed various issues with Bishop Isaac Nugent and other Jamaica leaders, including the idea of church-to-church partnerships between Jamaican and North American churches. Such partnerships would be limited to no more than 3 years and a partnering agreement should be signed indicating roles, responsibilities, and specific goals.

18 Oct Conference and Education Updates from Honduras

A recent Church-Based Theological Education seminar that took place in La Cieba, Honduras.

Juanita Chavez (right), superintendent of Honduras Conference, recently attended COICOM–the Confederation Iberoamerican of Communicators, Media, Pastors and Christian Leaders. She was joined by several other UBs from Honduras. There were more than 5000 participants, domestic and foreign, in attendance during the five days of the conference.

The conference also continues its program of continuing studies ETBIL (Local Church-Based Theological Education). They just came through an intensive week of studies from 7 am to 8 pm each day. This has become a model for the theological education and training of both pastors and lay leaders throughout the conference and is proving to be quite successful.

Although a specific date has not been set for their annual conference in January, they are planning to conduct 100 hours of prayer throughout their churches prior to the event.

09 Oct In Venezuela with the Reecks

Roger and Marilyn Reeck, Wycliffe Bible Translators, Honduras

On Sunday we eagerly watched the presidential elections in Venezuela. A few months ago we had little interest in that country but, since last May when we helped at the first One Story workshop, the Lord has laid this South American country on our hearts. We are consultant/trainers for two of the five One Story projects there.

During this past week we have feverishly worked on Spanish stories for the next One Story workshop. We leave on Wednesday, October 11, again for Venezuela. Our time will be divided between two activities. We fly together to Caracas, the capital of Venezuela, and the next day leave separately to two different areas of the country. Marilyn will travel to a Karina village, and Roger will travel to the Amazonas to visit a Curripaco village area. We will be observing One Story projects among these ethnic groups. We will then travel to a retreat center near the city of Valencia for a one week workshop. There will be 5 different language groups represented.

La Ceiba One Story Workshop. This was truly an exercise in flexibility. The particular group of participants, the date (finally settled on September 17-27), and the focus of the workshop kept changing. Finally, plans came together and then things changed again. We were to have 3 participants from Venezuela, one from Mexico, 2 from Honduras, and one from Nicaragua. Then the day they were to arrive, 3 were not able to fly (passport and yellow fever vaccine problems). We regrouped and came up with new workshop topics and schedule. The participants included Braulio from Venezuela; Jotam, a Mayagna Indian from Nicaragua; and two Misquito men from Honduras. Praise the Lord that in spite of many difficulties, the goals were achieved.

The end of October, Roger will leave for Texas and be in the US until the middle of December. His pain level has remained high while here in Honduras, and we have chosen that he not be here during the months of the worst rains. We pray that being in a different weather situation will help relieve his pain. He continues to wear the boot and prosthesis on his left leg.

03 Oct Hermmy: A Young Haitian Girl Comes to Canada

L-r: Elsa Hiliare (Christian Horizons Global co-ordinator in Haiti), Mr. Alexis, Hermmy, and Joan Sider. At the airport in Haiti.

Hermmy sleeping in the Montreal airport.

L-r: Sleeping on her tray on the airplane. During the flight. Sitting on her bed at Joan’s home in Toronto. Eating breakfast and watching TV. (click to enlarge)

Joan Sider, New Hope UB church, Toronto, Ontario

Our churches in Canada have been working in partnership with our churches in Haiti since 2002. A medical team went to Haiti in October 2011. While working in our clinics with Haitian doctors, we met Hermmy Alexis, a 12-year girl. It was discovered that she had tetrology fallot (hole in the heart). The surgery needed to repair her heart couldn’t happen in Haiti.

As we talked amongst ourselves, a suggestion was made that we try to bring her to Canada and apply to the Herbie Fund through The Hospital for Sick Children. One of our nurses, Margie Blackler, started the application process immediately upon our return.

After months of phones calls, texts, emails, and help from various people, we were able to bring Hermmy to Canada on October 1, 2012, a year after her condition was first discovered. Hermmy received her visa at 9:30 am that morning. I arrived in Haiti at 3 pm with Denis Costello, an Air Canada pilot who made the arrangements. Then, with Hermmy, we flew back to Canada at 4:15.

Hermmy had never been on a plane before. As the time progressed, it was obvious that she was growing tired. She slept a fair amount. She slept on my shoulder/lap for the whole flight between Montreal and Toronto. She had her first elevator ride in Montreal’s airport; she flung herself at me and buried her head into me, obviously frightened by the experience. The second elevator ride was better. And when she came to my home and we travelled up the four floors, she was smiling, understanding that it was okay.

Hermmy will live with me until she returns to Haiti–just call me “mom” now!

My cats Spunky and Maxi were waiting to greet her, and she smiled at them–I even saw her pet one–so that is good. I’m glad cats are okay.

Upon awakening Tuesday morning, Hermmy promptly made her bed. Showing her how the water taps work and the shower, I got the next “wow” reaction. Turning on the shower did it. She has had her first washing and used the shower wand so her hair wouldn’t get wet.

Trying on clothes which people have generously donated was a tiring experience. She had to stop and have a sleep–a very sound one at that.

Watching TV in English is going to be one of her daily activities. She was savvy enough already to use the remote to change the station. I am glad for that spark of confidence in an otherwise pretty shy young lady.

I’m grateful for the assistance from Jinette Cesaire, a Haitian-speaking woman, who recently began attending my church. We’ve been on the speaker phone several times already, beginning upon our arrival late Monday night. Jinette is very willing to allow us to call at any time. She will help translate when we go to the hospital.

I’m grateful for the iPhone app that lets me speak in English and then speaks what I’ve said in creole. Technology is wonderful! I am trying to get an iPad for her–several folk are trying to help make this happen.

Hermmy’s surgery date has changed from October 9 to October 12. We have several appointments, beginning on Wednesday.

Here are a few prayer points for now:

• That Hermmy will remain well–she has a little sniffle this morning I’ve noticed
• That Hermmy will adjust to her new situation–including the food.
• Getting an iPad
• My adjustment to this new role of motherhood–glad to do it, but just different for me.
• I’m not a cook, so pray about this big stretch for her.

October 3 Update: We need you to pray for Hermmy. She is not feeling well–stomach and head–homesick too, I suspect. When I went in and slept in her room, she settled for the night. She has a low grade temperature. I suspect a cold may be coming–sniffling, but no sneezing. Her disturbing night has left her very tired this morning too.

She has appointments today. I called to alert them to her unwellness. The first thing they said, “Well, she has to be well, or there is no point in having these appointments.” Doesn’t that sound sympathetic?! Pray for me to keep my cool with them when we do go in a few minutes.

Thanks for praying. I know God brought her here and He is going to protect and keep her.