When Bob and I went to Jericho, West Bank for the first time it was 1997. Another couple were there from Kentucky and we became good friends. So in the evening when we were free Bob & I and Steve and Karen would go into town and walk around. We met a young man named Kahlil. He had an old green car and offered to take us to see the sights we couldn’t see just walking. We piled into his car and when he started it, every light on the dash board came on. We mentioned we didn’t think they were all supposed to be on but he laughed and said it was okay. Every night we would meet Kahlil and he would take us somewhere else to show us different things. Continue reading
fellowship
Palestinian Christian TV
We just got back from a trip to the West Bank. I know many people think that is not safe but it really is. There were six of us who went. It is the six who have worked there for some time. About a year ago Terry McIntosh had the opportunity to get a TV station in the West Bank. One of the things we wanted to find out is how the TV station is doing. Continue reading
Sharing a church building
Last time I told you about working with the Bible Society in Amman, Jordan. While there the church we worked with also had a second congregation that met in the building on Sunday afternoon. I love the idea of sharing a building with different congregations. This congregation was from Somalia. They were refugees. Of course they had a different language than the congregation that met in the morning. They also needed the Bible in their language.
The team we were with had purchased Bibles from the Bible Society in the Somali language. We went to the service and put the Bibles on a table and anyone who came to the service could have a Bible if they wanted one. Of course any that were left over we gave to the pastor. Continue reading
Working with different organizations
One of the joys of being a missionary is being able to work with other organizations that also preach the gospel. One of the organizations we have had the privilege of working with is the Jordanian Bible Society. When we were in Jordan they were very helpful. The head of the society in Amman at that time was Jamal Hashweh. He has since left the society and works with a mission that works with refugees.
Jamal was very informative about what the Bible Society in Jordan does. Jordan is an Islamic country but anyone who comes to the Bible Society and asks for information on Christianity they can give it to them including a Bible. They told us many stories about people making inquiries and then coming to Jesus. Continue reading
Ministering in Guatemala
I have been on many mission trips through the years. I thought I had seen it all. I had never been south of the United States. I don’t know what I expected but I was surprised.
We took a team to Guatemala to work with a local church. They needed people to help paint rooms and to hold healing services. The team God put together was amazing. We had Sonny, who is an evangelist and has a healing ministry. At least he did for that trip. We had young people who could minister to the children and who also had energy. We had many people who are equipped with the gift of helps and filled in where needed. We even had a young lady who took Spanish in college and could interpret for us so we were not dependent on some one else. Continue reading
Nablus is Sychar
One of the joys of visiting different countries is seeing the old and the new. Cities in the West Bank are a real contrast. When we were in Nablus we saw that contrast. Nablus is the biblical town of Sychar where Jesus talked to the woman at the well in John four. It is a much bigger town than Jericho and the terrain is not flat at all. In fact I got the feeling I was either walking up or down but never on flat surface. Continue reading
Reunion time
When we think of school reunions we think of high school or college reunions. We get an invitation, pay to be able to go because it is usually a dinner and we get all dressed up to go. We look forward to seeing old friends and those we didn’t consider friends. And we look forward to seeing how everyone has changed or not changed. Continue reading
Showing the love of Christ
I have mentioned on more than one occasion that some of the time we lived in Jericho there was a war going on. We could go up on our roof and see fighting between the Israeli’s and the Palestinians. That was a little over a mile from where we lived. This building was going to be a fish market and restaurant. But needless to say it got in the way of the fighting. Bob has just been there and they have rebuilt this building. I am happy for that and can hardly wait to see it. Continue reading
Pro life ministry 2
Last week I introduced you to Hope Ministries. This week I am going to share a lot of what the girls learn while living in the village. One of the first things they learn is how to love and take care of their baby. They are very grateful for this as most of them don’t remember having parents. They learn how to plant and take care of a garden. Everyone in Ukraine has a kitchen garden. If they don’t have any land they plant in pots on their porches. It is very important to them so they can eat what they raise.
In the village there is a lot of land to plant and take care of a big garden. They are taught how to raise and take care of the different vegetables they plant. The ministry bought the original seeds and from that time on it is up to the girls to have enough to plant the next year. The girls can bring their kids outside and watch them play while they plant and weed and take care of the garden. There is also a root cellar to store the vegetables in during the winter.
But of course a garden is not all you need. It helps to have meat to eat. So Svetlana has a farm where they raise pigs and goats. The goats serve two purposes. They milk the goats for milk to drink and then of course slaughter them for eating. Pork is the main meat over in Ukraine so the pigs are also quite important.
The house they live in is so much nicer than what they are used to. It has four bedrooms and when completely full has two girls to a room with their babies. It also has running water but no toilet facilities. They have an outhouse and if they need to shower they can go to Svetlana’s house.
The vision doesn’t end there. Svetlana would like to buy more land or more houses in the village. But the houses that have been abandoned need a lot of work or need to be torn down and a new place built. The vision is for each girl who finishes the program to become the head of another house to train girls with new babies. The girls are excited to be a part of this program. It teaches them so much and they don’t have to go back on the streets.
This ministry is very near and dear to our hearts. We have learned to love Svetlana and Marina but also the girls and their babies. We are thankful for people with a vision and this is truly another God given vision to help his people.
Loving to help people,
Jan
My friend Kodra
When we lived at the Jesus House of Prayer in Jericho one of the things we did was give out food packages to people who needed them. There was a fence around the house and we locked the gate at ten at night and didn’t open it until after breakfast in the morning. This was mainly so someone didn’t come asking for something in the middle of the night. Continue reading
Tales from the Mission Field 