John Cook, Author at Indigenous Ministries

Refugee Family Starts Life Over for the 2nd Time

Kurdistan – One of our families whose children are in our Refugee Child Sponsorship Program in Iraq shared their story with our visitation team this week.
In 2014, they considered themselves to have a comfortable life in the small town they lived in on the outskirts of Mosul, Iraq. When ISIS, or, ISIL, began intervening in the area, they had took quick action and were able to sell everything they had and flee to Lebanon, where they stayed for several years waiting for permission to emigrate to another country. After repeated attempts, and repeatedly being denied, last year they returned to Iraq with nothing. All their hopes and dreams crushed, the resources they sold near Mosul with the hopes of using this money to start a new life had all been spent on survival. Now back in Kurdistan, they have had to start from nothing one more time. The UNHCR (United Nations High Council for Refugees) reports that in 2018 there were 4.1 million refugees just like this family trying to re-settle. Most have “significant needs” as the UNHCR put it, in this historic time in the Middle East.
They are also hungry for hope, any encouragement and are anxious for good news. And that’s where our teams step in. And that’s where you make a difference. The food that this second time refugee family receives from the Chid Sponsorship Program is a very big help. With the provision of the basic things this food packet provides, their life is a little bit easier, not harder. They wanted to be sure the team shared with Indigenous Ministries how very grateful they are for this assistance.
The family has also been attending church with our ministry team because they find comfort and encouragement not only from the messages, but from other refugees who are also struggling through this re-settling issue. Thank you for your prayers and financial sponsorship of the children in this program. Yes, together, we are making a difference!

Two kids (not from the family in the article) in the program receiving their family’s food packet in June near Mosul. The food they receive (in front of them) is about 40 pounds.

Prayer Points: Pray that the refugee children would study well in school this fall, and that they will have a sense of security and peace. Pray for the marriages of the refugees, for the spiritual journey they are on. Pray for their ears to hear the Scriptures shared. Pray for our pastor and his wife as they lead this church filled with refugees.

School is around the corner! Backpacks still needed!

By John Cook Leave a Comment Jul 18

Countdown to school – September! With $10,100 to go to help all our sponsored kids in Iraq and Egypt, and to be honest, we’re in a pinch!

Would you give what you can to help us get these kids back in school?

Donate on our website today! Suggested amount for one child: $83, includes equipped backpack and school uniform for a refugee child.

You don’t need to be a sponsor to donate to this worthy project!

Thank you to all who have given so far – especially our Awana and VBS kiddos. We love and appreciate you!

4 Reasons You Should Sponsor a kid in Baghdad!

By John Cook Leave a Comment Jul 18

It’s actually quite convenient. We’ll keep this very brief. Skip learning Arabic, forget pesky travel documents, flights and jet lag! *** Stay right where you are and still change kids’ lives in Iraq. All you do is send in your money each month, pray for your sponsored kids and write letters. We do the rest. Simple investment with a maximum impact. These kids pictured above are our newest to be welcomed this month.
It’s very encouraging for the kids. They have never been sponsored before, so can you imagine how exciting and encouraging it is to hear the words, “yes, you’re now sponsored!”
Sponsorship works! Yes, it’s “legit!” Our field teams are highly trained with ongoing support from the US office. Accountability is a high priority and implemented constantly. As a result, this program is effective, highly inter-personal and benefits driven for the kids and their families.
The eternal reason…Look, EVERYONE in Iraq has PTSD – but not everyone has CHRIST. Radical Muslims such as ISIS know that children are key to the future. If we don’t reach them with the Good News when they are young, they will.

Our goal for July is to see 80 kids sponsored, will you sponsor five today? Just as soon as you sponsor your children, our teams are able to give their families the first food packets!

*** Oh, and one last thing, if you DO want to get your travel documents in line, learn a few words of Arabic, hop on a flight and visit your child, give us a call!

Sponsor 5 for $195, 2 for $78 or 1 for $39 online at www.IndigenousMinistries.org on the right side.

How Refugee Child Sponsorships in Iraq are Working

By John Cook Leave a Comment Jun 24

Rapid Response Fund’s Effectiveness

By John Cook Leave a Comment Jun 19

For the past two months IM teams in Colorado, Iraq and Egypt have been able to respond to needs due in part to our donors’ generous response to this campaign.

Thank you very, very much, to those who have given to this fund; $28,362 has come in to date, giving the ministry the ability to engage with practical and spiritual help. We’re praying for 45 people to give $1000, 65 to give $250, and 105 to give $100 for a great finish to this fundraiser! Your gift to this worthy fund will be multiplied many times over for eternity. Donate online at IndigenousMinistries.org. Thank you and may the Lord bless.

