Grace Community Church has a long history as a church that is interested in worldwide missionary service. Over the past number of years, many from this congregation have been called to serve God in vocational ministry on the mission field.
Overall, our goal is to send and support people whose main interests are to plant churches around the world as well as teach and train national church leaders. Beyond full-time missionary service, our church is also heavily involved in short-term opportunities where people within our body can minister overseas for anywhere from one week to a year.
Please join us in prayer for the missionaries and ministries listed on these pages as they declare the glory of God among the nations of the world. Also consider how you might use your gifts and finances to proclaim the good news of the gospel to the people of the world.
Missions Committee Meeting
Cameroon Team Travel Plans
Note from Dennis Dykstra sent this morning:
Just a note to pass along to everyone about our travel plans back to the US.
Pastor Steve / Jacob and Eric should be leaving Douala this evening at 11:30 pm Cameroon time.
The Ndu team will leave 8:30 AM Thursday to travel to Bamenda to pick up the orphanage team. The roads are bad enough to make a Jeep whimper. It should take us about 4-5 hours to go 30 miles.
We will stay overnight in Bamenda. Friday AM we will leave Bamenda for a 8 hour ride (this time on fairly decent roads) to Douala. We will stop at the mission house for showers and then off the airport for a 11:30 pm (AF 943) flight. We will arrive in Paris at 6:10 AM (Paris time). Our flight (AF 378) leaves Paris at 1:50 PM we will should arrive in Detroit at 4:45 pm. I do not know how long customs in Detroit will take.
Note from Debbie Dykstra:
We have two vehicles from Grace going to pick up the team and hopefully they will arrive back at GCC in a timely manner.
Prayer requests:
- Getting through customs in Douala.
- Everyone stays healthy. We got a few with the beginnings of a cold.
Worshipping in Douala
Dear Grace Family,
Eric Anderson, Jacob and I worshipped in Douala at Trinity Baptist Church with Pastor Ndzi Jones. The congregation was extremely moved as I told them we gifted their pastor with over 125 books. There was a gasp, then smiles, then a huge applause that thundered off the tin roof. I then presented the pastor with the ESV Study Bible with all the team's signatures in it. The congregation was very moved, as was Pastor Jones.
The three of us fly out of Douala tonight, lord willing, at 11:30 p.m., then get to Chicago around noon Tuesday. It has been a great trip, with much accomplished for the kingdom. The church here was deeply moved that we would come to work with orphans, do construction, trek in the jungle, teach. I told them we do all this because we believe that Jesus was right when he said it is more blessed to give than to receive. They all shouted amen when they heard that.
Thank you for your partnership in this endeavor. You are part of what we are doing.
Blessings,
Pastor Steve
Sunday in Cameroon
Good Morning! We just got back from church. We attended the Menda Baptist Church with the missionaries here and all the children from the orphanage. It was a great message. The Pastor recently toured the US with a CD of Cameroonian music. So I [Joanne] bought one to bring home!
Not sure if the other half of the team has had internet and wanted to let you know the trekers returned from the jungle safe around 2:00 Saturday. They said they had a great time. We will be showing the Jesus film this evening at the orphange in the native pigeon, we are very excited about this. Pass the word to pray for our time tonight.
Please be in prayer for the Cameroon Team throughout the afternoon. They are 6 hours ahead of us.
Saturday in Cameroon
From Joanne Bengston. Photo by Dave Bengston.
This morning we head back to the orphanage to do more painting, we are working on three rooms, one will be a girls dorm, one a library/study room for the kids and one a living room area. We should be able to finish those today. Then there are a couple more rooms to do for Mon-Wed.
Today Eric leaves Bamenda and meets up with Pastor Steve and Jake they will be flying in a small airplane to Doula and staying with the Pastor Ninz Jones that all the books were for. The Trekers will be coming out of the jungle today. We are hoping to hear tonight that they are out and safe. We may have the opportunity to show the Jesus Film here in Bamenda on Sunday night with the two Missionaries here in Bamenda. We are excited about that opportunity.
More Cameroon Updates!
Dave Bengston sent us these updates from his wife Joanne. He also supplied the photos from his previous trip to Cameroon.
