Preparing for ministry in Malawi

April 18, 2012 –

Ron with children in Malawi

Ron and Beth Reynolds will be taking a short-term team of five Peace River Bible Institute students to Malawi to work alongside Chet and LeAnne Burns May 2 to June 1.

Ron writes, “There have been many logistic details to take care of such as booking flights, purchasing supplies, arranging for immunizations and medical insurance, organizing orientation meetings, preparing ministry material, and communicating with our host missionaries. Our team has been meeting regularly via Skype and conference calls for cross-cultural ministry training and encouragement. On March 10 we enjoyed a marathon training day at Peace River Bible Institute. We reviewed ministry materials like songs, skits, testimonies, chalk art, and puppets.

“The final countdown is now on and we are scrambling to get everything ready and our suitcases packed. Please pray that our team will have a good trip, that the Lord will bless our ministry in Malawi, and that He will give us His peace, joy, wisdom and blessing!”

By Andrea | Posted in Canada, Malawi | Tagged , , , | Comments (0)

Vacation Bible School in the Philippines

April 17, 2012 –

VBS Activities

Jeff Anderson writes, “We currently have a six-day Vacation Bible School (VBS) for underprivileged children and their families taking place in three locations. The VBS has an Easter theme and includes lunch, snacks and breakfast in one location because the families are very poor.

“Please pray that many kids and their parents will genuinely turn from sin to Christ alone for salvation.”

By Andrea | Posted in Philippines | Tagged , , , | Comments (0)

Free book download from Wayne Mac Leod

April 16, 2012 –

If My People

Each month missionary Wayne Mac Leod makes one of his e-books available free of charge. This month’s title is “If My People…God’s Plan for Renewal and Healing of our Land.” The book is a study of 2 Chronicles 7:13-14.

You can download the PDF version of this book by clicking here.

An ACTION missionary since 2003, Wayne has been publishing a variety of Bible study books for distribution to Christian workers in over 40 countries.

By Andrea | Posted in General | Tagged , , | Comments (0)

Preparing for Mustard Seed Batch 6

April 13, 2012 –

Mustard Seed class

Sharon Germaine teaches sewing at Mustard Seed, a vocational training and discipleship program for underprivileged Christian young women in the Philippines. She writes, “I have been organizing fabric and sewing notions that have been donated to Mustard Seed. We are blessed to have so much nice fabric come in for our students to work with. The Lord is good and has provided.

“Mustard Seed Batch 6 will begin on April 16. Please pray for the girls as they begin the year. To save on expenses, we are now offering a day program and are not housing girls in a dorm. The students will be commuting each day from their homes. This is new for Mustard Seed and we pray that the girls will do well. We rejoice that enough money has been given to pay for the first nine months of the course and pray that the Lord will provide the rest of the finances needed to fund the year.”

By Andrea | Posted in Philippines | Tagged , , | Comments (0)

Home of Love in Uganda

April 12, 2012 –

Home of Love children

Home of Love Children’s Home for Vulnerable Children is a ministry of ACTION Gulu. Home of Love was opened to meet the needs of orphans and vulnerable children in war-torn Northern Uganda. As a result of a war that lasted over 23 years, the region has been devastated. The LRA Rebels have killed people and abducted children. Families have been destroyed and people have been displaced.

Children are referred to Home of Love from the Ugandan Government Child Welfare office and other organizations that look out for the welfare of children. Many of the children are AIDS and war orphans. Other children have been rescued from crisis situations such as abandonment and physical violence.

Home of Love offers these children a Christ-centered, safe and loving environment. Children attend school at ACTION’s Jesus is The Truth Nursery/ Primary School. The children receive trauma counseling, housing, food, medical treatment, clothing and life-skills training. A staff social worker seeks to locate relatives of children brought to Home of Love. Due to the war many people have been displaced and separated from their families. Whenever possible children are reunited with their relatives and supported in the relatives’ home through payment of school fees, basic necessities, medical assistance and regular home visits by a social worker.

The Home of Love Child Sponsorship Program links donors with children. The donors have the opportunity to make an impact in the lives of these children. The donors receive pictures and letters from their sponsored child. The funds provide for living expenses, medical costs and education fees. To cover these costs, multiple sponsors are necessary for each child.

Home of Love has dormitories, a cook house, a dining hall, a borehole, playing fields, and gardens. Financial support for this ministry comes primarily from individual donors and churches. Their support makes it possible to care for these vulnerable children. The children will have a chance to heal from their trauma and move forward with their lives. The mission of Home of Love is to raise the children in a godly environment where they can experience the love of Christ, receive an education, and have hope for the future.

