For just a few hours’ work, you’ll be amazed at the impact you will make. It’s called the Refugee Child Sponsorship Ambassador (CSA) Program. We have everything you need online and in a kit. You’ll need your church leadership’s approval, a table and two other volunteers to help you. Our teams have been busy helping refugee kids find sponsors in California and Colorado in April and May. Call our office today and help refugee kids hear the Gospel.
Annual Backpack & School Supplies Campaign
We are in the middle of our very special annual fundraiser that provides backpacks, school supplies, uniform and socks and shoes for all the children in our sponsorship programs in Iraq, Egypt and the Philippines.
The total cost for each child (backpack fully supplied, school uniform, shoes and socks) is $83. Whether or not you sponsor a child, please consider a generous gift for this very worthy cause.
Any amount sent in for this project will be cheerfully used for these children! We’d like to get all the funds in before July 20. Questions? Contact Star 719-302-3028. VBS season is right around the corner…each year a number of churches engage; we’d love to include your church!
Rapid Response in the Middle East
Just before I flew to Iraq last month, we held our IM Board Meeting in Colorado. You may remember last month’s Colorado epic snow “Bomb” -this unusual weather extended our meeting as the board and Dee and I were snowed in together for almost two days at our home. It allowed us more time to talk and pray together seeking the Lord for a wide number of pressure points in both growth and also in effectiveness.
As we were sharing the needs we’re encountering, Craig Miller made the statement, “Are you seeing the growth that the Lord has accomplished here?!” We stopped in acknowledgement of God’s faithfulness and the successes His hand has brought on IM, and thanked the Lord… Indigenous Ministries has been growing exponentially. We are truly in awe of what God is doing and praise Him and thank Him.
Yet we do have growth pains as we work to respond to situations that go beyond the scope of even the abilities of massive organizations such as the U.N. and many global charitable organizations. For some of these situations, we cannot do anything, but for others, we truly sense that the Lord has us strategically positioned for effective response, and we should continue to respond for as long as the Lord opens the doors.
I remember the story of Mother Teresa bathing a small child who had been left at the door of her orphanage in Calcutta. Several Hindu priests laughed at her, “You care for one child, yet there are tens of thousands left to starve.” She turned to them and said, “This is true, but we have saved one.” Her next quote also rings in my head, “If you cannot feed 100 children, begin by feeding one.” This rings true to me personally because my grandparents also served in Calcutta and knew Mother Teresa; they too lived their lives valuing each and every one the Lord brought to them to help in those difficult days. He provided for every need they had.
Exponential growth in the Refugee Child Sponsorship Program. We began this program in August 2017 with 10 children. We ended 2018 with 233 children, and all but 10 sponsored. As the program continues to expand in 2019, community leaders, as well as the children and their families are responding to the practical aid and the gospel. Dozens of families share how our child sponsorship program is making a huge impact in their lives and they are hearing of the love of Christ. They state with tears in their eyes how when their children first entered the program, how thin they were as the result of a lack of nutritious food. They show me with pride the good scores on report cards from their children’s efforts in school. This is also as a direct result of the funds for backpacks you’ve helped provide. You are making an incredible difference in the lives of children, families and the church. The fruit of our labors is there and God is blessing.
John & one of our refugee boys in our program outside of Mosul, Iraq
Exponential growth in the church plant. If you’ve been following our ministry in Kurdistan, northern Iraq, you’ll remember that we partner with a local church plant. We are watching a transformation with this church. Three weeks ago was an incredible step in the life of this church, as three bus loads of Syrian refugees arrived at the church – on a Tuesday – they were there to organize into small groups for discipleship. Each person there was as a result of our Child Sponsorship or Iraq Relief! Not too long ago, this was a struggling small church that now cannot fit all the people into the building at one time… God is using this ministry – that includes you as you have prayed and given – in partnership to bless this church in meeting the needs of both Iraqi and Syrian Refugees…In turn, the pastor and people are answering this call in faithfully administering the grace of God to the hurting and the oppressed. Three months ago they put two men onto their newly formed board. Then, today, we walked on the land today that is being given to the church by the government for a base for our outreach ministry here, Lord willing.
