It’s that time of year again! The missions team is preparing to go to the Dominican Republic to minister to and be ministered to by the people there, especially the children & young people. Going from Kingsview this year are Ron Arrindell, Lowell & Lois Brown, Darrin Lindsay, and Dean & Sharon Taylor. The other team members are Wendy Clarkson, Paul & Earla Hill, Jay Lording, and Melody Potter. Please pray for us! The team will be in the DR from January 30th to February 6th. You can anticipate a report on a Sunday morning within a few weeks of their return.
There are currently 184 children in the Program. They are all doing well in school, with very few exceptions. More than 300 children have already been identified as in need of sponsorship. We have many things to be thankful for in the past year, not the least of which is Jonathan, who continues to receive a clean bill of health! Following the great success of Jonathan’s surgery and recovery, about a year ago, we began looking at the possibility of helping Yariela. She is an 11 year-old girl that had one leg 7 inches (18 cm) shorter than the other and a foot deformity that made it very difficult for her to walk the mile (1.6 km) to church and school and back.
It looked like an impossible project; however, as scripture promises, with God all things are possible! Doctors in the DR have taken an interest in Yariela’s case. They believe that she can experience a complete recovery of normal function.
It will take 3 to 4 years, and several operations costing a total of $35,000. One year later, enough money had come in to pay for the first operation by July of this year. It was successful, and we are now looking at the second operation happening on Jan. 10th. In fact, Scotia Bank in the DR, through a connection here in Canada, has recently donated $5000 toward the next operation!!
In November, Lowell & Lois visited with three of the four surgeons as they explained that in the next operation they will turn her foot to the proper position and fit her with a shoe so she can walk. It will be a special shoe that can be shortened as they continue to lengthen her leg. As part of a new procedure, she will have a metal rod inserted in her leg and they can gradually extend the leg 6 inches (15 cm)!
As you can imagine, Yariela is very upbeat and happy. And because she cannot get to church, the church has come to her! Every Thursday evening 50 to 60 people, including neighbours, come to her house for a worship service. This has become a ministry for the whole neighbourhood…God is at work in so many ways!
Elias, a young man that has recently graduated from university with his medical degree is another great success story. In January, the Team will present him with a plaque, as he is the very first student to graduate from university from our Program! As sponsorship is designed to instill in young people, Elias wants to help when we are able to construct a Medical Clinic in Esperanza in the future.
Esperanza Property Purchase, L-R: the lawyer, Pastor Angelita, former owner
Speaking of building projects, things are coming together for the new church building in Esperanza. Believe it or not, this project has been about 10 years in the making. The new property was officially purchased on Dec. 16th, 2009 . Two teams have been assembled, along with all the materials to construct a brand new church building on the property during the weeks of April 4th to the 18th.
Team members from Kingsview are Lowell & Lois Brown, Brent Brown, Paul Hogeboom, Ralph Moulton, Randy Simmons and Paul Tomc. Other team members are John Armstrong, Lee Brown, Dan Cleaveley, Lloyd Cornwall, Ross Dodridge, Brian Harris, Jay Lording, Grant Nigh, Mark Smith, John Stewart. The existing church is the original church plant building. It is called the “Capilla” meaning branch, as it is a branch of the main Free Methodist Church in Esperanza. (This tiny building is about the size of the lounge at Kingsview.) The new church will provide a much bigger, and much needed space in which to accommodate the growing congregation under Pastor Angelita’s leadership.