Wednesday Morning
Today the trekkers head out, and we leave for Bamenda to spend the next nine days with the orphans there. We are all excited to get to the places we have been planning to go, but have mixed feelings about leaving the team. We are having a lot of laughs together and feeling that sense of family here. But all of us are missing everyone back home.
Wednesday Evening
We made it back to Bemenda, the roads are getting worse with time, it now takes 1-1/2 hours to get from Ndu to Banso (about 20-25 miles). It took us four hours to get to Bamenda, we were packed in very tight, four people in the back and three in the front, very dusty and hot but we are glad to be here. The house we are staying at is really nice, we all had a hot shower and have a real toilet to use! : ) Tomorrow we will begin painting at the orphanage in the morning and then when the kids are done with school we will be playing with them and helping them with their homework. Tell Nathan and Hannah they are very lucky to be children in America, I have many pictures to show them and stories to tell of the difficulties of the children here.
Thursday
We had our first day in Bamenda today, in the morning we painted three rooms and then came back and cleaned up and at 4:00 we went back to the orphanage and the kids had a program for us with singing and memory verse. It was so good! Then we gave them the blankets what a joy to watch their faces as we read them the messages and as they saw their blankets. It was really a joy to be there. We are very impressed with this orphanage and the program they have set up.
Donations for Haiti
Donations are being collected to aide the people of Haiti following the devastating earthquake there. A list of needed items is available at the Sign-Up Center. Due to the overwhelming response by those wanting to help, the drop-off date is extended to Sunday, January 31. Items can be placed in the tub in the church kitchen.
Donations are also being accepted to help cover shipping costs. Contact Amanda VanKoevering with questions.
Cliff Returns from Haiti!
Cameroon Update from Pastor Krogh
Dear Grace Family,
All is well here. Internet service is very sporadic, along with sporadic electricity and water...so the lack of email is due to that. Sometimes, all shuts down in the middle of an email and all is lost. So, type quickly!
Our team is now in three locations. The trekkers left for a four hour vehicle trip this morning, followed by a few hours of trekking. They will show the Jesus video tonight in about three hours, lord willing, then do the same in two more villages the next two nights. The trekkers came to my class with their backpacks on before they departed. The students gave a very moving prayer for them, with great smiles as the trekkers shared their love of the gospel, Christ and souls in Cameroon. They will return in four days with stories to tell. Pray for their safety, as they are going to a rugged (and hot) area, lower in elevation than the seminary. Danae wanted me to tell her parents, "I will be okay." She had a big smile on her face as she headed off with her full pack. When I introduced the team to the class I said, "You Africans have an expression that white people are 'fragile.' Well I am here... (read more below)
Pray for the Cameroon Team
We are thankful that the team in Cameroon is doing well; and that they have internet service now. Please pray for the team tomorrow specifically as they split up to begin the evangelistic trek and the work at the orphanage. Please pray for safety, perseverance and endurance as five team members (Emily, Laura, Danae, Chad and Jon) hike (trek) to a village to share the gospel. Also, pray for those traveling to and working at the orphanage in Bamenda.
The rest of the team will stay at the seminary and work on construction, electrical wiring and office help. Pastor Steve continues to teach in the seminary to many eager to hear more of the Bible with the goal of bringing what they’ve learned back to their individual churches.
FYI - Their time is 6 hours ahead of us here.
Haiti Update
From Deb Van Koevering:
Thank you for your prayers for Haiti and Cliff. I (Deb) received a call this morning from Cliff saying that the mission received diesel fuel yesterday and are suppose to get some more today and later in the week. Also Samaritians Purse delivered a water filtration system in which they now can filter the pond water to be used for drinking and cooking. Praise the Lord for His faithfulness.
Cliff also wanted me to check about his flight to come home on Friday. Upon checking the airlines said not until Monday the 25th. So we will wait and see. Cliff also says they are very busy helping people with medical needs and basic food and water they need. Continue to pray for Haiti and their need to Christ.
From Amanda VanKoevering:
Due to the overwhelming response by those wanting to help with donations for Haiti, Amanda VanKoevering would like to extend the drop-off date through January 31st.
A list of needed items can be found at the Sign-Up Center and the drop-off tub is located in the church kitchen.
