IMT Update: September 07
Here is the latest from PRC’ers involved around the world from our September 11, 2007 IMT Meeting.
Kristin Aldrich – OCI Missions Trip to Africa
She co-led a group for OCI of 12 students (mostly college-age) to South Africa and Swaziland this summer for six and a half weeks. It was hard to see so many that are infected with AIDS and dying. Their team did some AIDS education. They also worked in an orphanage, cleaned schools, and held some youth nights where forty kids accepted Christ. Pray for the people ministering there and for Kristin, that she will remember God’s faithfulness and that she will be selfless with the 5th grade kids she teaches.
Eric Mason – Youth Missions Trip to Juarez, Mexico
Eighteen people went on this 6th trip to Mexico--5 adults and 14 students ranging from 6th grade to high school seniors. Besides building the house, they took a ton of toys provided by PRC’s Childrens Ministries to the children in an orphanage. Another outreach was inviting families in the colonia where they built the house to a meal. Haley, one of the students who went, enjoyed learning to love the Mexican kids.
Don Long – Shepherds
Shepherds is an organization that provides compassionate Christian care for adults with mental disabilities located in Union Grove, Wisconsin. It started with a Sunday School class and is now a facility on a 9-acre campus providing care for over 170 individuals.
There are several programs that meet the needs of residents. One is independent living which includes group homes and apartments both on campus and in the community. Shepherds also provides vocational training and placement in paying jobs either on campus or in the community. They are working on plans for a university to begin in 2008 that would provide a three-year program offering majors in such things as horticulture, culinary arts, and veterinary assistant.
Spiritual Life is one of their most important programs which includes Bible studies, chapel services, Sunday worship and outreach possibilities with a handbell choir or gospel team. Respite care is a 2-week program designed to give caregivers a break. It is also the avenue that all must go through before becoming residents. There is a special program for the aging.
Churches can partner with them through prayer, finances, sending a group to help with projects, collecting Campbell’s Soup labels which enables them to get free vans, adopting a resident for $25 a month, or providing food for a day.