Mission Trips
By Karen Jacobsen
We would love for folks in our congregation to get to know Karen Jacobsen. She was sent out from our sister church Redeemer Montclair to serve with Food for the Hungry in Rwanda. Our church is currently supporting Karen financially, but we would like to provide opportunities to support her emotionally and spiritually also as she adjusts to a whole new life in Rwanda.
I would like to invite you to:
- Read her most current newsletter (below).
- Send her an encouraging letter or package (her contact info. can be found in “Keep current with Karen” section in newsletter)
- Pray for her individually and in groups (HFG, women’s/ men’s events, etc…)
- Contact Marcy with any other ideas of ways to support Karen as a church.
We may not all feel called to go somewhere abroad as a missionary, but our support of those who do go is just as important as going ourselves. We function to spur on a sister in Christ and to be part of God’s work of spreading the Good News to all the earth.
Through the Eyes of Hope Project - Trip 2009
Rwanda is one of the poorest and most densely populated countries in Africa. The 1994 Genocide and the spread of HIV have created an estimated 1 million orphans and vulnerable children.
After our long journey to Rwanda, we spent a few days in Rinkwavu with the Partners in Health hospital. (photo 1) Some of the kids’ stories are amazing. One of these was Marc (photo 2), who was in the pediatric ward and couldn’t go far from his bed. However he was able to have fun taking shots with the camera and bringing smiles to the rest of the ward while getting a chance to be creative (photo 3 & 4) The kids we work with there are being treated for HIV, cancer, malnourishment, and other common problems. The kids loved having a chance to photograph the world they live in and share it with others. (photo 5- kids w computer)
Before we left the hospital, we got a chance to pray with the kids and their families, asking God for their continual healing and health.
Next we traveled to Mayange to continue our work with schoolchildren there, in partnership with Millennium Village Project. Millennium Village Project works with the UN to foster sustainable villages in developing nations around the world. It was great to work with these kids for a second year. We got to show them some of their photos published in an American magazine called Overland. The kids were so excited to see that their voices are being heard across the nation! (photo 6) We were also able to buy enough film cameras for all of them to take home to earn money for school fees and food. In the short time that I have been home, I have heard that one of the kids has already earned 6,000 francs, which is about $15 (a lot to them!). (kids w film cameras you gave. (photo 7)
On the last leg of our trip, we worked with our original group of kids at the Kagugu School in Kigali. Most of these children are orphans. Since the first workshop 2 years ago, they have been meeting every week to expand on their photography skills, with the help of our International Coordinator, Prossy. They now have access to a printer and by offering "express printing" to their clients they have been earning money to help pay for their food, school fees, and books. (photo 8) We had the opportunity to take the kids on a field trip to the beautiful northern part of their country. They were so excited to just to be traveling, let alone taking photos and capturing their experience. (photo 9 & 10)
With each group of children we teach, we are encouraged to see them learning and growing in so many ways. Through their photography, the children share their world with others and convey what runs too deep for words. They build personal connections with each other and with their communities. They discover a way to support themselves, a future profession, and a reason to stay in school. Through photography, these children find hope and healing.
Thank you for joining us in this opportunity to bring healing to a country that has been through so much. You are a huge part of this project and the Lord is using all you’ve given to help these wonderful children. (photos 11-15 Rwanda kids, photo 16 - kids taking photos, and last photo - the crew - Andrea, Prossy, Linda)
To learn more about Through the Eyes of Hope Project and to make a donation, go to www.eyesofhopeproject.com
Nepal Mission Trip
By Maria Greshock
I recently returned to Hoboken after my short-term mission trip to Kathmandu, Nepal. Nepal is a 3rd World nation tucked beneath the Himalaya Mountains. For much of its history, the country was under the rule of a Hindu king, but in recent years, the monarchy had been overthrown by Maoist-led protests. It is now the site for much political unrest, religious extremism and civil war.
Despite the uprise of Maoist power, Hindu and Buddhist beliefs remain the lifeblood of the people. Hindu and Buddhist temples are all over the city and countryside, and statues of gods are on many corners with areas set aside for sacrifices. The streets of Kathmandu are covered with hand-carved idols, and images of various gods. It reminded me of Isaiah 2:8: “Their land is full of idols; they bow down to the work of their hands, to what their fingers have made.”
However, during my visit to the country, I had the opportunity to see beyond the religious strongholds, and into the incredible work of the Holy Spirit. I met many Christian nationals, and was amazed by their conversion stories. Following Jesus in Nepal is no easy thing. Many of them face rejection from their families and persecution from the caste system society. However, despite their hardships, they endure in the Spirit with much joy.
I was so humbled by their testimonies, and amazed that the Lord was using me to help prepare them for a life of Christian service. To truly help them understand the heart of the Gospel, my team and I prepared a foot washing ceremony at the end of our training sessions. In John 13:14, Jesus says to his disciples, “Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet.” We all experienced the presence of the Holy Spirit as barriers that hindered the faith were broken and as we all united in love for each other and for the Lord. This service also prepared us to go to the local mountain villages to share the gospel with unreached people.
With the help of my translator, I was able to give gospel presentations to many people. Some of them invited us into their homes and others gathered around us on street corners to hear the good news. In the Hindu faith people are accustomed to making sacrifices to the gods, so I explained that Jesus already made the ultimate sacrifice for us on the cross. I explained that through Him alone we receive the free gift of reconciliation before God. I gave my personal testimony and trusted that the Holy Spirit would work in their hearts. Some people wanted to talk to their families before they accepted Jesus, and to my amazement, many people came to the faith right before our eyes.
In three days of evangelism, our team recorded over 150 people who professed the faith. The Christian Nationals are now responsible for distributing bibles, following up with the new believers and planting churches so that their fellowship continues to grow. We attribute this all to the power of prayer and to the works of the Holy Spirit.
Please continue to pray for the strength of the people, and for the unhindered spread of the Gospel to all the unreached tribes and villages. Philippians 2:10-11 says, “that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
Thank you all for your incredible support, encouragement and prayers. I have many stories to tell and look forward to sharing more with you all soon.
God Bless.