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                                                                                                                  ...without a vision, the people perish ~ Proverbs 29:18

 

Missions

 
 

Pachacutec, Peru
[click here to go to journal account of Leona's work]

Region Profile

The name Pachacutec comes from PACHACUTEC INCA YUPANQUI, which means "He who makes the world". He was the ninth Sapa Inca (1438-1471) of the Kingdom of Cuzco. Pachacutec expanded the Inca dominion from the Valley of Cuzco to nearly the whole of civilized South America.

Perhaps it was Pachacutec’s expansion to regions beyond that prompted the naming of a refugee settlement after him. Pachacutec, Ventanilla is a barrio that has expanded from hilltop to valleys and on to cover all the surrounding hill tops. It is located in the district of Ventanilla, which is about a forty minute drive from Lima.

The development of Pachacutec began in the 80’s when peasants from the Andes and other areas escaped the terror of the Shining Path (a communist terrorist group). They settled on the government owned coastal dunes. In time, the government gave the land (deeds) to the squatters, so that today many own the square area where their dwelling stands.

Yesterday (September 8, 2008), I visited Pachacutec for the first time. In early August, a friend shared with me that there were thousands of kids in Pachacutec, since that time I had been praying for the area. Through prayer the Lord filled my heart with a vision for Children’s Churches, and I was impressed with Pachacutec as the area for the first of this type of outreach. The last week in August I taught a class in the Spanish Bible College on Children’s Ministry, with the goal of sharing my vision and forming a team. On September 7 the team (12) and I met for the first time, and yesterday I was given a tour of the area I had been praying for!

As we traveled on dirt roads from hill to hill the extent of the poverty was striking. Some of the shacks, closer to the main road, have electricity, but there is no city water or sewer system. Households have large trash can type containers which are filled with water for their families use. Holes are dug for human waste.

Pachacutec is known to be one of the most dangerous areas in Peru, as a result most residents have dogs (not the friendly household pet). The first child I met was under two and was being carried by his mother; we gave them a lift. When they were seated next to me in the car, I could see the child’s face was badly wounded. The mother explained that her son had been attacked by a German shepherd, he had over 80 stitches! Throughout the rest of my "tour", I wondered how common that was each time I heard dogs barking as we passed.

Child and spousal abuse are common throughout Pachacutec. One of the missionaries’ working with Pastor Raul told me that the molestation of children is the norm. I know that the Lord’s heart is broken for these children, and He desires to do a work in their lives. I pray He allows me to be part of His healing process.

Pastor Raul started a ministry to children, and an adult Bible study in one area of Pachacutec. He has been in prayer about reaching further into the hills, to make contact with children in other areas. The Children’s Church could be an answer to his prayers. There are many seemingly impossible obstacles to conquer, but I know through God all things are possible. It is even possible that the name Pachacutec could change in meaning to "He that created the world".

  • PLEASE PRAY FOR PACHACUTEC.

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Proposal for work in Peru

The numerous outreaches that go on throughout the year from Calvary Chapel Bible College Lima, (in cooperation with existing Calvary Chapels and new church planting teams) come in contact with thousands of children. Many of these children are homeless; others come from troubled families and rough neighborhoods; all are spiritually and emotionally needy. These children present us with an awesome opportunity to reflect the love of Christ, and to invest in the church of the future.

Strategy

Establish and train a team to follow up with these children through an ongoing "Kids Club" which will involve a structured weekly program, such as the Confident Kid's program (available in Spanish).

The number of children accepted into the program would be limited to five children to one adult ratio. Sign-ups would take place a week before the clubs would begin (succeeding clubs will be available).

Children who have accepted the Lord and completed the program will be given the opportunity to become a member of the Children’s Church (new church plant). During this phase, the children will learn what their commitment to Christ means; what they need to do to grow in the Lord; and the part the church plays in that growth and development.

Short Term Goals

  • Class on Children’s Ministry offered in Spanish Bible College

  • Form a Prayer Team

  • Through prayer determine the location for the first club

  • Team Training and Workshops

  • Four Phase Strategy

    Phase One:  Kids' Club

    1. Flyers to be taken home and signed

    2. Registration (must present signed flyer)

    3. Interview, explain program, expectations, rules, consequences

    4. Weekly Kids Club Meeting

    Phase Two:  Believers' Meetings

    1. Children that have accepted the Lord "graduate" into the second phase.

    2. The Children’s Church Pastor and the traditional Calvary Pastor teach the basics
          as is taught in adult church, but scaled down

    3. Baptism

    Phase Three:  Children’s Church

    1. Same format as adult Calvary, scaled down

    2. a. Children are ushers, make announcements

      b. Pastor (young man (Samuel?)) is under the supervision of Calvary pastor (Raul)

      c. Senior (traditional) pastor (Raul) will be involved in the Children’s Church through
             communion services, baptism, etc.

    Phase Four:  Youth (14) enter traditional church

    1. Ceremony at church to receive these young people

    NOTE:  The first three phases will be repeated every six weeks for a year.

