Saved People Serve People--We care for the most vulnerable

Grace Church is committed to rescuing at-risk children from human trafficking in SE Asia with partner organizations like Asia's Hope, Grace Refuge Outreach Worldwide, and Team Hope International.  We also have sponsors for children in Africa with VisionTrust International. 

One of our values is Saved People Serve People.  Our sponsors faithfully support our sponsored children in residential homes in their home country.  The monthly support provides what the sponsored children need for life: food, clothing, school fees, and special events like birthday party celebrations or excursions like missions trips to their home villages or planned field trips. 

With Asia's Hope, we sponsor three orphan homes, one in Thailand and two in Cambodia.  Each home has house directors who care for the sponsored children. The house directors sacrifice to care for the children.  We praise God for their devotion and willingness to serve.  Saved People Serve People.

With VisionTrust, God has allowed us to sponsor 53 children in orphan care in the Central African Republic. Many children were orphaned from parents who died from AIDS.  Although civil war and disorder remain difficult challenges, God is helping VisionTrust locate displaced children and their families so that they can provide relief.  We praise God for faithful sponsors who give to provide help for orphans and their families. 

What is more amazing is how our Grace Place homes have adopted our values. They embody the same value, Saved People Serve People.  

Vannak Yun, house director at Grace Place Battambang, shared a picture where a young child receives help from Grace Place Battambang.  As Vannak testifies, 

"This is the poor family is informed to us by the chief of commune. She has one son, age 12 years old no chance to go to School because she is unable to provide him at all. So on behalf of Asia"s Hope we provided him School uniform two sets, bag, pens, and shoe. He"s so happy to receive that. For giving is better than receiving. God is good. (this Event is prepared at the commune office)"
--posted on Facebook on Wed June 3, 2015

Vannak facilitated a blessing on another Cambodian family who was under-resourced. The boy needed school uniform and supplies. Saved People Serve People!  May God allow us to continue developing fully devoted followers of Christ all around the world. 

To sponsor a child in one of our Orphan Residential Homes, contact Juana Hernandez (330) 264-9459 x246 or jhernandez@woostergrace.org. 

Saved People Serve People--Caring for Orphans around the world

 
Email tomp@visiontrust.org

Country Lead: Central African Republic,Togo, Sierra Leone, Haiti
Sending Agency: VisionTrust
 
Our Missionary Partner: Pastor Tom and Sue have served in our church for many years. Pastor Tom served as Missions Pastor for ten years.  Sue has always worked helping special needs kids in Smithville at Green Local Schools.

God called them to develop fully devoted followers of Christ first in Africa. Then God called pastor Tom to serve at Grace Church.  Later, God called him to serve in Africa with ICDI, now with VisionTrust as country lead for orphan care in Central African Republic, Togo, Sierra Leone, and Haiti.  We support Pastor Tom as our missionary partner from Grace Church.  


Their Mission: Pastor Tom oversees the orphan care ministries of VisionTrust in Africa and Haiti.  He travels a lot. He has logged over 78,000 air miles in one year for VisionTrust. He quips that it is no wonder he has a sore seat. 

The needs of orphans and their extended families is exacerbated with war, displacement, and disease.  In the Central African Republic civil unrest hampers the care of orphans.  In Haiti, the recovery efforts from the devastating 2010 earthquake are slow and challenging.  In Togo, sustainable income to support families is daunting, but God is making a way for families to support themselves. In Sierra Leone, Ebola ravages families and brings death and despair.  If you want more information, please contact Pastor Tom Peters via email. Or you can learn more about the ministry of VisionTrust by visiting their webpage.


How to Be Involved

PRAY:

• Please pray for consistency & perseverance in their walk with the Lord.
• With helping to oversee four countries for VisionTrust, sometimes it feels a bit overwhelming.  Please pray that Pastor Tom will see the work through God’s eyes, and with the end in mind, so that the immediate challenges don’t overshadow what God is doing in each country long-term.
• For the last three years, the Central African Republic has been subjected to war, continued violence and a virtual total lack of law & order.  For a period of time under the rebel Muslim government, it looked like there would be restrictions enforced on the ability to share the Gospel.  God intervened & the rebel government was overthrown, but the violence continued.  Please pray that as the Gospel is presented, not only will it touch people individually to turn to God for salvation, but that it would also touch the society as a whole so that the violence would subside & people can live at peace with God and with each other.
• Please pray for an effective, fruitful ministry (John 15:16). A couple of the countries that we’re working in are looking at trying to expand their outreach to orphans and vulnerable children.  Two of our national leaders in particular need special wisdom from the Lord right now; Josué, and Semira.
• We praise God for His grace in our marriage!  Pray that we continually keep that grace in view so that we keep short accounts with the Lord, and with each other.
  