Teens in IM’s Egypt Sponsorship Program Start Vocational Training

By John Cook Leave a Comment Jun 19

For seven teens in our program pictured above with Pastor Emad, summer 2019 means an opportunity to learn new skills with vocational training. Led by our church planting team, seven teens in IM’s sponsorship are learning hair cutting, repairing cell phones and how to drive professionally. Two more are interested in going into ministry as a result of the care they have received. Pray for these young men, as they launch into a new world this month with new skills to find jobs. Thank you to our sponsors and prayer partners!

Refugee Kids Attend Two Months of VBS

By John Cook Leave a Comment Jun 19

Bored kids in the summer is never a good idea…and refugee kids dealing with the summer heat that is climbing into the triple digits with nothing to do is even more of a reason to capture summer days wisely! IM’s team in Kurdistan is making the most of these days by providing an engaging daily VBS to several hundred refugee children. Scripture lessons, stories, games and snacks all led by a team of 10 teachers mean these kids have a great summer. These kids have no means to go to parks, water slides, or zoo outings, so they are happy to be able to board a bus and head on over to one of the refugee camps where the teachers have rooms set aside for different ages. Some travel each way for an hour and a half.

This is not a perfect situation, as the sound bounces off the concrete walls and tile floors, but these volunteers have a huge heart for reaching the hearts of these children with the Love of God. They also know that this is an especially vulnerable time for these children with time on their hands and have stepped up to organize this two month long VBS. Would you be willing to teach hundreds of kids in sweltering heat five days a week for two months? Maybe next summer you can help out, but with this summer underway, we can show our support by faithfully remembering to pray for our team, for these children, some of whom are pictured. There is a cost factor associated with the daily transportation and food of $3700. One more thing we can do to show our support is to cover this small expense. Would you invest in these children this summer? Please donate online to our Rapid Response Fund. Thank you!

Kids in CA Collect Pennies to Buy Backpacks for Kids in Iraq & Break Scale!

By John Cook Leave a Comment May 15

In a nine month long tense contest (boys vs girls), kids at Galt Bible Church (Galt, CA) Awana club tirelessly hauled pounds and pounds of copper goodness for leaders to count so refugee kids in Iraq would get backpacks this September. One evening, the pennies even slammed to the ground as the scale broke! But it was all for a good cause and on May 8, Commander Ron Wilborn presented the Cooks with a check for $1008. Thank you to these generous and kind children, their parents, Awana leaders and Pastor Aaron and Jill Graves!

Commander Ron presented the check to John & Dee

Rapid Response in the Middle East

By John Cook Leave a Comment May 14

Last month we shared with you the significant need to respond to the needs the Lord opens up to our ministry especially in the Middle East. Many have responded generously and to date, $19,000 has come in for the Rapid Response Fund. Thank you! This is an exciting time as we see the Lord provide for this vital need.

We’re not at our goal yet, though, I’m asking you this: Would you pray with us to meet this need? Secondly, would you join with us in partnering for a $1,000 gift? We are at a crossroads and are trusting the Lord to move ahead, and we need your help.

God is calling refugees to Himself at this time in history in the Middle East and I know He’s using us together to accomplish this. I can’t think of a better gift to give a refugee family than eternal hope in Christ, can you? Your generous gift to this fund will help our teams have the tools to respond in a timely matter to needs.

To respond to this need, please visit our website, IndigenousMinistries.org and in the Donate link to the right, click on the “Rapid Response Fund.” Thank you for your prayers and financial gifts that have brought us to this point. We could not be here without you. May the Lord bless you.

God bless you,

John

John W. Cook

CEO

Fall 2019 & Winter 2020 – Ministry Trips Sign Up

By John Cook Leave a Comment May 14

Iraq/Egypt Vision Trip & sponsors meet their kids, Sept 2019. A wonderful opportunity to engage with our Child Sponsorship ministry teams & meet your child!

Egypt National Pastors’ Conference & Prayer Walk, Sept 2019. Pastors, register now for this rich opportunity to share with frontline national pastors in Egypt. Engage and pray with these men on the Mediterranean.

Grace Bible College Winter Teaching Module and Graduation, Women’s Conference, Vision Trip & sponsors meet their students. February 2020. Pastors & Bible teachers, don’t wait to get your name in…this is a very popular trip. You’ll meet the students & faculty & experience a dynamic week of pouring into their lives. Sponsor, meet your student! Ladies, join Dee at an exciting women’s conference.

Most trips are 12-14 days and cost $3850, 18+ years older please.

Call the office for dates and details.