    METHOD OF APPROACH

    A. Meet with base leader (John Bonner) to share vision discuss details

  • Shared with John in July and at his request shared at the staff meeting

  • Met again with John in August discussed class to recruit team members

  • B. Children’s Ministry Class offered in the Spanish Division of the Bible College first week in September
            (5 evenings of two hour sessions)

  • Share vision with students (adults and young adults)

  • Sign up for team members (12 signed up)

  • Follow up meeting with John discuss location 9/4/08 (Pachacutec approved, pending pastor’s agreement (Raul)

  • C. Meet with Pastor Raul 9/5/08

    • Shared vision, discussed logistics, prayed

    • Pachacutec will be location

    D. Meet with team 9/6/08

    E. Visit Pachacutec with Pastor Raul

    • Find suitable rental facility

    Begin Phase One!

    Note: Pastor Raul shared that he had been praying about moving into another area of Pachacutec and that he has been discipling a young man (Samuel is a student at CCBCL) that he believes would be very good for the Children’s Pastor. Samuel is from the area of Pachacutec.

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    __________________

    Children's Church

    GOALS FOR THE CLASS

    In addition to training in the use of Confident Kids program (for Kids Club phase) I want to pass on the vision of starting a Kids Church. This church will differ from the traditional church Sunday School or Children’s Church in several ways.

    1. The children are not being brought to church by their parents (although an unstated goal would be to reach the family through the children).

    2. The participants will have completed two phases before entering into the church phase:

      1. a. Kids Club (a follow up to outreach)

        b. New Believers Class and Baptism

    3. The children will have a measure of authority in their church, so they feel they have ownership.

      a. Ushers

      b. Janitors

      c. Announcements

     These will be the "Leaders" of the church and will meet regularly with the Pastor (I hope it will be the young man from Iquitos). 

    d. The Bible Study will be through the Bible, but will be geared for children in length and content.

    e. Unlike Sunday School there will be no craft, the format will follow that of an adult church, but geared for children.

    With the vision stated and the differences presented, the goals for the class include a prayer team, which will consist of the students:

    a. A list of potential locations for the church plant will be presented the first day of class. List will come from staff recommendations. 

    b. Fifteen Minutes to a half hour of class time will be used for prayer, seeking direction and location.

    A church planting team (of at least 5) will be formed from the students by the end of the class. If the class is offered the first week in September, the team could go to the chosen location on Saturday, September 6th (dates depend on class scheduling).

    REGISTRATION First Saturday (9/6/08)

    Flyers announcing the registration need to precede the registration day. This could be accomplished through an outreach.

    Team will have registration, forms will be made up that will enable the team to get as much information as possible on each child. It will be explained to the children that only 20 children will be chosen for the first club, but that there will be other clubs to follow so they will have an opportunity to participate.

    The number is limited so there is a 5 child 1 adult ratio. This will ensure the maximum benefit. My suggestion is that the first group be ages 9-12 with a group mix of 10 boys and 10 girls.

    KIDS CLUB Second Saturday 9/13/08—10/18/08)

    Club begins and will run for six weeks. Children who have accepted the Lord will be "promoted" into the New Believers Class.

    NEW BELIEVERS Eighth Saturday (10/25/08—11/15/08)

    In addition to learning what it means to become a believer, and the significance of baptism, there will be an introduction to the role the church plays in the development of a Christian.

    BAPTISM (11/22/08)

    This should be a very special celebration.

    FIRST SUNDAY FOR CHILDREN’S CHURCH (11/30/08)

    Since this is non-traditional the church service could actually be on Saturdays instead of Sundays. That might be a better option for a variety of logistical reasons. If they meet on Saturdays the service could follow the Kids Club that would be reaching the next group of children.

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    LIBERIA

    Country Profile

    Liberia was founded in 1847 with three primary purposes:

  • 1. A place where free black men could prove their equalities and abilities.

  • 2. To eradicate slavery at the source.

  • 3. To take the gospel to all of Africa.

  • The first colonists, or pioneers as they were also called, arrived in what is today known as Monrovia in 1822. They were sent out by the Colonization Society from America with the aim to return freed slaves to Africa. Funds were provided by the American government and by private donations. While still on the seas, several churches were founded on board the ship.

    The colony’s leaders for the first 20 years were all white men assigned by the Colonization Society. They were responsible for:

  • Negotiating with tribal chiefs for land

  • Eradicating slavery

  • Forming the government

  • Defending against attacks by the tribes

  • Designing the city and setting up schools

  • Liberia was declared an independent state on July 26,1847. The government was modeled after the American system (Liberia is Africa’s oldest Republic) and a very similar constitution was drawn up with one notable exception. It was specifically stipulated that it was Liberia’s responsibility to train and bring the gospel to the tribal peoples. The leaders believed this was their God given mandate.

    Unfortunately these noble aspirations fell short of being carried out for several reasons:

    1. One reason for failure was that they equated "civilization" with Christianity, so when they "Christianized" the tribal peoples, their goal was also to bring them up to the 20th century through education.

    2. Fear and mistrust existed between the two groups

    3. Perhaps the greatest hindrance to success was that only 14-20% of the settlers (pioneers) were actually Christians.

    The seeds of hostility that were sown between these two groups are evident to this day in Liberia.

    A hierarchy developed in the social system: all the political positions and the higher paying jobs went to the Americo-Liberians (Americo’s were the original colonists along with their children; they became another tribe). Menial work was done by the "civilized" tribal peoples. The Americo-Liberians imposed a form of forced labor on the local people.

    In 1930 both Britain and America broke off diplomatic relations with Liberia for 5 years over the issue of forced labor. The Americo-Liberians were able to gain social and economic domination over the tribal peoples because they held total political power. They ruled the country until 1980 when they were violently over-thrown in a coup led by Samuel Doe.

