The crucial moment, of course, was at the end of the school: What will they do? Will they apply all they learned? Or was it just a lot of “good experiences” and a “great time”?
Great majority in fulltime missions
We were happy to see that the classes were not just interesting information; no, the students got more and more deeply involved with different groups of Children at Risk in Rio, like kids living in poor communities where drug trafficking has elevated crime to incredible levels, or teenagers and young people entrapped in sexual exploitation.
Great majority in fulltime missions
We were happy to see that the classes were not just interesting information; no, the students got more and more deeply involved with different groups of Children at Risk in Rio, like kids living in poor communities where drug trafficking has elevated crime to incredible levels, or teenagers and young people entrapped in sexual exploitation.
By end of the school they knew God had called them to reach out to at-risk kids. Most of them joined Youth with a Mission (YWAM) or other missionary organizations. They have great plans to reach children and young people with the love of God, and I believe we will hear wonderful things from them in the future!
Millennials and YouTube
The current generation of youth are often called `Millennials´ and they can find almost all the information they need for their studies on the internet. From cooking recipes to building your own car, you always can find some do-it-yourself instructions on YouTube. You might ask why we still travel to other cities and countries to teach the Children at Risk School. Couldn´t we just put all our classes on YouTube and stay comfortably at home? Yes, I guess we could, but would that be as effective?
No, we don’t believe it would be. This new generation needs people to help them interpret the classes and information, to be an example for them, and to inspire them through our lifestyle and experiences.
What our students commented
Here are some of the things that our students wrote us:
“Your classes turned my life upside down…”
“Thank you for sharing your experiences and lessons from life, your lifestyle has inspired me…”
“I learned so much from your classes, it touched me deeply, and some deep wounds were healed….”
“Very inspiring, spiritually and practically, it will help me for the rest of my life….”
We are very grateful. Grateful to God who called us to work for the past year in Rio de Janeiro and provided all that we needed. Grateful to the staff who invested their gifts and talents to make the school a success. And also very grateful to the students who came with open hearts to learn, and put it all into practice.
Going, everywhere the Lord leads us
All this has giving us new impetus to continue. Since we handed over the leadership of the base in Belo Horizonte in 2013, we have been free to go where the Lord leads us to start new Children at Risk schools, and teach wherever needed in churches, seminars, and YWAM bases about how to work with Children at Risk.
During the final months of this year, we are doing just that: teaching in churches and Children at Risk schools in different Brazilian cities. And next year we hope to do the same in various countries in Asia, but more about that in our next newsletterJ.
Helping children in refugee camps
We’ll save details about our upcoming time in Asia for the next newsletter because, before then, we´re planning to make our fourth trip to the Middle East, to help the refugee children. Children who escape from the violence of war with their parents, or sometimes without them, are another category of Children at Risk.
This time we are planning to give a seminar to teachers in the Middle East, who work in schools with children from different refugee camps. We´ll focus on how to help children handle the traumas they’ve experienced through war.
Would you please pray for us? Such trips are challenging--physically, emotionally and financially. But we are thankful that we can help spread the love of God to these children and young people who have often passed through the most horrible situations.
Furlough in Holland
We hope to be in Holland for Christmas, so we can celebrate those days together with our ´Dutch` children and grandchildren. In January and February, we are planning to share in different churches and groups about the ministry with Children at Risk.
“Children at Risk” Seminar
From February 13-17, YWAM Heidebeek will organize a “Children at Risk” seminar with a special focus on refugee children. We will be sharing the first two days. Costs E175 - all included. For more information, please contact: jokevanheuven@gmail.com
Christmas, God with us, us together with God
“Watch for this – a virgin will get pregnant and bear a son; they will name him Immanuel (Hebrew for ‘God is with us’).” Matthew 1:23 (The Message).
The Lord Jesus was born as a small baby. He came from heaven to earth to be with us, in order that whoever believes in Him will live together with God, and be saved.
