How do you share an adventure where God shows up each day

I ask your forgiveness as I share this post several days after being in Cambodia.  The privilege of traveling to be with our sponsored children and our missionary partners is overwhelming.  

I praise God that I am on this journey with Melissa.  Together we are experiencing God's love for the peoples of the world in unique and deep ways.  

A quick recap of where we've been on this adventure:

• Departed Wooster OH at 4:15am on Monday morning for 30-hour plus journey to Siem Reap Cambodia. We flew through Atlanta; Seoul, South Korea; and to Siem Reap, Cambodia. 
• We landed in Siem Reap at 10:30pm on Tuesday night where we were greeted by Kevin and Jill Kane. Our driver Sambo coordinated transportation and a hotel. We were exhausted!
• Next day the team slept in (as best they could). Part of the team toured Angkor Wat and the other part of the team toured Siem Reap while also visiting an NGO ministry.  Siem Reap is notorious for human trafficking for the sex trade. We traveled from Siem Reap to Battambanng (a 3-hour van ride where your prayers help avert a collision with a cow--a story for later).
• When we arrived in Battambang at the hotel, the sponsored orphan children from Asia's Hope greeted us. We were overwhelmed with love. 

This is a quick post to get you to Battambang.  I will post later to share my visit with Kevin and JIll Kane and our first day with the sponsored kids. Indeed, tonight (Friday night) we will witness our sponsored orphan children helping with worship at a crusade in Battambang.  They also value outreach.  The believe as we do, "Life change is an invitation away!" 

Please pray for God's strength for our team. We are weary but buoyed by your prayers.  Ask God to give comfort to Jeana and myself upon learning tragic news of loved ones who passed away.Ask God to heal Traci who is taking Z-pac to avert a potential cold. 

For pictures, please follow me or anyone from our team on Facebook.

What the Greatest Gift Christmas Offering will do to impact the world

For decades Grace Church has been known for its generosity. Each year we participate in The Greatest Gift Christmas Offering as a way of encouraging and supporting ministries that are among “the last, the least, and the lost” of the world. 

Give now to help us impact the world!

This year we have a goal of $175,000 to serve people in Wayne County and around the world. The projects we will help include:

• Orphan Care: $50,000 for SE Asia Orphan Home projects including the purchase of a van, motor scooters for our university students, college scholarships, equipment/appliance replacement and start-up costs associated with the construction of a school for our kids. Learn more here. 

• Refugee Relief: $25,000 for emergency relief for Christians who have fled from Syria into Jordan because of the threat of ISIS. As we partner with Grace Brethren pastor, Dr. Randy Smith and Global Vision Outreach, funds will be used to purchase blankets, heaters, sweaters, & coats, etc. for families during the coming winter. You can view a video here. 
• #ForWayneCounty Food Drive: $20,000 for the completion of the #forWayneCounty food drive. We’ve already received several thank you notes from area agencies for the support we have provided coming from this emphasis at the Wayne County Fair. These funds will help complete the project to provide 1 million meals for those in need in the coming months. Hear from those in our community here.
  
• Local Housing Project with Wayne Metro Housing Authority: $15,000 for the purchase of special building materials to help construct a home for a disabled couple funded through Metro housing.  Learn more here.
• Leadership Development: $40,000 – These funds will provide internships for young adults in our church who are considering ministry and/or missions involvement in the future. 
• Church Planting: Grace would love to see new churches started. We will give $25,000 to help Josh and Andrea Kuck who are staring a new church in the community of Chelsea, MI. Several years ago Josh served as Middle School Director at Grace Church in Wooster, so it’s our privilege to partner with his family in this venture of faith. See his video here. 

Give now to help us impact the world!

Saved People Serve People--Rescuing orphans in Central African and around the world

As I scroll through the pictures posted by Pastor Tom Peters of VisionTrust on his recent visit to the Central African Republic. I was encouraged and reminded of God's love for the orphan, the widow, the least, and the last.  

My family sponsors Stephanie. And it scares me when I hear news reports of violence in Bangui, the capital city of the Central African Republic.  Civil unrest and alarming violence erupts in parts of the city.  Families are in danger. Children live in fear. And our family prays for Stephanie and her family.  May God protect and give courage to Stephanie and her family.  

Stephanie

Pastor Tom returned with a new photo of Stephanie for us.  She is growing up and appears peaceful amid reports of unrest in the city.  I praise God for Pastor Tom and VisionTrust as they seek to develop fully devoted followers of Christ by caring for orphans and neglected children around the world.  

Our sponsorship provides good meals, basic health care, access to Learning Centers where teachers can offer good education, and Bible teaching.  Children are given the opportunity to grow in their faith to keep trusting Jesus even amid fearful situations. 

You too can sponsor a child with VisionTrust.  You can also peruse sponsorship opportunities for orphaned children in the Central African Republic with VisionTrust.  

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