    Doe was from the Khran tribe and he relentlessly persecuted the Americo’s. In time this persecution was directed at several other tribes, one of which was the Mano tribe. In 1989 Charles Taylor, an Americo, led a small number of rebel insurgents from the Ivory Coast border into Liberia. The resulting government counter offensive was so violent that soon the uprising grew in popularity. The civil war that ensued led up to 10,000 deaths.

    The rebel forces broke into two factions; the other led by Prince Johnson from the Mano tribe. By July 1990 Johnson had captured downtown Monrovia, President Doe held the rest of Monrovia and Taylor controlled all the rest of Liberia. Johnson captured and executed Doe in September as ECOMOG (West African peacekeeping forces) landed and took over the greater Monrovia area (i.e. Doe and Johnson held areas).

    From September to November 1991 a severe famine gripped the city and interior regions. This was alleviated when the security situation in Monrovia improved (first cease- fire) enough to allow relief food aid into the city. The tribal factions used this time to rebuild and the cease- fire broke down by June of 1992. The civil war that started in 1989 lasted for fourteen years and was reputed as being one of the most brutal wars in history. In 2003 a peace accord was signed. The UN peacekeeping forces began the task of disarming tens of thousands of rebels. Elections are planned for 2005.

    Currently

    There are 29 languages spoken among the 3.5 million population. The practiced religions are: Christianity, Islam and Animism. The country has not yet recovered from the many years of war, and the peace is precarious. There is a problem brewing over the current governments’ treatment of the Basa tribe. Reportedly Basa have been unjustly arrested and have been tortured and flogged while in detention. There have also been mass evictions of Basa tribesmen in Grand Basa and Rivercress counties. The Basa claim the government has declared war on them and they have taken to the streets in protest. This situation poses a serious threat to the continued peace of Liberia.

    The greatest victims of this war have been the children. Children as young as 8 years of age have carried arms in the conflict. They have participated in the most horrifying forms of violence or have been victims of it. An entire generation of children has been affected by the war and has been traumatized as a result. The most pressing need facing Liberia in 1991 was the counseling and reorientation of its children. The nation did not have the resources to address this problem. The Liberian church had a burden and concern for this desperate need. However, their leaders were not trained in counseling war- traumatized children. MedAir, a Christian Relief Agency, responded to this need.

     

    Women With A Vision

    June 1992, seven months after the first cease-fire, WWAV seconded Leona Karni to MedAir for the period of three months. Her position was that of Biblical Counseling Trainer for Psychological Health Project. Her responsibilities included assessment of needs, building relationships with Liberian staff workers caring for war traumatized children and then designing and teaching seminars and workshops for them, concentrating on practical application.

       Seminars

    Participants included representatives from all the orphanages in the coalition, teachers, nurses, and other staff from schools and churches including a group from the Pan African Christian Women Association whose goal it was to set up a neighborhood counseling center.

    The Objectives were: to give a basic understanding of the emotional needs of children; to give a basic understanding of Biblical counseling principals; and to challenge participants to make a greater commitment to reach out to children.

    The Method of approach was through lectures, discussion, and question and answer sessions. The participants were then assisted and supervised interviewing children, assessing their needs and developing a strategy in counseling.

       National Re-Adjustment Center (NRC)

    Leona Karni facilitated a group-session with ex-combatants. Sessions were held once a week for a total of six weeks. Approximately 100 boys attended these sessions, which were conducted at the NRC building.

    The Objectives were to stimulate awareness of attitudes (i.e. victim, government owes me etc). Encourage the boys to consider the effect of these attitudes on their behavior and to examine the consequences of their behavior. The boys were challenged to set goals for change in areas they were able to controlthoughts and emotions. They were then encouraged to set realistic goals for change in the area of their personal relationships as well as for their future beyond NRC.

    The Method of approach was a lecture (Biblically based) followed by discussion with a high level of class participation.

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    Bridging the Gap

    By Leona Karni

    [Written for REACH, a magazine for the Relief Agencies in Liberia]

    Training concerned women to be effective lay counselors in a 20-hour course presents one with an interesting challenge: Where to begin? Presumably none of these women have had any previous training. What should be included and most challenging and how to move from theory to application. These were my concerns as I prepared recently for such a seminar.

    Since Liberia has a strong Christian influence and the women attending the seminar were all committed Christians, I chose to begin the series with an examination of the Christian worldview. This was followed by a discussion of Christian values as they relate to the absolutes to be used in counseling.

    Included in the sessions that followed were basics on personality development and infantile reactions to pain. We used Bible characters to observe how a personality develops when using pride or anger to deal with rejection. We then went on to observe how attitudes are passed on from generation to generation. One example being that of the struggle between Isaac and Ishmael which continues to date in the Israeli-Arab conflict. This was then easily related to the tribal conflicts in Liberian society.

    Each of the women was assigned homework through which they applied to personal lives specifics from the lectures, such as examination of the tribal prejudices they held. Other assignments included choosing an authority figure from childhood and an incident where they were hurt by this authority figure. They, then, considered how they dealt with the pain from that incident. After this, they spent time with an assigned partner discussing the ways they had developed in their personalities to deal with pain.