“God with us!” That´s what I wish for all the kids in the refugee camps, for teenagers trapped in sexual exploitation, for families that must raise their children in crime-ridden neighborhoods. Together with God, everything changes—the burden lifts, the light shines, and everything gets renewed and touched by God´s goodness!
We wish you all God´s richest blessings!
Prayer points
Millennials and YouTube
The current generation of youth are often called `Millennials´ and they can find almost all the information they need for their studies on the internet. From cooking recipes to building your own car, you always can find some do-it-yourself instructions on YouTube. You might ask why we still travel to other cities and countries to teach the Children at Risk School. Couldn´t we just put all our classes on YouTube and stay comfortably at home? Yes, I guess we could, but would that be as effective?
No, we don’t believe it would be. This new generation needs people to help them interpret the classes and information, to be an example for them, and to inspire them through our lifestyle and experiences.
What our students commented
Here are some of the things that our students wrote us:
“Your classes turned my life upside down…”
“Thank you for sharing your experiences and lessons from life, your lifestyle has inspired me…”
“I learned so much from your classes, it touched me deeply, and some deep wounds were healed….”
“Very inspiring, spiritually and practically, it will help me for the rest of my life….”
We are very grateful. Grateful to God who called us to work for the past year in Rio de Janeiro and provided all that we needed. Grateful to the staff who invested their gifts and talents to make the school a success. And also very grateful to the students who came with open hearts to learn, and put it all into practice.
Going, everywhere the Lord leads us
All this has giving us new impetus to continue. Since we handed over the leadership of the base in Belo Horizonte in 2013, we have been free to go where the Lord leads us to start new Children at Risk schools, and teach wherever needed in churches, seminars, and YWAM bases about how to work with Children at Risk.
During the final months of this year, we are doing just that: teaching in churches and Children at Risk schools in different Brazilian cities. And next year we hope to do the same in various countries in Asia, but more about that in our next newsletterJ.
Helping children in refugee camps
We’ll save details about our upcoming time in Asia for the next newsletter because, before then, we´re planning to make our fourth trip to the Middle East, to help the refugee children. Children who escape from the violence of war with their parents, or sometimes without them, are another category of Children at Risk.
This time we are planning to give a seminar to teachers in the Middle East, who work in schools with children from different refugee camps. We´ll focus on how to help children handle the traumas they’ve experienced through war.
Would you please pray for us? Such trips are challenging--physically, emotionally and financially. But we are thankful that we can help spread the love of God to these children and young people who have often passed through the most horrible situations.
Furlough in Holland
We hope to be in Holland for Christmas, so we can celebrate those days together with our ´Dutch` children and grandchildren. In January and February, we are planning to share in different churches and groups about the ministry with Children at Risk.
From February 13-17, YWAM Heidebeek will organize a “Children at Risk” seminar with a special focus on refugee children. We will be sharing the first two days. Costs E175 - all included. For more information, please contact: jokevanheuven@gmail.com
Christmas, God with us, us together with God
“Watch for this – a virgin will get pregnant and bear a son; they will name him Immanuel (Hebrew for ‘God is with us’).” Matthew 1:23 (The Message).
The Lord Jesus was born as a small baby. He came from heaven to earth to be with us, in order that whoever believes in Him will live together with God, and be saved.
“God with us!” That´s what I wish for all the kids in the refugee camps, for teenagers trapped in sexual exploitation, for families that must raise their children in crime-ridden neighborhoods. Together with God, everything changes—the burden lifts, the light shines, and everything gets renewed and touched by God´s goodness!
We wish you all God´s richest blessings!
Prayer points
- Give thanks to the Lord for the wonderful students we were able to train in Rio de Janeiro and who are now stepping out into their missionary careers.
- Pray that they will reach many children in need with the love of God.
- Thank God for the opportunity to go and minister, equip and encourage teachers in refugee camps in the Middle East.
- Please pray for the safety of the refugees and all who are trying to help them.
- Give thanks for those churches that are trying with all their might to reach out to the refugees.
- Pray for peace to come.
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