By Andrea | Posted in Uganda | Tagged , , , | Comments (0)

The Dods travel to Cuba for ministry

April 11, 2012 –

The Dods Family

Rob and Mei-yit Dods and their son, Nathan, will depart later this week on a ministry trip to Cuba.

Rob writes, “This Saturday we will travel to Cuba for a week of adventure. From Monday to Friday we will be in Santiago where we will help at a retreat for Cuban pastors and their families by lending a hand with classes for 40 or so children and youth between the ages of 10 and 15. ACTION Cuba Director Brian Stewart, his wife, Celia, their daughter, Stephanie, and Dr. Stewart Brown are already in Cuba and will be meeting up with us to go to the retreat.

“Please pray for safety and health for all, that Nathan will adjust well to new surroundings, and that we will have hearts to love and serve hardworking Cuban pastors and their families.”

By Andrea | Posted in Cuba | Tagged , , | Comments (0)

Find ACTION on Facebook

April 10, 2012 –

Facebook

Find out what the Lord is doing through Action International Ministries worldwide and share your life, ministry, and prayer requests with us on Facebook. Visit facebook.com/actioninternational.

By Andrea | Posted in General | Tagged | Comments (0)

Filipino pastors blessed by recent conference

April 9, 2012 –

Pastors in worship at conference

A conference for 29 pastors was held recently at Second Mile in the Philippines. The attendees were pastors of students from ACTION programs called Honest Hands, Working Hands, Mustard Seed and Brand New Day Ministries.

Gary Root writes, “The challenge to fulfill the Great Commission by intentional mentoring and training leaders was clearly and passionately taught by two pastors. Pastor Roli Manuel led sessions on mentoring and ACTION missionary Steve Read gave two excellent devotionals that challenged the pastors to expand their vision to make disciples of all nations. The fellowship, small group discussions, times of self-evaluation, and accountability among the participants made the experience humbling, challenging, and encouraging.

“Pastors reported that they were inspired and challenged by the conference. I can say the same for myself! We are excited to see this ministry as a way to deepen our investment into the lives of the students we work with. As the Lord enables, we would like to see this type of ministry continue.”

By Andrea | Posted in Philippines | Tagged , , | Comments (0)

Using ultrasounds to minister to Filipino mothers

April 6, 2012 –

Pami Ellis with child

Pami Ellis is a registered nurse serving with ACTION at Shalom Christian Birthing Home outside Manila. She describes how she tries to find words to share with mothers she ministers to them by providing ultrasounds.

Pami writes, “I love the unexpected ministry of ultrasounds. It has expanded my Tagalog vocabulary in new ways, words like hita (thigh/femur), sikmura (stomach), and my personal favorite, the colloquial bahay bata (literally ‘house of child,’ or womb). I love pointing out the various parts of the forming baby to the mom and describing how God is miraculously knitting together the little one inside of them.

“But how in the world do I tell a mom her little one has died after eight months of pregnancy? Or how do I explain to an at-risk mom that her baby is overdue with critical fluid levels and must be delivered right away in the hospital, knowing that this will put the family into great debt and difficulty?

“I try to do this by fumbling along and explaining in Tagalog as best I can. And of course by praying through it all. My words will always be inadequate in situations, but especially in difficult ones. And so I hold their hands, speak to them truthfully, and pray with them, for I know God’s power and work more than cover my inadequacy.”

By Andrea | Posted in Philippines | Tagged , , , , | Comments (0)

Short-term ministry at Brazilian orphanage

April 5, 2012 –

Brazilian children

Joann Bautista recently traveled to Fortaleza, Brazil, on a short-term trip to Davis Lar Children’s Home. Davis Lar was founded by Mark and Paige Anderson and  focuses on reaching child victims of prostitution, drug trafficking, abuse, and abandonment, by providing a home and restoring children to spiritual, physical and emotional health while reaching out to their families and communities.

Joann shared the following about her trip: “In the seven days I spent at Davis Lar Children’s Home, I got to see, feel, and give love, but the greatest love I saw came from the kids themselves. I am still floored by the amount of love the children showed me and the rest of the team. Even though we were sweaty and probably smelly from filling cement holes, building a garden, and whitewashing, the kids ran up to us and gave us giant, rib-crushing hugs. We thought we were meant to be at Davis Lar to show the children love, but we were shown the most beautiful, heartbreaking love I have ever experienced.

“I cannot believe that the children have not become consumed with hatred and bitterness after all they have experienced. There were several times that I even forgot the reason why they were there because they had the biggest smiles on their faces and are some of the happiest kids I have ever seen. They display transformation and healing that can be explained with one word: Jesus.”

By Andrea | Posted in Brazil | Tagged , , | Comments (0)