    In addition, each woman was required to interview a child (not a relative) concerning their life during the crisis (war). These interviews were shared in class and together we evaluated the issues in the child’s life, which needed to be dealt with for the child to mature emotionally. Together we then developed a strategy for follow-up interviews. The strategy involved leading questions intended to help the child share their feelings on the experiences leading up to, during, and following the war.

    The participants in this seminar enthusiastically embraced the homework assignments and actively participated in classroom discussions. According to their remarks following the seminar, the overwhelming response was positive. They reported that what they learned had a tremendous impact on their personal lives as well as how they viewed the needs of children.

    The women were amazed to find the needs of the children were so great. One woman summed it up like this: " I thought that since the children were playing and going back to school that everything was fine. I realize now that everything is not fine. We must begin to reach out to the children to help in their healing process if we want a future for Liberia."

    NOTE: For more information about seminars that Leona presents to women see the Seminar page.

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    CAMBODIA.

    Political Background

    The Khmer Rouge communist forces won a five year struggle for control of Cambodia in 1975, almost two million people died under this reign of terror. Vietnam invaded Cambodia and drove the Khmer Rouge into the countryside in 1978. Thirteen years of fighting followed the Vietnamese invasion. The UN sponsored elections in 1993 which helped to restore some semblance of normalcy. In 1998 a coalition government was formed and since 2000 there has been political stability.

    Islam in Cambodia

    The world of Islam has a strategy to make Cambodia an Islamic nation by 2030. Iran has invested heavily in building mosques and has effectively placed Muslims in key political positions such as governors in several provinces. In addition, they have built several orphanages and have been involved in various charitable works.

    Buddhism in Cambodia

    Cambodia was a Buddhist nation before the reign of the Khmer Rouge. Most of the population identifies themselves with this religion. There have been great efforts to restore and to build new Buddhist temples. Japan has invested great sums towards this effort and is now in the process of building a big temple on river front property in Phnom Penh. Male children are able to seek refuge in Buddhist monasteries where they receive housing and a free education. They are also indoctrinated in the principals of Buddhism and are required to become novice monks.

    Background of the Church

    In 1553 Roman Catholicism was brought to Cambodia through Portuguese traders. In 1863 Cambodia became a French protectorate and many of its officials were practicing Catholics but no attempt was made to translate the Bible. Protestant missionaries arrived in 1921 and translation of the Bible into Khmer (language of Cambodia) was begun. The first translation of the Old and New Testaments was completed by 1940, but in that same year the government brought out a new dictionary which rendered the previous phonetic system obsolete. The final translation of the Bible was not completed until 1954 at which time it was printed by the British and Foreign Bible Society. In the early 1970s there was an incredible revival in Cambodia with thousands accepting the Lord.

    Following this mighty movement of the Holy Spirit, the Khmer Rouge took control of the country and the church went underground.

    In 1989 ten pastors courageously signed a petition requesting permission for the church to become official; permission was granted in April of 1990.

    There are thousands of Home Churches throughout Cambodia, but few have been able to actually build or rent a facility. There is no Sunday school program for the children and no trained leaders to train and assist in setting up children’s programs. Sunday School materials and supplies, workshops and/or seminars to train Sunday school teachers is the greatest felt need of the Cambodian church.

    Problem Statement

    Cambodia is struggling to develop after years of war; 1999 was the first full year of peace in thirty years. The population lacks education and productive skills, particularly in the poverty-ridden countryside, which suffers from an almost total lack of basic infrastructure (World Factbook-Cambodia). Thirty-six percent of the population lives below the poverty line and eighty percent of the work force is engaged in agriculture.

    Child Slavery in Cambodia

    It is estimated that 10,000 to 20,000 children are working in the streets of Phnom Penh alone and countless thousands struggle to survive in other major cities and towns throughout Cambodia. Street children are one of the most tragic evidences of Cambodia’s traumatic history and poor economy. Thousands of young children are sold to the slave market by their impoverished parents. Thousands of others are tricked into thinking they have legitimate work and are then locked in a room, tortured and forced to have sex. Still thousands of other hungry children are exploited by pedophilias who proposition them on the streets. These pedophilias come to Cambodia as tourists and most of them are residents of Europe and America.

    Response of the Church

    The church is grieved over the crisis situation concerning children in Cambodia, two of the pastors interviewed have taken into their homes (adopted) several of these at risk children. Cambodian Christians have a burden to rescue and protect the exploited children of Cambodia, but are greatly limited by lack of financial resources and training. To give an example of the day-to-day living situation in Phnom Penh, one the pastors interviewed had forty people living in his home, four of whom were street children he had adopted. His house would have comfortably housed six people by American standards.

    The possibility of developing a ministry that would aim at preventing children from becoming ensnared in the slave market through providing a Christian home environment and giving them an opportunity to attend school was discussed. The pastors felt strongly that this would need to be a church based ministry, and that the church was eager for such an opportunity to reach out and meet this need. Also discussed was the need of outside assistance in order to develop such a ministry.

    First Phase Proposal

    In order to begin the process of establishing a relationship with local churches, and to support these churches in their desire to develop Sunday school programs, Women With A Vision (WWAV) will sponsor a short term mission trip in December 2002. Through this outreach donated Sunday school supplies and materials will be delivered to three churches. Additionally, small gift items (sufficient for three hundred children) will be distributed at parties sponsored by WWAV and held in these churches.

