Viva Colombia

Bogota, Colombia--Our taxi climbed the narrow roads up the mountain-side until we could not drive any further. We then hiked part of the mountainside, escorted by the children to a small blue house, seemingly on top of the world. These were simple homes that dotted the hillside, much like the ones described in the Peru story below, made of wood, bricks, metal and any scrap of material to keep the wind out, where life is hard but the views are amazing. There we met Ricardo and his fiancee, Milena, founders of a young ministry to the children of this area. Together they feed and care for the little ones; making meals, helping them with homework and even washing clothes if needed. They also do Bible lesson with them and teach them to be warriors for the Lord. It was refreshing and encouraging to hear these young ones pray. We also met Steven and Leidy, who were only seven and nine but had already been exposed to violence, sex, and drugs. They talked about their life now that they had someone to help look after them while their mother was working in the city as a recycler. We spent several days with them, playing, laughing and talking. It was hard to head back down the mountain the last time. Our prayers will be with this group as they work for transformation even in the high places. 

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  "Come lets have coffee" Pastor Carlos, the foundation leader says as we head to the kitchen where there is a table off to the side for the adults. The rest of the large room is part industrial-sized kitchen and part dining room for the 700 or so kids that come in at various times throughout the day to receive a meal, help with their homework, a little love and attention and the Word of God. When I hear the words of Bob Hoskins original OneHope mandate to reach all the children in the world and to save them from drugs, poverty, violence, prostitution and the evils of this world, I will think of this place because these children in this place have truely been saved from these very things. Child after child that we interviewed (Anderson, Pamela, William, and more) told these very stories but also had renewed hope for their future and a sparkle in their eye. The difference was God's vision in the heart of a man, who was obedient, and the Word of God. What a privilege to witness true transformation and to bring encouragement.

During our many coffee breaks over the course of 4 days Pastor Carlos told many stories of miraculous provision but there is one story that I would like to retell...he told us of a time a few years ago that his treasurer was robbed as he was walking down the street with foundation funds, a few days later their building was broken into--food and supplies were taken. Another couple days pass and they were robbed again. The pastor was distraught and so he took these matters to the Lord in prayer. And that is when the Lord reminded him that he still had his most valuable assets, that they had not been taken...the children. The enemy comes to steal, kill and destroy but the Word of the Lord remains and those to whom He has his hand upon are saved.

Click here to see more Colombia photos

Next up...Burkina Faso and Niger in West Africa.

Be the Light

Lima Peru--Imagine walking up a dirt path, a dirt stairway actually, where wood and tin shacks are literally on top of one another, where clean water, and bathroom facilities are not an option. Where cooking and clothes washing are not with shiny new appliances but the old fashion way, on a tiny one pot burner and by hand. Where the floor of your one room home is sand and not at all level, the tin roof doesn't entirely cover you from the outside. Where the air quality is so bad you feel the burning in the back of your throat. This location could be many places around the world, but on this occasion it was the outskirts of Lima, Peru.

Heading back to Peru where my exposure to OneHope began was a bit of a surprise but it was a good surprise. Someone was needed to take a team at the last minute. We worked with a new group of people in new areas of the city. We got to see first-hand Peruvian independence celebrations in the schools and the festive preparations around the city. We got to do evangelism events in several parks that involved drama and soccer. And we got to go to some forgotten places: a community called Pachacutec, tucked away between the hills and the sea, just beyond the acrid petroleum plants. We also got to hike up a barren hill on the outskirts of Lima to visit a small church outcropped on the hill in between dozens of wooden shacks to bring good news to the children that called that hill home. This trip brought back a lot of good memories of my first trip to the same city six years prior and more than anything it amazed me how things had come full circle as I near the end of my assignment.

There are so many opportunities to show the love of Jesus all around us if we just open our eyes to them. I have been privileged to go to some amazing places but the further I go the more burdened I get for those at home. It doesn't take much to show love, care or concern. Go spend some time with the kids in your neighborhood, play soccer with them, help them with homework but most of all be an example and speak to them with kindness and truth.

Be the light wherever you are!


Click here to view more photos from this trip.