Cameroon Update from Philemon Yong
We just had internet return to working order late last night. People will be online today, but just in case internet goes out again (it does that without warning) everyone is well, and working hard, and giving us joy not pain! We are very busy keeping up with them, but also very glad to have them here.
Worship on Sunday was wonderful: I'll let them tell you about it. Hopefully they will be able to write today. Wednesday they travel to Bamenda to work at the orphanage, and the trekkies travel to Banso to join John Yong and Dr. Julie.
Cameroon Update from Joanne Bengston
Everyone is doing great here ... feeling well and having a great time with the kids here. They are very precious and quickly find a way into your heart. The Construction team is just getting started but feel good about the progress they are making. Steve is pleased with his first day of class. Yesterday [a team] went to the CBC primary school and gave a phonics lesson and then took the a group of six kids to read with them and work on more phonics, the kids were ages 3-4 up 7-8 years.
Then ... went to Ndu to meet with a woman who has started a ministry called Hope for the Widows and Orphans. That was really interesting I was very impressed with her vision and desire to equip with the gospel first and then equip with a trade to support themselves. We prayed together with her and a Rev. Peter and another widow that assists her, great experience to here their passion for the Lord.
Cameroon Team Update
From the Cameroon Team:
"We arrived safely here in Cameroon, but have been without internet, thus the reason you have heard nothing. Our team worshipped this morning at two different churches, with the trek team (Laura, John, emily, chad, danae) and Pastor Krogh attending a four hour worship service, baptism, communion, and Pastor Steve preaching via interpreter. It was a great blessing. The rest of the team worshipped closer to the seminary, with our musicians (Eric, Jason, Jacob, Hannah L.) providing two special musical numbers and the rest of the team singing.
We have already begun work on the classroom at the seminary, sifting 15 yards of sand in preparation for beginning cement work on Monday. Ross Stoepker has started rewiring the seminary and will be done in approximately 2 years. :)
Dr. Julie Stone is giving the trek team a tour of Banso Hospital. They will leave Wednesday for a trek with Pastor John Yong and six porters. They will hike in a difficult terrain that needs the gospel. Philemon is glad we are taking the gospel to this region.
We are doing well. Nobody is sick. People are loving Cameroon.
The Yongs are thrilled with the coffee. The orphan team hand their hands filled on Saturday with children in Ndu and are looking forward to what God has for them in the orphanage in Bemend next week.
Pastor Krogh begins teaching tomorrow and will teach each day this week all day and has over 50 students and more requesting to get into the class on "Preaching Christ from the O.T."
Pray for all of us. Hopefully internet service will be available in the coming days.
Blessings,
The Cameroon Team"
Cameroon Team Arrives in Douala
According to Dennis Dykstra, the Cameroon team has arrived safely in Douala with enough luggage to outfit the Lewis & Clark expedition.
Douala is the largest city in Cameroon and the capital of Cameroon's Littoral Province. Home to Cameroon's largest port and its major international airport, Douala Airport, it is the commercial capital of the country. Consequently, it handles most of the country's major exports, such as oil, cocoa and coffee, timber, metals and fruits.
The team has a 12 hour bus ride to Ndu tomorrow.
Cameroon Team Prepares for Mission Trip
The Cameroon mission trip is January 12-30, 2010. Their itinerary is attached to this post. The team is pictured below.
Back: Ross Stoepker, Alyssa Stoepker, Kaitlyn Bengston, Eric Anderson, Dennis Dykstra, Colton Dykstra, Jacob Krogh, Pastor Steve Krogh, Danae Dracht, Hannah Lonsway, Jason Porritt
Front: Charis Ketcham, Laura Yonkers, Marla Johnson, Joanne Bengston, Emily Fewless, Hannah Porritt
Not pictured: Chad VandenHeuvel, Jon Vruggink
Please pray for safety, team unity and effective unity. Visit this page for updates about their trip.
Books for Pastor Ndzi Jones in Cameroon
Our Cameroon Team is bringing an “instant library” of books to Pastor Ndzi at Trinity Baptist Church. If you would like to gift him with a book, please see the table opposite the missions display. Please write a note on the bookplate, which will be placed in the book you purchase for Pastor Jones. Proceeds from the book sales will also help raise funds for our Cameroon Team.