    This mission trip is part of a long-term strategy that has as its primary goal the development of a church based ministry, which will rescue and protect children from the slave market. In addition, WWAV intends to assist in the development of a Sunday school program, for children (ages three through twelve) in each of the three churches. This will also involve future training seminars and the provision of material and supplies.

    History

    December 2002_______

    The mission trip in December was very exciting; the Lord provided toys and gifts for three parties and two Deluxe Flannel Graph sets for the churches in Siemreab and Phnom Phen. These were donated by several Calvary Chapel churches and by Calvary Chapel Christian School Murrieta. The first party was in Siemreab where there were over 150 children in attendance from all the local churches as well as the children of construction workers. Each church had their children sing a song for us, what a blessing! Some of the children lived in distant villages and actually started walking at dawn to arrive by 9AM. We left this party to fly to Phnom Phen for our second party. There were 100 children in attendance representing most of the local churches. These children had also planned a program of songs and traditional dance for us. Due to the poor roads and remaining land mines from the war, we were unable to travel (in the time we had) the distance for a third party. The gifts were left in storage in Bangkok.

    It takes time to build relationships in Asia, as it does anywhere. The contact with these two key pastors has been positive. Siemreab and Phnom Phen are both large cities, (neither of them are on the Thai-Cambodian border). The plight of thousands of children in these cities is desperate, and there is no question that there is a need for a ministry that will prevent children from entering the slave market. But at this point in time, the Lord has not revealed to me how this will unfold, for now the contact with these churches and the pastors is a good start.

    February 2003_______

    In praying about traveling to Cambodia again I was impressed with the need to visit towns that border Thailand. There are two areas where just inside the Cambodian border are large Las Vegas type Casinos. Thais cross the border to gamble. Cambodians cross into Thailand to find work and to sell at the Border Market. Children owned by gangs beg at these borders. Recruiters find children here for various aspects of the slave market. There is a border crossing in Burirum and another at Aranyaprathet (several hours from Bangkok). When I go to Thailand I will need to research these border towns to find if there is a church or Christian work there.

    August 2003________

    In July, I spent several days at the two border crossings mentioned above. The Burirum crossing was the least active. There are only two Casinos on the Cambodian side and no town. On the Thai side there is a border market. This is a market where Cambodians sell used clothes, blankets, etc. that are sent to Cambodia by various church groups and charitable organizations, in Thailand it functions as a second hand market. There were a number of children begging at this border crossing, but most of the activity was that of Thais crossing into Cambodia. Contacts: No contact possible on the Cambodian side as there is no town only the casinos. On the Thai side I met with a pastor (Narin) who may be a contact for a safehouse for Cambodian girls until they can be returned safely to Cambodia.

    The Aranyaprathet crossing is much larger and very busy. On the Cambodian side there are 17 Casinos and the small town of Poipet on the Thai side there is another border market. Children are used to carry used clothes, blankets etc. across to sell at the market. This is accomplished by wrapping the clothing or blankets around the waist of the child then the child puts on a large shirt to cover the articles. The reason for this is because the border guards on the Thai side do not stop the children and therefore they are not taxed (import tax). The children spend all day crossing the border, selling at the market, returning and then the same routine all over again. In addition to this scam children are also begging. The youngest child I saw, carried on the hip of another child was about seven months old.

    Contacts: Syna is a Cambodian who escaped to Thailand during the Khmer Rouge era. She accepted the Lord in a refugee camp in Thailand and eventually was able to come to the USA. Syna later attended Bible College, married a Cambodian Christian, and they returned to Cambodia as missionaries with C&MA about 12 years ago. They were just returning from furlough in July when I met Syna and this term they moved to Poipet! Syna has a heart for the children, especially the girls who are being sold into prostitution to the casinos. I shared with Syna my vision to partner with Christians in Cambodia to develop a ministry for theses children.

    January 2005_______

    In the year and a half since I made contact with Syna there has been very little contact. Through the few emails that I have received I understand that their primary interest is in church planting.

    Concerning the churches in Siemreap and Phnom Phen: The senior pastor has taken a year off due to burn out, and there has been no further contact. They also are committed to church planting and development and are unable to stretch themselves any further.

    Conclusion

    A ministry developed in cooperation with nationals is the ideal, however, the Christian nationals I have had contact with are involved full time in church planting and development. They are unable to make a commitment to a ministry as demanding as a ministry whose focus is on the rescue of children from slavery would be.

    The development of a house ministry patterned after the house ministry in Thailand (pioneered by WWAV) by a foreign missionary may be the only feasible course.

    NEED

    Single women or couples with a call to Cambodia and a burden for exploited children. They must be able to raise personal support and be willing to complete a training program that would include spending time in Thailand.

    UPDATE September 2006

    There is a ministry in Thailand (an extension of WWAV) that has a burden and a strategy for Cambodia. One of the girls from the house ministry started by WWAV has graduated from Bible College and is preparing to go to Cambodia in response to this need.

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    WEST BANK
    Part 1

    Palestine

    Arabs are the descendants of Noah through Eber the son of Shem (Genesis 10:21). The early Arabs were nomads who wandered the Arabian Peninsula, eventually the name Arab came to refer anyone whose mother tongue was Arabic.

    In Exodus 15:14 the "inhabitants of Palestina" were a people who occupied a portion of the land of Canaan. The name Palestine was officially given to the southern portion of the Roman province of Syria and was used until after the fall of the Crusader Kingdoms (1187). Under the British Period (1917) the name Palestine was revived as an official title.

