We are excited about 2018 and the great work prepared for our ministries. Starting with this first edition I will send out a quarterly update on the status of various aspects of the ongoing work. Let me begin by saying that, although we are in Colombia, our primary focus is Venezuela. God has given us many contacts and much favor in Venezuela, so we are using that to reach people for Christ and develop ministries that will reform the nation.
Let me give you a brief overview of our current ministries.
BET20 – The Basic English Training program was designed as a scholarship program for very poor high school and college age students who couldn’t afford to attend the English Academy. We graduated 3 classes of students who received English teaching and values education from a Christian perspective. As we enter 2018 we have selected a group of the best students to receive training to work as translators. By mid-2018 we will again begin basic classes.
GSCA -The Good Samaritan Christian Academy will celebrate its 20th Anniversary in 2018. The original mission of the academy was to train translators for medical mission projects. In May 2018 graduates and students of the academy will help us with a project on the Venezuelan/Colombian border. GSCA grew into more than just a center for the training of translators. The academy has taught French and Italian, as well as offering seminars on leadership and jobs training.
Project Joseph/Proyecto Jose – The English named program is our effort to help feed children and elderly people in Venezuela in the midst of this crisis. We help 3 feeding programs in Calabozo and are added a program in Valencia this month. Proyecto Jose is a program that helps Venezuelans raise chickens, pigs, fruit, and vegetables. We help with seeds, feed, fertilizers, etc. to get then started. They sell a portion of their harvest to our feeding programs at a good price. The rest they can eat or sell. The goal is to fund them for no more than 3 to 6 months. Some projects are small in back yards of the city, while others are larger in rural areas.
Team20 – We have started a short-term trips ministry again for medical as well as evangelistic projects. Dr. Jeff Chapman will come in May to conduct a clinic in Cucuta Colombia on the Venezuelan border. Mercy and Truth Medical Missions will work here in September. Our desire is to re-establish this very effective form of ministry in Venezuela and Colombia. We would love to have each of you come.
Cuarto de Guerra – The War Room – Started in December 2016 this ministry in the past year has served to mobilize prayer and intercession in and for Venezuela. It grew to not only be an internet prayer ministry, but also a ministry for teaching and training people in fervent and effective prayer. As we move into 2018 we are establishing “lighthouses” in neighborhoods across Venezuela to pray for their communities. Look for some exciting updates soon about this ministry.
VENSTRA - This is our acronym for the ministry that is developing in Venezuela. I have saved the most exciting news until the last. We have been able to bring into the ministry four great leaders in Venezuela. Juan Pablo is the Pastor of Torre Fuerte in Uverito; Patricia Luna is the Pastor of El Cordero; Gerson Veloz is Director of Reskate Foundation; Marlon Guttierez is an Associate Pastor of Iglesia Maranatha. I have been associated with each person for 10 – 20 years. With financial support from VENSTRA they will now be able to devote hours to the ministries we are developing in Venezuela. Each one will have specific ministries to develop and oversee including those listed above, as well as ministries that I will be telling you about in the next update. Each leader is spending time with us in Bogota for training and will be at our leadership conference in Cucuta in March. These leaders will help us begin an effective evangelism, discipleship, and church growth ministry. By July 2018 we will be training pastors and leaders to plant churches in villages and communities without a church.
MEDIA – This update will be sent to you quarterly. Online updates, reports, and pictures will be posted regularly on my Facebook: www.facebook.com/JohnPowell55
John’s email: ktaven@gmail.com