Rapid Response. One of the areas that we as a board are praying about is the ability to have resources which will allow us to respond to needs rapidly. God has placed us as a ministry in a region of the world that is by it’s nature, volatile. The political and religious winds change in a short period of time, sometimes in hours. In this short time, tens of thousands of lives are deeply impacted.
We have teams in place to meet needs on the frontlines; to respond and be the hands and feet of Christ in places where most ministries are not able to move about. We’ve already put in the legwork of four hard years setting logistics up. We are so blessed to have wonderful team members who ministry faithfully. This gives the unique advantage to respond rapidly and effectively. But we need the resources to back our teams up. They can become tired and overwhelmed and need breaks. We must carefully take steps to be even better prepared. Better prepared for the ongoing needs we can plan on, as well as the urgent and emergency needs only God knows are coming.
I wonder if I can ask you something. We as a board and staff are praying for people to help this year and for the next three years over and above what they are already giving with a gift of $1,000 per year. This is for the specific purpose of being ready to respond to the needs we are presented.
We need 100 families to help us with a gift of $1,000. Already $15,000 has come into this fund, for which I am enormously grateful. This will enable us to respond rapidly to meet the needs of people in areas like north Iraq. It will also assist us in the Colorado Springs office to fund the salaries of people who are so very vital to facilitate Indigenous Ministries’s effective and rapid responses.
Would you be willing to pray with us to meet this need? I am asking you to join with us in partnering for a $1,000 gift. Giving $250 per quarter may be more convenient for you. I would be so appreciative as you give any amount you feel the Lord is leading you to engage with.
If you could help us with a gift of $1,000 in the Rapid Response Fund how thankful we would be, first to the Lord and then to you. 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. Maybe you’d like to invest your tax return into something that will bring eternal dividends. Or maybe this will be a step of faith on your part in other ways.
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. You are turning hearts to the Lord of Hosts, who watches over them day and night, and who responds and answers them when they call.
God bless you,
John
One Sponsor Letter + Refugee Kid = Beeeg Smile!
Thank you for the letters! Keep ‘em coming! These pics are from April 15 as our team handed out letters to the kids from their sponsor in a refugee camp in Erbil. Three smiles and one who was shy…that’s okay too! Please email a letter today (bonus: it’s free) to your child via Star to: sponsorships@indigenousministries.org.
Update on the children now enrolled in Iraq:
Total # of refugee kids in the program: 486
# of children sponsored: 275
# of kids available for sponsorship: 211
Sponsor a child today online for $39/month
Annual Backpack & School Supplies Campaign
We are in the middle of our very special annual fundraiser that provides backpacks, school supplies, uniform and socks and shoes for all the children in our sponsorship programs in Iraq, Egypt and the Philippines.
The total cost for each child (backpack fully supplied, school uniform, shoes and socks) is $83. Whether or not you sponsor a child, please consider a generous gift for this very worthy cause.
Any amountsent in for this project will be cheerfully used for these children! We’d like to get all the funds in before July 20. Questions? Contact Star 719-302-3028. VBS season is right around the corner…each year a number of churches engage; we’d love to include your church!
Refugees Given Aid Through Iraq Relief Fund
Last month in Iraq over 60 refugee families received food packets as a result of your generous ongoing donations to the Iraq Relief Fund. These are families who do not have children, therefore, are ineligible to receive aid from our Child Sponsorship Program. We were also able to assist with medications and heaters. Please consider a generous gift to this fund, as it was all used last month. Any gifts given to this fund are used directly to bring relief to refugees through our partnerships with local churches.
Keeping Church in Baghdad A Tenacious Pastor Addresses Unusual Challenges in this Post-War, Ancient City
Baghdad – Last month our US team including three guest pastors, Ken Ford, Mike Lundberg and Jon Campbell spent time in Baghdad meeting with our partnering church, her Pastor Ara, Assistant Pastor Mazin and staff. This church continues to grow with a strategic and impactful ministry to hundreds each month. Her ministry is special; many of her former members are all over the world and some only listen to Christian radio which other ministries in Baghdad are doing an excellent job with because of safety reasons.
This is a church of movement, and what makes this body of Christ unique is her sending power. People come and go from this church for many reasons. But they definitely keep coming and going.