    Palestinian Christians date back to the day of Pentecost. In Acts 2:11 Arabians were among those who listened in amazement to the wonderful works of God in their own tongue. Until the time of the Islamic conquest (635), when Arab Muslims entered Palestine as conquerors, Christians were the overwhelming majority in the Holy Land. By the time of the British Period (1917), the Christian population had dropped to 9.6 percent.

    From the earliest use of the name Palestina in Exodus, the title referred to a people group in a particular geographic location. During the Roman usage of the title, and later the British revival of the official title, Palestine and Palestinian people remained a people group in the geographical area of modern Israel. The Palestinian people have never known any form of self-government; they have always been a people under military occupation.

    When Zionists began to purchase the land in Palestine with the dream of establishing the Jewish State of Israel, the local Palestinians protested. This protest became known as the "Arab Rebellion" (1930s). The Palestinians became known as "Palestinian Terrorists" and the term became ingrained in the Western mind. In 1948 the state of the Palestinians was described as: …confined to their reservations, shafted by the Arabs, defeated by the Jews, and forgotten by the world…"

    Yasser Arafat, the late Chairman of the Palestinian Liberation Organization, has been attributed with leading "…the Palestinians out of the deserts of obscurity into the land of Prime Time…." The words Palestinians and Terrorists became fused together in the minds of people all over the world. While 60,000 Palestinian families were dependent on the PLO for their economic well-being, 99 percent of the Palestinian people had never been involved in terrorist activity (1995).

    Since the establishment of the state of Israel in 1948, the Palestinian population has been spread abroad in countries throughout the world. The vast majority of the people-group referred to as Palestinians live outside of modern Israel and the territories of Gaza and the West Bank.

    Jordan annexed the West Bank and East Jerusalem from 1948 until the war of 1967 when Israeli forces began the occupation of the area. Egypt occupied Gaza during the same period. It is in these previously occupied areas that the Palestinians hope to establish an independent Palestinian state. The West Bank and East Jerusalem cover an area of 58,000 kilometers. There are four geographical areas: the Coastal Plain in the north; the Uplands which include Nablus, Jerusalem, Hebron and the mountain range; and the Eastern Foothills, including Jericho and the Coastal Uplands. Sixty-six percent of the population on the West Bank was born after 1967 (1995). Twenty-six percent are under the age of 14 (1995). In 1995 the Christian population stood at 2.8 percent.

    The marked drop of Christians is attributed to a lower birth rate and emigration. Forty percent of emigration has taken place since 1967 and the emigration of Palestinian Christians is three times that of Palestinian Muslims. The reported causes for Christian emigration are: the limited opportunities in the areas of employment, recreation and the arts. The unreported, but understood, reasons for emigration are: increased pressure by Muslim Palestinians for Christian Palestinians to leave, physical abuse of Christian Palestinian children by Muslims Palestinians, and the forced participation of Christian Palestinian children in violent acts against Israelis. Palestinian Christians on the West Bank are a minority within a minority.

    Children of the Occupation

    1987-1994

    Intifada

    Intifada means the shaking off and implies the shaking off of the Israeli occupation. It began as a reaction to the accidental death of a Palestinian by an Israeli driver. The Palestinians believed the death was in retaliation for the murder of an Israeli settler. Children took up stones and warred against the occupying forces. With international recognition, the movement picked up momentum and many children were encouraged by adults to continue in this effective uprising. Not all children on the West Bank were actively involved in the Intifada.

    The Intifada lasted for seven years. The schools on the West Bank were completely closed for two and a half years. For another year-and-a-half, they were closed for fifty percent of the school days. Education on the West Bank was interrupted for four years. It was illegal for children to assemble; children who were not participating in the Intifada were not permitted (by their parents) to go out doors. Obviously, there was no possibility for them to play and experience normal childhood activities during these years.

    Violence was a part of daily life and equally devastating was the violence that the children heard about. Adults were not careful when discussing violence around the children. Often what they imagined, as a result of hearing adult conversation, was worse than what the children actually witnessed.

    The burden of the Intifada and the resultant Peace Settlement rested on the shoulders of the children; they became the heroes. It was difficult for young children to return to normalcy, in the home and the classroom after experiencing the excitement of being war heroes. Throughout the Intifada the children were rewarded for their aggression. Following the Intifada parents and teachers found the discipline of these children to be a problem.

    The residual effect of the violence has impacted most of the children on the West Bank. Of four hundred and fifty recently tested, all were found to be developmentally delayed. The art of the children reflects war and violence. Bed-wetting and depression are common complaints. Almost all the children have been damaged emotionally.

    Recreation

    One of the greatest needs for these children is recreation according to the teachers, parents and agencies working with them. There is not one public park on the West Bank, and private schools or institutions own the existing recreational facilities. There are no playing areas, football fields, or swimming pools to which the Palestinian children have access. These youth have a lot of energy and aggression and no way to channel it positively. During summer months, when schools are traditionally closed, there is very little opportunity for the children on the West Bank to play and be stimulated. Children’s group-play is universally the way we learn teamwork, fair play, and camaraderie.

    The Palestinian youth on the West Bank, between the years of 1987 and 1994 were either rewarded for their aggression or were locked in doors. Currently (1995) they are discontent, and with the closure of the West Bank, are without hope of a peaceful future. They are facing long hot summers with days void of supervised activity. This is a perfect environment for another uprising. Each of the Palestinian leaders on the West Bank who were interviewed by Women With A Vision, strongly believe that recreation during the upcoming summer (1996) is the greatest felt need of the children. They emphasized that any effort to meet this need would be worthwhile.

