SEW WHAT???

It is important for us to be diligent and sure that we disburse donations received from others, ensuring that they are given to the people who can benefit from these items the most. Many people requested a sewing machine when they heard some were available but, can they sew? Do they need one to be able to support their family?

Senor Dupy Metilus is a tailor with 4 children who makes his living in Los Algodones. He received the first machine and in the future a new shop in the town square in villa Esperanza.

Wenchelle Jean, a teacher’s assistant in John Calvin Cristiano Colegio asked if her mom & sister could receive a machine also. Her mom helps feed their family of 4 children by sewing for others. Unfortunately her treadle machine broke recently and was unable to get it fixed. Last week John made a preliminary visit with her and today we were able to return to her home and bless her with a good, used sewing machine. She told us that she had been praying for 3 weeks (since her machine broke down) that the Lord would provide one for her. Today her prayers were answered. Gracias a Dios!

EDUCATION SUPPLIES RECEIVED

Local schools benefitted from the generous donation of pens, pencils, notebooks and many other school supplies received in the container. In this sparsely furnished classroom, 2 teachers make learning come to life for these 25 students. The children learn amidst the noise and clamor of the mechanic’s shop next door during the week while on Sundays this vibrant church sings their praises during the morning worship services, all in the same room.

Masonite nailed to the wall serve as a blackboard.

This week we received a note of thanks for the donations from the pastor who also oversees the school with his wife. Hello there,
How are you doing? Well, I pray this synopsis reaches you and yours in the best of God's spirit.
We Voice of God charity and are thank you and your wife for your wonderful support.
The school suply you gave us were very useful,now everyone of our children has a notebook.
Once again I thank you and I hope to hearing from you as soon as it may suit your time.
In Christ
Pastor Caliph

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Juan Ovalles, the director of “John Calvin Cristiano Colegio” in villa Esperanza, sends greetings and thanks for the donations and support received in making education a reality for the children of this poor community.

The construction of a new school, dedicated Christian teachers, and the supplies necessary for learning have made a difference in the lives of the 108 students.

Students in John Calvin Cristiano Colegio enjoy a snack of Voortman cookies and juice at recess.

Thanks to Pablo (Paul) Huizinga for his generous contribution.

AND THE BLESSINGS CONTINUE….

English text books and easy readers were donated to an International School in Sosua where the children speak a variety of 18 different languages. These books will certainly help them with their English. Pastor Jose Polanco receives boxes of clothing and shoes to distribute to the poor in 3 local churches. Elio & Lena Madonia with the pickup truck donated by the Rotarians of Burlington Central

and their five other partners.

Baby layettes made of soap, wash cloth & towel, diapers, a toy, clothes and a baby blanket along with hygiene products are prepared to be given to moms and their newborns.

Please stay posted for more donation pictures and information,

as we get them, we will pass them on.

BLESSING OTHERS

Good news! The container that was sent late last year finally arrived and cleared customs February 12, 2009. The bad news was that it was the same day we left to go back home for our son’s wedding. A great big thank you goes out to Rob & Tina, Shaun, Elio, Giuseppe and all the others who sorted through the boxes and delivered a load to be stored in our garage until we returned. So now that we are back, we have been busy sorting and distributing the donations to bless others.

Jim and Sue Coates have been working in villa Ascension for approximately 5 years and know the people and their needs intimately through their mother and baby program, feeding the elderly and distributing food 3 times weekly to those families in desperate need. Therefore, they were given the task to oversee the distribution of the baby items and blankets that were sent by many generous donors. Many people were blessed with the gift of a warm blanket. Thank you ladies for your gifts of love…knitted, crocheted or quilted. .. .they are greatly appreciated by all!

Sue is busy organizing the clothes and other baby items to make layettes which will be given out to the new moms after the blessed event of new life. The babies are weighed weekly to ensure a healthy start while the moms receive health and nutrition classes.Under special circumstances sometimes it is necessary for them to take a child home to nurse back to health.

Martha is a water baby who needed some special care and TLC. Six months later and many visits to a pediatrician, a shunt was surgically implanted in her head to drain the fluid from the brain and she is now thriving thanks to their loving care. Hopefully Martha will be able to return home with her mother soon.

Thank you Jim & Sue for your nurturing love and commitment. You are an inspiration to all!

To see more on their work visit www.dominicanministry.com .

WHERE DID THEY GO?

You may be wondering why no news has been posted the past 4 weeks and wondered where did they go?

We went home for a short break to witness the celebration of our oldest son's convocation for passing his UFE exam and a week later Bart & Sharon were married on February 28, 2009. The weather co-operated magnificently considering it was February and in the middle of winter.....clear and sunny and -5 degrees Celcius.

We consider it is a blessing to have been able to share these special (and other) days with our children, extended family and friends the past 3 weeks.

JUICE MINISTRY

Jesus performed a miracle by feeding 5000 people with only the lunch of a small boy (5 small loaves and 2 fish). This week, four mission teams took part in feeding the most vulnerable ones....the children.... in the juice ministry outreach. Although there weren’t 5000 kids, nevertheless, it was still a challenge to prepare and distribute of the food. Thank you to our four Italian neighbourhood ladies for helping with the food preparation.

Four mission teams, four villages, four juice ministries in four days, and 450 children were fed.

Green Valley Enterprises in villa Esperanza

the Sawatzky family in Cangrejo

Marshall Memorial Church in Chichigua

and Journey 2009 in Poncho Mateo.

The groups had a lot of fun with the children singing songs, playing musical chairs and even dancing in the aisles. A two sided drum, a guiro (a brass cylinder with a metal fork) and a handmade tambourine combined with the excited voices of the children at full volume and the clanging of their metal cups made quite an impact on all the participants. While singing “O Canada”, the Journey 2009 group displayed the Canadian flag to the delight of the children.

After the program, each child was given a nutritious snack consisting of a boiled egg, a bun with salami, a cup of vitamin enriched juice and also a gift bag made up of goodies by the team members.

In Chichigua, 50 pairs of donated shoes were also distributed to the children. Many children walk barefoot during the week saving their one pair of shoes for Sunday worship so these shoes were a blessing to receive. Walking and running barefoot all day through the fields, clay and rocks make for very tough feet.

Jesus said,” When you do these things to the least of my people, you do it unto me”. What a blessing it is for us to share this exciting ministry opportunity with all the mission teams that come to share in the work and giving of their time and talents to help the poor.

INAUGURATION OF VILLA NAZARETH

A grand celebration for the inauguration of Villa Nazareth took place Sunday, January 25, 2009 to mark the completion of the 7th project for the Samaritan Foundation. Maranatha, Bethany, Emmanuel, Trinity, Redemption and Ascension villages have also been completed.

One hundred families in desperate need have each received a newly constructed block home in Nazareth during the past two years, with the final two families receiving theirs during the celebration.

Many people, including the mayor, the local politicians, the media, members of the Sosua Rotary club and all the missionaries attended the ceremony to thank God for the many blessings these people have received.

Each of these nine young ladies represent

one of the nine villages being built by the Samaritan Foundation, and gave a brief history of it.

The families of Nazareth would like to thank their sponsors for providing the funds to build the homes, the school, the medical clinic and a 20,000 gallon cistern to ensure that potable water is available for the entire village.

The Samaritan Foundation continues to build homes in two

current projects: the villages of Esperanza and Paraiso . Pray that the sponsorship of these homes will continue and bless the people.