Since 2003, the exodus of Christians from Iraq has been staggering. Estimates vary, but the Christian population in Iraq in 2003 was anywhere from 900,000 to 1.5 million. Now with some 300,000 Christians left in Iraq, many are scattered all over the world, including the US. The emotional and psychological scars born by both groups are evident; many overseas are homesick and long to return. Yet for those who cannot emigrate or choose not to leave, the sparsely attended wedding celebrations and funerals are stark reminders that nothing will ever be the same. The separation and loneliness from broken families and missing friends is only a conversation over cup of tea and a distant look away.
Where does this leave the church? For Pastor Ara, pictured here with John and our US team, the situation is complicated and somewhat of a double-edged sword. Many background Christian refugees who fled to Baghdad (or other areas) escaping violence in their villages at the hands of radical Islamists, attend the church. They are welcomed and attendance grows. These same refugees have significant needs for basics of shelter, food, water and clothing and look to relief organizations and the church for help. The church does what it can to help refugees, builds relationships and as a result, many open their hearts to the Gospel and encounter a new journey of faith. This is wonderful and the testimonies are each very dynamic! The church follows up with discipleship, meaning the very difficulties that hurt them are turned into ministry opportunities and in time, prepare those who will leave for their future assignments from the Lord. Think Acts and how persecution spread the Church.
This church sends her people equipped: some refugees emigrate out of Iraq, others return to their homes. Still others, unable to return home, continue to look to the church for some measure of help. Pastor Ara and the leadership look for ways to care for the poorest families without jobs (elderly, widows, orphans, the handicapped and those in danger) who have very little resources otherwise. Some manage to find jobs. Many become involved in ministry.
Meanwhile, life in Baghdad and in this church goes on: young couples are getting married and starting families, children attend school and AWANA, and youth groups are in full swing with pizza parties and Bible studies. Women meet weekly for Bible studies and prayer, and 12 to 14 home groups meet weekly to study the Bible and integrate new Believers into the Body. The mercy ministry to refugees sustains life month after month. The church’s bookstore attracts Christians and Muslims alike, with resources for seekers on who Jesus is, what the Bible says and how to come to faith.
This is a vibrant and growing Body of Christ whose beauty includes her scars, for she has suffered much with bomb attacks, threats, and a number of this body have been killed. This Pastor and Body of Believers are an example of grace and strength in the fire. To the Iraqi reading this in some area of the world who has had to leave your Iraqi homeland, we love you and pray God’s strength, provision and guidance for you.
Since 2004, Indigenous Ministries’ engagement with this church has revolved around helping with ministering to a war-impacted Christian and Muslim community. We are proud to partner with Pastor Ara and the team in Baghdad. In a few months watch for next steps in this partnership which we are praying over and believe the Lord is leading us into together for His glory.Please use and share this article as a way to pray with knowledge for this body of Believers in Iraq and the joys and challenges they face and that we are privileged to engage in with them.
Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. James 1:12
US Pastors Share Firsthand Impressions of Iraq
By Pastor Mike Lundberg
Church on the Hill, Montrose, CO
I had the privilege of traveling to Iraq with John and Dee Cook from January 14-29, 2019. It was a rewarding, eye-opening and life-changing adventure. We flew in to Erbil and met some of IMI’s Iraq staff. Their warmth, consistency, support and faithfulness contributed to our successful trip. We met several of the refugee families in Erbil and were deeply touched by their stories of courage and faith in the face of extreme opposition and heartbreak from losing homes, possessions, jobs and worst of all family members. Some of these were internally displaced Iraqis and others were refugees fleeing the war in Syria.
As a result of their plight, my wife and I have begun sponsoring a young Syrian girl in IMI’s child refugee sponsorship program. Nationals helping IMI in that part of Iraq are making a huge difference as we assisted in the food distribution that was a blessing to the Iraqi families trying to rebuild their homes and community that had been destroyed by ISIS.
We also spent a few days in Baghdad visiting the churches IMI works with there. It was refreshing to hear that all seven of the evangelical churches work together. Since Christians are such a small minority in that city of nearly 9 million, according to 2016 statistics, their unity was inspiring. I also appreciated their passion for their city, culture and especially for Muslim background believers that were attending their churches. They were learning to love their former enemies in practical ways.
I was thrilled to see God working through faithful Iraqi nationals and IMI. As one Iraqi pastor put it, “Our time is now!” I believe it is. God is going to do great things once again in the “Cradle of Civilization.”