    WOMEN WITH A VISION

    Problem Statement

    The children on the West Bank are facing summers that have the potential of being boring and uneventful following years of political upheavals, the Intifada, and the current closure of the West Bank. These children are in critical need of organized recreational activities. As the leaders of the Peace Settlement, West Bank youth have learned and been rewarded for aggression which has facilitated their development into rebellious teens. Palestinian parents and educators prior to the Intifada held tight reigns on their youth. They have never had to deal with the aggressive behavior which is now common in the Palestinian children on the West Bank. Summers are void of supervised recreational activites and provide a medium for further youth uprisings.

    Women With A Vision (WWAV) has completed a fact finding trip on the West Bank and based on these findings WWAV believes a summer recreational program is a viable means to reach the Palestinian youth on the West Bank and to meet a need which is felt by the community.

    Strategy

         July and August 1996

  • To provide a three week Summer Day Camp Program in several locations.

  • To use short term missionary teams to work with an existing evangelical organization and private institutions with recreational facilities.

  • To provide a program, which would include art, music, crafts sports, with a goal of teaching the children how to identify their feelings and respond to them using Biblical principals.

  • Participating churches will provide human resources and supplies.

  •      September 1996

    WWAV sponsored three summer camp programs in Ramallah and East Jerusalem. Additionally, WWAV trained youth workers and coordinated two summer camp programs in Beit Zahour and Beir Zeit.

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    WEST BANK
    Part 2

    Calvary Chapel Bible College East Jerusalem

    BACKGROUND

    1997____

    The Christian-Arab communities in the Middle East have limited access, if any, to a Bible College. There is the Bethlehem Bible College in Bethlehem. They offer a full time program with on-campus housing and extension classes. The classes are taught in Arabic and the course offering is traditional with the exception of their emphasis on replacement theology (the belief that the church replaced the Jews). There is a need for a Bible College that will offer well-balanced teaching of the Word of God such as Calvary Chapel Bible College.

    1998____

    The need for an extension campus to the Calvary Chapel Bible College in Murrieta, California was presented to the administration in Murrieta and approval was given to lay the foundation for the extension campus.

    The Word for Today donated the 5000 series of Pastor Chuck’s teaching through the Bible tapes. Calvary Chapel Long Beach donated reference books including the International Bible Encyclopedia to add to the already existing reference books that Leona Karni had accumulated. A church in Randers, Denmark has donated a VCR for the video classes that will be used, and Spring Valley Calvary Chapel in Las Vegas donated the video series from the campus in Murrieta on the book of Ephesians taught by Larry Taylor.

    The anticipated enrollment is 10 students all of whom are fluent in English. The students will begin with a Bible Survey class using the 5000 series audio tapes, and Ephesians using the video class.

    An Inductive Bible Study Seminar will be offered. This will be taught by Dan Finfrock.

    1998-99_

    A facility was rented in East Jerusalem which provided a classroom and office. Course offerings increased due to the involvement of Calvary Chapel Rancho Santa Margerita. A representative from the church and the Bible College in Murrieta visited East Jerusalem and set the campus in order concerning course offerings, credits and administration. Leona Karni was in close contact with the main campus to follow through on the issues of course credits.

    1999____

    Calvary Chapel Bible College East Jerusalem had its first graduate. Pastor Chuck Smith presented the diploma. Plans were made for George Fellmon to take over the work of the extension campus under the supervision of Calvary Chapel Rancho Santa Margarita.

    SUMMARY

    Calvary Chapel Bible College East Jerusalem was established in 1998 with the required course selection needed to complete a two-year program. There were 15 students actively involved in taking classes and attending seminars with one having completed the courses and having received her diploma. It was believed by all involved that for the college to continue successfully there needed to be male leadership. The work was turned over by Leona Karni to Gerorge Fellmon and Rancho Santa Margerita in May of 1999.

    FOLLOW-UP 1999-2001

    Due to poor communication between George Fellmon and Rancho Santa Margerita, and the political situation on the West Bank, the Bible College became inactive. In 2000 Pastor Chuck Smith suggested that Paul and Nancy Dorr contact Leona Karni in regard to work among the Arabs in the Middle East. Leona Karni shared with them the work and vision for the Bible College in East Jerusalem and referred the Dorr’s to Gary Kusunoki pastor of the church in Rancho Santa Margerita. In 2001 the Dorr’s moved to Jerusalem to take over the work of the Bible College.

    Current 2005

    The Bible College in East Jerusalem had almost dissolved by the time the Dorr’s arrived. They have been working with the students that have remained interested. This is very challenging since there is no longer a facility and much of the class material, supplies and records are missing.

    There are now students who are not fluent in English who wish to take classes through the college. This requires that the material be translated into Arabic. The Dorr’s would like to begin the translation project with Pastor Chuck Smith’s teaching on the book of John.

    For further information contact:

    Paul Dorr
    P.O. Box 8598
    91084 Jerusalem
    Israel

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    THAILAND

    Women With A Vision

    Background & Outreach

    Forward

    Leona Karni was a founding member of WWAV and served as President of the organization for many years. Leona represented WWAV in Thailand (and other countries as well). In Thailand she conducted the research and pioneered the work which prevented girls from entering the slave market.