Heart for Brazil

May 2010--Three weeks in Brazil and my heart swells with many emotions and memories. Where can I even begin? It starts with a team..a team of all girls from California. Ten woman willing to do whatever was asked, to step out of their comfort zones and go into schools and neighborhoods to bring the message of good news. Ten women willing to adapt to new situations, a new language, new people and foods. It also involves a local church called Filadelfia in the city of Limeira and a group of 20 or so young people from this very large church, who faithfully joined us for daily ministry. Some standing along-side of us; translating, praying, signing, singing, and teaching. And others in support by cooking, driving and always there to do whatever was needed. And there was our AMME/OneHope Brazil staff working so hard behind the scenes with all the day-to-day details.

Next came our work with the kids. Nothing brings me more joy than walking up to a group of kids, it doesn't matter if I speak their language or not, and interacting with them. We went into primary schools, pre-schools, high schools, and deaf schools. We spoke about self-esteem, anti-bullying, making decisions and our best friend. We went into neighborhoods and did a VBS style ministry called Aquila Circuits that contained a pro-family message. One principal came back to us a week later and said that some of her students wanted to make a play for the whole school. They performed one of our skits flawlessly and so the message was being carried on by other children as well. The real impact may never be fully known, but I know we left our mark in the schools and in the hearts and minds of all involved. We gave out 5,498 books but more than that we interacted and reinforced our central message that there is hope.

I think our most powerful time came when we visited the High Schools. There is nothing like walking into an auditorium full of teenagers. You start off feeling like chum in a shark tank but then when the fun and the dramas are over and the message is spoken and you see the work of the holy spirit so visibly evident on the teens faces, you leave feeling God did something amazing through you beyond your own natural abilities. We almost always got to hang out with the kids during break times and this was when many would come to the girls asking questions as they boldly told their stories and prayed with many right there on school grounds. Many are forever changed including the ones delivering the message.

We ended our time in Brazil with a trip to the beach, which I can confirm as some of the most beautiful beaches in the world.

Next up....Haiti

For more photos see my Flickr pages @ www.flickr.com/photos/kimart4ch or my photo albums on Facebook.

Don't forget to Pray, Give (www.onehope.net/kimclark), and Write

Team Henning from Bakersfield, CA

Imagine a team full of energy, young and eager to perform and speak a message of hope before school children. And then imagine a country that says you cannot proclaim the name of Jesus within the schools walls. You cannot hand out religious material on school grounds. These are some of the realities that Argentina faces; legally as well as spiritually.

But some would say: you can come in a talk about values and making positive choices. You can talk about not doing drugs and against violence. You can hand out the books outside the school when the kids are let out.

Some schools said absolutely not and other welcomed us in. Even though the week started off slow, the team prayed and momentum picked up and more and more doors opened up to us until we had more invitations than we had time for. Teachers became excited and allowed little bits of the gospel in.

At the end of the week we held and outdoor festival and despite the cold (it’s currently winter in Argentina) people came. Now imagine this same team of young people from Bakersfield, CA performing powerful human videos to the crowds. Then the youth pastor gets up and preaches a simple salvation message. Hands are raised and many people receive hope. It makes all the struggles worth it.





http://www.flickr.com/photos/kimart4ch/sets/72157605689752435/

Art, Ministry and Ice Cream

Argentina—A country of sophistication. A place of Latin and European culture… A place where the kids are lost. Graffiti litters the walls. Evenings are for cruising and hanging out in the streets. And the schools are closed to the gospel.

Through an exchange of art and drama, the schools of Zarate opened their doors to us. We did short presentations on making good choices in life through drama and testimony, and then invited the kids to our evening art clinics. Our team from CBU did clinics in photography, painting, drawing, literature and drama. Relationships were formed and lives changed. Each night we spoke on a different theme from the Book of Hope. We personalized it with testimonies and then encouraged the kids to express themselves in their chosen discipline.

In the end we held an art exhibition as well as a concert night. The mother of a young man, Emmanuel, wrote a letter to us. Thanking us for spending time with her son and in awe over the change in his life and attitude in just a few short days. Another young girl sat with one of our team members, Janai and asked some of life’s difficult questions. It was no accident that Janai had wrestled with the same questions in the past. And it was a joy to see the photography clinic wrap up their sessions with prayer for salvation. I will not forget the faces or the names of the ones that came regularly and showed an interest not only in art but the transformation message.

Another note about Argentina: the ice cream is hands down the best in the world. And so is the beef. If you visit Argentina learn two words and you will go home happy: Helado and Asada

The CBU team in front of a mural they also got to paint.

More Photos @: www.flickr.com/photos/kimart4ch