  

ENCOURAGE: Pastor Tom's birthday is April 28.  Sue's birthday is December 15.  Anniversary is June 25, 1982. 

CONNECT: Pastor Tom on FaceBook

 

Pastor Tom with their sponsored orphans. Scan his blog

Saved people serve people--Leaving home, family, friends in Ohio to equip pastors in Africa

Jason & Christy Carmean

Jason, Christy, Micaela, Alyssa, Josiah

 
Email:  jcarmean@encompassworld.org 

Place of Ministry: Yaounde, Cameroon
Sending Agency: Encompass World Partners 
 
Our Missionary Partner: Jason and Christy left Lexington, OH with the kids to go to Africa.  God called them to Yaounde, Cameroon to equip African leaders to shepherd the local churches in Chad, Cameroon, and the Central African Republic.  Encompass World Partners directs their endeavors.   

Carmean family packed for Africa

God called them to develop fully devoted followers of Christ in Cameroon, Africa.  Grace Church is part of a coalition of churches who support and provide resources and guidance for the Carmean ministry. 

Their Mission: Jason expresses their passion--we want to train pastors and lay leaders in Cameroon to lead their churches towards all that God wants for each church family. Jason asks us to pray for the partnership of US churches and African churches to work together for the glory of God.

If you want updates, then please LIKE their Facebook page.  You can discover the stories of the Africans that they are training.  You can see their faces, pray for each family, and know that when you give to Grace Church, part of your gifts go to support the ministry of the Carmean family.  

Street scene in Yaounde, Cameroon

How to Be Involved

PRAY: Pray for Jason as he pursues the development of the leadership training program for pastors. Ask God to give Jason strength in the Lord to develop fully devoted followers of Christ in Cameroon.  Ask the Lord to encourage the family to be encouraged and to get rid of discouragement and negative thoughts when they feel lonely, separated from family in Ohio, and physically wore out from the hard life in Yaounde.  
 
ENCOURAGE: Jason's birthday is October 15. Christy's birthday is November 27.
Micaela's birthday is November 16. Alyssa's birthday is October 27. Josiah's birthday is July 25.  Anniversary is June, 7, 1997. 

CONNECT: Carmeans in Cameroon on FaceBook

Men from Douala preparing to be equipped

Saved people Serve People--Rescuring orphans in Africa & Haiti

Tom & Sue Peters

 
Email tomp@visiontrust.org

Country Lead: Central African Republic,Togo, Sierra Leone, Haiti
Sending Agency: VisionTrust
 
Our Missionary Partner: Pastor Tom and Sue have served in our church for many years. Pastor Tom served as Missions Pastor for ten years.  Sue has always worked hard with kids in local public schools.    

God called them to develop fully devoted followers of Christ in Africa. Then God called pastor Tom to serve at Grace Church.  Later, God called him to serve in Africa with ICDI, now with VisionTrust as country lead for orphan care in Central African Republic, Togo, Sierra Leone, and Haiti.  We support Pastor Tom as our missionary partner from Grace Church.  


Their Mission: Pastor Tom oversees the orphan care ministries of VisionTrust in Africa and Haiti.  He travels a lot. He has served in Zimbabwe and Kenya in 2014.  He logged 78,833 air miles for VisionTrust. He quips that is is no wonder he has a sore seat. 

The needs of orphans and their extended families is exacerbated with war, displacement, and disease.  In the Central African Republic civil unrest hampers the care of orphans.  In Haiti, the recovery efforts from the devastating 2010 earthquake are slow and challenging.  In Togo, sustainable income to support families is daunting, but God is making a way for families to support themselves. In Sierra Leone, Ebola ravages families and brings death and despair.  If you want more information, please contact Pastor Tom Peters via email. Or you can learn more about the ministry of VisionTrust by visiting their webpage.


How to Be Involved

PRAY: Pray for Pastor Tom as he travels for VisionTrust--many miles, many days away from Sue. May God empower him to rest before and after each trip.  Ask God to give Pastor Tom & Sue strength in the Lord to develop fully devoted followers of Christ through VisionTrust.  Ask the Lord to help them "make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace (Ephesians 4:3)." 
 
ENCOURAGE: Pastor Tom's birthday is April 28.  Sue's birthday is December 15.  Anniversary is June 25, 1982. 

CONNECT: Pastor Tom on FaceBook

 

Read Sierra Leone Staff Blog

Pastor Tom with their sponsored orphans. Scan his blog