    Women With A Vision (WWAV) was a non-profit organization founded in the United States in 1984 whose interest was with exploited women and children. In 1991 WWAV was registered as a national organization in Thailand as a social work organization under the religious department of the Thai government. WWAV functioned as a non-profit organization registered under the government in the United States from 1984 until 2001.  In 2001 WWAV was dissolved as an independent organization and came under the covering and supervision of Missions at Rocky Mountain Calvary Chapel. Also, in 2001, WWAV Thailand expanded its work to include church planting and a house ministry for boys; the name was thus changed to Grace Ministries North East Thailand.

    History

    1984_____

    WWAV sponsored a research project in Thailand on the child slave market. Using the information obtained through this research, WWAV developed a strategy in prevention targeted for girls from the northeastern provinces of Thailand.

    1989_____

    WWAV implemented this strategy in prevention which involved a house ministry in the Ampur of Non Sung in the province of Korat.

    1990_____

    A second house was opened in Krasang Burirum.

    1991_____

    A third house was opened in Chumpung Korat.

    1994______

    Due to the lack of committed house parents for the day-to-day running of the program, the house in Korat was closed and six of the ten girls were transferred to Burirum.

    1996______

    The house in Chumpung was closed and five girls were transferred to Burirum, again due to lack of committed Christian workers.

    Also in 1996 a missionary couple who had been receiving their visa through WWAV increased their commitment from teaching a weekly Bible study to overseeing the project.

    Current (2005)

    Grace Ministries North East Thailand (WWAV) continues to run the girls house ministry. Additionally, they have opened a boys house in Krasang. GMNET has also has planted a church and developed a work to help poverty stricken farmers.

    Problem Statement

    Studies done by the Foundation for Child Development and Child’s Rights Protection Center show that children as young as ten years old are employed in Bangkok at all-night food markets, factories, and private homes. The reports go on to say that these children are allowed no contact with their families, they are beaten, burned, raped, and forced to work up to eighteen hours a day with no breaks. During the few hours they do not work, they are locked in a small room with as many as twenty other children. Of all the children involved in the labor market, 80% come from the Northeast of Thailand.

    The Northeast of Thailand is an agricultural area that is often plagued by drought. Farmers are hard pressed to support their families. Commonly a child is taken out of school after completing sixth grade (12 years old), often younger, and are expected to participate in earning the family income. Illegal Job Agencies are aware of these circumstances and send recruiters to the villages to lease children for work in Bangkok.

    Recruiters promise the parents a secure position for the child and offer an advance on the child’s wages. If the parents agree a contract is signed and the child leaves the village with the recruiter. The child is then considered the property of the recruiter they are taken to a Job Agency in Bangkok where they are commonly raped and beaten and kept imprisoned on the top floor of a shop house until they are sold. The Women’s Rights Protection Center reports that it is a common procedure for the agents to rape the young girls as a means of controlling them.

    While this is the most common way for children to arrive at the job agencies there are some who travel to Bangkok on their own with the hope of finding work. Recruiters are stationed at the train and bus stations with the purpose of meeting these children. They offer them assistance in finding housing and jobs. They are then taken to the Job Agencies.

    Employers looking for cheap labor frequent these agencies. Brothel owners are able to place a special order for young fresh girls. The employer pays an advance on the child’s wages, this goes to the agent. A contract is signed and the employers telephone number is verified. From then on the child is completely at the mercy of the employer.

    Prevention Program

    A house ministry, within walking distance of the government school, was established to provide for all of the physical and educational needs of the child. Two housemothers, who live on site, have the day to day responsibility of running the house. The daily schedule for the girls involves, chores, study time and Bible study.

    The selection process is done through a scholarship program, which is offered in cooperation with the school district. The girls are chosen on the basis of need. The scholarship is presented in an award ceremony at which time the program and rules are explained.

    Participants enter the program at the beginning of 7th grade and are able to continue on through university if they apply themselves. Vocational training is also an option.

    Update

    Girls House (WWAV)

    There are currently 12 girls residing in the house in Krasang. The housemother (Ewe) is a young woman who first came to the house when she was 12 years old. Her assistant (Kaew) received assistance from WWAV for Secretarial training but did not live in the house.

    Boys House (GMNET)

    There are currently 4 boys residing in the house. The housemother and assistant are both girls who grew up in the house ministry (Dik and Pell) and both have graduated from five- year Bible College.

    Saitanrak Church (GMNET)

    The housemothers and two of WWAV girls who are in their last year of Bible College are a part of the leadership team for the church. Saitanrak meets in the house for Sunday and mid-week service. Charles Harvey (missionary) is acting pastor. Witoon, a young man from the Northeast who is a Bible College student assists Charles. The church membership consists of new believers (led to the Lord through the ministry of GMNET) and the residents of both houses. 

     Short Term Missions

    Leona Karni (founder of the work in Thailand) continues to be involved through annual visits. During these trips Leona functions in a teaching and consultative capacity. In 2004 she and another American woman sponsored Christmas parties for both houses and one as an outreach for children in the town of Krasang.

    2005-2007_____

    Leona made several short term trips to Thailand during these years. In 2007, in addition to visiting the work she pioneered in the Northeast of Thailand, Leona taught, counseled and was the speaker for the Evangelical Church of Bankok’s Christmas Outreach Luncheon.

     

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