By Pastor Jon Campbell
Emanuel Baptist Church, Kinston, NC
My experience in Iraq has and will continue to change me and my worldview for years to come. Despite great evil, suffering, and oppression, God is building his church through many faithful and joyful believers. Their faithfulness to the Lord and their joy in the Lord was overwhelming!
On the other hand, seeing the suffering of the refugees first-hand was also overwhelming. So many people who are in desperate need of the necessities of life. I came away impressed with the passionate commitment of Indigenous Ministries and their whole staff to be personally involved in helping refugee families who have lost virtually everything! I saw the hope that the work of IM is building into people through the generosity of so many people through the grace of God.
By Pastor Ken Ford
Alton Bible Church, Lowell, MI
Words fail me to effectively communicate the situation I observed recently in Iraq. The great need, the deep pain, the abounding opportunity, the astounding work of God in the midst of it all. People literally being sustained by the food distributed through IM child sponsorships and the Iraq Relief Project. People holding on knowing someone far away cares enough to love and support them. Numerous testimonies of those who, through the effective ministry of IM, have come to Christ during this time of crisis. There is so much need I urge you to give more than you think you can. I wish I could express to you the delight to my soul to worship together with those who are the fruit of these labors. I have seen the need as well as the meaningful and effective ministry of IM—they are making a real difference with your partnership. Thank you for being a part of this special ministry and please encourage others to join in this great work.
Christmas in Iraq
Your word, Lord, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens.
Your faithfulness continues through all generations; you established the earth, and it endures. Psalms 119:89, 90
In December, the Iraq IM Team held three Christmas parties for the refugee children you sponsor. They also gave out these fluffy animals to each of the children with Scriptures in their own language on a solar powered player. The kids had a wonderful time and were really excited to receive their gifts!
The children can now listen to Bible stories set to music. So many of them tell our team they go to sleep at night with their fluffy friend.
Thank you for helping these families have a special Christmas!
The kids in these pics are in the Iraq Refugee Child Sponsorship Program. Special thanks to our wonderful and talented Smile Team, top, who performed great skits, songs and shared Christ with the kids. Please continue to pray for this vital ministry.
Iraq Update
The UNHCR’s figures take the world’s refugee numbers to a staggering 22.5 million. Five million souls have left Syria after seven years of a civil war. One of the areas they are attracted to is northern Iraq. IM’s team helps these refugees as well as Iraqi refugees in Kurdistan and outside of Mosul.
The impact of food distributions in an area where unemployment is 55-59% is vital for families who struggle for stability. School supplies for the children helps to lift burdens from over-taxed parents.
In November, John and Dee Cook joined our Iraq team for a food distribution outside Mosul. As families arrived, parents were visited with, food packets given and to the kids’ surprise and delight, a Christmas craft awaited their small hands; one for themselves, and one for their sponsor. Even Spider-Man (below) showed up and had a great time making a crèche!
With the growth over the last year of this Refugee Child Sponsorship Program, we are delighted to welcome three new team members. Their work with logistics, Bible studies and keeping track of the families has already been a huge asset! Enjoy the pics from this memorable day, and thank you for your continued prayers and financial partnership which the Lord is using. Hundreds more children are waiting sponsorship. If you feel the Lord leading you to become a sponsor like some of our sponsors below, welcome! Visit our website, IndigenousMinistries.org, on the right click “Sponsor a Child.” You and your family are not going out to McDonalds for one time can help feed a family for two months. Wow, that’s impactful. $39/month per child. Thank you.
As of Dec. 1, 2018:
Refugee kids in program: 242
Kids sponsored: 220
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- Retired newlyweds Dennis & Sandy, OR, are excited to sponsor Lara.
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- Mryana shared letters from their sponsors with sisters Hanen & Ranen
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- Ben & Lily King, AK, lead their church’s youth group in sponsoring two Iraqi children Thank you!
The local, national church is the heart of our ministry. Left, John spoke last month in Kurdistan, and as a result of the pastor’s ministry and the Word shared, 28 indicated a decision for Christ. They will be followed up with through the local church pastor and teams. Right, Dee held two women’s meetings, one in a refugee camp and one in the church; both were packed. Thank you for your partnership. Please continue to pray for Pastor Sabre, the church and our IM team members.
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